0701 febmar2016 by Oregon Cannabis Connection

FR E E

Feb/Mar 2016 Vol. 7 Issue 1

Medford, Oregon City Councilman Clay Bearnson, an Oregon dispensary license applicant, represents a new type of cannabis advocate, the local politician. Image: Keith Mansur, Oregon Cannabis Connection

Connecting Oregon's Marijuana Community Since 2010

In This Issue

Feb/Mar 2016

Oregon Cannabis Connection

Medical News

Oregon News Crusader, Mastermind, or Grifter? - Disputes, Lawsuits,

and Resignations are Redefining Travis Maurer

New Approach Oregon Plans For 2016

Restore The Initiative Petition

Oregon's Temporary Marijuana Tax: What Dispensaries Need To Know

Oregon Radical - Medical MArijuana Abuses, not Legalization, are Killing Medical Marijuana

At Church & State: Updates From The Capitol

Cannabis Advocates Shake Up Local Politics

Oregon's Marijuana Community and Industry Need to Support Ted Wheeler for Portland Mayor

Oregon News Nugs - News From Around The Beaver State

National News

Study: Cannabis Oil Mitigates Symptoms of Alzheimer'sInduced Dementia

California Medical Association Backs AUMA Initiative

Study: Marijuana May Ease Migraine Headaches

Cannabis Doesn't Lower IQ, But Alcohol Might

Study: Medical Marijuana Laws Associated With Decreased Obesity

Food & Recipes Roasted Garlic Fettuccine Alfedo Canna-Milk Choco Canna-Dipped Strawberries Mexican Hot Chocolate

Cultivation Growing With Good Earth: Understanding PPM

Adding Organic Matter

Ecoculture: The Promising Future of Cannabis - By Green

Source Gardens

Governor Brown Signs Bill to End Medical Marijuana Deadline

Florida Initiative to Legalize Medical Cannabis Officially Qualifies for November Ballot

Facebook Shuts Down Dispensary Pages

7 Ways New York's Medical Marijuana Program Falls Short

is a bi-monthly publication for the entire cannabis community in Oregon. Published by K2 Publishing Co. in Southern Oregon, we strive to inform the public on the value of medical marijuana, as well as provide news, information, and opinions concerning marijuana laws, legalization, and medicine. All information in OCC is intended for legal use by adults only. OCC is advertiser supported and over 21,000 copies are available FREE at over 300 locations across Oregon.

National News Nugs - News From Around The Nation

FOR A DISTRIBUTION LOCATION NEAR YOU, GO ONLINE TO WWW.OCCNEWSPAPER.COM

A Conversation With Cannabis Sativa

Hillary Clinton Still Out of Touch on Marijuana with Democrats, All Young Voters Woody Harrelson and Tetris Producer Henk Rogers Apply For Dispensary Licenses in Hawaii

How To Germinate Marijuana Seeds

23 Business Classifieds OREGON CANNABIS CONNECTION

OCC Staff:

OCC Contributors:

Keith Mansur

Anthony Taylor 足 at Church & State "Radical" Russ Belville 足 Oregon Radical Nicholas Mahmood & Elizabeth Luca-Mahmood -

Publisher/Managing Editor/Writer

Cheryl Smith

Copy Editor/Writer

Deb Lawrence Ad Sales

Green Source Gardens

Rhea - Growing with Good Earth

Subscriptions are available within the U.S.A for 24.00 per year. Please visit www.OCCNewspaper.com to subscribe. Correspondences to: K2 Publishing P.O. Box 5552, Grants Pass, OR 97527 To advertise or distribute please Email: OCCNewspaper420@gmail.com or contact us at 541-621-1723. Next issue is Apr/May 2016, advertising DEADLINE IS MARCH 25TH, 2016!

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Oregon News

Crusader, Mastermind, or Grifter? Disputes, Lawsuits, and

Resignations Are Redefining Travis Maurer Travis Maurer came to Oregon from Missouri in 2010 to leave his home state for a new start where marijuana was legal. After being busted, SWAT-style, for growing some 400 plants in a state where local law enforcement is known for its disdain of marijuana, he convinced authorities to allow him to serve his five years probation in Oregon, where it's legal to grow marijuana—the very crime he pleaded guilty to in Missouri. After arriving, he became Image Columbia Police Dept via involved in the Columbiatribune.com legalization movement and was inexplicably able to arrange for some major donors to fund legalization in Oregon. His effort was amazing, according to many, and it helped get Oregon's Measure 91 on the ballot in 2014: “It’s a personal mission, He believes in what he’s doing, he has a tremendous amount of energy, and he’s completely fearless,” said Steve DeAngelo, co-owner of Harborside Health in Oakland, California, in a Newsweek article in November. “He’s one of the most positively persuasive people ever,” she says. “He’s a good motivator, and I don’t mean that in a bullshit way,” said Liz Kaufman, a veteran political strategist, also to Newsweek.

. Image: YouTube

“[His] pitch for national backing was ‘the best presentation I had ever seen a local activist provide about a potential ballot measure,’” said Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance to the Columbia Tribune in July. Though he got the ball rolling, for sure, all the heavy lifting in the coming months was done by a host of other individuals, including Anthony Johnson, the Chief Petitioner of Measure 91 and an old college friend of Travis' who had moved to Oregon in 2004 from Missouri. Maurer was content being in the background since he was still within his five year probationary period related to the felony in Missouri. During this time, major efforts were made to get Measure 91 on the ballot, and then to forge a functional effort for legalization. Hundreds of volunteers and paid staff toiled through the tough work of an initiative campaign, with admittedly little effort from Travis Maurer, and arguably a modicum of effort online by his wife, Leah, with the “Moms for Measure 91” Facebook group. Just a few months after legalization, Maurer began making big deals and polishing his image. He met with some big money investors and played up his involvement in the legalization efforts. His self-promotion worked well and garnered Maurer many accolades from major news outlets all too happy to carry another marijuana success story in their publications. There were even compliments from Johnny Green of The Weed Blog and his former friend Anthony Johnson, who ran the campaign to legalize marijuana in Oregon. Cont. on Page 10

Oregon Cannabis Connection

New Approach Oregon Plans For 2016

them to purchase from retail stores, and the high taxes on these medical treatments often make them costprohibitive to working class Oregonians suffering from painful and lifethreatening illnesses. We also want to ease regulations for Oregonians who wish to responsibly cultivate marijuana in their backyard.

After a busy year working with local and state agencies to legislate and implement regulation and legalization from Portland to Pendleton, New Approach Oregon is excited to continue our advocacy during the upcoming 2016 Oregon Legislature. We’re excited to share with you our priorities for the next few weeks in Salem:

Thanks to your generous support, we’re on our way to fundraising enough money to ensure our bustling organization can keep fighting for a thoughtful, consumerand patient-oriented approach to marijuana policy that works for all Oregonians.

• Further victories on our Fresh Start Oregon campaign. Building on our nationally historic (and bipartisan) victories last summer, we’ll be working to continue to clear previous convictions to help Oregonians needlessly encumbered by petty pot convictions to gain easier access to education, employment and housing. We’ll also work to ensure that no additional criminal penalties are added or increased, and continue to demonstrate that a new, responsible, just era of drug reform is upon us here in Oregon.

Stay tuned for more news out of Salem from New Approach Oregon!

Can you spare a donation today? (http://www.newapproachoregon.com/) As a Political Action Committee, any donation to New Approach Oregon up to $50 can be written off of next year’s taxes.

• Licensing reform to support local dispensaries. Regulations from 2015’s legislation deny small businesses the opportunities to serve both medical patients and recreational users. This has significant impact for many Oregon marijuana patients, who find it increasingly hard to obtain medicine because retailers find it cost-prohibitive to provide for them. • Making Oregon’s marijuana regulations work for patients. Prospective rules scheduled to go into effect on March 1st will end the ability of sick and disabled patients from registering in Oregon. Many patients from out of state need a grower to supply their medicine because the medical products they need are too expensive for

Oct/Nov 2015 Issue

Feb/Mar 2016

Oregon News

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vote on initiatives meaningless. They didn't like what they saw after Measure 91.

A prospective petition was filed for an Oregon initiative that would force the legislature to seek referendums when the make changes to a voter enacted statutory initiative, such as Measure 91. Filed in late October, the petitioners are ready to submit their initial 1,000 sponsorship signatures in February. Once submitted, the Elections Division forwards the text of the prospective petition to the Oregon Attorney General and after the title process is complete, the gathering of the nearly 120,000 valid signatures begins. “Throughout history whenever the Legislature made changes to an initiative law approved by voters, they sent the changes back for a approving majority vote,” explained Mark Miller, one of two Chief Petitioners for Restore The Initiative. “Over the last two years, and for the first time in history, the Oregon Legislature and Governor have repealed initiative laws that voters approved, and declared an emergency so the voters could not have a referendum on the changes.” “Our constitutional amendment requires if the legislature makes changes to an initiative law, an election must be held for voters to approve or disapprove the change,” Miller explained. It appears what Miller is saying is true. The Oregon Legislature and Governor have defied more than 100 years of legislative tradition by making wholesale changes to a voter enacted initiative. Miller and the other Chief Petitioner, Larry Becker, believe it has created a constitutional crisis and can render our

“All the legislature has to do is repeal any initiative the voters approved, and declare an emergency, and that prevents an election (referendum) on those changes,” explained Miller. A constitutional amendment requires more signatures to be placed on the ballot, making the task more difficult. Instead of the usual 88,000 signatures to be placed on the ballot as a statutory change, an constitutional amendment needs 117,578 signatures, but it can't be messed with or derailed by the legislature, as they did with Measure 91. “A constitutional amendment is required, because an initiative law to stop the legislature from changing voter passed laws can be repealed by the legislature and have an emergency declared on it as well,” explained Miller. “The way to restore the constitutional balance intended by the initiative process is to pass our amendment.” They are confident they will raise enough signatures. With the deadline July 8th for signature submissions, they have 5 months left to gather the number needed. “We have encountered widespread support,” Miller explained. “A number of organizations on both sides of political spectrum are rallying to this to ensure that citizens can hold government accountable.” Though its not as easy as just “clicking”, it does add a new dimension to signature gathering. Now voters can download an “e-petition” form and then mail in to the Chief Petitioner directly. “There is a new means of collecting petition signatures with forms that voters can download,” Miller explained Cont. on Page 11

A temporary 25-percent tax is now in effect for all recreational marijuana products sold at medical marijuana dispensaries through December 31, 2016. The tax is applied to the retail price of the recreational products. Dispensaries must list the retail price and total tax separately on customer receipts. "Dispensaries can set whatever price they choose for their products, but the price must be set up front and the law requires consumers be issued a receipt showing the price and tax they're paying," said John Galvin, manager of the Marijuana Tax Program. Right now, medical dispensaries are the only facilities authorized to sell recreational marijuana products. Their sales are currently limited to flowers, leaves, immature marijuana plants, and seeds. Medical marijuana remains untaxed. Dispensaries must register with the Department of Revenue before remitting payments or filing returns. This allows the department to create a tax account for them. About half of the dispensaries (140 out of 284) publicly listed as recreational marijuana retailers with the Oregon Health Authority, have not registered (As of middle of January). Payments are due monthly starting in February. Returns are due quarterly. Returns for the first quarter are due by May 2,2016. Subsequent returns will be due at the end of the month following the end of the quarter.

On December 31, 2016, dispensaries had to stop selling limited recreational marijuana products. After that date, only retailers licensed through the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) may sell recreational marijuana products. OLCC started accepting license applications last week. Its goal is to start issuing retail licenses by late 2016. The permanent, 17-percent tax on the sales price of all recreational marijuana products will take effect once a facility is licensed. Cities and counties can decide whether or not to adopt an additional local tax of up to 3 percent on retail sales. Revenue is not involved in the collection of local marijuana taxes. Visit oregon.gov/dor/marijuana for more information on the marijuana tax program.

