You are on page 1of 105

Photo by Richard J. Stamper.

The rice growing areas in the hills around Sapa,Vietnam also have considerable amounts of hemp growing too. Its used for making cloth and clothes.

JULY/AUGUST 2009
$4.95 USD

The Official

HIGH DEFINITION LIFESTYLE


AVAILABLE ONLY AT HIGH RETAIL DEALERS
WWW.KUSHCOUTURE.COM

Catch Cheech & Chong on their


world tour at a city near you!
LOS ANGELES NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO MIAMI LONDON PARIS ZURICH SHIBUYA

AVAILABLE NOW AT WWW.THEUNIONMOVIE.COM

TODD MCCORMICK
editor-in-chief
TODD MCCORMICK
BRIAN ROBERTS
publishers
KIRA LEE ORSAG
deputy editor
DRUE YOUNG
creative director
KIRA LEE ORSAG
art director
BRIAN ROBERTS
advertising director
contributing writers:
LAWRENCE BROOKE
DALE S. CLARE
WILLIAM L. COURTNEY, M.D.
RICHARD COWAN
STEPHEN DEANGELO
FRED GARDNER &
OSHAUGHNESSYS
NEWS SERVICE
JEFF JONES
TODD MCCORMICK
JOE ROGAN
ARJAN ROSKAM
contributing artists:
AARON MCGRUDER
SCOTT STEWART
contributing photographers:
TONY CHAVEZ
FRED GARDNER
IDEEONE
HARBORSIDE
MANXMAN
TODD MCCORMICK
BRIAN ROBERTS
OSHAUGHNESSYS
NEWS SERVICE
RICHARD J. STAMPER
JAMAL WEATHERS
DRUE YOUNG
advertising thanks to:
420 SCIENCE
ADVANCED NUTRIENTS
BUBBLEMAG.COM
CHRONIC CANDY
CHRONIC ICE
DISCOUNT HYDROPONICS
DNA GENETICS
GRAV LABS
GREENHOUSE
HARBORSIDE
KOAS BONGS
KUSH BOYS STUDIOS
KUSH COUTURE APPAREL
JACK HERER
NE14ART.COM
PARADISE SEEDS
PHX
PURPLE HEART
SATIVA BAGS
SENSI SEEDS
THE ATTITUDE SEED BANK
THE FARMACY

extra-special thanks to:


420 LIMO & BIG MIKE
LAWRENCE BROOKE
WERNARD BRUNNING
JULIA BUTTERFLY
TOMMY AND SHELBY CHONG
DALE S. CLARE
RICHARD COWAN
WILLIAM L. COURTNEY, M.D.
STEPHEN DEANGELO
ADDISON DEMOURA
SARAH DIESEL
LOU DOG
BEN DRONKERS
THE LOTUS ECO ELISE TEAM
LARRY FLYNT
MICHAEL FRANTI
FRED GARDNER &
JON GETTMAN
WOODY HARRELSON
HUGH M. HEFNER
IDEEONE
JEFF JONES
MICHAEL KLIENMAN
KUSH BOYS STUDIOS
LOS ANGELES
CONVENTION CENTER
DAVID LAMPACH
RICHARD LEE
BILL MAHER
MANXMAN
MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT
AARON MCGRUDER
OSHAUGHNESSYS
NEWS SERVICE
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
DJ POOH
JOE ROGAN
ARJAN ROSKAM
RICHARD J. STAMPER
SCOTT STEWART
DONALD TASHKIN
THE UNION MOVIE CREW
R.I.P.
JOHN MORGAN M.D.
TOD MIKURIYA M.D.
special thanks to:
ERIC ASBROOK
JORDAN BIRNBAUM
RANDY B.
EDDIE BRAVO
DAZ DILLINGER
SNOOP DOGG
BUD GREEN
DJ TOO HIGH
MELLI JANE
GEORGIA JONES
ROB KAMPIA
MADELEEN
BOOBS MARLEY
LENA NICOLE
ERIC SHEVIN
KEITH STROUP
YUKMOUTH
ANGEL RACH
STEPHANIE
TAYNA

To adverstise in Hempire Magazine,


contact our adertising team at:
sales@thcexpo.com

Printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink.

PREMIER ISSUE
TABLE OF CONTENT

VOLUME 1 NO. 1
JULY/AUGUST 2009

FEATURES
22 THE FIRST ANNUAL THC EXPO SHOWGUIDE

Los Angeles Convention Center

14 WELCOME TO THE RESISTANCE

The War against the War On Drugs


Words by Joe Rogan

17 A HEMP SPORTS CAR

The Lotus ECO Elise

20 THE RESOLUTIONARY

Q&A with Julia Butterfly

HEMPIRE STASH
9 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Words by Todd McCormick

27 A TRANSDERMAL CANNABINOID PATCH

Words by Lawrence Brooke

28 CANNABIS CROP REPORTS

The Economics of Legalization


Words by Richard Cowan

34 GOING BACK TO CALI

Words by Stephen Deangelo

40 THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD

Smoking Cannabis DOES NOT Cause Cancer


Words by Fred Gardner

42 CANNABINOID LEVELS

Words by Oshaughnessys News Service

46 OAKSTERDAM UNIVERSITY

The Highest Degree


Words by Dale S. Clare

49 VAPE MEASURE

The Vaporizer Assessment Project


Words by Jeff Jones

51 GREEN LEAF

Compost the Leaf or Consume it?


Words by William L. Courtney, M.D.

Photo by Ideeone. Hemp cultivated for the paper and textile industry.

WTF?!?

08

Welcome to the THC Expo and HEMPIRE Magazine! Thank you very much for
taking the time to pick up this magazine and for attending the First Annual THC
Expo being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This is an exciting time in
history for all of us who have been working in the Cannabis reform movement; the
winds of change move quickly as the ease of information dissemination touches us
all.
Just 25 years ago, HEMP was a long-lost part of history that more people had
forgotten then remembered, now with the help of Google, a person only has to
mistype HELP with one keystroke of the letter L and change HELP to HEMP
and in doing so, become exposed to information that not so long ago was an almost
unspeakable part of our history, now theres not an environmentalist among us who
cannot elegantly espouse the environmental benefits of this age-old plant.
I chose the name HEMPIRE for our new magazine because it exemplified
Cannabiss true place in history. Cannabis was since the dawn of man an agricultural empire unto itself, no single plant has ever given to humanity as many gifts as
has Cannabis Sativa L. in fact, no single plant even comes close.
Cannabis has also one great distinction in the plant kingdom that separates it apart
from most; in that it has never in-recorded human history taken a human life.
When I first learned of that fact I sincerely did not believe it to be true, but even
now our own United States government has acknowledged it as fact. Cannabis
literally is safer than aspirin and less addictive than caffeine according to the United
States government.
Not too surprisingly, our federal government seems to be a little confused on the
subject as it also states that Cannabis has no medical value and that its users should
be locked up for its mere possession, and then at the exact same time our federal
government owns patents on the chemicals (in this case Cannabidiol: CBD, which
is known within the Cannabis community to be useful as an analgesic) naturally
created only by Cannabis, for of all things medical use! Take a look at the patent
on the opposing page and tell me what you think! We at the THC Expo are looking
to clear up this confusion, we believe it is high time for change and we are bringing
together the community so that we can all be the change we want to see.
Dr. Lester Grinspoon from Harvard University was once quoted as saying that
While marijuana per se was not addictive, learning about it soon becomes. We
agree, and we hope that the information we present to you in the pages of this
magazine and in the halls of our THC EXPO convinces you to demand
re-legalization of one of natures greatest gifts.
Turn On, Tune In, Take Over!
HEMPIRE MAGAZINE!

THE FIRST ANNUALTHC EXPO


LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER
PARTICIPATING VENDORS FROM USA, CANADA, AMSTERDAM, SPAIN, U.K.

JUNE 13-14,2009
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
$10.00 ADMISSION ONLY
ADD US ON MYSPACE.COM/THCEXPO
FOR MORE INFO EMAIL US INFO@THCEXPO.COM

11

13

Welcome to the
We live in a very strange time in human history. We have more
access to information today than any other culture ever by a long
shot, and yet when it comes to cannabis we still find ourselves
under the influence and rule of laws that were formed by lies and
disinformation over 70 years ago.
Most of the United States at the time I'm writing this still
operates under the astonishingly hypocritical guidelines where
cigarettes and alcohol are available at grocery stores and potent,
brain-altering anti-depressants can be had by virtually anyone
willing to complain to a doctor, but if you're caught with an
incredibly beneficial plant that grows naturally and kills no one,
you can be "legally" locked in a cage. Now ain't that some shit?
It is complete, total insanity, and it's not like any of this information is a secret. The positive effects of cannabis and the hypocrisy of the organizations fighting against its legalization can be
researched almost instantly by anyone with an internet connection. Did you know that the folks that make those wacky,
nonsensical TV ads and call themselves "A partnership for a
drug free America" have received millions of dollars from
alcohol and tobacco companies? Pharmaceutical companies are
still to this day sending fat checks to help fight the good battle
against the evil weed.

This past November in Los Angeles I did see a woman protesting against gay marriage while breathing from an oxygen tank.
All I could think of was there's a woman who at one point in
her life could have really used a joint and a hug.
There are plenty of people that still think there's something evil
and life-sucking about marijuana, and I don't blame them,
because for a long time I was one of them. For most of my adult
life I thought that pot was for losers and burnouts. It wasn't
until I was 30 years old that I started smoking it and realized
how misled I had been. I know that if I had it wrong, there's
got to be a lot of other people that bought into the propaganda
too, and that's one of the reasons why I'm so vocal about the
subject. It's a very important aspect of my life and I think that
this information can help a lot of people.
Marijuana has enhanced my creativity, expanded my consciousness, and made me a kinder, gentler and more introspective
person... and it's schedule 1 illegal substance classified as more
of a no-no than heroin. That, my friends, is just plain fucking
nuts, and it needs to stop. The nonsense and propaganda that
we've been subject to our whole lives does not have to be passed
down to our kids. It can end right here with the internet
generation.

Just stop for a minute and think about how fucking crazy that
is... alcohol and tobacco companies making commercials against
pot is like hookers making commercials against strippers. Even
worse, it's like hookers that beat you up or kill you making
commercials against strippers you fall in love with and marry.
Not even including drunk driving some 70,000 people die from
the effects of alcohol every year in this country, and during that
same time pot will have killed 0.

There are a host of natural, psychedelic substances that humans


have been using for thousands of years that are currently illegal
for no reason other than fear. Fear that the counter culture will
rise up like it did in the 60's, fear that profits for synthetic
pharmaceuticals would drop and companies would lose money
and have to cut employees, fear that white women will start
having sex with blacks and Mexicans - all of which are true, and
all of which are good.

For all the people that tobacco kills every year (around 400,000
in this country alone) do you ever hear politicians talk about
making it illegal? I can't remember a single one ever. Every
fucking few years the nonsense debate on gay marriage gets
bigots inflamed and politically active, yet I can't remember the
last time I saw a demonstration against the cigarettes that are
silently killing their families and loved ones.

