Returning to Washington: State of Cannabis in Flux

Quite a while ago, I realized I would be visiting Washington State in July 2016, just soon after the changes that Washington's legislature was enacting in regards to cannabis. These changes were the very reason that many medical marijuana activists voted against recreational cannabis. 

Back in 1998, Washington voters legalized cannabis for medical use. However, there were no "dispensaries" or "safe access points" that I knew about. Some farms were cultivating and supplying patients, but only on a small-scale and it was difficult to understand the system.

In 2011-2012 a plethora of "safe access points" using a law that allowed "collective gardens" began appearing in many communities and cities especially on the west side of the Cascade mountains. The Eastern side being a bit more conservative, and slower to recognize the changing laws.

I had become a legal patient for the first time in 2008, and I have had a front-row seat to all of the changes. I even voted "no" on I-502 which ended up passing, legalizing the sale of cannabis for recreational purposes. 

I have been with my husband in Arizona during much of the enacting of I-502 for the past 9 months, and I was anxious to see the changes that would come about with the forced closure of the collective garden "safe access points" and the virtual elimination of all medical access points for cannabis all together.

I will insert a few disclaimers here: The few shops that I have visited so far have also had flower of several types, but on these trips I have not been looking for flower, only concentrates. Also, I have only visited a handful of shops in some rural areas so far. I will be continuing to write about my experiences in Washington as they occur.

Vancouver

Soon after I entered Washington, I pulled over looking for a gas station. After getting gas, I happen to see a vape store and thought I'd attempt to get a replacement battery for my vape pen which hadn't worked since Arizona due to my failure to charge the batteries.

After purchasing a pre-charged replacement battery, I struck up a conversation with the cashier and older male customer in a wheelchair about the current state of cannabis in Washington. The gentleman was quick to let me know he had a buddy who was selling solventless dab oil that had essential oils added for taste, for only $20 per gram.

I was quick to let the gentleman know that I had no time or money to purchase medicine from this particular source and I had granddaughters waiting for me, then I left.

Tenino

After my visit with my granddaughters, I decided to check out what the recreational shop in Tenino was offering. There were many bright packages, but most of the "dabable" oil that would work in my vape pen (my only current personal medication device) was priced far out of my price range. There were 3 different types, sourced from one particular breed of plant each. They were all priced between $35-$50 per gram. 

There were also 2 different types of "RSO-type oil" for sale at the Tenino shop. These were $45-55 per gram. 

Centralia

When my needs were not met in Tenino, I decided that my former favorite safe access point just north of the Lewis/Thurston county line was close enough to check out. I didn't know if they had turned "recreational" or not, but I figured it was worth a check.

The company that currently is housed in the building took it over after the people who I was working for were evicted by the owner. It is the closest safe access point to Centralia, and is in a high-traffic area.

When I approached the building, I wasn't sure they were even open. All the signage had been removed, the "green cross" that had always been out at the road was gone, and the "open" sign was off. There was a "no trespassing " sign in the window regarding law enforcement. 

But, the door was open. So, I went in. 

There was a gentleman at the reception desk who asked me if I was in their patient database, I said that they did have my paperwork from last October and it was still valid. He informed me that they had transitioned into a "private club" and only saw patients that had previously registered their paperwork with them. 

When he brought me back, I saw that the only thing that had changed was the absence of "name brand" edibles. There were still multiple jars of flower in both Sativas and Indicas. And there were a generous shelf of concentrates below.

The "crumble" from a Cherry Kush was my choice. Since it was Monday, the special was 5 dollars off any "dab oil," so my selection was $20. There were also platinum selections of different types of C02 oil and other methods of extraction, like Rosin, for $35-60 per gram.

I wasn't satisfied completely with the dab oil, however. I happen to see that they had some Pre-98 Bubba Kush flower, and treated myself to a gram of that (at $10) just to smell (and eat). 

Shelton

The Cherry Kush Crumble was quite effective medicine for my needs. I still had capsules of hemp oil and RSO for the rest of the month, but needed something to vape to stave off my nausea, PTSD and anxiety. When I realized that the Crumble was going to get low before the end of the month, I figured I needed to find out what I could purchase more local to where I was staying.

