Treating Yourself Magazine #30

CHAPTER

6 • Treating Yourself, Issue 30 - 2011

Publisher/ Editor in ChiefMarco [email protected]

Art/Layout DesignerIvan [email protected]

Copy EditorDaniel Lindley

Sales RepresentativesGreg KosakowMichael Levitt

Web Site EditorAndrew Shaw

Q&A [email protected]

Text & photography ContributorsMarco Renda, Ivan Art, Shantibaba,Mary Lou Smart, Georgia Peschel, Al Graham, Jeremy Norrie, Lexx,Easyrasta, Tim Shoniker, Angel Stanz,Mike Bifari, Jonny Appleweed, Mr. Eckhardt, Cheryl K. Smith, Mike Marino, Subcool, Lazystrain,Green Born Identity, Samuel Wells, Kannabia Seed Co., Harry Resin,Joshua Boulet, Skunkmad, DavideStallone, Gregorio “Goyo”, Michael Guerrini

Cover shot:Mataró Blueby Kannabia Seed Company

Submit your articles to:[email protected]

Treating Yourself250 The East Mall,P.O. Box 36531Etobicoke, OntarioM9B 3Y8 CanadaT: + 416 620 1951F: +416 620 0698

Printed in Canada

Marco Renda - Federal Exemptee - Publisher & Editor in Chief Treating Yourself, The Alternative Medicine Journal - [email protected]

Treating Yourself, Issue 30 - 2011 • 7

The fight for the right...I hope that everyone who attended the recent Treating Yourself Expo had a wonderful time. If youdidn’t have a chance to attend this year, the 3rd Annual TY Expo is being held on May 25th to 27th2012 and I have been taking lots of early bookings for vendors already. This is also a long weekendin the USA so make sure you keep it free if you live across the border. The show is growing fromstrength to strength and has become a platform for educating people from all walks of life which isa powerful tool.

When Stephen Harper was voted in as Prime Minister once more, I was curious to see if he was mak-ing empty promises as a PR campaign or whether he would really bring about change. The threatof change has already started it seems. Health Canada has made proposals to change the MedicalMarijuana programme that compromise a system that is at best inadequate. They are attemptingto stop private growers from growing their own medicine and propose to reduce manufacturing tothree companies that patients will have to buy from.

For those of you who are knowledgeable about using medical cannabis, there are approximately1,600 varieties of cannabis. Each has a differing impact of the body and not one strain can beapplied for all ailments. What works for M. S. may not be as effective on Crohn’s disease. HealthCanada will only be supplying one strain though and have been since the programme started. Theirreasoning behind this is based on health and safety risks behind private grow operations.

When I had my garden up and running, I worked in tandem with the local Police and the FireMarshall in addition to the Electrical Standards Authority (E.S.A.) to ensure that all requirements hadbeen met. The local police disclosed that no guidelines exist for safe grow operations and I suggest-ed that we get together and write a manual that could be utilized. While they appeared to be sup-portive, the Fire Marshall clearly wanted us to leave his jurisdiction and made it increasingly difficultand costly for us to jump through hoop after hoop. This would have been a step in the right direc-tion as the experts in the programme are certainly not Health Canada. In addition to this ridiculoussuggestion, employees from their offices are still advising doctors regarding how much they shouldbe prescribing which implies that they have more medical knowledge than them. In actual fact, theyhave little to no research or medical knowledge at all. This would be funny if it wasn’t really hap-pening but it is.

On a lighter note, I have just returned from Europe where I mixed business withpleasure. I visited my homeland of Malta which was quite nostalgic for me. I

also had meetings with various people in Germany and Amsterdam to dis-cuss business matters which is always a pleasure. On various occa-

sions, the subject of Michelle Rainey came up and the Greenhousecrew had a framed picture of her in their office. As always, every-one had nothing but the highest praise for Michelle who wasnothing short of an ambassador for our movement. She is avaluable reminder of why I continue to fight for the right to usecannabis as my medicine.

Take care and Peace,

Marco Renda.


Advertising Policy StatementTreatingYourself is not responsible for the actions, service or quality of the products and businessesadvertised in our publication. We will not knowingly support unethical practices of any advertiser. If youchoose to purchase a product from one of our advertisers, please let them know that you saw their adin Treating Yourself Magazine

AdsFormat: JPG, TIFF or EPS in (CMYK) Resolution: 300dpi at 1/1 (actual print size)Ad sizes: • 1/4 page: 95mm x 132mm (wxh) / 3.74in x 5.2in

• 1/2 horizontal: 195mm x 132mm (wxh) / 7.7in x 5.2• 1/2 vertical: 95mm x 267mm (wxh) / 3.74in x 10.5in• Full page: 203 x 276 (wxh) + 3mm bleed on all edges. / 8in x 10.9in + 1/8in bleed

Articles Text: submitted in a Word document with photo files attached separately as JPG’s, captions to be written in place of name on the photo filePhoto format: JPG, 300dpi at actual print size. The more pixels the better!

Note Please take photos of objects or buds with a nuetral background (preferably white).

Submission info

Treating Yourself wishes to remind readers to be aware that the sale, possession and transportof viable cannabis seeds is illegal in many countries, particularly in the USA. We do not wishto induce anyone to act in conflict with the law. We do not promote the germination andgrowth of these seeds where prohibited by law. Treating Yourself assumes no responsibility forany claims or representations contained in this publication or in any advertisement. All mate-rial is for entertainment and educational purposes only! Treating Yourself does not encour-age the illegal use of any of the products or advertisements within. All opinions are those ofthe writer and do not necessarily reflect those of Treating Yourself. Nothing in this publica-tion may be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part without the expressed writ-ten consent of the publisher. All rights reserved. All advertised products and offers voidwhere prohibited. Occasionally we may use material we believe to be placed in the publicdomain. Sometimes it is not possible to identify or contact the copyright holder. If you claimownership of something we have published we will be pleased to make a proper acknowl-edgement. All letters and pictures sent are assumed to be for publication unless stated other-wise. Treating Yourself can not be held responsible for unsolicited contributions. No portionof this publication can be reproduced for profit without the written consent of the publisher.

Disclaimer

1of a Kind GlassAdam&EveAd Astra SeedsAttitude SeedbankBC Bud DepotBuddha SeedsContest: Herbal Aire Give AwayContest: TYROOR packageCrosstown TrafficDolce Vita MagazineGone To PotGreen House Seeds Greenlife SeedsGrowHD.TVHarborsideIvanArtKannabia Seed co.Karma GeneticsKDK DistributorsLA ContainerMaple ReefMedcannAccessMedical Cannabis JournalMMAMedicalMarijuana.caMM Seeds WholesalerMichelle Rainey FoundationMr.Nice SeedbankNirvanaParadise SeedsPlanetary PridePure GlassRooRRoyal Queen SeedsSerious SeedsSoma SeedsTGA Genetics SeedsTHC FarmerTHSeedsTime 4 hempTrimproTYMM&HExpo DVDTY SubscribeVaporizers.caVapor RoomWeedWorldWest Coast Masters

410844

IFCover, 31192927

13676

12144

BCover1058937

10, 591001559549745544554

68.70127781

IRCover76

138137

51181018815971563

1356

55117109108

HIGHLIGHTS

Issue 30 - Advertisers Index CONTESTS

Cartoons/ IllustrationsIvan Art

11

Georgiatoons17, 103, 133

Joshua Boulet41, 125, 133, 134

ROOR Winnersp.136

Herbal Aire GiveAway and Winners

pg.27

Win a custom TYRooR package

complete with carrying casepg.136

The Art of the Test:Finding High Ground in an

Unregulated Industryp.51

The Cash Hyde Story...p.30

INSIDE ISSUE 30


7

13

14161820

2830

38424651

566064

72788284909498

102104

106106107

110

112114

120122124132

Mataró BlueKannabia Seed Co.

p.98

Marco’s Editorial

NewsPress Release:Erupt Nutrients Enter Home & Garden MarketArizona Fifteenth State to Pass MMCatch Breaking News with Project CBDMM Testing Lab Claims to Forecast Cannabis TreatmentProposed Improvements for Health Canada’s MM Program

Hemp ChroniclesAlicia Castilla Free at LastThe Cash Hyde Story...The Boy of Steel

HealthBenefits of Including D9THC in Hepatitis C Antiviral PolypharmacyCannabis to the Rescue for Appetite Gain & Pain ReliefTopical Cannabis Preparations: Snake Oil or Healing Options?The Art of the Test: Finding High Ground in an Unregulated Industry

Spotlight TY Interviews:Craig Rubin

A Look at the TwisterJean Hanamoto

CultivationLies Normally Hurt but the Truth is Killing Us AllSoil Pests & Soil DiseasesNo More Spider MitesThe Ripper EffectBurmese KushLamboMataró Blue

ReviewsGuanokalong productsGrow Switch Full OnBook Reviews: Chris Bennet’s Cannabis and the Soma SolutionThe Pot BookCannabinomics: The Marijuana Policy Tipping Point

TravelThe Coffee Shops Remain Open to Tourists

RetrospectBorn into the Tumultuous 60’sMore Than One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

EventsKeeping PACE EverywhereToronto Freedom Fest-Global Marijuana MarchTreating Yourself ExpoBehind the Scenes at TY Expo

No More Spider Mitesp.82

UNIQUE GIFT IDEA!

Spread the message.

Why?Why?

Why not?Why not?

Why?

Why not?

ivanart.net


TORONTO- June 20, 2011- ERUPTTM, an environ-mentally-friendly plant nutrient company that currentlytargets the medicinal marijuana industry, will now offera line of eco-nutrients to the traditional home and gar-den market.

ERUPT™ announced Friday, their intention to enter thehome and garden nutrient market with special blends ofnutrients formulated for the at-home gardener, as aresponse to direct-competitor Scotts Miracle-GroCompany’s announcement on June 14 of its intention totarget the medicinal marijuana market.

In March 2011, ERUPT™, formerly Mari-Gro, receiveda cease and desist request from Scotts Miracle-GroCompany’s attorneys asking ERUPT™ to stop usingthe Mari-Gro brand stating it was far too similar to theMiracle-Gro brand, lending confusion to the market-place and tarnishing the brand’s reputation, since Mari-Gro specifically targeted the nearly $2 billion U.S.medicinal marijuana market.

“After receiving the attorney letter three months ago, I

was surprised to hear the news that Miracle-Gro is nowtrying to enter the market they claimed would damagetheir reputation,”saidERUPT™ President Tim Shoniker.“As we see it, it expands the market for all of us andopens the doors for access to a wider range in all of theplant nutrition markets.”

ERUPT’s unique patent-pending molecular nano-tech-nology has been proven in many independent clinical tri-als to be far less harmful to the environment, with 25-90percent less of the environmentally harmful nutrientsleached into the soil and waterways than any other plantnutrient product tested.

About ERUPT™ERUPT™ is a brand, manufactured in Canada by Eco-logicalInnovations™ out of Pickering,Ontario. Eco-logicalInnovations™ is a privately held, Canadian com-pany that develops and manufactures environmentallyfriendly products. For more information, visit www.eruptnutrients.com or email [email protected].

Plant Nutrients Enters Home & Garden MarketEco-friendly products offer plant specific formulas

ERUPT™ Media Contact: Tim Shoniker ERUPT Plant Nutrients 888-989-8389

ERUPT Plant Nutrients P.O. Box 588, Pickering, Ontario Canada L1V 2R7 (888) 989-8389


rizona had passed med-ical marijuana bills inthe past but has hadthem derailed by thestate legislature. This

time around, the canna business com-munity drafted Proposition 203,which authorizes medical use of mar-ijuana for patients with debilitatingmedical conditions, but it is heavilyslanted to promote the canna busi-ness agenda. The bill calls forapproximately 120 dispensaries toserve the entire state. No personalgrowing is permitted within 25 milesof any dispensary. The plan is tostrategically place the dispensaries todisallow private growing throughoutthe state.

Proposition 203 was thought to be alost cause on election night, trailingby nearly 7,000 votes. However,after provincial ballots and mail-inballots were counted, it passed by theslightest of margins, 4,341 out ofmore than 1.65 million total votes.Dispensary applications were sched-uled to be accepted June 1, 2011. InMay, U.S. Attorney Dennis Burkewarned the Arizona Department ofHealth Services, the departmentcharged with supervising the medicalmarijuana program, that complyingwith the Arizona statute will not

shield them from federal prosecution.“The [Controlled Substances Act]may be vigorously enforced againstlarge marijuana-production facili-ties…. This compliance with Arizonalaws and regulations does not pro-vide a safe harbor, nor immunityfrom federal prosecution,” he wrote.

Upon becoming aware of the letter,Arizona Governor Jan Brewer filedsuit in federal court for a declaratoryjudgment regarding the state’s expo-sure to prosecution. The healthdepartment put the dispensary planson hold, but continued to issue med-ical cards to patients and caregivers.As of June 15, 2011, the healthdepartment reports 5,601 patientcards have been approved, as well as147 caregivers. Caregivers can assistfive patients and grow up to 12plants per patient. The permission isvalid for the one-year period of thecard. However, if at the time forrenewal, a dispensary is located with-in 25 miles of the patient, no caregiv-er service is available, and patientsmust rely on dispensaries for theirmedicine.

NEWS

The current state of events is thatpatients must either grow their own,get a caregiver, or purchase fromanother patient. The last optionseems to be a loophole in the propo-sition the canna business did notanticipate.

Yours truly has chosen to grow myown and provide for a select numberof patients. I have teamed up withtwo other caregivers and will sharethe expenses of providing for nine orten patients total. We can onlyrecoup cost from our patients, as thecanna bill does not allow for profit,except for the dispensaries. Althoughwe can legally grow 120 plants, wewill keep our number under 100 inan effort to keep the Feds away.

Small is beautiful. We are keepingthe grow simple and low cost to pro-vide the highest-quality medicine atthe lowest possible price. We beginwith proven elite cuts in one-inchrockwool cubes. The strains includeChem dawg 4, Chem dawg 3, Chemdawg D, ecsd, 707 headband, snodawg, Star dawg, candy dawg akaluci, Las Vegas Purple kush, CaseyJones, Bloody Mary, MatanuskaThunder Fuck, Shiva skunk, G13-Bermese Kush, Dumpster, and Deathstar.

Arizona Fifteenth State to Pass Medical Marijuana

By Easyrasta

A


here’s no time like thepresent to learn aboutAmerica’s favoriteSchedule I medicine, asits status under the

Controlled Substances Act keeps atight lid on research, and thereforeeducation. Project CBD, a clearing-house chock-full of medical cannabisinformation, puts the science frontand center.

The cofounders of the onlineresource — www.projectcbd.org —have written about cannabis foryears. Fred Gardner is editor ofO’Shaughnessy’s, the journal of theSociety of Cannabis Clinicians (SCC),a consortium of physicians that rec-ommend cannabis and seek volun-tary standards in accordance withstate laws. The science-based publica-tion is named after the English doctorwho returned from work in India inthe 1800s firmly convinced thatcannabis is a fantastic medicine fornumerous conditions. During thatgo-round, even Queen Victoriaenjoyed cannabis tinctures for her ail-ments. The freelance writer MartinLee’s book Acid Dreams: TheComplete Social History of LSD: TheCIA, the Sixties and Beyond exploresthe cultural awakening that gavecannabis a fresh start. Both Gardnerand Lee write for O’Shaughnessy’s.

Project CBD formed in the fashion ofmany cannabis initiatives, out of asense of urgency. Cannabis scientistsmeet annually in Europe at theInternational Cannabinoid ResearchSociety conference. After attendingmore than one of the overseas

forums, Gardner and Lee realizedthat few members of the media werecovering the dense and weighty sub-ject matter, and in particular the con-siderable clinical work surroundingcannabidiol (CBD). While the scienceexplaining why the plant works sowell with so many conditions wasrapidly advancing, the two journal-ists saw that only a select few clini-cians were attending the conferenceor being brought up to speed.

As cannabis therapeutics march for-ward, research reveals that the bene-fits of components such as CBD aresignificant. A comprehensive body ofinformation details powerful medi-cine coming from an age-old plant.Research conducted over the pastfour decades demonstrates that ele-ments within cannabis, and evenwithin the human body, work togeth-er to create synergistic effects. Evenon the federal level, a U.S. patentowned by the Department of Healthand Human Services describes theusefulness of cannabinoids in treatingmyriad oxidation-associated diseases,including inflammatory and autoim-mune diseases, and as neuroprotec-tants, which could mean anythingfrom stroke or head injury toAltzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or demen-tia. The patent acknowledges thatCBD is a powerful antioxidant andneuroprotectant with anti-inflamma-tory effects. The recent U.S. patentgranted to England-based GWPharmaceuticals for Sativex, a whole-plant extract, is one more show ofhypocrisy from the same governmentthat maintains that cannabis has nomedical benefit.

NEWS

Gardner and Lee decided that the sci-ence of medical cannabis, whichincludes the story of CBD’s reemer-gence into the equation, needed to bedisseminated to a wide audience.

Project CBD actively seeks participa-tion from collectives and dispen-saries, many of which have cannabistested for potency content. SarahRusso, outreach coordinator, meetswith patients and businesses toencourage participation in a surveybeing conducted to learn more aboutCBD’s effects. Patients contactProject CBD with testimonials aboutstrains and other cannabis-relatedfeedback, and their commentary isused on the portion of the site thatRusso reports is becoming thelifeblood of the project, CBDiary.

“It’s been interesting. because when Ifirst started working at Project CBD,patients wanted to know where to getCBD-rich strains,” said Russo.“We’ve been encouraging growersand dispensaries to introduce CBD-rich strains. In a short amount oftime, more dispensaries are realizingthat this should be an option.”

For the uninitiated, clinical researchreveals that THC and CBD togethercreate a complex balancing act. CBDwas bred out of the overall supply ofmarijuana over decades as the focuson recreational use guided growersin the direction of the best buzz withhigh-THC strains. Studies conductedanywhere but the United States —where government-funded, proactivecannabis research is slim to nil —documents that CBD counters the

Catch Breaking News with

Mary Lou Smart © 2011 www.medicalcannabisart.com

T

Cartoon


psychoactive effects of THC, andthat the long-lost compound is bene-ficial both on its own and in combi-nation with other cannabinoids.

Valerie Corral, the director ofWAMM, WoMen’s Alliance forMedical Marijauana, a patients’ andcaregivers’ collective in Santa Cruz,California, has been collectingpatient data for 18 years and seesvalue in Project CBD’s promotion ofthe survey. “You could call it ProjectTerpene, Flavinoid, CBD, THC,” shesaid. “What it is is an awakening. Bycorrelating patient data, individualswill learn about different alternativesin therapy.”

An epileptic, Corral experienced asmany as five grand mal seizures aday, with loss of consciousness andviolent muscle contractions, beforeshe began smoking cannabis. She’sbeen growing cannabis for her illnessfor 37 years. While she does grow aCBD-rich strain, she does not findthat it reduces pain as well as THC-rich varieties.

“As an epileptic, I don’t find CBD torelieve pain,” she said. “It doesn’t dothat for me. I know another epilepticfor whom it relaxes pain, so this isnot a standard. What I’m suggestingis that there are all kinds of thingsthat science will be looking at as wedissect the whole in search of specificanswers.”

Project CBD’s Lee stressed that theproject will deal with the science ofthe whole plant, not just CBD.

“Essentially, Project CBD is an edu-cational organization,” he said. “Weare an activist think tank that servesa community, a movement, so tospeak, that’s become an industry.We’re in an area where everybody’sexploring, and we’re trying to be aforum for sharing information sothat people learn how to use thismedicine in the best way.”

Granted, there is no shortage of mar-ijuana Web sites. Most seem to becobbled together by volunteers intheir spare time, and are as wide-rang-ing as the plant’s storied past. Manylaunched with lofty intensions morphinto billboards documenting dysfunc-tion at the federal level, outrage overthe Obama Administration’s elec-tion-year crackdown on legitimatebusinesses, or promotional venuesfor bongs, vaporizers, and seeds.While Project CBD is partially fund-ed by advertisements from dispen-saries and cannabis labs that appearon its site, the nonprofit seeks to beeducational, not advertorial. Withone paid employee and two passion-ate advocates, the aim is to maintaina sharp focus on clinical studies andmedical information. The Web site’sscience section is filled with articlesand videos documenting research. Itsmedicine section delves into specific

Catch Breaking News with Project CBD

illnesses that have been shown torespond to cannabis medicine.

“We try to maintain an unbiasedperspective,” Russo said. “Many ofthese Web sites are funded by theindustry. There are a lot of peopleout there who say that they’re forthe medicine and for the patient,but really it’s just a way for them tomake money. While we rely ondonations, we’re not about makingmoney. Being a nonprofit is diffi-cult, and I will honestly say thatfunding is a major issue for us. Wewelcome contributions from anyonethat wants to help our collectiveresearch effort.”

Working with a growing network ofphysicians and clinicians, the proj-ect seeks to clear confusion and mis-information in the realm of medicalcannabis. One point of focus is thebooming market of CBD-richstrains.

For Project CBD participants, edu-cation and public awareness arecritical goals.

“The way that the whole plantworks when you’re suffering justseems like magic,” said Corral,“When you put people together, itjust gets better and better.Collaboration is everything.”


LOS ANGELES, CA /PRWEB/ --BudGenius.com, a social networkingWeb site and medical marijuana test-ing laboratory, has developed tech-nology to predict therapeutic effectsfor thousands of marijuana strains bycombining scientific data and crowd-sourced reviews. Patients throughoutCalifornia use this unique onlineservice to select marijuana individual-ly rated for pain relief, sleep aid, anx-iety relief, nausea treatment, appetitestimulation, and mood modification.BudGenius plans to extend treatmentoptions to target cancer, Parkinson’sdisease, and Alzheimer’s within ayear.

Patients search online atBudGenius.com to find locally avail-able marijuana treatments that meettheir requirements. Patients are alsogiven the option to visit participatingdispensaries and review on-site edu-cational materials. Dispensaries aidmedicine selection by displayingBudGenius identification cardsalongside each marijuana strain.Each card appears similar to a driverlicense, containing a photograph,therapeutic effects matrix, potencyratings, and an expiration date. Allcards are sealed with a tamper-proofhologram to ensure authenticity.

“Senior citizens and patients new tocannabis face an uphill battle in sift-ing through myth and rumor to edu-cate themselves on selecting the prop-er type of marijuana for their needs,”said Angel Stanz, cofounder andpresident of BudGenius.com. “Withdispensaries carrying a dynamic med-icine catalog upwards of 20 products,often changing every two weeks,

there is no system in place for care-givers to make a fully informed rec-ommendation to patients. BudGeniusprovides a much-needed solution,with a rating system powered by sci-ence, crowd-sourced reviews, and anintelligent engine constantly reevalu-ating data patterns.“

The BudGenius process begins with agas chromatography analysis todetermine the active chemicals con-tained within each marijuana plant.This produces results in potency lev-els and chemical ratios. Test resultsare then compared against previousscientific trial data and crowd-sourced reviews that match similarstrain properties. Using this informa-tion, BudGenius produces the mostlikely effect ratings, based upon itsgathered information.

NEWS

In just over six months of operations,feedback has been overwhelminglypositive. “The services thatBudGenius has provided lends vali-dation to our craft,” said a represen-tative from Humboldt CountyHousewives, a group of NorthernCalifornia gardeners, “We believethat BudGenius is helping pave theway to conscious medical administra-tion. “

While Stanz feels BudGenius has set afoundation that could soon beginidentifying effectual treatments forcritical illnesses, he recognizes thatthere is more work to be done. Forexample, BudGenius is only testingfor three chemicals out of many thatexist within marijuana. “We’re justbeginning to scratch the surface ofwhat’s possible,” said Stanz.

Medical Marijuana Testing LabClaims to Forecast PersonalizedCannabis Treatment


“Pharmaceuticals and traditionalmedical research often focus on amicro scale by isolating individualchemicals. However, the marijua-na plant is a macro organism,with hundreds of interrelatedcompounds bearing synergisticeffects. The interrelationshipscould take decades to discover byfollowing a conventional path.We’ve harnessed the power of themost valuable resource available— thousands of willing humantest subjects. By correlating exactchemical ratios with patientobservations, we’re in the begin-ning stages of becoming a physi-cian’s desk reference for availablemedical marijuana.”

Learn more on how theBudGenius system works here:http://BudGenius.com/marijua-na-testing.html.

About BudGenius.com BudGenius.com is a social net-working Web site and a leadingprovider of medical marijuanatesting services located inCalifornia. In addition to safetyscreenings, BudGenius providesa unique rating system to assistpatients in selecting marijuanastrains more likely to efficientlytreat specific medical conditions.

Contact: Angel Stanz, President [email protected]+1 (855) 723-3283 http://BudGenius.com

Budgenius.com

Artificial-intelligence software BudGenius correlateschemical analysis with online feedback from thousands ofpatients to further determine health benefits of medicalmarijuana.


NEWS

somepotentially benefi-cial changes are being proposed. Italso appears that perhaps somethings have been overlooked. Beforecritiquing each section, I shouldexplain why improvements to thisprogram are important to me.

In 2009, my dearest friend and com-panion, my wife, was diagnosed withperianal cancer with lymph nodeinvolvement. She obtained herauthorization to possess medicalmarijuana from Health Canada, after

experiencing the negative effects ofOxyContin. Although an OxyContinprescription was easy to obtain andfill, it was problematic to my wife'shealth.

The program has failed to meet itsintended purpose for six of the 19months my wife has been a licensedparticipant of the medical marijuanaprogram. Health Canada hasdemonstrated little concern, profes-sional ethics, or accountability forthis failure. The failure of this pro-gram has caused extreme hardship,anxiety, and needless pain andexpense to my wife and family. Tomy knowledge, the failure has notnegatively impacted her doctor, anyHealth Canada employee, lawenforcement official, fire official, ordesignated producers.

On the very rare occasion thatwe were able to speak toHealth Canada employees,they often stated it was notthe right department, notthe policy, or there wasan extreme backlog as theexcuses for the failure andlack of accountability.Although, we made numer-ous requests and followed

all their procedures regardingsupervisor intervention, we were

unable to get a return call from asupervisor until we involved ourMember of Parliament (M.P.).

After involving M.P., we received acall from Brian and a day later, a callfrom Gulwant. Both claim to besupervisors for Health Canada; how-ever, neither could address our issues.The third day we received a call froma man named Simon, who alsoclaimed to be a supervisor for HealthCanada. This man spent two hours

Proposed Improvements to

Health Canada’s Medical Marihuana Program

n June 17, 2011, HealthCanada published pro-posed improvements toHealth Canada's

Marihuana Medical Access Program.An English copy can be obtained athttp://www.hc-sc .gc .ca/dhp-m p s / c o n s u l t a t i o n / m a r i h u a -na/_2011/program/consult-eng.php.I am not sure of the link for a Frenchcopy.

In reading the consultation docu-ment, obtained from the HealthCanada Web site, it appears that

O


Health Canada’s MM Program

on the phone with us and stated thathe would have responses to our issueswithin a week.

The next call we received fromHealth Canada was from CheryleAnderson. Anderson informed methat Simon was not a supervisor, andthat she was responding to my issues.She left no time for us to have a thor-ough conversation, stating she had ameeting to go to. She was unable toaccess certain information on ouraccount, and we were left with morequestions than answers.

After the many deceits and delaysperpetrated by Health Canada inregard to the follow-up calls, weagain contacted our M.P. Weinformed our M.P. of every conversa-tion we had had with Health Canadaemployees, and the many times we'dbeen deceived by these employees.The M.P. informed but there was lit-tle to do to enforce the ethical behav-ior and accountability of Canadiangovernment employees.

Jeamine Rithot, who stated that shewas the director of the medical mari-juana program, next contacted us.During that conversation, she apolo-gized for the failures in the program,cited erroneous information, and wasunwilling to answer all of our ques-tions. As the conversation ended, shestated she would respond in writingregarding the conversation. Weasked her to e-mail us the response,and she replied she would mail it tous even though there was a pendingmail strike: an unexplainable delay inour mind, since emailing and faxingare acceptable forms of communica-tion when placing orders and author-izing payment withdrawals fororders.

Verbal apologies are neither compen-sation nor consolation for the hard-ships caused to licensed participantsand their loved ones. Witnessing mywife endure the extreme lack of pro-fessionalism and the inability ofHealth Canada employees to meetthe intended purpose of this program

has prompted me to get involved. Itis my sincere hope that my wife'sexperiences will not be in vain, andwe can effect change to this programthat will benefit licensed participants,hopefully, preventing others fromenduring the callous disregard ofHealth Canada. To this end, I havethe following concerns with theseproposed improvements to theCanadian Medical MarihuanaProgram.

Section 1. Introduction. Starting with the very first paragraph,it appears that the participants (andgroups representing their interests)may have been the last considered inthese revisions. I for one cannot con-sider it coincidental that the first par-ties mentioned in these revisions inorder are: police and law enforce-ment, fire officials, physicians,municipalities, then program partici-pants and groups representing theirinterests.`Although the Medical MarihuanaProgram in Canada has been plaguedwith problems since its arrival in2001, many of those problems haveaffected the participants (prescriptionholders) directly and far more nega-tively than law enforcement, fire offi-cials, physicians, and even municipal-ities. Had many of the known prob-lems been addressed much sooner, orhad marijuana been legalized ordecriminalized, there would havebeen considerably less effect on policeand law enforcement, fire officials,physicians, and municipalities.

In the introduction, under the sub-heading "Some of the key concernsraised include,” it could easily beargued that almost ALL of the "keyconcerns" in this section would beeliminated by the legalization ordecriminalization of marijuana.However, the second-to-last para-graph makes it very clear that thisoption is not being considered underthese proposed revisions. While theintent of this article is not to promote

the legalization or decriminalizationof marijuana, it should be notewor-thy that most of the concerns men-tioned would be eliminated if mari-juana were to be legalized or decrim-inalized.

It is important to remember, that thisis currently a prescribed treatment forcertain conditions. It is important toremember that this program has alengthy and in-depth licensing proce-dure. It is equally important to rec-ognize numerous problems, such asthe length of time to approve a licenseafter a physician prescription hasbeen written, inconsistent shipmentsto the participants, the lack ofaccountability from Health Canadaemployees/supervisors failing toinform prescription holders or evenreturn phone calls, the availability ofonly one strain of marijuana, as wellas limiting the quantity and reorderof this prescribed treatment. Thesehave contributed largely to the keyconcerns.

It is also noteworthy that the intro-duction does not include a proposeddate of implementation for these pro-posed revisions. Indeed, the last para-graph of the introduction essentiallyinforms us that the current flawedprocess, which has been known andacknowledged to be flawed for quitesome time, will remain in effect (pre-sumably indefinitely) until such revi-sions are adopted.

Section 2. How to Comment onThis Document. I am alarmed that the only way youcan comment on this document is pri-vately to Health Canada. Althoughthey provide your choice of options— e-mail, fax, or direct mail — whensending your comments regardingthis document of proposed improve-ments, you are still sending them toHealth Canada. There's no mentionor option for a public forum for par-ticipants who have experienced otherissues not addressed in these propos-als. I believe that participants that


NEWS

have endured, in some cases formonths, without their prescribedmedication should definitely com-ment on these proposals. However, Ibelieve that the welfare of the partic-ipant, which is often neglected underthe current system, should be the pri-ority for introducing improvements.As such, an independent reviewboard and public forum should bemade available to the participantsthat have been negatively impacted. Ibelieve that it is critical that all situa-tions and possible solutions to pro-vide better, consistent, and affordablehealth care to those with valid pre-scriptions and licenses should be con-sidered. With the health care of theparticipant being the priority concern— or at least it should be — partici-pants should be informed of andawarded the opportunity to commenton the issues expressed by ALL par-ties that wish to comment on thisdocument. It would be nice to knowhow many people are on the reviewcommittee for this document, as wellas how many licensed participantsare on the reviewing committee.

Section 3. The Improvementsunder Consideration.Reviewing this section, I believe thatthere should be additional conces-sions and/or implementations to pro-vide authorized, licensed participantsa form of expedited intervention,accountability, and compensation inthe event that shipments do notarrive in a timely manner or at all.Many licensed participants haveexperienced firsthand the hardship,undue stress, undue pain, and dimin-ished quality of life that occur whentheir prescribed pain relief does notarrive on time.

Although Health Canada acknowl-edges in this section it is "theProgram's intent to provide seriouslyill Canadians with reasonable accessto a legal source of marihuana formedical purposes,” Health Canadahas been directly responsible formany participants not receiving their

prescribed medication. Participantsthat have obtained a doctor's pre-scription, a license from HealthCanada, filled out the correct orderform (in many cases a regular month-ly order), and provided payment toHealth Canada have gone monthswithout receiving their order.

The current program provides noform of accountability. Participantsare given a sole point-of-contact toll-free number, and even though theyrequest the supervisor’s interventionand are told that a supervisor will callwithin five business days, as recentlyas April through June of 2011, wewere unable to get a supervisor to callus back without a Member ofParliament's intervention. When acallback finally came, there was nooffer of compensation for the hard-ship caused in the six months that theprescribed medication was not sup-plied, even though they had securedour payment and acknowledged thatfor six months of a 19 months’license, no shipment was made.Every excuse was given, fromincreased participation, licensingdelays, backlog in paperwork, andshipping. We were told by theDirector of Medical MarihuanaProgram for Health Canada thatHealth Canada offers no compensa-tion and all she could do was apolo-gize.

Although the Canadian governmentemploys the employees of this pro-gram, it is still a business that takesmoney to provide a service. If theCanadian government can operatewith no accountability to payinglicensed participants, how much easi-er will it be for the private sector toavoid accountability for delayed andmissed shipments? I believe manyparticipants would agree it is impera-tive to address the issues of expeditedintervention, accountability, and justcompensation before implementingchanges or improvements. I believeany participant that has experiencedthis would agree that delayed andmissed shipments undermined thequoted intent of the program, which

once again is "the Program's intent toprovide seriously ill Canadians withreasonable access to a legal source ofmarihuana for medical purposes.”

Section 4. How the ProposedRedesigned ProgramWould Work.

4.1 Physician-Patient InteractionAn important consideration thatshould be included in this section isthe influence of the various governingbodies of doctors. In Alberta, forexample, the College of Physiciansand Surgeons recommends that doc-tors not sign medical marijuanaforms. Personal experience hasdemonstrated this has a dramatic andnegative effect on participants thathave an ongoing condition and a pre-vious license. We personally experi-enced this dramatic and negativeeffect after relocating our residence.The doctor we began seeing in ournew town was aware of my wife'scondition and marijuana prescriptionwell before her renewal date. Whenit came time to have her renewal doc-ument signed, the doctor, althoughsupportive of her renewal, refused tosign her documents. He stated thatbefore he could sign, he would haveto discuss the matter with the Collegeof Physicians and Surgeons ofAlberta. We had to make a secondappointment, only to find out thatthe College of Physicians andSurgeons recommended that no doc-tor sign the medical marijuana docu-ments. At that time, we contactedthe College of Physicians andSurgeons of Alberta, and wereinformed that this was actually post-ed on their Web site. (I have not veri-fied if this is still on their Web site,but it was there in October 2010.)

