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CANNABIS HISTORIAN, vol. 7
By Timothy Anderson, Purchasing Assistant
The Original King of Cannabis
(Part Two)
The early 1980s were a crucial, tipping-point period for cannabis in the United States. Thanks to the Reagan administration's "War on Drugs," increased enforcement activities at the borders greatly diminished high-quality imports. Within our domestic borders, the introduction in 1982 of the Campaign Against Marijuana (CAMP) and its omnipresent helicopters to California--inarguably the most important and prolific cannabis growing region in the United States-pushed cultivators and their cannabis indoors, under lamps. This forced change meant that many of the pure sativa and sativa-dominant hybrids were unsuitable for these constrained environments, and indica was in fairly rare quantity. Cloning cannabis was not a widely known technique yet, and seeds were still the primary way to grow. In this era the only way most could acquire cannabis genetics were from seeded imports-usually wild, endlessly flowering sativas unsuitable for most North American climates.
In 1985, renowned seed breeder Nevil Schoenmaker published the first expansive Seed Bank catalog and offered several pure indica specimens (as well as early flowering sativa/indica hybrids), many of which can be found at Harborside Health Center--Afghani #1 and Northern Lights among them. He also crossed some indicas and sativas, seeking (and often finding) the best of both worlds. When asked to describe his method, Nevil would say simply, "Breeding is a matter of bending nature to your will." Advertising his wares in every issue of High Times, Nevil's stock offered a chance of continued survival for California cultivators indoors, and also made it possible for aspiring cannabis gardeners in remote places to experiment with the then-new indoor growing style propagated by Mel Frank & Ed Rosenthal's "Marijuana Grower's Guide." Not coincidentally, this is the very same book that Nevil had discovered years earlier at a low point, pointing him towards his life's work.
The Seed Bank catalogs from 1985 to 1990 are a virtual reference library to the parents from which most of our current cannabis varieties come from. Without Nevil's industriousness in assembling a fantastic genetic library in this early era, we would probably not have had access to much of the gold-standard medicine seen at Harborside today. And though they were already fully formed and well-known seed lines in their time, it is likely neither Skunk nor Haze would have established such a high reputation amongst cannabis aficionados. His keen eye as a breeder led to many fruitful F1 hybrids such as Northern Lights 5 x Haze--a multiple Cannabis Cup winner that later beget more Cup winners, like Super Silver Haze and Jack Herer--which certainly helped push the potency threshold of cannabis higher than it had been previously (15-20% THC).
Starting with only a handful of exotic seeds, Nevil had built his Seed Bank in Amsterdam up to be the largest seller of cannabis seeds worldwide. However, the golden era of the Seed Bank was not to last forever. Alarmed by the widespread proliferation of cannabis growing information and technology, the Drug Enforcement Agency launched Operation Green Merchant in late 1989. The operation was specifically aimed at High Times and its advertisers, which was rightly viewed by the DEA as a catalog of all things cannabis--from growing to connoisseurship. Somewhat ironically, 1990 was a banner year for the Seed Bank at the third annual High Times Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam. Nevil's hybrids dominated the entries, representing 14 of the 20 total. To no one's surprise, he won all three cups--sativa, indica and hybrid--making it obvious why High Times proclaimed him "the King of Cannabis."
The first victims to fall under Operation Green Merchant were primarily shops selling growing gear, but by late-1990 the DEA turned its attention to the Seed Bank. Here the story gets hazy, so to speak, but sometime after October 1990 Nevil was arrested but eventually released from custody. He then began his career as an international fugitive and fled to Australia. When the legal heat seemed to have cooled down, Nevil returned to the Netherlands. He then sold the Seed Bank in its entirety--seeds, mother and father plants, and even his mansion, the infamous "Cannabis Castle"--to Ben Dronkers of the then-small Sensi Seed Bank. Thereafter, he remained a quiet but influential presence on the Dutch cannabis scene, helping to both make strains and win Cannabis Cups for Sensi, Green House and Mr. Nice Seeds, and eventually quietly stepping into semi-retirement.
In recent years, the King has come out of his premature retirement and has been working on new varieties for the 21st century. Recent seed releases from Nevil offer new twists on old-world indicas like G-13 and Ortega. He's also released a new crop of exotic super-sativas for connoisseurs that transpose genetics from Oaxaca, Mexico, and his personal favorite hybrid, Nevil's Haze, with Australia's answer to the Haze, the Mullimbimby Madness (a.k.a., Old Mother Sativa). We at Harborside owe a lot to Nevil, including both his work as a cannabis preservationist and as a breeder of original creations. Long live the king!