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Oregon

Radical Medical Marijuana Abuses, Not Legalization, Are Killing Medical Marijuana It started in Washington. They legalized marijuana in 2012 and the next thing you know, medical marijuana was completely obliterated. Then they legalized marijuana in 2014 in Oregon and the next thing you know, medical marijuana was wiped from existence. Now they want to legalize marijuana in 2016 in California and the next you know, medical marijuana patients will die in droves. At least, that’s the way supporters of medical marijuana see it. Whatever you do, don’t legalize marijuana or patients will suffer! I’m not going to deny that legalization caused these West Coast states to reevaluate (or finally create) medical marijuana regulations. Some of those changes are indeed unnecessarily restrictive and needlessly harm the most desperately sick and disabled patients. What I will assert, however, is that the medical marijuana Chicken Little’s cries of “the sky is falling” are falling on increasingly deaf ears, because too much of the public has seen or read about the abuses of medical marijuana, which Chicken Little rarely, if ever, cries out about with the same gusto. When medical marijuana was beginning in the mid-1990s, activists all across the

Oregon News

Oregon Cannabis Connection

West Coast wheeled out the sickest cancer and AIDS patients, the paraplegics and the epileptics, the dying and sense-threatened, and said to the public, “How DARE you demand that these desperate people be thrown in a cage?!?”

line as your patient, then drop that patient for the next person in line. Eventually, “patients” could get their recommendation from a naturopath in a tent at the Seattle Hempfest, to cure “anxiety” before the Kottonmouth Kings concert.

So the public, moved by the emotional extortion to compassion, passed laws that they believed created a narrow exception to criminal prosecution for people who truly had no choice but to inhale the devil’s lettuce. After all, time after time, the activists said, “This is not about legalizing recreational marijuana, it’s only for the sick and dying to use as medicine.”

Did Chicken Little cry out that those entrepreneurial “caregivers” were twisting the meaning of the word “caregiver” beyond recognition, risking the goodwill of the public and endangering the chances future states would pass so liberal a medical marijuana law? Nope. Chicken Little kept opening more illegal dispensaries and kept the profits rolling in. When legislators closed the “caregiver” loophole with a “collective garden” regulation, Chicken Little figured out how to loophole that, too, and keep the profits flowing.

Then, just a couple of years later, the public finds out that the “sick and dying” in California included healthy twentysomething young men getting $40 doctor’s permission slips by pointing at a list of conditions that include “headache,” “anxiety,” and “depression.” This was often accomplished by getting an “examination” from a doctor promoted by a woman in a bikini twirling a sign. Did Chicken Little cry out about how those youngsters were abusing the narrow exception and casting doubt on the legitimacy of the activists’ intent, potentially wrecking the chances other states might have at passing a medical marijuana law? Nope. Chicken Little instead tut-tutted the naysayers by proclaiming “All Use is Medical” and defended the right of skateboarders to cure their “anxiety” with a few puffs before attending the Cypress Hill concert at the “medical” cannabis event. Hell, Chicken Little opened up more clinics and gave out even more of those skateboarder recommendations! Soon, the public found out that being a caregiver for “one patient at a time” in Washington meant you could open up a storefront dispensary, call your clerk a “caregiver,” sign up the first person in

Anthony Taylor is the President of Compassionate Oregon and has unique access and insights into Oregon's lawmaking process, much of which takes place in the Capitol building, near the corners of Church and State streets in Salem.

2016 Short Session Madness

The 2016 short session is in full swing and with just 35 days to get things done it has become known in the building as the “lightning round.”

Then, the public in Oregon was treated to numerous stories of that “medical” marijuana somehow making it by the trunkload onto freeways east. That was capped off by the news that one of Oregon’s largest medical marijuana gardens, originally thought to be about nice people growing a few plants for sick people they knew, was paying people in weed and selling it illegally. Then news broke that the largest garden turned out to have 624 plants produced for 104 patients who all lived in Southern California.

Between the 2015 and 2016 session the Measure 91 Committee was renamed the Joint Committee on Marijuana Legalization. The Committee came into session with two primary bills being sponsored by the Committee. complete with amendments even before the Committee’s first hearing. As we experienced in 2015, some of the amendments have even more pages than the original bills.

Did Chicken Little cry out that these pot profiteers were abusing a system designed around one grower growing for no more than four patients, thus risking the perceived legitimacy of all growers? Nope. Chicken Little railed against the persecution of the abusers and claimed that abuse of medical marijuana was so rare as to be insignificant.

• Rules for growers and others transitioning from OHA to OLCC.

So the public saw what liberal late-90s medical marijuana looked like and, as medical marijuana rolled out eastward, it got more and more restrictive, just so supporters could assuage the justifiable public fear that they’d turn out like the West Coast. That job was made even harder for eastern activists because the western activists kept crying “the sky is falling” any time the governments tried to rein in the obvious abuses. Now it’s tougher still, because all of those states have legalized marijuana, giving credence to the fear that medical marijuana is just a “camel’s nose under the tent” and a slippery slope to full legalization, since (to them) it’s the same people supporting legalization as said that medical wasn’t about legalization. As Washington Chicken Littles cry about their dispensaries actually having to follow regulations, when the Oregon Chicken Littles cry about restricting a medical garden in the country to “only” four dozen plants, and when the California Chicken Littles cry that prohibiting pot smoking in a moving car is tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment, patients in New York and Cont. on Page 8

HB 4014 is a technical fix bill drafted to address needed changes to better implement, enhance or repeal previously enacted legislation. HB 4014 will make the following changes: • Removal of residency requirements for OLCC licensees and OHA registrants and clarification of OLCC’s role in accommodating small businesses and farms.

• Establishment of a process for cities and counties that adopt an ordinance prohibiting OLCC and OHA licenses to repeal it; and establishment of effective date that OLCC can begin issuing licenses within those jurisdictions. • Prohibition on cities and counties adoption of ordinances restricting possession for personal and medical use. • Addition of federal tribal land cross-jurisdictional enforcement agreements. • Addition of open container law for cannabis in vehicle and explicit allowance of use for persons on postprison supervision and parole. • Creation of a youth marijuana use prevention pilot project and clinical guidelines work group. • Allows patients to use receipt from OHA to access dispensaries for 30day period during renewal process. • Allows growers to produce for any number of patients (within plant limitations). Cont. on Page 11

Feb/Mar 2016

As we watch the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act systematically attacked by the legislature, we also see local communities enacting rigorous and onerous rules surrounding not only retail marijuana production, sales, and processing, but also home cultivation for patients, medical grow restrictions, limits on home processing, and more. While legislative seats are not easily attainable by many disenfranchised marijuana advocates, many local political leadership positions are. Local seats are being challenged, and won, by outsiders with a positive view of marijuana, and it seems to be an idea that is gaining steam as numerous candidates run for local office to make a change.

Oregon News “I ran with NO intention of winning…. I wanted to run for the sake of motivating others to get active, to shake things up and increase voter turnout, especially among the younger demographics,” she explained. “I was successful in accomplishing this, since there were a couple hundred more votes in this election than previous voter turnouts for Seaside.”

Image: Keith Mansur, OCC

to the nearest dispensary to buy their cannabis,” Bearnson said. Bearnson's dispensary, Oregon Farmacy, will be downtown and not far from The Gypsy. He and his partners hope to open by March and plan to be model business owners, as he and his partner Robin have been with their bar. “The Gypsy has maintained OLCC compliance for the past thirteen years because we run a tight ship,” Bearnson said. “Combine that with our customer service skills, quality products, and longtime Oregon roots, we should be able to make a go with Oregon Farmacy.”

Image: Keith Mansur, OCC

The current shining example of commonsense political change is in Medford, Oregon. Clay Bearnson, a soonto-be licensed marijuana dispensary coowner in Medford, was elected to the conservative town’s city council in 2014. A longtime co-owner of The Gypsy, a popular Medford bar, Bearnson ran for office on a commonsense platform that also embraced cannabis as the future for the economically depressed area. Though not the major focus of his campaign, he made no bones about the fact that he supported cannabis. “I felt that there was an overall lack of local representation for the workingclass.” explained Bearnson to the Oregon Cannabis Connection (OCC). “When you have a job that is 100% volunteer you typically attract candidates that are either retired or wealthy, sometimes both. I am honored to represent everyday people that are just like me." In November, Medford's Council almost passed restrictive rules concerning medical marijuana, including home grow restrictions for medical patients that went far beyond the state imposed restrictions from legislation passed earlier in 2015. The restrictions were a “compromise” that Mayor Wheeler had sought to limit medical grows in residential areas. The proponents argued that since they were allowing dispensaries and recreational grows to be licensed, home grows would not be necessary. Bearnson and Stein made it clear that forcing people into dispensaries for their medicine is not an option they were willing to support. “Unfortunately, not everybody can afford to just hop in their car and drive on down

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Citizens turned out in droves, packing the Council chamber for two separate meetings on the same day. Bearnson's voice of reason was one of the few on the Council, along with that of Councilman Kevin Stein. They argued to other council members that the residents of Medford, at a minimum, should be able to vote on the issue in November. After hours of public testimony and discussion, the Council eventually voted to send the question to voters in November. To that, Bearnson told OCC, "Even if voters elect to ban cultivation in residential areas, I don't think it will be defensible in court." Medford Councilman Bearnson is not the only one trying to make an impact. A few others are now running or have run for local office, including Angela Fairless in Seaside, Oregon, who fell short in her bid for Mayor of the coastal town in 2014.

Fairless wanted to be a fresh new voice in a sea of apathetic voters. It could be that her campaign affected the outcome of voting in Seaside… not in the Mayoral race, but on Measure 91, which was on the ballot at the same time. “Once the City of Seaside saw that the voters, in every precinct of Seaside, voted by majority to approve the recreational side of things, they changed their tune,” Fairless said. “Positive social change is definitely happening, and not just in regard to cannabis.” She was remarkably successful in her bid, and even scared herself, and others, when she thought she might actually win the election. In the end, she garnered a respectable 31% of the vote against a Mayor who had been in office for half of her life. Fairless is 32 years old. I wanted to show "politicians" how it is supposed to be done and therefore instead of hosting any campaign fundraisers, my campaign events were food-raisers for the local food bank,” she told OCC. “I used the most minimal amount of money possible and ran the campaign myself with no committee or campaign manager. I had more signs than all the other local Mayoral or Council candidates, combined… and they were pink with hearts on them!” It didn't start in Oregon, by any means. California—as it has done so often in the marijuana movement—led the way in 2013 when Sebastopol elected one of their new city councilmen to Mayor. Understand though, Sebastopol, California, is not Medford, Oregon. In fact, Sebastopol is one of the most liberal towns in California, the first state to legalize medical use of marijuana in 1996. But, the town still had detractors who voiced concerns about Mayor Robert Jacob's ownership interest in a medical marijuana dispensary, which he opened in 2007. “I ran [for City Council] and got the second most votes ever and more individual contributions from residents Cont. on Page 8

Image: A. Fairless

Newport is a small coastal town of 6,500 people, and relies on tourism for the bulk of its economy. She has indicated that she might run again, though the first time she really did it for effect.

I have lived my entire life in Oregon, and I know that when it comes to Oregon politics, industry, and just about everything else, the City of Portland largely leads the way. Portland is Oregon’s largest city by far, and as such, is the center of Oregon’s economy and political world. Whenever I travel and tell people I’m from Oregon, if they have been to my state before, virtually every time they say they visited Portland. Portland is rapidly becoming a top destination for cannabis tourism because there’s so much to do in the Portland area, and Oregon cannabis is cheap and top quality. Limited recreational marijuana sales started at the beginning of October 2015, and full implementation of a taxed and regulated system is expected later this year. Soon people will be able to travel to Portland and purchase everything from cannabis concentrates to cannabis lip balm to cannabis infused gummy worms. All types of fantastic cannabis-based businesses are popping up all over Portland right now. To say that there are creative people in Portland is an understatement, and I am continually impressed with the things I see originate in Portland. One of the things that I predicted at the end of 2015 is that Portland, Oregon’s marijuana industry will ‘be discovered’ in 2016 by the rest of America, and people will be coming from miles around. But a lot of these things happening are largely tied to what type of Mayor is elected in Portland this year. Current Portland Mayor Charlie Hales is not seeking re-election, and there are four candidates looking to fill the position – Ted Wheeler, Jules Bailey, David Schor, and Sean Davis. I am not a resident of Portland, but if I was I would absolutely be voting for Ted Wheeler. And since the rest of Oregon is so tied to Portland for the previously mentioned reasons, I sure hope that Portland voters elect Ted Wheeler. Ted Wheeler is currently Oregon’s Treasurer, and as a sitting state treasurer he has been pressuring the federal government to provide clearer, more comprehensive banking reform to allow marijuana businesses to finally be able to access the country’s banking system to serve vital business functions. Cont. on Page 10

Oregon News

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Local Politics than ever before and raised more money than anybody ever raised,” Jacob told OCC. The former Mayor, and still councilman, was elected to the Council in 2012. The Council elected him Mayor in 2014.

