Day: 12/10/2014

Strain reviews for R. Greenleaf

SWEET TOOTH

THC 23.46% and CBD 0.622% (from website, did not see actual test result)
7 grams at $12.50/gram for a total of $87.50

$17.50/joint

I preordered 7 grams of the Sweet Tooth strain via email last week, and then picked it up this week. It came in a jar and had a very strong diesel smell, and if I squint my nose, I can smell cotton candy, sort of. There were no seeds and some small stems. I didn’t need scissors to cut up the bud, as it crumbled easily between my fingers. There was little resin, but the remains were not powdery, like some buds in this condition. There was 1 large bud, 5 medium, and 3 small, and they were puffy and lightweight.

Via email, the dispensary informed me that it does not test every harvest, but it sends off multiple items to get tested every month, whether it’s a new hash product or a new strain. They said that they have tested plants a few different times, but since their plants are mostly clones, the test results usually come out the same. They offered to show me the test results when I visited the clinic, but I forgot to ask when I went to pick up my order. It would be nice if they could send these results as an email attachment, or even post it to their website.

My rating for the Sweet Tooth strain is 4 out of 10 for strength. Maybe a 4.5. I’m afraid that my small dislike of the smell and taste may have colored my opinion on the strength. I was able to roll a total of 5 joints from 7 grams, which is $17.50 per joint (Yikes!). This is not a strain that I prefer, but it might do in a pinch.

Sugar Free Hybrid Jolly Cubes
$12.50 for 12 cubes, at $1.04/cube
Made with hybrid butane hash oil

Ingredient list (BHO, water, corn syrup, with 2% or less of Malic Acid, natural and artificial flavor, artificial colors Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6.) Manufactured on equipment that also processes peanuts and tree nuts.

The Jolly Cubes were described as similar to Jolly Rancher candies, which they are, in a small, fruit-flavored, sugar-cube-sized treat. I was told that the cannabis taste would not be as strong in this edible, as it is made with BHO, and this is supposed to taste more floral than the usual bud or hash product. And although the taste of the cannabis is inescapable, the fruity flavor can overpower it (at times). There are 12 cubes that come in a small, heavy plastic bag, with one to two cubes equaling one dose. Even through the plastic bag, the cannabis smell is so strong, that I decided to also wrap it in foil.

The reason I purchase edibles is for use before sleep. For the first dose, I tried one candy at a time, but it took over 40 minutes to finish both (to equal one dose). I drank a lot of water during consumption to hasten the dissolving process. The next time, I tried two candies at once, which was difficult, but doable.

I have found that it is hard to gauge the effects of edibles, and that was certainly the case here. On the two occasions I tried using the cubes, I didn’t notice any assistance in helping me sleep. And I did not notice any remaining effects upon waking. I was told there is a money back guarantee with products at R. Greenleaf, which is good to know, but I don’t think I’ll go to the trouble of returning the remaining cubes (worth about $8).

__________

GRAPE APE

Indica

THC: 18.711%

CBD: 0%
Purchased 2/24/14

Tested by Page Analytical 5/8/13

Batch Y11 5_8_13

Moisture 12.74%
CBD 0%
CBG 0.37%
CBN 0.98%
CBD 0.35%
THC 0.28%
THCA 18.29%
d8-THC 0%
Potential THC 16.32% (actual weight)

My strength rating of 6 (again) does not match this batch, at 16% THC.

(Hey, Greenleaf, why can’t the labels/receipts for your products include information like the batch number?)

Grape Ape is a strongly sweet-smelling diesel, similar to the Sweet Tooth strain, but with the added bonus of an underlying grape taste. This strain is out to prove that she is just as strong as strains with heavy resin, and gets my strength rating of 6 out of 10. It’s not a particularly strong effect, but it is strong enough to last longer than usual. What worked out to be $17.50 per joint.

GREENLEAF

Sativa
18.553% THC (did not see test results)
Purchased 3/6/14 (no batch number)
$12.50/gram
$21.87/joint

Tested by Page Analytical

Dated 5/8/13
Batch Y8 5_8_13
10.43% moisture
CBD 0%
CBG 1.42%
CBN 0.10%
CBC 0.39%
THC 0.37%
THCA 18.52%
d8-THC 0.06%
Potential THC 16.61% (actual weight)

My strength rating of 2.5 does not match this batch from a year ago, testing at 16% THC.

Bud from the Greenleaf strain looks just like its picture, with lots of brown coloring mixed in with the darker green. No seeds, hardly any sticks, and no resin. Has a light lemon smell and taste. Strength rating: 2.5

LEMON SOUR DIESEL

Purchased 3/8/14 (no batch number)
$12.50/gram
Price/joint not calculated

The batch for this strain was not the same as my description from 9 days ago — it was more like bud that hadn’t been cured properly. Not the smell so much, as how it cleans, rolls, and burns. I’ve set it out to dry, so maybe that will be an improvement.

