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Please note:
Both Harborside Health Center locations are open daily, 10am-8pm:
- 1840 Embarcadero, Oakland
- 2106 Ringwood Ave., San Jose
And with our new, complimentary, satisfaction-guaranteed delivery service (see if we deliver to your area) or pre-order for pick-up at either location (sign up online or call 1-888-994-2726)--that means wellness in store AND at your door, for your convenience.
Please keep in mind that as a matter of safe access, we may send more email communication as a way to keep you informed. You may opt out of these emails at any time.
Thank you for your support!
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 Cannabis Historian, vol. 5: CBD: An Herbal Panacea? By Timothy Anderson, Purchasing Assistant When Raphael Mechoulam identified the chemical structure of THC in 1964, it was a landmark discovery that marked the beginning of the current era of cannabis science. But it is easily forgotten that Dr. Mechoulam made another landmark find a year earlier, the impact of which is only being felt now: the chemical structure of another major cannabinoid called cannabidiol, or CBD. 
CBD was for years considered something between an enigma and a nuisance by consumers, especially compared to its more mentally altering, attention-commanding sister, THC. Among cannabis growers and aficionados, misinformation about cannabidiol was spread widely for years, one classic example being that THC degrades into CBD. What was certain to cultivators working through the 1970s and 1980s--existing in a void of information and completely underground due to cannabis' illicit status--was that there were certain plants that got the user 'higher' than the others did. That, in brief, is how CBD was nearly completely bred out of nearly all of our modern cannabis. [Flash forward from those lab-less days of yore to 2009, when Harborside Health Center, in conjunction with Steep Hill Laboratory, first identified a strain that was rich in CBD. As the availability of CBD-rich strains became more prevalent (due, of course to lab testing), we began gathering testimonials and anecdotes from our patients. We were looking to confirm the efficacy of CBD medicine for a multitude of medical conditions; we have yet to find a CBD user who hasn't found relief. Read more...] Cannabidiol has a broad range of action and effectiveness in different parts of the body's signaling system, giving it an almost panacea-like reputation. While further research is still needed, cannabidiol may present itself as cannabis' most powerful weapon against a number of conditions--cancer, aging, seizure and movement disorders, and mental illness among them--and the side benefits are great as well (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, nausea relief, increases mental alertness). How CBD works is still somewhat of a mystery. It does not interact with the body's own internal, or endo-, cannabinoid receptors but instead interferes, delays and modulates other sets of receptor sites. Through these actions CBD slows the breakdown of THC and consequently our own internal endocannabinoid version, anandamide (the "happy" neurotransmitter). It also delays the signals from other non-endocannabinoid receptors, leading to anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects. Cannabidiol seems to induce apoptosis (literally "cell death"), which may give it anti-carcinogenic properties. And by the same token, it is a powerful antioxidant (more so than even vitamins C and E) that is rendered even more powerful by the presence of THC. Is it any wonder that patients who begin using CBD-rich cannabis find benefit from it? [Watch this video about how Harborside Health Center and CBD helped save Jason David's five-year-old son Jayden, who suffers from a severe, life-threatening form of epilepsy...Also watch this excerpt from Weed Wars on the Discovery Channel] The effect of CBD with little-to-no THC feels subtle and extremely body-oriented. An application of a CBD-dominant tincture (like the one produced by Alta California, carried here at Harborside) will gradually saturate the user's body with relief. It almost feels as if that relief were slowly traveling (if not perhaps taking the scenic route) through each individual nervous system pathway. The mental effect is not euphoric, though it is warming and can be quite pleasurable in its unique way. With proper dosage there is almost no mental impairment, and some studies have reported that CBD can actually promote alertness (though of course, each patient's mileage may vary). Most studies have found that THC seems to synergize with and potentiate the effects of CBD. And in an interesting corollary, cannabidiol seems to mediate and counter some of the more undesirable effects of THC: rapid onset of effect leading to anxiety, memory loss, and possibly even the dreaded "munchies." 
Though the cultivation and production of CBD medicine is to some extent in its infancy, there is still a broad variety of products for patients to choose from. Tinctures are an easy way to apply and find relief from cannabidiol, and Harborside Health Center carries several options of that type. There is also a very small but growing number of CBD-dominant edibles available. In the Purchasing Department here at Harborside, we see a relatively limited number of types of CBD-rich flowers. But in our inexhaustible quest to provide the best medicine for our patients, new CBD-rich varieties are found from time to time through our ability to rigorously potency-test nearly all the cannabis that comes through our doors (with Steep Hill's QuantaCann device). Those looking to try CBD-rich flowers for the first time would be advised to try Harlequin, Omrita RX or Jamaican Lion, all of which are frequently found here at Harborside. Vaporizer aficionados should take note that CBD vaporizes at temperatures above 200 degrees, much higher than that of THC (150 degrees) and past the temperature that cannabis begins to combust. But whatever the method of consumption, every medical cannabis patient owes it to their greater health to try this balancing, restorative medicine. It may do more good than you realize. Additional reporting by Rick Pfrommer. back to top |
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CANNASSEUR CORNER
By Rick Pfrommer, Education Director
Before the dawn...
The federal government's year-long campaign against medical cannabis in California sent shockwaves through our community. Many of us felt confusion, frustration and anger about the tactics being employed. The old saying that it's always darkest before the dawn seems appropriate-for the dawn is coming! From Arizona to New Jersey and Michigan to Maine, patients have increasing access to this incredible, healing plant. People who even a year ago would never have considered using cannabis as medicine are now finding relief for a multitude of conditions, from rheumatoid arthritis to depression and beyond. Cannabis and especially CBD-rich strains are becoming increasingly accepted around the globe as legitimate medicine.