With all of the drugs that have beenrecalled after being approved for useby the College of Physicians andSurgeons, this federally authorizedprogram is being correctly under-mined. Since the governing body fordoctors is the College of Physicians



and Surgeons, it appears they havemore weight authorizing doctors tosign (at least in the doctor's opinion)than the federal government.Although I'm not sure of the advicegiven to doctors in each province, thisissue can lead to difficulties in obtain-ing the proper authorization and/orrenewals for participants. Failure toaddress this very critical detail willguarantee the failure of the proposedimprovements and the future avail-ability of this program.

4.2 Dried MarihuanaProduction and DistributionThis section has ten bullet points, andalthough they're not numbered, I'mgoing to address each bullet. Some ofthese bullets are obviously goodimprovements beneficial to the par-ticipants, while others require someadjustment, in my opinion.

*Health Canada has routinelydemonstrated its inability, inconsis-tency, and lack of accountability insupplying and distributing marijuanato licensed participants — even theparticipants that have diligently fol-lowed their policies and procedures.Removing Health Canada from thedistribution of marijuana to partici-pants is a step in the right direction.With proper legislation, participants’health and well-being will be betterserved.

*Having commercial producers willprovide participants with effectiveoptions to a higher quality and diver-sity of medical marijuana. However,it is time for Canada to recognize themany ways in which marijuana canbe consumed, and to that end, com-mercial producers should also be ableto produce and distribute edible mar-ijuana products to licensed partici-pants also. Edible products effective-ly eliminate any arguments regardingthe negative impacts of inhaling mar-ijuana.

*This bullet needs to be re-thought.Individuals should be able to growtheir own marijuana for medical pur-poses. Certain limitations and regu-

lations regarding the amount ofplants and the location of whereplants can be grown (i.e. indoors)could be expected. Additional limita-tions could be imposed to preventindoor growing by rental tenants,and restricted to only the propertyholder, these individual growing loca-tions to be inspected by the sameinspectors monitoring the commer-cial grows. This would eliminatepotential electrical safety issues, firesafety issues, and mold-producingissues, such as inadequate venting.To totally remove the option for indi-viduals to grow their own medicalmarijuana overlooks the financialsavings that directly benefit these

individuals. It is legal, for example,to make alcohol in your home. Thebyproduct of the improperly madealcohol can cause blindness, while thebyproduct of improperly grown mar-ijuana is inferior marijuana. Thisbullet really needs to be re-thought,especially if there is no regulationcontrolling the end cost of commer-cially grown medical marijuana tothe licensed participant.

*This bullet deals with complianceand requirements for licensed com-mercial producers. With the welfareof licensed participants being thefocus of this program, high standardsand quality control are good things.However, more information needs tobe presented by Health Canada for

the requirements of personnel, securi-ty, and disposal to effectively evaluatethis bullet.

*As it reads, this bullet concerns theregular audits and inspections forlicensed commercial producers.However, the first portion of this sen-tence requires more informationbefore anyone can comment on thevalue of this bullet to licensed partic-ipants. The sentence starts, "HealthCanada would establish a compre-hensive compliance and enforcementregime.” Without a written defini-tion of this proposed regime, howcan Health Canada expect licensedparticipants to comment on theseproposed improvements by July 31,2011? To expect the licensed partici-pant on such a short timeline, onewould expect that the licensed partic-ipant would like to see all the docu-ments on the proposed improvementsbefore commenting.

*This sixth bullet is conflictedlyalarming, in my opinion. I believethat all licensed participants wouldagree that commercially purchasedmedical marijuana should have spe-cific product labeling and packagingrequirements. However, I believethat a licensed participant of the med-ical marijuana program, with aCanadian doctor's prescription,should not be required to prove thelegitimacy of their marijuana.Licensed participants should only berequired to prove that they arelicensed and seeing a legitimate doc-tor.

*This bullet limits commercial pro-ducers to growing indoors; this is aneffective method of controlling thequality of marijuana, security, andsafety of commercial producers.

*This bullet allows licensed commer-cial producers to produce any strainof medical marijuana. Most licensedparticipants will agree this is a greatimprovement. This same opportuni-ty should be available to individualsthat wish to grow their own medicalmarijuana.


NEWS

*This ninth bullet should be of par-ticular importance to licensed partici-pants of the medical marijuana pro-gram. Licensed participants on afixed income, or located in financial-ly restricted communities, or thoseparticipants unable to declare med-ical marijuana as an insured prescrip-tion, should not be exposed to poten-tially inflated prices of their medicalmarijuana. Although Health Canadawas inconsistent with its ability tosupply participants in a timely man-ner, the medical marijuana was atleast affordable. Even though com-mercial producers can producewhichever strain of medical marijua-na they choose, it is still a plant.There's no difference in the growingprocess of different strains. By allow-ing commercial producers to set theirown price, you open the door to the"risk of abuse and exploitation bycriminal elements.”

Currently, there are a number ofcompassion houses assisting medicalmarijuana participants in obtainingmedical marijuana. The prices med-ical marijuana participants pay atthese compassion houses rival streetprices. In actuality, a recent compar-ison of street prices in Edmonton,Alberta, showed they were equal tothe prices charged at compassionhouses, with compassion housescharging an additional cost for ship-ping. This effectively means you canpurchase marijuana cheaper from thecriminal elements than you can froma compassionate house. The pricedifference was $100 more for twograms less, when compared to HealthCanada. Note that the strain offeredby Health Canada was inferior incomparison to the strain being soldby the compassion house (both streetsuppliers and compassion house wereselling the same strain).Allowing commercial producers to settheir own price overlooks that this(medical marijuana) is a quality-of-lifealternative medicine, and as suchlumps marijuana in the same categoryas consumer goods like alcohol. Ifindeed the intent of the program is"to provide seriously ill Canadians

with reasonable access to a legalsource of marihuana for medical pur-poses,” it must be price regulated.

*The final bullet of this section statesthat a licensed commercial producerwill only be able to send the triedmarijuana they cultivate by registeredmail or bonded courier. This protectsboth the licensed commercial produc-er and the licensed participant, and isundisputedly a good idea. I dobelieve, as I've stated earlier, thatCanada needs to acknowledge thevarious methods in which marijuanacan be consumed, especially since theproduction of quality edible productswould assist with the disposal of planttrimmings, an issue commercial pro-ducers must deal with. Assuming thatCanada is seriously pursuingimprovements to the medical marijua-na program, edibles should be consid-ered and should be permitted to shipby registered mail or bonded courier.

Section 5. Impact on CurrentProgram ParticipantsHolding an Authorizationto Possess Marihuana forMedical Purposes.This section contains five paragraphs.Although paragraphs three and four,as written in the consultation docu-ment, would appear to make thelicensing process and supply of med-ical marijuana to licensed participantseasier, paragraphs one and twoshould send up a red flag to anylicensed participant.

Without addressing the previouslymentioned concern of the influencethat the College of Physicians andSurgeons has over doctors, and influ-ence that could hinder the intent ofthe program and/or the licensingprocess, it would appear from thiswhole document, not just this section,that Health Canada is relying on themedical community to be objectiveand supportive of the medical mari-juana program. This should be par-ticularly alarming to licensed partici-

pants currently holding an authoriza-tion to possess marijuana for medicalpurposes.

The medical community, mainly doc-tors, has historically not been objec-tive about or supportive of holisticmedicine and alternative remedies.Indeed, historically, the medical com-munity has got behind and supportednew drugs, only to witness thosedrugs be recalled due to the devastat-ing side effects and complications theycause. Although these dangerousdrugs were promoted and prescribedby physicians, very few physicianssuffered any negative effect from thepromotion of these drugs. If only thesame could be said of the patients thatsuffered through the side effects andcomplications caused by taking thesedrugs that were prescribed by a med-ical authority!

In addition to these recalled danger-ous drugs, physicians routinely pre-scribe potentially addictive pain med-ication quite liberally to seriously illCanadians. Since each patientresponds differently to prescribedmedications, patients that experiencenegative effects from a prescribeddrug return to their medical authorityonly to receive a different prescribeddrug. Drugs like morphine,OxyContin, and Vicodin (to nameonly a few), while they help controlpain, are addictive and habit forming.Law enforcement can substantiatethat these prescription drugs havebecome part of an ever-growing list ofproblem street drugs. In addition tobeing habit forming, the use of thesedrugs can inhibit the quality of life ofthe patient.



Section 6. Impact on CurrentProgram ParticipantsWho Hold a Personal-Use or Designated-Person ProductionLicense.This section reiterates the intent toonly permit commercial producersthe right to grow medical marijuana,denying individuals that cost-effectiveoption to grow their own medicalmarijuana. I've already expressedwhy I feel this is a concern for licenseparticipants.

However, at this time, I would like toquote the last sentence of this section.The last sentence reads, "A detailedtransition plan will be shared withstakeholders when proposed regula-tions are pre-published in CanadaGazette, Part I."

Health Canada acknowledges withthis sentence that a detailed transitionplan is not available for considerationor comment at this time. However,Health Canada expects stakeholdersto comment on this consultation doc-ument individually and intelligentlyby July 31, 2011, presumably todevelop those details. I believe thisemphasizes the fundamental problemwith legislation regarding the medicalmarijuana program in Canada.

The Canadian medical marijuanaprogram was designed to benefit seri-ously ill Canadians. This programwas not designed to benefit lawenforcement, fire officials, physicians,municipalities, commercial produc-ers, or even Health Canada. Themajority of licensed participantswould agree there is no benefit inencouraging the criminal productionand distribution of marijuana, IF aprogram existed in which seriously illCanadians got this form of pain reliefas quickly and easily as prescribeddrugs like OxyContin. Remembering the program's intent isto provide seriously ill Canadianswith reasonable access to a legal

source of marijuana for medical pur-poses means this program IS intendedto benefit seriously ill Canadians. Assuch, an independent committee con-sisting of a majority of licensed par-ticipants, one high-ranking federallaw enforcement representative, tworepresentatives of the medical com-munity that are openly supportive ofmedical marijuana, and one openlysupportive representative from eachpolitical party should be convened toreview any proposed improvementsto this existing program. This com-mittee should be responsible forreviewing and developing detailedimprovements that could then be leg-islated.

Only persons openly supportive ofthe medical marijuana program, andlicensed participants, will be focusedon improving this flawed program tothe benefit of seriously ill Canadians.

After all, in the 10 years this programhas been in place, it is the licensedparticipants (seriously ill Canadians)that have been most negatively affect-ed by the flaws in this program. Thisis not only a noteworthy statement, itis the whole reason for proposedimprovements in the first place. Thisis why the majority of the independ-ent committee should be licensed par-ticipants.

Section 7.Opportunity for ThoseInterested in Becominga Licensed CommercialProducer.This section should not even be men-tioned in this document until detailsare established related to reach sub-heading. The subheadings are: driedmarihuana production; distributionand disposition; personnel; record-keeping and Reporting; and compli-ance and enforcement.

SummaryAgain, I would like to emphasize thatthe intended purpose of the medicalmarijuana program is to provide seri-ously ill Canadians with a legalsource of marijuana for medical pur-poses. With this in mind, the licensedparticipants’ welfare, includingaffordable medical marijuana, shouldbe the number-one priority of allimprovements.

The current proposals suggest that nolicense will be issued by HealthCanada. Instead, the applicationwould go to a commercial grower.This will make it extremely difficultto order from a different commercialgrower, should the initial grower beunable to deliver in a timely manner.Worse, there is no mention or consid-eration of Health Canada's repeatedinability to deliver medical marijuanain a timely manner, or how a licensedparticipant will deal with these issuesonce the program is essentially priva-tized. It does not address the unethi-cal business practices exhibited byHealth Canada, or how those issueswill be escalated currently or oncethis program is essentially privatized.

Having personally witnessed theopenly unsupportive influence of themedical community, I would serious-ly question the medical communityhaving so much control in this pro-gram, especially when no details orreview committees containinglicensed participants have beenestablished. Although it would

After all, with hundreds of thousands in North America alone over the last 55 years,what other drug has had as extensive human trials with fewer negative effects thanmarijuana? If marijuana were half as bad as the medical community would like youto believe, the population in North America should be half of what it is.


NEWS

appear initially to be an improve-ment to the currently flawed pro-gram, I can see this negative influ-ence leading to the demise of theentire program down the road.Although I am extremely confidentthat our experiences are not unique,I would recommend that anyoneresponding to this consultation doc-ument should include a brief historyof their negative experiences, as wehave below.

I personally witnessed my wife dete-riorate before me in the one monththat she was on OxyContin. Mybeautiful six-foot-two and 140-pound wife completely lost theambition to live. During the monththat she took OxyContin for painrelief of perianal cancer, she lostover 25 pounds. Although she hadno pain, she also had no life. Aftertaking the prescribed OxyContin,she would become lethargic andunable to focus on the simplestthings. She would watch TV for anhour and be unable to tell you whatshe just watched. Her doctor attrib-uted it to stress and depression from

being diagnosed with cancer, andprescribed antidepressants to betaken with the OxyContin.

After one week of marijuana use,my wife completely stopped takingOxyContin. She began to put onweight and remember the details ofher day. Although marijuana pro-vided considerably less pain relief, itmade the pain and discomfort toler-able, allowing her to function andhave some quality of life. My wifehas never exhibited any "couchpotato" symptoms stereotypicallyassumed to be associated with mar-ijuana use. Indeed, her authoriza-tion to possess medical marijuanahas removed the need for secrecyand allowed her a more active life.She has no reason to hide out whileinhaling the marijuana, nor a needto hide out and conceal the effectsof inhaling the marijuana.

Even after obtaining the proper andlegal authorization to possess med-ical marijuana, the expressed intentof the medical marijuana programto provide a legal source of marijua-

na for medical purposes, my wifewas unable to obtain through legalsources her medical marijuana forsix months of her 19 months’license.

Amazingly, in 2011, it is still easier(and will remain easier if theseimprovements are adopted) for seri-ously ill Canadians to get a pre-scription (with multiple refills) forhighly addictive OxyContin, with-out government intervention, thanit is to get authorization to consumea plant that grows naturally.

Perhaps if the doctors had witnessedwhat I witnessed, they would all bemore objective and supportive ofthe medical marijuana program.Perhaps if the doctors had witnessedwhat I witnessed, they would final-ly acknowledge that the positiveeffects of marijuana outweigh theexpressed concerns of the medicalcommunity. Remember, we're talk-ing about a plant. Unlike othercommercially promoted plants andherbs, the users of this plant canverify it works on their own.

Two more herbalAireVaporizers given away!Our latest winners are Laurence and Mark.

Each and every issue of TY Magazine, HerbalAire and KDK Distributorswill each donate a HerbalAire Vaporizer to deserving med patients.

Thanks to all those who have responded to our contest. We havereceived many letters from eligible people around the world.

Judging the entries is never easy, but we believe we have chosen twomore winners who are truly deserving of a HerbalAire.

Laurence – New York, USALaurence is able to consume his medication without the risks of smok-ing.

Mark – Ontario, CanadaHaving an herbalAire to medicate will help Mark deal with chronic pain.

Hello TY Members. I have got some great news!

Each and every issue I will be

Giving away 2 Herbal Aire Vaporizer to some needy medical patient!

The rules are very simple : 1) You must be a member in good standing with TY or your local compassion club. 2) Financially impossible for you to purchase on your own3) You must be 21 years of age or older4) Legitimate Medicinal users only5) Write or email a short 100 word story detailing why you should be a recipient6) Provide a photo and any documentation neccesary to support your request 7) If chosen you may have your photo and a short reason why you were selected printed

Please note I expect a lot of inquiries so only the most in need please apply. Through Treating Yourself KDK Distributors and HerbalAire we wish you well !

Kelly KDK DistributorsFree Vaporisor22 Anaheim Bay N.E.Calgary , AlbertaCanada, T1Y [email protected]

HERBAL AIRE WINNERS

Mark

Laurence


HEMP CHRONICLES

inally, Alicia Castilla, 67, wastaken out of an Uruguayanprison near Montevideo onMay 5. Alicia, an Argentine

cannabis writer and author ofCultura Cannabica, already a best-seller in Spain, was sent to prison formore than two months after a specialsquad team busted her house andfound 20 small cannabis plants.Alicia had retired and moved toUruguay to find some relaxation nearthe beach. Her nightmare startedwhen she was denounced by aninformant. The local police then raid-ed Alicia’s house, put it all upsidedown, and took her homeopathicmedicine away from her.

Immediately, the local media gave ahuge coverage of her case and namedher ¨cannabis grandmother.” She wasin every TV program, and a debatestarted around her case and the legal-ization of marijuana.

Alicia meanwhile was in prison, did-n’t stop one moment since she gotthere, and made a survey among 150female inmates that were in prisonfor drug trafficking (crack cocaine).The results were that 148 of thewomen will continue with illegal traf-ficking after they gain freedom, andonly two of them will give up thismule-style business. This whole workdone by Alicia inside the prison is, ofcourse, another proof of the completefailure of the policy of the war ondrugs taking place in South America.After this, she stated that she was notaware that so many small cocainefamily businesses were taking place;she thought that the big cocaine car-tels were the ones who traffic most.“Now I became a coca expert,” shesaid.

On the other side of the Rio de laPlata, a young and vigorousArgentine cannabis activist made twodemonstrations in front of theArgentine foreign office in down-town Buenos Aires, and many gath-erings took place in Montevideoaround the presentation in court ofAlicia’s case, who by this time was ofvital importance for the entire region(Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay)concerning the change of the currentmarijuana laws.

A political debate also started aroundthe Uruguayan government concern-ing Alicia’s imprisonment. The presi-dent himself had to make a declara-tion expressing his concerned forAlicia, but at the same time hypocrit-ically stated that Uruguay has anindependent justice system.

Three different drafts of a new billconcerning the change of the currentmarijuana laws were sent toCongress. One of them is advancedand already is being studied in com-missions. There are 350 prisoners formarijuana in Uruguay and 30 ofthem for cultivation who will beautomatically released if the draft isapproved by Congress

All this is happening in the middle ofa big debate surrounding marijuanalegalization and a kind of take-off forthousands of home growers that noware united. The new bill talks abouteight mature plants and up to 25grams. To carry on, we all hope andare waiting for the laws to bechanged so that Alicia’s sacrifice tospend so much time would not be invain. She is still waiting for trial, butnow with a home arrest.

F

Alicia Castilla: Free at LastBy Mike Bifari


ash Michael Hyde (Cashy)was born on June 21,2008, to Mike and KalliHyde, and along with his

older brother, Colten John, they com-plete the Hyde family.

This story is compiled of writings byKalli and Mike Hyde and brought toyou on behalf of The Cash HydeFoundation.

On May 3, 2010, after 10 weeks ofweekly trips to the pediatrician’s

office, we were told once again thatour beautiful son Cash just had asimple case of mononucleosis and tolet him rest and give him Tylenol andibuprofen for his recurring fevers. Hewas sleeping 18 hours a day andvomiting in the morning and at night,and in the last week his left eye start-ed drifting and drooping. This hadgone on too long. It felt like our sonwas dying in our arms and there wasnothing we could do about it.

After taking Cashy to his pediatrician

HEMP CHRONICLES

and being told the same thing again,we left the pediatrician’s office andmet my mom for a quick bite to eat.Cash had taken a bite of some maca-roni and cheese and instantly threwup. I heard someone in the restaurantsay under her breath, "That baby issick!" I told my mom that I wasgoing to leave and take him to theemergency room at CommunityMedical Center. I said to my momironically, "Well, I don't think it’s abrain tumor or anything." Little didwe know we'd be hearing the words

Children, Cancer, and Cannabis

The Cash Hyde Story

“The Boy of Steel”

C

By Jonny Appleweed


no parents ever want to hear.

Cash and I arrived at the emergencyroom and we were quickly seen bythe triage nurse, who was extremelyconcerned with Cash's lethargy andweakness. I told her that he'd beenlike this for two months now, and hisdoctor kept telling us the same thing:It’s mono. I told her it was time for asecond opinion.

We were taken back to a room,where we were seen by the doctorpretty quickly. Even the doctor was alittle skeptical on my need to come tothe ER. She told me that my pediatri-cian was a great doctor and that Ishould trust her. I said I did trust her,but I just needed a second opinionand that this had gone on too long.Reluctantly, she said, "Well, I'mgoing to order a CT scan of his brain,then." I said, "Ok, let’s do it." Afterthe scan, the radiology tech told usthat the scan looked good and noth-ing was abnormal. We felt relieved.We continued to wait in this smallroom, and now all of our family hadarrived. Finally, after a light knock onthe door, the doctor appeared, andtaking slow, deliberate steps, sheentered the room. Her face was seri-ous, but her eyes were full of compas-sion and regret.

My 22-month-old son was lyingacross my lap like a wet, limp rag.His energy was gone and his lightwas fading. He was no longer theplayful, spirited child he had oncebeen. All she said was, "I'm so sorry,I'm so so sorry." We were like,“WHAT?” Then she said it again:"I'm so sorry, your son has a 4.5-cen-timeter mass in his brain." Timestopped at that exact moment. Icouldn’t breathe, I couldn't cry, Icouldn't even talk. I was blown awayand scared to death for my baby boy.As the doctor left the room, we sat insilence. Our lives were on the verge ofchaos, and there were no words. Wewere in shock and barely able toprocess what had just been revealed.We looked at Cash. He had no ideaof the magnitude of this discovery,

but we knew he would soon suffer itsconsequences.

"Your child has a mass in his brain."That sequence of words changedeverything. We were utterly terrified.That was one of the worst days ofour lives. It felt like a death sentence.Two long hours later, Cash and Iwere life-flighted on a fixed-wingplane to Salt Lake City, Utah, head-ing to Primary Children’s MedicalCenter. This was THE scariest air-plane ride I’ve ever been on. Therewas extreme turbulence and I wasn’teven able to sit next to Cash. Cashywas at the front of the plane and Ihad to sit in the back, and that wasthe longest flight I’ve ever endured.There were so many emotions run-ning through my head. I felt so aloneand scared.

Why did this happen to my baby?Why Cashy? Why us? That’s all Icould think about. Cash and I arrivedat Salt Lake City two hours later. Wewere driven by ambulance to Primary

...The Boy of Steel

Children’s Medical Center and takento the emergency room, where wewere greeted by Mike’s loving andcaring family, his uncles and his auntand cousin. Thank God they werethere; I needed somebody. Mike andour six-year-old son Colten drovedown in record time. We were latertransferred to the neurotrauma unit,where they would decide the nextplan of action. We were told that thiscould be a few different types of can-cer, due to positioning of the tumor(in the back of my mind for some rea-son I though possibly it could bebenign — just wishful thinking, Iguess), but they wouldn’t know forsure and what types of treatment pro-tocol we would need to take untilthey did a craniotomy and took abiopsy of the tumor.

His tumor was wrapped around hisoptic nerves and intertwined with hishypothalamus and his pituitary gland,so removing the tumor was going tobe a risky job: risks for blindness,paralysis, and even death from blood


loss. May 5, 2010, was the longestday of our lives, waiting and waitingfor updates from the doctors whileour little Cashy was being operatedon. Four hours later, the brain sur-geon pulled us into a small waitingroom and told us that they were onlyable to remove approximately 10%of the tumor due to its location andhow it was wrapped around vitalblood vessels and his optic nerves,and that his tumor was part of theblue cell tumor group, but we would-n’t know more until pathology had achance to look at it.

We had to wait six days to find out ifthe tumor was even cancer and whattype it was. That Monday evening,after anxiously awaiting the oncolo-gist’s news, we were taken to anothersmall room, where we were told thetumor was in fact cancer and itsname was PNET, primitive neuroec-todermal tumor. It was extremelyaggressive and malignant. Thosewords should never, ever be used inthe same sentence with child andbrain. We were devastated. We weretold Cashy would need to undergothree rounds of standard chemother-apy and then three rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, with three stem-cell transplants, and possibly radia-tion and another surgery. After thesurgery, Cash was completely blindfor six weeks. He was so scared, hewouldn’t even let me get out of thebed to take a shower, go to the bath-room, or even eat, and I would haveto sneak out of the room so hewouldn’t know I left.

He would pat on the bed with hisarm for me to lie down beside him.His speech and language skills took amajor downward spiral two monthsprior to his diagnosis. It broke myheart seeing him lying in the hospitalbed, blind, a bloody scar on his headwith stitches, and fear of theunknown.

As I would walk through the halls ofthis huge hospital, I would selfishlylook at other little boys Cashy’s ageand ask myself and God, Why Cash?

Why not one of these children? Whyour baby? I never got an answer.Cash started his first round ofchemotherapy on May 21, 2010,after having a central line and a g-tube placed a few days earlier.

He had his first doses of the drugsand did OK until nine o’clock thatnight, when Cashy had a majorseizure where he coded and needed alittle resuscitation. The seizure wasfrom extremely low sodium levels inhis blood. He was left in full postur-ing (where his arms and legs weresticking out straight and stiff and hisback was arched, the most awfulthing to see your child go through).That lasted 10 hours in the PICU.They took Cash for an MRI scan ofthe brain and found that his tumorhad grown past the biopsy and larg-er, to 4.7 cm, in just a week and ahalf. This was terrible news.

Cash finished up round one ofchemotherapy in the PICU. We werethen transferred back to the oncologyfloor until we were able to headhome for a week’s break. Cash fin-ished up round two of chemotherapywith a bacterial infection in hisblood, transferring us to PICU again,but just for two days until his infec-tion cleared up, another code blueepisode later, from a little overdose offentanyl and versed from his centralline removal (the source of the bacte-

HEMP CHRONICLES

rial infection). Cash celebrated hissecond birthday in the hospital, stillblind, but happy, and there was a lit-tle glimpse of that boy we once knewand which we yearned so deeply tosee again. Over time, Cashy's com-plex treatment schedule became ournew norm.

We cherished each day and celebrat-ed the small victories. We took noth-ing for granted, which included thesupport and love we received from somany. There is nothing good aboutcancer. However, it does have theuncanny ability to bring peopletogether — people whose paths,under normal circumstances, wouldnever have crossed. Of course, ourfamily and friends were on the frontline offering assistance, but it was thekindness from strangers — those whowould later become friends — thatmoved us even more. Growing up,we were told it is better to give thanto receive, but I have learned there isa time and place for both. Those giv-ing walked away with the same bigsmile and hearts full of joy as theyhad granted us.

After Cashy’s third and uneventfulround of chemotherapy, he had anMRI scan to see what was going onin that brain of his. By the grace ofGod, Cashy regained his vision slow-ly; it was simply a miracle. Wethought our boy was going to be


blind forever. Cash had his MRI on aFriday, and we had to wait tillMonday to get the results. We hadour camper parked out in the parkinglot so Mike and I could take breaksand get some rest once in a while(rest, yeah, right, what’s that??).

So that morning Mike was sleeping inthe camper and I was in the roomwith Cashy, the oncologist came intothe room to deliver the news of theMRI. I can’t quite remember thewords she said, but overall she toldme that Cashy’s 4.7-cm mass thattook over his brain was completelyGONE! He had little remnants ofcancer cells at the base of the skullwhere the tumor was eroding theskull, but the mass was completelygone!! I hugged the doctor and toldall the nurses. It was seriously thebest news we’ve had during thiswhole journey. I hurried and calledMike, but he didn’t answer. So I hadone of the nurses sit with Cashy andI ran down to the camper to deliverthe good news.

We were elated, excited, overjoyed —every positive word you can think of,that was us! We were on cloud nine,calling everyone and everybody weknew!! Cash then started his high-dose chemotherapy with stem-celltransplants on August 18, 2010. Thefirst round went effortlessly, andCashy breezed through and was out

of the hospital in 12 days! We could-n’t go home to Montana, though; wehad to stay local in case somethingwas to happen. His second round ofhigh-dose chemotherapy went allright, with a few minor ups anddowns, extreme nausea and vomit-ing, chills, peeling of the skin and dia-per area (leaving a severe diaperrash). The doctors explained to usthat whatever was happening on theoutside of his body was also happen-ing on the inside of his body. He wasthen placed on TPN and lipids andhis main source of nutrition due tothe inability to keep down his tubefeedings. During this second round ofhigh-dose chemo, Cash was soincredibly sick and weak, Mike hadfinally had enough of watchingCashy suffer and took matters intohis own hands. Cash had received hismedical marijuana card a few monthsearlier, so Mike went about learningthe safest way possible to makecannabis oil for Cashy, and proceed-ed to make a batch.

After a few doses of the cannabis oil,our son transformed. He was able totake bites of food (which he hadn’tdone in over 40 days). He was able tosit up and play, laugh, and enjoy aquality of life that he wasn’t gettingfrom the pharmaceutical drugs theywere administering to him as a “nau-sea cocktail.” We were so thrilledwith his progress, and we continued

...The Boy of Steel

to give him the cannabis oil throughhis g-tube. He went from throwingup 10 times a day to maybe two orthree. It was a miracle drug.

The thing that kept Mike and megoing strong and kept us from goinginto a slump of depression from thecircumstances was our six-year-oldson, Colten John. He is an amazinglittle boy full of energy and spunkand never skips a beat. He was ourrock, our most solid thing we had tokeep us alive and striving for Cashy’shealing.

Cash went into his third and finalstem-cell transplant with high-dosechemo eating, walking with a littleassistance, laughing; his nausea wascontrolled, and he wasn’t in pain. Hebreezed through the last round oftwo days of medications and every-eight-hour baths (to wash off thechemo that can seep through thepores and burn the skin). Then onday nine post-stem-cell transplant,Cashy developed a bacterial infectionin his blood while still immunocom-pramised (extremely dangerous).Cashy immediately became very sick,struggling to breathe, and was trans-ferred to the PICU.

That next morning, Cash becameeven sicker and was really having dif-ficulty breathing, so doctors opted toplace him on a ventilator to supporthis lungs. He blew up like a balloonwith all of the fluids they were givinghim to try and increase his bloodpressure. Nothing was working, andhis condition was worsening. At onepoint, Cash had 13 IV pumps flow-ing medication into his body to keephim alive. He had four code blueepisodes, which required full resusci-tation. After he was on the vent fortwo weeks, they told us that he devel-oped a rare condition as a side effectof the stem-cell transplant, it wascalled diffuse alveolar hemorrhage(severe bleeding in the lungs). He wasthen placed on an oscillator (afteranother code blue episode, and thebleeding was worsening). The doctorcame to us with terrible news that she


thought possibly Cashy’s tumor hadspread to his brainstem; she calledthis micro-invasion of the brainstem.We were scared to death. They said ifthat was the case, there was nothingthey could do, and the only way tofind out was to do an MRI. Theywere able to take Cashy for his MRIonly after coding again and requiringCPR through the whole scan. Theycame back to tell us the news thatthere was no micro-invasion of thetumor and the cancer was completelygone, but that Cashy had suffered aminor stroke. Relieved that the can-cer was gone, we still had this hugeobstacle to overcome: the bleedinglungs.

Things were getting bad really quick-ly. The doctors told us it was veryunlikely that he would make it, andthey asked us about six times if wewanted to continue resuscitationefforts in the event of another codeblue. We told them to continue to doeverything they could until all effortswere lost. We brought in a Catholicpriest that day, and Cashy was bap-tized with all our family around forsupport. It was a very emotional serv-ice (if you call it that). After every-thing little Cashy and our family

went through, how couldGod let us lose him now?? Itwasn’t fair; I had my firstactual “breakdown” thatday. I’m usually a very strongperson who doesn’t displayemotion easily.But there was no hiding myemotions now; my baby wasdying. For six weeks, wewatched the rollercoaster ofa screen of his vital signs 24hours a day/seven days aweek. No TV ever played, justMichael Franti and Bob Marley onthe IPod; it kept us semi-sane. Hisblood pressure would go up; his heartrate would go down; his blood pres-sure would go down; they would givehim epinephrine for it to go back up.It was a vigorous process of ups anddowns. Cash had two nurses at alltimes. He was a busy patient. I couldnever ever be a PICU nurse. Thosenurses are amazing. After four weekson the oscillator, the doctors told ushe was at a “plateau of sickness,”and that if there was any hope of himsurviving, we would have to weanhim off the oscillator and put himback on the regular ventilator. This was a huge, stressful processthat even the doctors were skeptical

HEMP CHRONICLES

to try. They told us Cashy wouldprobably need a trach tube placedand he would most likely be on theventilator for months due to theextent of lung damage he had.

Well, after only five days, yes, fivedays, Cash was extubated (breathingtube removed) and he was breathingon his own with a small amount ofoxygen. How did this happen???? Itwas a miracle. And that’s exactlywhat the doctors said: He was ourChristmas miracle! Our goal was tobe out of PICU and back to theoncology floor by Christmas 2010,but Cashy was out of the hospitaland back at great-grandma’s houseby December 17!! Once again, a mir-acle!! Cash spent Christmas with our


...The Boy of Steel

family members in Salt Lake City.The best Christmas present any par-ent could ever get. We were finallyable to leave Salt Lake City afterCashy’s 100-day post bone marrowtransplant workup and MRI scans ofbrain and spine, and head back hometo Missoula, Montana, on January31, 2011, after 10 long months in astrange city. Cashy continues to becancer free, and we count our bless-ings every day for the second changewe get with our amazing son Cash,“The Boy of Steel.”

It felt bittersweet, like it was too goodto be true. But it was true! To finallyget to bring our baby home to hisroom and toys and to sleep in ourown bed after 10 months of hospitalchair beds was beyond amazing. Wewould have never chosen to be a partof this journey with childhood cancer,but it was chosen for us and oursweet baby boy Cashy. The battle isnever gone, never unnoticed, or com-pletely absent from our thoughts, and

obviously never lacking from ourprayers. Sometimes it is the simplethings that serve as the greatestencouragement during this fight.

At times, it's hard to look back overthe past year. And yet there are days Ifind extreme comfort looking backand seeing God's faithfulness amidstour own nightmare. If cancer hasever touched your life or the life ofsomeone you know, I don’t have totell you how devastating it is. Thereare no words to describe watchingcancer and chemotherapy take theireffect on someone you love. Cashysurvived septic shock, stroke, pul-monary hemorrhage, pulmonaryhypertension, all side effects of thechemotherapy and bone marrowtransplants he had received. We weretold after his fourth cardiac arrestepisode he would have brain damageand organ failure, and that he wouldultimately die. However, he did notdie, and it was because of thecannabinoid therapeutics that he was

receiving and their known antioxi-dant and neuroprotectant capabili-ties. Many say cannabis has anti-tumor effects and could possibly bethe cure for cancer.

We were very fortunate to have thesupport of friends and familythrough Cashy’s incredible journeyand would not have been able to bat-tle cancer with Cashy without all ofthe financial and emotional supportwe received. Along the way we cameacross families that were not so fortu-nate and we were able to help themsince we had so much support. That’swhen we decided to start the CashHyde Foundation to continue fight-ing pediatric cancer and assistingfamilies in need. The fact is, in oneway or another, cancer may affect usall. That’s why it is up to all of us toplay a part in fighting cancer duringour lifetimes. Cashy’s journey hasgiven us all the opportunity to unite,with the same common goal, helpingchildren fight cancer.