Image Courtesy: Robert Jacobs

What would Jacob's advice be to those seeking office who are obvious cannabis supporters: eep mum on cannabis. “Don't talk about cannabis,” he explained. “Cannabis is going to follow you, and the questions are going to come, just answer those questions and keep the cannabis conversation simple because everyone knows that about you already. What I talked about when I ran was the traffic, and I talked about the environment, and about the local economy, poverty, and housing.”

community by winning one of only three Commissioner seats available. Ball told OCC, “What initially motivated me to run is that I went to a couple of commissioners meetings and they were very unreceptive to it, very unreceptive, which is what stimulated me [to run].” Klamath joined many other counties east of the Cascades to ban recreational marijuana completely, even though the city of Klamath Falls already had medical dispensaries, but they do not allow recreational sales. The county banned every type of licensing that is offered by the state. Recently, the banned recreational sales have hampered the existing dispensary businesses since many customers are simply driving over the mountains to the Rogue Valley for their cannabis. “They pretended to be receptive to it, we filled the room with at least two thirds of the people supporting it, but they said no, no way here,” Ball said. “I see it as a huge economic positive. We are economically depressed here, badly, and most of the people I see and talk to think it could really be an economic benefit for our area and really help us out.”

“They should get involved in local politics and forget about their business and engage Chamber of Commerce, local Kiwanis club, local Rotary club,” he explained. “They should apply to committees, they should apply for Boards and Commissions, not just be a dispensary owner that runs for office.” It's also happening in Klamath County, Oregon, a more conservative area than Medford, Seaside, or Sebastopol. There a hydroponic grow shop owner, Steve Ball, is running for Klamath County Commissioner. He owns Basin Indoor Garden Center in Klamath Falls, and he hopes to have an effect on the rural

I like that because I don't think cannabis is a partisan issue, or a political issue, I think it's a people issue because I think it belongs to the people.” Another town in Klamath County has reappointed a marijuana advocate to their City Council. Chiloquin, a small town about 30 miles north of Klamath Falls, has appointed former Mayor, and now outed medical marijuana grower and soon to be marijuana dispensary owner, Mark Cobb to an empty seat on the council.

Minnesota must be livid. They can’t homegrow and must shop only for non-smokable products from less than 10 dispensaries statewide, largely because New York and Minnesota weren’t going to let West Coast shenanigans into their medical systems. I’ll bet they’d love to shop for flower in many more dispensaries and would even forgo smoking a joint in the car to travel there.

Current Mayor Joe Hobbs appointed Cobb knowing that he has been an advocate for marijuana legalization. They are comfortable enough with marijuana to make Cobb the Mayor Pro-Tempore a few meetings ago (essentially vice-Mayor). In fact, the town of just 750 is poised to be the only city in Klamath County to allow recreational cannabis businesses to operate.

Let’s not even talk about the patients in Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Arkansas, where they have absolute prohibition (no decrim, no medical, no CBD-only, and certainly no legalization). Whatever results from medical marijuana changes on the West Coast would be a dream program for them.

“A few years ago… I had a small fire in my grow, which brought in the local fire department and law enforcement,” said Cobb. “After that, I was a more outspoken advocate since they knew I was a medical marijuana grower.” What makes Chiloquin open to recreational marijuana business when the rest of Klamath County is so resistant? “We are a majority Native American community and I think they're more open on the marijuana idea to start with,” explained Cobb. “I'm not a tribal member, but the vast majority of the community is, and they tend to be on the more liberal side than Klamath County, which seems to be one of the most conservative counties in the state.”

Jacob explained that it’s important to get involved in local politics but, like Bearnson, not focus too much on marijuana.

Image: Steve Ball

What chance does Ball have in the conservative town? He believes it's pretty good, since attitudes are changing. “The reception I am getting is pretty good, and the grower and cannabis community over here is larger than I think people realize,” he explained. “One reason I went for this office is because it's non-partisan….

Oregon Cannabis Connection

Chicken Little needs to recognize that he made a deal with the public that “medical” was going to be medical – small, unobtrusive, and not-for-profit. The public didn’t expect dozens of 15 foot stinky cannabis plants in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by eight foot fences, razor wire, floodlights, and mean pit bulls. The public didn’t expect 20,000 attendees at outdoor marijuana parties under the guise of “medicating.” Maybe if Chicken Littles had kept to their promises to the public, the legislatures would’ve kept the legalizers’ promises that legalization wouldn’t affect medical. "Radical" Russ Belville Host of The Russ Belville Show at http://RadicalRuss.com LIVE Weekdays at 3pm Pacific on http://CannabisRadio.com

Writing this story reminded me of Jim Klahr, former candidate for Oregon's House, District 1 in Brookings, who would be proud of these advocates who are making a difference. Jim passed away in 2014 just a few days after Measure 91 was triumphant, and I know he would be leading the fight to save the OMMA and stop local towns from banning recreational cannabis, too. I will remember him fondly every time another marijuana advocate runs or gets elected to office. Hopefully, we see many, many more doing just that!

Recipes, Page 1 9!

Feb/Mar 2016

Oregon News Nugs Oregon Credit Union Offers Banking for Cannabis For marijuana businesses looking for a bank that won't shut their account down, look no further. One small credit union in Oregon is offering bank accounts to businesses that deal in cannabis, but they try not to make it publicly known. The Statesman Journal reported in December that Maps Credit Union offers banking services to cannabis businesses: "The accounts Maps offers to marijuana businesses are one of the best-kept secrets in the industry. The credit union doesn't advertise the accounts. Businesses that have an account can't talk about it — Maps has them sign a non-disclosure agreement when the account is opened," Saunders said.

For Oregon's cannabis business owners unaware of Maps' unique service, securing something as simple as a checking account can be nearly impossible. Cannabis businesses across Oregon are constantly opening new accounts or simply operating in cash for fear of their account being abruptly closed. Having an Oregon bank that will provide the services needed is courageous, with the threat of the federal government looming. You can reach out to Shane Saunders, vice president of operations at Maps CU. You can find teir contact information at their website, www.mapscu.com/. Their branches are in or around Salem.

Oregon News Helpful OLCC Video Assists Recreational License Applicants The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) has a helpful video version of its workshop on the Recreational Marijuana License. The video, Temporary Rules and License Application Process, is a helpful tool for those filing for OLCC permission to be involved in the retail recreational marijuana market in Oregon. The video can be found on the OLCC website and was produced during the workshop presentation in Salem, Oregon, on December 11, 2015.

The plan, which was approved with over 80% of voting tribal members in favor, calls for the building of a 36,000 square foot cultivation center where cannabis will be grown. The cultivation center would supply cannabis retail outlets which would distribute the plant to any adult wanting to purchase it.

In the 48-minute video, Policy Analyst Amanda Borup provides an overview on the key points of the OLCC Recreational Marijuana Temporary Administrative Rules. Borup assisted the OLCC Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee which crafted the rules that were the basis for the temporary rules the Commission approved in October, 2015.

Warm Springs officials expect the plan to create at least 80 new jobs, while bringing in over $25 million in new revenue.

Nathan Rix, a Senior Policy Analyst, presents an overview of the online application process. He is the project director for the online application tool, as well as the Cannabis Tracking system, which will roll out as part of the licensing process in 2016. The online application tool was developed through Oregon’s EGovernment Program in partnership with NICUSA, OR Division, which is under contract to provide digital services.

I m ag e: You Tu be

Oregon Native American Tribes Approve Plan to Grow and Sell Recreational Cannabis By The Joint Blog

plan to become among the first tribes in the US to cultivate and distribute recreational cannabis.

Members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs in Oregon have approved a

“Our main purpose is to create jobs on the reservation and produce revenue for the tribes,” says Don Sampson of the Tribes’ economic development corporation. “We think we will have a model other Tribes will look to as they investigate this business and industry.” The cultivation center is expected to be open by the summer.

Oregon's First Drive-Thru Dispensary A marijuana dispensary in Gold Beach Oregon will offer a drive-through window for folks to purchase marijuana. It will be the first of its kind in Oregon, but not in the nation. Most importantly, city leaders are not upset; in fact, they are thinking it's a good idea. The Curry Coastal Pilot reported on January 30, 2016: Green Life Oregon, located on Fourth Street across from the hospital, will feature cannabis products, inspired art — and a drive-up window, the first of its kind in the nation. “I’ve seen the business plan, I’ve met the investors, and I believe this venture is going to be quite an asset to the area,” said Curry County Economic Development Director Julie Schmelzer. “Their plans for expansion and other amenities can help Gold Beach and the southwestern coast become a destination for those interested in the new green tourism we are fortunate to be a part of.”

They are located near the hospital. "We want to make sure people have the opportunity for natural alternatives to pain medicine, as well as offer a product the voters of Oregon support," explained Jeremy Paulson, the shop’s manager. Though it is a first here in Oregon, there are already many drive-up dispensaries in Michigan, and even some in Washington. Their grand opening… 4/20, of course! © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

Grateful Meds Dispensary Finally Opens in Talent, Oregon After nearly two years of delays, Talent Oregon's third, and last, marijuana

Page 9 dispensary opened on January 30, 2016. After delays in construction, permitting, and licensing, they are finally open for business and providing customers with another option for quality cannabis in the Rogue Valley—Oregon's premier growing region. “We wanted to open months ago, but we had delays in our licensing from the Oregon Dispensary Program,” explained Brent Kenyon, the shop’s owner. Grateful Meds also has stores in Springfield and Portland. The city of Talent is small, and they decided in 2013 to allow only three dispensaries in the town, one of them being Grateful Meds. The store is set between Talent Health Club and Green Valley Wellness, which have been open for many months, and were able to capitalize on early sales in Jackson County when only a few dispensaries were open locally. Grateful Meds missed out on much of the early rush. “We are glad we can finally sell some medicine and begin to pay some of the bills that have racked up over the past year plus,” Kenyon explained. “We have great products and good prices. I am sure we will do very well, now that we are up and running.” The store is one of three Grateful Meds locations currently open. They also have locations in Springfield at 1401 Market St, and Portland at 7050 North MLK Jr Blvd. Their Southern Oregon location is open from 10:00am to 7:00pm seven days a week. Visit them at 630 S. Pacific Highway in Talent, Oregon. Their website is www.gratefulmeds.com for more information. © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

Trail Blazers Cliff Robinson Going By “Uncle Spliffy” Now Cliff Robinson, who was called "Uncle Cliffy" on the NBA court, is now referred to as "Uncle Spliffy" off it. Robinson played in the NBA from 1989–2007 for five teams, averaging 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Nowadays, Robinson, 49, is promoting marijuana, where Robinson played for the Trailblazers from 1989–97. "People in Oregon know me as a basketball player [Robinson spent eight seasons of his 19-year career with the Trailblazers] but I want to distill the stigma around cannabis, the misperception that athletes and cannabis are incompatible," he told the Portland Business Journal. In 2006, while playing for the New Jersey Nets, Robinson was suspended for five games during the NBA playoffs for marijuana use. He also had previously been suspended in 2001 while with the Phoenix Suns after an arrest for marijuana possession and driving under the influence. © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

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Per Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB): “I am respectfully calling on the U.S. Treasury Department to issue new guidance that basically give banks the assurance they need to accept legal marijuana customers without putting their charters in jeopardy or diminishing their access to Federal Deposit Insurance or otherwise imperiling their relationships with federal banking regulators,” Wheeler said. Without banking, pot businesses could be operating all-cash enterprises, which Wheeler said puts the industry at risk both in terms of accountability and public safety. “This is a significant issue,” Wheeler said. “Obviously not just for the state of Oregon. It’s significant for other states that have a legalized and regulated marijuana market as_well.”

The excerpt is from an article from last summer. Since that time Ted Wheeler has met with members of Oregon’s cannabis community on several occasions, including an event near the end of 2015. I haven’t heard of any of his competitors reaching out to the cannabis community in a meaningful way, and certainly not to the extent that Ted Wheeler has. He genuinely cares about the success of Portland’s rapidly growing cannabis industry, and has ideas of how to help it thrive. Visit The Weed Blog for a short video on his positions at www.theweedblog.com (search The Weed Blog Ted Wheeler)

Oregon News That all came to an abrupt halt when multiple lawsuits were filed, all in under a month. In February of 2015, Maurer got financially involved with Randy Quast, a NORML board member and wealthy trucking executive from Minnesota. According to a lawsuit filed by Quast, he provided Maurer a personal loan exceeding $150,000 and then invested an additional $700,000 in a business venture with Leah and Travis Maurer. They were allegedly supposed to open a medical dispensary and to fund a marijuana grow operation. By January 2016, Quast would file his lawsuit for breach of contract, defamation, negligence, unlawful conversion and fraud. The lawsuit totals a million dollars in total damages, including financial damages to the tune of well over $800,000. The suit names both Travis and Leah Maurer as defendants. Just weeks earlier, in December 2015, The Weed Blog (TWB) filed a lawsuit for over $50,000, accusing Maurer of using the business bank account for personal expenses. Kaliko Castille, former ad salesman for TWB, told the OCC in January that Maurer racked up over $25,000 of personal expenses in under three months on TWB's business account. Additionally, TWB sent a cease and desist order to Leah Maurer in January to prevent her from referring to herself as the “owner” of The Weed Blog website, arguably the number one marijuana website in the country.

