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On Tuesday, July 10th, DEA agents taped a notice of property forfeiture to the doors of our facilities in Oakland and San Jose. These notices threaten to seize the properties we are located in from our landlords.
Harborside has nothing to be ashamed of, and will contest the Federal actions openly and publicly, with every legal means at our disposal. We look forward to our day in court, and are confident that justice is on our side. Come what may, we shall continue to care for our patients unless we are physically prevented from doing so.
Harborside is not in imminent danger of closing. We intend to keep the commitment we made six years ago to provide our patients with safe access to the medicine their doctors have recommended, for as long as we possibly can. We will never abandon you.
Our patients can help by providing their e-mail addresses, which will enable HHC to send you updates, and if necessary action alerts. We are also looking for patients who would like to participate in further activist efforts to keep the doors of Harborside open. Please speak to a receptionist or intake staff if you are would like to volunteer.
Steve and Andrew DeAngelo, Dave Wedding Dress, and the management and staff of Harborside Health Center look forward to working with our patients, other dispensaries, activist organizations, and political allies to confront and stop this latest effort by the federal government to frustrate the will of the voters, and deny medicine to those in need. Our fight may be long, but it is just, and in the end we shall be victorious. We look forward to being there with you when that great day comes.
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Steve's Call-to-Action
 
Last October, California's four U.S. Attorneys announced a crackdown on medical cannabis, saying they would target organizations using medical cannabis as a shield for criminal activity and profiteering. But the list of those actually targeted reads like an honor role of the most legitimate and legally compliant medical cannabis providers in the state:
- Vapor Room
- Mr. Nice Guy
- Divinity Tree Wellness Co-op.
- Medithrive
- Market Street Collective
- Sanctuary
- Shambhala Healing Center
- HopeNet (closing July 31)
- Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana
- Marin Wellness Center
- Green Tiger
- Green Door
- Northstone Organics
- Blue Sky/Oaksterdam
- Berkeley Patients Group
On July 9th, Harborside Health Center was added to that list, when federal agents taped a notice of property forfeiture to our front doors. This action was a major escalation by U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, who previously had said she would focus enforcement actions on dispensaries that were too close to schools, or out of compliance with state law.
Ms. Haag failed to cite one specific act of wrongdoing on the part of Harborside. The only reason she gave for moving against us is that we are too large. But the reason we have become so large is because we have provided patients with the very highest level of care, and have meticulously obeyed state law and local regulations.
Harborside has no intention of shutting our doors. We have nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of. We will fight the federal action openly, in public, and with every legal means at our disposal. We look forward to our day in court. We are confident that justice is on our side. And we are determined to turn this tragedy into a triumph for our movement.
There sometimes come moments in history when the veil is lifted, when the mists clear, when the truth becomes evident to so many more people that a tipping point arrives. When the Emperor stands naked. A moment pregnant with the possibility of change, when the excesses of the old way of doing things manifests so clearly it can no longer be denied, when concern turns to outrage, when people leap to their feet and declare they will not take it anymore.
That moment has now arrived for all those who care about cannabis, and the patients who depend on it. The federal government has used a strategy of a thousand cuts to slowly bleed us, to avoid the united front of opposition that would result if we were all targeted at once.
If Melinda Haag succeeds in closing the nation's model dispensary, on the grounds it has done too good a job, then every medical cannabis provider in Northern California will be under imminent threat. And if she succeeds in ending safe access in Northern California, every other federal prosecutor in the United States will be emboldened.
We cannot and will not let that happen. Join me and thousands of others to make this the moment we all stand together! Let's resolve that now is the time of our tipping point, the time we take back the momentum from our opposition, and claim our victory.
--Steve DeAngelo, Executive Director, Harborside Health Center
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Quotes from Patients & the Community regaurding the federal crackdown on dispensaries like Harborside
"My name is Mira Ingram. I have a paralyzed digestive tract, and medical cannabis is what allows me to eat. If I lose access to my medical cannabis, I will end up on a feeding tube-thanks to the federal government."