The Cash Hyde Foundation’s missionis to fight cancer with smiles, prayers, and positive energy, and provide information and financial support for chil-dren with cancer and their families. http://www.cashhydefoundation.com/

What We Do• Make custom Reggae Runners and donate them to patients at children’s hospitals. • Raise money to purchase a trailer for families to use at Primary Children’s Medical Center.• Purchase DVDs, I-Tunes, and CDs and donate them to patients at children’s hospitals.• Help families in need organize fundraisers so they can concentrate on fighting cancer.• Collect donations and organize fundraisers to finan cially assist the foundation with its projects and financial sup-port for children with cancer and their families. • Maintain an open forum and blog on the foundation’s Web site for donors to stay informed and communicate.• Create childhood cancer awareness in our communities and financial support for children with cancer and their fam-ilies.

On a somber note, due to recent changes in Montana’s medical marijuana laws, Mike Hyde will now only be ableto have 12 seedlings, four mature plants, and up to one ounce of cured medicine in his possession to care for Cashwith. Where do they come up with these figures for patients’ possession??? This is a CATCH-22 regulation: Onemature plant grown indoors under perfect conditions will yield more than four ounces, and outdoors it could yieldmore than a pound. So by these new laws, you can get busted just after harvesting one of the four plants you aresupposed to be able to have legally. And to add insult to injury, according to the new regulations, Cash may have adifficult time renewing his medical marijuana patient card when it expires in 2012.

REGULATIONS BASED ON SPECULATIONS!!! WHEN WILL THIS MADNESS STOP???

Thanks to Mike and Kalli Hyde for allowing me to bring you Cashy’s story of battling and conquering childhoodcancer by using cannabis oil. It’s time to get educated on the beneficial effects of cannabis and its compounds to ourbodies.

Peace and God’s Speed


HEMP CHRONICLES


I am a hepatitis C patient orshould I say was; I haverecently been cured. Theinsidious little bug had been

running around my body for years,but I did not look sick, except whenI was on antiviral medicine, 48weeks at a stretch. There were timeswhen I would feel like I had a cold, abit achy and under the weather, butgenerally I felt well. The polyphar-macy prescribed for treatment allstarts with some form of interferonalpha (IFN). Along with the loathedinterferon, various other drugs arethrown in to battle the virus or fightthe unrelenting side effects. Yes, ther-apy is like taking poison. The processis an immune system up-regulating.If you have ever had the flu, interfer-on is a large part of what makes youfeel sick; try it for 48 weeks.

There are many sources for informa-tion on hepatitis C (HCV). Here, Iwill just outline the disease, symp-toms, and side effects. HCV is a viralinfection that takes its toll on theliver, causing inflammation and scar-ring. The damage can lead to livercancer and cirrhosis of the liver. Thedamage is usually over the course ofmany years, and about 4 millionpeople in the US have the disease. Itis quite possible to live with the dis-ease and not know it for many years.I found out I had the infection fromblood work performed prior to an

elective surgery. HCV is transmittedvia the blood; therefore, it is impor-tant to inform those who may havecontact with your blood. People likeyour sexual partners, dentists, tattooartists, and, of course, your physi-cians all should be told. HCV doesnot spread through casual contact,but the amount of virus in the bloodis greater than that of an HIV-infect-ed patient, and therefore, more likelyto cause an infection with even asmall exposure.

During the last course of treatment, Ihad severe anorexia, some vomiting,considerable nausea, depression (tothe point of not wishing to see peo-ple), anemia (difficult to climb stairsbecause I would get short of breath),myalgia (pain in the muscles), andchills.

OK, the therapy is bad, not some-thing taken on lightly. Why did I doit four times? Simply put, the therapydid not work until the last attempt,and I want to live! The first time, Ijust used interferon alone, then inter-feron with ribavirin (which is anoth-er antiviral), then pegylated (whichmeans that it is time released) inter-feron with ribavirin, and last and farfrom least, pegylated interferon withribavirin and Alinia (which is ananti-protozoal drug that is used onpatients with weakened immune sys-tems, e.g. HIV). Each new variation

HEALTH

The Benefits of Including Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in

Hepatitis C Antiviral Polypharmacy

Author:Mr. Eckhardt is a hepatitis C patient undergoing therapy over the course of numerous years. He is also a healthcareprofessional, speaker, and writer. He lives in the USA with his wife and is an outspoken medical marijuana advocate.Author’s e-mail is [email protected]. Author is available for public speaking.

I Some more common ways HCV is transmitted:• Blood transfusion • Intravenous drug use (when shar-ing needles)• Needle-stick injuries• Sharing straws during cocaineinhalation• Tattooing and body piercing• Sexual transmission• Tooth brushing (sharing a brush)

Side effects vary among patients.Some patients only have side effectsduring the first couple of weeks,when starting therapy; others arenot as lucky. The most common sideeffects are flu-like symptoms,because your body fights flu virusesusing interferon, which causes theachy, tired, and feverish symptoms.

Common side effects of therapies are: • Fatigue• Chills• Achy muscles and joints (myalgia)• Weight loss• Insomnia• Skin reactions (injection site reac-tions and rashes)• Decreased white and red bloodcells• Depression• Mental changes (thoughts of sui-cide or homicide)• Anorexia• Nausea• Vomiting


to the polypharmacy came with nopromise it would work, but as theliver damage continues withouttreatment, it was the only quill in thequiver at the time. The liver takes ahit each day that the virus is circulat-ing though a patient’s body. Even ifthe virus clears just during therapy(meaning that the detectable amountof virus is minimal or non-detectable, only to return once treat-ment stops), the liver rests, or so goesthe thought process.

I follow Murphy’s Law, having geno-type I of the virus, being the mostrecalcitrant to treatment. When youhave your blood tested for hep C,your doctor will also be looking foryour genotype, which helps deter-mine the success of the therapy. I didfinally win the battle, however, usingthe most recent therapy protocolinstituted by my physician. I alsomust state that having a hepatologist(liver specialist) who practices in alarge teaching hospital and is active-ly involved in clinical trials is ideal.

I would like to now spend some timeon how I tolerated the terrible symp-toms of treatment and how I wasable to continue on with a somewhatnormal life. Marinol (synthetic phar-maceutical THC) and/or cannabis(plant material containing THC andother cannabinoids) enabled me tocontinue to work my more-than-full-time job and spend some, albeit notmuch, time with family and friends.

Over the several courses of treatment,I learned that THC (used in this arti-cle as a term for either Marinol orcannabis) was superior to many otherdrugs in treating some of the refracto-ry (difficult to control) side effects. Ilearned this at a party, of all places.

I went to the party at a friend’s house;I was doing rather poorly that day,but was still able to attend. A friendnoticed that I was “not myself” andasked if I would like to have a smoke.I stated I was not feeling well (I sel-dom told anyone of my troubles) andthought that I would forgo the fun.

He said it was not going to hurt andmight make me feel better: ever hearof medical marijuana? It did makeme feel better. My pain waned quick-ly; I even felt sociable. I thought, asmy general practitioner has said, thatI got high, and that is why I felt bet-ter. The fact that the patient gets highfrom the medication is not an issuewith opiates; I am not sure why thesame is not true for cannabis. If adrug makes me feel better and able totolerate my therapy, is that not a pos-itive clinical outcome (see Sylvestre,below, 2006)? Is a drug that iseuphoric taken off the market?Notable to this is that the high is notthe same as if you were not sick. Thehigh is somewhat mitigated by thepolypharmacy and the side effectsbeing treated.

If I stopped here with the benefits ofusing THC during antiviral therapyfor HCV, I would say that there issubjective evidence that the highgained through smoking cannabis isbeneficial to the patient. But there ismore, much more, to this wonderfulplant and its most noted cannabi-noid, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC).

Dronabinol (Marinol) and plantmaterial were used during the lastattempt to eradicate the virus.Previously, I was naive aboutMarinol. Marinol has benefits anddrawbacks, as does smoking plantmaterial. I asked my liver doctor if hewould prescribe Marinol during thislast course of treatment, as I wasaware that it worked well against the

The Benefits of Including Delta-9-THC in Hepatitis C Antiviral Polypharmacy

muscle pain. He was willing, unless Iended up in a drug study that did notallow its use. I ended up not in adrug study, so he prescribed theMarinol. I was quite lucky, as I couldnot have completed therapy withoutTHC.

THC, synthetic or plant based, atthis time has no known effect on thebattle to eradicate HCV. There arestudies showing that THC and othercannabinoids do affect the immunesystem. The extent of action on theimmune system and what that actionmay be is still to be determined. Didthe THC molecule help me in mybattle? The answer is yes, but we willnot speculate on any putative effecton the immune system. I write thisarticle to impart a patient’s perspec-tive on its benefit during antiviraltherapy for HCV infection, and todescribe my experience with Marinoland plant material in helping me tol-erate the side effects of the therapy.

First, I would like to discuss driving.Driving is problematic withTHC/cannabis therapy. If one needsto hold a job during treatment, driv-ing may be imperative. Such was thecase with me. I had a job, and itrequired countless hours of driving.When using these therapies, in par-ticular cannabis from the plant, mostof us know it is illegal to drive. Inmany states, it may also be illegal todrive days after ingestion, as the testto establish intoxication measuresmetabolites of THC in your blood.In other words, you use, derive ben-efit, and then the THC is metabo-lized, stored in fat, and sitting inyour system. You could be testedsome time after use and be positive.This, of course, is well after anyeffect on driving ability is gone.There is debate about how muchcannabis it takes to affect drivingability.

Marinol, on the other hand, leavesthe door somewhat open. The pack-age insert warns that you should notuse it while driving (and performingother potentially dangerous activi-


ties) until it is establishedthat you are able to toler-ate the drug and to per-form such tasks safely.The insert does not statethat driving is out, just thatyou need to be sure thatyou can perform this tasksafely. My take on this is,you can drive, but if youcause an accident, theauthorities will say, obvi-ously you were not OK todrive. Another note of caution: Myeyes blow out just as if I were smok-ing weed. I become Rudolph witheyes so bright! You may be usingMarinol, but you may as well havejust smoked. During therapy (duringthe last effort with antiviral meds),for the most part, I kept the THC useto the evening and night so as not todrive while using THC from eithersource. As therapy went on, I foundthat when using Marinol, the high,although erratic, did not seem toimpair my driving. Marinol one daymay make you high; the next doseyou may not notice much at all. OralTHC is kind of a crapshoot.

In my case, the side effects were dif-ferent on a daily basis. I called this“the side effect of the day.” One day,the anorexia would be the prevalentproblem, and the next day it mightbe nausea or vomiting or both.Onset of side effects can be remark-ably rapid, having no warning. Icould not plan on how I would feel.Toward the end of therapy, I couldnot go very long without dosing; youneed to consider how this will affectyour ability to hold a job andwhether you feel you can drive.

During previous periods of antiviraltherapy, I had used plant material,primarily due to the myalgia. Beforegoing on the Alinia with interferon,my main problematic side effect wasmyalgia, with occasional nauseaand/or vomiting. Cannabis was won-derful. I would look forward to com-ing home from work for that firstpuff and the substantial relief itbrought to me. The myalgia would

just slowly melt away, leaving memore relaxed and comfortable. Themyalgia usually got worse as the dayprogressed, but a few inhalations,and the pain would subside.Interferon therapy also had sleepeffects, relieving associated insom-nia; I had either sleep onset insomniaor sleep maintenance insomnia orboth. Cannabis was useful in thisregard, as benzodiazepine effective-ness quickly wanes over a short peri-od of time, whereas the cannabiseffects are relatively stable over thetherapy period (48 weeks). Duringthe most recent period of therapy,the use of THC throughout the 24-hour day, myalgia was not a prob-lem. Marinol was effective becausethe effect lasted longer than smokingplant material, so I seldom had painor insomnia from interferon.

Anorexia, which is something I had asignificant problem with during mylast stint of therapy, is a truly oddphenomenon. You can be hungryand still not care to eat. I am nottalking of anorexia nervosa, wherethe patients see themselves as over-weight and they wish to control theirperceived fat. Anorexia is theabsence of desire to eat. It may ormay not be associated with nauseaor vomiting. I could literally not eatall day, and this, of course, justadded to the misery, making meweak, tired, with an overall ill feel-ing. Marinol and plant materialhelped with the problem. I did loseweight, but with the aid of THC, Iwas able to plateau. However, evenwith an improved ability to eat, mytastes did change. I found that many

HEALTH

foods I had previouslyenjoyed, such as saladsand vegetables, were notwelcomed by me. I couldeat meat; beef for the mostpart tasted better. Sweetswere the other food sourceI found palatable. THCseems to point the tastetoward sweets and fats. Ilost not only fat but mus-cle. I initially tried to exer-cise, but I could not due to

the anemia causing shortness ofbreath. I lost some weight butretained a middle-age gut due to thetypes of foods that I could tolerate.That being said, I honestly could nothave completed therapy this roundwithout the THC, as the anorexiawould have done me in.

Nausea and vomiting were also inmy body’s bag of tricks during thera-py. These symptoms often did pres-ent together. Nausea can be treatedwith antiemetics other thancannabis, but they produce their ownside effects, and the doctors werereluctant to add more to thepolypharmacy. With using thecannabis for myalgia, it was easy touse cannabis for the nausea. There isa difference with Marinol and plant-based medicine in mitigating this sideeffect. Smoking is almost instantlyeffective. Marinol, being quite errat-ic in its onset of action and doseeffectiveness, is not something youwant to use unless you use enough tokeep the symptoms at bay 24/seven.My doctor kept the Marinol to nomore than 20 mg each day. At 20 mgper day, I could not fully get rid ofmy nausea and vomiting throughoutthe day and night. Nausea comes onvery quickly, for no apparent reason.If you wait too long to treat thesymptoms, you likely will proceed tovomiting, even if you have not eaten.Plant-based medicine, in my opinion,was much better at treating this.

Vomiting, like nausea, had a quickonset, with no warning, makingplant-based medicine the obviouschoice. Vomiting also is hard to treat

If you have HCV, it can be cured, but notwithout an attempt by you to perse-vere. THC is an excellent addition to thepolypharmacy required to win the bat-tle. I found both Marinol and cannabisto be beneficial in mitigating sideeffects, although plant-based medicineis often better, as it can be titrated tothe proper dose for the symptoms andis effective immediately.


with pharmaceuticals, as you cantake them but you may just vomitthe medication up. When you vomitup your medicine, it is hard to knowhow much to take next and when;you may have lost the entire last dosetaken or assimilated some of thedose, making the next dosing aguessing game.

Depression was another seriousproblem for me. I was treated withan antidepressant, which helped agreat deal. THC did play a part inmitigating the problem. THC tendsto elevate mood and can even getyou to laugh in the face of all thisfucked-up shit.

What does the science say? Well,there is a study1 that showed:“Conclusions: Our results suggestthat modest cannabis use may offersymptomatic and virological benefit

to some patients undergoing HCVtreatment by helping them maintainadherence to the challenging medica-tion regimen.” There is also a nega-tive study2: “In conclusion, dailycannabis smoking is significantlyassociated with fibrosis progressionduring chronic hepatitis C (CHC).Patients with ongoing CHC shouldbe advised to refrain from regularcannabis use.”

I can say that the first study listeddoes confirm my opinion oncannabis use for the HCV patient. Icannot speak to the later study in ref-erence to myself, as I do have scar-ring, but I have not undergone abiopsy since embarking on a year ofchronic cannabis use. I can say thatwithout THC or cannabis mitigatingthe side effects of the polypharmacyprescribed for me, being virus freewould have been impossible.

The Benefits of Including Delta-9-THC in Hepatitis C Antiviral Polypharmacy

If you have HCV, it can be cured, butnot without an attempt by you topersevere. THC is an excellent addi-tion to the polypharmacy required towin the battle. I found both Marinoland cannabis to be beneficial in mit-igating side effects, although plant-based medicine is often better, as itcan be titrated to the proper dose forthe symptoms and is effective imme-diately.

References1. Sylvestre, D. L., B. J. Clements, et al. (2006)."Cannabis use improves retention and virologicaloutcomes in patients treated for hepatitis C." Eur JGastroenterol Hepatol 18(10): 1057-1063.

2. Hezode, C., F. Roudot-Thoraval, et al. (2005)."Daily cannabis smoking as a risk factor for pro-gression of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C."Hepatology 42(1): 63-71.

Driving with cannabis informationMarijuana and Actual Driving Performance U.S.Department of Transportation, National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration(DOT HS 808 078), Final Report, November 1993http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5450


tephen (who requestedanonymity) has been throughthe ringer. His particular con-dition made its first appear-

ance in 2004, with a jolt of incrediblepain in his testicles. With no rhyme orreason, the random pain mightappear if he was walking or lyingstill. It ranged between crushing andpiercing.

Initially, the 18-year-old was sentfrom his primary physician to a urol-ogist, who could not find anythingwrong, but quickly ramped up thepain meds, from one 750-mg Vicodinevery eight hours to five 5/325-mgPercocet every six hours in additionto a 2-mg hydromorphone (Dilaudid)every six hours or as needed daily.

Instead of subsiding, the pain spread.He visited another urologist, who ranevery test under the sun but couldn’tpinpoint anything. A diagnosis ofkidney stones led to more pain killers,but no kidney stones were found.

By 2006, his employer made itknown that lying in a fetal positionon the floor while calling in painmeds was not acceptable, and he leftretail management. He then pursueda degree in computer drafting anddesign at ITT Technical Institute.While his physicians were unable touncover anything, a lab techniciantaking blood for a routine test noted

that he had seen pain movesouth from the bowels to thetestes, and that Stephen mightwant to visit a gastrointestinaldoctor, which he did. Finally,

in 2009, at age 23, he had acolonoscopy, which found chronicactive colitis. An endoscopy foundacute erosive gastritis and duodenitis.An exam of his liver and surroundingarea discovered pancreatitis.

Stephen worried that the opiatesmight be addicting. When he wokeup one morning in a cold sweat andshivering, he knew that he’d becomereliant on the Dilaudids. He put themaway in his sock drawer for a weekbefore taking another. When he toldhis doctor what had happened, shestopped prescribing hydromorphoneand upped the Percocet dosage.

By this point, the pain, which hadnever left his testicles, was also in hisstomach. “Food entering my stomachfelt like hot glass shards,” he said. “Itnever changed consistency either,only temperature, as it movedthrough the rest of my intestines.”Because eating made him vomit, hequit eating. After he went from 285to 150 pounds in three months, hisdoctor told him he was dying.

“It was a sobering moment, because Iknew that if I didn’t do something Iprobably wasn’t going to see 24,” hesaid. “She sat me down and said,‘Look, we need to figure out some-thing quick or I need to hospitalizeyou because you are starving. You arewasting away.’”

HEALTH

While Stephen had smoked marijua-na as a teenager, it had neverappealed to him. Smoking was not aregular pastime. Faced with starvingto death in pain, he toked again.Cannabis worked, both by improvinghis appetite and helping him forgetthe pain. Within a few weeks he’dgained 10 pounds, and his conditionwas stable.

As in many medical marijuana sto-ries, the federal government found away to prevent the care of a seriouslyill patient. A variety of things mighthave been occurring to draw atten-tion to his situation. For one, he’dbeen honest with his doctor and toldher that he was smoking cannabis toimprove his appetite. She, in turn,had noted in his medical records thatalong with the opiate medications, hewas smoking historical medicinewhen necessary. In addition, whenstopping in to pick up his prescrip-tion refills, he noticed that severaldoctors, and not just his primaryphysician, were signing off on hisrefills. All of this could have drawnattention to his situation. For what-ever reason, a second “doctor”–Stephen doubts that he was a doctor– began sitting in on his meetingswith his physician.

“He wore the lab coat, but his stetho-scope seemed like a prop to me,” hesaid. “He was some kind of hospitaladministrator.”

With no warning, Stephen was takenoff all pain medications. The reasongiven was cannabis use.

Cannabis to the Rescue for

Appetite Gain & Pain ReliefMary Lou Smart © 2011 www.medicalcannabisart.com

S


Unethical Pain TreatmentCare of the United StatesGovernmentFor any doctor to withhold treatmentfor anything other than medical rea-sons is something that has receivedattention in the courts. In 2003, inConant v. Walter, by refusing to hearthe case, the U.S. Supreme Courtupheld a lower court’s decision(Ninth Circuit Court of Appealsaffecting nine states) ruling that aBush Administration plan to stripdoctors of their licenses if they werecaught talking to patients about themedical use of marijuana was a clearviolation of First Amendment rights.

Not that Stephen was ever given anykind of pain contract to sign, becausehe was not, but shutting off painmedication because of cannabis use,which prompted the above-men-tioned action, concerns an outdatedprohibition and has absolutely noth-ing to do with medical care.

While signing a treatment attestationfor pain management would requirea patient to acknowledge who he orshe is and have that person agree tonot misrepresent medical history, thestandard pain contracts currently inuse throughout the United States aresomething altogether different.Because of the federal government’sstance in placing marijuana inSchedule I of the ControlledSubstances Act, seriously ill patientsthat depend on the therapeutic bene-fit of cannabis are thrown under thebus. Because of Schedule I’s require-ment that a drug have no currentlyaccepted medical use in the UnitedStates, the plant that’s never killedanyone can cause pain patients thathave been honest with their doctorsto lose their medical care. The inap-propriate placement has been notedby landmark rulings by two DrugEnforcement Administration (DEA)administrative law judges (MaryEllen Bittner 2007 and Francis L.Young, 1988), both of whom strong-ly favored more access for researchand rescheduling in rulings that wereignored by the DEA.

Even the federal government’sVeterans Administration (VA) ischanging with the times. In July2010, the Department of VeteransAffairs, through the Veterans HealthAdministration (VHA), issuedDirective 2010-035, the first of sever-al on the same topic, outlining guid-ance on access to and use of medicalmarijuana by veteran patients. Thedirective acknowledges that laws instates authorizing the use of medicalmarijuana are contrary to federallaw, that veteran physicians recom-mending marijuana can lose the abil-ity to prescribe controlled substancesand be subject to criminal charges,and that marijuana cannot be usedon VA property even in states thatallow medical marijuana. The direc-tive states that VHA policy does notprohibit veterans in programs ofstates that authorize medical marijua-na from participating in VHA sub-stance abuse programs, pain controlprograms, or other clinical programs.

The VA directive is a clear case of afederal authority deferring to statelaw, according to Michael Krawitz,founding director of Veterans forMedical Cannabis Access. A letter toKrawitz from Department of VeteranAffairs Under Secretary for HealthDr. Robert Petzel stated that “stan-dard pain management agreementsshould draw a clear distinctionbetween the use of illegal drugs andlegal medical marijuana.” “It’s a recognition of validity of statelaw,” said Krawitz. “There’s no fed-eral law or rule or anything elserequiring a doctor take a patient offof pain treatment, should that patientbe using legal medical marijuana.”

Cannbis to the Rescue for Appetite Gain & Pain Relief

When told of Stephen’s treatment,Krawitz was clear. “The notion thatanyone would threaten a patient withdenial of care is an absolute, outra-geous violation of every standard thatwe hold dear in our society,” he said.“Whether he signed a contract ornot, taking away someone’s success-ful pain treatment is a violation ofbasic human rights. It is a violation ofmedical ethics and of the standards ofmedical care.”

Fighting Prohibitionwith Schedule IIIMedicineWhen faced with a firewall prevent-ing her patient from having opiatesbecause he’d admitted to usingcannabis, Stephen’s doctor came upwith an alternative plan. By now,they were both aware of the total dis-connect between the federal govern-ment and the medical professionregarding cannabis and health care.While cannabis might have saved hislife, its status as a Schedule I drug wascreating problems with the law. Sheprescribed Marinol, synthetic THCclassified as a Schedule III (medicallybeneficial!) drug, which wouldalways explain away any cannabiscomponents in his system.

A funny thing happened whenStephen was yanked off opiates. Hishealth improved, and his stomachdidn’t hurt as much.

“The research confirms that cannabishas a synergistic, beneficial relation-ship with opiates,” said Mary LynnMathre, president and cofounder,Patients Out of Time. “Most patientstaking cannabis for pain will eitherget off of opiates entirely or reallyreduce the dose, and they do not needthe stool softeners, antiemetics, orantidepressants usually prescribed foropiate side effects.”

His new regimen is Prilosec for stom-ach acid, Zofran for nausea andTramadol when he does have severepain, maybe once a week. He usesthe Marinol, which works during his

lega

lizat

iono

fmar

ijuan

a420

.com


most severe pain times, when hewakes up in the morning and whenhe goes to sleep at night. Cannabis isa mainstay in his medicinal warchest. A whole-plant advocate, heprefers a vaporizer for the fast actionand also likes edibles because theylast longer and seem to help with hisphysical pain.

“The cannabis helped with the painin my intestines,” he said. “It defi-nitely helps with appetite and nau-sea. I have not vomited since I start-ed medicinally using cannabis, whichhas done wonders for my esophagusand stomach. Cannabis doesn’t haveany of the side effects of any of theother medications that they giveme.”

Pushing for Reform inVirginiaStephen’s experience turned him intoan advocate for others. Like manywho realize that marijuana is morethan a recreational drug, he is push-ing for a more compassionate med-ical cannabis program in his homestate.

Virginia’s possession law for a firstoffense is a small fine and under amonth in jail. Cultivation of 10plants can be considered a personalpossession misdemeanor. Sellingmarijuana to a friend can be adjudi-cated as an accommodation, withthe same weight as a possessioncharge. Virginia does have a medical

HEALTH

cannabis law that covers patientswith cancer and glaucoma.

Stephen is drafting more comprehen-sive medical cannabis legislation,meeting legislators, and workingwith advocacy groups such asPatients Out of Time.

“The problem with medicationshanded out for pain is that many ofthem are more addictive than effec-tive,” he said. “Cannabis saved mylife by stabilizing the weight loss. It’sbeen extremely beneficial in otherways, including pain management.There is no other way to put it;cannabis has been a blessing in mylife.”


s medical mari-juana has becomemore widelyaccepted, meth-ods for its use

have gone beyond simply smoking it.Vaporizers are replacing pipes andjoints, as physicians and other propo-nents strive to make it as safe as pos-sible for patients. Medibles — foodsthat are medicated with cannabisbutter or oil—have gone main-stream, with new gourmet productsbeing added every day.

Entrepreneurs are also creating tinc-tures, ointments, and lotions, withnames like Apothecanna, DocGreen’s Therapeutic Healing Cream,and Pain Eraser. Testimonials aboundabout the effectiveness of these topi-cal medicines, with claims that theyare effective not only on skin condi-tions, but for muscle, joint, and othertypes of pain. But do they reallywork?

Brief History.The use of cannabis as a medicine

dates back thousands of years. It wasmainly used orally (as a tincture orcomponent in medicine) and bysmoking, although there is some doc-umentation of external use. Cannabisis believed to have been used exter-nally by the Egyptians for its antisep-tic properties. Reports from differentparts of Africa indicate that it wasused for a similar purpose.

In “Cannabis as a Medicament”(http://tinyurl.com/249rcct), theauthors report that cannabis was

used in European folk medicine as anantiseptic as well. The narcotic effectapparently was not mentioned ornoticed; instead, it was believed to beeffective for antibiotic and limitedanalgesic purposes. They mention theuse of the dried leaves with butter forburn treatment, and other externalapplications for inflamed feet, furun-cles (skin infection involving a hairfollicle), and erysipelas (bacterial skininfection) in various cultures. In theVictorian era, cannabis plasters andointments were used to relieve localpain. In more recent (1968) Arabic medi-cine, cannabis (or hemp) was used totreat pityriasis (a disorder causingflakiness or scaling of the skin) andlichen (an inflammatory skin condi-tion) by washing with the juice fromthe leaves.(1)

HEALTH

Effect of Cannabis on SkinConditions.Confirming that the historical uses ofcannabis are in fact effective, recentstudies have shown that cannabis hasantibacterial, anti-inflammatory,anti-cancer, and immune-modulatingproperties.(2) This means it may beeffective on skin infections, burns,rashes, and other skin problems.Most of the evidence that cannabisointments and lotions work whenapplied topically is anecdotal,although studies have begun to bepublished. Different parts of the cannabis planthave been suggested for topical use.The seeds of the plant are made up ofessential fatty acids and proteins, andare considered to have therapeutic

Topical Cannabis Preparations:

Snake Oil or Healing OptionsBy Cheryl K. Smith

A

Cheryl K. Smith is an attorney and Executive Director of Compassion Center, a medical mari-juana clinic and educational nonprofit in Eugene, Oregon, and serves as secretary of the boardof the Institute for Cannabis Therapeutics in Oregon. She raises miniature dairy goats and isa freelance writer and editor.


effects. The fatty acid, g-linoleic acid,in particular, is recommended forrelief from the skin diseases eczemaand psoriasis. It is also believed toprovide some relief for osteoporosis,rheumatoid arthritis, and otherinflammatory diseases. The buds,leaves, and trichomes (resin glands)are the parts of the plant most com-monly used for creating topicalpreparations. Hashish made fromthese parts of the plant can also beused.

While early studies looked mainly atthe effects of smoked marijuana,recent studies most often use oralcannabinoids (usually THC) or areperformed on laboratory animals.These include studies looking at theeffects of using fatty acids as a nutri-tional supplement rather than topi-cally. Only rarely has a study lookedat topical applications of cannabis,but at least one study found thatnerve and mast cells in human skincontain cannabinoid receptors. Thiswould indicate that topical applica-tion of cannabis could have an effecton skin conditions.

In fact, at least one study showed thattopical cannabinoids have a positiveeffect on severe itching. In that 2006German study, researchers found that14 of 22 patients had a reduction insevere pruritis (itching) with applica-tion of the endocannabinoid N-palmitoyl ethanolamine (PEA).(3)The PEA was applied in an emollientcream to the skin. No patient experi-enced side effects. A more recent study, in 2007, lookedat how the cannabinoid receptors inmice become activated by adminis-tration of cannabinoids, significantlydecreasing inflammation caused by

contact skin allergy.(4) The study’sauthors suggest that cannabinoidcompounds such as those producedby the cannabis plant may provide anenhancement to therapeutic treat-ment for humans.

On the flip side of these beneficialeffects is the possibility that cannabismay cause some of the very skinproblems it is used to treat. A 1983article in the Western Journal ofMedicine noted that many peoplewho have a sensitivity or an allergicreaction to airborne plant pollens,including some in other botanicalfamilies, may develop contact der-matitis or urticaria (hives) as a resultof prolonged exposure to cannabis(such as trimming or other work inthe industry that requires han-dling).(5) Another potential, but lesslikely, risk may be anaphylactic reac-tion. A 1971 medical article notedsuch an effect from smokingcannabis.(6)

While the studies cited addressed theeffect of cannabinoids on externalskin conditions—something that canbe readily observed and proven trueor not true—the question remains asto whether cannabinoids can effec-tively permeate the skin barrier toaffect internal conditions or evenjoint pain.

Absorption of Cannabis

Through the Skin.According to The Healing Magic of

Cannabis, cannabis in a compress,salve, or tincture is absorbed locallywhen applied directly to the skin, butthere is debate about whether it canreach the central nervous system

Topical Cannabis Preparations: Snake Oil or Healing Options

(CNS).(7) This is why topical appli-cations have no psychoactive effect,despite the claims by some that theydo.

A 1987 study from Israel investigatedthe skin permeation behavior of atetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in bothrat and human skin in vitro.(8) Theresearchers found rat skin muchmore permeable than human skin.They also found that “24 hours afterapplication the drug was concentrat-ed in the stratum corneum, in theupper epidermis, and around the hairfollicles….” In other words, it doesn’tpenetrate very deeply. However,using a permeation enhancer (oleicacid) on the rat skin only, theresearchers found a sustained concen-tration in the blood for about 24hours. This study still leaves open thequestion of whether topically apply-ing THC to human skin can deliver itto the bloodstream.

Cannabinoids are similar to opioidsin that they inhibit pain by interact-ing with specific receptors within thepain pathways.(9) At least two patentapplications have been filed for trans-dermal delivery systems (10), andvarious other methods have been sug-gested. Some people claim that usingethyl alcohol (such as vodka) as amedium for cannabis more effective-ly delivers cannabinoids to the bodythrough the skin. While it is true thatethyl alcohol can be absorbedthrough the skin, no comparativestudies have been done comparingthe effectiveness of cannabis-infusedalcohol with cannabis-infused oils indelivering cannabinoids through theskin.A skin patch, similar to those usedfor delivering certain opiates and hor-

...recent studies have shown thatcannabis has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, andimmune-modulating properties.

busi

ness

pund

it.c

om

Claims for

Commercial Cannabis

Lotions, Ointments,

and Creams:

• Apothecanna Pain Cream is claimed to be effective onfatigued and sore muscles, arthritis, carpal tunnel, joint pain,fibromyalgia, headaches, and migraines. It contains not onlycannabis, but arnica, juniper, peppermint, clove, wintergreen,lavender, and ravensara. Many of these other essential oils canprovide relief for some of these conditions, so it isn’t clear thatthe cannabis is responsible for the therapeutic effect, particu-larly in the case of headaches.

• Doc Green’s Therapeutic Healing Cream is claimed to “getyour muscles and aches stoned while keeping your head clear.”It is said not to show up on a drug test, but to provide localrelief. This cream is in a shea butter base and sells for $6 perounce. Medical studies referenced to show its effectiveness aremisleading, as they dealt with mice or with localized pain oritching rather than joint or muscle pain.

• Elsie’s Ointments, carried by Northern Lights Rx in Colorado,are claimed to help with “nerve, joint, headache, and otherpain.” Like Apothecanna Pain Cream, all but the ointmentmeant for skin disorders contain other essential oils. The sitealso implies that topical application of this ointment can curecancer, with a link to a news story in which a man claims thatthis ointment cured malignant tumors in his neck. This is a dan-gerous claim, particularly if it prevents patients from consider-ing life-saving options such as surgery for a lethal cancer likemelanoma.

• Cannabee Pain Eraser, a lotion that is marketed in California,only advertises that it is for pain and inflammation of muscleand soft tissue. It contains some essential oils (not noted) thatmay also have an effect on local pain relief.


mones, would have to be largeenough and contain a large enoughdose to overcome the low absorptionrate of human skin. The scalp (whichhas the fatty sebaceous glands andhair follicles) may provide the bestpossibility for absorption of cannabi-noids into the human body. In addi-tion, DMSO (11) or oleic acid (12)could be used to enhance the penetra-tion into the skin. However, many ofthe properties of DMSO are the sameas those of cannabis (13), whichcould potentially confound a studyon the effectiveness of cannabis.

At the Third National ClinicalConference on CannabisTherapeutics, held in 2004,University of Kentucky professorAudra Stinchcomb, PhD, spoke ontransdermal and intranasal deliveryof cannabinoids (14). The study wasfunded in part by the AmericanCancer Society.

Dr. Stinchcomb noted that transder-mal patches are a superior methodfor treating various conditionsbecause they decrease side effects,maintain steady drug levels, and pro-vide controlled release of cannabi-noids. The study also found that theaddition of certain proteins can addto permeability and that cannabinoland cannabadiol are more permeableto the skin than THC. Finally, in thisstudy, which used hairless guinea pigsfor research subjects, there was diffi-culty in obtaining a high enough plas-ma level to be effective—an indicatorthat simply applying lotion or oil top-ically won’t relieve joint pain or otherinternal pains.

