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 3000 years. Among the many incredible discoveries in these graves was one containing the remains of a 45-year-old male buried 2700 years ago with an impressively large cache of cannabis-nearly two pounds!
 

Researchers noticed several important things about this ancient sample. First, there was a lack of stalks or any male cannabis parts (which implies purposeful separation and hence, cultivation), and the seeds in particular showed "traits of domestication."

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 parts (which implies purposeful separation and hence, cultivation), and the seeds in particular showed "traits of domestication."

Second, when some of the plant matter was examined by chromatography (the same method Steep Hill Lab uses to evaluate samples of medical cannabis), the high levels of certain cannabinoids indicated that this sample likely had relatively high 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.

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Cannasseur Corner

By Rick Pfrommer, Purchasing Manager, Harborside Oakland

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 variegated 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?

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?

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.

I don't have any science to back up these suppositions, just 30 years of cannabis consumption. I believe cannabis undergoes a transformation when exposed to solvents, especially butane. BHO's must be thoroughly purged of any residual butane or the sulfur used as an odorant. Frequently this does not happen correctly. This is one reason why Harborside is so discerning in what products we carry. Even with the cleanest BHO's, the effect of smoking them is fundamentally different than cold water hash or flowers. I, and other longtime smokers I know and respect, feel that BHO has a "chemically" feeling. The high 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 18-year-olds who are just learning to medicate. Imagine having access to 60-70% THC products and a method for consuming large amounts in a short time. This appears to be a recipe for abuse-following an intoxication not wellness model. The same way a young person will do a beer 'bong,' or tequila shots until they puke, they are overindulging in dabbing.

I've been concerned about this trend for a while but my recent trip to the High Times Cannabis Cup in L.A. is what prompted this article. I was amazed and more than a little concerned watching hordes of 20-somethings dabbing away. I saw very few sharing joints or pipes. Instead people were clustered around elaborated glass pipes and blowtorches. For those of you who lived through the 1980s, the similarities to 'freebasing' were impossible to ignore. More worrisome were the glazed looks of many people's faces. The folks weren't medicated, they were ripped. I know I'm sounding old-fashioned but what's wrong with a joint, bong hit, or pipe? Are we preserving the best face for the medical community to the rest of the world to be so high we can barely function?

How is this wellness?

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