My previous strength rating for the Lemon Sour Diesel was 4 (3.5 + .5 for terpene strength). I am rating this batch a 3 for strength (2.75, plus .25 for terpenes).

LARRY OG

Tested by Page Analytical:

Dated 3/15/13
18.84% moisture
CBD 0.31%
CBN 0%
THC 19.834% (actual weight)

Dated 11/5/13
10.84% moisture
CBD 0%
CBG 0.28%
CBN 0.13%
CBC 0.13%
THC 0.15%
THCA 12.34%
d8-THC 0%
Potential THC 10.985% (actual weight)

(Test results copied by hand from Greenleaf’s on-site records.)

I purchased 7 grams of Greenleaf’s Larry OG strain on 4/16/14, and it was as I remembered it from when I first tried it over two months ago. Same strong smell, which Smokin’ Cannabis would call “green,” and some would call “dank.” I’m rating this batch at a 5 for strength, with .5 for terpenes, for a total of 5.5. I rated the last batch at a 6 for strength, but for this one, I had to smoke more than I previously did to get the same effect.

Cost per joint was $16.66 (not including tax).

Obviously, my strength rating does not come close to matching the low (10.98%) THC from the batch tested over 5 months ago.

Because I really like this strain, I wanted to find out more about it. The following emails are my attempts to do so…

Wed, Feb 12, 2014 12:55 am
Re: Larry OG
From: Painkills2
To: Erin at R. Greenleaf

Hey Erin, I just looked on your website and I don’t see the Larry OG still listed as available for pre-order. If that is not the case, and if I am able to order from the same batch that I picked up today, I wanted to place a pre-order for 21 grams for pick up next week.

If I had my druthers, I would have liked to order an additional 3.5 grams of the Larry OG for pick up this Friday. I don’t suppose that’s possible, though, which is unfortunate for both us, no?

If the Larry OG is not available right now, can you let me know when it will be? Also, I would like to get additional information on this strain. I looked it up on Leafly.com: “Larry OG is yet another member of the famous ocean-grown family. Originally created in Orange County, this indica is a cross between OG Kush and SFV OG.”

Since Greenleaf’s Larry OG is a sativa, I’m going to assume that Leafly’s description doesn’t pertain to your strain. I sure would like some information on this strain’s genealogy, if you would be so kind. I’d also like a copy of the latest testing performed for the Larry OG strain, as I want to learn how to read these kinds of results (digital copy preferred, but regular mail is fine too). It would also be very helpful to me for future purchases, so I could compare the Larry OG test results (close to what I’m looking for in a strain) to the next strain I try. I would also like to understand what effect the CBD percentages have on the strength of the THC.

In fact, I would love to know how this batch was grown, dried and cured. What is the difference between the bud that I purchase which is full of resin and needs scissors to clean, and the Larry OG, which has hardly any resin and crumbles easily between my fingers? I’m not saying one is better than the other, I would just like to know why they are so different. And even though I have a dozen more questions, I’ll leave it there (for now). 😀

Wed, Feb 12, 2014 4:08 pm
From: Erin at R. Greenleaf
To: Painkills2
Subject: Re: Larry OG

Hello ****! I pre ordered you a 3.5 of Larry OG for pick up next Tuesday. I will keep you in mind for the rest of the week if I find another 3.5 bag for you. As for all your other inquires, would you mind if I emailed you later with some more information?

Wed, Feb 12, 2014 4:57 pm
From: PK2 To: Erin

So, you’re saying I can only order 3.5 grams of the Larry OG at a time? Once a week? It seems useless to find a strain that works for me, if I can’t order it in the quantity I need.

Wed, Feb 12, 2014 10:13 pm
Erin’s email is broken
From: PK2 To: info@rgreenleaf.com

Erin’s email is not accepting messages, so I am sending this to Greenleaf’s other email address.

Thu, Feb 13, 2014 12:44 am
Grape Ape and Larry OG
From: PK2 To Erin, Tausha at R. Greenleaf, info@rgreenleaf.com

Dear Erin or Tausha (or whomever), As ya’ll are having email problems, I am sending this to all of the email addresses I have for Greenleaf. Please advise on availability of both Grape Ape (#1 preference) and Larry OG strains. Consider this a standing pre-order for one or the other. Thank you,

Thu, Feb 13, 2014 9:41 pm
Response, please…
From: PK2 To: Erin, Tausha, info@rgreenleaf.com

Dear R. Greenleaf, Over 24 hours ago, I made various attempts to contact you (including a voicemail), but I have not received a response. (I’m beginning to think I’m invisible.) Regardless, it is impossible for me to plan out the medicine I need, and where I’m going to get it, when dispensaries refuse to respond.