Factors in Perceived

Effectiveness. Studies to date have pretty clearlyestablished that cannabis is effectivefor topical and possibly muscle prob-lems. However, the fact thatcannabis doesn’t get you high whentopically applied is good evidencethat it does not reach the CNS orbloodstream. However, there’s no

HEALTHbu

sine

sspu

ndit

.com

pains. Use of these products is fairlyharmless and doesn’t cause psy-choactive side effects, which makes ita good method for such problems.Other better methods, such as vapor-ization or oral ingestion, exist fortreating medical conditions notaffecting the skin or muscles. Thereis no evidence that topical prepara-tions have an effect on headaches orinternal problems. If topicalcannabis preparations are even effec-tive on joint pain, they would likelybe more useful on joints that areclose to the skin, such as the fingersor knees.

Despite their shortcomings, topicalpreparations are a good addition tothe medical arsenal that this amazingherb can provide. In the future, wecan expect to see more studies oftheir effectiveness, as well as moresophisticated delivery methods andcombinations of herbs or other sub-stances.


Topical Cannabis Preparations: Snake Oil or Healing Options

lack of testimonials (on Internetboards and heard personally by theauthor) to the effect that commercialor homemade cannabis-infused oint-ments and lotions are an effectivealternative for treating a variety ofmedical conditions beyond superfi-cial skin disorders.

Without good studies proving thattopical cannabis preparations areeffective for more than skin condi-tions, e.g., for joint pain orheadache, it’s hard to know whetherthose that are homemade or on themarket are really doing what peopleclaim they are doing. Several factorsmay be at play. These include:

• Placebo effect• Using another method at the same time• Other ingredients are causing pain relief• They do work, but the right studies haven’t been done

Placebo effect. According to TheSkeptic’s Dictionary, “The placeboeffect is the measurable, observable,or felt improvement in health orbehavior not attributable to a med-ication or invasive treatment that hasbeen administered.”(15) There is dis-agreement as to whether this effect ispsychological, physical, or has someother cause. An example of whatmay be the placebo effect is the claimof some individuals that they havegotten high simply from trimmingbud or otherwise handling cannabisplant material. The placebo effectmay be at play when topicalcannabis preparations are used totreat some medical conditions.

Using another method at the sametime. If a person is smokingcannabis, for example, while alsoapplying a cannabis-infused oil to anaffected area, determining whichmethod causes the therapeutic effectis impossible. (This obviously isn’talways the case, as many medicalcannabis users have no desire to gethigh.) The only true test is to stop allother methods and try only the topi-cal application for a period of time.

References1.The Therapeutic Use of Cannabis sativa (L.) in ArabicMedicine. Lozano, I. J Cannabis Therapeutics 1(1): 63–70.2.Distribution of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) onsensory nerve fibers and adnexal structures in human skin.Stander, S., et al. J Dermatol Sci 38(3): 177–188. 3.IACM Bulletin, 6 August 2006, citing Topical cannabinoidagonists : An effective new possibility for treating chronic pruri-tus. Stander, S., et al. [Article in German] Hautarzt. 28 Jul 2006;[Electronic publication ahead of print] 4.Transdermal delivery of tetrahydrocannabinol. Touitou, E., etal. International J Pharmaceutics 43 (1–2): 9–15. 5.Allergic Skin Test Reactivity to Marijuana in the Southwest.Freeman, G. Western J Med138(6): 829–831.6.Allergy to Marihuana. Liskow, B., et al. Annals of Internal Med75(4): 571–73.7.Beverly Potter and Dan Joy. Healing Magic of Cannabis.(Berkeley: Ronin Publishing, 1998.)8.The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "Cannabis May HelpAlleviate Allergic Skin Disease." ScienceDaily 17 August 2007.Retrieved 22 May 2011 from www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releas-es/2007/08/070816094649.htm.9.Franjo Grotenhermen and Ethan Russo, ed. Cannabis andCannabinoids: Pharmacology, Toxicology and TherapeuticPotential. (Binghamton, N.Y.: Haworth Press, 2002.)10.Brooke, Lawrence, et al. 2000. Cannabinoid patch andmethod for cannabis transdermal delivery. U.S. Patent 6328992,filed September 5, 2000, and issued December 11, 2001;Stinchcomb, Audra L., 2009. Transdermal delivery of cannabi-noids. Application 12/511,226, Publication US 2009/0291128A1, filed July 29, 2009.11.Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which has been used as a com-mercial solvent since 1953, is a byproduct of the wood industry.Its potential medical uses were first noticed by Dr. Stanley Jacob,MD, a physician at Oregon Health Sciences University, in 1961.In the midst of studies to determine its effectiveness, FDA closeddown clinical trials and, other than approving its use for intersti-tial cystitis, has generally continued to refuse to approve anynew trials. DMSO easily crosses membranes and has the addedattribute of carrying other drugs across these membranes. 12.Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found invarious animal and vegetable fats. It makes up a large part ofolive oil, which is often used as a carrier oil in topical cannabisproducts.13.DMSO is very effective as a topical analgesic, causing imme-diate relief from the pain of burns, sprains, and strains. Likecannabis, it also has been found to have potential in fightingcancer, bacteria, and other disease processes.14.http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=310494628955328203#15.www.skepdic.com/placebo.html.16.www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=1980.

Other ingredients are causing painrelief. Some topical preparations relynot only on carrier oils to getcannabis into the skin, but also con-tain other essential oils such as euca-lyptus, peppermint, menthol, orcamphor. These are some of theingredients in Tiger Balm, a non-cannabis product that is sold formuscle pain relief and works. Theprinciple behind these ingredients isthe same as applying heat to jointpain. So is it the cannabis or theother oils? (Or both?)

This is an area that is ripe for study.It may be that cannabis combinedwith other ingredients adds to thebeneficial effect. An example wouldbe camphor, glucosamine, and chon-droitin sulfate in a topical prepara-tion, which were found in a study torelieve osteoarthritis pain.(16)

They do work, but the right studieshaven’t been done. Clearly, morestudies need to be done. When Istarted researching this article, I did-n’t believe that cannabis ointmentsand lotions had a therapeutic effecton anything other than skin condi-tions. I had tried such a salve yearsago and found that it did nothing formy muscle pain.

Because I work in the medical mari-juana industry, I continued to hearclaims that topical applications areeffective in treating all sorts of pain,including muscle and joint pain.Then one day, a man came into ourclinic with some olive oil that con-tained 1% hash (or honey) oil. WhenI scoffed at him, he handed me aneight-ounce bottle with the demandthat I try it. I was shocked severaldays later when I applied it to myshoulders and neck for severe musclepain and found relief within 15 min-utes.

Conclusion. Cannabis salves,lotions, and ointments can be effec-tive treatments for certain skin con-ditions, such as burns, infections,and rashes. Some preparations arealso effective in treating muscle


ore and moredispensariesand wellnesscenters mar-ket lab-testedp r o d u c t .

Cannabis analysis is the practice ofdetermining the potency and make-up of a plant packed with beneficialmolecules. Pinpointing cannabiscomponents is often a starting point;many labs offer testing for molds andpesticides for additional cost.

As studies showing the therapeuticeffect of cannabidiol (CBD) takehold, patients want it for neuropro-tectant and antioxidant properties,for pain relief, and for its role inbuffering the psychoactive effect oftetrahydrocannabinol (THC).Problem is, the decades-long questfor high-THC product delivering agreat buzz led to CBD being bred outof cannabis. Those in search of ther-apeutic benefit are often happier witheither a lower-THC strain or a higherratio of CBD to counteract the highanxiety that can accompany a high-THC buzz. Growers race to developstrains with greater CBD counts, andCBD-rich product is all the rage.

Steve DeAngelo, executive director ofHarborside Health Center inOakland, California, stated that afteranalyzing 2,000 strains, his businessassociates were able to find nine thatdid contain a higher ratio of CBD toTHC.

“We got cuttings of those and sup-plied them to our most trusted grow-ers, and then those growers grew thatmedicine out,” he said. “Now, at

Harborside, we have every day atleast one type of CBD-rich medicine,and often more than one. We go upto 14 percent CBD.”

Not everyone believes the stories of14, 15, and even 17 percent CBD,however, and curiosity surroundingcannabis testing, an industry in itsinfancy, grows.

Bill, a chemical engineer who owns adispensary in Denver and prefers toremain anonymous, is one of manywho tend to be skeptical of high-CBDreports.

“If you look at the data that’s beencollected from the labs over the lastyear, to find a strain that is in excessof one percent, the chances of thathappening are maybe 20 percent; it’snot great,” he said. “It’s not as highas we would like it to be. It’s rare, iswhat I’m trying to say. To get abovetwo percent is a lot more rare. To getover four or five percent is very,extremely rare. That’s like one in100.”

HEALTH

Others report that samples from oneplant dropped off at five cannabislabs will yield five different results.

“I think that the numbers are some-what suspect in that they’re not uni-form,” said Martin Lee, cofounderof Project CBD, an educationalresource (www.projectcbd.org).“What we’re interested in is consis-tent data in terms of the ratiobetween CBD and THC. In thatsense, we are finding fairly consistentpatterns between the labs.”

Steep Hill Laboratories, also inOakland, launched the analysismovement with the creation of itslab in early 2008. Dispensariesthroughout the state send product toSteep Hill to be tested. The companyalso works closely with growers.Stories of start-up labs run by thosesetting up shop overnight afterspending a few grand on a basemodel GC (gas chromatograph)machine online abound, but the sci-ence is tricky. For one thing, heatingproduct, which GCs can do, alters

The Art of the Test:Finding the High Ground in an Unregulated Industry

Mary Lou Smart © 2011 www.medicalcannabisart.com

M


the plant’s natural chemistry, destroying THC acids andother components with proven therapeutic value thatalso require analysis. More expensive equipmentemploying liquid chromatography that runs at roomtemperature is said to yield more consistent and accu-rate results. Analyzing the numbers also takes talent.Reliable labs employ technicians with advanced degreesin fields such as chemistry.

Many dispensaries, including Harborside Health Center,sell only lab-tested product. DeAngelo has reported thathis dispensary spends up to $40,000 a month for labtests at Steep Hill, where a potency analysis determinespercentages of THC, CBD, and another active compo-nent, CBN. While many dispensaries market screeningto determine contamination by pathogenic molds andpesticides, these tests cost more and are not automatic.

Because testing can be expensive, bulk discounts makethe top clients the larger growers and manufacturers ofedibles, tinctures, and topical preparations. Steep Hillpromotes working directly with growers for on-site test-ing, labeling, and packaging. “Because of the cost to col-lectives, the turnaround time and the bottleneck causedby pulling samples from their incoming supply beforeproduct hits the floor, we work to get growers on board,”said Addison DeMoura, vice president. “Grocery storesdo it that way for the same reason; it’s cost-effective andefficient.”

The Art of the Test


HEALTH

Steep Hill’s standard bulk pricing for potency analysisis $120. An additional $100 provides the microbiolog-ical — mold, fungal, and bacterial — analysis.Pesticide analysis is an additional charge. Because ofthe fixed cost of the tests, the overall expense to a dis-pensary submitting smaller samples for testing is muchgreater.

Without government regulation, the consumer is relyingon the lab. In an effort to promote best practices in thefledgling industry, Steep Hill recently joined with otherlabs to form the Association of California CannabisLaboratories. The trade group’s aim, in the face ofalmost no federal or state regulation, is standardization.

“Testing is the future,” said DeMoura. “It’s the standardthat we apply to every other medicine that we consume.There’s no question that people are demanding cannabisto be scrutinized in the same way. Our mission, to screencannabis from a safety standpoint, is very simple.”

Thanks to analysis, educated patients are now identify-ing as much with the cannabinoid profile as the strainwhen purchasing cannabis. DeMoura’s background issales, and he admits that the seal of approval given by acannabis test translates into dollars. “We are a market-ing tool for a lot of these collectives,” he said. “Whathas happened in this state is that we’ve created a stan-dard where if a potency analysis has not been done onthe product, patients do not even want to consume it.”

Full Spectrum Laboratories opened in Denver,Colorado, in 2009, following six months of researchand development. Its HPLC (high performance liquidchromatography) method tests for seven cannabinoids.Instead of a focus on potency, the real push at FullSpectrum and throughout the industry is to seek ratios


The Art of the Test

between cannabinoids to promotethe therapeutic value of the entireplant. Whereas potency data vary sig-nificantly when looking at samplesfrom top to bottom of the sameplant, Buckie Minor, manager,reports that ratios between cannabi-noids usually remain consistent.

Tests are run multiple times to com-pare results for errors and to be cer-tain that equipment is properly cali-brated.

“Our error range is less than one per-cent,” Minor said. “As long as ourtest results are falling within thaterror range, we’re happy.”

Full Spectrum, the largest laboratoryin Colorado, is known for low pric-ing: $35 for cannabinoid profiles, dis-counted to $25 for bulk quantities.

Minor reports that Full Spectrumreceives frequent calls from start-upswanting to learn the trade.

“I get e-mails and phone calls all daylong saying, “Hey, man, I’m trying toopen up a lab and do cannabis testingand stuff. Can you help me?” he said.

“No, I’m sorry, I cannot help you. Ifyou do not have a science base tostart up your own lab, you do nothave any business testing cannabis.”

As old medicine returns to the main-stream, testing for profiles will beessential, according to Mary LynnMathre, president, Patients Out ofTime.

“Patients need to know what they’regetting,” Mathre said. “Analysis isgoing to be a big part of providingreliable, safe, and effective cannabismedicine.”

Entities supplying data for the federalEnvironmental Protection Agency orthe Food and Drug Administrationoperate under intense auditing situa-tions. Not so with cannabis medicine,which evolves against an entirely dif-ferent backdrop. No surprise, but thefederal prohibition of the 3,000-year-old medicine thwarts attemptsto protect patients. Because cannabisis a Schedule I drug classified as hav-ing no medical benefit under theControlled Substances Act, attemptsto apply professional standards inany of the 16 states with medical

cannabis programs have translatedinto continual federal harassment ofthe business community and a greatboon to the legal profession. In 2010,for example, Full Spectrum’s applica-tion for analytical lab licensurethrough the DEA triggered a DEAraid. Like wellness centers and dis-pensaries, most lab employees arerequired to be patients to get aroundthe possession issues; many techni-cians are also caregivers.

“Up to this point, regulation has beena loose concept,” said Noel Palmer,PhD, technician, Montana BotanicalAnalysis. “States do not seem to havethe infrastructure or desire to auditlabs or to serve as a controllingsource, but that’s really what needs tohappen right now. There’s too manylabs doing too much closed-doorwork, and there needs to be somesort of oversight. I think that a stateis eventually going to have to step inwith the services of a forensics lab orstate crime lab to essentially auditlabs, because cannabis labs should bescrutinized just like anything else. Ifwe’re going to be calling ourselvesquality-control facilities, somebodyneeds to control our quality.”

“Patients need to know what they’re getting,” Mathre said.“Analysis is going to be a big part of providing reliable, safe, andeffective cannabis medicine.”


The First Amendment guarantees Americancitizens the right to practice their faith with-out the fear of prejudice. Yet the dozen or soreligious groups whose beliefs involve thesacramental use of marijuana can often find

themselves on the wrong side of the law. In convention-al Christian churches, wine is often consumed as part ofthe service. Alcohol is arguably a far more harmful sub-stance than marijuana, so does banning the use ofcannabis in religious ceremonies constitute religious dis-crimination? I caught up with Craig Rubin, marijuanaactivist and founder of the Temple 420 faith, to find outjust how difficult it can be to practice a religion thatholds cannabis sacred in a country where its use hasbeen prohibited.

First of all, introduce yourself and say a little bitabout your faith.Craig: I believe in the Bible and that all of it is true, includ-ing the part where it says that God created the plants forman’s use, especially seed-bearing herbs. Also, our faithdemands that one burns cannabis on a daily basis. Oneneed not smoke cannabis, and we never smoked inchurch, but because we are always trying to reach stonerswith the word, we burn cannabis as an offering of fragrantherb to our creator.

What is the role of cannabis within your religion andwhy is it so important to you?Craig: It is important because sinners gravitate towardTemple 420 because of the herb, but we are a normalchurch and all we teach is the Bible.

Do you think the US government is restricting reli-gious freedom by keeping cannabis illegal?Craig: Well, they are restricting my religious freedom. Theybroke every law in the book to shut our church down;lying on government forms, lying to judges, police stealingthousands of dollars, committing perjury, having lawyerssolicit me that were working with the prosecution, and thelist goes on and on. From my experience, the USConstitution means nothing in a so-called court of law,because I was told that I could not even mention it.

What happened when they raided your church? Didit put you off following your religious beliefs?Craig: I never stopped believing in God and teaching theBible. I went to work for another church when my churchwas shut down. Coincidentally, the officer of the courtwho seized my life’s savings ended up being a member ofthe church where I pastored after the government shutdown Temple 420 on Hollywood Boulevard. Now theTemple exists in nearly every state as a simple study of theBible in people’s homes. Potheads around the nation writeto me asking me Bible questions and telling me how theyhave been inspired by my story to start small Bible studiesat friends’ homes, where they enjoy burning cannabis andstudying the Bible.

Do you feel that it was sacrilegious for the police toraid a religious establishment?Craig: Yes and no. They are horrible people who broke thelaw raiding our religious establishment, but God had aplan and because of the SWAT raid on our church, wehave now become more famous in more states than wewould have done if our church had not been shut down.

TY SPOTLIGHT

T

Does the Prohibition of Cannabis RestrictReligious Freedom? Temple 420 and the HolyHerb…


Just like with the early Christians, the more the govern-ment tries to oppress us, the more people hear about whatGod is doing with Temple 420, and the more people areturned on to the Word.

You have registered your support for the use ofmedical marijuana. Why do you think it is so impor-tant that people have the right to use cannabis formedicinal purposes?Craig: Because marijuana really helps. Most of the evi-dence is anecdotal, but that is because good studies arerestricted. Everybody knows that pot gives you themunchies, makes you feel better when you are depressed,and is less dangerous than 99 percent of pharmaceuticaldrugs because it is natural and non-toxic.You have compared the current prohibition ofcannabis to the prohibition of alcohol. Can you say abit more about this?Craig: People haven’t been shot over beer since alcoholprohibition ended. The way to end the horrific violenceassociated with prohibition is to end the prohibition.

Spotlight on Craig Rubin

Prohibiting such a beneficial natural resource in a free soci-ety shows you that our society is not as free as we like tothink it is. The truth is that we live in a police state. SinceWorld War II, governments similar to the US have not beenmuch different than what George Orwell described in1984.

You have appeared in a number of different factualfilms about marijuana, including Super High Me,American Drug War, and How Weed Won the West.How did this come about and what was the experi-ence like?Craig: I have now been in ten marijuana-based films, most-ly because I wrote a book called 9021GROW, and thatlanded me a role in Weeds on Showtime. The rest, as theysay, is history. I do the documentaries because I am a trueanti-prohibitionist, but I really love acting. It just seems thatI keep on getting pot movies or pot-type roles. I was in aTV pilot with TJ Hoban and Shirley Jones about cops on thebeach and, although I played a business owner, it was abong shop.

Treating Yourself Interviews

Craig Rubin


Can you tell us a little more about 9021GROW?Craig: I wrote it so that I could get my political views outto the public. People can read my second book, JesusSmokes Weed, at temple420.org for free, and9021GROW is available at Amazon.com for less than thecover price.

What was it like starring in Weeds? Craig: Awesome. It was my first acting job, so I was a littlesweaty, but after doing a bunch of student films I began tofeel more comfortable in front of a camera. Acting really isan art form, and I love the craft. Being on Weeds simplyinspired me to work hard at acting because it is so muchfun.

Which of your TV or film roles did you most enjoy,and have you got any more planned in the years tocome?Craig: I loved all the films and TV shows. Weeds was oneof my favorites, obviously, and I just shot Venice Heat withTJ Hoban, where I got to work with the great Shirley Jones.I like acting and being funny, but I do documentaries too.Super High Me and How Weed Won the West are twodocumentaries where I’m funny yet make importantpoints. I’m filming a Marc Emry movie today that is pre-sold with distribution, so it will be in theaters soon. It ishard to say favorite because you put your heart into eachproject and you make friends on all the jobs.

You are an advocate of hemp as an alternative foodsource. Can you say a little bit about this? Craig: The marijuana seed is the most digestible protein on

the planet for human consumption. Although the soybeanmay have more protein, much of it can’t be used byhumans. But marijuana is an incredible source of food forstarving people living on marginal soil or for people look-ing to consume healthy organic food. Marijuana as a foodsource hasn’t even started to be tapped into yet. Just thinkabout what George Washington Carver did with the lowlypeanut.

You have previously expressed a concern that peo-ple who use cannabis without God in their life canbe more prone to using it as a gateway drug tostronger, more dangerous substances. What is thereasoning behind this?

Craig: I think that people who don’t have God in their lifeare more likely to participate in behavior that can be detri-mental to their health. When people have God in their lifeand use the Bible as a guide to living, they know that theirbody is a temple and are more likely to treat it as such.When they don’t believe in the Bible or the fact that theywere created by God, their life has less meaning. Theybelieve that they came from a primordial slime and willsimply go back to dust upon death. There is no hope, andbecause of this, people without God tend to sleep aroundmore, dress more suggestively, and, from my experience,are more likely to be controlled substance users.

Finally, is there anything relevant that you wouldlike to add?Craig: Study the Bible and if you have a question about it,ask.

SPOTLIGHT


he large-scale production of cannabis is get-ting to be more and more of a mainstreambusiness than ever before. As such, there areall kinds of tools and equipment that arebeing used by the farmers who produce these

huge crops, and not all of them are very good. Some ofthe main tools being used are called trimming machines,and there are a variety of them. One of the best machineson the market today is called the Twister, and we recent-ly got a crash course in how it works. We also got achance to see something very special and, for a cannabislover, one of the ultimate dream experiences.

To understand what goes into the large-scale productionand giant plants people are growing, a person really needsto take a look at what goes into the harvest of medicalmarijuana. Cannabis can be a medicine for many people,but the health aspects of this plant are often debated. Thefunny thing about the cannabis industry is the lack ofinformation and education for and from many of the topproviders. There are many things that go into growingcannabis in a healthy way so it can be used properly as amedicine. One of the popular topics in growing cannabisis organic growing and one of the legendary places isHumboldt, California, where thousands of pounds aregrown outdoors organically every year. We had thechance to go visit one of the legendary growers,Humboldt Local, and he had all kinds of excellent infor-mation for us and showed us how they use the Twister toharvest their legal medicinal grow.

First thing, we drove up from Los Angeles, and let me tellyou, it is a long, long drive. There are a couple of greatmoments where you go past a number of famouscannabis destinations, like San Francisco and Oaklandfirst, then places like Ukiah and Mendocino. After about11 hours or so, we finally arrived in the tiny little town ofGarberville, in southern Humboldt. After a small walkaround town, even an outsider can tell this is cannabiscountry; there are all kinds of healthy places to eat and, ofcourse, a hemp store. People even seemed to be talkingabout cannabis everywhere we went; it was just like allthe stories I had heard and seen in movies. This place wasthe real deal.

The next morning, I had breakfast with Humboldt Local

and his family. It was great talking with them and sharinggood food. He took me out to the shop, where he got hismachine, and we took a long and twisty drive into thehills to find the farm I would be visiting. It was amazing.There were no signs of anything until after we drove rightup to the house. There we found a small garden with hugecannabis trees growing in 300-gallon smart pots. Thesewere serious plants — the biggest I had ever seen.Surrounded by forest and lush plant life, these trees wereall in line and had two layers of support, a metal cage onthe inside and PVC pipe with netting on the outside. Theplants were amazing and looked so delicious and healthy.It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seenand probably will ever see. My heart swelled with joy andexcitement for these lovely ladies.

Later, they showed me how they harvest the plants andhow they use the Twister to trim massive amounts eachday. It truly is an amazing place, and their system works.They have one set of workers cutting the plants down sothey can drop them in the machine. From there theybounce around and get trimmed up to a good point, thenfall out the other end. After that, another group of work-ers pick up the boxes of trimmed buds and touch them upto make them real nice looking. In a side-by-side compar-ison, it is tough to determine the difference between ahand-trimmed and a machine-trimmed bud.

We had another friend try the machine with indoorplants, and he had a bit of trouble. The machine is pow-erful and the buds need to have some weight to them.Buds that were odd sizes and with any foxtailing didn’ttrim well in the machine. It was far more effective withbig, round buds, from small marble size to, say, baseballsize. The bigger and rounder, the better it works in themachine. Also, if you trim wet, you will have many fewerproblems doing the curing and drying, etc. However, ifyou trim dry, then this will be a big change for you, andthe process may take you a couple of tries before you arehappy with the final result. It can be very different.

Treating Yourself takes a look at TheTwister

T

TY SPOTLIGHT

by Jeremy NorrieTreatingYourself.comFutureofFighting.comRLDDVD.com


Joey from Trim Scene Solutions was able to answer someof our questions about the Twister, and the things he hasto tell us are unbelievable.

I know you’re busy with the end of the season com-ing, but thanks for taking the time to talk with mefor the magazine today. I really appreciate it.TSS - My pleasure. I have been a big fan of TreatingYourself magazine and all that you guys have done to raiseawareness of the benefits of medical marijuana.

First, tell me about your company, Trim SceneSolutions. How long have you been around andhow did it all start?TSS - Growing up here in Humboldt County and thefamed Emerald Triangle, I had always been around themedical marijuana industry and knew of the many needsof the medical growers. I saw that there were manyproducts that local grow stores would not carry becausethey refused to acknowledge the medical marijuana indus-try. I started Trim Scene Solutions in early 2009 to cater tothe medical growing community that felt their needs werebeing ignored by the conventional grow stores.

What kind of products and services do you provide?TSS - We specialize in trimming machines and products tohelp make your harvesting and processing easier. We carrybubble bags, scissors, kief tumblers, dry racks, hydraulicpresses, scales, bagging machines, and a whole lot more.We have a huge selection of trimmers as well as a very suc-cessful trimmer rental program. Customers like to rent atrimmer to see the results themselves before buying."Seeing is believing," we like to say.

Can you tell me a little about how you came to dis-cover the Twister and the company that manufac-tures it?TSS - The first trim machines made their way to NorthernCalifornia about a decade ago. They were far from thegodsend they were being touted as. For the next eightyears, many were tried, and most were left collecting dustin the shed. In late 2008, I came across what was called arotary-style trimming machine. I took a chance and boughtone to try on some medical crops that were being grownby a local collective. I could see the potential in this style ofmachine, but the craftsmanship and customer service from

that model were lacking. Some months later I got myhands on the Twister and found it had addressed so manyof the problems I had seen with the other rotary trimmers.It was a game changer. I saw that this product could real-ly help the local medical growers bring down costs, makeharvest safer by using less workers, and get through theirharvest quicker. I forged a great relationship with the com-pany and became North America's first Twister dealer andservice center.

I know this is a somewhat complicated question, butwhat are some of the main advantages your cus-tomers have reported when using the Twister ingeneral? Basically, how does it work?TSS - All trimming machines work best with freshly har-vested material. Remove the large fan leaves, take theflowers off the stem, and toss them in the hopper. The vac-uum pulls the leaves into the blades, and as the flowers rollthrough the tumbler, excess leaf is cut off. Throw thetrimmed flowers on a dry rack, and they are done. Somelooser, leafier strains may require a little touch-up by hand,but most won’t. Many collectives love the Twister becausethey can process their crops faster, with a smaller crew,and with less hands touching and damaging their medi-cine.


Have you found the Twister to have any advan-tages over other similar products or other trim-ming tools currently on the market?TSS - The Twister has many advantages over similar-stylemachines. Besides offering the tightest trim job of alltrimmers, it is the only rotary-style trimmer with self-sharpening blades. Other rotary trimmers require manu-al blade sharpening every couple of days. It can be dan-gerous and slow down your production. The entireTwister is also completely waterproof, so you can pres-sure-wash it when it gets dirty and it will look good asnew. They are also built incredibly strong. One of our cus-tomers had his fall out of the back of his truck on thehighway at 70 mph. He brought it in to get a new axleand wheel and he was back in business.

Do you carry any other products that our readersmight be interested in?TSS - One of our most popular items is a baggingmachine that is made in Italy, the MVS 45. It sucks all ofthe oxygen out of your bags and then injects them withnitrogen, without crushing your medicine. It keeps yourharvest fresh for very long-term storage. Collectives lovethis machine because they can store their medicine har-vested in the fall, and when they open the bags the fol-lowing summer for their patients, they still look and smellas fresh as the day they were bagged.

How can people find out the latest informationabout the Twister or any of your other products?TSS - By visiting our Web site at www.trimscene.com,emailing us at [email protected], or calling us at (707)923-9319.

Thanks for your time, andI wish you the best in thefuture. Anything newcoming up you mightwant to talk about?TSS - In early 2011, we moved into our new, larger store.To better serve Humboldt's medical cannabis community,we are now adding a head shop to Trim Scene Solutionsto showcase some of the amazing glass smoke ware madeby some of our very talented local glass artists. We will alsobe carrying the latest in vaporizers, water pipes, papers,and more. Please come by and visit us if you are in thefamous Emerald Triangle.

Make sure you all catch up with us again next time. Ifyou grow huge amounts of medicine, this is a must-haveproduct for you. Maybe you have been thinking aboutsome way to cut down on your trim time or number oftrimmers, and this will help you find what you need.

Next issue, we will talk about more cannabis-relatednews. If you enjoy these articles, follow me@Professor420 on Twitter for more personal stories andbehind-the-scenes details and pictures from my articles,including things that don't make it into the magazine,and get them as they happen live. Also, don’t forget tocheck out www.FutureofFighting.com to bet on fightsand get the latest news about UFC and other mixed mar-tial arts. Also, go to www.RLDDVD.com for the verybest DVD about Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Takeit easy, have fun, don’t believe the hype! Find successand make it work for you. Good luck.

SPOTLIGHT


TY SPOTLIGHT

How powerful a tool is art com-bined with activism? Do you findthat art and activism are a powerfulweapon in the war to change peo-ple’s perception of the evil weed? Jean: Very much so. My art has always cel-ebrated the beauty and grace of this fineherb, and people are surprised by my col-orful images. I've been entering marijuanaportraits into various county fairs andshows over the last 13 years, and mostwere placed where everyday people sawmarijuana as art for the first time. Fairsand art shows in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Santa Cruz, San Jose,and now various venues in Mendocino County havealmost always taken the high road and displayed themwithout prejudice. Even the California State Fair hung mypiece “The Sink in WAMM’s Garden” prominently in themain rotunda. I was allowed to have a framed statementnext to it explaining the WAMM philosophy (Wo/men’sAlliance for Medical Marijuana in Santa Cruz) that treatspatients like family, and had worked out a method toexchange medicine for labor in the garden. Thousands offairgoers read about our success. Comments from view-ers were very positive.

How do you feel about theuse of recreational marijua-na, in addition to the use ofmedical marijuana. Should itbe legalized altogether? Jean: My views have changedover the years, especially sincecoming from the cocoon of myexperience with WAMM. I wouldlike legalization to be seen as anopportunity to legitimize and sup-port small growers, allowingthem to be some of the employ-

ers this country needs. I’m all for having an age restriction,and children need to be taught respect for use, but it’soutrageous that alcohol is legal and marijuana is not.

When my husband, George, and I joined WAMM in1998, the founder, Valerie Corral, had strict rules in place.It wasn’t for nothing that it was called the gold standardof medical marijuana organizations. Medical marijuanawas respected, and all the rules were followed. If anyonewas caught selling, they were not given a second chance.Medicine was distributed free to our members, and mostworked in the community garden to provide it. WAMM

The Marijuana Art Attack

By Mike Marino

Jean HanamotoAn Interview with

What happens when you take medical marijuana, place it in sociologi-cal Mixmaster, and add a brilliant dash of daring art and ardentactivism? Simple. Beautiful creations of marijuana art, bursting fromthe creative womb of imagination and the everyday realities that com-bine to compose the artistic world of Jean Hanamoto and her husband,George. In April 1998, George was able to get a recommendation fromhis doctor to use marijuana for his glaucoma, and he joined WAMM(Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medicinal Marijuana), a patients’ co-op inSanta Cruz, California. Her art has been inspired by all the wonderful,generous, kind, and concerned people in this group that are workingtogether to grow and give away this potent herb as medicine.

I recently had the opportunity to interview this fantastic artist about her life, her husband, George, and the problemsfacing those in the medical marijuana community. She explained her love of life, her art, and the fact that on the frontof medical marijuana use, the war isn’t over yet.


Spotlight on Jean Hanamoto

believed in medical marijuana only, and had no tolerancefor anything other than that narrow group. The patientwas the point.

Moving north to Mendocino County five years agochanged my outlook, but it took some time. I had beenWAMM-educated to believe strongly that to respect mar-ijuana, it must be used as medicine. Also, that no oneshould make money from growing it. That was a practicalattitude in Santa Cruz in those days. We were trying tomake it legitimate, and strict rules helped, but here inMendocino many people depend on their small marijua-na crops to provide them with a living. They considerthemselves farmers, and want to have as much right togrow their crop as the vintners in the same area. I haveseen the light. This does not excuse the plunderers thatgrow on and ruin state and national parks, or other peo-ple’s property. Uncaring workers growing thousands ofmarijuana plants without love or respect for the herb orthe earth makes me sad. Seeing corporations take overwould give me much the same feeling. If I had my way, itwould stay a boutique business. That quality advantagewill always be with the small growers in the EmeraldTriangle.

Do you find that there is an appreciation for yourart outside of the marijuana camp? Has your artin some way fostered an appreciation for themedicinal uses of the herb by those who mayhave been on the fence?Jean: I’ve had many opportunities to talk seriously to indi-viduals and groups about medical marijuana. I know fromfeedback that I’ve had a positive impact on countless non-smokers, many that came to me through my art. City andcounty fairs are usually not a showcase for outside-the-mainstream ideas, but I have been surprised by their will-ingness to overlook the fact that my subject matter is mar-ijuana. Not only have I been awarded a number of first-place ribbons over the years, but most of the time my

work has been displayed on prominent, well-lightedwalls. Not always, but almost. I find that MendocinoCounty is a little more sensitive about the impropriety ofusing cannabis in this way. It’s a different outlook than thebigger cities to the south, where art is defended abovecontent. Here, they are more open about marijuana inmany ways, and dependent on it to keep the countytogether financially, but horrified by it at the same time.Very schizophrenic.

