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VOLUME 7
www.harborsidehealthcenter.com • www.harborsidesanjose.com
The Cannabis Historian,
vol. I: Ancient Chinese Secrets
By Timothy Anderson, Purchasing Assistant, Harborside Oakland
Nearly a decade ago, archeologists working in China’s Gobi Desert discovered
a grouping of tombs—thousands of them—dating back more than 3,000 years.
Among the many incredible discoveries in these graves was one containing the
remains of a 45-year-old male buried 2,700 years ago with an impressively large
cache of cannabis—nearly two pounds!
c
wellness
For thousands of years, human beings
have cultivated cannabis to preserve
and enhance their health & wellness.
Harborside empowers patients to heal
themselves, with a wide selection of
clones and seeds available everyday.
Patients can purchase up to 99 plants.
Community News
The dry environment and alkaline soil of the desert had preserved this ‘stash’
almost perfectly, as the cannabis retained its green color and still contained resin
glands (trichomes). Researchers noticed several important things about this
ancient sample. First, there was a
lack of stalks or any male cannabis Researchers noticed several
parts (which implies purposeful
separation and hence, cultivation), important things about this ancient
and the seeds in particular showed sample. First, there was a lack of
“traits of domestication.” Second,
when some of the plant matter stalks or any male cannabis parts
was examined by chromatography (which implies purposeful separation
(the same method Steep Hill Lab
uses to evaluate samples of medical and hence, cultivation), and the
cannabis), the high levels of certain seeds in particular showed “traits
cannabinoids indicated that this
sample likely had relatively high of domestication.”
levels of THC (the THC itself was
long gone, of course, having succumbed to the ravages of time and degraded
into CBN. Rest assured, the medicine you purchase at Harborside will be much
more fresh, and potent!). Again, this indicated to the researchers that humans
had selected and likely propagated this particular variety cannabis on the basis
of its higher-than-average THC content.
Perhaps this man was a shaman (as the other items in his tomb seem to indicate),
or just a very cool dude for his era, but one thing is clear: humans were actively
cultivating cannabis for medicinal uses thousands of years ago. Seen through a
historical perspective, what we do here at Harborside Health Center is but a
continuation of a very ancient tradition of using this amazing plant for its many
healing properties.
Reference: Russo, Ethan et al., “Phytochemical and genetic analyses of ancient
cannabis from Central Asia,” Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 59, No.15.
Cannasseur Corner
Crocheting for
chemotherapy
patients in
San Jose.
p3
Is dabbing
a safe and
wellness-oriented
method of
consumption?
p2
Andrew’s Bullhorn
Harborside’s retail boutique
Will there
be a second
season of
“Weed Wars”?
BACKPAGE
NOW OPEN
IN OAKLAND
Showcasing the versatility of cannabis
with the finest artisanal accessories.
The Harborside Illuminator: Publisher: Harborside Health Center. Editor: Samantha Campos. Design & Illustration: Yolanda Felix, Nicole Lanzotti. Web/Marketing Mgr: John Brown.
Community News
Cannasseur Corner
By Rick Pfrommer, Purchasing Manager,
Harborside Oakland
Watching the various
rituals involved leads one to
ask, “Why are so many people
dabbing?” There are several answers
to the question. Also, and perhaps more
importantly, is dabbing a safe and
wellness-oriented
method of
consumption?
To Dab
or Not to Dab?
The medical cannabis community is seeing
the rise of a new form of concentrate
consumption, ‘dabbing’ or “doing dab’s.”
Concentrated extracts, usually produced
with butane or CO2, are consumed using
ever-more-elaborate glass apparatus. The
most common methods include a ‘nail’ made
from glass or titanium, or a metal skillet.The
procedure for dabbing is basically the same.
The nail or skillet is heated to red hot with a
blowtorch.The extract, usually a solvent wax
or oil, is then touched to the red hot surface.
The intense heat almost instantly vaporizes
it, whereupon it is inhaled through some
form of glass tubing. Dabbing devices range
from simple pipes, to incredibly complex
arrangements of glass chambers, diffusers
and mouthpieces.
Watching the various rituals involved
leads one to ask, “Why are so many people
dabbing?” There are several answers to
the question. Also, and perhaps more
importantly, is dabbing a safe and wellnessoriented method of consumption?