Fri, Feb 14, 2014 10:40 am
Re: Response, please…
From: info@rgreenleaf To: PK2

Hello ***, Today we do have Grape Ape and Larry OG available today, I cannot put anything on hold for you for today but you are more than welcome to come in as a walk-in. Have a great weekend! Sorry for the late response, Erin’s e-mail is temporarily down.

Sat, Feb 15, 2014 3:52 pm
Availability?
From: PK2 To: Erin

While I await further information on the Larry OG strain from your grower, I was hoping you would go ahead and send me any test results you have for this strain. As we discussed on Friday, February 14th, I understand that the testing does not always appear accurate, but I want to learn how to read these tests.

I would appreciate an explanation of the availability of strains as it pertains to pre-orders and walk-ins. I can keep constantly checking your website for how and when each strain is available, sure, but that only allows me to plan one day in advance, if that. I guess what I’m looking for is a little consistency, something that my budget is lacking when it comes to paying for this medicine.

In addition, knowing which batch I am purchasing also helps when it comes to consistency. I see that Greenleaf has bar codes — would I be able to track batches in some way with these numbers?

So far, I am really liking this Grape Ape strain too, which is similar in strength to the Larry OG, but may have a longer-lasting effect. It’s hard to tell at this point, but that’s my initial perception. As you might guess, I’d like additional information on this strain also.

So, what is the availability of these two strains for next week? A quick answer to this one question, before you take time to answer the others, would really be appreciated.

Sun, Feb 16, 2014 12:31 am
Erin’s email is still down
From: PK2 To: Tausha, info@rgreenleaf.com

Tausha, Erin’s email is still not working, so could you respond to my questions below if she is unavailable? Thanks, (attached above email)

[On 2/17/14, I re-sent the above 2 emails, again asking for answers, but none were forthcoming. Instead, I got their latest newsletter on 2/18/14.]

Tue, Feb 18, 2014 3:26 am
Appointment, please
From: PK2 To: Erin, Tausha, info@rgreenleaf.com

I appreciate your most recent newsletter, where I found this: “Apply in person to complete a consultation to help you make the most of your cannabis therapy, and to answer any questions you may have about the program, the medicine or our organization.” Now, I know this is for new patients, but since I never received a consultation, I’d like to request one now. What day and time is good for ya’ll?

Tue, Feb 18, 2014 11:05 am
Subject: Re: Appointment, please
From: Tausha To: PK2

Good morning ***, To schedule a consultation just email me back and let me know what day and time is best for you. Did you want to pre order for next week since Erin’s email is down? We have Big Bud, Purple bush, Sweet tooth, Shiskaberry, Lemon Sour Diesel, Super Lemon Haze, Jack Herer, and G13xHaze. Best Regards

Tue, Feb 18, 2014 4:02 pm
Subject: Re: Appointment, please
From: PK2 To: Tausha

Hey Tausha, thanks for your reply. I’m going to try 3.5 grams of the Lemon Sour Diesel for preorder and pick up next week. Can you send me any lab testing on this strain (along with Larry OG and Grape Ape)? And, it would really be helpful for me to know when Larry OG and Grape Ape are in rotation at your dispensary. Should I be holding out hope to see them anytime soon? Or, am I supposed to pray?

I’m out of medicine as of today — unfortunately, I don’t see anything on your walk-in menu that I’m interested in. As soon as I have a reason to come into your shop again, I’ll make an appointment. So, sometime next week then? Sadly, Almost Without Bud, here in the Q,

Wed, Feb 19, 2014 2:57 pm
Re: Again, awaiting a response..
From: Erin To: PK2

Hello ****, My email is working again! Here are the test results we have from the three strains you asked for. I ordered you a 3.5 of Lemon sour Diesel for next week. And when would be a good time for you to come in for a consultation so my manager Aaron and I can answer any questions you may have?

Larry OG 24.43% THC, 0.39% CBD
Grape Ape 18.71% THC
Lemon Sour Diesel 17.01% THC

Wed, Feb 19, 2014 3:26 pm
Re: Again, awaiting a response..
From: PK2 To: Erin

Sorry Erin, but just emailing me numbers is not what I’m looking for. Perhaps you should read through my emails again, and answer whatever questions you can until I come in for an appointment?

Wed, Feb 19, 2014 4:05 pm
Re: Again, awaiting a response..
From: Aaron at R. Greenleaf To: PK2

*****, I’m Aaron and I will do my best to answer your questions. In terms of availability, we don’t have exact information on exactly when a strain will be available for purchase. Our medicine cures at the farm for three to six weeks before it’s decided if it will be brought here for packaging or used for derivative items like BHO or cannabutter for edibles.