I came across a recreational store that just happened to be affiliated with a previous Safe Access Point that I had known about. I was familiar with the family and have respected them for some time for their work with patients through the years. It was a "rec shop" that I wasn't too offended to spend my money at, to be frank.

As I entered BatStone Buds, I noticed that they were a very classy looking shop, with a clearly marked "medical" counter. When I asked about concentrates, and medical cannabis, the young cashier lead me over to tinctures. 

After clarifying that I wanted to see what they had in "dabable" concentrates (she did also show me several syringes of RSO-type oil for sale, but I didn't inquire about the cost at that time), she lead me back to the recreational counter and directed my attention to a case with 4-5 different brands, each having several types.

I chose the "Uncle Rudi's" frankly due to the price. There were two strains available, "Afgooy" and "Indica hybrid." I chose the Indica hybrid for personal reasons. The young lady said it was "$20 per gram," and gladly took my $20 bill. 

When I got the reciept out, I did notice that it wasn't, in fact, $20 per gram, but instead it was listed as $13.72 per gram with $5.08 state tax and another $1.20 going to the local government.

As for the medicinal product bought at a recreational outlet, I found it comparable to the "shatter" medicine that I had procured in Arizona frequently. And also, equivalent to the Crumble I had purchased at the access point turned "private" club. 

Going Forward

I have plans to spend the next few months up here in my home state before returning to Arizona. During this time it will be interesting to observe how the state of cannabis evolves in Washington State. For now, the biggest loss appears to be the Cannabis Farmer's Markets which were an opportunity for the patients to meet the farmers and to purchase medicine frequently at a much discounted price. 

Currently, any discounts or "farmer's markets" will be strictly black market with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board in control.

County Line Alternative Medicine: First Morning as a Volunteer

Day 2, morning one. It was my first Monday morning in a very long time. My disabilities took my freedom from me. My freedom to work. On this Monday morning, I walked about a quarter mile on the way to work, before hitchhiking for a ride.

Today was more than my first day volunteering for this Collective Garden. It was also the 4 year anniversary of the day my physician had discharged me without notice; putting me involuntarily into withdrawals from the fentanyl and percocet he had been prescribing for five years. For the two years before that, it had been my general physician. But strangely enough, she was no longer in practice.

This Monday morning felt triumphant. I had begun to take my life back with my baptism in the spring, now perhaps I could at least have the opportunity to help others at the same time as ease the incredible strain on my pocket book that my medical costs were, as they are to anyone on disability.

The day started off wonderfully. I began to learn my way around the front desk procedures; as I had been trained on the bud-tending bar the previous Saturday night shift.

I was given passwords and asked to update the web menu on many sites. I began to become acquainted with the other volunteers and their stories.

County Line was owned and operated by a woman on disability who got tired of her husband sitting around smoking pot all day and doing nothing. So, they started a Collective Garden with a grow and a lounge in the back where he could still, in fact, sit around and smoke weed all day. Only now, they could make money off of it. That was my observation on first glance. I saw a family with two disabled parents attempting to get by and looking at what they knew and making the best of it.

Jim (all of the names have been changed) was the official owner of the business with their adult son as a partner, as not to get his wife in trouble with Social Security; but he was quick to point out that his wife, Betty, was the true boss. She was, in fact, the one who did the books....and the one to whom the boys on night-shift were answerable for their shenanigans.


Betty and I got along quite well. In fact, I still miss her and keep her in my prayers.


Another volunteer I had the opportunity to meet was Jill. She was the "cleaning lady." In fact, she was a very disabled woman. A patient who lived on a meager fixed income who had trouble affording her medicine. So, she offered to do anything for the Collective Garden. They made her the cleaning lady, and gave her one gram for every 6 hours of work.


For those of us who are disabled, every hour we work is worth so many more "able-bodied" hours. It takes us so much to be able to push past the pain coma of a pain level that sometimes reaches 9.5+ upon awakening without any cannabis in our system. 

To procure a lowly $10 worth of medicine for 6 hours of bending, twisting, and lifting...doing all of those things that our physicians have warned us against, is something that too many of us would do in a heartbeat.