Tell me more about the garden, how it started,and how it grew and involved others in the med-ical marijuana community. Jean: When Valerie organized WAMM in the early ’90s,she was struggling with epilepsy and had discovered whata difference smoking marijuana made vs. the heavy drugsshe was receiving from her doctor. She decided she want-ed to start a garden for herself and some friends, mostlyones dealing with AIDS at a time when there was very lit-tle help for them. The garden came first because she didnot want to buy or sell what she considered medicine.With help from her husband, Mike, she and the othermembers raised their first crop. It was decided that afterthe harvest, WAMM would have regular meetings anddistribute to each member their weekly share of thebounty. No one was charged, but they all made a prom-ise that either they or their caregivers were to help in thegarden. We could only grow for a limited number ofpatients (350 at its peak, but sadly, places opened up reg-ularly). Donations were encouraged and appreciated.Having a long waiting list for membership made everyonegrateful for what we had, and regular weekly meetingskept us informed about which of our family needed aphone call, a visit, a ride, or help in other areas of theirlives. Our membership ran from business executives to theout-of-work and homeless.

When we joined WAMM, the garden was so secret thatonly proven members were allowed on the property.

Jean HanamotoMarijuana art, posters, and graphics http://www.marijuana-art.comMarijuana camouflage tees and tanks http://www.camomoto.com


When we finally were given permis-sion to see it, it was a revelation.We’d never seen such a beautifulgarden, and George was there everyweek after that until he became gar-den coordinator. Then it was three tofour times a week from Morgan Hill,an hour-long trip. He loved it and did itfor our last three years in the area. Hewas there at 7:00AM to open the gateto our working members, decidingwhat needed doing and getting every-one doing what was needed. It was apeaceful, sacred place, even more soafter several of our long-time members hadtheir ashes scattered in that beautiful setting.The sunsets over the ocean were spectacular,adding glorious color to this gorgeous, bucol-ic scene.

George has always loved growing things, butnothing ever fascinated him like growingmarijuana. When his family was moved backto California from the Topaz, Utah, internment campafter WWII, they were given housing and jobs share-cropping strawberries for Driscoll Farms. George spenthis boyhood working in the fields, with time left forschool, but not much else. Baseball was out of the ques-tion. Even so, farming is in his blood, and marijuanafarming was most fulfilling. Not only could he spendquality time with equally hard-working and dedicatedfriends, he felt he was helping as many people as possi-ble. It’s a joy to watch these plants grow to maturity, tolearn about how to make them better each year, to seepatients at meetings and to know we’ve helped withtheir everyday lives and their pain. It’s a great reward.Belonging to a group with that much integrity was anhonor.

Do you consider yourself a crusader, and how doyou define your role as one? Jean: Crusader? Hmmm. If crusading means putting myart into what was considered entirely inappropriate ven-ues, or creating an art Web site 13 years ago that wasopenly one of the few (or possibly the only one — Isearched!) displaying marijuana art by a marijuana artist,or just being persistent in my calling without being intim-idated, then I guess it’s yes. I feel so strongly about themedical part of the equation, and am so very fond of therecreational part, that I can’t very well deny being anadvocate. I want people to see my work and know thatthere is more than one school of thought, more than oneprominent lifestyle out here in marijuana-land. I don’tdeal with gangs, or guns, or any kind of organized crime.I don’t grow on other people’s property. I’m not out tomake a million dollars. I don’t disturb my neighbors. I justwant to have my small garden and not have to worry

about evil-minded trespassers, or the law. I lovethe look, the smell, the taste of marijuana, andeven the sticky feel. It’s a miraculous plant. This isreality for hundreds of thousands of smokers inthe US, and we’re just overlooked because we’reno trouble at all.

Tell me more about George the GardenerMan and his garden projects. George hasto be the guiding light in your art, and

he must give it a foundation thatdrives you and gives you strength. Jean: George has indeed been the light of mylife for 25 years. Without his love, I would nothave had the freedom to be the person I’vebecome. We had a small repair shop whenwe were first married called George the TVMan, along with my business, ArtworksFrame & Gallery, in the tiny town of SanMartin (for an article, the local newspapercalled us Magnavox and Magnolias, we weresuch an odd pair. I was painting flowers then).When we joined WAMM, he just naturally

became George the Gardener Man. When he was firstdiagnosed with glaucoma, George was the one who verymuch wanted to be legal, and we met Valerie when wecame to Santa Cruz for their then-annual HempFest. Shewas a speaker that day, and we waited to talk to herafterward. She was so encouraging, and invited us tovisit a WAMM meeting the next week, knowing we wereenthusiastic and motivated. Our bond was immediate.

Being hired as garden coordinator for WAMM for the lastthree years before we moved was such a great pleasurefor George. You would never know that he was close to70 at that time. He worked as hard as anyone 40 yearsyounger, and the work and marijuana kept him young. Heloves to experiment with cross-pollination and growingmethods, soil, and fertilizers, happy in his owncannabisian world. At 76, he should be able to be safeand secure. He should not have to worry about the lawsaying he is wrong in any way for using marijuana for hisglaucoma, high blood pressure, arthritis pain, andappetite. With health care so expensive and pharmaceu-ticals that create so many side effects, the calming painand nausea-reducing effects of marijuana would replacemany more dangerous drugs. Think that’s a big reasonwhy it’s still illegal?

I read too that you mentioned something about aDEA bust. Was this a personal bust? Jean: That was the infamous DEA raid on the WAMMgarden on Sept. 5, 2002. WAMM was well known andtrusted by both the city and county of Santa Cruz, evenlisted in the Yellow Pages, which was unheard of then.We had their 100-percent approval and cooperation.WAMM was, after all, a group that was helping very sick

SPOTLIGHT


and dying people in a totally nonprofit way. We were con-ducting research not done anywhere else in the US, fillingout surveys every week for months to gather vital statis-tics for medical studies. We took care of our members’needs over and above providing them with their weeklysupply of medicine, with patients able to get help withservices, housing, and personal necessities.

Neither city nor county law officials were informed beforethe DEA conducted the bust. The federal governmentknew the situation and went over the heads of the entirelocal government to prevent them from objecting. WhenGeorge and I got there that morning after rushing fromour home in Morgan Hill, they were already up the hill inthe garden. We could hear the chainsaws destroying ourlife’s blood and imagined those booted feet trampling thefertile ground sprinkled with the ashes of our friends. Thebig gate at the bottom of the hill was closed, and a police-man was watching us, but we decided we would lock thegate behind them. When they came down with three bigU-Hauls full of our precious harvest, we peacefullydeclined to take off the padlock, so they had to call thelocal sheriff’s dept. to rescue them from all the sick peo-ple. This is the same sheriff that they bypassed to get tous, so he was not too happy with them. He negotiatedwith us to get Valerie and Mike back from a holding cellin San Jose in exchange for letting the U-Hauls and black-glassed SUVs off of WAMM’s property. He refused to dis-perse any of the WAMM members, allowing us all to goup and inspect the damage. It was a crime scene. It wasdevastating. Our almost-ready-to-harvest year’s supply forover 300 members was nothing but a few broken stems.People were overcome with grief at the sight of thedestruction. It was a crushing blow to George, and he satthere in the garden for a long time just mourning the loss.

They didn’t get everything. By the next week, we hadarranged to distribute marijuana to our members on thesteps of Santa Cruz City Hall. In front of a crowd of closeto 1,000 people, including the mayor, the city council, andnumerous news vans, we were able to give each memberhis or her weekly share out of our remaining stores. Itmade the national news plus the BBC. It gave us theopportunity to explain how we were conducting our-selves, and Valerie is always eloquent.

What do want your art to say to people? What isthe one message you want to get across to othersas a crusader and as an artist? Jean: Don’t be afraid! For those who use it and still feel badbecause it’s always been that way, or for people that don’tuse it and only know what they hear about the money andviolence, there’s a very large other side. Marijuana is abeautiful, wildly useful herb that has benefited humanbeings for thousands of years without harming anyone.The most dangerous thing about it are laws that ban andpunish and lie. This will change. Don’t be afraid!

Any thoughts on your feelings toward how thefederal government stands on medical marijuana? Jean: If the federal government had any compassion orcourage, it would take marijuana off Schedule I. Why dothey still pretend that it has no medical value? Are theycompletely blind to the truth? Apparently. George and Ihave found Mendocino County to be a wonderful place tolive, but because of a backlash to destructive growers inthe parks and forests, the sheriff and police are not reallyon our side. They have a hard time realizing that smokersare not automatically bad guys. Federal law says it’s stillfelonious to have and grow marijuana, even if Californiansvote to legalize it in November. It has to be handled at thefederal level.

You obviously know a lot of people with seriousillnesses, such as AIDS, cancer, MS, and what Ihave, extremely high blood pressure. You haveshared the joys of their lives, but there must havebeen losses too of lives to those around you thatmade up your family. Does your art help elevatepersonal pain when you experience these losses?Is your art therapy for you as well as an artisticoutlet?Jean: As WAMM’s photographer/ historian/artist for sevenyears, I recorded all of our activities — from softballgames and celebrations to hospitals and memorials. Toomany memorials. WAMM taught us so much aboutdying. My photographic images were a record of thegood times and bad, and I created albums and albums ofmemories that are WAMM’s forever. Sorrowful as it wasto lose another friend, we always had a portrait of the joy-ful times to look back on. Lots of sweet summer days inthe garden, and people shown at their finest and mostgenerous. My art flourished because of my family atWAMM, and those days were some of the best in my life. Joining WAMM was a life-changing decision for Georgeand me. We put every ounce of energy we had into sup-porting our patients and caregivers, and in spreadingideas about sharing without selling, and working togeth-er to make every day better for our family members. Wewere always lacking in funds, and that hasn’t changed.Trying to come up with ideas to pay for the hall rental anda tiny office was a group project. I designed many a T-shirtand organized some wonderful craft days for members tocome in and use their artistic abilities to make somethingbeautiful. Our garage sales and WAMMfest, the annualevent that my wonderful husband started about eightyears back, continue to this day. It’s a successful show ofwhat medical marijuana is about, and this family-friendlyevent is meant to change minds and hearts.

I love my job! I’ve always been adamant that art is free tobe bold and ahead of its time. My art is legal everywhere,and I’ve fought to remind people that that’s the case.Don’t tell me no. I’m so stubborn! Hahaha!

Spotlight on Jean Hanamoto

Sensi Star - Paradise Seeds

DNA/ RESERVA PRIVADAFEMINIZED PACKS OF 6

60 Day Wonder Autoflower$83.00C13 Haze $60.00Cannadential $75.00Chocolope $90.00Connie Chung $83.00Hashplant Haze $60.00Kushberry $75.00LA Confidential $90.00LA Woman $90.00Lemon Skunk $60.00ReCon $83.00Rocklock $60.00Sharksbreath ‘09 $60.00Sleestack $90.00Sour Cream $60.00Sweet Haze $60.00Cole Train $75.00Confidential Cheese $75.00Kandy Kush $90.00OG Kush $105.00R.K.S. $60.00Silver Bubble $60.00Sour Kush $105.00The OG #18 $105.00Tora Bora $90.00

FINEST MEDICINAL SEEDSFEMINIZED INDICA PACKS OF 5

Citrus Skunk $75.00Medifemss $75.00Medi Kush $75.00Peace Maker $75.00Skunk NL $75.00White Rhino $75.00White Widow $75.00

FEMINIZED SATIVA PACKS OF 5

Amnesia Haze $95.00G13 $95.00NL 5 Haze $95.00

CASH CROP KENREGULAR PACKS OF 10

Kenny's Mix Mostly Indica $30.00 Jas Bud Kish x Burmese $45.00 Kish x Juicy Fruit $45.00 OG Nukush $45.00 Posh Kish x Honey Pot Kush $45.00 Purple Nukush $45.00Nuken x Purple Kush $45.00 Rene x Nuken $45.00 Watermelon x Nuken $45.00 White Widow x Nuken$45.00 Bubba Kush X Nuken $45.00Mental Floss X Nuken $45.00Kish $75.00Nuken $75.00

DINAFEM SEEDSFEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

White Widow $75.00Shark Attack $50.00Moby Dick $83.00Blue Widow $60.00Blue Hash $66.00California Hash Plant $72.00Moby Hash $74.00Power Kush $53.00Critical+ $68.00Diesel $48.00Blue Fruit $53.00Industrial Plant $74.00Original Amnesia NEW $65.00Cheese $53.00White Siberian $50.00Moby Dick #2 $71.00Critical Jack $56.00Cloud #9 $45.00Sweet Deep Grapefruit $48.00

AUTOFLOWERING FEMINIZED PACKS of 5

Fruit $45.00Haze $60.00Critical+ $60.00Roadrunner $60.00Roadrunner#2 $54.00Critical Jack NEW $56.00

BARNEYS FARMREGULAR PACKS OF 10

Sweet Tooth $69.00Violator Kush $78.00Morning Glory $62.00Laughing Buddha $78.00

AUTOFLOWERING FEMINIZED PACKS of 5

Little Cheese $39.00Pineapple Express $41.00

FEMINIZED PACKS of 5

Tangerine Dream $59.00Pineapple Chunk $51.00Vanilla Kush $54.00Acapulco Gold $51.00Dr. Grinspoon $59.00Phatt Fruity $42.00Red Diesel $59.00Sweet Tooth $57.00Violator Kush $57.00L.S.D. $56.00Red Dragon $56.00Amnesia Lemon $56.00Utopia $63.00Morning Glory $57.00Laughing Buddha $57.00Night Shade $56.00G13 Haze $59.00Honey B $48.00Crimea Blue $41.00Red Cherry Berry $42.00Blue Cheese $51.00Top Dawg $44.008 Ball Kush $44.00

BC BUD DEPOTREGULAR PACKS OF 12

BC God Bud $105The Purps $105BC Mango $90BC Blueberry $90BC Sweet Tooth $90BC Sweet God $90The Black $90Texada Timewarp $90BC Pine Warp $90Purple Buddha $75Burmese $75Jack Herer Feminized $150

BUDDHA SEEDSFEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

White Dwarf $60.00Red Dwarf $45.00Deimos $60.00Syrup $55.00Quasar $70.00Pulsar $70.00


Peacemaker- FMS Seeds

Industrial Plant - Dinafem Seeds

LA Confidential - DNA seedbank

GREEN HOUSE SEED CO.FEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

Big Bang $30.00The Church $35.00A.M.S $35.00Kalashnikova $35.00Super Bud $35.00Excodus Cheese $35.00Lady Burn 1974 $38.00Arjan's Haze #3 $38.00Lemon Skunk $38.00Greenhouse Thai $38.00Diamond Girl $38.00Cheese $42.00Pure Kush $42.00Himalaya Gold $48.00Moby Dick $48.00Trainwreck $48.00NL5 $48.00Alaskan Ice $48.00King's Kush $48.00Chemdog $48.00Jack Herer $48.00Super Critical $48.00K-Train $52.00Bubba Kush $52.00Kaia Kush $52.00Damns Sour $52.00White Widow $55.00White Rhino $55.00Great White Shark $55.00El Nino $55.00Super Silver Haze $62.00Nevill's Haze $62.00Hawaiian Snow $62.00Arjan's Haze #1 $62.00Arjan's Haze #2 $62.00Arjan's Ultra Haze #1 $62.00Arjan's Ultra Haze #2 $62.00Arjan's Strawberry Haze$62.00Super Lemon Haze $68.00autoflowering strains

Big Bang Autoflowering$48.00Green-o-Matic $48.00Super Critical Auto $60.00mix packs

Sat/Ind mix A $48.00Sat/Ind mix B $48.00Sat/Ind mix C $48.00Sat/Ind mix D $48.00Indica mix E $48.00Indica mix F $48.00Indica mix G $48.00Indica mix H $48.00Indica mix I $48.00Black & White $48.00Rasta K $48.00Sativa Mix $52.00

Wholesale enquiries welcome [email protected] or call: (403) 265 6674

Catering to the needs of licensed growers across Canada.

KANNABIAFEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

Afrodite $44.00Big band $44.00Citrus $44.00Kannabia special $44.00 La blanca $44.00La reina de africa $44.00Mataro blue $44.00Original berry $44.00Power skunk $44.00Smile $44.00Thai fantasy $44.00White domina $44.00Queso $44.00 Afrodite auto $44.00Big band auto $44.00Bcn diesel auto $44.00Kannabia special auto $44.00La blanca auto $44.00Mataro blue auto $44.00Power skunk auto $44.00Smile auto $44.00Thai fantasy auto $44.00White domina auto $44.00Flash auto $44.00Gnomo auto $44.00

MR NICEREGULAR PACKS OF 15

Afghan Haze $102.00ASH Afghan Skunk x Afghan Haze $86.00Black Widow $102.00Critical Haze $120.00Critical Mass $102.00Critical Skunk $86.00Devil $86.00Dreamtime $53.00Early Queen $68.00Early Queen x Afghan Haze$102.00Early Skunk Haze $120.00Early Skunk $86.00G13 x Haze $120.00G13 x Skunk $86.00G13 x Widow $102.00La Nina $120.00Angel Heart $102.00MangoHazex Afghan Skunk

Mango Haze $173.00Angel`s Breathe $120.00Mango Haze x Afghan Haze

Mango x Widow $102.00M.Kush x Afghan Haze$102.00M.Kush x Skunk $86.00Medicine Man $120.00Neville’s Haze $173.00Neville’s Haze x Mango $102.00Neville`s Skunk) $102.00Neville's Haze x Afghan Skunk

NL5 x Haze $120.00NL5 xAfghan $86.00NL5x Skunk $86.00N.H.S NLx Haze/ Skunk $102.00Ortega $102.00Shark Shock $86.00Shit $53.00Skunk Haze $120.00Spice $86.00Super silver Haze $173.00Walkabout $35.00pink Flyod $102.00U2 $102.00The Stones $102.00The Cure $102.00The Doors $102.00

NEXT GENERATIONREGULAR PACKS OF 10

Diablo $80.00Grape Fruit Haze $80.00 Medicine $80.00Romulan Diesel $80.00 Romulan Haze $80.00 Avalon $80.00 Blue Dynamite $80.00 Bonkers $80.00 Dynamite $80.00 Grape Fruit Kush $80.00 Island Sweet Skunk $80.00 Romulan $80.00Romulan Max $80.00 Romulan x Hash Plant$80.00 Romulan x Time Warp$80.00 Time Warp $80.00FEMINIZED PACKS OF 10

Grapefruit Diesel $140.00

NIRVANARegular Packs Contain 10 Seeds Feminized Packs Contain 5 Seeds

Aurora Indica R$30/ F$38Bubblelicious R$30/ F$38Chrystal R$30/ F$38ICE R$30/ F$38Indoor Mix R$30/ F$38Medusa R$30/ F$38Papaya R$30/ F$38Snow White R$30/ F$38White Castle R$30/ F$38White Rhino R$30/ F$38White Widow R$30/ F$38

PARADISEFEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

Dutch Dragon $60.00Sensi Star $90.00Nebula $75.00Magic Bud $45.00Opium $75.00Sweet Purpleoetnik#1$60.00Wappa $45.00Ice Cream $75.00Jacky White $75.00White Berry $75.00Delahaze $75.00Automaria $60.00Acid $75.00Pandora $60.00Lucid Bolt $75.00Vertigo $60.00Alikush $75.00Atomical Haze $90.00Automaria II $60.00COLLECTION PACKS OF 6

Sativa Pack $87.00Indica Pack $87.00

Treating Yourself, Issue 30 - 2011 • 69Photo of seeds: www.stallonedavide.com

Super Lemon Haze - Greenhouse Seeds

Super Silver Haze - Mr. NiceAvalon - Next Generation


THSEEDSREGULAR PACKS OF 10

S.A.G.E $105.00Chocolate Chunk $82.00Mendocino Madness $60.00Heavy Duty Fruity $105.00Bubblegum $135.00Skunk XXX $30.00The Hog $150.00MK-Ultra $140.00Sage 'n Sour $120.00Kushage $105.00Burmese Kush $110.00Da Purps $90.00A-Train $105.00Wreckage $90.00Lambo $120.00Darkstar $125.00Skunkage $45.00Cold Creed Kush $120.00**Mkage $120.00

FEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

S.A.G.E $60.00BuKu $60.00MK Ultra $75.00A-Train $60.00Kushage $60.00Sage'n Sour $67.00**Mkage $65.00

TGAREGULAR PACKS OF 10

Agent Orange $105.00Apollo-13 BX $105.00Cheese Quake $105.00Chernobyl $105.00Dairy Queen $105.00Deep Purple $105.00Jack The Ripper $105.00Jack Cleaner 2 $105.00Jilly Bean $105.00Pandora`s Box $105.00Qleaner $105.00Qrazy Train $105.00Querkle $105.00Space Bomb $105.00Space Jill $105.00The 3rd Dimension $105.00The Void $105.00Vortex $105.00The Flav $105.00

THE CALI CONNECTIONREGULAR PACKS OF 10

Tahoe OG $110.00Larry OG $110.00Deadhead OG $110.00Sour OG $110.00Chem3 OG $110.00Chem 4 OG $110.00Chem Valley Kush $110.00Ogiesel $110.00Corleone Kush $110.00Julius Cesar $110.00Blackwater $110.00Jamaican Me Crazy $110.00Jamaican OG $110.00Jamaican D $110.00Chem 4 $110.00Hazey OG $110.00Purple Diesel $110.00Regulator Kush $110.00

RESIN SEEDSFEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

Cannatonic $85.00Sour P $85.00Critical Haze $60.00

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDSFEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

Ice $52.00White Widow $45.00Fruit Spirit $52.00Power Flower $52.00Shining SIlver Haze $52.00Amnesia Haze $60.00Blue Mistic $45.00Northern Light $52.00Skunk #1 $45.00Critical $52.00Indoor Mix $45.00Outdoor Mix $45.00Special Kush #1 $20.00Special Queen #1 $21.00Royal Cheese $52.00Royal Moby $79.00

AUTOFLOWERING FEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

Royal Dwarf $38.00Easy Bud $41.00Quick One $45.00Royal Automatic $49.00

SERIOUS SEEDSREGULAR PACKS OF 11

AK47 $120.00Bubble Gum $105.00Chronic $105.00Kali Mist $120.00White Russian $105.00

FEMINIZED PACKS OF 5

AK47 $120.00Chronic $105.00White Russian $105.00

SOMAREGULAR PACKS OF 10

Amnesia Haze Regular $195.00 Buddha’s Sister $120.00Sogouda $150.00Lavender $120.00Kushadelic $150.00NYC Diesel $195.00 Somantra $150.00FEMINIZED PACKS OF 10

Hash Heaven $195.00 NYC Diesel $210.00Lavender $150.00

Cannatonic- Resin Seeds

Lavender - Soma Seeds

Chronic - Serious Seeds

MK Ultrawreck - THSeeds

Querkle - TGA

Wholesale enquiries [email protected] or call: (403) 265 6674

AlbertaHemp Roots2827 14 Street S.W.Calgary, AlbertaT2T 3V3T: (403) 313−7939

Two Guys With PipesWest Edmonton Mall#1400, 8882 − 170 StreetEdmonton, AlbertaT5T 4M2T: (780) 716−6420

B.C.The Lemonade Stand268 Tranquille RoadKamloops, B.C.V2B 3G3T: 1−877−420 −1116

Vancouver Seed Bank872 East Hastings St,Vancouver B.C.V6A 4A4T: (778) 329−1930

West Coast Hemp3473 − 3rd AvenuePort Albernie, BC V9Y 4E4Tel: (250) 287−5086

QuebecDuc of Amsterdam2080 B St−DenisMontreal, QuebecH2X 3K7T: (514)842−9562

High Times1044 Blvd. Deslaurntides Laval, QuebecH7G 2W1T: (450)975−2666

1387 St−Catherine WestMontreal, QuebecH3G 1R1T: (514)849−4446

Psychonaut154 Prince Arthur E.Montreal, QuebecH2X 1B7T: (514) 844−8998

SaskatchewanVintage Vinyl2335 11th AvenueRegina , SaskatchewanS4P 0 K2T: 306 347 3111

Head to Head Novelties2923 Dewdney AvenueRegina , SaskatchewanS4T 0Y1T:(306)525−6937Toll Free: 1−877−H2H−4646 /(424−4646)

Ontario420 Kingston728 Princess St.Kingston, ONK7L 1G2(613) 766−8184

Chiba Hut9699 Jane St. Unit 18Vaughan, Ontario L6A 0A4Tel: (416) 272−1314

Crosstown Traffic593 C Bank StOttawa, OntarioK1S 3T4T: (613) 234−1210

396 Athlone Ave.Ottawa, OntarioK1Z 5M5T: (613) 728−4800

GTA Seed Bank4675 Steeles Avenue East, Unit 2A21Scarborough, OntarioM1V 0B7T: (416) 609−9559

Happy Girl Hydroponics219 Augusta AveToronto, OntarioM5T 2L4T: (416) 833−8325

Hemp Country 475 Dundas StreetWoodstock , OntarioN4S 1C2 T: 519 913 1153

Kushh3768 Bathurst Street, Suite 202North York, OntarioM3H 3M7(416) 633 KUSH (5874)www.kushh.ca

Planetary Pride372 Queen Street EastSault Ste. Marie , OntarioP6A 1Z1T: 888 215 8970Sacred Seed2A Dundonald StreetToronto, Ontario M4Y1K2T: (416) 928−6811

Smoke Signals1751A Bath Road, Kingston, ON, K7M4Y1 T: (613) 384−3232

346A Princess Street, Kingston, ON, K7L1B6T: (613) 549−3669

155 Montreal Road, Cornwall, ON, K6H1B2 T: (613) 932−8469

600 Rideau Street,Ottawa, ON, K1N6A2 T: (613) 241−6491

990 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, ON, K1Y2X8 T: (613) 722−4361

The Altered Native172 BroadwayUnit 1Orangeville, OntarioT: (519) 942−2828

134 Guelph StreetUnit 1Georgetown, OntarioT: (905) 877−7884

The Different Strokes Company95 King Street NorthUptown Waterloo, OntarioT: (519) 746−1500

Where Heads Meet .ca162 Ottawa ST NHamilton, OntarioL8H 3Z3T:(905)548 6338

Medical Marijuana Seed Wholesaler Distributors


Japan to build even one Nuclear power plant! It wouldseem a little bit of an oxymoron to even call it NuclearTechnology nowadays, since implying technology meansyou understand the workings of it before going on withit! We cannot claim to understand a lot of what we haveallowed to go on in this planet nor can I personallyunderstand what they all mean when they talk aboutcheap and clean and un-polluting power sources? Thismistake has been made several times already and seemsto be getting worse each time. Not what one wouldexpect if one learnt from one`s mistakes! Japan is melt-ing down not in one reactor but three, while Chernobylwas only one reactor…so isn`t it time to come clean and

hey call themselves Humans and inhab-it the planet called Earth. This is aspecies that considers itself superior tothe laws of Mother Nature andEvolution. Their actions and relation toraw materials found on Earth seem topoint them in line with a party inter-

ested in profit-taking with little or no thought to the con-sequences it is causing to the living entity of a planet.`

Can you imagine how an Alien would view us, if they wereto arrive tomorrow?

In the past year alone, at a time where computers, technol-ogy and advances in scientific research dominants, the twobiggest and most economically advanced nations of theworld could not deal with two manmade epic disastersthey have inflicted on the world.

America could not shut off petroleum they tapped for theirenergy needs in their back yard, and Japan is melting downas we speak polluting the entire world with radioactivity.From countries that had back up measures installed for thehighly unlikely and the most improbable situations…withseveral safe guards in place in case one did not work…toprevent world catastrophes like Chernobyl from happen-ing again! We supposedly learnt our lessons and like thedropping of 2 nuclear bombs on the Japanese civilizationin the WW2, man would not forget? So did I miss some-thing someone said, as from where I sit things look prettymeek for the age we are in!There must now be several pertinent questions aimed atthis apparent Nuclear Council who gave the permissionand advice to Japan to allow them to build in a placewhere the tectonic plates are as active as a herd ofElephants ice skating on newly formed ice. I mean even thequestions like Iran`s nuclear program seem off skew to pre-tend authority on, when this council gave the go ahead for

T

Lies normally hurt, but...

The truth is killing us all!

giz

mo

do

.co

the5

kin

ny.

wo

rdp

ress

.co

m

By Shantibaba


stop the lying or at least tell the truth…that no oneknows the consequences!

British Petroleum pumped some outrageous amount ofthick black gunk into the pristine eco system of thewater ways of southern USA contaminating and killingundetermined animal and marine habitats not to men-tion what we do not know got effected. How can weknow what is the consequences of what occurred if ithas never occurred in our history before? How can webelieve these people who make regulations and safe-guards to protect us? How can we spend all this papermoney we are supposedly making from cheap fuelsources when there may not be a habitat left to live on?Basic questions of epic proportions seem to come upfrom a time on Earth where we felt we were all doingok? This leaking crack in the Earths sea crust that manmade to pilfer a natural resource in the name of tax forthe Government and profit for the Heroic companies(who gave us the car), may now be like drowning in ourown bodies with perforated lungs that slowly suck usdry of the richness they once breathed into the corpse weare now peering at.


CULTIVATIONth

eco

min

gcr

isis

.blo

gsp

ot.

com

fzd

aily

.blo

g.c

om

It questions scientific evidence or even the methods webase these developments on, as no one is innocent onEarth. We are all connected and we are all reliant oneach other even if it looks otherwise. So it is not goodenough to point a finger and go back to our little rou-tine lives thinking it did not affect us… it was too faraway. That attitude seems to be limited to governmentsand politicians who are jostling for your vote, not con-cerned people looking after your well being.

Consider that petrol and Nuclear power are only fromthe last 150 years. It does not take a nuclear scientist toknow we have accelerated disrepair and burden on aplanet we apparently love? How did we get so lost andwrong on a road that looked to answer our dreams? Dideverybody involve fall asleep at the wheel of this large

smar

tpre

ss.t

um

blr.

com

automobile? Or did the systems of banking and financedistract us all for a short while? Did we think our bank-ing system would answer our calls and surpass the lawsof Nature? I mean in this moment in time I feel bur-dened with some seriously unanswerable questions,which up until a year ago looked different to me. It doesnot point a good finger at profit or our monetary sys-tem, does it?

Not to rub salt into the wound, but the rest of the worldhas been suffering tsunamis, earth quakes, tornadoes,flooding, fires, a near fatal banking crisis (not to men-tion the French world bank representative who is up onsexual assault charges), and now even football in Europehas its sporting image tainted! The world is hemorrhag-ing big time on all levels and we are all to blame in part,


How to Grow a Medicinal Grade Plant at home

Flash from the past...Chernobyl

alte

rnat

ived

emo

crat

ich

e.w

ord

pre

ss.c

om

eart

hen

d-n

ewb

egin

nin

g.c

om

the risk compared to the gains.

Blind acceptance of our law makers is no longer suffi-cient for me and my 3 kids and wife. I wish to do some-thing positive to help rectify this predicament we are in.I truly believe medical Cannabis use and personal bene-fits without material gains are a better alternative forour future, the one where we leave the world we inhab-it in a better state than wefound it in. The industriessurrounding the Cannabisplant cannot be overlooked any longer. Thelevel of unemploy-ment worldwide iscritical, our CO2emissions are

as we let those rule on all our lives because we trustedwhat they said to be true. The fact is that no one knows,and we are learning by trial and error. The value of eco-nomics does not match anything we received as a conse-quence when it sacrifices all the things money cannotbuy like our fresh air, or clean water and solid ground.We are living a big illusion based on illusionist’s cre-ations and it is leading to a big down fall for us all unlesswe wake up and attack the root causes.

The Manmade laws seem to reflect the wrong valuesand do not consider Mother Nature`s value at all. AsMother Nature`s systems reach tipping point we will allsuffer violently, so it is time to take a stand. We need toknow that our knowledge and technology benefit us andour environment. We also need to be honest in answer-ing questions on things new to us, to gauge if it is worth

CULTIVATION

immense and the need for a green-er future where plants seem tooffer alternatives needs to beseriously addressed. Theuseless incarceration ofpeople of all ages forCannabis serves noone or no country. Inshort we need togrow up and seethe things that arehelping us and thethings that are not.

If we as a specieson Earth in 150years can have suchan impact with ourIndustrial revolution,then we better wake upand smell the coffee,cause at this rate we arecommitting collective-suicide!

I do not pretend to be a politician in

invi

nci

ble

aru

nb

log

spo

t.co

m

my thinking nor ever wish tobe, but my contribution to

the world can be posi-tive and if we all do

this then the worldwill be a betterplace in the end.Striving solelyfor monetarygains mustcease tobecome am o t i v a t i n gfactor. Weneed to put ourplanet first and

its health as pri-ority. Only by

doing the recy-cling and repenting

will we repay! Timeto begin was yesterday,

but we can do it today asit is better to try than never

to have tried!


oil is a living organism made up of billions ofmicrobes and bacteria. The cosmology of soillife is therefore such a vast subject that we canonly really cover the very basics of soil sciencehere in this issue of Treating Yourself.

As highly advanced ecosystems, all healthy soils natural-ly support a variety of quantum beings and microorgan-isms. Most of these soil organisms, as we shall discover,often remain completely invisible to the naked eye, whileothers are more easily observed and recognized. In themajority of cases, most of these soil organisms are total-ly beneficial to plant life and should always be encour-aged in any healthy garden.

Several of the more hardcore soil organisms may, how-ever, be considered garden pests as and when theybecome established. Gardeners therefore aim to discour-age unwanted soil species from reproducing before theycan establish themselves and become totally uncontrol-lable. Telling soil-friendly centipedes from root-destroy-ing millipedes or harmful mushrooms from friendlyfungi isn’t always easy and often involves a keen eye forobservation. The importance in identifying soil speciesbefore applying methods of biological control, therefore,cannot be over-stressed in this article, especially withinthe context of the medicinal herb garden.

SoilMicroorganismsMicroorganisms are anessential ingredient of anysoil or compost. These soilorganisms are often so smallthat millions of microbes caninhabit the surface of a singleseed. These microbes consistof bacteria and protozoa, each of which specializes in aspecific task. Most of these quantum beings are 100-per-cent garden friendly. For example, azotobacter fixnitrates on to root hairs and soil particles in exchangefor plant sugars and residual salts. Likewise, some fungimicrobes latch on to harmful nematode worms as gar-den-friendly parasites. Mycorrhizae fungi release hor-mones into the soil that help to prevent the spread ofplant diseases and are believed to enhance plant growth.

Where or when soil conditions are unhygienic, however,due to the use of infected organic materials and/or theintroduction of a stagnant supply of water, then harmfulbacteria gradually start to persist in the soil. The use ofnon-treated water, for example, often poses a seriousthreat to outdoor soil sites, since untreated water carriesa host of anaerobic bacteria (several of which are toxicto humans). Once irrigated on to outdoor soils, theseharmful bacteria thrive during the autumn and in springmonths, when conditions are warm. Several of theseanaerobic microbes further support and co-exist along-side primitive algae species, such as liverworts, mosses,and fungi, the presence of which encourages the spreadof further pests and diseases throughout the garden andwider environment.

Soil FungiFungi can be sexual or asex-ual in character, meaning thatonce established, they can bedifficult to control or eradi-cate. Soil fungi themselves arethe fruits or flowering bodiesof subterranean spores collec-tively called mycelia. Thesemycelia are made up of many hyphae. These hyphaestring themselves together underground, allowing thecolony to travel across soil sites as rhizomorphs. Formost of the year, these spore colonies go completelyunnoticed. However, once the moisture and the tempera-ture of a soil site reach an optimum level for a prolongedperiod of time (usually during autumn and spring), thenspecific spores start to flower into the fruiting bodies wecall mushrooms and toadstools.