This empty, material-driven society that we're currently trapped


in is primarily a prison of the mind, and even the jailers themselves are being held captive. I firmly believe that all of these
natural substances; mushrooms, peyote, marijuana, ayahuasca all of these things are tools for expanding your consciousness,
and no tools, even dangerous ones should be illegal. Pot is just
like a hammer - you can build a house with one, or you could
just hit yourself in the dick if you're fucking crazy.

14

resistance.
Words by Joe Rogan

Marijuana has enhanced my creativity, expanded my consciousness,


and made me a kinder, gentler and more introspective person... and it's
schedule 1 illegal substance classified as more of a no-no than heroin.
That, my friends, is just plain fucking nuts, and it needs to stop.
That doesn't mean hammers should be
illegal, and when the same logic is applied to
responsible adult use of cannabis there's no
rational argument against that either.
The war against drugs isn't really a war
against drugs, it's a war against the drugs that
grow naturally. It's a war against consciousness that's being waged for profit - ironically
by the very people in our culture that could
benefit from these drugs the most.
It is high time (no pun intended) that this
shit came to an end. This current generation
of activists and artists has opened many eyes
to the benefits of the sacred plants.
In southern California alone hundreds of
marijuana dispensaries have opened up, and
the movement is growing daily. The genie is
out of the bottle, and it's not going back in.
This is the war against the war on drugs.
Welcome to the resistance.

15

Visit us at
MySpace.com/ChronicIce

ECO-FRESH REVIEWS

LOTUS ECO ELISE

The Lotus Eco Elise project promotes a different perspective


on "green", one which does not revolve solely around tailpipe
CO2. This holistic approach is in keeping with the progressive Lotus culture, driving Lotus to become the world's green
automotive consultancy. Sustainable materials, hemp, eco
wool and sisal have been developed for body panels and trim
and, combined with hi-tech water based paint solutions,
showcase new affordable green technologies.
17

The green credentials of the technology on show in the Lotus Eco Elise have been
analyzed throughout the lifecycle of the car. A green gear change display has been
integrated into the dashboard to promote greener driving as well as a weight reduction program, illustrating the holistic approach taken.
The energy expended to manufacture the car has been evaluated, working to the
3R's - Reduce, Re-use and Recycle. Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc
commented, "This Eco Elise is a great example of the advanced and affordable
green technologies Lotus is developing. We are at the cutting edge of environmental technology and are determined to push forward with our green agenda.
The Lotus brand values of lightweight, fuel efficient, and high performance are
more relevant today than they ever have been. We are keen to ensure that Lotus
as a company and its products offer an ethical, green option that appeals to
our customers".
In keeping with the "performance through light weight" philosophy, the Lotus
Eco Elise weighs 32 kg (70.5 lbs) less than the standard Lotus Elise S, which
means that the efficient Elise S engine in the Lotus Eco Elise will give higher fuel
economy figures and even better performance. Dramatic improvements to the
culture and operations at Lotus has rewarded the company with staggering reductions in energy (Electricity 14%, Gas 30%) and water (11%) consumed across the
Hethel headquarters in 2007, compared to 2006. These advances have coincided
with improvements in recycling, with 57% of waste product now being recycled.
The new green materials sourced for this car have been
carefully studied to ensure that each technology used
reduces the environmental impact of the vehicle. The life
of the components has been analyzed; during the
production stage, in-use and at the end of the vehicle's
life. The technology used aims to offer lower emissions
of both solvents and CO2 in the lifecycle of the vehicle,
with reductions in energy consumed during manufacture.
The Lotus Eco Elise will be displayed in the Greener
Driving Pavilion at the 2008 British International Motor
Show from 23rd July until 3rd August. The project
displays affordable green technology that is intended to
be feasible and production viable in the near term future.
The renewable materials have been incorporated into the
project, with hemp, eco wool and sisal providing natural,
biodegradable engineering materials. Cleaner manufacturing processes have been sought, utilizing the latest
water based paint technology. Using this paint system
saves energy and reduces emissions of solvents from the
paint shop. Solar panels have been set into the hemp
hard top to help power the electrical systems and give a
means of renewable energy generation.

18

With the use of locally farmed hemp, the carbon miles to


produce the Lotus Eco Elise are reduced, in keeping with the
holistic approach to this vehicle.. The Lotus Eco Elise puts an
emphasis on efficient driving techniques by using an "economy"
gear change display to improve fuel efficiency and promote
greener driving. The car has undergone a weight reduction
program to add a little extra lightness, assisting in more
economical, greener driving.

Julia Butterfly
The Resolutionary

20

Interview & Photos by Todd McCormick

Thank you very much for sitting down with HEMPIRE


Magazine and being part of our first issue and lending
your time and support to the THC Expo. As you know,
the environment is very important to most Hempsters
and you have been an inspiration to many of us, so thank
you.
You have been one of the most recognized voices in the
mainstream environmental movement and one of the
few to actually speak up and out about the benefits of
hemp as an alternative resource. Would you comment
on why you think it is important for stewards of the
planet to speak up in favor of hemp?
JB: First thing I like to ask is Why is everything that
is GOOD for our bodies, our communities, our world
and our planet called the alternative?
Hemp is not an alternative. Hemp is a VITAL
SOLUTION to the current crisis facing humanity.
We need to stand up loud and proud for Hemp and
declare we are not an alternative culture, rather we are
the solution culture. I call us resolutionaries! It is
shameful and highly destructive that hemp is illegal.
Hemp is a solution for food, fuel, paper, clothes and so
much more. It is a vital solution to the problems of
mal-nutrition, petroleum, deforestation, and
water/nutrient/ chemical-intensive cotton.
What do you think the hemp movement can do to make
more progress?
JB: We need to make consciousness cool and
sustainability sexy! Hippy is cool, but it only speaks
to a small segment of society. We need to branch out
and communicate more effectively to mainstream
society.
Also, we need to be willing to take more risks on
behalf of what we care about. The greatest changes in
history (and herstory) have happened when people
put their bodies where their beliefs are and took risks
in order to create a lot of the rights many of us take for
granted today.
Because hemp history was literally hidden from the
public, many of us have a story about how we first found
out about the connection hemp had to the development
of humanity and its connection to cleaner industrial
solutions; do you remember how you first came across
hemps many benefits?
JB: I actually knew very little about hemp until shortly
before my two year tree-sit. I had seen some hemp
jewelry and things like that, but it wasnt until I went
to California for the first time that I started to learn
about all of its properties and benefits. Sadly, not only
is hemp history hidden, there is also a lot of misinformation in our society. We have our work cut out for us
to first undo the misinformation as we work to
educate people about how vital and wonderful hemp
truly is.

You are known as quite the vegan chef to your friends; do you use hemp in your
recipes?
JB: I love making hemp milk. I use hemp seeds in a vegan, raw parmesan-like
sprinkle for salads and pasta. I have made hemp-crusted tofu. And the oh so
yummy list of hemp in food goes on and on.
Have you found a health benefit to using hemp foods in your nutritional plan?
JB: Hemp is so important as a powerful protein source. Being a joyous vegan is
one of the most important things we can do for the health of the planet and our
bodiesnot to mention a more compassionate choice. Being a joyous vegan
requires paying a little more attention and intention to what we eat, and hemp
can and should play a very important, as well as tasty, role in our dietary needs.
Do you wear or use any hemp?
JB: I have some hemp clothes. Although this is where I have to complain a bit.
Most of the hemp clothes on the market just dont work for me. I actually want
to work with a hemp clothing company to design my own line so we can get
hemp clothes on the market that people like me will wear. I use hemp lip balm
and a few other hemp personal care products as well.
Not too long ago you built an environmental bio diesel bus for touring and educating people about the environment called We The Planet, is there any hemp on
board and can we smoke it?
JB:Our We The Planet bus has hemp fabric curtains and mattress and
cushion covers; beautiful and beyond sustainable. You could smoke it if you
were looking to get a big-ass headache. Way better to smoke marijuana with
THC if you want to get high.
Do you think Cannabis will be re-legalized for industrial use?
JB: Cannabis will be re-legalized for industrial use when enough people speak
out and take risks and get active. Get involved, get active, get healthy, get
HEMP!!!!!
21

22

HEMPIRE
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ATTENDING THE FIRST ANNUAL

THC EXPO BEING HELD AT THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER!


Please help us by keeping this event hassle free by not Smoking, Vaporizing or
Consuming Cannabis while inside of the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Our goal at the THC Expo is to represent to society how beneficial

Cannabis is and bring together the community, while showcasing the


many available products made from or available for, the Cannabis
lifestyle.

We are proud to present to you the widest array of Cannabis

products ever offered under one roof. As you roam the 96,000 ft.
of exhibition space dedicated to your favorite plant you will
see our Hemp pavilion which highlights the many qualities

of Hemp environmentally and industrially. Hemp has been a

mainstay and industrialized society through out humanity, only in

the past century have we seen the decline of the industry, it is our goal
at the Expo to bring that industry back.

We have divided the floor into two groups; one is all ages, where we are
highlighting the environmental, professional and media related side of

the Cannabis. The second side is 18 and over, more information about
that section you can find on the other side of this magazine; Totally
Hip Culture, or simply T.H.C. which we have dedicated to the
more psychedelic and inspirational side of Cannabis.

We have divided the rows from row 100 to row 1800 with the
booth numbers starting at 01, so that you can easily find whatever
youre looking for.

The all ages stage will be run by Oaksteram University, where

we will be highlighting the various topics they cover throughout


the day. We will have wide array of speakers as well as guest
appearances throughout the day. Please look for the
auxiliary bulletin being handed out around the
Expo floor specific times and appearances.

