Cannabis

Checkout our New Instagram! @ggroodriver

We have a new Instagram account! Check us out HERE

Unfortunately Instagram has closed our long standing @gorgegreenery account. Due to cannabis not being federally legal Instagram will occasionally close cannabis related business accounts down. We are doing our best to keep you informed of All Things Cannabis so we have crated a new Gorge Greenery Instagram account! Please follow us and give us a like for our locally owned Cannabis Dispensary in Hood River Oregon! @gghoodriver

We're always open! -- New Year, New Rules for Oregon Cannabis

With the coming of the new year we are seeing new regulations in the ever evolving Cannabis industry. Let's talk through some of the new changes, and what that means for medical marijuana patients and recreational shoppers.

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First off, we're still open!

In order to stay a recreational dispensary, marijuana businesses must be licensed with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC). The OLCC is the main governing body for all businesses associated with the recreational cannabis world, whereas the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) handles all medical marijuana dispensaries. All growers, processors and dispensaries in Oregon started on the OHA license, but in order to serve the public recreationally, they had to switch to the OLCC license. The deadline to make this switch was January 1st, 2017, so if you haven't made the switch before then, you can no longer sell marijuana recreationally. Gorge Greenery made the switch to the OLCC license back in October, so our doors are open.

Furthermore, during this years election, Hood River residents voted to approve a 3% tax increase on recreational marijuana, bringing the current rate to 20%. This 3%, however, goes directly towards the city of Hood River and is not a part of the 17% that is paid to the Oregon government as a whole. To give some insight here: Washington's cannabis tax sits at 37%, and Colorado's is around 30%, depending on what part of the state you live in. Oregon currently has the lowest marijuana tax in the country.

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New rules and limits for Medical Marijuana Patients

With all the rapid changes with recreational cannabis, where does this leave the medical marijuana patient? Members of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) have been feeling understandably frustrated as more and more growers, processors, and dispensaries switch to the recreational marketplace. Fortunately, there are still provisions set in place to accommodate OMMP patients that the Greenery is able to offer.

Oregon Medical Marijuana Patients:

  • Are exempt from the 20% cannabis tax.
  • Can purchase up to 24 ounces of dried usable cannabis. (Recreational users are limited to one ounce.)
  • Can purchase edibles with a THC content higher than 50mg.
The Grön dark chocolate bites are 75mg THC each. Available to medical patients only.

The Grön dark chocolate bites are 75mg THC each. Available to medical patients only.

The world of legalized marijuana is an exciting yet tumultuous place. We are all venturing into uncharted territory, and keeping up to date on all the new rules and regulations can be a difficult and confusing process. That said, we here at Gorge Greenery make it our mission to stay as up to date on all the latest news and current events as possible, so if you ever have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to ask. We'll be here.

Have a question? Email us here at info@gorgegreenery.com

Message us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GorgeGreeneryHoodRiver/

 

OLCC Recreational Marijuana Homepage: http://www.oregon.gov/olcc/marijuana/Pages/default.aspx

Images provided by pixabay.com

Cooking with Cannabis

Cooking with Cannabis is nothing new, but some of the best culinary creations involve a certain amount of creativity. From pizza to ice cream, there is no limit as to what kind of food you can infuse with Mary Jane.

VICE's food program, Munchies, explores this ever growing world of cannabis confections and culinary cuisine. The "Bong Appetite" series explores the many different recipes for cannabis, and just how good it can be. Check out this episode where Bong Appetite travels to Portland, learning all about the best way to make cannabis infused pizza.

Of course, cannabis pizza isn't for everybody. There's something to be said about the classic baked goods. Who doesn't love a pot brownie, anyway? Take a look at yellowjuanacake.com, a great home cooking blog with a wide variety of classic edibles like brownies and cookies as well as more intricate dishes such as lasagna.  http://www.yellowjuanacake.com/

There you have it! The only limit to making edibles is your imagination. That, and how much canna-oil or cannabutter you have on hand. Don't know how to make cannabutter? No worries, this article should sort it out. http://herb.co/recipes/quick-easy-cannabutter/

Happy cooking!