- Wheelchaired patient at the July 23 rally in front of Oakland City Hall
"It's about health and wellness. Whether you use cannabis or not, it's your level of integrity that's at stake here. If they [HHC] fail, we fail. Trust me, all of you will come my way. If you don't take a stand now, it might be too late."
- Sue Taylor, senior citizens' advocate, at the July 12 press conference at Oakland City Hall
"Please, Ms. Haag, have some compassion. Don't let me lose my son. Please, Obama... We need your help. I love my son. I don't want to lose him. Don't let the kids suffer."
- Jason David, father of a 5-year-old boy who suffers from a severe form of epilepsy and is doing better with CBD medicine, at the July 12 press conference at Oakland City Hall
"We desperately need help going after the illegal gun dealers. The illegal guns are being shipped interstate into Oakland from other jurisdictions--that is something that does need federal intervention. To stop the shootings, we need to stop the flow of illegal guns into our city. That is an interstate issue. That is a federal issue. That is a public safety crisis. We need to get clear about what our priorities are."
- Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland councilmember, at the July 12 press conference at Oakland City Hall
"Harborside is a model dispensary in terms of security and the number of patients it serves. The tactic of scaring landlords renting to well-controlled dispensaries only hurts patients in need of medical cannabis. Is it good public policy to go after an operation just because it is highly successful at helping medical patients, with no evidence of criminal acts offered?"
- California State Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, official statement
"I am deeply dismayed that the federal government would seek to deprive Californians of this vital medicine. These actions will force patients into the underground market of street corners and back alleys, undermining public safety and endangering their health and lives."
- City Attorney and former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Barbara J. Parker, official statement
"This latest federal action against Harborside is counterproductive as it relates to providing safe access to medical cannabis patients. In fact, this federal crackdown on every type of business that assists medicinal marijuana patients-from dispensaries to advertisers, landlords, bankers, etc.-does nothing to advance the goal of effective, rational regulation of medical marijuana. The federal government is attacking the resources any provider would need for patient safety, professional standards, and compliance with the law."
- Betty T. Yee, State Board of Equalization
"This is simply not the right thing to do. It will not result in less marijuana being sold or consumed in Oakland or anywhere else."
- Libertarian Party vice president nominee Jim Gray, a retired Orange County superior court judge and former assistant U.S. Attorney, at the July 23 press conference at Oaksterdam University
"The U.S. attorney is definitely abusing her discretion. Why does she feel it's so appropriate to spend limited federal law enforcement resources persecuting people who are in compliance with state law?"
- Steve DeAngelo, at the July 23 rally in front of Oakland City Hall
"I now find the need to consider actions regarding marijuana superstores such as Harborside. The larger the operation, the greater the likelihood that there will be abuse of the state's medical marijuana laws, and marijuana in the hands of individuals who do not have a demonstrated medical need."
-U.S. Attorney Melinda L. Haag, official statement
"I certainly read and understand that there are people who disagree with what I've done in terms of the enforcement actions we've taken. My answer to that is those people need to go to their representatives in Congress, who are the only people with the power and ability to change federal law. I don't have the power and ability to change federal law."
- U.S. Attorney Melinda L. Haag, in a Mar. 15 interview with KQED
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A letter from the editor... This summer has been quite eventful, here at Harborside Health Center. In June we were excited to mingle with so many supportive patients and industry professionals-and delighted to win second place for our CBD-rich Lemon Remedy-at the High Times Cannabis Cup held at Richmond's scenic Craneway Pavilion. But then news turned sour on July 10, as employees discovered federal notices of property forfeiture (which do not state any wrongdoing on Harborside's part), signed by U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvan Perteet, and DEA Agent David White, filed on July 6th and taped to the front doors of Harborside's Oakland and San Jose locations.