We have one to two harvests per week so, we do our best to bring in a variety of strains. If you’d like to meet with Erin and me, we are available Wednesday through Saturday during normal business hours for consultations or you could email me with any other questions. Very Sincerely,

Feb 19, 2014, at 10:14 PM
Re: Again, awaiting a response..
From: PK2 To: Aaron

Hello Aaron, it’s nice to meet you. Have you had a chance to review all the emails I’ve sent? Because, awhile ago, Erin said she was sending some questions she couldn’t answer to your grower. Unfortunately, that was the last I heard about it. So, are you able to answer grower questions?

Also, is there a problem with sending me the test results for these strains, either by email or regular mail? Or should I just expect to pick up copies when I come in for an appointment?

As to availability, I wasn’t looking for exact information. Just an estimate of when I can see Larry OG and Grape Ape in the rotation again. I’m not really looking for variety — just quality, strength, and consistency. I was hoping to find it within these two strains. And I really wish ya’ll would help me with that. Sincerely,

Thu, Feb 20, 2014 10:13 am
Re: Born questioning…
From: Aaron To: PK2

Thanks ***, I have the testing results here for strains and you’re welcome to look at them but, we don’t make copies of the testing results. We will let you know via newsletter and FaceBook one week before strains are available for pre-order. I will do my best with your grower questions and I’ll research the ones I don’t have immediate answers to. I haven’t reviewed Erin’s emails but, I’ll do my best with any other questions you might want to send. Regards,

Thu, Feb 20, 2014 9:00 pm
MK Ultra on Friday? And upcoming appointment
From: PK2 To: Aaron

Aaron, thanks for the response. I’m a little confused, though, as to what information you are willing to review before our appointment. I was hoping that you would review all of my previous communications. And I will need to do the same, which is a process that will take a little time. I guess I will make two sets of questions, one for you and one that includes “grower” questions.

Perhaps you could begin by explaining why copies of test results aren’t allowed? It is my plan to learn how to read these kind of lab results, and it would help me immensely to have copies to make comparisons. However, if that is your policy, I will just bring a lot of blank paper to take notes during our upcoming appointment.

I just checked your website (which it seems I have to spend a lot of time doing, unfortunately), and I see a new strain, MK Ultra, listed for walk-in purchases. Can you at least tell me if this strain will be available on Friday?

Well, I guess you’re already home and wont’ be checking your email until tomorrow, so I’ll just have to keep checking your website for updates on walk-in purchases. I don’t suppose there are certain times during the day that Greenleaf schedules for website updates? And, is your facebook page updated more often than the website and/or newsletter? Regards,

Fri, Feb 21, 2014 10:36 am
Re: MK Ultra on Friday? And upcoming appointment
From: Aaron To: PK2

Thank you ***, MK Ultra is available today for walk-in purchases. In your review, please forward me any questions you find which remain unanswered. You are more than welcome to take notes when you’re looking at the testing results. The data is available but, the book can’t leave the clinic and we don’t make photocopies. The newsletter comes out every Monday and the website and Facebook are updated throughout the day as time permits. Thank you for your questions and have a great day. Regards,
And so ends another saga of a patient asking questions, but getting few answers. After this, I pretty much stopped asking Greenleaf any questions.

__________

MENDO PURPS

Tested by Page Analytical 12/6/12
Batch MP-J16
10.8% moisture
CBD 0.29%
CBN 0%
THC 18.71%

Tested by Page Analytical 2/3/13
Batch MP-P3
12.74% moisture
CBD 0.27%
CBN 0%
THC 18.21%

Mendo Purps
Indica
20.86% THC; 0.31% CBD
(Reported on website; did not see recent test results)
Purchased via pre-order 4/19/14 (no batch number)
$12.43/gr
$16.66/joint

Buds are small and airy, with no need of scissors to clean. No seeds, regular amount of stems, and no resin. Strong terpenes, very similar to their Larry OG strain, a combination of kush and skunk, along with a coffee smell and taste. I had a hard time smoking this strain — it took a lot of facial muscle strength.

From Leafly: Mendocino Purps, or Mendo Purps, or even just The Purps, comes out of Mendocino County in Northern California. Winning one of the Top Ten slots in High Times’ Strains of the Year in 2007, Mendocino Purps began as a clone-only plant, but BC Bud Depot developed a stable cross to make The Purps seeds available. This cannabis strain grows well both in and outdoors. It can grow 3-4 feet at harvest indoors and 6-8 feet outdoors. Flowering time for this strain is 8-9 weeks. It has medium-thick leaves and green hues that turn more purple as the plant ripens. The taste has been likened to a caramel coffee and woodsy pine.