What to do if your pet ingests cannabis....

Step 1. Determine the type and potency.

Here's a quick rundown of the types of cannabis your pet could have gotten into, ranked from least severe to most severe:

  • Raw cannabis flower - least severe because it's not decarboxylated, so the THC hasn't been activated

  • Vaped or burned cannabis flower - not ideal because there could still be some activated THC in it

  • Non-chocolate infused edibles - can vary in danger levels depending on the edible's potency and ingredients

  • Cannabutter - can vary in danger levels depending on the potency of the cannabutter

  • Concentrates - inherently potent; therefore, even the smallest amount of concentrate(e.g., a dab) can have an acute effect on an animal, particularly smaller pets

  • Chocolate-infused edibles - can vary in danger levels depending on the edible's potency, but certain properties in chocolate can be toxic to animals such as dogs and cats

Step 2. Evaluate your animal's symptoms.

Check for the following symptoms your pet is exhibiting:

  • Mild toxicity will result in sluggishness, lethargy, excessive saliva production, and wobbling.

  • More extreme cases may result in loss of bodily control, urinary incontinence, low blood pressure, a slow heart rate, seizures, or even death (via asphyxiation on their own vomit)

Step 3. Soak up the bad stuff.

You can try avoiding a worst-case scenario for your precious furbaby by soaking up your pet's stomach contents. Activated charcoal is available at most drug stores and can soak up the toxins in your pet’s stomach, including any remaining THC that hasn’t been absorbed into their bloodstream yet.

Note: Do not attempt to use activated charcoal if you’ve already tried to induce vomiting.

Step 4. Induce Vomiting.

If step 3 didn't work, try to make your pet puke. You can use hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting -- use one teaspoon per 10 pounds on your pet, every 15 minutes (no more than three times total).

Monitor your pet closely, as this method can result in excessive vomiting or bloody stool. Don’t overdo it and watch for signs of distress, in which case you may need to seek a professional.

Note: You will feel awful and heartless and your pet will not understand why this is happening. Sorry, that’s just how it goes.

Step 5. Seek Professional Help.

If all else fails, and especially if you realize that your pet has consumed a large amount of cannabis or THC, this may be a necessary, and even life-saving next step. Be honest with your veterinarian – he or she will be able to determine the outcome either way, so transparency will save you both time in the long run.

Give the vet as much information as possible – what kind of product, its potency, how long it has been since it was ingested, etc. For example, if the edible contained chocolate, this could put your pet at further risk, so try to be specific with details.

Read the full article from Leafly HERE.

Test Results anyone? THC, THCA, Formula...

States that have legalized in cannabis require testing for potency and contaminants in cannabis, and lab-testing cannabis is quickly becoming an important part of the industry. The tests for pesticides, mold, contamination, etc. don’t require any new or special analytical techniques and are part of standard practice for other agricultural products as well. With the right lab equipment, chemists can measure cannabinoids to a certain degree of precision if they do it right, but the lack of a standardized way of looking at the data has everyone confused.

The subject of this issue is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), which occurs naturally in the plant. THCA needs to be heated so it changes into THC, the active form that gets you high. All cannabinoids occur naturally in their acid forms, that’s just how their enzymes make them. The difference between THCA and THC is a carboxy group. Upon smoking, cooking or vaping heat gets rid of the carboxy so THCA gives of CO2, losing about 12% of its weight in the process. Why does this matter for lab testing? Because THCA is heavier than THC, and lab results are given in percent mass.

The root of the confusion is the fact that different lab techniques give inherently different potency values. Depending on the lab, the analysis machine might use one of two separation methods: gas chromatography (GC) or liquid chromatography (LC).