These are times for us freedom fighters to take stock and be heartened, even though the darkness seems pervasive. Outside our former bubble of protection, which has turned into a bubble of oppression, the sun is rising. Every day brings signs of our advances. New studies out of Spain show that THC kills cancer cells. Dr. Abrams at UCSF just published a study showing a 37% reduction in morphine usage when used in conjunction with medical cannabis; oxycodone use dropped by 20%. Big Pharma is paying attention now, if they weren't before. The sheer level and intensity of the attacks on medical cannabis dispensaries (MCDs) is unprecedented. Even under eight years of Bush we didn't see this level of coordination. There is, however, a silver lining.
The movement-and it does feel like a movement again-has been galvanized. Led by Harborside Health Center Executive Director Steve DeAngelo and national policy groups like Americans for Safe Access (ASA), along with the progressive union UCFW, a coalition of vastly different organizations has joined forces to work on coordinated efforts to fight back and preserve safe access for all patients. Rarely if ever in the history of our movement have we seen such solidarity. It is an encouraging development and when we win, there will be no stopping us. With Obama's re-election, it's time for us to get him back into honoring his promise not to go after state-compliant businesses. Representative Barbara Lee has even introduced a bill in Congress that would protect landlords from the type of asset forfeiture that Harborside is facing.
ASA, the Marijuana Policy Project, the Drug Policy Alliance, HHC, as well as many other dispensaries, have all now agreed on a campaign called, "Freeze and Review." The purpose is to get Obama and the Department of Justice to halt all enforcement actions against medical cannabis targets, until those actions can be reviewed to determine that they are consistent with Administration policy to only target organizations that are not complaint with state laws.
Of course, we also need your help. Harborside has registered over 100,000 patients since we opened our doors in 2006. Imagine the impact of 100,000 testimonials landing on U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag's desk. Imagine 100,000 people marching in front of the federal courts when it comes time for Harborside's hearing. Imagine. The power of the people is frequently dismissed in the cynical, 24-hour news-day world we are living in. But we are powerful. We elect or don't re-elect the politicians who make the laws. While they have the power to change the law, we have the power to influence them. Stand with us, people, for we are poised on the precipice of victory, and our actions and integrity will echo down through the ages.
Note how the landscape can change overnight, specifically the night of the 2012 election. Even more important to us than Obama's victory was the historic passage of the legalization initiatives in Colorado and Washington. For the first time in a hundred years, cannabis is legal somewhere in the United States. Even more notable, the states that led the way did not include California. Initiatives from the left coast are often viewed with amusement by the rest of the country. Gee, look at what those wacky Californians made law this time! Colorado is viewed as Heartland America, and Washington (except, perhaps, for Seattle) is also considered mainstream "normal." Cannabis is now the topic du jour in all media formats.
With the media spotlight turned on Harborside and the rest of the revitalized cannabis movement, it's our turn to shine. The legitimization of cannabis, even in just two states, gives us all an opportunity to engage in the discussion with our friends, neighbors and co-workers. The walls of oppression are coming down, allowing the sweet light of freedom to shine. Dawn has broken and a new day is surely upon us.
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Rick's Pick of the Month:
Cold Water Hash
When I was first told that hash could be made by drowning trim and then filtering the water through silk screens, I was incredulous. Didn't water ruin bud? Originally developed by Mila in Amsterdam during the mid-1990s and later perfected by our own Steve DeAngelo, cold-water hash (CWH) took the cannabis world by storm. The first time Steve turned me onto CWH, I was floored-and converted. The basics are so simple it's amazing it took us 10,000 years to get here. Take high-quality dry trim-the better the trim, the better the hash. Grind the trim finely, mix with ice water, lightly agitate and then pour the resulting slurry through a series of progressively finer screens, sometimes as many as seven. Most hash makers eventually settled on using fewer screens. In fact, much of Harborside's best hash is produced using a single screen. For budding hash-makers out there, less agitation generally leads to a higher quality, finished product. Since the beginning of HHC, we've always striven to offer the best selection of CWH available anywhere. Guided by Steve and my own rigorous quality control standards, the purchasing department selected only best examples of CWH at every price point. Six years ago, almost all hash was pressed, not the granulated sand that is ubiquitous nowadays. We insisted that hash makers granulate and fully dry their product. At that point probably 80% of the hash in the marketplace was wet, leading to horrific mold problems. I've seen pressed hash that was so moldy it looked like something from the movie, Alien. So why cold-water hash? Well, it's made just using cannabis and cold water. No potentially flammable and dangerous solvents are used. CWH has a terpene (flavor) profile that is unmatched. Since there's very little plant material, the true flavors of a strain can be recognized and appreciated. As tasty as cannabis flowers are, the chlorophyll does hinder full appreciation of the flavor spectrum. CWH at Harborside comes in three categories: hash, bubble hash and full melt. The names are descriptive of what the hash does when it's combusted. Hash will burn. Bubble will, uh, bubble. And full melt, well... 'nuff said. In these days of increased concentration on concentrates, try cold-water hash. The range of flavors expressed is wondrous. Any lover of cannabis should ask their HHC sales associate to show the incredible range and variety of this amazing medicine.
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Please keep in mind that as a matter of safe access, we may send more email communication as a way to keep you informed. You may opt out of these emails at any time.
Thank you for your support!
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