Greenleaf’s website recommends Mendo Purps for chronic pain (even cautioning new users to be careful with this strain). However, I would recommend this strain for moderate pain levels, and give it a strength rating of 4, plus .5 for terpenes, totaling 4.5. For this strain, my strength rating almost matches up with it previously testing at around 18% THC.

GRAPE APE
Purchased 4/22/14 (no batch number)
See review of 2/25/14
Price per joint for this batch not calculated

This is not the Grape Ape that I remember, except for the condition of the buds (no seeds and crumbly). And I would no longer describe it as a diesel, it’s more of a kush. This batch also came with less stems, and the resin has disappeared — so much so, that I had to wonder if it is possible for bud to have a negative resin count.

Whatever grape smell or taste that remains, smells and tastes like something else — not grape. In fact, coffee is the strongest part of the smell, overcoming the smell of marijuana.

After smoking half a joint (and wondering if I was smoking Larry OG again) — I waited for the effect to reach a strength of at least 5, hoping (and, I admit, praying) all the while. But, the second batch of this strain is not strong enough for chronic pain, and the effect is not long-lasting. I’m giving this batch a strength rating of 4 (the prior batch was a 6).

In reviewing my 5-month history with R. Greenleaf, I see that I’ve tried 7 different strains, rating batches of two (Grape Ape and Larry OG) as strong enough for chronic pain.

Cataract Kush*
Grape Ape
Greenleaf
Larry OG
Lemon Sour Diesel
Mendo Purps
Sweet Tooth
(*Review not posted)

Unfortunately, my prior strength ratings refer to single batches of these two strains — and not only is consistency hard to find at Greenleaf, but it seems that second purchases of each strain have lost strength and terpenes.

At this point, I don’t see any reason to keep experimenting with this dispensary.

This will be my last strain review, so I hope the information that I have posted in this section has helped someone, somewhere.

My review of R. Greenleaf (November 2013)

(posted to nmcannabisreview.com)

On my first trip to R. Greenleaf, there was only one strain available (Jack Herer) and limits per purchase. I did not make a purchase at that time. Before Thanksgiving, I returned and there were two strains available, one of which was an indica dom hybrid, Sweet Tooth. I was only able to purchase 1.5 grams, which I rolled into one joint, with 1 seed and 1 stem left over. It had a diesel smell and burned well. I liked it, but am unable to give it a rating at this time because I need more than one sample to properly judge it.

R. Greenleaf is a nice dispensary in a commercial area. When I asked about the THC percentage in the two available strains, the gentleman behind the counter knew them by heart, with Sweet Tooth being the higher of the two at 23.46% THC. Unfortunately, he did not mention the 0.622% CBDs, which if I had know, might have affected my purchase. And when he told me I could only purchase 1.5 grams of the Sweet Tooth (the limit was 3.5 grams of the other strain), I complained about the small amount. I was like, “Is that it? Is that all I can buy? You mean, I drove all the way over here for this amount?” He did check further with people in the back, but could not offer more than 1.5 grams of the Sweet Tooth.

I asked how I was supposed to know what strains were available day-to-day, and when he mentioned the website, I told him that didn’t always seem current. He said you can call, and I said sure, I could call every dispensary every day, but why can’t your website just be updated more frequently?

There was another patient giving his order next to me, and I asked him if he had tasted the cheese crackers, which he said he had not. He said he was there to get a double-strength brownie, but they were out. To this, the gentleman helping me replied that he thought they still had that product. To which the patient replied, well, someone should have told me that.

My R. Greenleaf purchase was stored in a very small plastic baggie, with a double-lock closure. It came with a receipt that had a note on the back from the Executive Director. The note included a thank you paragraph, a list of upcoming releases for strains, and a request to pre-order one week in advance, “as walk-in medication orders are typically limited to 7g or less.” (Except for today, of course, in which the limits were far more restrictive.)

Since it is almost impossible to go by strain name alone, as each harvest produces different strengths and quality (no matter who is producing it), I am not interested in pre-ordering anything. The note also requests that I call the NM DOH to let them know about the shortage. And it included the acknowledgement of “so much demand and a limited supply.” The note, well, really a type of small flyer, also includes safe smoking techniques and warnings, and a description of my “Limitations of the Rights of Possession & Use.”

Since I liked the Sweet Tooth strain, I could possibly try R. Greenleaf again, but only if they increase limits or remove them. Since I don’t know when that would happen, I guess I will check their website occasionally to see if these limits change. And if their website indicates that change.

NM Top Organics

(My review as posted around April 2014 on nmcannabis.com.)