The last decade has seen an explosion in
the type and purity level of concentrated
cannabis products. It all started with cold
water hash, then later butane hash oil
(BHO) and more recently CO2, oxygen and
hydrogen—collectively called super critical
extractions. The availability and potency of
concentrates has risen exponentially. Five
years ago BHO was commonly available but
represented a small segment of the market.
Consumption of oils and waxes was initially
through traditional methods. Oil could be
smeared on a rolling paper or dropped onto
a pipe of flowers. BHO would usually be
smoked on a pipe of flowers.These methods
provided a much stronger effect than just
smoking flowers, as the THC content could
be as high as 70%. People also used charcoal
to instantly vaporize, which is what I believe
gave rise to the current dabbing craze.
2
Where’s the harm, you might be asking?
Isn’t it better to consume a small portion of
extremely concentrated cannabis, rather than
more plant material? Well, yes. Preferably
cold water hash is safer than whole flowers;
there are fewer compounds in the smoke
that might be potentially harmful. Although
if one looks at Dr. Tashkin’s 40-year UCLA
study showing the signs of lung impairment
from regular cannabis consumption, one
has to wonder what all the fuss is about. In
this author’s opinion, it is both the nature of
seems to be mostly in the head and is quite
powerful. I don’t understand, if cannabis
can be concentrated using cold water, why
anyone would want to use solvents.
Perhaps more troubling than the product
itself is the method of consumption.
Rituals have always been an important part
of cannabis culture and you could argue
that dabbing just a logical next step. There
is some truth to that. People with extreme
medical conditions for whom flowers are
not strong enough can indeed benefit
from dabbing. My concern lies more with
Where’s the harm, you might be
18-year-olds who are just learning to
medicate. Imagine having access to 60-70%
asking? Isn’t it better to consume
THC products and a method for consuming
a small portion of extremely
large amounts in a short time. This appears
concentrated cannabis, rather
to be a recipe for abuse—following an
intoxication not wellness model. The same
than more plant material?
way a young person will do a beer ‘bong,’
solvent concentrates and the frequency of or tequila shots until they puke, they are
use that present the most troubling questions overindulging in dabbing.
about the safety of dabbing. Oh, there’s I’ve been concerned about this trend for
also the burning of yourself, friends and a while but my recent trip to the High
house, with blowtorches and red hot nails. Times™ Cannabis Cup in L.A. is what
Last but certainly not least, overindulgence prompted this article. I was amazed and more
in dabbing does not fit in with a wellness than a little concerned watching hordes of
model.
20-somethings dabbing away. I saw very
I don’t have any science to back up these few sharing joints or pipes. Instead people
suppositions, just 30 years of cannabis were clustered around elaborated glass pipes
consumption. I believe cannabis undergoes and blowtorches. For those of you who
a transformation when exposed to lived through the 1980s, the similarities to
solvents, especially butane. BHO’s must be ‘freebasing’ were impossible to ignore. More
thoroughly purged of any residual butane worrisome were the glazed looks of many
or the sulfur used as an odorant. Frequently people’s faces. The folks weren’t medicated,
this does not happen correctly. This is one they were ripped. I know I’m sounding
reason why Harborside is so discerning old-fashioned but what’s wrong with a
in what products we carry. Even with the joint, bong hit, or pipe? Are we preserving
cleanest BHO’s, the effect of smoking the best face for the medical community to
them is fundamentally different than cold the rest of the world to be so high we can
water hash or flowers. I, and other longtime barely function?
smokers I know and respect, feel that How is this wellness?
BHO has a “chemically” feeling. The high
For questions or comments about Harborside Oakland’s purchasing department, please email [email protected].
Being Well
Crochet for a Cause
An ongoing bulletin on holistic
services at Harborside
After watching my father lose his hair due
to the effects of chemotherapy—and then
losing him to cancer a few years ago—I
was looking for a way to contribute to
the patients suffering from this horrible
disease that claims thousands of lives each
day. While accompanying Dad to one of
his weekly chemo sessions I noticed that
many of the patients, who had clearly been
in chemo for some time, were not wearing
any hats. At that moment, an idea came
to me: To help as many patients as I can
who are in need of headwear for warmth,
comfort, courage and strength by donating
handmade crochet beanies.