24

1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914

230

330

421

229

329

420

228

328

419

227

327

226

326

225

325

224

324

415

223

323

414

222

322

413

221

321

412

121

220

320

120

219

DOCTORS / ATTORNEYS

132

MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT

1901 1902 1903

GROW
621

719

821

921 1021

1127 1228

520

620

718

820

920 1020

1126 1227

1325

519

619

717

819

919 1019

1125 1226

1324 1423

518

618

818

918 1018

1225

1323 1422

517

617

716

817

917 1017

1124 1224

1322 1421

1519

516

616

715

816

916 1016

1123 1223

1321 1420

1518 1617

515

615

714

815

915 1015

1122 1222

1320 1419

1517 1616

1714

514

614

713

814

914 1014

1121 1221

1319 1418

1516 1615

1713 1812

513

613

712

813

913 1013

1120 1220

1318 1417

1515 1614

1712 1811

512

612

711

812

912 1012

1119 1219

1317 1416

1514 1613

1711 1810

18 & OVER

1118 1218

1316 1415

1513 1612

1710 1809

319

1117 1217

1315 1414

1512 1611

1709 1808

218

318

1116 1216

1314 1413

1511 1610

1708 1807

217

317

1115 1215

1313 1412

1510 1609

1707 1806

216

316

1114 1214

1312 1411

1509 1608

1706 1805

215

315

1113 1213

1311 1410

1508 1607

1705 1804

214

314

1112 1212

1310 1409

1507 1606

1704 1803

114

213

313

1111 1211

1309 1408

1506 1605

1703 1802

113

212

312

1110 1210

1308 1407

1505 1604

1702 1801

111

211

311

411

511

611

710

811

911 1011

1109 1209

1307 1406

1504 1603

1701

110

210

310

410

510

610

709

810

910 1010

1108 1208

1306 1405

1503 1602

109

209

309

409

509

609

708

809

909 1009

1107 1207

1305 1404

1502 1601

108

208

308

408

508

608

707

808

908 1008

1106 1206

1304 1403

1501

107

207

307

407

507

607

706

807

907 1007

1105 1205

1303 1402

206

306

406

506

606

705

806

906 1006

1104 1204

1302 1401

205

305

405

505

605

805

905 1005

1203

204

304

504

604

704

804

904 1004

1103 1202

131
130
129
128
127
126
125
124
123

CULTURE

521

418
417
416

118
117
116
115

ART

119

ADVERTISERS

122

VIP AREA

UTENSILS

404
403

FOODS

104

HEMP

105

COMESTICS

112

106

CLUBS

203

303

503

603

703

803

903 1003

1102 1201

102

202

302

402

502

602

702

802

902 1002

1101

101

201

301

401

501

601

701

801

901 1001

103

1301

25

A brief History of the Transdermal Cannabinoid Patch


By Lawrence Brooke, President, Patchtek Inc.
Founder and President - General Hydroponics Inc.

Right now, all across America, and throughout the world, people are
suffering f rom numerous disabling conditions that could be relieved
with Cannabis based medications. Ranging f rom acute pain to
congenital illnesses, these individuals suffer without relief. Why?
Because government regulations prevent scientists and doctors
f rom developing and administering the medications that could help
these individuals. I developed the Transdermal Patch, not as a
replacement for smoked or vaporized cannabis, but as a compliment
to the inhaled form of administration. Many individuals prefer not
to inhale cannabis so for them the Transdermal Patch is an ideal
way to administer medication. Physicians prefer the standardized
and dose-predictable pharmaceutical. Unique to the Transdermal
Patch is its ability to provide long-term low-level application of the
many specific Cannabinoids that can be extracted f rom Cannabis.
Developing technology - Though the accumulation of knowledge of
medical applications for cannabinoids has been slow, the vast array
of therapeutic benefits contains some surprises. Recent studies in
Spain and Italy indicate that THC appears to cause some types of
brain cancer cells to be destroyed by the plant extract through a
process called autophagy, essentially the cancer cells are digested by
the body.
One of the most significant applications for cannabinoids, the
active compounds f rom Cannabis, is the reduction inflammation.
This may be the most important use since it is indicated for so many
therapeutic applications. Significantly, it seems that the antiinflammatory treatment does not always require THC, the part that
gets people high when they use marijuana. CBD and CBN as well
as many other active compounds are non-psychoactive and found in
significant quantities in some varieties of Cannabis. Applications
for these compounds include relief of neuropathic pain and even
Alzheimers disease according to some studies. Other discoveries
demonstrate that patients suffering profound pain and being treated
with powerful pain medications including morphine can greatly
reduce the amount of the addictive opium derived medication and
still get excellent pain relief when the patient is given THC plus
CBD and CBN. These patients become more lucid and are able to
enjoy a better quality of life when the opiates are reduced. Cannabinoids can also be used for appetite stimulation by AIDS and cancer
patients who are suffering f rom loss of appetite. By enhancing the
patients appetite, recovery f rom the debilitating affects of the
disease and the chemotherapy can be relieved.
The most important factor that differentiates the Transdermal Patch
f rom other methods of administering Cannabinoids is that a Patch
can be designed to provide a quick and powerful dose for a short
term to relieve pain, or to provide a lower dose for a long period of
time; days in length for applications such as preventing epileptic
seizures, where a consistent application of low dose cannabinoid is

indicated. The Patch can enable a long-term


constant level of medication instead of the
powerful spike and consequential drift-down in
blood levels of the drug that follows inhalation,
sub-lingual, injected or ingested use. This also
appeals to Doctors who prescribe cannabinoids
for psychiatric conditions including marijuana
withdrawal symptoms for those who are overcoming an addiction to marijuana, much like
the nicotine patch that tobacco smokers use to
break their addiction to nicotine. Collectively
the studies that have been undertaken indicate
that Cannabis contains a host of useful compounds that can bring relief to patients.
The underlying problem in the United States is
that a system of prohibitions, going back many
years, is overriding the ability of doctors and
scientists to do the fundamental research work
needed to better understand the science of
Cannabis-inclusive medications. The victims
are the many patients who suffer and are denied
relief for many conditions that can be relieved
though cannabinoids.
The logical and appropriate procedure that
must be done at the legislative level is to
re-schedule Marijuana f rom schedule I to
schedule II or III. Numerous studies worldwide have provided conclusive proof of the
therapeutic value of Cannabis based medications. The keys are good science, appropriate
regulation, seeking standardization in the
chemistries and developing modern tools for
physicians and patients. It is unconscionable
that in the 21st Century draconian laws and
ignorance prevail when so many people suffer
f rom a host of disabilities that could be relieved
by applying the natural extracts f rom an
ancient plant in conjunction with modern
medical tools.
U.S. Patents 6,113,940 and 6,328,992
European Patent - EP 1186298
Canadian Patent - 2356020
Australian Patent- 785275
27

The Economics of Legalization Versus the Economics of Prohibition.


Asking the Wrong Questions.
BY RICHARD COWAN

LOS ANGELES, MONDAY APRIL 20, 2009

Given the current economic mess, and the


growing recognition that marijuana prohibition
is a counterproductive fraud, it is not surprising that people are looking at both the revenue
potential from legalizing marijuana and the
possible savings from ending prohibition.
However, such is the absurdity of prohibition,
it is easier to find good weed than it is to find
good numbers for any realistic economic
cost/benefit analysis on marijuana prohibition.

others it has been disastrous, and we are not


talking about pain and suffering or death
just the actual economic costs. And then how
do we quantify the damage being done to
Mexico by marijuana prohibition, and how that
cost spills over into the US?
In any case, calculating the obvious direct
costs of law enforcement resources used on
marijuana prohibition completely misses the
point. Frankly, it is very unlikely that law
enforcement budgets will be cut significantly
as a result of legalizing marijuana, but the
economic value of law enforcement resources
can never be determined by their direct costs.
If law enforcement resources are misused to
arrest marijuana users instead of going after
violent criminals or terrorists or fraudsters
what did they really cost us?

First, estimates on the size of the current


contraband cannabis market in the US range
from $10 billion to over $110 billion! Similar
unworkable guesstimates have been current
in Canada, especially for BC Bud, which is
somewhere between a $1 Billon and $7 Billion
per year. And somewhere between 10% and
90% of that was supposedly exported to the
US. (And then there is the rest of Canada. But
so what?)
Even if we knew the size of todays contraband market, we still would not know what
would be the future average selling price of
legal marijuana. How many people would grow
their own? And how much would be bought at
full retail, as in Dutch coffee shops? (They
supposedly pay The Netherlands about $500
million per year in taxes.) Consequently, we
cannot realistically estimate the revenue
potential from taxing legal marijuana.
Inevitably, prohibitionists have used the
uncertainty of these numbers as a reason to
continue prohibition, as if not knowing lost
revenue caused by a government program is a
reason to continue it! However, there are other
areas in which the costs of marijuana prohibition are truly incalculable. For example, Dr
Lester Grinspoon in his seminal Marihuana,
The Forbidden Medicine, argues that the full
medical potential of cannabis cannot be
achieved until it is fully legal. Unfortunately,
during the 15 years since he wrote that, the
medical establishment and law enforcement
have proven him all too correct.
So, what has the suppression of the medical
use of cannabis cost our already hugely
expensive health care system? What is the
cost of the human productivity lost because of
the disabilities resulting from the overuse of
opiates in pain relief? Similarly, industrial
hemp cannabis not grown for its cannabinoid content could contribute billions of

28

HEMPIRE MAGAZINE

dollars to the economy, but it will take many years to


develop the infrastructure to grow and utilize large
quantities of hemp. Although we might guesstimate
the ultimate size of a fully developed hemp industry,
we cannot even begin to calculate the economic
costs of the suppression of this versatile plant over
the last 70 years.
Then there are the direct costs of marijuana prohibition, arresting over 800,000 people per year, but at
least we have some hard numbers here. For
example, Harvard economics professor Jeffrey A.
Miron estimates that "legalizing marijuana would
save $7.7 billion per year in government enforcement of prohibition."
I dont doubt Mirons math, but I am sure that he
would agree that the real economic costs go far
beyond his calculations. For example, we dont
know the indirect costs of having a marijuana
possession arrest record have been on the average
future earnings of the 20 million Americans who
have gotten busted over the last 40 years. For
some, it has been a minor inconvenience, while for

Last January, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer


carried an extraordinary article by Paul
Shukovsky about how the FBI was aware for
years of "pervasive and growing" fraud in the
mortgage industry that played a major role in
creating the present mess, because after the
terrorist attacks of 2001, about 2,400 agents
were reassigned to counterterrorism duties.
Shukovsky reported that even though the
Bush Administration was thoroughly briefed
on the mortgage fraud crisis and its potential
to cascade out of control with devastating
financial consequences (it) made the
decision not to give back to the FBI the agents
it needed to address the problem.
Of course, the Feds still had the law enforcement resources to arrest, prosecute, and
imprison Tommy Chong for selling bongs.
While it is true that law enforcement resources
are not fungible, and any idiot could bust
Chong, and one did, it seems obvious that the
huge law enforcement resources used on
marijuana prohibition could have been better
used fighting terrorism and massive mortgage
fraud. The real economic value of legalization
will only become visible when the creativity of
the cannabis communities can be freely
exercised. If we pay protection money AKA
taxes in exchange for ending prohibition,
that may be a good deal politically, but we
should not think that it begins to count the
economic value of freedom.
(Richard Cowan has a B.A. in Economics from Yale University,
is a former National Director of NORML, and publishes
MarijuanaNews.com)

Marijuana Production in the United States


By Jon Gettman, Ph.D.