Ted Wheeler is going to push for banking reform, which considering his background, carries a lot of weight. If he was pushing for it as Mayor of Portland, it would carry even more weight. That would not only benefit Portland and the State of Oregon, but also the industry nationwide. I’m urging all readers to support the Ted Wheeler campaign. You can find out more via the campaign’s website, www.tedwheeler.com, his Facebook page, on Twitter, and you can volunteer to help his campaign, and donate to his campaign.

And, barely a week after Quast's suit was filed in January, another lawsuit was filed by Whitsett Rice for over $125,000 in damages, plus legal fees, due to an unresolved debt owed to him by Travis Maurer's business, STM Leasing, LLC. The suit alleges that Maurer reneged on a promissory note to Rice and “defaulted on and breached their obligations under the promissory note and guaranty by failing and refusing to make [payments].”

In an article from January 25, 2016, Women Grow Portland Chapter Co-chair Embroiled in Disputes and Lawsuits, the

Oregon Cannabis Connection

OCC explained that Leah Maurer had been misrepresenting her association with TWB and her financial involvement in the Measure 91 campaign to potential investors, as well as to an organization she has been deeply involved with, Women Grow. She had been sending emails to possible investment partners making claims of ownership of TWB, having donated over a million dollars to the Measure 91 campaign, and being a “founder” of New Approach Oregon, the group that spearheaded the legalization efforts. In a prospecting emails, Leah Maurer wrote: “Thanks for getting back to me. I own the #1 marijuana website, The Weed Blog.com (TWB); the mobile vanity short code, 420420; and have a tremendous media platform because my husband and I were the force behind legalization in Oregon. Google: Travis Maurer marijuana, and Leah Maurer marijuana.” “...Additionally, the earned media we received, and continue to receive is invaluable. So, to be Republishing of email permission from: Jerome W. Dewald, Founding Hero, transparent. anyone we work Two Worlds Consulting, LLC, Manhattan, NYC (www.2worldz.com) with we expect to be financially involved in the campaigning Upon further investigation, the check process. written to New Approach Missouri was We know this works because we put $1m signed by Travis Maurer, who is not an into the campaign in Oregon over a 3 authorized signatory of the account, year period.”

Donations made to New Approach Oregon and the Yes on 91 campaigns are a matter of public record. Oregon campaign finance records don’t back up any claim that Leah or Travis donated anything close to a million dollars. The recipient of the email, Jerome W. Dewald, who was surprised at Leah Maurer's tactics, is an active investor in marijuana business ventures. He explained to Riverfront Times in St. Louis, “I rarely see people who pump up their political activism as part of an investment pitch.” On January 28, 2016, Show Me Cannabis, the legalization initiative in Missouri that the Maurers help found and fund, announced that Leah Maurer had resigned from their Board of Directors, as the Riverfront Times reported: In her resignation letter, Leah Maurer wrote that she "can no longer devote the amount of time, focus and energy I know this organization deserves. Over the next year Travis and I have a number of opportunities and challenges that we need to focus on. Stepping down at this time is best both for our family and for your organization." “A carefully-worded letter probably won't satisfy those already questioning Leah Maurer's involvement in Show-Me Cannabis' medical marijuana campaign. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that Leah Maurer wrote a $26,000 check to New Approach Missouri in June, but the funds were actually drawn from a company co-owned by Randy Quast, the same businessman suing the couple in Oregon. Quast now claims that he never signed-off on the donation.”

which was co-owned by Quast and Leah Maurer. Quast claims that he knew nothing about this unauthorized check written by Travis Maurer.

The lawsuits are civil, not criminal, but in our industry being a “criminal” when it concerns marijuana convictions is never a big issue. Many activists who are convicted felons due to marijuana-related offenses, are otherwise trustworthy individuals. However, now in a legal state environment, allegations of fraud and theft are being pursued in a court of law. Whether criminal charges will be filed has yet to be determined, and further evidence of alleged fraud may bolster such a case, but the incredulous nature of their activities and attempts to profit from overstated involvement in Oregon politics and successful businesses speaks for itself. © 2016 Oreegon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

For more inspiring content, see our Cultivation section on Pg 20!

Feb/Mar 2016

Oregon News

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locations in Oregon. Laboratory analysis found the presence of abamectin.”

SB 1511 is a bill to add items missed in the 2015 session such as: • Allowing medical marijuana growers to come into the OLCC seed to sale tracking while still keeping their patients. Also adds additional canopy size for those with such patients.

On Monday January 11th, the Oregon Department of Agriculture released a list of over 250 pesticides cannabis growers can use on their crops safely. The list is available at the ODA’s cannabis and pesticides webpage (at end)

• Exempting patients from payment of cannabis taxes in all instances.

Currently, there are no registered pesticide products in Oregon that are specifically labeled for use on marijuana. But, ODA has established criteria for possible products that may be used on marijuana. They hope to help the growers distinguish pesticide products labels. Many do not legally prohibit use on cannabis, but many do not allow use, officials said.

• Adding medibles and concentrates to early sales. • Pushing the date for grandfathering grow site addresses to May 1, giving patients and growers another month to get grandfathered in. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is still writing the rules for their part in HB 3400. This has proved challenging for everyone, especially patients—who have been left confused and worried about losing their growers under new plant limits. The proposed rules filed with the Secretary

The criteria for use of a pesticide on cannabis is: it is intended for unspecified food products, is exempt from a tolerance, and is considered low-risk. If you use pesticides for cannabis production you should consult the guide list, follow the product label, and use that product according to its directions, ALL other products could be considered illegal and it may be considered a violation of the Oregon Pesticide Laws if they are used. Five days after the list was released, the ODA temporarily removed Guardian Mite Spray, a popular pesticide from the list. From their news release dated February 5th:

Image: Portland NORML

of State have been controversial long before they were filed and created such robust public comment that the OHA has issued a memorandum to the Legalization Committee stating their intent to revise some of the rules based on the public comment received. Residents of Southern Oregon turned out in overwhelming numbers to voice their objection to many of the proposed rules and most believe this was the event that turned the tide here. While it remains to be seen what the next draft will look like the changes OHA is proposing and the legislative fixes they requested of the Committee are an indication that perhaps OHA is beginning to understand the effect their poorly conceived rules would have on the very people they are tasked with protecting. All in all a short session is well under way and bills and amendments are flying like buds in a trimming room. It is up to us to make sure patients are not left on the trimming room floor. © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

Image: CC magazine

“The Oregon Department of Agriculture has ordered stoppage of sale and the removal of the pesticide product Guardian, which is labeled for use on ornamental, food, and feed crops for mite control but also used by cannabis growers. In addition, ODA is asking growers who may have purchased the pesticide product to refrain from using it. ODA’s actions come following an investigation of the product that found the presence of the pesticide active ingredient abamectin, which is not listed on the product label. A statewide Stop Sale, Use, or Removal Order (SSURO) has been issued by ODA to the manufacturer of Guardian, All In Enterprises, Inc. of Machesney Park, Illinois. The order calls for the company to immediately cease all sales, offers of sale, or other distribution of the product in Oregon. The product label identifies the active ingredients as cinnamon oil and citric acid, and claims the product is 100 percent natural. ODA’s investigation was a result of concerns of product adulteration brought to the agency by a private laboratory as well as representatives of the cannabis industry. ODA’s Pesticides Program obtained and sampled Guardian from several retail

According to an exchange on the phone between Oregonlive's Noelle Crombie and the companies owner, the company didn't know they had to list all the “active ingredients”.Oregonlive reported: “A man identifying himself as an owner of the Illinois-based company that makes the product said it contains ivermectin, a chemical similar to abamectin. Ivermectin is not listed on the product label as required. The man said he did not realize the product label had to include all active ingredients. He said the product has been on the market for about a year. "We weren't trying to pull anything," he said. "We put it in there, and it wasn't on the label and that's our fault." The list is a powerful tool, and garden supply stores and hydroponic shops should be aware of it, and changes that will happen regularly. Cannabis gardeners that are expecting to sell to the public should also pay close attention to the list and changes. ODA Link: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/ Pesticides/Pages/CannabisPesticides.aspx © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

“After signing and filling them out, they are mailed to an address provided by the initiative, where the Chief Petitioners take them to the Secretary of State.” Until the Oregon Attorney General signs off on the ballot title and wording, Restore The Initiative is limited to “authorized agents” to collect signatures. They currently have about 15, and can use more! If you are interested in helping out and for more information on their initiative, it's current wording, or volunteering, visit www.RestoreTheInitiative.org. © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

Medical News on Starts on Page 17!

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National News dispensaries, leaving patients no safe access to their medicine. A few have made exceptions for personal cultivation, and others have regulated commercial cultivation, or moved to do so. Cal NORML is tracking post-MMRSA ordinances.

Governor Jerry Brown has signed AB 21, an urgency measure introduced by Rep. Jim Wood that repeals a March 1 deadline in the new state medical marijuana law that some have interpreted as requiring local jurisdictions to ban or regulate medical marijuana cultivation, or lose their licensing authority. Now that the March 1 deadline is repealed, Cal NORML is calling for all jurisdictions that are considering banning medical marijuana activities to instead table the issue, and for all cities and counties to work towards land use regulations to protect patients rights, as well as public safety and the environment.

The League of Cities was instrumental in alerting its membership into crisis mode on the issue. At a January 19 hearing before the The California Assembly Business & Professions, Agriculture, & Health Committees, Tim Cromartie of the League said, "We knew promulgating bans was controversial, but developing meaningful regulation takes time,” indicating that there wasn't time to do so before the March 1 deadline. "The bans will be temporary,” he added. The League supported AB 21. Cal NORML is working on developing model ordinance proposals for urban and rural cities and counties.

“Driving marijuana cultivation and delivery . back underground will Image: By Phil Konstantin Own work, CC only lead to crime and BYSA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/ "Thanks to Assemblyman neighborhood problems,” Wood and Gov. Brown for w/index.php?curid=7713312 said Ellen Komp, Deputy clearing up this confusion and giving Director of Cal NORML. “Local officials local governments time to develop have been calling for statewide thoughtful policies for regulation,” said regulation, and now that MMRSA is in Cal NORML director Dale Gieringer. place, it’s time to allow that regulation to work.” The state agencies charged with regulating commercial medical Jacqueline McGowan of Monterey marijuana activities in the Medical NORML, who started a Facebook group Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act to track the pending bans that quickly (MMRSA) aren’t expected to issue permit attracted over 1300 members, said, "It is applications until at least January 1, imperative that all activists across the 2018, and state licenses will only be state remain diligent in attending their granted to those with local approval. city and county meetings in order to However, a “drafting error” in MMRSA ensure that their local officials have all stated that cities and counties without been informed of this wonderful news. medical marijuana ordinances on the Since there is no longer a sense of books by March 1, 2016 would be urgency to ban, we need to encourage our governed by state law. elected representatives to begin the process of implementing sensible An estimated 150 cities and counties regulations.” across California have subsequently banned medical marijuana cultivation, © 2016 Cal NORML. Reprinted by and more bans are pending. Some places permission. Visit them online at have also banned delivery services, and www.canorml.org

The Florida Division of Elections has confirmed that United for Care’s initiative to legalize medical cannabis has exceeded the 683,149 signatures required to be placed on the 2016 presidential election ballot. The initiative is nearly identical to a 2014 medical cannabis initiative which received 58% of the vote in the general election but failed to become law due to a 60% requirement in Florida for constitutional amendments. As with the 2014 measure, this new measure will be Amendment 2.

Oregon Cannabis Connection

Facebook has long been unfriendly to marijuana pages. From a newspaper like Oregon Cannabis Connection being restricted to what we can promote, to activist sites being deleted, Facebook has long had an adversarial relationship with marijuana activists, businesses, and media outlets, alike. Most recently, they have started shutting down dispensary sites in New Jersey, and a few other states. Their actions are due to the violation of the site’s “Terms of Use” policy regarding selling of marijuana.