GC happens at high temperatures, enough to completely decarboxylate all the cannabinoids in the mixture. The oven it happens in decarboxylates THCA before passing on to the detector, so it only picks up THC. This makes GC almost useless for testing edibles, because you need to be able to tell the difference between orally inactive THCA and active THC. Furthermore, decarboxylation happens incompletely at those high temperatures in the injector port, conserving no more than 70% of THCA, according to one study.

Liquid chromatography happens at room temperature and does not decarboxylate any cannabinoids, giving separate values for THCA and THC, which are always both present. These results need to be interpreted correctly, and hold hidden information about how the sample was handled and temperatures it has been exposed to.

Let’s look at an example. Given one lab result you could get three THC potency readings depending on how you read it, but only one method really stands to reason. Consider a made up lab result of Hypothetical OG that used LC, say it has 22.32% percent mass of THCA and 2.41% percent mass THC (active THC).

If you just look at the THCA value, you might think it has 22.32% THC. If you add the THC value to that, you might think this strain has 24.74% THC. Neither of these values is correct.

To get a real potency value you need to consider both THCA and THC, but with a correction factor for THCA before you add in THC. To calculate THCTOTAL:

 

THCtotal = (%THCA) x 0.877 + (%THC)

 

0.877 is the molecular mass (mm) of THC divided by that of THCA; this factor boils it down to a simple formula: take 87.7% of the value for THCA, then add on the value for THC. This formula also holds true for finding the active CBD content (CBD TOTAL) because CBD and THC have the exact same mm. Therefore the correct value of THC TOTAL for Hypothetical OG is 21.98%, the weighted average of THCA and THC.

To get a real measure of the potency of a strain of pot, you need to look at THC TOTAL. This is because the relative amounts of THCA and THC depend on the amount of heat the flower, dry bud or extract has been exposed to. Since this is always different, lab testing needs to see past this variable.

Since GC doesn’t work for edibles, many labs are switching to LC to test for edibles. If you know you’re looking at a lab test that used LC, you’ll need to use this formula to get a consistent value of THC TOTAL.

When looking at lab results, make sure to take this into consideration. Be suspicious of lab results that just give you one number for %THC. If the lab used GC, you won’t have this issue at all. The %THC given from a GC machine roughly reflects THC TOTAL.

Read the original article from High Times HERE.

Terpenes- Essential Oils and Cannabis

We are reposting this article, originally written by Drake Dorm for MedicalJane, because we think you might want to know how terpenes can affect your cannabis experience.

Terpenes Influence the Synergy Effect of Cannabis

As we know, science has identified and characterized the molecular structure of around 20,000 terpenes, which makes it the largest category of plant chemicals. These aromatic compounds are found in the essential oils of plants and flowers, and plenty of studies have been done on their effects.

Of the 20,000 identified terpenes, there have been more than 120 found in cannabis. Only a few of them appear in high concentrations, but they have been found to have a number of benefits. A few of these effects are covered in our terpenoid article, but recent research has suggested an “entourage effect” as well. In his 2011 study “Taming THC,”Ethan Russo, from GW Pharmaceuticals, discussed the interaction between terpenes and cannabinoids.

Terpenes May Reduce THC-Induced Anxiety

For years, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was the only cannabinoid investigated for its medicinal value, and we know it has the potential to cause anxiety in some patients. However, certain terpenes in cannabis, like Linalool, have been found to counter the anxiety.

In fact, Russo points out that terpenes likely played a role in a number of ancient antidotes for the less desirable effects of THC. For instance, citrus fruits (high in limonene) were used as a “cannabis antidote” in 10th century Persia. Other ancient antidotes include calamus plant roots and pine nuts (high in pinene), as well as black pepper (high in caryophyllene and myrcene).

Terpenes and Cannabinoids Work Better Together

Terpenoids can be used for more than countering THC-induced anxiety. Russo discussed interactions to treat a number of issues including: paininflammationdepressionaddiction, epilepsy, cancer, and infections.