Top Ten Outdoor Marijuana Producing States


California
Tennessee
Kentucky
Hawaii
North Carolina
Washington
Alabama
West Virginia
Georgia
Arkansas

Plants
17,445,553
6,742,057
6,171,906
5,340,368
900,204
834,835
797,955
672,200
603,671
599,632

Production (lbs)
7,692,043
2,972,688
2,721,299
2,354,660
396,915
368,093
351,832
296,385
266,169
264,388

Value ($1000s)
$12,353,421
$4,774,137
$4,370,406
$3,781,583
$637,446
$591,157
$565,042
$475,994
$427,467
$424,607

Top Ten indoor Marijuana Producing States


California
Washington
Florida
Oregon
Texas
Alaska
Indiana
Michigan
Kentucky
Ohio

Plants
4,222,055
1,239,514
1,192,349
595,925
524,729
359,417
301,991
300,502
295,280
248,962

Production (lbs)
930,788
273,262
262,864
131,377
115,681
79,237
66,577
66,248
65,097
54,886

Value ($1000s)
$1,494,846
$438,858
$422,159
$210,991
$185,784
$127,254
$106,922
$106,395
$104,546
$88,146

Top Ten Marijuana Producing States


California
Tennessee
Kentucky
Hawaii
Washington
North Carolina
Florida
Alabama
West Virginia
Oregon

Plants
21,667,609
6,779,093
6,467,186
5,447,131
2,074,349
998,512
1,434,745
810,287
723,986
967,307

Production (lbs)
8,622,831
2,980,853
2,786,396
2,378,196
641,354
418,588
369,740
354,551
307,801
295,126

Value ($1000s)
$13,848,267
$4,787,250
$4,474,952
$3,819,383
$1,030,015
$672,253
$593,802
$569,409
$494,328
$473,972

Top Cash Crops


in the United States
2003 2005

Average Production Value (Billions)

Marijuana

$35,803,591,000

Corn

$23,299,601,000

Soybeans

$17,612,200,000

Hay

$12,236,638,000

Vegetables $11,080,733,000

Wheat

$7,450,907,000

Cotton-All

$5,314,870,000

Grapes

$2,876,547,000

Apples

$1,787,532,000

10

Rice

$1,706,665,000

11

Oranges

$1,583,009,000

12

Tobacco

$1,466,633,000

13

Sugarbeets $1,158,078,000

14

Sugarcane

$942,176,000

15

Sorghum

$840,923,000

16

Cottonseed $821,655,000

17

Peanuts

$819,617,000

18

Barley

$653,095,000

19

Peaches

$474,745,000

20

Beans

$467,236,000

For more info, visit: http://www.drugscience..org/bcr/index.html

29

30

ADVERTISEMENT

34

WORDS by STEPHEN DEANGELO

PHOTOS by HARBORSIDE HEALTH CENTER

35

first arrived in Amsterdam in the early 1990s, when it was


city of light and hope for US Hempsters. We were amazed
and delighted to visit coffee shops, and see for first time in
our lives what freedom looked and felt like.
I was one of wave of Americans drawn to Amsterdam by
the High Times Cannabis Cup, and the burgeoning European hemp industry. First dozens, then hundreds, and
finally thousands of Americans traveled to Amsterdam for
their own taste of freedom, and possibility for the future.
The trip became a rite of passage for US activists. Some
decided to stay and formed the core of what came to be a
vibrant expatriate community of cannabis refugees.

36

At that time, the legality of cannabis in the Netherlands


seemed to be expanding. More and more coffee shops and
seed companies greeted us every year. Positronics started the
first cannabis university, and Dutch coffee shops began
advertising in US magazines. We all assumed that progress
would continue, and those of us who returned to the US
came back full of inspiration and hope.
So lets fast forward to 2009. California is now home to the
worlds largest legal cannabis market. Many of the activists
responsible for that change were inspired by their Amsterdam sojourns, and have taken leading roles in Californias
medical cannabis industrypeople like Debby Goldsberry,

Etienne Fontan, Todd McCormick, Rich Leeand myself.


The Netherlands provided us our first model of what legal
cannabis distribution could look like, and strongly influenced
our approach.
It is easy to see the signs of this inspiration in Californias
medical cannabis industry. It is reflected most obviously in
terminology such as the Bulldog Coffee shop and Oaksterdam University. Many other early California dispensaries
called themselves coffee shops and their interiors often
emulated Dutch coffee shops, including espresso bars. Many
of the strains of cannabis sold by California dispensaries were
developed by Dutch seed companies and staples of the coffee
shops like pre-rolled joints and space cakes can be seen in
most California dispensaries.
Sadly, on my last visit to Amsterdam, the light of hope had
dimmed somewhat. I found coffee shops being squeezed by
government pressure: new regulations strictly limited the
amount of cannabis they could have in stock, and customers
were limited to purchases of no more than five grams. Alcohol
could no longer be sold in coffee shops, and tobacco was
restricted to small cramped smoking boothsa major issue
in a place where the most popular method of ingesting cannabis is tobacco-hash joints. Worst of all, the government had
closed many coffee shops entirely, and the rumors I heard
indicated that they were planning on closing still more.
I found my Dutch friends who owned coffee shops and seed
companies in a state of anxiety and depression. Some had
already had their facilities closed, and others feared it would
soon happen to them. Ironically, I found them looking to the
US for hope. They were following developments here very
closelyall of them knew about AG Holders announcement
that the Obama administration would respect state medical
cannabis laws, and Tom Ammianos legalization bill--and
they were eager to learn everything they could about California dispensaries. They hoped that a change in the United
States would relieve the pressure they were suffering.
The people who had so inspired American Hempsters with
their pioneering models of legal cannabis distribution were

Stephen Deangelo

now looking to our shores for positive news. While this was a gratifying sign of the progress we have made in California, it also was
terribly ironic and tragic.
The light that had so sustained us through our time of darkness
seemed to be flickering. Our friends, who had provided us safe
refuge during our time of anguish, were now having the same
anguish visited upon them. It made me sad and depressed, and
fearful that our own advances here might someday be pushed back.
But I could sit with that sadness only so longI was after all on my
way back to California. So I sat down and had a good smoke,
consulted the plant, and gave the situation some thought. I thought
about the nature of light; about how it is always moving, always in
the process of transformation. I considered how silly I was to lose
sight of those facts, and expect light to be still and remain in one
place. And I realized that the light of hope that had inspired us in
Amsterdam was still present in our lives. It was here, well and alive
in California. And it was bright enough to send some comfort to
our friends in the Netherlands, as they had comforted us in our
time of darkness. And that was not a tragic thing; it in fact that was
a beautiful thing.

37

ADVERTISEMENT

O'Shaughnessy's News Service


O'Shaughnessy's publishes material of special interest to pro-cannabis doctors and their patients. Managing
Editor Fred Gardner is a former editor of Scientific American and public information officer for the District
Attorney of San Francisco. Expanded versions of these stories can be found in the summer 2009 issue, now
available at doctors' offices and dispensaries, or at PCMD4U.org. (That's PC as in "Pro-Cannabis.")

The

Greatest Story

Never Told

Tashkin Reiterates: Smoking Cannabis Does Not Cause Cancer of Lung or Upper Airways
Words & Photos by Fred Gardner

One in three Americans will be afflicted


with cancer, we are told by the government

(as if it's our immutable fate and somehow acceptable).


Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S.
and lung cancer the leading killer among cancers.
So you'd think it would have been very big news in June,
2005 when UCLA medical school professor Donald
Tashkin reported that components of marijuana smoke
-although they damage cells in respiratory tissue- somehow prevent them from becoming malignant. In other
words, something in marijuana exerts an anti-cancer
effect!
Tashkin has special credibility. He was the lead investigator on studies dating back to the 1970s that identified
the components in marijuana smoke that are toxic. It
was Tashkin who published photomicrographs showing
that marijuana smoke damages cells lining the upper
airways.
It was the Tashkin lab's finding that benzpyrene - a
component of tobacco smoke that plays a role in most
lung cancers- is especially prevalent in marijuana smoke.
It was Tashkin's data showing that marijuana smokers
are more likely than non-smokers to cough, wheeze, and
produce sputum.
Tashkin reviewed his findings in April, 2008, at a
conference organized by "Patients Out of Time," a
reform group devoted to educating doctors and the
public (as opposed to lobbying politicians). Some 30
MDs and nurses got continuing medical education
credits for attending the event, which was held at Asilomar, on the Monterey Peninsula.

40

Donald Tashkin

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, which


supported Tashkin's marijuana-related research over
the decades, readily gave him a grant in 2002 to conduct
a large, population-based, case-controlled study that
would prove definitively that heavy, long-term marijuana use increases the risk of lung and upper-airways
cancers.
What Tashkin and his colleagues found, however,
disproved their hypothesis. (Tashkin is to marijuana as
a cause of lung cancer as to what Hans Blick was to
Iraq's weapons of mass destruction-an honest investigator who set out to find something, concluded that it
wasn't there, and reported his results.)
Tashkin's team interviewed 1,212 cancer patients from
the Los Angeles County Cancer Surveillance program,
matched for age, gender, and neighborhood with 1,040
cancer-free controls. Marijuana use was measured in
"joint years" (number of years smoked times number of
joints per day).
It turned out that increased marijuana use did not result
in higher rates of lung and pharyngeal cancer, whereas
tobacco smokers were at greater risk the more they

smoked. Tobacco smokers who also smoked marijuana


were at slightly lower risk of getting lung cancer than
tobacco-only smokers. These findings were not deemed
worthy of publication in "NIDA Notes." Tashkin
reported them at the 2005 meeting of the International
Cannabinoid Research Society. They were published in
the October 2006 issue of "Cancer Epidemiology
Biomarkers & Prevention."
Without a press release from NIDA calling attention to
its significance, the assignment editors of America had no
idea that "Marijuana Use and the Risk of Lung and
Upper Aerodigestive Tract Cancers: Results of a
Population-Based Case-Control Study" by Mia Hashibe,
Hal Morgenstern, Yan Cui, Donald P. Tashkin, Zuo-Feng
Zhang, Wendy Cozen, Thomas M. Mack and Sander
Greenland was a blockbuster story.
I suggested to Eric Bailey of the L.A. Times that he write
up Tashkin's findings -UCLA provided the local angle if
the anti-cancer effect wasn't enough. Bailey said his
editors wouldn't be interested for some time because he
had just filed a marijuana-related piece. The Tashkin
scoop is still there for the taking!
Tashkin Defends His Findings. Investigators from New
Zealand recently got widespread media attention for a
study contradicting Tashkin's results. "Heavy cannabis
users may be at greater risk of chronic lung disease
-including cancer- compared to tobacco smokers," is how
BBC News summed up the New Zealanders' findings.
The very small size of the study -79 smokers took part, 21
of whom smoked cannabis only- was not held against the
authors. In fact, the small New Zealand study was given
much more coverage by the corporate press than the large
UCLA study that preceded it.
The New Zealand study was portrayed as the latest word
on this important subject. As if scientific inquiry were
some kind of tennis match and the truth just gets truthier
with every volley.
Tashkin criticized the New Zealanders' methodology in
his talk at Asilomar: "There's some cognitive dissonance
associated with the interpretation of their findings. I
think this has to do with the belief model among the
investigators and -I wish they were here to defend themselves- the integrity of the investigators... They actually
published another paper in which they mimicked the
design that we used for looking at lung function."

