Of all the rare sativa varieties often carried at Harborside Health Center, perhaps the most attention-commanding of them all is the Red Congolese. A true gem-like rarity of a cannabis flower, Red Congolese mostly originated in Africa and carries flavors of an Older World: leathery, camphorous and complex with hints of ambergris, anise and spice. Exceptionally potent, the nearly pure sativa effects of Red Congolese are clear and cerebral; relaxing though still euphoric and stimulating. But where did this exotic and wonderful flower come from?

A true gem-like rarity of a flower: Red Congolese.

African imports were much more common in Europe by simple proximity. The Dutch were far ahead in this aspect.

That is not to say that African cannabis never made the arduous journey across the Atlantic to our shores, however. Legendary American breeder and preservationist Sam the Skunkman (creator of perhaps the first "super hybrid" of cannabis, Skunk #1) had acquired a South African variety in the mid-1970s from the region around Pinetown (near the coastal city of Durban) and worked with it diligently for years to inbreed, stabilize and acclimatize it to the Santa Cruz area of California. His seed company, Sacred Seeds, eventually sold stock of this variety to Dutch breeders, where it would become known as the legendary Durban Poison. Durban Poison would gain popularity with indoor growers for its compactness and early finishing time, and remains popular to this day--it is frequently found here at HHC. And surely, the Skunkman was not the only industrious grower to seek out these unique genetics. The Dutch were far ahead in this aspect, for as previously mentioned African imports were much more common in Europe by simple proximity. Some of the earliest seed catalogs from the Netherlands, from such notables as Nevil's Seed Bank and the Super Sativa Seed Club, feature hybrids from Nigeria and Malwai, among other regions. Nevertheless, African cannabis genetics as a whole are the least common ingredients in our modern gene pool compared to those from the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Central/South America. 

In the contemporary era, a few modern cannabis breeders have incorporated African genetics into their works to achieve hybrids with unique flavor and aromatic profiles while also taking advantage of the strong, lucid psychoactivity that all landraces from Africa seem to share (some had ascribed those almost hallucinogenic effects to reports of high levels of THCV in African varieties; however, THCV is a THC antagonist and blocks its effects, so this is untrue). Among these modern breeders is Reeferman: a Canadian breeder with a checkered past, Charles Scott made a name for himself in the early 2000s by winning several High Times Cannabis Cups with distinctly different strains such as Willie Nelson and Love Potion #1. Reeferman's key to success was using uncommon varieties of cannabis that his Dutch competitors did not have access to--usually the famous landraces of the past, like Santa Marta Gold and Panama Red. 

The clone lives on in the Bay Area and graces us with its presence here at Harborside Health Center on a regular basis.

In a short period, Reef (as he's known to his fans) released a staggering amount of interesting seeds and, after gaining a modest amount of fame through his many successes, spread them throughout the world. First appearing in Reeferman's 2005 Catalog, Red Congolese's parents were described as, "(an) exceptional Congolese Sativa with a stable Mexican/Afghani. Super frosty plants produce aromas like sandalwood and honey with a hint of haze." Later, in honor of its entry in the 2007 Cannabis Cup (it took 4th place in the sativa category that year), Reeferman would rename the variety John Sinclair, after the Detroit poet and activist, with the explanation that, "Much like the man himself... the strain promotes creative and unorthodox patterns of thought." 

Though the Red Congolese is no longer sold in pure seed form (hybrids are available in Europe), the clone lives on in the Bay Area and graces us with its presence here at Harborside Health Center on a regular basis. If you have not yet tried the Red Congolese, do not hesitate to do so--you may be missing out on one of the finest cannabis flowers available today.

Visitors to Harborside are greeted warmly by our safety team and then enter a bright, light-filled space that's a temple for all aspects of the cannabis plant.