“Compassion is coming,” said United for Care chairman, John B. Morgan, who largely funded the signature collection campaign for the initiative. “This November, Florida will pass this law and hundreds of thousands of sick and suffering people will see relief. What Tallahassee politicians refused to do, the people will do together in this election.”

When the dispensary owners at three of New Jersey's shops went to their web site in early February, they read a message stating, “Your page is currently not visible on Facebook. It looks like content on your page does not follow the Facebook Community Terms and Standards.”

Morgan continued, “Our language is stronger than in 2014 and it shows… The [Florida Supreme] Court approved our language unanimously. The people of Florida are compassionate. We will win this election for the really sick people in our state.”

From NJ.com:

United for Care’s campaign manager and treasurer, Ben Pollara, said, “This is a tremendous victory for patients and doctors in our state. Amendment 2 will pass this fall and less than a year from today Florida will join 23 other states and the District of Columbia in allowing physicians to recommend marijuana to individuals with debilitating conditions. Every day, doctors prescribe dangerous, addictive, and potentially deadly narcotics to their patients but can’t even suggest the use of marijuana, which has never killed a person in thousands of years of human civilization. Very soon, Florida doctors will finally have that option.” © 2016 The Weed Blog. Reprinted by permission.

“The surprise move stunned dispensary owners and angered patients, who said Wednesday they rely on the up-to-theminute information these sites provide about the latest strains that help alleviate debilitating symptoms.” "...It seems high-handed to simply shut down important resources for sick patients without even saying why or giving organizations a way to ask for reconsideration," said Peter Rosenfeld, one of the 5,668 registered patients in the state program. "What better use of a social media than having sites where parents of sick children can ask questions about medication and treatments?" “...It makes me question whether any of us should continue to use FaceBook. Maybe it is time for people to migrate to new ways of communicating,” Rosenfeld added. Cont. on Page 16

Feb/Mar 2016

New York’s long-delayed medical marijuana program finally rolled out this month, not with a bang, but with a whimper. What looks to be the country’s tightest medical marijuana program has an extremely limited number of producers and retailers, a tiny number of eligible patients, a dearth of doctors, and forbids both smoking marijuana and using edibles. For patients and advocates, the very limited arrival of medical marijuana in the Empire State is not the end point they hoped to achieve. Now, instead of resting on their laurels, they will have to continue to fight to make the program one that actually serves the needs of New Yorkers. “It’s a start,” said the Drug Policy Alliance’s Julie Netherland, until recently the deputy director of the group’s New York Policy Office, where she was deeply involved in massaging the law through the legislature and past a reluctant governor. “It’s the first time New Yorkers can legally purchase medical marijuana, and it’s the result of the hard work of thousands of patients and family members across New York.” But, she was quick to grant, the program has some serious issues, immediate ones in the way the program has been rolled out and longer-term ones with the statute itself. Here are seven ways New York’s medical marijuana program falls short:

Not Enough Access to Doctors Under the law, before doctors can recommend medical marijuana to patients, they must complete a $249 four-hour course on the drug and then register with the Health Department. As of Thursday, only 306 physicians had done so. Unlike neighboring New Jersey, the Health

National News

Department maintains no public registry of doctors certified to recommend medical marijuana, making it that much more difficult for potential patients to find doctors who might certify them to purchase it. So far, only 465 patients have been certified by the department to buy medical marijuana. “This is the number one complaint of patients,” said Netherland, sketching out an almost Kafkaesque process. “The Health Department is telling me if I’m a patient, I should go see my doctor and see if he participates in the program and if not, to encourage him to register,” she said. “If the doctors says he’s not going to register, then I’m supposed to ask him for a referral, but the doctor isn’t going to know about any list of certified doctors to refer me to, and then it’s incumbent on me to tell him. It’s just another set of hoops for patients to jump through.” At least the Health Department has now agreed to make the list of certified physicians available to patients.

Not Enough Dispensaries In a state of 20 million, only eight dispensaries opened January 7, and only another dozen are envisioned under theJune 2014 medical marijuana law. Weedmaps lists only three for New York City — one each in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. By way of comparison, Los Angeles had 135 permitted dispensaries and probably three times as manyactually operating. New York is not only heavily populated, it’s big. With only 20 dispensaries, large geographical swathes of the state will remain without access. Long Island, for instance, will have two dispensaries, but right now, it’s a two-hour drive into the city.

“I’m disappointed that only eight dispensaries will open by the deadline,” said Missy Miller from Atlantic Beach. “There are none opening on Long Island, which leaves my son Oliver, who suffers from life-threatening seizures, out of luck. This only highlights concerns we have had all along that the state has licensed way too few producers and dispensaries to serve a state as populous and geographically large as New York.”

No Personal Cultivation Unlike the majority of medical marijuana states, patients can’t just grow their own. That means they are dependent on the dispensary system, with all its limitations.

Access Is Limited to Specified Qualifying Medical Conditions The state law only allows medical marijuana for a list of specified medical conditions, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain. The law allows the Commissioner of Health to add other diseases and conditions, but just last week, he refused to add PTSD, Alzheimer’s, muscular dystrophy, dystonia, rheumatoid arthritis. “We’re hearing every day from patients with all kinds of conditions,” said Netherland. “The commissioner was directed by law to consider those five additional conditions, but he declined to add any. That was a huge blow to patients across the state hoping he would do the right thing. Half the medical marijuana states include PTSD; we thought there was strong scientific evidence to include it.”

Limitations on Forms of Ingestion The law bans the sale of smokable marijuana. New York joins Minnesota as the only two medical marijuana states that ban smoking; 21 others do not. The state will only allow oils and capsules that can be administered orally, and liquid forms of marijuana may also be vaporized. “The law prohibits any smoking, but regulations prohibit any access to the whole plant,” said Netherland. “That means all

Page 13 the products will be extracts, oils, or tinctures. This is also an issue for a lot of our patients.

Limitations on Strains The law only provides for five producers, and each producer can only grow five strains. “We know there are dozens and dozens of therapeutic strains,” said Netherland. “We’d like to have the flexibility to match symptoms with strains. One of the issues is that all of the products have to be approved by the Health Department.”

Access for Limited Income Patients Advocates sought unsuccessfully to get provisions to ensure access for low income patients. Medical marijuana is not covered by insurance, and could run between $200 and $1300 a month, depending on the product and the condition. Now it will be up to the charitable instincts of dispensaries. “We had encouraged the state to create incentive programs for producers to have programs for low income access, and we also encouraged the state to set up a program itself. It chose to do neither,” Netherland said. “Now, patients are basically waiting to see if dispensaries will step up.” “There’s lots of room for improvement,” she said. “We anticipated a lot of these problems when the law was passed, and we’re looking at going back to the legislature. We’ll be back in Albany in the coming months talking about the need to expand the program and make it work from the patient’s standpoint.” It looks like there’s plenty of work to be done. Article From www.StoptheDrugWar.org – Creative Commons Licensing

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National News Nugs Report: Criminal Justice Referrals Still Driving Marijuana ‘Treatment’ Admissions by Paul Armentano, NORML Over half of all people admitted to drug treatment programs for marijuana related issues over the past decade were referred there by a criminal justice source, according to a report published this month by the US Department of Health and Human Services. In the years 2003 through 2013, 52 percent of people in drug treatment for marijuana as their ‘primary substance of abuse’ were referred by the criminal justice system. Of those, almost half (44 percent) entered treatment as a component of their probation or parole.

National News Mexican Cardinal OKs MMJ Use Roman Catholic Cardinal Norberto Rivera said at a news conference that the Catholic church has no issues with the use of medical marijuana. The AP reported: “The cardinal who also serves as the archbishop of Mexico City said Sunday that the church has never had a problem recommending the use of ‘all elements from nature that can be used to help improve health.’ He recalled that when he was a child the plant was commonly used for health reasons such as relieving pain.”

The comments follow the recent introduction of a measure to congress by Mexico City mayor Miguel Angel Mancera to legalize medical marijuana. In November, a major ruling by Mexico’s Supreme Court granted recreational marijuana use rights to four individuals. In the case, The Supreme Court ruled that marijuana possession and use was a fundamental human right. © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved

Over $5.4 Billion in Legal Cannabis Sold in the United States in 2015 The Joint Blog Legal cannabis sales in the United States passed $5.4 billion in 2015, according to a new report released by the ArcView Group, which is a cannabis investment network. Only 18 percent of marijuana treatment admissions were based upon self referrals. Primary marijuana admissions were less likely than all other drug related admissions combined to have been self or individually referred to treatment. The data mirrors those of previous federal reports finding that only a small percentage of those entering treatment for marijuana perceive that they are abusing cannabis or have even used the substance recently. © 2016 NORML. Reprinted by permission.

According to the report, the $5.4 billion represents an $800 million increase from 2014, when total sales of legal cannabis reached $4.6 million. “Many in the business and financial sector have taken a ‘wait and see’ approach to the legal cannabis industry”, says ArcView Group CEO Troy Dayton. “The new data confirms what pioneer investors and rates entrepreneurs suspected. Legalization of cannabis is one of greatest business opportunities of our time and it’s still early enough to see huge growth.” The sales total includes sales of both medical and recreational cannabis, with

recreational sales increasing 184% from 2014 to 2015 ($351 million to $998 million). You can find a free executive summary of ArcView’s report here: www.arcviewmarketresearch.com © 2016 The Joint Blog. Reprinted by permission.

Company Claims To Offer The ‘First Kosher Certified Medical Marijuana’ By The Weed Blog I am not Jewish, but I have quite a few friends that are. I always like learning more about Jewish culture and traditions. Admittedly, there is a ton more that I need to learn. I’m semi familiar with kosher requirements, but again, there’s a lot I don’t know. Recently a company announced that it is the first to certify its medical marijuana products as kosher. Per NBC News: "A New York company says it will soon offer the first certified kosher medical pot. Vireo Health says its nonsmokable medical cannabis products have been certified as conforming to the Jewish dietary law by the Orthodox Union. Vireo says it’s the first time a medical cannabis product has been deemed kosher."

The announcement of the certification resulted in some instant criticism on social media. My friend Claire had the best tweet I think: All cannabis (like broccoli) already is #kosher by default. Duh. The evolution is in the obligation to end suffering. © 2016 The Weed Blog. Reprinted by Permission.

New Jersey Committee Passes Job Protections For MMJ Patients New Jersey’s Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee voted unanimously in December to give employees who are legally using medical marijuana job protections. With a 70 vote the committee gave approval to legislation that would explicitly prohibit employers from firing or discriminating against any employees in the New Jersey program. The law’s text says: Unless an employer establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that the lawful use of medical marijuana has impaired the employee’s ability to perform the employee’s job responsibilities, it shall be unlawful to take any adverse employment action against an employee who is a qualified registered patient.

The bill's sponsor, Senator Nicholas Scutari (DUnion), said, “It was not the intent of the legislature when we passed

Oregon Cannabis Connection the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act to allow patients to lose their jobs simply because of their use of medical marijuana.” The Assembly is taking it up during the 2016–17 session under Bill A2482, and hopefully when it clears the legislature Governor Chris Christie will sign it. Christie, unfortunately, has not been a friend to cannabis legislation, or medical cannabis patients. Oregon should seriously consider this type of legislation to protect our own medical marijuana patients from discrimination. Hopefully there will be some interest in the 2017 session to make changes. © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

Enough Signatures Collected in Maine to Put Cannabis Legalization to a Vote The Joint Blog The Maine Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol submitted more than 100,000 signatures to state officials on Monday, February 1st in support of a ballot initiative to end cannabis prohibition. The campaign needs to submit 61,123 valid signatures from registered Maine voters to qualify for the November ballot. State Representative Diane Russell will joined the campaign for a news conference in front of the campaign’s headquarters in Falmouth (183 U.S. Route 1) on Monday. Campaign leaders and volunteers then loaded boxes of petitions onto a truck and delivered them to the Maine Secretary of State in Augusta. “Over the past six months, we’ve talked to tens of thousands of voters from all over the state,” said campaign manager David Boyer. “Most Mainers agree it is time to end the failed policy of marijuana prohibition, and they will have the opportunity to do it this November.” If approved into law, the initiative would legalize the possession and personal cultivation of small amounts of cannabis, while establishing a system of legal cannabis cultivation centers and retail outlets, similar to Colorado’s Amendment 64 which was approved by voters in 2012. © 2016 The Joint Blog. Reprinted by permission.