I registered with New Mexico Top Organics last week, first through their website and then via email with “J,” in which she told me the following:

“There is delivery in ABQ every Thursday for a $10 charge. The driver works for R. Greenleaf, but delivers for many of the other Producers as well. Since we will need to get your medicine to ABQ we would ask that you place your order the Monday of the week you’d like delivery. In addition, we would ask that you mail us a money order after placing the order as we are not set up for debit/credit at this time.”

There is not much on their website, but my initial perception is that this dispensary is mostly about extracts. However, last week, I noticed a mention of a Blackberry Kush strain:

“Signature Line (Hydro Organic) — Blackberry Kush (Indica Dominant) $14/gram including tax: Tends to have a hashy, jet fuel smell and taste that is balanced by sweet berries. This strain is often recommended for the treatment of pain thanks to its strong indica body effects.”

J informed me that they “have not had the Blackberry Kush tested, but I would guess it might be high teens or low twenties. Some patients have mentioned that they felt it was rather strong and many have reported good pain relief.”

But the day I traveled to Santa Fe to visit this dispensary, their website no longer listed the Blackberry strain. Since I am now on their list for newsletters, I will keep an eye out for this strain in the future.

As Smokin Cannabis described last year, their offices are sparse and nondescript. The woman who helped me introduced herself as “J” and, as I was the only customer there at the time, a gentleman also joined in the conversation. They only had one strain available, a 2 gram bag for $22 of Blue Dream. (Was it Blue Dream? Now I’m not sure…) I took a whiff and it smelled okay, not grassy; but maybe more on the chocolate side of terpenes.

We talked briefly about hydro, which appears to be their more popular line of strains. They are obviously one of the smaller producers, but J did tell me that they would be willing to give me a free sample of their next batch of hydro, which was really nice. Since I don’t know when I will make another trip to Santa Fe, these kinds of services are really beneficial.

2012 Strains

Postby Painkills2 Âť Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:22 am

Tests by Page Analytical on November 5, 2012 for:
(Listed at actual weight)

TOP ORGANICS/CRUNCHBERRY/CB-1211
18.61% THC
0.32% CBD
0.00% CBN
10.25% moisture

TOP ORGANICS/BANANA KUSH/BK-1211
19.15% THC
0.53% CBD
0.00% CBN
9.4% moisture

TOP ORGANICS/ORACLE/ORACLE-1211
21.58% THC
0.56% CBD
0.00% CBN
7.61% moisture

All passed microbiology tests.

__________

Posted on 5/8/2013 by Smokin Cannabis: Hello, so I visited New Mexico Top Organics Dispensary for the first time. I guess they just don’t make it easy to find these places. There were 2 people there, four desks, a small room in the back and not much else, at least nothing else that caught my attention. They had I think 4 strains available, had them listed on a small chalk board on the wall. They have a 2 gram minimum. We talked some about grow technique they grow DWC Hydroponic. They were in a hurry to leave and close 20 minutes early.

So lets go over our criteria: Customer Service: 6 points Awarded; They were both dressed very casual and both in a hurry to leave 20 minutes early. They were very nice about it though.
Accessibility: 5 points Awarded; The store was hard to find. Website is nice, not much information. Their hours are better then most. Medicine Quantity: 5 points Awarded; They only had 4 strains available, Minimum purchase of 2 grams. Seem to concentrate on the concentrates, BHO mostly. Medicine Quality: 6 points Awarded; I got one strain it looks great, very crystal covered, light green, very little smell though. So far from what we have tried it is very good medicine. It is dryed too much I think. Overall Patient benefit: 5 points Awarded; The cost was about par. They had very little information both at the office and the website. The staff were very friendly, and helpful. The office was very sparse.

May 18, 2013:  The White Widow from New Mexico Top Organics Dispensary, nmtoporganics.org, is a nice strain, medium to heavy head buzz. It has almost no smell, and not much taste either. This strain is just strong enough for my PTSD, though only lasts for about half an hour. The cure is too too dry. Mid to dark green, lots of crystals, a small amount of orange hairs. Small to medium size buds, fairly dense. The price was $14/gram, would suggest it for medium to heavy users. On a further note I have actually grown this strain with better results, more smell, and stronger taste.

4/24/2014, State should follow pot producers lead

http://www.cnjonline.com/2014/04/24/state-should-follow-pot-producers-lead/

Kudos to Erik Briones for going where New Mexico’s Department of Health still refuses to go. The medical marijuana producer recently opened the doors of his Los Ranchos business, Minerva Canna, to highlight a recent $60,000 expansion, designed to make things more convenient for his clients and more conducive to his bottom line.