Once established, these fungal spores obtain carbon com-pounds from carbonaceous food sources found withinorganic matter, soil, and compost. Since fungi do notthemselves contain chlorophyll, they must co-exist along-side other organisms that do. For example, many algaespecies provide certain fungi with foodstuffs in exchangefor mineral salts and moisture. The presence of residualsalts and excess moisture, especially within uncultivatedsoils, therefore strengthens the possibility of inheritingunwanted algae and fungal species to begin with.

CULTIVATION

Soil Pests & Soil DiseasesBy Lazystrain

econ

atur

e.w

ordp

ress

.com

S

raw

andu

nble

ache

d.bl

ogsp

ot.c

om


Soil InvertebratesSoil invertebrates have nobackbones and can easilyburrow into soils to make ahome. In contrast to fungispecies, which require stag-nant soil conditions, mostterrestrial invertebratesthrive in soils that are wellcultivated, free draining, and rich in soil nutrients.Common soil pests outdoors often include ants, beetlelarvae, grubs, nematodes, millipedes, spider mites, wee-vils, and woodlice/wood bugs. Likewise, winged soilpests often include ground-dwelling hornets, wasps, andbees, to name but a few.

Several insect species build nests for their larvae under-ground. Others simply lay their eggs in the soil, andthey later become serious pests as they hatch into hun-gry larvae. For example, the larvae of beetle grubs, cut-worms, and leather jackets all feed on the young rootsof plants in the soil subsurface. The best ways to controlthese soil invertebrates is often to remove them visiblyby hand during cultivation and/or the regular rotation ofsurface soil. Another way is to encourage friendly pred-ators, such as songbirds, toads, and frogs, into the gar-den; they will happily and naturally eat up unwantedinsects.

In truth, most insect pests do as much good as they doharm in the garden, usually serving a dual role as gardenfriends and garden foes. Even the most hardcore soilinvertebrates, like millipedes and nematodes, actuallyhelp out in the garden by improving the overall soilstructure, breaking down organic debris, and helping tocontrol other unwanted soil pests in the process of theirown life cycle. It is only when an insect species begins tofeed directly on a plant’s root system, and/or when plantlife starts to deteriorate in the garden, that any soil inver-tebrate can really ever be considered a pest.

A Brief Note on EarthwormsAdding earthworms to outdoor soilsites (and compost bins) is an ancientpractice. As and when earthwormsburrow down into the ground, theyimprove soil drainage and soil aera-tion. During autumn and spring,earthworms come up into the topsoilto break down organic debris, drag-ging dead leaves and twigs back downinto the ground below. These organicmaterials then get broken down toform a mineral-rich compost thathelps to improve soil condition.

Each day, an earthworm makes its own weight in wormcasts. These worm casts contain high traces of (N) nitro-gen, (P) phosphorus, (K) potassium, and (Mg) magne-sium. Earthworms also attract a special type of (Ca) cal-cium-loving bacterium, which fixes vitamin B12 into thesoil as the worm travels. These added elements in turnhelp to improve the overall health and flowering poten-tial of plants. Likewise, in time, earthworms help to cul-tivate the land, turning heavy soils into smaller particlesthat are easier to work by hand.

Typically, earthworms prefer warmer soil conditionsthat are free draining, with a pH around 6.5. It is easyto make a worm farm at home using a few old buckets.Worms can be liberally fed on a variety of uncookedkitchen waste, broken eggshells, and shredded paper,until a nice worm-cast compost is produced. This worm-cast compost can then be added to compost teas and/orfed directly to the base of plants to help improve growth.

Biological Soil ControlIn order to control outdoor soil sites, we must first graspa basic understanding about the local pest species thatare already living there and their potential impact on thegarden environment. Once these factors have beenaddressed, a course of soil management can be plannedthroughout the year. Winter is often the best place tostart:

Winter is a gardener’s best friend when it comes to con-trolling unwanted soil pests and diseases. In winter,ground frosts help to sterilize the soil. Winter kills offany overpopulated invertebrate colonies and helps toreduce the spread of fungal diseases and spores. It isadvisable to add animal manure to outdoor gardensprior to winter frosts arriving (or at least before the lastfrost has passed). This helps ensure that any harmfulorganisms in the manure itself have been killed off. Ahealthy and natural balance of soil microbes and soilinvertebrates will then slowly start to establish duringthe months of spring.

Title


Spring usually brings rain.The water content of out-door soils often reachesnear full capacity at thistime of year. As water lev-els slowly start to recede,soil organisms (good andbad) start to multiply under-ground. At this stage, we wantto free up the surface depth ofheavy soils and improve drainageready for planting. Green manures,which help retain water content in thesoil, can be added at this stage. By refreshingold soils in winter and spring, gardeners ensure thata soil site is always rich in available nutrients,healthy, and in peak condition, ready for planting atany time in the season.

Summer brings with it insects. Insects producing lar-vae begin to make homes in the ground as the soilstarts to dry out. Parent insects also start laying theireggs below ground at this time in preparation fornext season’s larvae. Friendly soil microbes are work-ing flat out in summer, providing plant root systemswith NPK nutrients and other complex compoundsin exchange for plant sugars. Harmful bacteria arealso clubbing together and lying dormant, gettingthemselves warmed up and ready for an outburst fol-lowing heavy rainfall in autumn.

Fall/Autumn is the time of the year when the soilreally comes alive. Soil conditions are wet andhumid, which promotes major fungal activity.Mycelia have multiplied in such numbers under-ground that they start looking to fruit out overground into mushrooms and toadstools. In turn,these fruits will produce spore that will establish newcolonies. All visible fungal infections and spore, likeBotrytis or Gray Mold, are best removed by handand burned on a fire to prevent further infection inthe garden.

Fungal sprays containing benomyl or carbendazim(and sulfur) can be used during the early stages ofBotrytis or Gray Mold infection several weeks priorto harvest to help prevent bud rot. However, this isNOT an option available to organic gardeners.Organic methods of reducing the environmental con-ditions that mold species favor include the following:reducing humidity, reducing watering, increasing air-flow (where possible), and removing all dead ordecaying leaf debris from the garden.

After ThoughtsAll soils (indoor and outdoor) contain microscopic beings(tiny creatures whose existence we can barely comprehend,let alone see). Sadly, many gardeners notice the symptomsof damage in their plants without ever acknowledging thepresence of the problem, pest, or disease in the soil.Likewise, using chemical fungicides and pesticides to treatsymptoms that naturally occur does not acknowledge thecauses. It is all too easy to go to the store, buy a bottle ofchemicals, and apply them to a soil site without thinkingabout the process behind it (thousands of people do soevery year with relative success).

However, with a soil management plan in place, most sites(indoors and outdoors) can be turned around organicallywithout using anything other than common sense. It isimportant to remember that friendly bacteria prefer free-draining soil conditions with good aeration at all times inthe season; and that unfriendly bacteria thrive within over-watered, uncultivated soils that are humid, especially inspring and fall/autumn. Likewise, soil invertebrates dislikesoil that is kept under regular cultivation.

From a medicinal marijuana perspective, it is importantthat we grow herbal medicines that are free from harmfulchemicals, many of which cause further free-radical damagewhen consumed. This is especially the case where herbalcannabis is ingested as medicine. Likewise, from an ecolog-ical perspective, it is often less stressful to find an organicsolution to the cause than fighting the infection with a lack-luster remedy. Treating soil life with the same degree ofcare, judgment, and respect as we do plant life is perhapsthe second step toward growing cleaner organic medicinefor ourselves.

Keep medicating!

CULTIVATION


sing azadrachtin (I’m not going to say whichbrand), I had a very disappointing cropbecause of an invasion of spider mites, thefirst time in years!

Having used neem oil products for years with completecontrol, I heard of azadrachtin and decided to use itbefore I switched into bloom.

I believed that after its proper use, applying it over sever-al weeks, that there were no more mites. WRONG! I could not see any mites anywhere. With my past resultsbeing great with neem and less applications, I figuredthere were no more mites.

At two weeks from finish, I found a small pocket of mitesunder a branch that even with my air conditioner onmaximum ate their way through 20 percent of my crop!

There was nothing that could be done at that time. Icould not spray anything except cold water, or so Ithought.

Organic growing is a commitment to health, environ-ment, and safety that is the root of the healthfoods/organic gardening community.

Because of the high value of these flowers, there has beenadded to the arsenal of the underground growers Avid, a

type of mite killer used on flowers for the floral trade thatis not to be used on vegetables or anything destined forhuman consumption. It is very deadly to patients!According to Dr. Todd Mikurya, Avid caused the deathof a patient that had a compromised immune system.She had been trimming a batch of cannabis that had beentreated with Avid during the final weeks of the bloomcycle.

This insecticide and the many other equally toxic insecti-cides are used to stop Satan’s minions (spider mites)from destroying a crop. Many unscrupulous growers,who care only about money and not the health of thosewho consume their herb, are now routinely using Avidand equally toxic insecticides.

Because of the devoted staff of the research and develop-ment team at Greenway University, there is a new non-toxic mite killer called No Spider Mites!

Using organic oils and botanicals, the company hasdeveloped the best new product I have tried in the past30 years!

This really works! This product really ends the merry-go-round of control we have been forced to endure tokeep our crops free of this truly devastating pest.

I will use the example of my own last crop. The poor per-

CULTIVATION

No More Spider Mites!By Lexx

U


formance ofazadrachtin beforeit went into bud

had the mites re-appear in the final two weeks of bud,causing a 20 percent loss of my crop. Much of theremainder could not be sold due to the telltale holes ofmites in the leaves.

This has never occurred before using neem, which hascontrolled mites well enough to be able to keep them outof my bud room and long enough to not need to spray atall during the bud cycle.

This failure of the product to truly control them also leftthem in my bud room, my nursery; happening while Iwas traveling for a week in California, these pests got alot worse.

My bottle of No Spider Mites arrived while I was inCalifornia; my caregiver sprayed both spaces twice whileI was gone. I sprayed once more to just make sure thefloors and walls were all covered in both spaces. Usingabout a gallon on an 8’ x 12’ space, as well as the nurs-ery, which is 2’ x 4’, and the room it is in, covered it com-pletely. My caregiver used much more than was nec-essary; he should have used no more than half a gallon,instead of using an entire gallon on just the nursery.

After transplanting all of the cuttings into the bud room,

I noticed they all had very shiny leaf surfaces and over alllooked like really healthy plants. Seeing leaves healingfrom previous mite bites, while seeing desiccated eggs, isparticularly inspiring to any gardener! Loss of vigor isone of the most noticed effects on cannabis plants whensprayed with all the various miticides; with No SpiderMites, there is a renewed vigor that makes me even moreimpressed with this product; and it even smells good!

It has been about a week since I sprayed this product last,and my plants are noticeably improved; there are nomore spider mites!!!!

There were three applications applied in total: one on the20th, another on the 23rd, and the last one on the 27thof April, with amazing results.

What is most impressive is that the eggs are killed, andthey have always been the hardest to eliminate in the lifecycle of these pests. I have never been this impressed withany product more than with this No Spider Mites in thelast 30 years!!!!!

FYI, 21 days into bloom, June 14, not only are there nosigns of mites, there is very vigorous growth, with aheavy onset of flowers, absolutely beautiful plants!!!!I love this product more today than when I used it. Thereare no signs of spider mites anywhere nearly a monthafter I have used this product.

No More Spider Mites


CULTIVATION

ome really interesting information has come tomy attention, and I am very excited to tell every-one in the cannabis community about it. As TheDude would say, “New shit has come to light,

man!” Recent tests of our hybrid Jack the Ripper camein with a total THC profile of 26.6 percent. Even moreexciting is the fact that the strain tested at 5.5 percent forTHCV. THCV is very rare among all the samples tested,and we are very happy that one of our hybrids has test-ed high for something so elusive in nature.

Before we get into THCV, let me tell you a little about thehybrid Jack the Ripper and how it was created.

Jack’s Cleaner is the mother collected from an old friendnamed Skoosh and out-crossed to Jack Herer. The ori-gins of The Cleaner are: 1985 SSSC (Nevil’s)NL#5 X PlutonBack-crossed into the original NL#5 mom.NL#5/Pluton X Purple HazeBacked into the NL#5 mom

Skoosh gave me 100 or so seeds, and from that entire lot,

found one incredible girl that I named The Cleanerbecause it smelled like a product called Mr. Clean. I wasgrowing Jack Herer at the time, and after sexing thefemales, I placed the male plants in my garage to cutdown and clean up later. I got busy in the garden and itwas days before I went back into the dark garage. One ofthe Jack Herer males was bigger than ever, and I decidedto use the pollen on The Cleaner. About 30 seeds wereproduced, and from one of these seeds, I grew out Jack’sCleaner. Over the years, I created several hybrids fromJC, including Jack’s Cleaner Blueberry, used in Bog’s nowfamous Life Saver cross. I also created a few otherhybrids, but none really impressed me like JC BX.

When I moved out West and I got my legal status andstarted working to create better medical strains, one ofthe strains we started was Space Queen, by BCGA. Wefound great males and females, and created some f2crosses to give away as freebies to TGA fans. MzJIll alsoused this Space Queen male we now call Space Dude tocross her Orange Velvet to and created Jillybean.Knowing Space Dude is a “good boy,” as Jill likes to say,and reviewing the less-than-stellar results of JC BX, Idecided to completely start over with the cubing of JC,

The Ripper Effect By Subcool

S


The Ripper Effect

Jack the RipperPrimary Cannabinoid: THCVRatio Rarity: 42%Form: Raw Plant MaterialMoisture: 6.98%Calculated Active CannabinoidsCBD: 0.38%CBN: 0.42%THC: 20.22%CBC: 0%THCV: 5.05%

Total Active Cannabinoids: 26.06%

Jack the RipperPrimary Cannabinoid: THCVRatio Rarity: 64%Form: Raw Plant MaterialMoisture: 10.07%Calculated Active CannabinoidsCBD: 0.22%CBN: 0.32%THC: 13.82%CBC: 0%THCV: 6.49%

Total Active Cannabinoids: 20.84%


CULTIVATION

using Space Dude to outcross her to. What we didn’texpect was the perfect combo of JC x SQ being betterthan the mother! Yes, I said it, and many others that havesmoked the two side by side have confirmed it. Here arethe things that are better about JTR:• Smoother taste on inhale and exhale, with almost alemon candy-like aftertaste. • Faster finishing, usually done at eight weeks.• Shorter node spacing and less stretch when enteringflower.• Combined terpenes create smells of lemon and mangoand resin so dense the leaves curl up with trichomes.Even the fan leaves have resin on them!

The most dominant female is a short, sticky female wecall Lemon and can be identified by the resin taco lookof her resinous, inward-curling leaves. The other mainpheno is a more Space Queen dominant than can easilybe spotted by her tall stretch and long internodal spacing.This phenotype actually developed more slowly than theother type, and I culled her, even though others that triedher loved her. There is slight variation, but every femalereeks of lemons, haze, incense, and overpowering sourfruit. The big surprise, however, is not the great taste, butthe extreme buzz that seems to cut through any type ofweed. Even after smoking Apollo or even bubble hash allday, when I have a few bowls of JTR, it just makes myheart race and my ears ring. I find myself talking faster,

laughing and telling stories more thanusual while high on JTR. It doesn’t seemto have a ceiling, and the more I smoke,the higher I get, to the point where myvision will actually blur from multiplebong hits. Jack the Ripper has earned aspot in gardens around the world, and somany people come up and thank me inperson for creating their favorite plant!

THCV, aka Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabi-varinI had never heard of THCV before I stum-bled on the test results at Full SpectrumLabs, but when I saw the results for JTRcoming in with total active cannabinoidsof 26.06 percent, I studied the test resultsmore carefully and saw the listing forTHCV at 5.05 percent. After spending afew hours using the searchable database atFSL, I discovered only a small number ofsamples testing for THCV, and none ashigh as JTR. What the hell is it and whatdoes it do? My research has uncovered thefollowing information. Unlike your body’sown cannabinoid anandamide or plant-based THC, THCV does not activate CB1receptors. THCV instead binds and acti-

vates with the CB2 receptors, as well as blocking the acti-vation of the CB1 receptors serving as an antagonist.CB2 receptors found more in the immune system arethought to be responsible for cannabis’s beneficial effectson autoimmune disorders. THCV is a powerful antioxi-dant that actually attracts free radicals. According toSpanish and British researchers, the effects of THVCshow promising results in the field of Parkinson’sresearch and the treatment of ameliorating Parkinsonsymptoms.

It would be nice if we had US testing data, but in the US,science seems to be determined by politicians, not realdata.

What I can tell you is THCV is now available in a natu-ral medicine, one that Big Pharma is not making a profiton. It can be found in the TGA strain Jack the Ripper,and while some don’t like the name I chose, its medicinaleffects cannot be denied any longer.

Here are the results of two different tests of completelydifferent flower samples submitted to Full SpectrumLabs. Notice that while the total potency varies betweenthe samples, both test very high for THCV.

You can learn more about our work at:TGAgenetics.com


The Ripper Effect

n recent years and until now, Kush genetics havebeen the big thing in the cannabis scene world-wide, particularly in the USA, Holland, and theUK. Kush strains are also highly popular amongmany hip-hop artists. The habit of smoking Kush

spliffs seems to be a firm part of an unofficial “How tobe cool” code of practice in this field. Meanwhile, evenwhole cannabis trade shows (KushCon) have beennamed after Kush. The famous Dutch quality seed com-pany T.H. Seeds took up the cause of Kush many yearsago, after having received legendary O.G. Kush (alsoknown as L.A. Kush) genetics that are only available asa female clone from friends in Los Angeles. It`s a poly-hybrid variety with large, classic Kush calyxes. Usingthose rare O.G. Kush genetics, T.H. Seeds set out todevelop a range of lovely Kush strains that quicklygained heavy worldwide popularity and many awards,shaping the Kush competence profile of T.H. Seeds:Kushage, MK-Ultra, Burmese Kush, and their latest bighit, Cold Creek Kush, which won second place at the23rd High Times Cannabis Cup 2010 in the Indica Cup.

Let’s take a closer look at T.H. Seeds’ famous BuKu(Burmese Kush) strain. To create it, T.H. Seeds crossedan authentic Burmese Kush with that O.G. Kush, result-ing in a very fast-flowering (50-55 days) indica/sativahybrid with a high calyx-to-leaf ratio and dark greenleaves. It’s a short, fat plant with fat yields (400+ gramsper m2) — perfect for small, highly productive grow-rooms, and therefore also sea-of-green cultivation.BuKu develops from top to bottom, with slight lowerbranching appearing late in maturation. Plants grow toa final height of about 100 cm, producing tight,extremely resinous buds with very small, dense tri-chomes and that great Kush flavor and high that allgrowers and smokers wish for: Her smell and taste aresweet, with delicious pine and citrus undertones; herbuzz is a real mighty creeper, bringing a calming, deeplyrelaxing feeling through a centered indica sensation.According to T.H. Seeds, BuKu’s genetic makeup alsosuggests medical applications for pain relief andappetite.


CULTIVATION

Burmese KushDouble Kush Power from the Kings of KushText & Photos: Green Born Identity - G.B.I

Cultivation data:Strain Burmese Kush, aka BuKu Pedigree Mostly indica Vegetative stage here: 24 daysFlowering stage here: 52-55 days, 50-55 days in generalMedium Plagron Standard MixContainer volume 6.5 litrespH 6.0-6.3 EC max. 2.0 mSLight Vegetative stage: 3 x 600 W Green Bud MHFlowering stage: 3 x 600 W Osram HPSTemperature night: 17-19 °C day: 24-28°CAir humidity 40-55% Watering Gardena “Urlaubsbewässerung”-SystemFertilizers Canna Terra Vega, Canna Terra FloresPK 13/14 (during flowering week 6)Stimulators/Additives Rhizotonic Wurzel, CannaZym,Bcuzz BlütestimulatorHeight 97, 103, and 110 cmYield 42, 48, and 53 g = 47.7 g/average

I


Mr. Power Planter, an experienced grower, for a longtime had been interested in growing BuKu, and a whileago he ultimately decided to put it to the test. Five BuKuseeds were germinated: half of the package only, as hewas growing some other strains simultaneously. Afterfour days, all of the seeds had sprouted and healthilyreached the soil’s surface. Right from the start, theyoung BuKu seedlings, together with 21 other plants,were grown under three 600 W Green Bud metal halidelamps equipped with adjust-a-wings reflectors (withoutspreaders). One week after germination, the plants weretransplanted into 11-litre containers filled with Plagronstandard soil mix. In the beginning, vegetative growthwas quite slow, but two weeks after germination, theBuKus got into full gear, showing stout, compact growthwith dark green leaves, giving off a spicy Kush smellalready.

They exhibited very homogeneous growth also, develop-ing a strong main stem and only very little side branch-ing. Three and a half weeks after germination, when theplants were at a height of 30-38 cm, Mr. Power Planterinduced flowering by reducing the light cycle from 18/6to 12/12 hours of light, at the same time replacing themetal halide lamps with three 600 W Osram HPS lamps.Within nine days, all of the plants revealed their gender,with three of the five BuKu plants turning out to befemale. After about 2.5 weeks of flowering, bud produc-tion noticeably got going. The plants were developingdense flower clusters along their main stem and shortside branches. Soon the three BuKu plants were formingthick main colas and spreading an intense, spicy-sweetKush flower odor, coming from lots of resin emergingfrom the calyxes and flower leaves. In the course offlowering, thanks to the sativa influence, there was a

certain stretching effect, with also the side branchesnoticeably increasing in length and forming lovely, densebuds. The flower structure of the three BuKus was verysimilar, exhibiting a high calyx-to-leaf ratio, but notfully identical in terms of shape. One of the plants pro-duced buds with a stronger sativa touch than the othertwo. The trichomes of all the three plants were verysmall, indeed, but were in rich abundance, formingsticky, dense resin layers over real hard flower nuggets.

Two of the BuKu plants were harvested on floweringday 52, and the third one on day 55, so the flower peri-od frame stated by T.H. Seeds was precisely met. Theyhad arrived at heights between 97 and 110 cm in theend. Thanks to the high calyx-to-leaf ratio, harvestingwas quick work for Mr. Power Planter, who was heavi-ly looking forward to finding out about the smokingqualities of his marvelous BuKu buds. But these silvernuggets had to be dried first, and Mr. Power Planter cau-tiously took care of this, applying his usual slow twoand a half weeks’ drying process, including slight budfermentation. After the drying process had been fin-ished, Mr. Power Planter was taken with the deliciousstrong Kush odor of the buds. Just as described, hefound them to be spicy sweet, with piny and citricundertones. He put the BuKu buds on the scales, and thegreat outcome of the three plants was 42, 48, and 53grams of finest Kush nuggets.

Then it was smoking time for Mr. Power Planter at last.He smokes a lot of weed and is on a high dosage, so if astrain is unusually strong, he instantly notices it.Smoked in a bong, the BuKu buds did provide anintense, grounded feeling and deeply relaxing, soothingbody high to him, with the sedative effect lasting verylong, more than one and a half hours. This definitelywas double Kush power of the highest order. Thanks tothe sativa influence of BuKu, Mr. Power Planter alsonoticed a slight cerebral effect that was calming ratherthan activating, so not only his body got relaxed, butalso his head and thoughts. The flavor was exquisite,piny sweet, with no cough factor at all.

Mr. Power Planter was very well pleased with the over-all performance of the BuKu strain and found its strongmedical qualities to be impressively confirmed. He likedthat special BuKu high a lot. But, of course, also under-lined other than for medical application, it’s a kind ofsmoke for the evening rather than daytime, when youwant to mellow out and not do any physical activities.After another outstanding experience with T.H. Seeds’Kushage strain in the past, Mr. Power Planter now feelsT.H. Seeds are the Kings of Kush.

For the same prices, BuKu is available as both regularand feminized seeds, with 42 Euros for five seeds and 75Euros for ten seeds being an excellent deal.

CULTIVATION


CULTIVATION

LamboAn exciting marriage:Double Jamaican MeetsSuper Afghan

Text & Photos: Green Born Identity - G.B.I

hen visiting the High Times CannabisCup 2008 in Amsterdam, I was struckby a lovely-looking dry bud displayedat the T.H. Seeds booth, placed in frontof a small Rastafari figure, indicating

the respective strain obviously must have a Jamaicangenetic background. Having asked a staff member aboutits name, the answer was Rambo — which I didn’t liketoo much, being opposed to any strain names associat-ed with violence. The pedigree of Rambo I did like a lot,though: Jamaican Haze x Jamaican Purple x SuperAfghan — that really sounded like an exciting geneticmarriage.

However, the strain name Rambo didn’t exist for a verylong time. T.H. Seeds was forced to change the name,due to licensing issues, to Lambo, which did appeal tome much more, reminding me of the famous JamaicanLambsbreath landrace. Lambo is an indoor strain,though, in the first instance, but can also be grown out-dors in mild climate. It’s a highly bug and mold-resistantsativa/indica hybrid (75:25), says T.H. Seeds: “Comingdeep from the Northwest hills, this ultimate guerillagrower plant will be your strongest ally in the waragainst the elements.” And they are crediting it with“large resin-coated buds,” eventually enthusing about“an incredible flavor that seems to change from inhaleto exhale: It transforms from an Amaretto inhale to avanilla, metallic lime exhale.” Indoors, it grows to aheight of about 140 cm, yielding copious 400+ gramsper sqm. And it has quite a short flowering time: 55-60days are pretty fast for a mostly sativa strain. Lamboalso is a great medical marijuana strain that provides astrong, clear, sativa-dominant high that, thanks to theAfghani influence, is accompanied by a certain indicaeffect also — just enough to serve as an effective anal-gesic as well.

It was Mr. Power Planter — an ardent lover of reggaemusic and Jamaica — again who put Lambo to the test,together with Burmese Kush and others. This was whyhe sowed only five Lambo seeds, half of the package.They proved to be very viable and came out of theground within four days. Right from the start, the youngBuKu seedlings, together with 21 other plants, weregrown under three 600 W Green Bud metal halide lampsequipped with adjust-a-wings reflectors (withoutspreaders). One week after germination, the plants weretransplanted into 11-litre containers filled with Plagronstandard soil mix. The Lambo seedlings thrived, beinghomogeneous and clearly exhibiting their sativa-domi-nant nature by quickly shooting up. But also, sidebranching had an early onset, so that Mr. Power Planterwas expecting tall, bushy plants in the end. Leaves weredeep dark green.

Three-and-a half-weeks after germination, when the

W


Lambo

Lambo dry


plants were at a height of 56-65 cm, Mr. Power Planter induced flow-ering by reducing the light cycle from 18/6 to 12/12 hours of light, atthe same time replacing the metal halide lamps with three 600 WOsram HPS lamps. Within eight days, preflowering became visibleand Mr. Power Planter had to dismiss two male plants, ending up withthree female Lambo plants. In the course of flowering, certain differ-ences between the plants appeared, with one of the Lambos having astronger stretching effect during flowering than the other two. Also,the developing flower structure of this taller plant was different, hav-ing stronger sativa traits, while the other two plants were leaningtoward the Afghani indica side to a higher degree. But both pheno-types were producing very dense buds with a high calyx-to-leaf ratio

and copious amounts of resin. The sativa-dominant plant’s buds were long drawn out,with lots of spiky bud shoots standing out ofthem. In contrast, the other two plants devel-oped round, thick buds with a muchstronger indica touch. But all three plantswere frosted with the same dense layers ofsparkling resin, giving off the same exotic,delicious smell, which was spicy sweet andalso somewhat earthy.

In the end, after 56, 60, and 62 floweringdays, these three bushy plants with lots ofexcellent dense buds had arrived at heightsof 112, 141, and 152 cm, with the one moreindica-influenced plant being the first to beharvested. Mr. Power Planter was very muchon the edge to test smoke his lovely Lambobuds, and after they had been carefully driedtwo-and-a-half weeks, including slight budfermentation, that day finally came. Theslow drying process had yielded a remark-ably fine organic, sweet, and slightly earthyaroma that was present on all the buds. Theywere rock-hard and silvery-white with resin.But before test smoking them, he wanted tofind out about their weight, of course, andput them on the scales that read 52, 57, and61 grams (following the same order asabove) — certainly quite a superb outcome.Type one, the buds with a stronger indicainfluence, did provide both a strong, clear,cerebral high and simultaneously slightcalming indica buzz to Mr. Power Planter.The high was pretty damn strong and lastedvery long. Type two, expectedly, had an evenstronger, tingly, cerebral sativa turn and less,almost no, indica influence, reminiscent ofreal high-grade Jamaican sativa sinsemilla.That kind of high kept Mr. Power Plantersky-high for about one-and-a-quarter hour,then gradually faded away. The flavor of allthe buds was deliciously mild and sweet, butit frankly took quite some fantasy to main-tain it was tasting like Amaretto in theinhale, and vanilla, metallic lime on theexhale. But we all know such attributesalways much depend on the sense of taste ofthe respective person smoking a certain bud.After the whole test had been completed, Mr.Power Planter was extremely fond of theLambo strain, regarding it as a highlyrewarding, very special sativa strain withoutstanding qualities in any respect.

Lambo is only available in the form of regu-lar seeds at the moment, with 45 euros forfive seeds and 80 euros for ten seeds certain-ly a fair deal for such an exotic, high-qualitysativa strain.

CULIVATION


he most difficult genotype in our entire catalogueis a three-way cross featuring the best of severalpredominantly indica strains. One of these is one

of the most indica-rich Blueberries that we have, with avery high yield and maintaining all the properties thatthis variety is known for (short height, fast floweringand a bluish tone).

Another of the components is an original Afghan(Mazar-i-Sharif), a very good resin producer that alsogives a generous harvest. The final ingredient in thisindica cocktail is our Black Domina, which gives it amore ramified structure when grown outdoors orindoors in seven-to-ten-litre pots, and more height thanthe results of the first crosses.

Even so, the plant forms a thick central bud, hardeningbecause of the number of flowers that form overlappingbunches. The plant starts to form crystals as soon as itbegins to flower, eventually becoming covered in a thickcoat of sticky resin, like large drops of caramel. It imme-diately produces trichomes with lime-green heads, andby the time it has nearly finished it has a whitish/goldenappearance with a penetrating smell. When subjected tolow temperatures the colour turns a bluish purple. Itforms thick, healthy cuttings that are suitable for

cloning. The plant has a good resistance to high levels ofEC.

Median nodes develop with huge, fat leaves. It with-stands large amounts of fertiliser when growing and isresists to periods of drought very well. Indoors we rec-ommend using a lot of wattage to optimise the crop’sresults (600W/m2). The recommended vegetative cycleindoors is two weeks for a good yield. With hydroponicsystems the results are particularly impressive and quickto ripen.

It works very well outdoors, occupying a circumferenceof several square metres. We recommend propping itwell to support the weight of the buds. With good prun-ing, the plants will grow into large bushes up to 2 m tall.

The flowering cycle is 58-65 days, so it will be ready forharvesting in early September. We recommend using car-bohydrates to bring out all the flavour. The smell is verydeep, with a hint of bitter orange. The high is fast anddeep, lifting you up and making you float before firmlybringing you back.

Very high THC levels. Produces a very strong hash whenextracted with ice.

CULTIVATION

Mataró BlueGenotype: (Blueberry x Mazar-i-Sharif) x Black DominaFlowering cycle: 8-9 weeksHeight: + 2 MetersYield: +600 gr/m2 High levelsw of THC and CBD

MATARÓ BLUE

T


enturies ago, Incas discovered the powerful natu-ral source of bat guano or bat poo, the perfect

flowering fertilizer for growing plants and crops. Theorganic super-fertilizer Guanokalong helps in promotingtaste, quality, and yield.

The proof that the bat guano from Guanokalong is ulti-mately organic is that the bats choose their own foodthemselves. The organic guano fertilizer is producedwith the aid of natural ingredients from the droppings ofbats. This guano has been piling up for hundreds ofyears in caves, and over time has changed into compost.Ripe fruit and healthy insects are abundantly availablein the rainforest, from places where humans still havenot had any influence. Let the spirit of the jungle becomea part of your garden with the aid of Guanokalong. Thisplant nutrient is excellent for use in organic growing ofconsumable crops. Let the natural phosphate and theabundant presence of microelements and enzymes dotheir work. This organic super-manure works toimprove taste, quality, and yield.

Guanokalong has a rich and unique composition ofmacro- and microelements as well as beneficial enzymes. The macro-element phosphorus in particular is presentin abundance, which makes Guanokalong a great growand bloom nutrient.

Guanokalong only gradually releases its minerals,thanks to which burning the plants’ roots is all butimpossible.

The unique enzymes and the high calcium/magnesium-concentration of Guanokalong stimulate the micro-lifein the ground.

In addition to Guanokalong powder, Guanokalong alsoproduces several more products: a taste enhancer, acomplete soil mix, and liquid Guanokalong grow andbloom. Here is some more information on those prod-ucts.

Guanokalong taste-enhancing extract

This is a plant nutrient that is directly taken up, made byallowing guano to sit fora long time in water whilekept circulating bypumps. Use the extract asan additive to the feedwater and give thisaround once a week.There are no preserva-tives, hormones, acids, orsugars added. The extractis used as an extra addi-tion on top of the normalgrow schedule feeds. Thetaste of the end product isincomparable.

Guanokalongcomplete mix soil + guanoLightly enriched with guano. This soil consists of: 10%perlite, Baltic peat, garden peat, and 10% worm castings.

REVIEW

By Skunkmad

100% natural bat dung for unprecedented results.

The G

uan

okalo

ng

pro

du

cts.

C


Guanokalong Grow & BloomTwo organic liquid fertilizers for growth and bloom.These fertilizers contain only nitrogen and potassium,and are at their best when used in combination withGuanokalong powder (rich in phosphorus, calcium,and micro-elements) in order to make up the phos-phorus requirements of the plant sufficiently.Guanokalong powder has an average value of 15%phosphorus. This phosphorus becomes graduallyavailable from week one right up until the end of thecycle. The microbiological life in the soil will gradu-ally convert the phosphorus into nutrients that can betaken up by the plant. Kalong Grow & Bloom canalso be used with Guanokalong – complete mix soil +guano.

In order to fertilize a soil or garden complete-ly, we recommend you mix additional organicfertilizers. Here are some suggestions.

-Nitrogen (fish = 100% organic)-Potassium (palm tree ashes = 100% organic)-Micro-life (worm castings = 100% organic, orcompost as direct plant nutrient)-Seaweed powder/extract (100% organic andalso rich in magnesium and micro-elements)

How to use Guanokalong bat guano?

Guanokalong Growing SchemeMix 50g Guanokalong powder per plant in 7 liters of soil/coco or use Guanokalong complete mix soil + guano

Guanokalong

Week

18hrs

12hrs12345678910

Kalonggrow

1ml/l

2ml/l2ml/l2ml/l

Kalongbloom

1ml/l2ml/l2ml/l2ml/l 2ml/l2ml/l2ml/l2ml/l2ml/l2ml/l

Extract tasteimprover(optional)

10 ml/l

10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l10 ml/l

Cartoon

gp

Centuries ago, Incas discovered the powerfulnatural source of bat guano

aving been made aware of this bio-stimulantGrowSwitch Full On by what my friend inVancouver, Canada, started calling his magic tonic, I

sent for a trial sample.