 Russo believes pinene would be useful in the treatment of MRSA. Cannabigerol (CBG) is a potent MRSA inhibitor, and can be found with small amounts of THC. Because of this Russo suggests a whole-plant extract, high in CBG and pinene, which was found to have its own anti-MRSA qualities in 2010.

Terpenes could also aid inAlzheimer’streatment with cannabidiol (CBD). Linalool, which is prominent in lavender, helps counter stress and anxiety. Limonene is commonly used in aromatherapy to improve mood, and pinene is known to promote alertness and memory retention. Combining these terpenoids with a CBD-rich extract may help treat the wide-ranging effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Another interaction that Russo highlighted could have benefits for addiction treatment. An essential oil made from black pepper reduced nicotine cravings in cigarette smokers. Interestingly enough, black pepper essential oils are high in myrcene, pinene, and caryophyllene, all of which can be found in cannabis.

Caryophyllene is interesting because it directly stimulates the CB2 receptors throughout the body. As we know, CB2 agonists prevent the release of dopamine, which is related to addiction. This, in combination with the use of CBD for opiate withdrawal, suggests that cannabis with caryophyllene could have a variety of rehabilitative benefits.

 

Russo, Trichome Technologies Suggest A Focus On Terpenes

In “Taming THC,” Russo focused on the interaction between terpenes and cannabinoids. With that being said, the knowledge is useless without some way to apply it. His solution: selective breeding designed around terpenes. Citing the 2002 study, “The Inheritance of Chemical Phenotype in Cannabis Sativa,” Russo suggested that growers focus on their desired terpenes when breeding.

In fact, Kenneth “K” Morrow, founder of Trichome Technologies, a leading international cannabis consulting company, recently endorsed a similar sentiment during Danny Danko’s cultivation panel at the recent High Times Cannabis Cup. In discussing the topic of terpenes, “K” urged people to tailor their grows towards the production of individual terpenes.

“K”, like multiple growers on online forums, believes that a number of variables (lighting, soil composition, nutrients, etc.) can influence terpene production. If growers are able to influence the production of specific terpenes, they could improve their product’s effectiveness.

Terpenes Can Improve Medical Marijuana, Infused Products

It’s been reported that certain terpenes dilate capillaries in the lungs. Logic tells us that this would be useful in the case of smoked or vaporized cannabis. Dilated capillaries would enable beneficial cannabinoids to enter the bloodstream easier. This certainly could be useful for growers who know how their crops will be ingested, and in the production of cannabis concentrates.

In fact, a number of concentrate makers enhance their finished product with pure terpenes. This is typically done for added flavor, as the more volatile terpenes can be lost during the extraction process. However, infusing concentrates with a specific terpene for added effect would be equally beneficial. For instance, pinene is a bronchodilator, which could benefit asthma patients.

In fact, similar processes already exist. According to Jeff Raber, founder of The Werc Shop, a lab-testing facility in Los Angeles, they are able to infuse concentrates with the terpenes lost. “Based on the terpene-profile of each strain,” he added, “we can recreate as much of the whole plant component as possible.”

One step further, K believes terpene-rich extracts could play a major role in the future of medical marijuana. He points out that some patients might want the terpene-related flavor and relief, without the high from THC.

Another potential application of terpenes could benefit users of medicated topicals. Nerolidol, a sedative terpene, is a known skin penetrant. Therefore, it could aid in cannabinoid absorption if infused in topicals.

The benefits of terpenes are widely recognized, but they just now are being explored by experts in the cannabis industry. As Ethan Russo pointed out, terpenes may influence a number of cannabis’ benefits. Their interaction with cannabinoids often impacts the effectiveness of medical marijuana strains and products, and could be used to facilitate a better overall experience.

Clean Green Certified!

We are now Clean Green Certified!!

Here at Gorge Greenery we never stop striving for the best, and are one of the few Clean Green Certified Dispensaries. From sustainable labels and packaging, reclaimed wood and recycled furnishing, to Clean Green Certified cannabis and gardens with extended pesticide screening, we are always striving to protect consumers as well as our environment.