Tashkin spoke from the stage of an airy redwood chapel


designed by Julia Morgan. He is pink-cheeked, 70ish,
wears wire-rimmed spectacles. "For tobacco they found
what you'd expect: a higher risk for lung cancer and a
clear dose-response relationship. A 24-fold increase in
the people who smoked the most... What about marijuana? If they smoked a small or moderate amount there
was no increased risk, in fact slightly less than one. But if
they were in the upper third of the group, then their risk
was six-fold... A rather surprising finding, and one has to
be cautious about interpreting the results because of the
very small number of cases (14) and controls (4)."
Tashkin said the New Zealanders employed "statistical
sleight of hand." He deemed it "completely implausible
that smokers of only 365 joints of marijuana have a risk
for developing lung cancer similar to that of smokers of
7,000 tobacco cigarettes... Their small sample size led to
vastly inflated estimates... They had said 'it's ideal to do
the study in New Zealand because we have a much higher
prevalence of marijuana smoking.' But 88 percent of their
controls had never smoked marijuana, whereas 36% of
our controls (in Los Angeles) had never smoked marijuana. Why did so few of the controls smoke marijuana?
Something fishy about that!" Strong words for a UCLA
School of Medicine professor!
As to the highly promising implication of his own study
-that something in marijuana stops damaged cells from
becoming malignant--Tashkin noted that an antiproliferative effect of THC has been observed in cellculture systems and animal models of brain, breast, prostate, and lung cancer. THC has been shown to promote
known apoptosis (damaged cells die instead of reproducing) and to counter angiogenesis (the process by which
blood vessels are formed -a requirement of tumor
growth). Other antioxidants in cannabis may also be
involved in countering malignancy, said Tashkin.

41

O'Shaughnessy's News Service

Lab Starts Testing Cannabis Samples For Pathogens & Cannabinoid Levels
Words & Photos by O'Shaughnessy's News Service

Dand Lampach

In December 2008, the founders of a lab in the East Bay


doing business as "Steep Hill Medical Collective,"
emboldened by the election of President Barack Obama,
notified dispensary operators that they had begun testing
cannabis samples for something no one wants to find on
their medicine -pathogenic mold- and something everyone wants to find out about -THC and CBD content. The
lab also reports levels of CBN (cannabinol, a breakdown
product of THC that indicates time in storage).
Addison Demara

42

Steep Hill is gearing up to add tests for pesticides -which


many indoor growers use- and terpenes. There is an
emerging consensus among researchers that aromatic
terpenes work in concert with THC to create the characteristics and effects of a given cannabis strain.
Running the lab are two former growers, David Lampach,
32, and Addison DeMoura, 35, who decided to find a
different niche within the industry. They spent a year learning how use the sophisticated testing apparatus and refining their procedures under the tutelage of a sympathetic
university-connected chemist.
Lampach operates the gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC/MS) and flame ionization detector (GC/FID).
DeMoura is liaison to the dispensaries, many of whose
operators are eager to take part in the testing program, he
says. The hold-up has been development of a software
program that will enable the lab to handle 100 or more
samples per day.
To date the lab has been testing eight to 10 samples a day
provided by Oakland's Harborside Health Center, whose
proprietor, Steve DeAngelo, has backed the project from
its inception. "If you're calling for regulation, you've got to
get ready for inspection by public health authorities,"
DeAngelo says.
Promoting quality assurance is a goal shared by the "Clean
Green" organic certification program, the Medical Cannabis Safety Council and other industry groups.

area that's exposed to animals. Set up a clean room and


put on different clothes when you go in. Wear gloves.
Wash your hands. In other words, remember that your
product is medicine and treat it as medicine.'"

TOP 10 HIGHEST THC


NAME

THC

OG KUSH
STRAWBERRY COUGH
SUPER SKUNK
HEADBAND
PURE KUSH
LEMON JACK
PURE KUSH
THE WHITE
SUPER DIESEL
OG KUSH

28.14%
27.16%
25.90%
25.51%
25.34%
25.25%
25.11%
24.41%
24.14%
24.12%

TOP 10 HIGHEST CBD


NAME

THC

CBD

NYC DIESEL
GANJA MA
GANJA MA
NYC DIESEL
SHAKTI
SOMA A+
GANJA MA
SOMA A+
SOMA A+
SOMA A+

9.61%
5.27%
7.90%
11.69%
7.40%
7.90%
11.66%
9.77%
11.23%
7.51%

11.32%
10.58%
9.16%
9.01%
7.90%
7.14%
5.32%
5.05%
4.97%
4.95%

The lab has found levels of mold - notably - Aspergillus


Fumigatus that bear witness to unsanitary production
methods. About 3% of the tested samples were found to
contain pathogenic mold and Harborside returned the
pounds from which they came to vendors with instructions to clean up their acts.
DeAngelo says, "It can't be the whole family and friends
sitting around with all the dogs in the living room. We're
putting out the message: 'Clean up your trim areas, clean
up your storage areas, do not have cannabis curing in an

David and Addison check samples for mold, THC and CBD.

43

Does Oaksterdam University


run on Standard Stoner Time?
Words by Dale S. Clare
Photos by Todd McCormick

Not quite. Our front row seats fill first.


Class begins on time, with an earnest
request for any undercover law enforcement officers to please identify themselves.
The uncomfortable silence is only broken
by the restless students shifting in their
chairs as they look around for the Narc.

As the situation sinks in, you can almost see the


thought cross their faces; I am actually sitting in a
room with over fifty other people to learn about
pot. After 2,500 students sat in OU chairs, no one
has stood up to identify themselves as a cop, and
class seems to continue with an increased sense of
awareness. The school asks the question to remind
students that you do not really know whom you are
talking to, during school, at lunch or in life.
OU does not offer your typical student encounter. Oaksterdam University welcomes many students who are looking to
change careers, or simply brush up on horticulture skills.
OU also attracts business owners who want to train their
current staff, folks who want to open their own business, and
patients trying to understand their rights.
Several
concerned parents have decided to send their young adult
children to learn how to involve themselves with cannabis
safely and responsibly, rather than continuing to flirt with
the Black Market. The many motivations to learn about this
controversial plant create an interesting blend of individuals
and opportunity.
Required study includes the legal, politics and history
classes. Students learn how we arrived at the current political landscape, first understand where we have been and
respect what might set happen you choose to cavort with
cannabis. The classes continue to become more specific to
medical applications, ingestion methods, cooking, concentrates and extracts. The Basic 101 Course covers core issues
on how to help patients by providing better knowledge
about cannabis, including working as a Budtender. Horticulture is the popular anchor for all of the current courses.
The Advanced Course is focused on starting a business,
Cannabusiness, and knowing your rights during law
enforcement encounters.
46

Richard Lee

Soon, the question for officers and media to identify


themselves will likely cause every student in the room
to respond. Oaksterdam University is about to kick
off Law Enforcement Sensitivity Training to assist
cops with identifying qualified patients and understanding the changing community expectations. We
will be filling the room with officers and officials for
select dates. This educational alliance brings new
meaning to the mission statement to provide quality
training for the cannabis industry and will help
garner understanding and respect.
In June, during simultaneous events across California,
Oaksterdam University will have a strong presence at
both the THC EXPO at the LA Convention Center,
and the Harmony Festival in Sebastopol. Both
landmark events are the first time cannabis and hemp
has been welcome within mainstream venues. The
welcome was won through the diligence and political savvy on the part of organizers. The Harmony
Festival will mark the launch of OU Sebastopol
(OUSB) offering the original weekend courses for
Northern California. Oaksterdam University Michigan (OUMI) just kicked off May 23 & 24th in Ann
Arbor, MI with a 300 person educational symposium.

Plans are germinating for Rhode Island (OURI)


and beyond. You can be a part of this budding
industry. There are already over 500 medical
cannabis dispensaries in California, creating
thousands of new jobs and millions of tax dollars.
Become a freedom fighter at Oaksterdam
University and earn a living while helping to end
cannabis prohibition.
Richard Lee has been working to end cannabis
prohibition for 17 years. In 1992 he co-founded
Legal Marijuana - The Hemp Store in Houston,
Texas, one of the first hemp products retail outlets
in the United States. Lee moved to Oakland in
1997 and co-founded the Hemp Research Company, supplying cannabis to the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Club and researching efficient and
environmentally friendly cannabis horticulture.
In 1999, he opened the Bulldog Coffeeshop, the
second cannabis outlet in "Oaksterdam". In 2003
Lee founded the Oakland Civil Liberties
Alliance, the PAC that passed Oakland's
Measure Z making private sales, cultivation, and
possession of cannabis the lowest law enforcement priority and mandating that Oakland tax
and regulate cannabis as soon as possible under
state law. From 2005 to 2007, Lee published the
Oaksterdam News quarterly newspaper with a
circulation of over 100,000. In 2007, he founded
the first cannabis college in the United States,
Oaksterdam University. In 2008 he funded the
startup of the monthly magazine West Coast
Cannabis, current circulation 30,000. Since 2005,
Lee has been serving on the City of Oakland
Cannabis Regulation and Revenue Ordinance
Commission, which was created after Measure Z
passed with 65% of the vote 2004. He manages
several other Oaksterdam companies, including
the Oaksterdam Gift Shop and Nursery. His
dedication to ending cannabis prohibition
continues to play a crucial role in the revitalization and economic growth of Oakland.
Oaksterdam University was founded in 2007 to
provide students with the highest quality training
for the cannabis industry. The faculty is
comprised of the most recognized names in the
California cannabis movement. The original
Oakland campus is located on the corner of 19th
and Broadway in revitalized downtown Oakland,
adjacent to the renovated Fox Theater with
convenient access to BART.

Jeff Jones

Sarah Diesel

Dale Clare

Los Angeles Campus (OULA) is hosted by the Patient ID Center


323-852-1039 470 S. San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048
(Between La Cienega and Wilshire Blvd, south of the Beverly Center,
cross street is Drexel, located on the first floor)
www.patientidcenter.org
Sebastopol Campus (OUSB) is hosted by Peace in Medicine
www.peaceinmedicine.org
Michigan Campus (OUMI) is hosted by Michigan Medical Marijuana
Association www.michiganmedicalmarijuana.org
Rhode Island Campus (OURI) is planning with the RI Patient Advocacy
Coalition www.RIpatients.org
To enroll, contact Oaksterdam University at 510-251-1544
www.oaksterdam.com
Oaksterdam University
Executive Chancellor
www.OaksterdamUniversity.com
Medical Cannabis Safety Council (MCSC)
Regional Coordinator, Southern California
Education & Research Committee Chair
www.CannabisSafety.org
Medical Cannabis Association (MCA)
Director of Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy
www.MedicalCannabisAssociation.org

47

The

Jeff Jones

Vaporizer Assessment Project


(The VAP)
Words by Jeff Jones

I have been a fan of vaporizing since I first located a do-ityourself guide, published in the early 1990's by NORML,
explaining a quick DIY version that could be built for less then
$20. It was not perfect in design, but did lessen the amount of
plant material that was burned. Things have come a long way
since I first experimented with the technology in the form of this
partially successful attempt at a personal vaporizer.
Because of my experiences, I hope to highlight the different
aspects of vaporizers to provide you an honest consumer guide
with a connoisseur perspective. The new and potential vaporizing assistive devices coming out on the market can be costly to
assess yourself. I will also revisit the pros and cons of industry
leaders; companies upholding the standards that are continuing
to offer quality vaporizers for the marketplace.

