Opinion

It was no party for medical pot users On California Drug Law

I founded Harborside Health Center six years ago to establish a model cannabis dispensary, one that would set the gold standard for legal compliance and a truly medical approach.

Since then, my staff and I have accomplished that goal and more. Harborside was the first to laboratory-test cannabis to ensure its safety, and measure its potency. When our testing program revealed that today's cannabis had an overabundance of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), we launched a program to breed cannabidiol (CBD)-rich varieties of cannabis that provide medical benefits, but markedly reduce the psychoactive effects or "high." In response to concerns about smoked forms of medicine, we developed a wide range of alternative forms of medical cannabis that had never been seen before: capsules, tinctures, tonics and sublingual sprays. We even developed completely non-psychoactive topical preparations of cannabis, which are used for rheumatoid arthritis and skin conditions like psoriasis.

Every step of the way, we carefully studied and complied with the laws of the State of California. Prior to accepting a new patient, we contact the Medical Board of California to ensure the doctor who wrote the recommendation is in good standing; and then contact the doctor's office to ensure the information on the recommendation accurately reflects the doctor's records. Our medicine is sourced exclusively from within the closed loop of our own collective, and our staff is trained to spot and interrupt any suspicious transactions. Nobody has purchased medicine from Harborside that was not legally qualified to do so, and nobody will.

In the spirit of Proposition 215, the initiative approved by voters in 1996 that legalized medical marijuana in California, we have also done our best to create a truly medical environment, where all patients are cared for irrespective of financial ability. All of our patients can access health care services at no extra charge, including an on-site holistic health clinic, which offers 70 hours a week of acupuncture, chiropractic, naturopathy and several other therapies. We provide classes on responsible cannabis use, and a substance dependency program administered by a trained addiction counselor. Our low-income program provides sliding-scale care packages to about 500 patients a week, and our volunteer program allows any patient to obtain medicine for work in lieu of cash payment.

In order to get a fix on exactly how cannabis helps our patients, we have partnered with the University College of London, and are conducting an extensive research program to determine the efficacy of different types of cannabis, as compared with pharmaceuticals used for the same symptoms.

Harborside has achieved what I set out to do: It is a model in ensuring that medical cannabis patients receive medicine that is safe and effective, and is provided in full compliance with state law.

That's why U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag was unable to allege even one specific act of wrongdoing on the part of Harborside Health Center when she initiated legal proceedings to seize the properties where we are located. There was no allegation that we were too close to a school, or that we had violated state medical cannabis laws. Instead, she justified her actions by articulating the general principle that, "The larger the operation, the greater the likelihood that there will be abuse of the state's medical marijuana laws." But the reason Harborside has the largest number of patients is because we've provided our patients the highest level of care. And that is a principle we will not compromise - ever.