Feb/Mar 2016

National News nation's Constitution written on her! How cool is that?!

I live to bring joy. People find joy in me. I live to bring health. People find healing in me. I live to bring beauty. People find beauty in me. I live to bring shelter. People find shelter in me. I live to bring nourishment. People find sustenance in me. I live to bring warmth. People find heat in me. I live to bring comfort. People find cloth in me. I live to bring relief. People find respite in me. … oh, Hello! I didn't see you walk up. I was just musing…. Have a seat on that stool. It was made from my mother, you know. The legs were the lower part of her stalk, and the top is made out of her fibers and a resin they made from her seeds. In just a quarter of last year, she grew to almost as tall, and as big around, as a 20 year old fir! The people who help my sisters stand on that very stool every day. They say it will last as long as any natural fiber. Speaking of my kin, did you enjoy the branch of my Aunt they gave you last week? I hear she has great abilities to balance appetite and bring calm. But, I will treat you differently next fall. I'll help to energize you and relieve your pain. I see you are wearing a shirt made from one of my cousins. Very nice! Did you know she can be as soft as she is durable? Oh yes, we have been the pride of the seas, the envy of miners, the canvas for artists and their art. I hear that one of my, like, 200 times great-grandmothers even had your

Speaking of my great-grandmothers, did you know we came from all over the world to be here? Silly me, of course you did. You come here every year to tend the field and help us all grow up big and strong to help people. You told me that we are a part of the economy. Speaking of growing up, did you see how much more shade I can give you than last week? That organic fertilizer you gave me really helped me wake up early and produce lots of terpenes to keep the bugs away on these long sunny days. And, I'm digging way into the ground to help create better soil for next year’s garden. Speaking of long days, are they getting shorter? Because I seem to be putting on some weight and stretching out a bit. I'm not pointing any fingers, but I think one of my sisters is getting kind of smelly, if you know what I mean. I mean, I know I'm just a sativa-heavy hybrid, but I'm just now starting to learn I can be companion planted because people didn't want us around for years! Maybe being in my “teenage” weeks I do tend to go on, but I just don't understand why—if we've been so good for people for so long—they want to treat us so badly and won't let us have companions! They want us behind big fences (as if I was going anywhere), and they say we smell bad; but I kind of think we smell a lot like the lavender plant over there outside of the fence, and nobody really complains about her … OhMyGosh! But I haven't stopped talking since you sat down, and you were coming over to tell me about that…. You were going to try to explain, again, why those people called “prohibitionists” hate me? You know I am just here because God put me here to bring you all those things that I was just musing about when you sat down. The joy and health and shelter and nourishment! My sisters, cousins and I have that in us for all people. I mean, jeez, we haven't been here since the third day for nothing, you know! You were going to tell me about how the legislature was deciding whether or not I

Page 15

could be free, even though your people said I MUST be freed? Doesn't the legislature represent your people anymore? If not, you'd might as well rip up that document written on my great-grandma that they're sworn to uphold. I heard some other people playing a Free Bird song last week…. Can I have a Free Weed song? Or is that banned, too? It's okay; you can write it over there, by that fire your friends built with the stored bits of my family from last year. We give off great heat and light when dried properly. I hear them listening to music about my family again. You know your people have been writing songs about us since the dawn of your civilization?

Hillary Clinton was crushed by 17-29 year-old voters in Iowa, as Bernie Sanders defeated the Democratic frontrunner 84%14%. At the New Hampshire town hall, hosted by CNN, the former Secretary of State demonstrated that she is still severely out of touch on marijuana. Not only is she out of touch with young Democrats, but with Democrats across the board and young voters, regardless of party.

My cousins can fuel and lubricate your machinery, you told me, but you never finished the story of why they aren't allowed to do their work. You even said that if people wanted, they could turn my cousin’s seed and fiber into resin and make really durable materials, and it would have many benefits for the environment and the people! Tell me again why people won't let us work for them anymore? I know I'm just a sativadominant hybrid in my teenage weeks, but I think if I can just keep quiet and listen, I might understand and learn why. © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

Many pundits and commentators may scoff at voters putting an emphasis on cannabis policy, but the executive policy says a lot more than just what a candidate thinks about someone using marijuana. The next president’s policy on cannabis will greatly impact the economy across the country, not to mention the lives of patients and providers. Hillary Clinton not surprisingly has taken a very pragmatic approach to marijuana, basically pledging to follow in President Obama’s cautious footsteps and supporting moving marijuana from a Schedule I federally controlled substance to Schedule II. The problem with such a pragmatic approach is that millions of lives that could be improved by true access to medical cannabis won’t occur fast enough and the lives of providers and business people, following state law, can still be Cont. on Page 16

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National News

There are many dispensaries in Oregon—around 400 so far. It will be interesting to see how their Facebook pages fare under scrutiny from Facebook. Of course, Facebook does not respond to inquiries, and they only refer to their terms of use.

ruined by federal prosecutors, whether the Cole Memo is still in effect or not. People of color, disproportionately hurt by the war on marijuana, will still be arrested and cited for minor marijuana offenses; to some, particularly those in poverty, these minor offenses can have grave consequences.

One possibility could be that if you aren't “selling” marijuana, your site won't be deleted or otherwise blocked. Could it be the sites that are advertising marijuana for actual sale, or strains they “carry” are getting shut down? That doesn't appear to be the case, since you can search “marijuana dispensary” and get a number of places that “sell” stuff on their pages.

This rather conservative, certainly not progressive, approach to cannabis is simply bad politics. A majority of Americans support the position shared by Senator Bernie Sanders, ending federal prohibition and simply treating marijuana like we do beer and wine. If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, she will need the channel some of the enthusiasm of those that #FeelTheBern. Moving more progressive on marijuana, while it won’t bring along all of the Bernie supporters, it can’t hurt.

Unfortunately Facebook lumps marijuana with prescription drugs and guns as banner items that may not be “sold” through their site. Their policy states, “We prohibit any attempts by unauthorized dealers to purchase, sell, or trade prescription drugs, marijuana, or firearms.” So, if they want to, they can shut them down. A more likely scenario is that the shutdowns are complaint-driven. Whether the complaints are from offended Facebook users or competitors is impossible to say, since Facebook isn't explaining their reasoning or justification. Considering that New Jersey had three of their dispensaries removed, and they only have a few to begin with, it seems not to be a site-wide ban on these pages. NJ.com reported further: “It's unclear how many legal medical marijuana and recreational marijuana operations have been affected. Dispensaries in Maine and Washington have taken to Facebook's community forum in the last three months to complain about the unilateral decision to disconnect their social media presence.” "Facebook comment: 'I am a dentist and I also own a legal marijuana business in Washington State. I run tasteful ads. Right now, my page has been deleted by facebook, but my competitor… is advertising tons of marijuana on facebook, with no problems from you. Why are you focusing on me, but no one else?'" © 2016 Oregon Cannabis Connection. All rights reserved.

Save money and make your edibles.

Recipes on Page 19!

Oregon Cannabis Connection

Actor Woody Harrelson (Cheers, Zombieland) is one of 66 applicants attempting to receive a license from the Hawaii Department of Health to legally operate medical cannabis cultivation centers and dispensaries in the state. Henk Rogers, famous for distributing the video game Tetris as founder of The Tetris Company, is also one of the applicants. In Hawaii, thanks to a law passed last year, medical cannabis dispensaries and cultivation centers are legal, with eight licenses to be distributed by the state. Each license will allow for the opening of two cultivation centers and two dispensaries, equaling 16 each across the state (six in Oahu, four on Hawaii Island, four on Maui and two on Kauai). From the Huffington Post: The actor and marijuana advocate was one of almost 60 applicants vying to open up one of Honolulu County’s first medical dispensaries. He’d open under his company name, Simple Organic Living, according to a state Department of Health statement. The state will review applications and award them to eight applicants in April, about a year after the Hawaii Legislature passed a bill allowing dispensaries to open. Medical marijuana has been legal in the state for more than 15 years, but there had never been a way for patients to obtain it legally. If selected, the “Cheers” and “Hunger Games” star will be able to open two

Image: Elaina Wilcox Photographt. Creative Com. Lic.

production centers and two dispensaries, according to The Associated Press."

In order to apply for a license, applicants must have $1 million cash plus $100,000 for each dispensary location, and must be a Hawaii residents for more than five years. Harrelson, 54, applied for a license in Honolulu County under the name Simple Organic Living. Rogers is applying under the name Blue Planet Foundation. Dispensaries are set to open in July, with licenses to be distributed by April. © 2016 Thejointblog.com. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn to grow cannabis, Cultivation Section on Page 20!

Feb/Mar 2016

Medical News

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ability to study the substance. Part of the policy adopted by CMA emphasizes that the drug should be rescheduled in addition to being legalized.

An abstract of the study, “Safety and efficacy of medical cannabis oil for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: An open label, add-on, pilot study,” appears online: The administration of liquid cannabis extracts containing THC is associated with the mitigation of various symptoms of Alzheimer’s-related agitation and dementia, according to observational trial data published online ahead of print in The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Israeli investigators assessed the use of cannabis oil as an adjunct pharmacotherap y treatment in ten Alzheimer’s disease patients over a period of several weeks. Researchers reported that drug administration was associated with a significant reduction in patients’ symptom severity scores. Specifically, cannabis oil ingestion corresponded with decreased levels of aggression, irritability, apathy, and delusions.

The California Medical Association (CMA) has adopted official policy recommending legalization and regulation of cannabis. The decision was based on a CMA white paper that concludes physicians should have access to better research, which is not possible under current drug policy. The paper is a thoughtful study and response to an important issue, continuing CMA’s tradition of providing guidance on public health. CMA is the first statewide medical association to take this official position. “CMA may be the first organization of its kind to take this position, but we won’t be the last. This was a carefully considered, deliberative decision made exclusively on medical and scientific grounds,” says CMA President James T. Hay, M.D. “As physicians, we need to have a better understanding about the benefits and risks of medicinal cannabis so that we can provide the best care possible to our patients.”

“We need to regulate cannabis so that we know what we’re recommending to our patients,” says Dr. Phinney. “Currently, medical and recreational cannabis have no mandatory labeling standards of concentration or purity. First, we’ve got to legalize it so that we can properly study and regulate it.” Physicians, who are currently only allowed to “recommend” medical cannabis, have been stuck in an uncomfortable position, since California decriminalized the drug in 2006. “California has decriminalized marijuana, yet it’s still illegal on a federal level,” says Dr. Hay. “That puts physicians in an incredibly difficult legal position, since we’re the ones ultimately recommending the drug.” The regulation of medical cannabis will allow for wider clinical research, accountable and quality controlled production of the substance and proper public awareness. CMA also recommends the regulation of recreational cannabis so that states may regulate this more widely used cannabis for purity and safety.

Investigators concluded, “Adding medical cannabis oil to Alzheimer’s disease patients pharmacotherapy is safe and a promising treatment option.” © 2016 NORML. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

“There simply isn’t the scientific evidence to understand the benefits and risks of medical cannabis,” says Paul Phinney, M.D., CMA Board Chair. “We undertook this issue a couple of years ago and the report presented this weekend is clear – in order for the proper studies to be done, we need to advocate for the legalization and regulation.”