have batteries for the heating element, so I give the iolite a high
rating. It is currently being made of sturdy material, and will
hopefully prove to survive some wear and tear out in the field
during my rigorous assessment process. The largest positive is
the very lightweight and compact design, and can fit into your
pocket or coat for easy concealment before or after use. You can
also reload and use without much difficulty, where some vaporizers are not so easy to figure out or refill. The largest negative is
that is made of a plastic type material on the outside, potentially
not so environmental friendly for long term use. But if you have
to be portable this one gets a sure buy review, as I have found
them to be ready to use in less then one minute after starting up
and can be recharged with any standard refined butane fuel.
www.my-iolite.com www.gotvape.com

To begin, let us familiarize ourselves with what is needed to


accomplish vaporizing cannabis. You must have a device that can
consistently control the heattemperature control needed to boil
the resin of this plant, allowing the release of cannabinoids (the
parts of the plant you benefit from) into a gaseous state. I have
seen many different types of devices over the years used to accomplish this task, varying from simple to very complicated. To be
clear, your device must simply be able heat the beneficial components to their boiling point, releasing a vapor, without actually
burning the plant material, which produces smoke, tar and ash.
The optimum choice for vaporizing devices can vary upon where
and how you will be using cannabis. Storz and Bickel, the manufacturer of Volcano products, offer the Classic or Digital heating
base with a Solid or Easy Valve balloon collection kits. To my
knowledge, the Volcano is the first vaporizer that allows for
"saving the vapor for later", providing a chance for users to experience the benefits of vaporizing without having to immediately use
what they prepare, although efficacy fades over time. This
capability is due to the patented balloon vapor collection system.
As the industry leader, this company has established the standard
that all other vaporizers are judged by, however the Volcano
vaporizer is not very stealthy, and has limited portability due to
necessity for a power source.
I hope to see another great product from this seasoned industry
leader in 2011. The prices are steep for their current line of vaporizers, but the quality and durability of their product is proven,
stemming from true German craftsmanship; all units are manufactured in Germany and shipped worldwide. The Volcano
vaporizer continues to stand strong in a growing field of products.
It will take a new and innovative approach to unseat this industry
leader, considered the Mercedes Benz of the vaporizing.
www.storz-bickel.com
For your portable use, an up and coming unit recently available is
the iolite portable vaporizer made by Oglesey and Butler, a
company from Ireland. This new vaporizer utilizes butane as the
heating method, which makes it portable longer then most that

Jeff Jones shows the THC Expo some love.

If you would like your favorite vaporizers reviewed or are


marketing vaporizing technology drop me a email at
thevap@patientidcenter.org.
If you are a vaporizer company interested in having your product
reviewed, I encourage you if you to send us a demo to test,
information you would provide for a patient to purchase, and a
way to contact you directly.
I will work to get your vaporizer reviewed in a future column.
Next column I plan to analyze the Vripmaster line of vaporizers.
www.vriptech..com
49

MySpace.com/ChronicCandy

Should we compost the leaf


or consume it?

Photos by Todd McCormick

Human culture and its preparation of food markedly impacts the


quality of the nutrition. Humans dissatisfied with the color and flavor
of food alter it by preparation or cooking to elevate it culturally. A
classic example is our desire to grind off the outer cover of rice and
wheat, feed the vitamins to the animals while civilization enjoys
white rice, white bread and a case of Beriberi (B1 deficiency).

51

It is rumored that fire was a gift to humanity, stolen from Zeus


by Prometheus. For 10,000 years we have been enjoying our
purloined pleasure, fire, by roasting, toasting and smoking the
food around us. By report, Prometheus paid dearly for his
stealing of fire from Zeus, it is clear now that we share in
Prometheus fate to some degree. Humans stand out from the
rest of the animal kingdom in our application of heat to cannabis. We smoke, simmer, saut, steep our way to one desired
endpoint, the increase of THC. In India, the non-psychoactive
large green shade leafs of the cannabis plant are simmered for
10 minutes, then the leaf is ground up and rolled into balls.
One is mildly psychoactive, two moderately and three significantly psychoactive. None of them have the original medicinal
value.
If we wind back the clock 10,000 years, humans ate cannabis
raw as did the deer, horses, rabbits and cats. The particular
profile of terpenes, cannabinoids and flavinoids found in raw,
green leaf represents 34 million years of evolution and it will be
a few more years before we fully understand the synergistic
actions of the 400+ molecules found in raw cannabis. At last
years International Cannabinoid Research Society symposium
attention was paid to the delicate cannabinoids that are
destroyed by heat. Turns out these delicate Cannabinoids have
unique medical properties that are lost after the plant is heated.
In addition the delicate cannabinoids, the terpenes are driven
from the plant with heat. The terpenes, which are volatile at
room temperature, are responsible for the unique odor that
distinguishes one strain from another. In addition to the aroma,
the terpenes have diverse medical functions; anti-inflammatory,
analgesic, anti-oxidant, antibiotic and they are reduced if not
lost in drying, grinding and in the application of heat.

52

One cannot begin to appreciate the wide range of the medical


benefits provided by cannabis until one understands the
immune system. A couple of hours spent with Wikipedia, will
add significantly to ones understanding of how cannabis, the
ultimate immune modulator, helps the immune system maintain and restore health. The terpenes are known act synergistically with the cannabinoids to restore optimal function to the
immune system. In summary the raw green leaf is a balanced
offering of primary and secondary immune modulators
degraded by heat, drying or age.
The green leaf was evolved to be eaten and will one day be
recognized as a dietary essential. Dont wait till it makes it to the
food pyramid though, consume dont compost the shade leafs,
one of the best parts of the plant. Make sure there are no toxic
miticides, store the leaf in one of those green bags, use ten large
fan leafs per day in juice, salsa, pesto, salads etc. Since the
cannabinoids are cleared rapidly from the blood, frequent
consumption of a small amount of juice is ideal. Leaf is not
psychoactive so it can be used around the clock. Since the
cannabinoids are fat soluble and stored in the fat tissue it can
take 4-8 weeks to saturate for a given dose of leaf. Raw green
leaf gradually but powerfully modulates the immune system
consequently it is not effective for acute symptom relief. Break
through pain is nicely complemented by vaporization of your
favorite high CBD strain.
William L. Courtney, M.D.
DrCourtney@mcn.org
LeavesOfGrass.info
Mendocino, Willits, Garberville & Arcata

VOLUME 001
PREMIER ISSUE
JULY/AUGUST 2009
$4.95USD

I
inhaled,
frequently;
that was the point!
-President Obama

THE FIRST ANNUAL

THC EXPO 2009


LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER

W E S T H O L LY W O O D
7825 Santa Monica Blvd.

323.848.7981

V E N IC E

1509 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

3 1 0 .3 9 2 .3 8 9 0

WESTWOOD
1035 Gayl ey A ve.

310.208.0820

03

05

TABLE OF CONTENT
VOLUME 1 NO. 1
PREMIER ISSUE
JULY/AUGUST 2009

FEATURES
FRIDAY AT THE STUDIO 19
With DJ Pooh
LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT 20
Words by Todd Mccormick
STRAIN HUNTERS: THE MALAWI EDITION 23
Words By Arjan Roskam

THC LEVELS
BLAZING HOT FLICKS 13
Who Burns It Up
HASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME 27
Hashish Enlightenment
Words By Robert C. Clarke
CLASSIC BOONDOCKS 36
By Aaron Mcgruder
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE HIGH KIND 40
A High Def Photo Gallery
CALIFORNIA LOVE 50
Cali Girls Photo Gallery

Welcome to the 18+ side of the THC Expo, here you


will find all of the cultivation, medication, and paraphernalia accessories available to the industry.
With medical marijuana becoming so popular in
California and the talk of legalization on the
tongues of sitting senators it is high time we
acknowledged the Cannabis user as a demographic that is to be respected and not oppressed.
Please do your part to help us keep this event
hassle free by not Smoking, Vaporizing or otherwise Consuming Cannabis while in the Los Angeles Convention Center.
We are proud to have a mix of businesses from all
over the world from local medical marijuana
dispensaries to European seed companies to

Canadian cultivation equipment manufacturers.


Here you will find everything youre looking for as
well as things you never knew you needed.
Our 18 and older stage will have a more adult
oriented theme and a focus on the more advanced
side of the industry; we will feature comics,
lectures, celebrity appearances and even a fashion
show.
Our new magazine is designed much in the same
way as our Expo to best highlight the diversity of
the subject matter; we hope you enjoy the concept.
We at the THC EXPO hope you have a wonderful
time at this years expo and we hope to see you
next year!