Co-founder and executive director Steve DeAngelo issued a statement, confirming his unwavering commitment to provide safe access to medicine for all Harborside patients. He and the rest of the team, including attorney Henry Wykowski, quickly jumped into action, holding a packed press conference at Oakland City Hall on July 12. The event was widely covered by all major news outlets, featuring statements of support from other industry leaders and patient-activists, as well as state and local government officials, like Oakland City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan; Congresswoman Barbara Lee; Oakland City Attorney, and former assistant U.S. Attorney, Barbara Parker; California State Board of Equalization member Betty Yee; Dan Rush, National Director of the Medical Cannabis and Hemp Division of the United Food and Commercial Workers' international union; senior citizens' advocate, Sue Taylor; and Jason David, father of five-year-old Jayden, who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy.
When it was announced that President Barack Obama would appear at a July 23 campaign fundraiser at the Fox Theater, Harborside organized a peaceful protest and press conference at Oaksterdam University, a beloved institution that was targeted by feds in April. In addition to Steve, other industry leaders, patients and local officials spoke in solidarity with Harborside, including: Don Duncan, California Director of Americans for Safe Access; James P. Gray, retired Supreme Court Judge and running mate of presidential candidate Gary Johnson; Dale Sky Jones, executive chancellor of Oaksterdam University; Aaron Smith, executive director of National Cannabis Industry Association; Bob Swanson, representing Office of Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley; Jason David, and Yvonne Westbrook White, a multiple sclerosis patient directly affected by the federal crackdown.
While over two dozen Uptown businesses displayed green flags and signs in their storefront windows reading, "Fight Crime Not Cannabis," hundreds of patient-activists joined in the rally. The peaceful march commenced in front of Oakland City Hall Plaza, leading down the street in front of Oaksterdam and around the Fox Theater blocks closed to traffic in preparation for the president's arrival. Holding large, colorful signs, marchers passionately chanted, "Fight Crime Not Cannabis," "Hey, Ho, Melinda Haag has got to go!" and "Obama Keep Your Promise."
The event was a smashing success. Media reports from across the nation are still rolling in. But the next phase is just beginning. Please take a moment to sign the change.org petition online now at SaveHarborside.org, and contact the U.S. Attorney's office in Northern California, as well as the White House, to demand that they stop closing medical cannabis dispensaries in states where they're legal, and impart a freeze on all federal enforcement action against patients and their dispensaries, including Harborside Health Center. Thank you for your support, as we continue fighting for our right to medical cannabis. With love and hope, Samantha Campos back to top |
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 FAQ of the MONTH What is THCA? Many of you have asked what THCA is, since it has become more prevalent recently in the medical cannabis industry. Patients are getting confused about their THC quantification results, especially when receiving different results from different labs. Some labs provide only THC results, while others prefer to only list a higher THCA result. We hope to shed some light on this subject and inform everyone about the differences between THC and THCA. Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is a biosynthetic precursor of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of cannabis. While THCA does not have psychoactive effects in its own right, it does have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. THCA is found in variable quantities in fresh, undried cannabis, but is progressively broken down biochemically into THC with drying, and especially under intense heating such as when cannabis is smoked. However, despite being able to convert to THC by drying or heating, conversion of THCA to THC appears to be extremely limited, giving it only very slight efficacy. Consequently it is believed to be more important in less-psychoactive preparations of cannabis used for medical use, such as cannabis tea, and is less important for smoking. THCA is not an indicator of the psychoactive effects of a medicine. So what does this mean? Well, while THCA can have some medicinal value, it will generally not have the same effects of getting you "high," as THC does. This can be very important to realize for patients since many quantification labs will only list the THCA of the sample tested. This is because, in general, THCA quantification levels will be higher than the more sought-after THC. The higher THCA test numbers make these medicines seem more powerful than they really are. Here at Harborside Health Center, it is our interest to provide to all patients full disclosure of what is in the medicine you purchase. Due to this, we have started listing both THC and THCA quantification levels with our medications. We hope that assists you in finding the perfect medicine for you. -John Brown, Web/Marketing Manager, Harborside Health Center back to top |
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