Harborside Health Center contributes to
numerous charities and we have excellent
free programs for all of our patients. After
making hats for our staff and patients, I
approached management to talk about
starting a crochet class for our patients
who would like to learn how to crochet.
In return, all the hats they make will be
donated to the Chemo Therapy Ward at
Valley Health Medical Center.
We’ve had great success with patients
signing up and many others who’ve
donated finished hats and yarn, even though
they can’t make it to the class. Patients
experienced in knitting have also provided
Recently, someone asked me for an
easy way to describe how Reiki makes
everyone feel better. And I find, it’s all
in the breath—and coming back to the
awareness of your own breathing body.
After a Reiki treatment, people leave
breathing lighter, often walking lighter,
feeling brighter and refreshed.
Crochet classes started Feb. 26 and
are held at Harborside San Jose every
other Sunday (3/11, 3/25 and so on).
their assistance. I’m very proud to lead the
class and be part of this! It’s always been my
dream to help out in any way I can, and to
dedicate my time and knowledge for this
great cause.
It is my hope that one day a cure for cancer
will be found but until then, I’ll keep
making my hats.
– Vlad Fershtater, Ombuds and Clones Assoc.,
Harborside San Jose
JB’s product pick of the month
In an effort to accommodate patients who seek alternative methods of
medicating other than smoking, Harborside Health Center offers a wide
array of products to satisfy. To provide patients with a similar product to
Rick Simpson’s Phoenix Tears Healing Oil (http://phoenixtears.ca), we have
started carrying a Sun Grown Full Extract Cannabis Healing Oil that is refined using
only food-grade ethyl alcohol, and is fully decarboxylated and solvent-free. This extract
contains almost all components of the cannabis
medicine and not just the more popular THC and
CBD; the plant product is grown outdoors in the
sun so it retains all of nature’s goodness. Ingested
orally or applied topically, this oil has been used for
many ailments, including nausea, Crohn’s,
MS, Lupus, skin rashes and sores. Cannabis
oil has also been used as a replacement
treatment for patients with serious pain
issues who want to stop using dangerous and
Sun Grown Full
addictive narcotics for relief. The oil can also
Extract Cannabis
help promote healthy and restful sleep. Ask
Healing Oil
a Harborside Health Center sales associate
today about alternatives to smoking, like this
amazing Sun Grown Healing Oil for only $60.
Today we are becoming more conscious
about what we eat and drink but we
don’t often think about how we breathe.
And yet, our breath is our most direct
connection with the world—we enter the
world and we start to breathe.
Breath is life force in the body.
And the way we breathe affects
our nervous system, our heart,
our concentration and our sleep.
When we experience ongoing stress or
pain, physical or emotional, our breathing
is easily affected, becoming habitually
restrained or blocked, more shallow and
in the chest.
So, start by noticing your breath
right now. We always begin where
we are. Just observe.
Become present to the movement
and sensation of your body
breathing in—and out.
When you watch your breath you
are making your mind focus still.
Now, try taking some deeper
breath all the way down into your
belly.
Abdominal breathing has a calming
and relaxing effect and can help us
add more life energy. We absorb
more oxygen and release more
waste products with fewer but
more effective breaths.
During a session, as you feel the Reiki
energy bringing greater balance to your
physical, mental and emotional body,
you come back to your own most natural
breath. FREE REIKI SERVICES offered
at Harborside Oakland Mondays
11am-3pm.
– John Brown, Web/Marketing Manager, Harborside Oakland
– Ewa Litauer,
Hynotherapy & Reiki Practitioner
3
Andrew’s Bullhorn
A humorous meditation on all things Harborside
By Andrew DeAngelo, General Manager
When are we going
to see more episodes
of ‘Weed Wars’?!
I have been asked this question
more than any other in my life.
And since I am a numbers sort
of guy, I actually calculated how
many times.
Answer: 14,400,000. How is that possible, you ask? I applied a very simple formula.
I get asked this question on average daily about 24 times on Twitter and various other
sites on the Internet. It’s been surmised that each time someone posts a question online,
there are 10,000 others who think about it and do not. So that represents about 240,000
questions a day multiplied by 60 days since the airing of the last episode and you get
to my 14,400,000. And I’m not counting the other 25 or so of the same inquires I get
working at Harborside Health Center, which adds another 1,500 for a grand total of
14,401,500 questions that are actually the same: “When can we see more episodes of
‘Weed Wars’?”