CMA’s Board of Trustees adopted the policy without objection at its October 14 meeting in Anaheim. The federal government currently lists cannabis as a Schedule I drug. That classification restricts the research and

Read the full CMA White Paper here. (http://www.cmanet.org/files/pdf/news/cm a-cannabis-tac-white-paper-101411.pdf)

New research suggests marijuana may be an effective treatment for migraine headaches. Migraines are a severe form of reoccurring headache that affect 36 million Americans — about 12% of the population. Surprisingly, new findings suggest medical marijuana may bring relief to those who suffer from this painful condition. The study, published Jan. 9 in the journal Pharmacology, found that using marijuana led to a significant decrease in the number of monthly migraines suffered. Of the 121 patients who were studied, 103 reported a decrease in migraines after using marijuana. 15 patients showed no change while 3 had an increase in headaches. Overall, the frequency of migraine headaches dropped from 10.4 to 4.6 per month among participants in the study. “There was a substantial improvement for patients in their ability to function and feel better,” said study author Laura Borgelt, a professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The study included patients that sought treatment at Gedde Whole Health, a private clinic in Colorado that specializes in medical marijuana for a variety of conditions, between January 2010 and September 2014. Almost all patients in the study reported using marijuana on a daily basis. About half were taking prescription migraine treatments in addition to marijuana. Most patients used more than one form of cannabis, including smoked, inhaled and edible preparations. The study found that patients preferred inhaled marijuana for treating acute migraines, due to the quick-acting nature of cannabis when smoked or vaporized. On the other hand, edibles seemed more effective at preventing future headaches. But how exactly marijuana works to relieve migraines is still not fully understood, noted the researchers. Cannabinoids — the active ingredients in marijuana — are believed to have antiinflammatory and pain-relieving properties. They are also known to affect important signalling chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin. “We believe serotonin plays a role in migraine headaches, but we are still working to discover the exact role of cannabinoids in this condition,” Borgelt said. According to the researchers, the study was one of the first to show a decrease in migraine frequency in patients that used medical marijuana. While anecdotal benefits have been well documented, studies on marijuana as a treatment for headaches have been overwhelmingly absent. Part of the lack of research is due to federal drug laws, which make it difficult for scientists to access the plant. Despite the positive findings, the authors of the study warn that more research needs to be done on marijuana as a migraine treatment. “Like any drug, marijuana has potential benefits and potential risks. It’s important for people to be aware that using medical marijuana can also have adverse effects,” Borgelt noted. “If patients are considering medical marijuana they should speak to their health care provider and then follow up so we can track the impact of their overall treatment.” © 2016 www.Leafscience.com. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

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A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that, after controlling for environmental factors, cannabis use did not lead to a drop in IQ, and that other factors were more significant than cannabis use. This is good news to the nearly 20 million Americans who frequently use cannabis for medical and recreational purposes, as well as the half of the American population who have ever used it. This study is the first of its kind for a couple of reasons, the first, is that the researchers actually controlled for environmental factors; previous studies have failed to adequately control for confounding variables such as alcohol use. The second reason this study is unique is because it is the first to look at both fraternal and identical twins, measuring how their IQ changed over a decade. Twins are ideal for research because they share known amounts of DNA, and they also commonly share the same environment (home, schools, parental upbringing, etc). The current study is actually a pairing of two longitudinal studies, done by different universities, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Minnesota (UM). UCLA researchers conducted the Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior (RFAB) study, which measured the IQ of 789 twins, first when they were 9-10 years old, then they tested them again five times over the next decade. The second study, the Minnesota Twin Family Study (MTFS) by UM, looked at 2,277 twins and tested them once when they were between 9 and 11 years old, then again a decade later. Researchers asked about cannabis use, among other things (including binge drinking and other drug use), and they were able to successfully determine that cannabis users were not any less intelligent than their nonusing peers; all participants saw a decline in IQ that was consistent with age. Even the heaviest users, who used the substance daily for over six months, did not see any measurably worse drop in intelligence.

Medical News The study’s lead author, statistician Nicholas Jackson of UCLA, compared previous research on cannabis and IQ decline to being “a classic chicken-egg scenario,” where it was impossible to tell whether cannabis use or the drop in IQ came first. Dr. Jackson’s study is the first to provide needed data to see that it isn’t a matter of what comes first with cannabis and IQ decline, because cannabis use does not contribute to a drop in IQ in any meaningful way. A postdoctoral research associate at UM, Joshua Isen, added that their findings do not “mean that marijuana use itself is harmless,” their findings only mean that using cannabis doesn’t lower your IQ.

Another flaw identified in the study was a lack of detail regarding the frequency and amount of cannabis teens used, this may have to do with both groups of researchers using different surveys. George Patton, who was a co-author of Duke University’s highly contested 2012 study on cannabis, has been a vocal critic of the new findings, since they undermine his findings that cannabis use does lower IQ. In Patton’s view, “this paper does not do enough to dismiss the concerns from [our] Dunedin study about the effects of early heavy cannabis use.” Dr. Scott Krakower, who was not involved with either the Dunedin study or the present one, attempted to discredit Dr. Jackson’s findings but instead touched on an interesting finding that has gone unreported on, namely that even though marijuana users in the study used more alcohol and other drugs, they did not see their IQ drop anymore than people using less drugs and alcohol. This is fascinating because previous studies have shown a well-documented link between increased alcohol use and lower intelligence.

The Contested Dunedin Cohort Study

A Cohort Study with Similar Findings Dr. Valerie Curran, a psychopharmacologist at the University College London, released a cohort study earlier this month which she says reached “broadly the same conclusions.” Dr. Curran’s research was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology and looked at more than 2,000 British teenagers, but did not specifically observe twins. Dr. Curran commented on the findings by the ULCA/UM researchers saying, “ This is a very wellconducted study … and a welcome addition to the literature.” Claire Mokryz, a PhD student who works in Dr. Curran’s lab added that these findings are a “clear indication that cannabis is unlikely to be the cause of any IQ decline.”

Potential Flaws No study is perfect and a few limitations have been identified in the current study. The major limitation is that the study relies on self-report data for cannabis use, and selfreport data can be inaccurate, but there are several techniques that can be used to compensate for this, which presumably were used in the present study.

The Dunedin study, which George Patton was a co-author of, was a 2012 study done by Duke University which examined a cohort of only 1,037 people, and found that cannabis use lowered intelligence. This study had a sample size roughly half that of Dr. Curran’s cohort study which was just released, the Dunedin study also failed to control for numerous confounding environmental variables. The Dunedin study was so poorly constructed that a rebuttal study was published in the same journal six months later, which found that the Dunedin researchers failed to control for mental illness, family life, school drop out rates, socioeconomic status, and even didn’t control for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. In short, while the Dunedin study did an impressive job showing a correlation when they did not control for any confounding variables, once those variables were controlled the correlation vanished.

NIDA Weighs In A finding of this magnitude is not to go unnoticed, and even the head of the National Institute On Drug Abuse, Dr. Nora Volkow, has weighed in on the debate. While Dr. Volkow pointed out the imitations of the study, she also recognized the gravity of the findings and called for further research. She noted that the Federal Government is already working on a longitudinal study to follow 10,000 children over time to better understand the impacts of alcohol, cannabis, and other drug use.

Oregon Cannabis Connection

The enactment of statewide laws permitting the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes is associated with an annual reduction in obesityrelated medical costs, according to data published online ahead of print in the journal Health Economics. Investigators at San Diego State University and Cornell reviewed twelve years of data from the US Centers for Disease Control's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine the effects of medical marijuana laws on body weight, physical wellness, and exercise. They reported, "[T]he enforcement of MMLs (medical marijuana laws) is associated with a 2% to 6% decline in the probability of obesity. ... Our estimates suggest that MMLs induce a $58 to $115 per-person annual reduction in obesityrelated medical costs." For those age 35 or older, authors determined that the passage of medical cannabis laws is "associated with an increase in physical wellness and frequent exercise consistent with the hypothesis of some medicinal use of marijuana." For younger adults, researchers theorized that obesity declines are the result of less alcohol use. They concluded, "These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that MMLs may be more likely to induce marijuana use for healthrelated reasons among older individuals, and cause substitution toward lower-calorie recreational 'highs' among younger individuals." The findings are consistent with prior studies finding that those with a history of cannabis use possess lower body mass index and reduced rates of obesity compared to non-users. Preclinical data published this month in the journal PLoS ONE also reports that the administration of cannabinoids is associated with weight gain prevention in mice with dietinduced obesity. For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "The effect of medical marijuana laws on body weight," appears in Health Economics.

Alcohol Shown to Be Worse? Dr. Curran’s research team has also commented that alcohol use on its own led to a lower IQ store, supporting previous studies members of the team have authored on the topic. A 2014 study by PhD student Claire Mokryz looked at the effects of cannabis and alcohol on the brain and found that alcohol use was “strongly associated with IQ decline,” and that “no other factors were found to be predictive of IQ change.” These findings seem to have been proven wrong by the researcher’s current study, which did not see lower IQ rates among heavier drinkers, as would be expected. Clearly, we do not fully understand either the effects of alcohol or cannabis on the human brain, but every study done brings us a little bit closer to knowing how we tick. © 2016 The Leaf Online. www.theleafonline.com. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Image: Keith Mansur, OCC

Feb/Mar 2016

Roasted Garlic Fettuccine Alfredo

Food & Recipes Canna-Milk By Kristi Anderson

Choco Canna-Dipped Strawberries The Mandersons

By Canna Kid

Page 19

WARNING: Medical cannabis consumption can be unpredictable. Always start with a quarter serving and give it time. Effects can take up to an hour and sometimes longer. If you have doubts, you should contact a cannabis clinician about dosage.

Mexican Hot Chocolate By Manny L.

(Photo by Calah Kelley | News 21)

Cultivation

Page 20

Growing with Good Earth

What is organic matter? Plants and animals that are alive, dead, or in some stage of decomposition. The stuff we think of as dead (e.g., brown, dried up leaves) is teeming with microbial life. There may be a billion living microorganisms in a teaspoon or compost or soil!

What is PPM and why does it matter? PPM, or parts per million, is a scientific notation that refers to the concentration of a nutrient solution (water + nutrient concentrates and any other additives used to spike your “juice”). As a point of reference, the measurement of PPM allows the grower a greater awareness of a plant’s nutrient needs as it matures. Measuring PPM also serves as a safety measure—primarily when using strong synthetic fertilizers, because an abrupt feed of strong nutrient solution has the potential to burn or even kill a plant! I can think of more than one case when a customer mistook tablespoons (big T) for teaspoons (small t), resulting in some seriously damaged plants. This could have been prevented if they had double-checked the strength of their feed solution with a PPM measurement first. Generally speaking, feeding solutions for cannabis clones or seed starts measure low in PPM (100–250 ppm) and steadily increase along with the growth and size of plant through bloom (up to 1600–2000 ppm). I always recommended starting by feeding lightly, and to steadily increase the ppm of your solution over time, “reading” your plants’ nutrient needs along the way.

The science behind PPM PPM is a dimensionless quantity; that is, it consists of pure numbers with no associated units of measurement. The measurement of PPM directly correlates to

Why is it important? Organic matter is the key to improving soil quality which, in turn, leads to healthy, productive plants. It improves the structure of soils that are high in clay or sand so that roots can better grow and take advantage of available water, air, and nutrients.

knowing what scale your source is talking about is very important! It is equally important to know what kind of meter you are using, what value (EC, TDS, PPM) it is measuring (or what setting the meter is on: Some PPM meters display either the 500 or 700 scale), and what, if any, calibration solution to use. Even different nutrient fertilizer manufacturers use different scales. For example, General Hydroponics uses the 500 scale, while Botanicare uses the 700 scale. Use of the conductivity conversion chart can be helpful to calculate the desired strength for your solution, rather than having to get tricky with math or buy a new meter. If you do decide that buying a meter with your preferred conductivity scale is going to make your life easier, I highly recommend the Bluelab Truncheon Nutrient Meter. This meter conveniently provides all conversion scales on one easyto-read waterproof wand, and it doesn’t even need calibration. © 2016 Oregon Cannbabis Connection. All rights reserved.

the electrical conductivity (EC) of a solution. While pure water will not conduct electricity, dissolved solids in water (nutrients) carry a small electric current that can be measured using a conductivity meter ortotal dissolved solids (TDS) meter. The measurement of EC can be used directly (as is done in Europe, of course), or further converted into PPM. PPMs are most commonly expressed in two different scales; the 700 scale and the 500 scale (also known as TDS). For example: • The 700 scale, which measures potassium chloride (KCl), is equivalent to 2.2 EC x 700 = 1540 ppm. • The 500 scale, which measures sodium chloride (NaCl), is equivalent to 2.2 EC x 500 = 1100 ppm. (The 640 scale above is not commonly used).

Note how these two different scales provide two very different measurements! Both scales are often simply referred to PPM, so

The concept “feed the soil and the soil will feed your plants” is very important for vegetable gardeners. If you feed your soil different types of organic matter on a regular basis you provide food for soildwelling organisms. The vast majority of these—bacteria and fungi—cannot be seen without a microscope. They break down organic materials, consume each other, and cause the release of nutrients that roots can pick up. Your soil is improved with every addition of organic matter. You are building up a reservoir of slowly released nutrients that increase your garden’s productivity over time. You will need to use fertilizers to make sure that your plants have the nutrients they most need (e.g., nitrogen) when they need it. But your reliance on organic or synthetic fertilizers will probably decrease as your organic matter content increases.

What should I use and where do I get it? Compost—you can make your own from leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, farm manure (no pet waste), and other materials. Every vegetable gardener should have a way of recycling organic wastes into compost. Contact your county/city government to see if compost is available at your local landfill.