If this doesn’t accurately reflect the commercial side of the marijuana industry, I don’t know what does. Designed to make things more convenient? More conducive to his bottom line? No mention of product quality and consistency? It’s only medicine, after all…

Sure, eat at McDonalds if you want — they’ve got a nice-looking restaurant, very convenient for customers, and obviously successful. Does it matter that the food they produce is junk and will make you fat? Or that the chicken in their McNuggets is from China?

Of course, what can you expect from “reporting” at the Albuquerque Journal? Still, it’s interesting to see the connections between Minerva and the Journal.

My review of Minerva (1/12/2014)

(As posted on nmcannabisreview.)

Minerva Canna Group has a nice set-up in an older part of town, and it appears they are expanding their space within the same office park. The bud smell welcomes you when you enter, as do all the nice people who work there. There is a large chalkboard with a menu of available strains, which I reviewed after I registered, awaiting my name to be called.

Minerva’s website indicates that it grows “100% organic weed, indoors under ideal conditions.” I have heard other patients mention Minerva, and one of the frequent comments was that this dispensary always has a wide variety of bud, with lots of different strains, and this seems to be the case. I was interested in the two strains with the highest THC content:

1. Blue Dream, Sativa dominant, THC 20.6% ($14/gr); and

2. Blue Widow, 80% Sativa/40% Indica, THC 18.95% and CBD 0.81% ($14/gr) (Label indicates produced by Red Barn Growers.)

Trish took me into the back room, where you can see and smell the individual strains. The bud comes prepackaged in vacuum-sealed heavy plastic bags with Minerva’s logo, in quantities of 3.5 and 7 grams. We discussed edibles and I mentioned my problem with the cannabis taste, and she showed me a milk chocolate/peppermint bar and a dark chocolate bar, both with labeling that included milligram dosage. Trish also mentioned the Patient Frequency Program (a free joint after three visits) and gave me a free grinder (my first!) and a Patient Strain Handbook.

The Blue Dream Smells like diesel to me, with hardly any resin (if at all), no seeds and a few sticks. I didn’t need scissors to clean up the bud — it crumbled easily within my hands. It resembles more of a powdery form than I am used to, and it didn’t appear very fresh to me. This strain is nothing special, and I give it a strength rating of 3.

The Blue Widow was pretty much the same as the Blue Dream, perhaps with a hint of citrus in the smell. This bud seemed a little fresher than the Blue Dream and not quite as powdery. I rate it a 2 for strength.

I can understand why patients like this dispensary, but according to other online reviews, I am not the only one who thinks this medicine is below average in strength. Considering the $14/gram cost, my opinion is that this medicine is overpriced, even for this market. Since all other strains are listed as lower in THC than the two I tried, I don’t see any reason to return to this dispensary.

And another one bites the dust…

Edible Marijuana: A New Frontier in the Culinary World (Minerva)

Edible Marijuana: A New Frontier in the Culinary World
(By) Ariella Wolkowicz
Johnson & Wales University-Providence*
Dr. Scott Smith, Dr. Cheryl Almeida
Fall 2012
(pdf file)

The Minerva Canna Group, also located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, grows all of their own
cannabis indoors, using the most up to date technology and techniques to regulate their
procedures. They grow their product 100% organic, with absolutely no pesticides or growth
hormones (Minerva Canna Group). The Minerva Canna Group uses Page Analytics to evaluate
and test their medical marijuana products (Briones).

The Minerva Canna Group was founded by Erik M. Briones in 2010. A degreed
horticulturalist and owner of Purple Sage Garden Center, who closed his business and retired
after the economic crisis in 2008, Briones decided he was perfectly situated to enter the medical
marijuana business after New Mexico began their medical marijuana program. As an authorized
patient, his education and expertise with botanicals coupled with his business savvy, gave him
unique credentials for entering this industry. He is the only producer of medical marijuana in
New Mexico with a degree in horticulture.

Meeting patients who preferred, or could not smoke marijuana, Briones recognized the
need to create edible products. His dispensary grows marijuana for medical purposes indoors,
organically, in soil as opposed to hydroponically. He grows plants of various strains to incorporate into his edible products so patients can experience the medical benefits provided by each strain. The cannabinoids are extracted through infusion processes into butters, oils,
tinctures, and vegetable glycerines. These compounds are used to produce a wide range of medical edible products (Appendix B). Briones prefers to mask the flavor of the cannabis plant
in the development of his edible products. Although laboratory testing is not yet required by the
state, all of Minerva Canna Group’s products are tested by Page Analytics in Albuquerque for
concentrations of THC. Doses are determined based on the Donald Abrams standards (Appendix C; Briones).