I love this part of my life, and that is beta testing organicproducts as they come into the marketplace. The product came right away in a really cool aluminum bot-tle, so I was impressed by a company whose packagingshows care for our environment, as these bottles are 100%recyclable.

The mix rate is one bottle [four ounces] to 15 gallons, to besprayed on plants [foliar feeding] as well as watered in, oradded to the reservoir in the case of a hydroponics set-up.

I noticed immediately the deepening of the color of the leavesas well as the vigor of the plants from just this first sprayingand watering.

I added this to my clone machine and sure enough had thick,nice roots in half the time! My cuttings were all taken on the21st; now on the 29th, they have five-inch-plus roots andvery happy, strong cuttings that never once fell down. Therewere roots present on all the cuttings by the fourth day.

Using this product for a little more than three weeks now, Inotice all the growth. The roots and stalk have grown notice-ably larger, with the leaves darker in color lying nice and flat,with all of them facing into the light, like the active solar col-lectors they are. These are just plain noticeably happier,healthier plants.

To explain all of Grow Switch Full On’s benefits will be anarticle all on its own, which I will submit after I finish thiscrop.

Full On is a product that is designed specifically for yourplants’ needs. It assembles the right sequence of buildingblocks from what you are supplying with your fertilizers andnutrients, creating a balanced uptake by the plant, utilizingevery bit of what you feed, while actually lessening theamounts of nutrients and fertilizers used.

This is a synergistic, nutrient-dense, food-grade growthenhancer for high-value plants. No matter if the plants aregrown in dirt or hydroponics systems, Full On will benefitthe health and accelerate the growth of your plants. I couldcall it a miracle tonic for cannabis, or an energy drink specif-ically designed for the optimum nutrition and growth ofcannabis, though I would rather have someone else tell methanks for spreading the word about Full On by sayingsomething like, Man, my garden looks awesome!

The pictures are of my plants at three weeks in bloom andagain at four weeks. The roots are at seven days after cut-tings were taken. I must admit they were not my best cut-tings either, as I was in a rush. Yet they are all strong andwith nice roots.

My opinion on this product is that it should be in your gar-den to boost your return on your investment in nutrients,fertilizers, and mycorrhizals. From what I have observed,it optimizes every little bit of nutrient, fertilizer, and tea,plus whatever is found in the soil mix you use, meaningusing less of everything and getting more bang for yourbuck.

Oh, did I mention it is 100% ORGANIC and manufacturedfrom all FOOD-grade ingredients? I ordered a liter immediately after I tried the sample.

Ask your local grow store to carry it; it really rocks!!!


REVIEW

Full On

H


When asked to name an author crucial to the growingmainstream understanding of the uses of cannabis and itsrole in history, culture, and religion, almost every educat-ed marijuana activist and patient across the world wouldnaturally answer, “Jack Herer,” Jack’s classic collection,The Emperor Wears No Clothes, is a must-read for every-one interested in the uses of industrial hemp, the earlymedical explorations of therapeutic toking, and the mad-ness of prohibition. The book has rightly been lauded asa landmark in cannabis history; many texts and tomespublished in the years since its release simply do whatthey can to fill in the gaps in the contemporary historicalnarrative. Chris Bennett’s astonishing new piece of schol-arship, Cannabis and the Soma Solution, absolutelydeserves a place directly adjacent to the work of JackHerer on every reader’s bookshelf. This clever and detaileddissertation is one of the most important academic worksever created in the field of marijuana anthropology.

At the heart of the matter is the true identity of theancient magical elixir Soma (also Haoma), venerated inthe Hindu Vedic scriptures as being the key to immortali-ty. Since 1967, the predominant theory of the identity ofSoma has been that of banker-mycologist GordonWasson, who claimed the holy beverage came from thetoxic fly agaric mushroom, Amanita muscaria. Bennettseems to come from the take-no-prisoners approach tohistorical argument; he wastes little time in analyzing andcountering a vast majority of Wasson’s argument early inhis 500-page thesis. The pattern holds true for the rest ofthe intimidatingly well-researched and argued book.Through detailed analysis, illustrations, and careful sourcecitation, Chris Bennett takes his reader on a whirlwindtour through human history and culture with only onegoal: to prove that the oldest-known spiritual sacramenton the planet was created from cannabis.

To say that he succeeds in this goal is a vast understate-ment. Readers can expect to absorb volumes of facts onthe smoking cups of the horse-riding, nomadic Scythians,the “magic mountain” incense braziers of the ancientChinese physicians, and India’s notorious beverage,bhang. Even when dazzling the reader with his eruditionand research, Bennett never takes his eyes off the prize;he makes sure to follow the evolution and alteration ofthe term Soma/Haoma as it moves from culture to cultureand forward in time. He clearly demonstrates how theingredients of Soma were hidden or falsified by jealous

priests and reactionary contemporary historians. This lin-guistic history provides a solid foundation for the rest ofBennett’s arguments and claims, all of which are carefullyand thoroughly cited. Cannabis and the Soma Solutionranges from analysis of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs toGreece, Rome, and Persia, with assurance born of theauthor’s certainty in his cause. Bennett’s work on theancient Hebrew and Christian use of cannabis in potentanointing oil is enough to justify the purchase of thisimpressive book; although only a fraction of the larger his-torical context, the argument and proof presented to thereader is first-rate scholarship.

Every cannabis aficionado, patient, and advocate will findsomething of great value in Chris Bennett’s Cannabis andthe Soma Solution. The great Jack Herer laid the founda-tion of our understanding of the foolishness of cannabisprohibition in its modern form: Chris Bennett has per-formed an invaluable service by proving once and for allthat the oldest and greatest spiritual sacrament in humanhistory is cannabis use.

REVIEW

Uncovering the Original Sacrament:

Chris Bennett’s Cannabis and the Soma SolutionReview by Samuel Wells

The Pot Book,Edited byJulie Holland, MD

Review by Samuel Wells

The Pot Book: A Complete Guide toCannabis, ed. Julie Holland, MD Park Street PressISBN: 978-1-59477-368-6

The most important tool any cannabis activist, patient, orenthusiast can possess is information. Marijuana prohibi-tion has always depended upon the promulgation of shod-dy, unreviewed research, fear-based propaganda, and out-right falsehoods; many dedicated to educating the publicon the powers of medical cannabis are often left dumb-struck by the sheer volume and depth of the misinforma-

Cannabis and theSoma Solution,by Chris Bennett Published by Trine Day ISBN 978-0984185801


One of the greatesttragedies of the recentcannabis movement inNorth America was theinfighting and divisionthat occurred during thedebate over Proposition19 in California. Also

known as the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act,the proposal was problematically written and doomed asthe result of infighting among growers, dispensary own-ers, and patients, with a vast majority of the voters in thearea known as the Emerald Triangle ultimately rejectingthe measure. The cannabis community is wide-rangingand lacks unity: How can we bring enterprising entrepre-neurs together with desperate medical patients? How canthese two groups connect with the wide-eyed, take-no-prisoners legalizers ready to confront the so-called drugwarriors in public with signs and protests?

Psychologist Christopher Fichtner’s Cannabinomics is theauthor’s attempt to synthesize the three primary approach-es to ending the War on Natural Medicine in order to pro-vide a clear and unified platform for activists to create realchange. Through a detailed discussion of recent politicalhistory, effective use of selected and powerful case studies,and pages of research, Fichtner draws a convincing map ofthe current cultural landscape and how contemporarysocial evolution has created a unique opportunity foractivists and voters to push for the elimination of anti-cannabis laws on the federal level. Cannabinomics isdesigned to provide a platform that honors each voice andopinion within the marijuana movement and allows eachof those perspectives to lend its most powerful tools to thegreater fight.

Fichtner labels each of the three main schools of thought

Cannabinomics: TheMarijuana Policy TippingPoint by ChristopherFichtner, MDWell Mind BooksISBN: 978-0-9842588-0-2

tion that masquerades as truth. With an astonishing histo-ry of falsehoods that includes Harry Anslinger’s racist rant-ings, the televised brain-wave deceptions of thePartnership for a Drug-Free America, and outright liesabout sex characteristic and chromosomal damage, is itany wonder that it has taken so long for the truth to beginto reach the public ear?

The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis is NYU pro-fessor Julie Holland’s valiant attempt to counter decades ofpropaganda and fear. The anthology is a deep trove ofinformation for those seeking to educate themselves onthe science, history, and culture of marijuana use.Contributing writers include luminaries like LesterGrinspoon, Allen St. Pierre, Tommy Chong, Dr. AndrewWeil, Donald Abrams, and Mitch Earlywine, all well-knownand respected medical cannabis researchers and crusaders.“The Endocannabinoid System,” an early entry in thebook, is a clear and easy-to-understand introduction to thehuman body’s unique system of chemical regulation andthe complex role it plays in health and well-being. Thechapter “Anandamide and More,” by Dr. RaphaelMechoulam, is also very informative; authored by the sci-entist who first discovered THC, it gives a detailed overviewof the two primary internal cannabinoid compoundsfound in the human body and offers a direct comparisonto THC.

Although the medical aspects and uses of cannabisabound in this informative text, the curious reader will findmuch more than dry clinical studies. There is a fascinatinginterview with Michael Pollan, the author of TheOmnivore’s Dilemma and The Botany of Desire, where heexplores the concepts of gardeners’ rights and expandsupon his concept of humanity’s co-evolution with thecannabis plant. There are entries that delve into the USgovernment’s total refusal to accept the medical benefitsof marijuana, that propose how pot-smoking parentsmight wish to discuss the topic with their young children,and that provide direct cost-benefit analysis of legalization.There is even a wide-ranging section that covers any pos-sible negative effects from cannabis use and promoteseffective harm-reduction strategies. The Pot Book doesindeed offer exactly what its title claims: Nearly everyaspect of the science and culture of marijuana is present-ed in this fine volume. The book itself is sustainably print-ed, and proceeds from sales help fund new cannabisresearch!

The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis is an excel-lent addition to any activist library and a perfect gift forsomeone who wants to know more about the powerfulhealing medicine known as marijuana. The only antidoteto fear and propaganda is information and accurate sci-ence: Dr. Julie Holland has given the cannabis communitya powerful tool with which to fight the forces of igno-rance.

Mapping the Road Ahead. A Review of

Cannabinomics: The Marijuana PolicyTipping Pointby Christopher Fichtner, MD

Review by Samuel Wells

BOOK REVIEWS

with a geographic location: the medical marijuana move-ment and harm reduction approach is grouped as SanFrancisco in honor of Denis Peron and other pioneers;Amsterdam serves as the urban logotype for those whofocus on policy reform and ending the Drug War; Oxford,UK, the home of GW Pharmaceuticals’ Sativex (aka OxfordGold), is put forth as the icon for economic integration intothe current system of medical science and sales. Each ofthese approaches is given its own section of the book,complete with research, case studies, and analysis.

While there is little information presented inCannabinomics that will not already be familiar to mostactivists, Fichtner’s analysis that all three aspects of themovement must work together for effective policy changeis worthy of attention. His categorization of the mainapproaches — medical science, policy change, and eco-nomic entrepreneurship — is logical and provides activistswith a clearly drawn map of the road toward legalization.It is a refreshing request for solidarity in a movement splin-tered by controversy and conflict. What remains to be seenis if anyone will heed the call.

REVIEW


A famous minister of state once said, “If you tell a lie bigenough, and keep repeating it, people will eventuallybelieve it.” This quote comes from Joseph Goebbels, theGerman Nazi Minister of Propaganda. This is exactly whathas gone on in the last month all over the various worldnews outlets. They have been reporting that a weed passhas come into effect and that the coffee shops ofAmsterdam and the Netherlands will be closed to tourists.

Thankfully, this is only an attempt at global propagandaand is totally untrue. The shops are open and ready for asummer filled with nice weather and good smoke.

It seems for whatever reason, CNN, The Guardian, andvarious other news outlets have been falsely reporting thedemise of the shops.

The coffee shop system subscribes to a unique set of regu-lations and rules. This is because coffee shops are not actu-ally legal; they are tolerated. The rules that govern theshops are called the gedoogbeleid (tolerated policy). As aresult, there is a government organization that monitors theshops and policy. It also enforces the rules and suggestionshanded down from the government in The Hague. Thisorganization is called the AHOJG.

In recent weeks, there has been a ton of discussion aboutthe weed pass and closing of the shops. The reason for thiswas that there were discussions in the Dutch equivalent ofthe House of Commons, known as the Tweede Kamer,regarding the weed pass. However, on June 23, the AHOJGreleased the guidelines for the coffee shop policy, which willbe put into effect from now until June 2015, and the rec-ommendation for the weed pass was not taken up. Anotherimportant ruling occurred, which was the defeat of the 350-meter rule, which meant that all shops within 350 meters ofa school would have been closed. I found this quote on ablog from a Dutch lawyer:

"Het grote nieuws van vandaag is dat het nieuwe gedoog-beleid op 1 juli a.s. in zal gaan en tot 30 juni 2015. DeAHOJG criteria staan al op internet (www.om.nl). Hetgoede nieuws is dat er niet veel zal veranderen.

De belangrijkste conclusie is dat de AHOJG criteria nietzijn aangevuld met wietpas en afstandscriterium. Alleen deburgemeester is exclusief bevoegd ex art. 13b Opiumwetconsequenties te verbinden aan niet naleving van deAHOJG criteria. Daarin vernadert niets. De aangekondigdemaatregelen maken tot 30 juni 2015 geen deel uit van lan-

TRAVEL

The Coffee ShopsRemain Open toTouristsBy Harry Resinwww.harryresin.com


delijke regels voor coffeeshops. Alle boze maatregelen uitDen Haag (inclusief afstandscriterium en wietpas) kunnende komende vier jaren dus uitsluitend op lokaal niveauworden gerealiseerd. Dat betekent voor de goede orde datde wietpas en ook het scholenafstandscriterium inAmsterdam het naar alle waarschijnlijkheid niet zullenhalen. Immers, Deze aangekondigde maatregelen die inAmsterdam tot een kaalslag zullen leiden kunnen alleenmiddels lokale regelgeving door de Gemeenteraad wordenvastgesteld. En de gemeenteraad is tegen een afstandscriteri-um en tegen de wietpas. Net als de burgemeester, die ook inde nieuwe gedoogregels is aangewezen om deze te hand-haven. Dat betekent dat er in Amsterdam niet veel zalveranderen."

This quote basically reiterates that the governing body incharge of coffee shops, the AHOJG, did not take up the rec-ommendations for the weed pass and the distance ruling.The AHOJG stated that the individual mayor of each cityhas the right to decide what is the best policy for each city.The local government and mayor in Amsterdam are againstthe weed pass; therefore, in Amsterdam, not much will real-ly change. All the angry rules that The Hague has been talk-ing about will not come to pass on the local level for at leastfour years.

This means that you need to spread the good news. Theshops are safe, at least for the next four years. In this time,I have no doubt that the government will change and, hope-fully, the people of Holland will elect something more tol-erant. The word on the streets in Amsterdam, though, isthat the current policies will remain status quo for quitesome time, with the shops open and ready to serve alltourists and visitors to Amsterdam. A friend of mine fromHunter’s coffee shop told me that one of the local cops incharge of monitoring the coffee shops told him there is noway the weed pass will ever come to be. He said, "Why fixsomething that works? We don't want to divert ourresources to busting street dealers and dealing with newproblems that now don't exist."

Hopefully, this will finally set the record straight. I'd alsolike to add that the world's media should get some betterfact checkers, as they jumped the gun a bit with theirreporting. The coffee shops of Amsterdam have their doorsopen and their menus ready, so when you’re walking downthe streets, follow the smell, and we'll see ya soon inAmsterdam.

Special thanks to two shops for letting me take pictures andproviding me with information.

The BluebirdSint Antoniesbreestraat 71

Hunter'sWarmoestraat 24, 35, 36

Love and light

Coffee Shops Remain Open to Tourisrs

Tony Serra http://www.pier5law.com/j-tony-serra.htmlis the unstoppable, legendaryattorney whose tireless devotionto the cause is documented inthe movie True Believer. Tonyfought for the freedom of aninnocent man who was framedfor a Chinatown gang murder.The truth of what had happenedwas kept quiet so that a snitchwho actually committed themurder could keep being aninformant for the police.

He defended such notables as Huey Newton, Brownie Mary,Dennis Peron, even members of the Symbionese LiberationArmy and Earth First!

He won the case for Judy Bari against the FBI!Tony took a vow of poverty, which he has maintainedthrough all the years as expression of ’60s values, becomingan issue with the IRS. All profits in his cases go to otherattorneys helping others deserving help.

Tony spent several years in Lompoc Prison for refusing to

pay taxes to support the war in Iraq.

Pictures never truly capture the fire in the soul of these truemaster wordsmiths that help those blinded by ignoranceawaken and see through their prejudice and malcontent.Court decisions that give rise to understanding the impact ofthe injustice of an unevenly biased judicial system are fewand far between. Tony did more than his share to place boul-ders on the side of the scale of justice for our rights.

Wavy Gravy(http://www.wavygravy.net/bio/biography.html)is the Zen Trickster of theclown world. Withhumor in all his under-takings, he has been ableto convince doctors andmany patrons to helphumble, blind men,women, and children tobe able to see again. TheSEVA Foundation(http://www.seva.org/site/PageServer) offers a gift of sight andhelp from the heart of a Zen master. Wavy, not contentenough with that amazing accomplishment, also put togeth-er Camp Winnarainbow, a circus and performing arts camp


RETROSPECT

Born into the tumultuous ’60s,By Lexx

with the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, watching theRolling Stones make Ed twinge, then watching theWho thoroughly trash their guitars on stage, wasthe time etched forever in my mind as the birth ofthe hippie generation.

Many of the famous activists were personal heroesof us as hippies, watching as these peaceful war-riors did battle with the dark forces opposing ourfreedoms, bringing back a little of our dignity witheach win.

McCarthy was still alive when we were young,though we knew little of what it had done to ourpersonal liberties; we knew we were forced tocomply with draconian laws.

The honor granted to me as a photographer andjournalist are these sometimes fleeting glimpses ofand even rarer moments together with these livinglegends, such as, Tony Serra, Wavy Gravy,Mountain Girl, Jerry Beisler, and more, at events,like Deep Green, that I have covered. These greatexperiences are why I am taking the time to writea bit about who they are and why they matter.

Doctors include Dr. Todd Mikurya(http://www.mikuriya.com/index2.html), now deceased, whose pioneer-ing work and devotion to thismedicine is why we have themedical world reawakening tothis most ancient of remedies.

Doctors have taught other doc-tors the value, use, and integrity of cannabis,such as Dr. David Bearmanhttp://www.davidbearmanmd.com, who has been helping pioneerthe free clinics movement andhas been outspoken oncannabis since the ’60s. Hiscontemporary, Dr. Frank Lucido (http://www.drfranklucido.com/),has taken to the courts to sup-port patients and doctors, andto educate lawmakers any-where he can be of assistance.

If not for the bravery of doctorsto stand besides patients likeElvy Mussika(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Compassionate_Investigational_New_Drug_program), she would not have gotten her federalmedical card. This transformed Elvy into a darling of ourmovement, speaking in every state, demonstrating thatcannabis does not make you crazy, or such nonsense, that itdoes heal, maintains Elvy’s eyesight, and makes her the fireof truth that cannot be extinguished. Elvy is a mother speak-ing truth to power. Her library is legendary, so next monthwe will sit down and have an interview with her. Staytuned!!!

for inner-city children and adults who have “forgotten howto lighten up and let loose.” I am particularly fond of hiswork with children suffering from life-threatening illnesses.

Wavy’s commitment to healing the world with laughter is hislegacy.

Part of this same troupe of entertainment-centered trickstersis the woman who captured Jerry Garcia’s heart: CarolynGarcia, aka Mountain Girl. Being part of this Deep Greenfest, she is spreading the family-rooted work of the REXFoundation (http://rexfoundation.org/), whose Grateful Dead-fueled foundation gives money to worthy causes. Thesparkle in her eye speaks volumes of the music Jerry has ser-enaded her with and the heart of gold she manifests with thisblessed foundation.

Michael Gosney (http://www.greencenturyinstitute.org/directors.htm)the producer of Deep Greenfest, is another producer ofinternational events centeredon changing this paradigm ofunawakened environmentaldamage by synchronisticallyharmonizing at the samemoments in time with otherswho have the conscious intentof shifting the consciousness ofthe world to thinking, acting, and being peaceful beings.Earthdance (http://www.earthdancelive.com/) is a worldwidemusic event, manifesting healing conscious thought by creat-ing peaceful vibrations with music and dance all over theworld at the same time.

Buddhists hold to the belief that the continuous chanting ofthe different sutras in each of the temples around the worldkeeps the peaceful energy flowing to all troubled beings.Ceremonies include ones like Liberating Life(http://www.advite.com/sf/assm/assm7.html), which frees animalsfrom the fate of becoming dinner by buying them at the mar-kets and freeing them back into nature or the waters or seasthey came from, granting the possibility of freedom fromfalse imprisonment by transference of merit.

Jerry Beisler is a successfulcounterculture historianwhose book Bandit of Kabulcaptures a unique perspective.Jerry was part of the firstAmerican hippie entourage toventure and stay in the famoushash regions of Nepal, India,and Afghanistan. Jerry wasalso deeply involved in themusic scenes of the early rootsof rock and roll, and he wasthe first to do many of the things we take for granted today,like design bud T-shirts or buy and sell seeds.


Born into the Tumultuous ‘60’s

Trips Festival. It was determined at one point that it wastime to load up the sociological bus, inhale deeply, andtake a whole generation on a magical journey aboard a1939 International Harvester school bus named Further. Flash forward to that period in time on the cosmic stop-watch later. Flash back now to a time in a space inhab-ited by the duo that would one day converge in a merry-go-round of Albert Hoffman and Ken Kesey, provingthat more than one flew over the psychedelicatessan ofa cuckoo's nest. Dr. Albert Hoffman was the first manin space, and is best known as the Father of LSD. Bornin Baden, Switzerland, in 1906, he studied chemistry inZurich. His main focus of study was the chemistry ofplants and animals. He landed a gig at the famed SandozLabs in Basel, studying medicinal plants and ergot aspart of a program to purify and synthesize active con-stituents for use as pharmaceuticals. In his studies, hefirst managed to synthesize LSD in November of 1938while researching lysergic acid derivatives. Its main pur-pose was to be a circulatory stimulant. It was put on theback burner for five years until 1943, when he decidedto re-examine it. He accidentally absorbed a small quan-tity through his fingertips and became the first outer-spaced traveler fueled by LSD . He hopped on his bicy-cle, and the rest is hipster history.


he Spare Change Sixties came on like a Day-Globanshee, screaming and screeching. The coun-terculture was on the move to the beat of a com-

munication breakdown with the torch-passing greatestgeneration that won the war to end all wars. Now it wasthe emperor without any clothes as the military-industri-al nation stood naked in a pool of hypocrisy, and thenew generation moved like so many ants across theasphalt expanse of America. The East Village to Haight-Ashbury, East Coast to the West, the neighborhoodswere psychedelic bicoastal sexual bookends anchored infog and smoke-enshrouded harbors. The ragtag armytraveled by thumb, by car, and V-Dub vans. Male hor-mones were reaching critical mass, while teenaged girlswere having menstruation meltdowns. The SexualRevolution was on. It was a time of Yellow Submarinesand magic carpet rides, the straights and the Haights.The difference itself was as divided as night and Day-Glo. The acid poured like rain from a monsoon in NewMexico, painting a kaleidoscopic portrait on a blankcanvas in double domes of purple to alter the states ofthe alter egos.

The hipsters of the '50s and the hippies of the '60sshared common heroes, from Kerouac to Ghandi, andshared their heroes’ personal quests of civil disobedienceand public drunkenness. It was a tightrope walk of cul-tures that met and morphed into a wonderful bastardchild of pop counterculture that included the likes ofKen Kesey and the Merry Pranksters and the famous

RETROSPECT

elec

tric

kool

-aid

acid

.tum

blr.c

om

T

More Than

By Mike Marino

biog

rafi

eonl

ine.

it


He later wrote about that ride..."I wasaffected by a remarkable restlessness,combined with a slight dizziness. Athome I lay down and sank into a notunpleasant intoxicated-like condition,characterized by an extremely stimulat-ed imagination. In a dreamlike state,with eyes closed (I found the daylight tobe unpleasantly glaring), I perceived anuninterrupted stream of fantastic pic-tures, extraordinary shapes with

intense, kaleidoscopic playof colors. After some twohours this condition fadedaway." That day is remem-bered by the faithful asBicycle Day.

A few days later, he purposely took250 mgs of LSD and experienced amore intense trip. Self-experimentscontinued by Hoffman and a gang ofhappy colleagues. Later Hoffman

went on a hallucinogenic treasure hunt, studying the sub-stances found in Mexican mushrooms and other plantsused by aboriginal peoples. This study eventually led tothe synthesis of psilocybin, the active ingredient in manymagic mushrooms. He also studied Mexican morningglories and found the active ingredient in one variety waschemically similar to LSD. He died in April 2008.

Author Aldous Huxley opened the literary doors of per-ception, while Jim Morrison, a young film student andpoet in Southern California, broke on through to theother side of that door with a blazing poetic fire that litthe imagination of a generation. Huxley had always beenfascinated by spiritualism, philosophy, and psychedelics.In New Mexico, where I used to live, the saying was,"Don't search for the peyote, the peyote will find you!"Leave it to an inquisitive German pharmacologist, whostudied and then published the first study of the chemicalproperties of the cactus in 1886. The Wild West waswinding down, and the study of psychedelic propertieswas on the rise and raising the levels of self-awareness.Peyote to the primitive religions and the Indians ofMexico and the American Southwest was a friend of longstanding. In some cases, it was more than that; for exam-ple, in the words of one of the early Spanish visitors tothe New World, "They eat a root which they call peyote,and which they venerate as though it were a deity."

Huxley was tripping out in the sterility of the 1950s, andfrom those experiences wrote the book, The Doors ofPerception, a phrase used by William Blake that suffi-

More Than One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

ciently influenced Huxley to use it as the title to his bookregarding his mescaline experiences.

If Hoffman gave birth to LSD, and Huxley put the psy-chedelic experience into literary perspective, then JimMorrison gave the chemical offsprings its lyrical andpoetic voice through music. Jim was attending filmschool in Los Angeles, a budding director to follow in thecelluloid footsteps of the great ones: the actors, the direc-tors, the writers, the artists, all creative types who followthe muse wherever she may lead. Another young film stu-dent, Ray Manzarek, was working on projects withMorrison, and he realized at one point they shared aninterest in music. Morrison’s poetry was put to a bluespiano by Manzarek. They teamed up eventually withRobbie Kreiger and John Densmore. The band chose itsname from the very same poet-visionary William Blake,who had written, "When the doors of perception arecleansed, things will appear to man as they trulyare...infinite." Another inspiration was Huxley’s TheDoors of Perception. Morrison was so connected to bothworks that he proposed the name, The Doors. Everyoneagreed that the name, as well as the inspiration fromwhich it sprang, was perfectto convey who they wereand clearly representativewhat they stood for.

LSD was sanctified to ahigher level by the highpriest of the Garden ofChemical Eden, TimothyLeary, and one man, and

many pranksters, took iteven further, to a chemicalroadshow that ate asphaltfrom the psychedelic colorsof the West Coast to the grayEast of New York City andits teeming tenements andlofts in the East Village.Timothy Leary was the highpriest of LSD, turning on,tuning in, and dropping outwhile dropping acid by thebucketful.

Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters flew over the cuck-oo's nest of the tie-dyed decade by buying an old schoolbus and loading it up with cargo, contraband, and con-traptions, including musical instruments, speakers, elec-tronics, bong pipes, and other necessities of such a jour-ney from one coast to the other. Kesey's first novel, OneFlew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, was a success, and in1964, Kesey and Company were ready to celebrate thepublication of Sometimes a Great Notion with a cross-country chemical mission of conquest. The old school

cent

rosa

ngio

rgio

.com


bus was painted in brilliant fluorescencewith a variety of symbols, some mystic,some fun, but when viewed collectively,pure haiku. The bus was named Furtherin honor of its ultimate destination, andat the helm was Captain Kesey, but in thedriver’s seat was none other than KenKesey’s real-life R.P. McMurphy andJack Kerouac's real live Dean Moriarity,Neal Cassady, gear jamming across theblack jazz asphalt night of the continent,and all the while loudspeakers were blar-ing and the Pranksters pranking theirway across America in a journey thatwould become the subject matter of TomWolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.Although Kesey is generally associatedwith Northern California and the robustNorthwest state of loggers, Oregon, hisroots were deep in the soil of the ag-rich communitywhere he was born, in La Junta, Colorado.

Located in southeastern Colorado, La Junta is located onthe Arkansas River and lies on the old Santa Fe Trail.Kesey was surrounded at an early age by dairy cows anddevoted his young days to farm work, where his workethic was ingrained. By the late 1940s, the Kesey clanpacked up and made its way to Springfield, Oregon,where Kesey found a passion for wrestling in high schooland college. He enjoyed reading, and on the quirky sideof the street, ventriloquism and hypnotism. Before R.P. Murphy, before Tom Wolfe, before the TripsFestival, Kesey was writing and testing his literary mus-cle, and like most writers whose first endeavors on thefield of honor end in disappointment, Zoo, a novel hewrote about the Beats living in San Francisco, was notpublished. Writers have a tendency to leave unpublishedworks in their wake, a trail of breadcrumbs to followshould they get lost in the forest and too far from theirvoice.

Finally the pen became mightier than the sedative whenCuckoo's Nest was published in 1962. It was first adapt-ed as a stage play, and eventually as the cinematic icon iteventually became in 1975, although Kesey loathed thefilm version. Whether it was a financial rift in the faultline or the fact that the main character was theMcMurphy one and not the Chief, as in the book, Keseyleft the production within two weeks. Also, Kesey want-ed Gene Hackman in the McMurphy role, notNicholson. Stephen King had the same problem with TheShining, and wanted another actor in Nicholsons place!Gimme a break! Nicholson gave life to both charactersthat the celluloid gods demanded. It's one thing to writea book, another to produce a film. Let artists in bothmedia stay in their own realm and let the other do hiswork.

The inspiration for Nest was a stint ata veterans’ hospital where Kesey hadworked. The patients were under theinfluence of hallucinogenics as well assedation, which made Kesey wonderwhether they were kept in that statebecause they didn't fit the societal moldor some other reason to shunt themaside in a landfill of insanity. In 1959,the military-industrial complex wasinvolved in experimental testing of psy-choactive drugs and their reactionsfrom those who ingested them. Some ofthe offerings today read like a CharlieSheen buffet menu of all-you-can-eatchemistry. LSD, psilocybin, mescaline,cocaine, and on and on. Kesey, likeHoffman before, wrote extensivelyabout the effects of these drugs. Soon,

Kesey moved from Menlo Park, where he was working athe time, thanks to the success of the book, and movedto La Honda, California, a beautiful two-lane woodedregion south of San Francisco so rustic that the redwoodswore plaid shirts in lieu of bark. His fame grew and hiscircle of friends grew. It was not unusual to befriend andentertain on regular occasions the Grateful Dead, Kesey’sfavorite band, and Allen Ginsberg. The partiers wereaccelerated with black lights, strobes, Day-Glo paints,and loads and loads of LSD, the holy communion of theunholy commune. Tom Wolfe wrote magnificently aboutthe parties and the trips in The Electric Kool-Aid AcidTest, a weathered copy of which I still have to this day...

The Trips Festival and the Bus that could go further...orFurthur. It was a schizoid hipster suppository and repos-itory of iconic proportions, and like the times, not easyto digest the meaning at one seating at the table at thefeast without getting history heartburn trying to makesense of it all. It was time for publication for public con-sumption of Kesey's next literary foray, Sometimes aGreat Notion. It was time to party and take the road tripof a lifetime aboard a bus called Further or Furthur, witha noble cast of counterculture characters as the trip tocelebrate Notion was about to accost the nation, WestCoast to East, North Beach and the Haight meet the EastVillage head-on in a psychedelic collision, replete withcolorful clothing, blaring speakers atop the magic bus,and a load of Merry Pranksters to Kesey's Robin Hoodaboard the 1929 Dustbowl-era International Harvester... bound for glory… or at least Times Square. In literarylore, Neal Cassady holds a place on a pedestal of hipsterhonor in the realm of all things Kerouac. He was the trueBeat. While Jack Kerouac wrote about the Beats, hisinspiration was the sum total of one man, Cassady, or ashe is known, the fastest man on earth and the officialFurther captain of the gear-jammin' journey across anAmerica that had not witnessed such a cornucopia of

RETROSPECT

ww

w.p

oste

rtri

p.co

m

flotsam and jetsam of debauchery, drugs, and the off-beat fading Beats, now becoming hip as the times theywere a changin' group of hep cats heading east, not west,as is often the Kerouac case; the counterculture compasswas pointing to the Atlantic this time, not Pacific.Further was painted on the bus as a one-word poem-des-tination placard to placate the psychedelic trailblazers ontheir Jeremiah Johnson quest as modern-day asphaltmountain men and mountain women and MountainGirl….

Tripping out at the Trips Festival, which was a trip in andof itself, held in the dawning month of January in 1966.In part, it was the idea of Steward Brand, Prankster andin a later life the publisher of The Whole Earth Catalog.It was organized by Pranksters and kept in rein by noneother than Filmore Bill Graham.

It was a night of techno-frenzy, with decibel decadenceprovided by the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and theHolding Company, and other neighborhood bands.Entertainment was provided by the spectators themselvesand the bands, and LSD was plentiful, thanks to theMother Theresa of acid, Owsley — Stanley himself, whopassed it around freely, a cherubic smile beaming fromhis face.

The times moved on; the Summer of Love had a brokenheart and fell apart as Flower Power wilted in the garden.Kesey kept active at his farm in Pleasant Hill, Oregon,with his family, including son Zane, who keeps the Keseyflame alive today, along with a host of aging Prankstershanging on from the old days, and some new ones tohelp light the way for the new days. Further was put outto the psychedelic pasture in an empty field in 1989,when Ken acquired a new bus … it wasn't the same at all… as the original Furthur could go no further. The sec-ond bus, also called Further, is a 1947 InternationalHarvester.

Ken passed away in Oregon following an operation forliver cancer and died at the age of 66 in November 2001… and no, he was no space oddity, he was just one whowas lucky enough to fly over the cuckoo's nest in timeand make the best of those times.

At the Kesey Web site in the Intrepid Trips store you canpurchase miniature toy school buses hand-painted by thePranksters, perhaps by Zane himself. I had one sent tome years ago when I had known Ken, and was fortunatethat my bus was painted by Ken himself …. It sits by mykeyboard, so when I get a bout of writer’s block, itreminds me to keep going ... just a little further....