1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914

230

330

421

229

329

420

228

328

419

227

327

226

326

225

325

224

324

415

223

323

414

222

322

413

221

321

412

121

220

320

120

219

DOCTORS / ATTORNEYS

132

MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT

1901 1902 1903

GROW
621

719

821

921 1021

1127 1228

520

620

718

820

920 1020

1126 1227

1325

519

619

717

819

919 1019

1125 1226

1324 1423

518

618

818

918 1018

1225

1323 1422

517

617

716

817

917 1017

1124 1224

1322 1421

1519

516

616

715

816

916 1016

1123 1223

1321 1420

1518 1617

515

615

714

815

915 1015

1122 1222

1320 1419

1517 1616

1714

514

614

713

814

914 1014

1121 1221

1319 1418

1516 1615

1713 1812

513

613

712

813

913 1013

1120 1220

1318 1417

1515 1614

1712 1811

512

612

711

812

912 1012

1119 1219

1317 1416

1514 1613

1711 1810

18 & OVER

1118 1218

1316 1415

1513 1612

1710 1809

319

1117 1217

1315 1414

1512 1611

1709 1808

218

318

1116 1216

1314 1413

1511 1610

1708 1807

217

317

1115 1215

1313 1412

1510 1609

1707 1806

216

316

1114 1214

1312 1411

1509 1608

1706 1805

215

315

1113 1213

1311 1410

1508 1607

1705 1804

214

314

1112 1212

1310 1409

1507 1606

1704 1803

114

213

313

1111 1211

1309 1408

1506 1605

1703 1802

113

212

312

1110 1210

1308 1407

1505 1604

1702 1801

111

211

311

411

511

611

710

811

911 1011

1109 1209

1307 1406

1504 1603

1701

110

210

310

410

510

610

709

810

910 1010

1108 1208

1306 1405

1503 1602

109

209

309

409

509

609

708

809

909 1009

1107 1207

1305 1404

1502 1601

108

208

308

408

508

608

707

808

908 1008

1106 1206

1304 1403

1501

107

207

307

407

507

607

706

807

907 1007

1105 1205

1303 1402

206

306

406

506

606

705

806

906 1006

1104 1204

1302 1401

205

305

405

505

605

805

905 1005

1203

204

304

504

604

704

804

904 1004

1103 1202

131
130
129
128
127
126
125
124
123

CULTURE

521

418
417
416

118
117
116
115

ART

119

ADVERTISERS

122

VIP AREA

UTENSILS

404
403

FOODS

104

HEMP

105

COMESTICS

112

106

CLUBS

203

303

503

603

703

803

903 1003

1102 1201

102

202

302

402

502

602

702

802

902 1002

1101

101

201

301

401

501

601

701

801

901 1001

103

1301

11

Blazing
Hot
Flicks

13

Daz Dillinger & DJ TooHigh

14

Lena Nicole

Snoop Dogg & friends

Tommy & Shelby Chong

Yukmouth & Lou Dog of Kottonmouth Kings

Eddie Bravo & friends

Angel Raich

15
Angel Rach

19

20

The White House


1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Letter to the President


THC EXPO
Los Angeles Convention Center
June 13 and 14th, 2009

Dear Mr. President,


We at the THC Expo wanted to take a moment to congratulate you on succeeding to the highest Office in America. We applaud you for
telling the truth about your past Cannabis use. In doing so, you proved to the world that responsible adult use of Cannabis is no big deal
and that people who use Cannabis can go on to become anything they want in life. We Cannabis users have been plagued with the
stereotype that is completely falsified by the propaganda surrounding the current prohibition and your elevation to the office of
President is the shining example that makes all these allegations clearly false.
Yes We Can was a motto that many of us related to; we certainly hoped that you would be the difference that we the people have not
seen for so long in Washington, quite arguably; if ever. Your wonderful speeches and amazing optimism inspired us all; upon your
inauguration you united billions of people worldwide with your breaking of racial boundaries and doing what most people said could not
be done in our lifetime. By doing so you inspired us all to dream our own personal, albeit sometimes seemingly impossible, dream and
we thank you. We were however very dismayed when you so easily dismissed the topic of re-legalization of Cannabis on change.org.
The topic of legalization of marijuana was your most voted on question and the fact that more people voted for marijuana legalization on
your website than any other question posed should tell you something; that maybe this topic is long overdue for review and that the
people are ahead of the politicians and that this plant prohibition is long over in the eyes of the American people.
We at the THC Expo would also like to remind you of your history, for when Columbus arrived he brought with him on all of his ships
Cannabis/Hemp, it was a vital necessity to any seafaring culture, for without Cannabis/Hemp they could not sail the open seas:
Cannabis/Hemp alone was responsible for all of the ropes and all of the sales, all of the maps, Bibles and clothing that the sailors wore
and used were also Hemp, and history also tells us that the fiber matting called oakum that was pressed between the boards of the hull
and kept the boat buoyant, was made of primarily Hemp fiber, as well was the paint they used to seal the hull was processed from
Hempseed oil. Cannabis/Hemp was such an important commodity at the founding of our nation that for over 200 years the federal
government, that you now preside over, accepted raw Cannabis/Hemp as payment for taxes because it was indispensable to the military.
All of the feral Hemp that grows across the Midwest was planted there by the settlers of this great country, all the canvas that covered all
the canvas-wagons that crossed this country settling the West was made from only one plant; Cannabis.
We ask you now Mr. President to acknowledge history; past presidents that you quote so eloquently, were in fact, Hemp farmers out of
sheer necessity. Because they lived before nylon, tree- based paper, petrochemicals and synthetic-based paints, they had to look
towards Mother Nature to provide them with their bare necessities and in doing so, they found an organic and sustainable solution:
Cannabis/Hemp. We all realize that you have the opportunity to rebuild America, to free us of the ignorance of past presidential
decisions and implement a future based on what is right for the many instead of what is profitable for the few. You alone have the power
to make the changes that are needed to save our economy and to save our environment and to give back a history that has been stolen
by corporate lies and government propaganda.
We need Cannabis/Hemp now as a nation just as we did in 1619 when our federal government passed the first laws that stipulated that
all residents had to grow it least 10% of their land as Hemp because it was such an important commodity in society. What worked then
will again work now, as we can no longer afford your cheap tree paper, or your foreign oil at the expense of human lives. We can no
longer afford to have you lock up our citizens for choosing to use a benign plant instead of the other available poisons that are available
on every corner at any convenience store. And we can most certainly not allow our friends and family with cancer/AIDS and other
debilitating diseases to stand by and suffer while we contemplate the ethics of denying them beneficial medication. Its time the federal
government legalizes adult use of Cannabis and re-legalizes Cannabis/Hemp as a commodity for our foods, fuels, fibers and medicines
and we hope you will take the time to acknowlege our history and do whats right and give back to the people their right to utilize this
God-given gift.

Sincerely,

THC EXPO
21

THE MALAWI EDITION

Our planet is home to millions of species of animal and plants


with their own habitat, and each plays a unique role in the
perfect design of nature. Unfortunately many species of plants
and animals are victim of uncontrolled human development.
Cannabis, one of the most ancient plants known to man, used
in every civilization all over the world for medicinal and recreational purposes, is facing a very real threath of extinction.
Besides the threath posed by human development, one of the
goals of the United Nations, published years ago in official
reports, was to wipe out the cannabis plant from the face of
the earth by the year 2010. In reality this is far from being
achieved, because man keeps using the cannabis plant for
religious, medicinal and recreational purposes no matter what
the law says. Most cultures cannot comprehend how a plant
can be made illegal.
In most people's perception, plants and animals stand above a
status of legality or illegality, they just exist in a higher design
of nature that goes beyond human laws and regulations. Nevertheless most governments of cannabis-producing countries
are implementing drastic measures to destroy crops.

24

Dangerous chemicals are sprayed over fields and over the


farmers themselves in most of the third world countries,
and the poorest people of the planet are the ones paying
the highest price for cultivating a plant that does not kill.
But in the economy of scale, where demand dictates
supply, the poorest people of the planet have no choice
but to cultivate cannabis as a cash crop to feed their
children and send them to school.
Communities that are isolated in remotes areas in the
poorest regions of the planet are often the keepers of very
special landraces. The worldwide prosecution on the
cannabis plant generates the need to go hunting for the
real landraces that are left in the most remote corners of
the planet. These strains, isolated for decades and sometimes for centuries, costantly inbreeding, are at the origin
of all the thousands of variations that we know today in
the cannabis industry. In these landraces there are
hundreds,

maybe

thousands

of

unique

cannabinoid

profiles that have never been evaluated by the pharmaceutical industry; nevertheless they could be of enormous
help in the future, when the knowledge about the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant will advance further.
One of these cannabinoid profiles could be hiding the next
miracle drug for the treatment of very serious diseases.
The concept of strain hunters stems from the need to
preserve nature's gifts to man, in a quest for a better
future. Being a strain hunter is a personal challenge, a
passion, and a way of life. Strain hunting is a very delicate
task, one that involves social skills, a travelling-oriented
mindframe and a pinch of crazy. Besides being physically
fit, the strain hunter has to speak several languages, be
able to blend and socialize in different environments, and
has to be willing to commit to a lifestyle on the fast-lane.
From the jungles of Africa and Asia to the mountain ranges
of South America, the strain hunters are on a mission to
bring back the most important and isolated cannabis
landraces known to man.
The logistical challenges involved in strain-hunting are
quite considerable, but Arjan, owner and founder of the
Green House empire, has been devoting a great deal
passion, time and resources to this task. After two
decades spent strain hunting for the breeding programs of
the Green House Seed Company, it is now time to show
the world what the hunt is all about. Strain Hunters is a
brand new series of documentaries, real-life reports of the
search for the greatest lost cannabis strains, a deep
insight in the typical "day at the office" of the most
Words & Photos by Greenhouse Seed Co.

successful seed makers in the world.


25

27

Hashish is easily the most misunderstood part of the Cannabis plant. In


our quest to take the mystery out of lifes simple pleasures, HEMPIRE
saw the need to explain this much discussed mind-chocolate. Rob
Clarke, best known for his book Marijuana Botany will be our guide in
a series of articles excerpted from his book Hashish.

Words by Robert C. Clarke


Part one: Constituents and Quality
There are two mechanical (nonchemical) methods for
collecting cannabis resin to manufacture hashish (or
charas). The resin gland containing psychoactive THC can
either be rubbed off living plants with the hands, or the
resin glands can be collected by sieving after the plant has
been harvested and dried. While labor intensive, hand
rubbing requires no tools other than fingers and palms and
was told was the first method of making hashish. Even
simple forms of sieving our high tech compared to hand
rubbing; and sieved resin collection offers greater control
of hashish purity and potency, and production of larger
quantities of resin powder in shorter periods of time.
Collecting small amounts of resin by hand is easier than
sieving, while sieving is much more efficient collecting
technique.
Neither method extracts much more than one-half the total
THC contained in the flowering tops. The remaining THC
is trapped within or smeared upon the plant tissues, rather
than being contained within the resin glands. Resin collection for hashish making only extracts THC contained within
and on the plant tissues. In terms of total THC consumed,
smoking marijuana is more than twice as efficient as
efficient as smoking hashish. Hashish smoking has other
advantages that will be discussed in later editions/ hashish
or charas is composed of psychoactive and nonpsychoactive compounds. The relative amounts of THC
and non-cannabinoid constituents determines the texture,
purity and potency of hashish. The non-psychoactive components of hashish are derived from plant matter, water
and other substances. Some of these substances are
naturally occurring contaminants, others are intentionally
added adulterants. There are some simple physical tests
that can be done to determine the quality of hashish.

What is Hashish?

This Cannabis plant was growing in a


field of Poppies in Southern Afghanistan and was taken by an American G.I.
Photo by Manxman

Hashish is a psychoactive drug prepared from the isolated


resin glands of the female, seed-bearing, Cannabis plant.
One common misconception is that hashish is made by
grinding dry Cannabis flowers into a powder and pressing
29

the powder into solid pieces. The idea is not


simply to grind a lot of Cannabis and make marijuana powder. Rather, the idea is to sieve out
(and thus concentrate) the THC-containing resin
glands in order to make a more potent Cannabis
preparation. Another common misconception is
that Cannabis resin powder is pollen. The most
common name in the Netherlands for sieved
Dutch, Lebanese or Moroccan hashish is polm
or pollen. Hashish actually contains no pollen at
all. Pollen is produced only by male flowers and
only female flowers produce the resin glands that
are collected for making hashish. Hashish
makers never use male pollen-producing plants
to make hashish.
Cannabis resin glands are
highly specialized plant cells
that secrete resins and essential oils consisting mostly of
cannabinoid and terpenoid
compounds. The resin glands
of Cannabis are the primary
site of synthesis for the principle psychoactive cannabinoid, THC, and a host of other
cannabinoids and terpenoids.
Resin glands are most well
developed and numerous on
mature, female floral bracts
(the green tissue encasing the
flower and seed). Resin is
secreted from the glands and
accumulates under a waxy
cuticle that enlarges like a
blister until it is nearly spherical. The spherical balls, containing the gland and the
attached balloon of resin it
secreted, fall off when dried
flowers are threshed and are
collected as resin powder, or
are wiped off of the flowers on
to the palms during handrubbing. When Cannabis consumers speak of the sparkly
crystals on marijuana, it is
actually the resin glands that
are being described.
30

Hashish Constituents
In theory, a piece of hashish in its purest form contains nothing but Cannabis resin glands and their
contents. In real life, hashish always contains the
same containments such as airborne dust particles
and pulverized plant tissues. Hashish contains a
mixture of the primary psychoactive compound
THC, with non-psychoactive constituents of both
Cannabis and non-Cannabis origin. Hashish is
made up of alcohol soluble constituents

Hashish varies just like cannabis.