Clean Green Certified is the number one certifier nation-wide for cannabis cultivated using sustainable, natural organically-based and biodynamic practices. Legally, marijuana cannot be called organic — no matter how environmentally friendly the cultivation practices used to grow it — because the term is federally regulated and the USDA does not recognize cannabis as a legitimate agricultural crop. The Clean Green Certified program was created in 2004 as a way to regulate legal cannabis-products that called themselves "organic." Consumers can rest assured when they buy a Clean Green Certified cannabis product that it has met all of the requirements of the rigorous program.

Modeled on national and international sustainability,  organic and biodynamic program standards, the Clean Green program requires on-site inspections. Clean Green Certified goes further that the USDA organic in some areas, requiring more strict regulations on pesticide testing for all operators and each cannabis operation must put into place a carbon footprint reduction plan, water conservation measures and fair labor practices.

Clean Green Certified has a certification specifically for cannabis processors and handlers. Whether it be a store-front or a cannabis concentrate company, certification audits the processor/handler's ability to keep Clean Green cannabis separate from cannabis grown conventionally. A consumer can have greater confidence when buying cannabis or a cannabis product from a Clean Green Certified outlet that it was grown fair-trade and sustainably, without the use of synthetic pesticides. 

 

Check out the Clean Green website here: www.cleangreencert.org

Why there's no such thing as a stoner girl...

Reading marijuana-devoted websites can be both educational and frustrating. The frustrating part begins when people who are in charge of attracting more visitors make up silly meaningless listicles, like this one that claims to provide 17 reasons to date a girl who smokes weed. Of course every girl who smokes weed will click on this. And some of them will also forward the link to their boyfriends, so it works. 

I need to say that I highly respect the High Times magazine. It is probably the most important media outlet for drug culture of the 20th century. They still do quality journalism, although they have some competition now. But can’t they do better than trying to imitate Buzzfeed? 

Really, this GIF idea is not even working for them: number 17 has a Chris Brown Smokes Up Rihanna GIF. And look what the caption reads: “The couple that smokes together, stays together.” The troubled story of Rihanna and Brown’s relationship was covered by tabloids, so anyone who is interested is free to read up some TMZ archives. 

Besides that, Buzzed is not a model cannabis-covering media. They have been harshly criticized for promoting a lazy unfocused stoner stereotype. 

But the real problem is in the message. We criticize mainstream media for cultivating the aforementioned pothead stereotype. We know that anyone can be a stoner, and, frankly, we prefer to call it ’a cannabis enthusiast’ or something like that. So why do we support creating a stereotype of ‘a woman who smokes weed’? There is no such thing. There are women who smoke weed, and not all of them are relaxed chicks who are open to threesome experience (as number 11 implies) and have cool friends (or any friends.) 

Some of them are stay at home mothers who relax by getting high when the kids are asleep. Some of them are career women who use marijuana to deal with daily stress. Some are students who use daytime strains to feel energized at their part-time jobs. Some are creative professionals who have mastered the art of high brainstorming and stoned planning. Each of them is unique. 

Another issue is over-sexualizing marijuana smoking. There are whole websites dedicated to erotic photos of women who smoke weed. And this piece of infotainment also implies that sexy stoner chicks wear stockings (you can keep joints in them!), are good with their hands and tongue, and love to try new things. It is not a secret that in stoner humor women are often shown as sexually attractive ladies who like weed, but don’t know where to buy or how to smoke it. 

Meet my friend Helen. She’s a photographer and a digital media professional, she’s in her mid 20s, and she smokes weed several times a week. She is definitely a high-maintenance young woman; her jewelry is perfectly organized, her looks are very thought-through. She will not laugh at your jokes if they are not funny. Helen prefers smoking through a bowl. 

And this is my friend Maria. She is in her late 30s, but if I asked you to define her age basing on her looks, you would probably say 31-32. Maria knows how to roll a spliff and how to run a company. She is happily married and she has a teenage son. Before the recent recession in Russia, her career had been thriving; she’s now a freelance translator, and a successful one. 