More Than One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

ver the last few months, the people atP.A.C.E. have been quite busy. We’ve heldour social and shown our movies. We’veparticipated in the Treating Yourself Expoand are working on future events, such as

Cannabis Day Peterborough, with other groups. There isalso a plan in the works for a possible midwinter Med-Festthat could be held at a local venue featuring bands, educa-tional movies, and an open speakers’ forum. We’ve beeninvolved with the media, discussing the new medical mari-juana regulations as well as working hard every day to edu-cate people.

P.A.C.E. SocialWhen people come out to P.A.C.E. events, they usually seeand feel the great karma that spreads throughout the room.One such couple were Glen and Cindy. The two of them sawour ad in the local papers and they have been coming out toour movies ever since.

The two of them have now opened up their place to aP.A.C.E. event, as they allowed us to hold one of our quar-terly P.A.C.E. socials at their home. Our social event allowspeople and patients to get together and enjoy themselves.We play the Grow Op game, listen to music, and enjoy apotluck meal as well as making it a get-together with otherlikeminded people.

As well as playing the game, we also hold a raffle draw. Thebusinesses that support PACE help out with prize donations.

These places would include Peterborough Hydroponics,who donated food products, and Intergalactic TradingCompany, who donated a percolator bong and papers,while Green Tree Eco of Alderville donated some productsas well. They were joined by Canada’s Number 1 Seedbankand Spirit Quest Speciality Seeds, as these two companiesoffered up items to the raffle prize pool as well. BMAHydroponics of Belleville got into the draw prizes by donat-ing a “washing machine” that was won by Bob, a friendfrom up north. We also raffle off the latest issues of TreatingYourself magazines, and some other, smaller prizes were alsoup for grabs.

As always, our pot luck meal was great. Since our socials goall day, everyone took a break part-way through the day toenjoy something to eat. Since our hosts had small children,they went and visited other family members for the day.Because the children would return, there was a no-smokingrule put into place so people would go outside for a smokewhile those who just wanted to medicate could choose tojoin the smokers or enjoy the use of one of the Volcanoesthat were set up around the rooms.

The winner for our spring gathering was Jeff. He is one ofour first repeat winners, and from what I understand, hethinks our quarterly gathers should happen much moreoften. Jeff got to choose whatever prize he wanted from theprize table (except for the washing machine) for his efforts.Cannabis Educational Series


EVENTS

O

Al GrahamP.A.C.E.www.peopleadvocatingcannabiseducation.org

Keeping

Everywhere

Our Cannabis Educational Series continues. Over the lastfew months, we were able to enjoy Emperor of Hemp, astory about Jack Herer. We played this movie in April,which coincided with the one-year anniversary of his death.In May, we showed the 2010 Treating Yourself Expo DVDset, which allowed us to show our audience what last year’sExpo was all about in order to give them an idea as to whatthis year’s event could look like. Besides showing people ageneral overview of everything, we also showed them thefirst ten minutes of each of the speakers that spoke at lastyear’s show. As the year goes along, we plan on showing allof the speakers in their entirety.

In June, along with the movie Grass, we reviewed somehighlights of this year’s Expo that we found online. At thebeginning of the movies, Mike always reads out a short bioon what I’ve done as a patient advocate. At this month’smovie, Mike was able to add one more accomplishments, ashe informed everyone that I had received the MichelleRainey Foundation Award, at which time the place brokeout in applause from those in attendance. The Grindhouseeven went out of its way to put the award announcement ontheir outdoor blackboard for all to see.

Patricia and her staff at the Studio in Belleville, as well asAlice, Holy, and Ali at the Grindhouse in Campbellford,always make everyone feel so welcome that at times theymust think people don’t want to go home when everythingis over.

House Calls P.A.C.E. is also finding itself doing some house calls, as somepeople have problems coming out into a public setting tofind out about this medication. Because of this, we havebeen contacted by people who want us to do house calls.These people have asked us to come to their place and talkto them in private and away from any interference or con-cerns of being seen. P.A.C.E. is always glad to help out peo-ple in this situation or help anyone that needs to get educat-ed.

Until next time, remember: If you’re a person talking posi-tively about cannabis, then you are people advocatingcannabis education.


EVENTS

As spring jumps into action, so do the many volunteers thathelp with the Global Marijuana March and FreedomFestival in Toronto. Just like most events, things usually getstarted for the next year right after the present year ends.The organizers of this event are no different than any otherorganizers, but this spring there was a change; somethingwas different. As it turned out, there was a different feeling,a feeling that something was going to change. What theydidn’t know was what it was.

As it turns out, a couple of months before the event was tostart, the City of Toronto refused to grant the organizers apermit to hold their event. There was a lot of talking and let-ting the city know that no matter what, people were goingto show up at Queens Park, whether they liked it or not. Inthe end, the city allowed the event to carry on for 2011 butsaid that they would have to make some changes, whichwould include fewer vendors and only one stage, not threelike they have been using. The question still remains forsome: What about next year?

Once things were approved, the word went out and some-where around 50,000 people showed up. The vendors werethere as well. You could buy yourself some sugar cane orfreshly cut open coconut in order to enjoy its milk, or youcould get yourself a great piece of glass if you could make upyour mind with all the choices that were available. Ormaybe you wanted to enjoy some Pizza Pizza. Yes, corporateCanada is at the Global Marijuana March. Now to get themto support us for more than our money, as it’s obvious thatthey know where the sales are.

The reduction in vendors and the stages weren’t the onlynoticeable difference that we witnessed. The other bigchange was the way the parade was run. For me, this wasthe best way in the six years that I have been attending this

event. In the past, there was no notice of when the paradewould start. This year, they asked everyone to meet at a cer-tain exit and then they took the people with large banners,such as our Treating Yourself banner, and held them back toget people to build up behind them. Then every four minutesthey would let the group go. One by one, the groups madetheir way along the parade route throughout the downtownwith a set of volunteers marshaling each group as it made itsway along. This all worked very well, as the marshals pre-vented the groups from blending together and allowed theparade to stay intact instead of spreading out. There wasone thing that I noticed, though, that wasn’t within theparade route: cars traveling in the opposite direction.Usually, we are walking on the one side of the road and thetraffic would travel along the opposite lanes, but not thisyear. This year, the roads where completely shut off. Whilethis gave us four lanes to walk on, it did prevent themotorists from joining in with their horns and celebration asthey went past us. The one noise that could be heardthroughout was those loud chants echoing off of the tallbuildings as the crowds passed by them.

At the Treating Yourself booth, we were very busy handingout paperwork and magazines. At one point, there was acrew of us, which included Mike, Jay, Fourtwentydeb,Sandra, myself, as well as a few people that were just plan-ning on visiting but went to work helping out instead as wetried to keep up with the people coming to the booth. Wealso had thousands of Treating Yourself show guides avail-able for everyone that came by, as we wanted to make surethat this large crowd knew that the Expo was only a monthaway.

The crowd was entertained by the musicians that took thestage throughout the day. There were many speakers thatgot up to say a few words to encourage the crowd to keep


Toronto Freedom Festival - Global


Toronto Freedom Festival - Global Marijuana March

up the pressure on their elected officials. Matt Mernaughand his lawyer Paul Lewin, joined by a live five-footcannabis plant, talked to the crowd about their legal casethat has put the government into a corner when it comes tolegalization. Toronto lawyer Ron Marzel spoke to thecrowd about the court challenges that are working their waywithin the courts and that we must keep the pressure on.Treating Yourself publisher Marco Renda also took to thestage. Marco talked about needing unity in the movementand that we are all in this war together as one, not separate-ly.

When the time came to announce that it had reached 420,Jodie Emery took to the stage. Jodie talked about the unfairwar against law-abiding cannabis users as well as about herhusband, Marc, and his situation of being locked up in aUnited States jail. From what I saw from behind the stage,Jodie and Marco shared some quiet time. Jodie agrees withMarco and his unity plea within the movement. Jodie didn’tfly in from Vancouver by herself, as other activists such asJacob Hunter were also spotted in the crowd and on thestage.

As the day wound down and the people started to leave, thesigns of a large gathering started to appear, as the litter onthe ground was becoming very visible to those still in atten-dance. Until this year, I had never been around when thingsshut down, and I can say the mess I saw wasn’t a prettysight. Was it the fault of those in attendance? Was it the faultof the organizers or was it the city’s fault for not havingenough garbage cans located throughout the park? I’m notsure who’s responsible for it, but it sure didn’t look good onthe news that night. Other than this ugly mess on display,the cannabis movement can say it’s a peaceful one, unlikethose who drink alcohol and watch their hockey team losethe cup.

l Marijuana March

• Marco addressing the crowd about unity amongst thecannabis community• The crowd makes it way along the parade route• Treating Yourself banner leads this group of marchersthrough Toronto's downtown.


he weekend of June 3-5 brought manyactivists, patients, and vendors to Toronto asTreating Yourself magazine launched the 2ndAnnual Treating Yourself Expo at the MetroToronto Convention Centre.

While last year’s Expo surprised many people, this year’sversion didn’t suffer a sophomore year jinx, as it literallyblew away last year’s show. This year there were morevendors, bigger crowds, and everything was on one floor.

The convention center is a perfect location to hold suchan event, as it’s located in the city’s downtown. It featuresthree large halls as well as several meeting rooms, and isperfect for an event that requires access for handicappedpeople to come and go as they please. If you don’t driveor have a car to get there, you’re in luck, as this venue hasaccess to all of the public transportation within the city.

As with any event, you build off of the last show and you

improve it. This year, event organizer Marco Renda leftno doubt in anyone’s mind that was exactly what he did.Instead of having the show placed over three floors, heset up everything such as the theater, the vapor lounge,and the vendors, all on one floor and within the samehall. When it came to the vendors, Marco worked thephones really hard and managed to fill every booth thathe had available. I understand he may have had to turnsome vendors away, which should bode well for nextyear, as it signals more vendors want to get involved.

There were 140 vendors that were present over the week-end. They came not only from both coasts of Canada,but also from the United States and everywhere inbetween. Many of the vendors even crossed over the bigpond, as some of the finest European cannabis compa-nies were present. Arjan, Franco, and Olaf were presentfrom Greenhouse, Martin from RooR bongs was backfor a second year, and Luke, the owner of Paradise Seeds,was present once again. The show also had small grow

EVENTS

T


Photos courtesy of Michael Guerrini


stores, such as BMA Hydroponics from Belleville,Ontario, and large growing companies such as BCNorthern Lights setting up booths. You could also visitwith the folks at Indoor Growing Solutions, an Internet-based company, to pick up everything that you need togrow with. There was even a tractor-trailer set up as agrowing facility present for everyone to see. The compa-ny known as Grow-Bot manufactures trailers of differentsizes into grow rooms, and while they were present, theyprovided show-goers with tours of their massive 53-foot-long grow trailer.

If you were looking for something different, there weremany places, such as KDK Distributing from Calgary,Toronto, Hemp Company, and KushH.

You’re looking into some new food products, you say.Then the Expo had that covered as well, as suppliers suchas Advance Nutrients, Green Planet Plant Products,Gro4 Organics, and Erupt420 were all present. The peo-

ple from these companies could answer any question thatyou may have had about their products and how it’s bestto use them.

When you have your license to grow your own medica-tion, you’re always looking for the correct strain thatsuits your needs. In order to help you with that, the Expobrought in many of the top seed companies to help youout. Some of the seed companies represented on the floorwere Paradise, Greenhouse, DNA Genetics, Serious,Delta 9 Labs, Kannabia, and Nirvana, to name a few. Ifyou wanted a place that gave you options to the manydifferent seed companies, then you could visit such placesas the Vancouver Seed Bank, Royal Queen Seeds, andMedical Marijuana Seeds Wholesaler.

There was no shortage of vaporizer companies and dis-tributors present for you to talk to. All of them had theirproducts out on display for you to take a good look at.You could venture over to the HerbalAire booth to get a

Joshua Boulet at work


good look at their product or check out a location suchas Vaporizers.ca to get a look at the many options thatare available to you. While at it, you could also stop overto the people at Vape Shapes to pick yourself up acannabis leaf-shaped bag to add to your new vaporizer.If you wanted to try out one of these medical devices, youcould do so at the Treating Yourself Vapour Lounge.This 4,200-square-foot room would allow patients tocome in and test out the many vaporizers available today.The vaporizer demonstration tables, which includedunits from HerbalAire, Volcano, as well as two versionsof vaporizer bongs built by RooR and Verdamper, wereset up around the outside of the room. The center of thelounge was filled with tables and chairs set up in the mid-dle for the patients to enjoy a rest before heading backout onto the Expo floor.

If you’re into glass, such as bongs and speciality pipes,there was no shortage of these for you to view or pur-chase. Many companies, such as C&G Wholesalers,Lethal Glass, Pure Glass, as well as some of the topEuropean glass available from RooR andPercolated.co.uk, were also present. One of the placesthat had the wildest glass available was appropriatelynamed 1 of a Kind Glass. This booth had about a half-million dollars worth of some of the craziest and finestglass on display. For me and many others, seeing this dis-play created a lot of buzz. This was proven by its third-place showing in the Treating Yourself survey filled outby show-goers to find the best booth.

The TY Expo isn’t about getting high; it is about educat-

ing the public about the medical value of cannabis. While attending the Expo, you could hear from cannabisexperts such as Dr. Robert Melamede, who teaches at theUniversity of Colorado, or Dr. Juan Sanchez-Ramos,who is a neurologist at Tampa Bay Hospital and PatientOut of Time cofounder Mary Lynn Mathre. IrvRosenthal, one of four remaining US federally licensedpatients, was present and he spoke about his journey tobecome legal medically in the United States.

There were also many patient lobby groups present,including MMAR Lobby Group, Medical CannabisAccess Society, People Advocating Cannabis Education,and even the United States-based group Patients Out ofTime. These groups, as well as many others that werepresent, would help people with their questions about themedical uses of cannabis and help explain what they aredoing to get the word out about cannabis as a medicine.

There were also lobby groups, such as POL-COADefence, Why Prohibition, End Prohibition, LawEnforcement Against Prohibition (L.E.A.P), NORMLCanada, all who are fighting to bring an end to the unjustcannabis laws that we have here in Canada and aroundthe world. All of them are working overtime to helpspread the truth about cannabis, and for us here inCanada, what will happen with the new laws that ourConservative government is bringing into force.Are you a person who is having trouble getting your doc-tor to sign your application but maybe willing to sign onefor a compassion center? If so, then the Expo had com-passion centers such as Med Cann Access, CALM, and

EVENTS TREATING YOURSELF EXPO 2011


the Toronto Compassion Centre present to help you withthis. These centers all require you to fill out an applica-tion, which goes to your doctor to verify your conditionbefore your application is accepted. There was also anew group present, The Canadian Association ofMedical Cannabis Dispensaries, which was put togetherby several centers in order to set standards and other con-ditions that the compassion centers will use nationally.

If you wanted more education, such as how to growcannabis, you could visit the Canadian CannabisLearning Centre or you could have visited HempAlternatives to learn about the 50,000 uses of the plant.Needed some time to let your mind and body go? Followyour Bliss had this covered, as many people visited thisbooth for some Ganja Yoga. This business, which I’mtold is one of a kind, mixes cannabis and yoga together.The two of them allow a person to get into a deeper med-ication and bring your mind into a relaxed state morequickly than regular yoga. Those in attendance couldalso get a massage from the Massage Lady booth.

For entertainment, those in attendance could hear themusic being played in the theater. Throughout the week-end, you could hear live marijuana music being playedby bands such as Northern Lights, The Breeze Way, TheKillin Time Band, and Errol Blackwood, who has playedwith reggae great Bob Marley and performed many reg-gae tunes. The Andy Sagle Project, the artists behind theTreating Yourself theme song, not only appeared but alsoplayed their hit, “Treat Yourself.” Paul Bullock, a wordartist from Texas, even made a trip north to inspire

everyone with his poems, such as “Carpool Mom” and“Passing of the Joint.” Other performers, such as DJ Slimand The Breezeway, who both won global marijuanamusic awards, also performed and picked up their hard-ware. Joining this great musical line-up were gypsy reg-gae group Hannah’s Field and the band Lo–Fi.

Treating Yourself also features the work of three of thefinest cannabis-related artists out there today. At thefront of the Expo floor, Marco had a section set up forthe Compassionate Cultivator (formerly the HappyHippie), Joshua Boulet of the Green Reefer super herofame. Beside them were radio artists such as 740 Zoomerand Classic Rock radio Q107, as the two radio stationsdid live remote broadcast from the Expo floor.

Friday’s attendance was up from last year’s, and many ofthe vendors I talked to all agreed that this year’s kick-offwas busier than last year’s. The show opened up withMarco doing a welcoming speech in the theater.Following Marco, other speakers, such as Dr. PaulHornby and Dr. Robert Melamede, took to the stage andtalked about the science and the medical value behindcannabis. Also speaking on this day was the second per-son to legally be allowed to consume cannabis for med-ical purposes in the United States, before DJ Slim and theAndy Sagle Project got the place rocking with some mar-ijuana tunes.

Friday night brought everyone together, as the VIP din-ner was held for those who purchased a VIP pass. The

TREATING YOURSELF EXPO 2011


buffet dinner featured food from several different nationsfrom around the world, such as somosas from India,mini-burgers and hot dogs from North America, two dif-ferent kinds of chicken shish kabobs from an unknownland, as well as many, many other items, such as saladsand desserts to keep everyone very happy. Once dinnerwas served, the entertainment for the night took to thestage. Everyone in attendance got to hear from some ofthe bands performing over the weekend, such as TheAndy Sagle Project, DJ Slim, and Hannah’s Field.

Before the music started up, Treating Yourself publisherMarco Renda took to the stage and talked about every-thing from last year’s Expo to a call for unity among us inthe movement. He talked about Marc Emery’s situationand how unjust it is to lock him up while many vendorssell seeds daily. He reminded everyone that a fracturedcannabis community is not the way to end prohibition,but one that works together to reach the same goals is theway to end the war on cannabis.

Marco didn’t only speak those words, but he walkedthem as well. Throughout the Expo, activist group boothscould be seen. Not every group could afford to purchasea booth, but Marco knew how important some of thesegroups are to the movement. Instead of telling them to goelsewhere, he reached out to some and offered them abooth to help them assist in their efforts. Included in thesegroups were some people he hasn’t always agreed with,but to Marco that was not important; the message youare sending is.

Saturday saw the largest crowd yet to appear at the Expo.The show opened up with Marco doing a speech to rallythe troops to come together in order to defeat prohibition.From there, Mary-Lynn Mathre of Patients Out of Timeand Michael Krawitz, a hemp activist and war veteran,took to the stage. The two of them talked about theorganizations that they are involved with in the UnitedStates and what they are doing to improve the situationback home. Following them were musical artists Lo Fi

and the Killin’ Time Band, joined by Bong Man duringone of their songs. As a person that worked in a booth, Ican say our booth was hopping most of the day. The onlything we lost track of was the time of the day, as it flewby us, leaving everyone exhausted by day’s end. Eventhough there were four of us in the booth, we were keptvery busy throughout the day, as business went nonstopright up until closing.

With no events staged for Saturday night, many of thosewho were staying in the city took to the several eventshappening away from the Expo. This would include gath-erings at such places as Vapour Central and at theUnderground Comedy Club, just two of the cannabis-friendly places that were open late this weekend to wel-come the cannabis lovers to the city.

While those attending the Expo spent their time doingother things, ten special judges were swept away to a pri-vate location to judge the seed company strains that hadentered into the Cup competition. The companies repre-sented where not only from Canada but also from otherlocations from around the world. The group was splitinto two, with one side testing the six indica strains whileother side looked after the eight sativas that had enteredthe contest. One by one, the strains were brought out.Each group had a chance to look at the samples as theywere laid out on the table. This allowed a reporter fromBuzz News and me to get some pictures of the samples,but it also allowed each participant a chance to see, touch,and smell the bud before grinding it. From there, each per-son got approximately a gram so samples could be rolledup and tested. This happened with every strain that wastested throughout the three hours that it took to completeeverything.

Throughout the weekend, the VIP judges were kept busyjudging 15 samples of the finest medicinal cannabis avail-able today. While many were asking how they could pos-sibly test all these strains over the weekend, it was some-thing that they all looked forward to. Besides the judging

EVENTS TREATING YOURSELF EXPO 2011


duties they were to do, all VIPs also received a TreatingYourself carrying bag, a TY Expo event T-shirt, a three-day pass, Friday night gala dinner, and some specialityrolling papers. Then, when the judges were all done, theywere asked to submit their testing forms back to theorganizers, at which point they would receive even moregifts, such as 15 special-event CannaFresh storage jarsand some 420 cleaning solution.

Sunday brought more entertainment as Errol Blackwoodtook to the stage. He sang some special reggae tunes thatwould make one believe that one was on a tropical islandenjoying some fresh herb. Following him was TheBreezeway. This band played some of their favorites aswell as their award-winning tune, “The High Life.” Nextup was a duo known as Hannah’s Field. The two of themplay some pretty good tunes, such as “Puff Puff Pass,”which some people have labeled gypsy reggae. They havemusic that appears on Time4hemp, and it was recentlyannounced that these two will be doing the theme songfor the new Time4hemp video program.

The award show that wrapped up the day was about tochange the lives of many people, including the musiciansand an activist, as they were presented with awards fortheir hard work. One by one, the VIP judging results werenamed off as the winners from the private growers, com-passion clubs, and seed company categories made theirway to the stage. One particular seed company, MedicinalCannabis Genetics, walked away with half of the awardsfor this category, as they took first again this year in theindica category with Grape Escape while their HumberValley Kush took third. Their Chemo Grapefruit took sec-ond in the sativa category, making it a very successfulweekend for this very small but up-and-coming business.While it’s not part of the competition, I have noticedsomething about this year’s private grower winning selec-tion. This year, a new strain won that was grown with anew grower. There was a new a set of judges, but whatdidn’t change was the nutrient that the winner was grownwith. This honor goes to the Dr. Paul Hornby-approved

Medi One. The Global Marijuana Music awards werealso presented, and some of the bands present went homewith hardware for their musical talents.

For this writer, Sunday brought me acknowledgement ofyears of hard work, as I was presented with the first-everMichelle Rainey Foundation Award. This award, pickedthis year by the foundation’s directors, is to be presentedeach year to a person who exemplifies what Michelle wasdoing as an activist. This person is a person like her, a per-son who worked day in and day out for nothing but thedesire to educate people on the truth of the medicinalvalue of cannabis. Each year, this award will be presentedto a person that educates selflessly day in and day out, andgoes above the call of duty. While this description fitsmany of us, this year I am honored to have been pickedby the foundation as the person who in the last year hasexemplified what Michelle was doing while she was withus. Even in her passing, her education will continue, asmany patient advocates will follow in her steps.

While the Expo is about cannabis and educating the pub-lic about its medicinal value, it’s also in a way a familyreunion. Many people in this movement do not get toactually meet each other in person, and if they do, they arelucky if it’s more than once or twice in a lifetime. ThisExpo allows activists to come and join each other in soli-darity as one big happy family. It’s allowed people likeCasper Leitch of Time4Hemp to meet the people he onlyinterviews during his radio broadcast; it allowed vendorsto meet and greet the businesses that they only deal withby phone; and most of all, it allows people from all overthe world to come together in one big place and under oneroof for one common cause, to educate the world aboutcannabis.

I can hardly wait for next year’s reunion. This will happenon the weekend of May 25-27, 2012, as the Third AnnualTreating Yourself Expo returns to the Metro TorontoConvention Centre to once again educate the masses.See you all next year.

GLOBAL MM AWARDS AND MM CUP AWARDS


Judging Competition Entries and Winners

Compassion Clubs:CC01 – CANNABIS MEDIC – PURPLE KUSHCC02 – MMAR.CA – JUICY FRUITCC03 – IMEDICATE – GREEN CRACK ------------------------------------------------------------ 3rd PlaceCC05 – MED CANN ACCESS – CHEMO GRAPEFRUITCC06 – MED CANN ACCESS – WILD BERRYCC07 – CCMC – PURPLE KUSHCC08 – SECTION 56 – OG KUSHCC09 – VICS - HAOMA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1st PlaceCC10 – CANADIAN MEDICINAL MARIJUANA – G STAR ----------------------------------- 2nd Place

Private GrowerPG01 – CCK – JASBUDPG02 – IGS – CHEMO GRAPEFRUITPG03 – IGS – ANOTHER KUSHPG04 – REMO – BUBBA KUSH ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----3rd PlacePG05 – JB – MEDIKUSH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1st PlacePG06 – CF – BC BLUEBERRY ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd Place

Seed Company SativaSCS01 – BC BUD DEPOT – TRULY FRUITYSCS02 – CASH CROP KEN – WATERMELONSCS03 – CRAZY DIAMONDS – CINDY’S BUBBLESSCS04 – MEDICINAL CANNABIS GENETICS – CHEMO GRAPEFRUIT ----------------- 2nd PlaceSCS05 – PARADISE – DELAHAZE ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1st PlaceSCS06 – HUMBER VALLEY SEEDS – SILVER GRAPEFRUITSCS07 – CASH CROP KEN – JAS BUD ------------------------------------------------------------ 3rd PlaceSCS08 – PGL GH – SUPER LEMON HAZE

Seed Company IndicaSCI01 – BC BUD DEPOT – THE BIGSCI02 – CASH CROP KEN – NUKEMSCI03 – PARADISE – WHITEBERRY SCI04 – MEDICINAL CANNABIS GENETICS – GRAPE ESCAPE -------------------------- 1st PlaceSCI05 – BIG BUDDHA – CHEESE ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2nd PlaceSCI06 – HUMBER VALLEY SEEDS - HUMBER VALLEY KUSH ---------------------------- 3rd Place

EVENTS


Daily Draw, Glass, Booth and Award Winners

Best Booth : #1 Roor #2 TY Magazine #3 1 Of A Kind Glass

Best Glass: #1 Ghost/JoAnn Fellatio - Collab Bubbler w/ Display Stand #2 Banjo - Red Spider Dry#3 Ghost – Snoopdog Tube

Daily Draw winnersDigital Volcano: B Rogers, R Walker, J BrownTY Roor: J Dryden, J Tursa, R Macarthur HerbalAire: S Hollinrake, A Dajnko, T CharronTrim Pro Trimmer: T Green, J Gudapee, A Mimee Quantum Ballasts + 1,000 watt HPS High Output Emperor Lights: K Brazier, T Noble, T Priest1-Year Subscription to Treating Yourself Magazine: K Haskell, M Ahond, C HouckMichelle Rainey Foundation Award: Al Graham

Global Marijuana Music AwardsSONG OF YEAR – “KRONIC KASTLE,” BY THE KULALBUM OF YEAR – “420MASS,” BY DJ SLIMBEST ARTIST – “$100 BAG,” BY MYSTIC ROOTS BAND BEST ROCK – “THE HIGH LIFE,” BY THE BREEZEWAYBEST REGGAE – “SENSIMILLA,” BY ELAINE LIL'BIT SHEPHERD BEST RAP – “HIGH,” BY THE REALLIONAIRESBEST HEMP – “IT'S JUST A PLANT,” BY REAL ONEBEST DJ MIX – “MARIE,” BY DIEGO DJBEST POETRY – “MELLOW HIPPIE,” BY PAUL BULLOCKBEST VIDEO – “LEGALIZE,” BY MUSICIENS SANS FRONTIERES

Awards



In order to run any event, it takes a large team of peopleto pull it off. It can be a lot of work, with long hours andearly mornings after late nights. But when it comes to acannabis show, there is no shortage of people wanting tohelp out. The cannabis community is a tight-knit group,and many would drop what they are doing to be part ofthis event. To tell you the truth, this year some of ourhelp did just that.

In the beginning, we were planning on going with ahandful of volunteers. As time went on, the list gotlonger and longer, until it stopped at 20 people. These20 people would look after things such as greeting peo-ple, as Lynda and Chris did throughout the weekend.The two of them were joined by Chris’s friend, whilePeter came along every once in a while to relieve Lynda.There were Charlene and Dianne, who spent the week-end in the Erupt 420 booth. The two of them babysat apair of five-foot cannabis plants while helping the com-pany distribute its product. Shane, Sarah, and Dannygot the experience of a lifetime as they got to watch overthe half-million dollars of glass that was on display inthe One of a Kind Glass booth. Then there was Sean andScott, who looked after the Treating Yourself – P.A.C.E.booth. The two of them handed out free copies ofTreating Yourself and P.A.C.E. Medicinal Linkbrochures and also filled in for others as they were need-ed. Lucky for us, we had some part-time helpers who arepart of the community I wrote about above. Pete,JoAnne, and Sam also took some time out from theshow in order to help out in the TY-P.A.C.E. booth.Mike, who started out in the TY-P.A.C.E. booth, wasmoved over to the Finest Medicinal Seeds booth on

Saturday to help the short-handed crew there. Jay,Gayle, and I were very busy and needed assistance fromKelly to fill in or help out. The moving of Mike to ourbooth allowed Kelly to help out and stay in his ownbooth.

We also set up volunteers for the vapor lounge, as RooRand Volcano were needing people to help run theirequipment. Fourtwenty Deb and Jim got the joyfulexperience of working at the RooR Vaporizing Bong sta-tion, while Jen and Scott were handed the duties of look-ing after the Volcanoes. The four of them had the dutiesof demonstrating and helping out the patients in thelounge as they instructed people how they worked. Thenthere were Wally and Erin, who looked after security atthe lounge as the two of them checked people for med-ical need before they entered.

What people don’t see while attending the Expo is whathappens behind the scene. They don’t see the long daysof having to measure out and prepare every sample thatis to be judged; they don’t see the number of times thingshave to be counted or the many months that go into theplanning to set an expo like this up. They don’t get to seewhat goes into setting up the booths and the nervous-ness of some people that are handling glass that is worththousands of dollars, or that after a long day, Marco andKelly treated everyone to dinner at a local restaurant toshow their appreciation.

All weekend long, the volunteers assisted each other andthe people who approached them for assistance in find-ing a booth or where the washrooms were. If we need-ed them to fill in some place or to go and grab some-thing, they were there to help out.

Then Sunday came along, and the volunteers were need-ed to help determine many of the award winners basedon the paperwork that was submitted. There was thesorting of the TY surveys and selecting the winners ofthe Volcano Vaporizer and the Trim Pro draws as well.The paperwork that was submitted by the VIP judgeshad to be sorted out and results put together in order todetermine those winners.

When everything was done and the people had left togo home, the helpers were still at it. Instead of working

EVENTS

Behind the Scenes at the

TY ExpoAl GrahamP.A.C.E.www.peopleadvocatingcannabiseducation.org

Photos courtesy of Michael Guerrini


with the people, they were now disassembling thebooths that they had set up only four days before. Allthe glass had to be repacked, and all the magazines hadto be put back into their boxes. The garbage had to becollected and things had to be prepared to be shipped.Volunteering for the Expo wasn’t just something thatwas done in those final weeks leading up to it, or thatday. Many volunteers also took time to help out all yearlong at the trade shows that Treating Yourself attends towhile educating the public on medical cannabis. Thesepeople spent whole weekends handing out thousandsand thousands of the Expo show guides to the people asthey passed by those booths.

In closing, I’d like to say that it takes a team to worktogether and to put on such a great show. There is nodoubt that this year’s volunteers worked as a team, andall of them should be very proud of the job they did. ToMarco: a large thank you goes to you from all the vol-unteers for allowing us to help you bring such a greatevent to everyone.

When everything was over, I asked the volunteers if theywanted to let you know what it was like for them to beinvolved in this year’s expo.

Here is a sample from two such letters. Mike wrote thatthe 2011 Expo was a wonderful experience for him. Hegoes on to say: “From my vantage point, this year’s

Expo was even better than last year’s. I really liked theidea of everything being located on one floor. It gave thewhole Expo a feeling of connectiveness. A lot of peoplehad questions about doctors, and I was able to give outinformation for sick people who did not know where toturn. In the course of my discussions, I explained thebrochure and the P.A.C.E. movie nights in Campbellfordand Belleville. Even though some of the people I wasspeaking to were practically neighbors, none had heardof the P.A.C.E. movie nights. Several participants prom-ised they would make the trek to see them.

“Because of the shortage of volunteers, I was asked tohelp out in another booth. It went from crazy in the TYbooth to insane in the Finest Medicinal Seed booth. I sayinsane in the best possible way!! It was very busy,explaining different seed strains and general grow ques-tions.

“It was so busy, I really did not see much of the Expoaside from quick glances side to side on my way to thewashroom. I didn’t care because the weekend of theExpo I had the best job in the world, talking to peopleabout medical cannabis.

“I want to take the opportunity to first thank Al fromP.A.C.E. Without him, I would not be talking about anExpo. Secondly, a big thank you to Marco. As a volun-teer he showed us so many times his appreciation, from


the gifts to the much-appreciated meals and his hospital-ity at his suite. Even though I was very tired, and swollenfeet aside, I would jump at the opportunity to do thisagain.”

Scott, also known as Chronic Dad, says: “This was mysecond year helping out in the Vapor Lounge. Last year,I was taken by the experience of watching one afteranother tense, tired, or hurtin' face come up to our sta-tion, and watch that face morph hit by hit into someonewho was in love with life and the world. Folks couldn'tbelieve how many bags of vapor they got from a sample,and it was fun turning them on to the new technology. “This year, it was all about the personalities I met andtheir stories. I got a particular kick out of talking to one

of the genetics exhibitors from California and his son,who turned out to be an off-road bike racer from backin the day. I jokingly asked if he appeared in any scenesof the movie On Any Sunday, about the history of thesport. He not only replied yes, but he gave me his nick-name to watch out for on his helmet visor. "Green" waspart of it.

“Being a dad myself, I was stoked to see so many fami-ly businesses exhibiting, and so many couples andpatients with either a parent or son/daughter accompa-nying them. It always feels great to see families doingthings together, and we've got a lot of talented familiesworking constructively together in our medical marijua-na community.”


EVENTS

Name:

Address:

City: Province / State :

Postal / Zip Code: Country:

Home Phone # : Best time to call?

Email Address :

Please mail completed entry form to: Treating Yourself, Attn: RooR contest, 250 The East Mall, P.O. Box 36531, Etobicoke, Ontario.M9B 3Y8 Canada

Just answer the question and complete the following entry form and send it to TY! One lucky winner will be chosen for each prize. GOOD LUCK!!! Deadline for contest entry is October 1/11

Contest

Deadline for contest entry is October 1/11

Answer the following TY QUESTION :

complete with carrying case!

Win a complete custom

package!

Only 1 entry per person. If more than 1 entry is received then

you will be disqualified from the contest. Deadline for contest entry is

October 1/11Winners name will be announced in Treating Yourself issue # 32

Winner will be contacted by phone / mail / email so please be sure to provide your contact information in full.

ALL INFORMATION WILL BE DISTROYED IMMEDIATELY AFTER A WINNER HAS BEEN PICKED AND CONTACTED

WINNOW

What did RooR win a prize for at the TY Expo?

Contest WINNER

Please keep those entries coming.

We know there are manymore lucky winners.

TY 29EW

Toronto, Ontario

Treating Yourself Magazine #30

Documents

Transcript of Treating Yourself Magazine #30