(cannabinoids and terpenoids), vegetable matter, water-soluble compounds, insoluble dust and dirt, and volatile matter. The higher the content of alcohol soluble compounds, the higher the quality of hashish.
The sticky oily liquid terpenoids and cannabinoids serve as the glue to
hold the matrix of particulate vegetable matter and dust together and
form a solid but pliable mass. A basic knowledge of the physical properties of the various hashish constituents is key to an enlightened
approach to hashish preparation and use.
Given that THC is relatively neutral in aroma, terpenoids must be
responsible for the bulk of the other aromatic characteristics of hashish. A host of terpenoid compounds, with varying chemical makeup and
physical characteristics, account for differences in the integral adhesive structure of a piece of hashish. Terpenoids are largely responsible

for the aroma, flavor, and general appearance of hashish. Much of much of the variation in the characteristics
of hashish from different regions (such as texture,
aroma, and flavor) result from variation in terpenoid
content.
The canabinoid and terpinoid constituents of hashish
range in constancy from soft solids trough oily liquids to
thin, volatile aromatic compounds. The mixed cannabinoid and terpenoid compounds produce a dense
viscous solid that is brittle at room temperature (22 C)
or below, and soft and pliable at body temperature (39
C). Any other consistency at these two temperatures is
an indication that the hashish is either contaminated or
adulterated. Both contaminates and adulterants alter
the natural physical state and texture of pure cannabis
resin.
The physical characteristics of hashish change as it is
heated from the frozen storage state (less than 0 C) to
normal temperature (22.5 C), pressed, vaporized ad
eventually burned. Frozen hashish is very hard and the
cannabinoid and terpenoid levels remain nearly stable
for long periods. As soon as hashish is removed from
the freezer and warmed to room temperature it softens.
The softening is a function of the most volatile terpenoids melting and turning to their liquid state.

During hand-pressing a piece of hashish is


warmed to near body temperature (39 C).
The hashish becomes even softer as more
and more of the solid terpenoid constituents
reach their melting points. When hashish is
heated during smoking (100-300 C), the
most volatile terpenoids boil and vaporize first
producing the characteristic vapor and aroma
of hashish. As the temperature climbs
between 200 and 300 the THC vaporizes
along with the higher boiling point terpenoids.
Eventually (above 500 C) the solid vegetable
matter and other flammable containments
catch fire and completely burn. Only a few
degraded terpenoids and cannabinoids
remain in the hashish ashes.

Containments and Adulterants


Pieces of commercial hashish always contain
contaminates and often also adulterants.

Only after the intial physical test is it time to fire it up and really check it out.

Contaminates are non- resin


hashish constituents that arise
from plant debris, dust and dirt
collected along with resin
glands. Adulterants are substances that are intentionally
added to hashish during its
manufacture in order to change
its basic physical character and
lower its potency, making it
more suitable for marketing. An
adulterant is any non-Cannabis
containment
purposefully
added to Cannabis resin. Adulterants do not include dust,
sand, plant tissues, and the
other natural, unintentionally
included containments mentioned above. Opium, henbane,
and datura are psychoactive
adulterants and would add their
own effects to the high
31

produced by hashish. The extra effect of the adulterants may


have been necessary to market low potency hashish made
from low-quality resin powder. None of the adulterants make
hashish more potent or more pleasant to smoke, they only
serve to make poor resin powder salable.

Quality Determination
For the casual hashish smoker is important to assess the
quality of each purchase. The following physical criteria are
commonly used for determining the quality of Cannabis resin
powder and pressed hashish. The criteria only express general rules, and in most rules, an exception can always be
found. However, if most of the physical criteria are satisfied,
then the resin powder or hashish is probably high-quality, and
ought to be potent. If few of the criteria are satisfied, then the
product is most likely low-quality and will also be of low
potency. Without chemical analysis the only way to determine
the potency of Cannabis resin with any certainty is to eat or
smoke it.
The debris that contaminates Cannabis resin powder
provides a matrix that keeps the resin glands physically
separated, allowing them to burn more easily. When resin
glands melt together into a lump they have less surface area
and will not burn properly. Some contaminates are necessary
in a piece of hashish for it to burn correctly on its own. If
hashish is too pure it will melt and bubble but not produce an
ember. The answer to the following questions will give the
smoker a good idea of the quality of any given piece of hashish. Only after the initial physical tests is it time to fire it up
and really check it out!

A close up of hashish.

What color is the resin powder


before pressing?
Lighter colored resin powders are almost
always of higher purity and quality, and
are therefore more potent, than darker
colored resin powders. Pure clean fresh
resin powder of the highest quality is
nearly clear. The next best grades of
resin powder are transparent and
amber-colored or milky translucent-white.
If resin powder contains dust and dirt it
will usually be a darker brown color or it
will be tinted green by pulverized plant
matter.

What is the texture of the resin


powder?
Fine, dense, resin powder is of higher
quality than coarse, fluffy resin powder.
Cannabis resin is very dense, while contaminants such as dust and powdered
plant material, are much less dense. Soft
and moist texture is a sign that the resin
powder is fresh, while hard and dry
texture is indicative of old stale resin
powder.

Lighter colored resin


powders are almost
always of higher purity
and
quality,
and
therefore more potent,
than darker colored
resin powder.

What color is the


piece after it is
pressed?
Higher quality resin
powders
turn
darker, and do so
much faster (when
t h o r o u g h l y
kneaded) than do
lower quality resin
powders.
The
higher of proportion
of resin in the
sample, the faster it
will
soften
and
darken. The glands
in high purity resin
powder burst and
melt together easily
making a denser
and darker piece of
hashish. Cannabis
resin
begins
to
oxidize and darken
as soon as it is
directly exposed to
light, air, and heat.

What color is the piece after it is pressed?


Higher quality resin powders turn darker, and do so much faster (when
thoroughly kneaded) than do lower quality resin powders. The higher of
proportion of resin in the sample, the faster it will soften and darken. The
glands in high purity resin powder burst and melt together easily making a
denser and darker piece of hashish. Cannabis resin begins to oxidize and
darken as soon as it is directly exposed to light, air, and heat.
33

What is the texture of pressed hashish?


When plant impurities are present a piece of well-pressed hashish
will still be soft and spongy. Pure hashish is dense and solid. Pure
hashish makes a sharp click, rather than a dull thud, when dropped
on a hard surface. Mineral impurities can make a piece of hashish
hard and brittle. Often hashish with mineral impurities will not get
very soft in the palm. The freshly broken edge of a piece of high
quality hashish will be sharp and clean, even if the resins are soft.
If the piece pulls apart rather than breaking and the edge is fluffy
and stringy, then there are pieces of plant tissue or other debris
contaminating the resin. If the piece is so hard that it will not reform
when heated in the hand then the piece is old and stale. A fresh
piece of high quality hashish is soft when it is warmed in the hand
for a few minutes. If a piece of hashish is very soft even when it has
not been warmed, then it usually contains a fat or oil adulterant.
However, spongy pieces of hashish such as blonde Moroccan
hashish that are often contaminated with plant debris, but are not
adulterated, can also be soft; so a soft texture at room temperature
is not always a sigh of contamination by fats or oils. In any case,
very soft texture at normal room temperature is always a sign of
lower potency and quality.

What does the resin powder or hashish smell like?


Both fresh resin powder and fresh hashish smell clean and spicy. If
either smells musty or dirty than the product is probably stale, contains contaminates, and /or may have molded or spoiled. If the
hashish lacks aroma all together, it is probably either very old or
contains little resin, or both. Is hashish smells like anything other
than Cannabis, then there is some containment or adulterant in it.
Smell can give al clue as to the cause of softness in hashish. Vegetable oils and butter often smell rancid, Cannabis oil smells of
chemical solvent, and turpentine smells of pine.

What does hashish taste like?


If a small piece of hashish is placed in the mouth and chewed, it
will often produce a peppery taste. If hashish is spicy and peppery
tasting, the piece will usually be more potent than hashish that
tastes flat. If hashish tastes like vegetable matter or dirt it is contaminated.

Does the hashish stay lit?


Cannabis resins are highly flammable because they contain many
extremely volatile terpenoid compounds. When lighting a good
piece of hashish, it usually stays lit on the second or third try. A
piece of high quality hashish will often flare up in flame on the first
few attempts to ignite it. The body of the hashish fails to stay lit
34

because all of the energy of ignition is consumed by the flaming aromatic terpenoids.
After a couple of attempts, a good piece of
hashish will stay lit and carry the coal like a
piece of incense. If the piece lights on the
first try and stays lit, it may be composed
mostly of plant material or contain flammable but non-volatile binders such as
paraffin wax. If the piece must constantly be
relit, it probably contains very little resin, it
may not have been pressed sufficiently, or
the resin powder may be dirty, old, or wet.

What color is the smoke?


The embers of high-quality hashish give off
a milky-white to slightly blue-grey tinted
smoke. Flaming resins give off black smoke
because the aromatic terpenoids are vaporizing faster than they can efficiently burn. If
the embers give off brown smoke it is a sign
of contaminates. If the smoke from the
embers is very dark brown or black, then the
hashish is highly adulterated.

How does the smoke


smell and taste?
When Cannabis resin
burns,
it
produces
aromas and flavors that
are pungent and spicy,
like fine incense. Hashish
smoke smells sweet and
rich.

What does the ash


look like?
When pure resin buns
completely it leaves a
white to light grey ash.
Darker grey ashes indicate the presence of contaminates. Very dark grey
or black ash is a sign of
adulteration.

Is the hashish potent and


are its effects pleasurable
to you the smoker?
While entirely subjective in
nature, the most important
criteria to the smoker are the
potency of the hashish and
nature of its effects. Every
persons idea of both potency
and pleasure varies, just as
the potency and nature of the
high produced by each batch
of hashish varies. Each
smoker must judge the
potency of a Cannabis product
for themselves. If a smoker
feels that hashish is potent
enough to satisfy, and also
feels
that
the
hashish
produces pleasurable physical
effects and a desirable mental
state, then it is good hashish
to them. Ultimately, decisions
concerning the quality of any
given piece of hashish rest
with the individual consumer.
Upcoming articles of Hashish
Enlightenment will bring you
Super Stashes from around
the planet, how to make Holland High Quality Hashish
and much more!
Stay Tuned Earthlings!

A close up of tricombs.

All text are copyright 1995


Robert Connell Clarke and are
excerpted from the book
HASHISH published by Red
Eye Press, Los Angeles
35

Classic Boondocks Strips


By Aaron McGruder
CATCH AARON MCGRUDER AT THE THC EXPO, JUNE 13-14, 2009 AT THE LA CONVENTION CENTER

36

40

42

44

47

vol. 01 l GALLERY: CALIFORNIA LOVE


models: kira lee, boobs marley, Georgia jones, randi-b
mood: hot, sticky and moist
PHOTOS: TODD MCCORMICK

CaliforniaLove

You might also like