Diana works as a waitress in a cafe that belongs to a famous designer. Sofia is a researcher at a biotech lab. Jessica is a radio host and TV producer. They are all normal woman, not some mythical relaxed sexy chicks. The society would have done a very good job if it stopped treating women who smoke weed differently than other women. Cannabis consumption does not define us.

Article written by: By Maya Novikov from www.MonroeBlvd.com

Have you tried our Inyanga Tinctures?

We carry Inyanga's THC Tincture, CBD 3:1 Tincture, and CBD 9:1 Tincture. These tinctures are oil based for those who don’t want to consume alcohol. We use an organic extra virgin olive oil and a coconut oil blend and add essential oils for healing power and taste. Our organic cannabis adds cannabinoids and terpenes for cell repair, anti- inflammation and pain relief with peppermint flavor.

In-yãn-ga from the zulu word “nyanga”, is a shaman or witchdoctor that heals primarily with plants and animals.

Inyãnga Farms is nestled in the lush pine forests of Central Oregon. Our 40 acre farm is surrounded by nature and far from the hussle and bussle of the city and it’s pollutants. Our plants breathe clean, pine scented air that is cleansed by the fresh Oregon rain.

All of our plants are grown in humus rich soil rather than hydroponically. I feel that the soil adds flavor and aroma that you just don’t get with hydroponics. Our soil is alive with beneficial microbes, organic matter and composted manure and our plants just love it. It shows in their strong branches, nice green leaves and huge, crystally, flavor-filled buds. We only use organic fertilizers and pesticides on our marijuana and this is evident in the test results we receive from the labs that test our cannabis. When you buy our cannabis products you can rest assured that you are getting extremely high quality, pesticide free marijuana that we use ourselves and also supply to friends and family. Our products are clean and only contain what is on the label, no coloring or additives. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Inyãnga Farms specializes in organic  high CBD Cannabis concentrates which are currently available in medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon.

This site is also an information center for learning more about cannabis and all of its amazing properties, please visit our blog for interesting stories and tidbits on the cannabis world.

Here is a great testimonial about their product:

"I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when I was 21 and my entire thyroid was removed followed by radiation. In early 2016 (ten years after my initial diagnosis), doctors found a nodule where my thyroid had been removed and lab work showed an elevated tumor marker hormone level. Thyroid cancer has a high recurrence rate and it looked like the cancer might have come back. The nodule was too small to biopsy to know for sure, so my doctors opted to wait 3 months then check again for any growth or changes.

Several months prior I had also started experiencing severe abdominal pains, lower back pain, nausea and lack of appetite. My doctors were also exploring possibilities of Crohn's Disease, IBD, and endometriosis.

I've suffered from migraines since I was 6 years old and last year started using Inyanga Farms CBD Tincture for really brutal migraines which were occurring a few times a month every month. The CBD tincture is a powerful elixir when I need to crawl into a dark room and knock out the pain and nausea, but isn't practical for me for functional day time use. A few months ago, I started using Inyanga Farms CBD Max 9:1 Tincture during the day for abdominal and gastrointestinal pain and nausea on a daily basis. In addition to ameliorating the abdominal pain and suppressing my nausea, I was also migraine free for 3 months. But the most exciting effect of the CBD Max is that I recently had my thyroid cancer check-up and the nodule was gone and the tumor marker hormone level was undetectable!

I'm sure my doctor won't say for certain that the CBD tincture contributed to the disappearance of the nodule and lowering the tumor marker hormone levels, but I can say for certain that Inyanga Farms' CBD line has positively changed my life. A friend of mine also recently found a nodule in her thyroid and I will be sharing this medicine with her. I can't recommend Inyanga Farms' medicine more highly and their CBD tinctures are must haves in my daily health regimen. Thank you Inyanga Farms for making this medicine and sharing it with Oregon!"

Learn more about Inyanga on their website: http://inyangafarms.com/