When Harborside opened in 2006, the medical cannabis community had never seen anything like us. From the sheer size of our facility (at over 7,000 square feet) to the open design where even clones could be seen from the street, it was clear we were rewriting the rules of what a modern dispensary could look like. Many people said we were crazy, even reckless in our unique approach. "You'll get busted sure enough," we heard more than once. "This is Oakland, you'll be robbed without metal bars and barbwire," was also common. But our co-founder, Steve DeAngelo, knew different and he wasn't going to be deterred by the naysayers. He had a clear vision of what he wanted Harborside to look and feel like, and with the design expertise of his fiancé, Yoli Felix, they were able to implement that vision.

 

When we first rented 1840 Embarcadero it looked much different. The main floor, now so open and full of light, was a series of small, drab offices. Walls and doors were everywhere. A full six months and hundreds of thousands of dollars later, the walls were gone and the main room was flooded with natural light. It was during this time that we coined our motto: "Out of the shadows and into the light." When we finished and the first patients came through our doors, the reaction to this new style of dispensary was overwhelming. No longer did you have to go into some dingy backroom, with loud, abrasive music, thuggish security and indifferent-at-best budtenders. Instead, first-time visitors to Harborside are greeted warmly by our safety team and then enter a bright, light-filled space that's a temple for all aspects of the cannabis plant. After the initial furor over our unique style diminished, an interesting phenomenon occurred. Other dispensaries began to copy our design.

 

Over time new medical cannabis dispensaries (MCDs) opened, sans metal bars and barbwire. Folks even copied our counter design and light wood color scheme. Instead of criticizing us, people were emulating us. High praise indeed, for imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery.

 

...flooded with natural light, our clean, open look ensures a welcoming environment for all patients and is how we coined our motto: "Out of the shadows and into the light." 

The medicine counter at Harborside is designed for efficiency and service.

From San Jose to San Francisco in the Bay Area and beyond, MCDs bearing a distinctly Harborside look began sprouting. The Harborside aesthetic was spreading, bringing a new open approach to medical cannabis distribution. What was once considered radical has now become standard for anyone who wants legitimacy and respect from the non-medical cannabis world. Our clean, open look presents a reassuring image to the rest of the world, and ensures a welcoming environment for all patients, no matter their age or identity.

 

Of course, Steve and the rest of the Harborside team also took this as a sign that we needed to take our game to the next level. Thus began the brainstorming: "What can we do to improve our patient experience?" We are still engaging in that process but here's a peek into some of the ideas: A guide to the most commonly available strains at HHC for all new patients; more social media contests; traditional and video blogging; expanded holistic services. The list goes on and on.

 

Every aspect of Harborside is geared towards promoting our "Wellness Not Intoxication" mantra.  

 

We won't initially be able to do all the things we want, as we have to run the business, too. But we love to innovate so expect to see many new and exciting additions to the Harborside patient experience. Every aspect of Harborside is geared towards promoting our "Wellness Not Intoxication" mantra. As other dispensaries have duplicated our design and our business model, including lab testing and edibles' packaging, hopefully they will also take on our approach to wellness. Very few establishments offer free holistic services-a handful, for sure, mostly in the Bay Area. Nationwide, probably less than 10% of all MCDs offer free holistic health services. Even fewer promote wellness or even understand the 2,500-year history of cannabis as a medicine, not an intoxicant. Many dispensaries are unfortunately stuck in the old paradigm where potency is equated with quality, and how 'high' their products get you is more important than their role as a part of the whole spectrum of wellness choices.

 

Much of the non-medical cannabis world grasps the wellness concept. Compared to a few years ago, we see the word "wellness" everywhere now. Even health care giants such as Kaiser have whole ad campaigns built around the wellness theme. It's a simple yet powerful notion that Steve was first in the medical cannabis world to advocate. If the rest of the industry catches on and starts promoting wellness, all the better for patients and ultimately, the world, as we eventually witness cannabis freed from bondage and legal for every adult to use as they see fit.

 

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