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The CANNASSEUR CORNER
By Rick Pfrommer, Director of Education, Harborside Health Center
 Seniors and Cannabis
When California's Compassionate Use Act first took effect in 1996, the premier medical cannabis dispensaries-notably, Dennis Peron's in San Francisco and Jeffrey Jones' Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative-counted many seniors as core members. Long-timers may recognize the name, "Brownie Mary," a senior who tirelessly distributed her infamous cannabis brownies, often free of charge, to needy patients all over the Bay Area. Although Mary passed away in the early-2000s, she left a legacy of senior cannabis activism that's still felt today. However, as medical cannabis gained popularity in the late-1990s, new and younger patients began filling waiting rooms and many older people felt overwhelmed by the youth culture that dominates most dispensaries. While the Berkeley Patients Group and the Patients Care Collective in Berkeley have provided a safe place for seniors for over a decade, it wasn't until Harborside Health Center opened in 2006 that there was a dispensary specifically designed to welcome seniors, as well as patients from all walks of life. The most common complaints I've heard from seniors is that some facilities are too dark, the music is played too loud and sales associates are stand-offish at best, and oftentimes downright rude. As anyone familiar with Harborside knows, we are the exact opposite. Our co-founder and executive director, Steve DeAngelo, personally selects all the music and our sales associates are trained to help not hinder. CBD meds are a great way to introduce the efficacy of medical cannabis without the perceived drawbacks of overstimulation. A couple years ago, Steve also came up with an idea for a service to engage with our community's elders, appointing Sue Taylor to be the coordinator of our Senior Outreach Program. Sue has many years' experience in the field of education and is a member of the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging. She speaks with other county aging commissions all around the Greater Bay Area, sometimes with me in tow. During these presentations we explain the benefits of medical cannabis to people who have little or no experience with it. It's a great feeling to watch a room full of skeptics begin to change their minds about a subject many of them had misjudged. I've very much enjoyed participating in these sessions, which are often truly eye-opening. Hopefully the future will bring Harborside's medicine right to the doorsteps of senior facilities. Many of these folks can't physically get to a dispensary so the ability to bring medicine right to them would be great. Unfortunately most of these senior centers are federally funded, making them leery of allowing medical cannabis deliveries. But I firmly believe, just as we've changed the rules elsewhere, we will prevail here, too. Medical cannabis obviously has many benefits for patients of all ages. For seniors especially, the list of ailments cannabis can help alleviate is almost endless. Many senior patients gravitate towards topical products, such as Doc Green's Therapeutic Healing Cream. Topicals provide relief for everything from soreness and pain, to inflammation and psoriasis. I've even managed to convince my rabidly anti-drug mother to try them! CBD medications, of which we now carry a wide range in topical and edible forms, are very effective and also quite popular for seniors. These preparations don't have the euphoric effects of THC, which some inexperienced users find unsettling. CBD meds are a great way to introduce the efficacy of medical cannabis without the perceived drawbacks of overstimulation. Senior or not, any patient who hasn't yet tried CBD-rich medicine, should. Since our inception, every element at Harborside is created for the optimal patient experience--from our ambiance to the selection of medicine, the rigorous training our staff undergoes to our extensive array of free holistic services. If you know a senior who might benefit from medical cannabis, please bring them by and let us show them how we can help improve their well-being.
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Rick's Product Pick:
It's no secret that I'm not a big fan of butane hash oil (BHO). I'm also cautious about the whole 'dabbing' phenomenon. I'm not particularly against it; I just think people need to exercise caution. It was with this in mind that we started working with our best cold water hash (CWH) maker to produce a dab-able form of CWH. Over many months of trial and error, we developed our newest products, ice melt and water wax.
 | | Redwood Kush Ice Melt |
 | | Dream Berry Ice Wax |
 | | Blue Dream Ice Melt |
Ice melt is similar in consistency to BHO wax or 'budder.' Water wax is more like a traditional 'shatter.' Both ice melt and water wax dab extremely well, although being derived from water hash they do leave a slight residue on the nail or skillet. They also require a slightly higher temperature on the nail or skillet. Pressing the hash firmly against the dabbing surface helps the hash to burn more thoroughly. The taste of CWH is often more robust than BHO, which sometimes leads inexperienced people to take too large a hit. It's better to start with a smaller piece than you would in dabbing BHO. You can smoke either of these products in a traditional pipe or whatever method you employ for regular CWH.
Both of these new products are welcome additions to our growing roster of non-solvent-based concentrates. Ask your Harborside patient consultant to show you what's currently available. Remember Harborside's mantra, "Wellness not intoxication," and embrace safe dabbing!
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In order to keep patients fully informed of the latest research and information about medical cannabis, we may send more e-mail communication.
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