That was the remuneration that we all received. All of the volunteers were patients. We all received one gram of dry, cured, medicine for every 6 hours of work that we provided. As "volunteers", it was a paradigm that was not uncommon, as testified by the volunteers who came from other places. Jim and Betty tried to "sweeten the deal" by promising a dream trip to all the volunteers and calling them "family".  Meanwhile, many were in the negative by the time they came to work that day.


On the shiny side of the cloud that first day, were the patients that I was able to meet and help. While riding a line, not attempting to give out medical advice, as none of us want to be practicing medicine without a license; I was able to share my personal experience with this plant in it's topical, edible and combustible forms with a patient who was in severe pain. Within minutes after using a topical spray, she experienced relief. As a caregiver, it was enough to make me want to come back the next day to help again.

There are many stories that remain to be told. Many yet to write. County Line Alternative Medicine was north of an unfriendly county border and I lived south of that line. Living in unfriendly territory towards a medicine I have come to know is God's was, and is, a challenge. Just because cannabis is legal in Washington does not mean it is liked. Many counties, even west of the Cascades, are very unfriendly to cannabis and anyone who uses it for any reason.

We must continue to spread education and understanding. Erase fear with education. Learn, teach, and grow. Overgrow with the Love and Lighte of Christ. And Cannabis.

Hippocracy of the Alternative

In these days when the Hippocratic oath is more than a little hypocritical, we need our alternative medical care more than ever before.

In today's world, those who have gone about getting their education in the prescribed manner have incurred so much debt, that entire professions worth of employees, be they physicians, pharmacists or licensed nurses and massage therapists; they are trained very well: You do what we say, or you loose your license. You must not use or do what you know is right, even though it is the compassionate thing to do, you will loose your way to earn money if you do it.

It is a simple as that. It all boils down to the almighty dollar. Non-maleficence, first doing no harm; has gone the way of family doctor who performs house calls. First, they harm your wallet, which effects your general well-being; then what they do causes more harm than good. Thus, ensuring your return and another procedure and visit that they can bill you for. Upfront payment accepted only. Medical ethics?!

When those with the initials after their names; when THOSE who have done the education the prescripted way, when THEY FAIL to act in a caring manner, when they FAIL to act with compassion and care CHOOSING the lure of Satan in the guise of the almighty dollar, those of us who DO CARE about our brother are forced to become "front line medics" using the tools that GOD Himself gave us to treat and attempt to cure what ails each other.

The next line of treatment, in a "compassionate state" is to go to the alternative care providers. Those with no medical degrees, relying on self-directed studies of the studies performed by distant scientists as well as anecdotal evidence of friends.

But what do we get, when we place our trust and health care needs in the hands of people we will actually call "family," a "canna-family;" solely because they partake of the same alternative treatment that we have chosen?

Under RCW 69.51a, the medical cannabis in Washington is governed. A new set of rules and laws were added when Washington State voters approved I-502 against the objections of many medical cannabis patients.

The fight for and against I-502 split the cannabis community in more than two pieces. A community that refers to itself as a family; now cannibalizing each other for the cash that they can procure. 


After traveling the country for the past 3 years, meeting a lot of people in a lot of different circumstances, most of them revolving around a plant, I decided to take up an invitation to "volunteer" at a local "collective garden" in Washington State for a few months. What I observed while there made me sicker than even "big pharma" has for a long time.

I will be posting stories from the Collective Garden I was volunteering at. It is and was the norm. I had the opportunity, while there and at other times, to interview and get to know as true friends, a large variety of people, all patients, who have volunteered in these "Gardens". Their, and my experience is typical of what a small town "Safe Access Point" is in Washington State.

I believe in a better paradigm. I aim to create a situation for myself, my husband and as many of our friends as possible in a community that is about caring. Cannabis is a part of it, but currency will not be.

My heart has been hurt tremendously by the people who call patients "family" only to be close to them when they receive their pittance of a decreasing valued limited income. It is time for all to grow their own. It is time for people to step up and help their neighbor if he CAN'T grow. It is time to be our brother's keeper. It is TIME to Overgrow the World with compassion. With the love and lighte of Christ. And with Cannabis.