CANNABIS HISTORIAN, vol. 6

By Timothy Anderson, Purchasing Assistant

(Part One)

Most medical cannabis patients are likely to have no idea who Nevil Schoenmaker is, but nearly all of them have "met" the man through his works. In 1985, Nevil launched the Seed Bank-the first worldwide distributor of cannabis seeds in an era when clones were unknown-and forever changed every 'grow op' and 'head stash' thereafter. In the modern era, the Sensi Seed Bank's name is well-known throughout the world, and is practically synonymous with legendary varieties seen at Harborside Health Center, like Northern Lights, Super Skunk and Jack Herer. But Sensi's reputation and genetic collection was almost entirely built on the rise and subsequent fall of arguably one of the greatest breeders the cannabis world has known.

Nevil was born in Perth, Australia, and began his breeding career at the age of 7-though not with cannabis but parakeets. After befriending a professional breeder of his favorite birds, Nevil was introduced to the concept of Mendelian genetic inheritance and put those principals into practice on future generations of 'budgies' (as the birds are known in their native Australia). In adulthood, Nevil took on the profession of veterinarian, and at this time also acquired an addiction to heroin. The latter led him quickly to legal trouble, and his concerned parents send him to the Netherlands to stay with an uncle. Nevil's heroin problem continued to worsen in the liberal climate of Holland, where drugs were exceptionally easy to find. After seeking treatment for his addiction, Nevil quickly found cannabis to be a better alternative than the pharmaceutical options offered by doctors in treating his withdrawal symptoms and curtailing his cravings for the powerful narcotic. [Harborside offers similar treatment through its Substance Use and Misuse Support groups and workshops, free to all Harborside patients. See the Ombuds desk in-store or visit harborsidehealthcenter.com online for more info.]

Clones and seeds from the legendary genetic collection Sensi Seed Bank available at Harborside. Like Nevil, Harborside actively seeks out the exotic and unusual.

The progressive Dutch government offered programs for recovering addicts to start their own businesses and Nevil applied for, and received, a grant to grow cannabis indoors. Like many before and after him, Nevil's early harvests were pitiable and practically unsmokable. His problem, like most cultivators around the world, was that his sativa-type plants (the only seeds he could find) simply would not finish properly indoors, nor in a reasonable amount of time. Attempting to grow these sativas outdoors in the gloomy Dutch climate was even more out of the question. Soon he was searching for short-flowering, fast-finishing, cannabis indica seeds to increase his production and quality. Nevil quickly found this to be a difficult task. He did, however, have two things to his advantage. First, he had an enviable stash of seeds from far-flung places like Nigeria and Indonesia-unavailable in places like the United States, which mostly saw imports from Central and South America, and occasionally South East Asia. Second, by virtue of both the loose Dutch policies towards 'soft drugs' such as cannabis and the legal gray area of selling cannabis seeds, it was not only possible but seemingly fully legal to ship cannabis seeds overseas to places like the U.S. Considering this, Nevil was struck with a realization: he should sell seeds. The Seed Bank was launched, and became a success almost instantly.

Advertising in the pages of High Times Magazine, Nevil received not only orders for his seeds from across the United States and the rest of the world, but also offers of interesting and unique varieties to add to his ever-growing collection. Soon after going into business, an expatriate American turned up on Nevil's doorstep in the Netherlands and offered him a cache of classic California genetics like Afghani #1, Original Haze and Skunk #1 (more on this tale in a future column). Nevil eventually traveled to the United States to acquire yet more rare indica genetics such as G-13, Northern Lights and others. He wasn't afraid to risk his health and safety in the pursuit of preserving cannabis, either. After hearing that the landrace variety native to the legendary hash fields was likely to go extinct during the then-current Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, Nevil traveled to that dangerous territory to negotiate with confused, bemused warlords at gunpoint to buy a few kilos of those precious seeds. It was an exciting and productive time for Nevil and the Seed Bank, but as with most good things in life; alas, it would not last.

(End of Part One. To Be Continued.)