All of this has motivated me to answer this question, in writing, once and for all. Perhaps
then I will not have to answer it anymore, but merely direct people to this article. I may
have to get it translated into Braille and 110 other languages to reach everyone, but I am
willing to do that. OK, here we go:
I don’t know when there will be more episodes of “Weed Wars.”
The problem with that answer is people find it totally unsatisfying. I find it unsatisfying.
And so I keep talking when, perhaps, I should not. I discuss the complex decision-making
process of a giant multi-media company like Discovery Channel. I go on about our
ratings and how those ratings must be put into the context of other ratings for similar
shows on similar days at similar times. Then I digress into the true meaning of the word
similar, which is not similar to any other word except similar. I philosophize about what an
episode is, and the meaning behind the idea of an episode, and how episodes reproduce.
All of this talking usually gets me pretty worked up and stressed out. I then turn to some
wonderful Sun Grown flowers to ease the stress and allow me to focus. No one has Sun
Grown like Harborside so it’s a lucky thing I work here. Once that medicine hits my brain
and body, I keep talking, trying to give a satisfactory answer to the $14,401,500 question.
You see, people expect me to have the answer. They assume my brother and I produced
“Weed Wars” for Discovery Channel—which we did not.They look at me like I’m crazy
if I tell them I don’t know if or when there will be more “Weed Wars.” They simply
cannot comprehend that there’s no real answer to this most frequently asked question.
And for the record, Steve and I certainly cannot comprehend why Discovery (or even
NBC!) does not want more “Weed Wars.”
In the end, we do expect more episodes, but we don’t know for sure. It’s up to the
Discovery Channel and they have not yet told us. One thing for certain is this: Harborside
Health Center will be here to serve our patients and community each day we are open
for business. Television shows come and go, but our mission stays the same—to serve
all of you in a spirit of caring, healing and innovation. My brother Steve and I, and our
entire team will always be here for our patients despite what Discovery decides about
“Weed Wars.” And that is the most important answer to the most important question I
have ever been asked in my life.
BACKPAGE
For questions or comments, email [email protected].
FAQ of the Month
Does Harborside Sell
Seeds and/or Clones?
Harborside Health Center has the widest
selection of seeds and clones around, with
more than 40 different clones and about 100
strains of seeds available at any time.
Harborside stocks some of the best known and
respected breeders’ seeds, including lines
from TGA, Cali Connection, and DNA. Our
seeds come directly from the breeders so
there’s no wondering exactly what you have;
it’s the prime product for the really serious
grower who has the time to dedicate to their
garden. For the everyday grower, however,
we also offer exceptional clones to speed up
your growing process.
Clones are essentially small cuttings of
larger cannabis plants which retain the same
genetics of their larger mother, hence the
name ‘clone.’ Clones are efficient because
you are provided with a plant that is already
growing, which eliminates the time and effort
needed for germination and sexing the plants
to locate the females. Harborside Health
We offer a wide array of strains
in our clone department and
encourage all patients to stop
by the Clone Department to
discuss genetics and growing.
Center only deals with reputable nurseries
who supply us regularly with superior cuts.
These nurseries include Dark Heart Nursery
(DHN), Queen Bee Nursery (QB), House Of
David’s Nursery (HOD) and more. We offer a
wide array of strains in our clone department
and encourage all patients to stop by the
Clone Department to discuss genetics and
growing with them. Of course, we would also
encourage you all to take one of our Grow
Classes that are offered every weekend. It is a
great complement to growing your seeds and
clones, and the class is FREE to all patients.
Harborside Health Center does have a wide
selection of seeds and clones, and we
encourage all patients to try growing at some
point if they are interested. You can always
take a look at our seed and clone menu online
at: http://www.harborsidehealthcenter.com/
images/SeedMenu.pdf. We also post our
clones daily on our Twitter feeds at the following places:
Oakland: http://www.twitter.com/HHCOAK
San Jose: http://www.twitter.com /HHCSJ
Of course, you can always stop by for a menu
as well. We hope to see you around the Clone
Department sometime discussing strains
with our experts!
–John Brown,Web/Marketing Manager
Harborside Health Center Oakland