Oregon Cannabis Connection Yes, you can purchase compost by the bag or cubic yard (pick-up truck load). Examples are available at every garden center, and mushroom compost is especially effective. Homemade or purchased compost can be added any time of year and can be used as a top-dressing or mulch during the growing season. Leaves and grass clippings—from your own yard or neighborhood. Shredded leaves are best because they rot faster than whole leaves. Spread them out on top of your garden in the fall and turn them under in the spring. Grass clippings (no herbicides) can be used as a mulch around vegetable plants or add them to your compost pile. Manure—animal manures (goat, sheep, cow, horse, chicken) may be available free of charge in your community. They are very good for improving soil quality and add valuable nutrients to the soil. There are some risks to consider. Fresh manure can burn plant roots, and uncomposted animal manures may contain human pathogens. Manures are considered fully composted when the pile or windrow reaches at least 130º F for three consecutive days. This kills most plant and human diseases and weed seeds. Most farmers with animals do not actively compost and monitor their manure to this standard. So, it’s best to treat any animal manure you can locate as uncomposted. The USDA’s National Organic Program’s standard for using uncomposted animal manure says: Apply no less than 90 days prior to harvest if there’s no contact between crop and soil, (e.g., staked tomatoes) or 120 days prior to harvest if the crop is in contact with soil, (e.g., cabbage). Do not apply uncomposted manure after crops are established. Fall application and incorporation is recommended for home gardeners. • Composted animal manures have a somewhat higher nutrient content than plant-based compost. • Light incorporation of manure is desirable to prevent nutrients from washing away. • Never use dog or cat manures in your vegetable garden. Cont. on Page 21

Feb/Mar 2016

• Horse manure may contain many weed seeds. Be prepared to control weed growth early on.

Cultivation Ecoculture: The Promising Future of Cannabis

• Make compost teas from plant-based composts. • Wash all produce thoroughly after harvest.

Other sources—kitchen scraps buried in holes or trenches in your garden soil; plant roots: cut the tops of plants that have finished producing and leave the roots in place to rot; cover crops, decomposed mulches.

How much should I add? Fresh organic materials lose more than half their volume by the time they are fully decomposed. The best option, if available, is to add compost to the soil. After a few years of large additions you can decrease the amount to one inch each year. It takes eight cubic feet of compost to cover a 100 sq. ft. garden to a depth of one inch. The goal is to have organic matter comprise 25 to 30% of the top eight inches of soil by volume. © 2015 U of M Ext. Service. All rights reserved.

. Image: Green Source Gardens

It is time on this planet for us all to have concern for the environment and the impact we have in our everyday choices. We believe Cannabis is a plant that can guide us toward a new paradigm that places value in caring for healthy regenerative soil practices. As a consumer you vote with your dollar. Be picky, and choose farms that are transparent and willing to share their practices with the world.

Third party certified farms such as A plethora of new opportunities are “Clean Green Certified” and or “Certified coming from the inception of the Kind” are a great way to know if a farm cannabis industry. We have a chance as is transparent in their growing practices. pioneers of this new world to innovate But you should go even further into new and healthy techniques of investigating a farm’s methodology if you cultivation to supply a market where consumers are interested in Image: Green Source Gardens supporting environmentally responsible practices. We here at Green Source Gardens are finding that many companies and dispensaries are promoting and recognizing the value in small farm producers who are stewarding the land on which they are cultivating beyond the production of a cash crop. These new “ecoculture” farms are the promising future of cannabis. “Ecoculture” is a word we came up with as a replacement for the word “agriculture.” The reason we feel the need to create a new term is due to the environmental harm that has been a result of agriculture. Agriculture practices production of crops as a means to benefit economically; it is more concerned with profit than anything else and therefore adopts practices that have been handed down by a capitalist society. Ecoculture on the other hand is rooted in the cultivation of healthy living soil, which couples productivity with regenerative practices. Ecoculturalists have a need for production, as they depend on it for their livelihood, but also see the value in adopting methods that reduce and even eliminate the need for pollution and soil degradation.

Page 21

Germinating marijuana seeds paves the way for healthy development of the plant, so it is very important to make sure that every need of the seed and germ are fulfilled. This article will describe what seeds are, and what exactly makes them germinate.

Like every plant, marijuana begins with a seed, which requires water to grow. The seed houses the entire plant and can survive the first few days with a reservoir of food. While it’s germinating, the seed can turn this saved food into sugars, which it uses to grow.

want to make the best choice. Farms that truly care about what they are doing have information available so you can look deeper into their values. We are grateful that the cannabis community in Oregon is recognizing the value of their small artisan growers and producers.

We will uncover the process of germinating seeds as well as perfecting the conditions for young seedlings. Additionally, I will go through the different methods of germination, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

A seed increases in size and breaks open when it’s received enough moisture. A germ opening forms, allowing the root to go through, and it goes down into the ground. Because its downward motion is due only to gravity and not some other force, the root will always grow downward–even if the seed is positioned in a different way. Consequently, the stem consistently grows opposite to the root, so it will always grow upward.

Different ways of germination Germination methods come in many different shapes and sizes, each with its pros and cons. Rockwool cubes, soil, or peat pellets are all suitable locations for the germination process. As long as the amount of moisture and temperature are right, they should all achieve the same thing in the end. Let’s start out by going through my favorite method of germination: water germination coupled with soil germination. I first submerge the seeds in water and let them soak for 24 hours. This assures that there is the right amount of moisture to begin germinating. The seeds won’t absorb too much water unless they’ve been soaking for 7 days or more, so don’t be concerned about that. Pour tap water (no added nutrients needed) into a cup and let it sit for several hours, allowing it to get to a room temperature. Even if the seeds haven’t broken open, the seeds will have begun to germinate after 24 hours.

The amount of water seeds need Like all living things, water is the most important element in germinating seeds. For this reason, you need to be sure that you feed your plants the perfect amount of water. If you water it too little, the plant will try to conserve energy in order to survive, and won’t grow to be very large. Cont. on Page 22

Page 22

If you water it too much, the roots will not get enough oxygen, making the roots rot and the plant above to go limp. The soil could also attract mold and other harmuful bacteria. The way to make sure your plants receive enough water, add water until you see it seeping out from the bottom. Even though the seedling doesn’t absorb this muh water, it evaporates very quickly. Consequently, this amount will just last for several days.

The perfect temperature for seeds Light is the second most important ingredient to growing a healthy plant. Light gives plants the ability to form sugars from carbon dioxide and water. These sugars are used to power the plant’s growth. This is referred to as photosynthesis. The amount of light is also very important, as it affects the precise way in which plants

Cultivation

The plants should start popping up after 3-7 days, as long as you are closely monitoring the temperature. You should remove the pot’s “lid” (plastic wrap) as soon as you see the first sprouts; then have the lamp on at intervals of 18 hours on, 6 hours off.

Germinate marijuana seeds in soil Because soil makes a cushion of water and nutrients, it is very easy to germinate the seeds in soil. You should use mildly fertilized potting soil or a seed-starter; the pH level of proper soil should be approximately 6. Read the article Best Ph levels for more about pH Seeds are delicate and can negatively respond to an overdose of nutrients. Potting soil should contain the right amount of nutrients to work for two weeks or so, and it is available in most garden centers.

grow. For instance, if plants receive too little light, they will only grow in height and not in breadth, and won’t produce many branches. This is due to natural selection in their natural habitat; if a plant can grow above the others, it has a competitive advantage because it will absorb more light. Plants that already have access to enough light will also achieve growth in breadth. More branches and therefore buds will crop up, which is ideal for these cannabis plants. If you keep light throughout the day (both day and night) you will accomplish a consistent temperature and can maximize your plant’s growth.

Pre-sprouting seeds in water

Placing your seeds in containers under fluorescent lights is best, since the lights do not use too much power and don’t emit much heat, allowing you to place them quite near the plants. Although the seeds don’t actually need the light at this point, an immediate exposure to enough light once they pop out of the soil will help them develop best. The temperature should remain near 73 degrees, but if it’s too hot then simply move the lamp further away from the plant. Wrap plastic wrap around the pot so all the extra moisture cannot escape, thus creating the perfect humid climate for the seeds to germinate.

After putting soil in the pot, (one pot per seed), you can use a pen or pencil to make a quarter-inch-deep hole. If a root has already popped out of the seed, you can help it grow faster by making sure that part faces downwards. Once the seed is in the hole, make sure it is topped with soil; don’t push down the soil, however, since this will occur automatically when you water it. All this will let the seed germinate, and you’ll soon find evidence of your work when the plant pops out of the soil in a few days or a week. Below the soil, many new roots will grow from the main root and a solid system of roots will form.

Oregon Cannabis Connection

If you allow marijuana seeds to remain in water for 24 hours, the seeds can be presprouted. This allows you to view the seeds, and it ensures that they have plenty of moisture for starting the germination process. Additionally, putting seeds in water is a faster process than planting them directly into the soil.

The stones are formed by heating them up to 1500 degrees Celsius, turning them into molten lava, which is then quickly spun, releasing drops of lava that solidify to form threads. These threads are further processed with compaction, curing, and cutting, turning them into the Rockwool forms that we know (including slabs, blocks, and plugs). The main difference in this process is the addition of fertilizer; rockwool doesn’t contain the nutrients that soil has, so you’ll need to add a bit of fertilizer (TDS should be around 600ppm ) when you start. Additionally, the pH level is 7.0, which is too high for optimal germination, meaning you’ll need to lower the rockwool pH. This is achieved by placing the ockwool plugs in water (pH value 5.5) for a full day, allowing it to bring down the Rockwool’s pH level. Although it can be a bit trickier, there are some pros to using rockwool instead of soil. First, while transplanting, rockwool cannot have a harmful effect on the roots (which can occur when using soil). Of course, pH and TDS meters are necessary for successful rockwool germination. The rockwool cubes are available by online order via Amazon.

Germinating seeds in peat pellets Peat pellets are simply compressed peat within a bag made from mesh; this peat enlarges when you add water and turns into a sort of container. With the pH level of 5.5 and the TDS at 625, this little container creates the ideal environment for germinating your seeds and growing your plant.

Germinate seeds in rockwool cubes

This method isn’t perfect, however, as it means the seeds will need to be picked up (whether or not a root is already emerging). This root is extremely delicate; if harmed, it could be detrimental to the development of the plant, so you must be extremely cautious when touching a seed with an emerged root. To save time, plant the seed with its root facing down. Although others might disagree, I have found that this method is the best one, so I’ve continued to use it for years.

Germination between cotton pads Germination with the seed placed between wet cotton pads is also a suitable method. Like with placing the seed in water, this process ensures that the seeds will have plenty of moisture. On the other hand (also like the water method), the seeds will need to be picked up and moved, thus risking harm to the root. If proceeding with caution, however, this should not present many problems. In 2 to 5 days’ time, the roots should be visibly growing out of the seeds, at which point you should move them. This is simply done by removing the cotton pads with caution and placing them into the soil or Rockwool, either with your fingers or tweezers.

Speed up the germination process You can speed up germination and kill infectious agents by soaking the seed for 12 hours in a 1% hydrogen peroxide or compost tea solution. First, position the seeds in sterile planting mix, planting pellets, rock wool, pasteurized soil, or Oasis cubes at about a quarter of an inch deep. Then, water the seeds with a 0.5% hydrogen peroxide solution with an added bloom fertilizer at about 25% strength.

Rockwool, is mineral wool that comes from volcanic rock and other materials (basalt and limestone, for example), that provides the perfect environment for the growth and germination of plants.

You can also put the peat pellets or straight into the soil or rockwool right when you start to see the roots popping out, thus avoiding damage to the roots altogether. Peat pellets are also available for online order via Amazon.

Try to keep the medium consistently moist by, for example, covering the whole apparatus with a dome to ensure constant humidity. Also, try to keep the medium out of the sun and at a temperature of 72*F (22*C). Depending on the age of the seed, they should germinate between 2 and 10 days (older seeds take longer than younger ones). Keep a firm light on the seedlings or else they will stretch out. Many strategies for germinating marijuana seeds are available to you; you simply have to choose which one is easiest for properly maintaining the needed moisture and temperature level. We would love to know of any other pieces of advice or methods you might have. Visit us online at www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com for more growing resources. © 2016 www.Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com and Robert Bergman. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Cultivation tips in every issue of the OCC Newspaper!

Feb/Mar 2016

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Page 23

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