In New Mexico, patients are required to obtain their medical edible products from
licensed dispensaries. Due to this requirement, and other enforced New Mexico medical
marijuana laws, there is little to no competition in the medical edible market, contrary to the
experience in Colorado and California. Since opening its doors two years ago, Minerva Canna
Group has seen exponential growth. They started their business with no patients and now serve a patient population of 1,600. In one year alone, Minerva has experienced over 200% growth. The highly regulated market draws patients who have been diagnosed with one of the fifteen state approved uses for medical marijuana. The patient base tends to be well-educated, spanning across socio-economic boundaries, and an average age of 55. For brand recognition, they have developed their own logo which is incorporated into all of their product packaging, including the ingredients used and the dose of THC in milligrams for each product. No specific packaging or labeling guidelines have been established for New Mexico dispensaries so Minerva uses a variety of see-through plastic or foil-sealed bags, and bottles for their products. Over the past two years, their signature edible products have become popular amongst their patient population. Canna Colas, Lemon Bars, Cappuccino Crisps and gummy candies are patient favorites. For patient convenience, orders may be called in or ordered on line and a convenient pick-up location has been established in a more central location in Albuquerque. Patients cannot consume any product on-site (Briones).

Minerva Canna finds it is hard to keep up with patient demand due to the limitations the
state has put on the medical marijuana producers, which only allow for up to 150 plants per
dispensary regardless of the number of patients each dispensary serves. It is difficult to establish a bank account due to the current federal restrictions on the sale of medical marijuana. Despite these challenges and risks, Erik Briones is committed to this venture. He sees a real need and a real benefit for the medical edible marijuana business in New Mexico, and by extension, in the United States. His intent is to work within the guidelines established by his state to continue to meet the needs of this new and growing market.

*”Johnson & Wales University is well known for its Culinary Arts program but was first founded as Business and Hospitality programs. The university is the largest food service educator in the world. JWU is one of the top three Hospitality Colleges, according to the 2010 rankings released by the American Universities Admissions Program, which ranks of American universities according to their international reputation.” Wikipedia

My review of Medzen (2/2/2014)

(As posted on nmcannabisreview.com.)

Medzen is located in Rio Rancho and was the first dispensary I registered with after obtaining my card. They also have a website that is mostly kept updated now. Some months after I began frequenting Medzen, they moved their office to a bigger space. Good thing, because the waiting room was usually pretty crowded, sometimes with standing room only.

Medzen’s new office space is professional and comfortable, ironically next to a Walgreens (and the inevitable CVS). Compared to the bright lights and negative energy at my local Walgreens pharmacy, Medzen’s waiting room was like a breath of fresh air. The other patients were friendly and there was usually an interesting conversation going on in the waiting room. Patients were assisted with their orders one-on-one, behind a closed door, always with a nice young man. Once in a while I would see the manager, who was always friendly and nice. After they moved into the new space, they hired a few more people.

Although everyone at Medzen is very nice, the employees were not very good at answering questions, especially for a patient new to the program. A couple of times, I was given a possible THC percentage on a strain, but Medzen doesn’t test it’s products. Asking the employees questions would usually result in a non-answer or none at all, including questions about harvest dates for different strain batches. When I was unable to get answers from the employees, I tried to meet with the manager, but was unable to do so.

Over the course of the six-month period that I was a customer at Medzen, the dispensary always seemed to have medicine available. I tried 22 different strains (listed below), a few waxes, one alcohol tincture, and some edibles. One of the great things about Medzen was its willingness to sell me small amounts of new strains, and these usually came in a small plastic container, but any amount over 2 grams came in a child-proof prescription container.

Here is a list of all the strains I tried:

AK47
Big Bang
Bubba Kush
Blue Dream
Blue Moon
Critical-1
Da Purps
E.S.D.
Green Crackle
Hash Skunk
Hindu Kush 2
Kush White Russian
Lemon Kush
Mazar
OG Kush
Panama Red
Purple Kush
Shishka Berry
Super Lemon Haze
Trainwreck
White Russian
Willy Frost

Looking back over my receipts, I see that I paid from $13 to $15 per gram for these strains. After six months, I had spent over $6,000 — say it with me, holy cow! I haven’t returned to Medzen since the end of November, but I am just now analyzing all the information I have. During this time, I did not keep the kind of detailed notes I keep now, so my analysis for this dispensary is not as complete as my other reviews.

I can recall three different purchases from Medzen that were above average, specific batches of the OG Kush, Shishka Berry, and Green Crackle strains. Unfortunately, there was no consistency within the strains, so I could not predict from purchase to purchase what strength I was going to get. Most of my purchases ended up being the OG Kush strain, while trying out different strains as they came into the rotation.

I tried a variety of edibles from Medzen, but I didn’t obtain any noticeable effects. However, I have read some internet reviews that indicate there are patients who are having luck with the edibles and waxes at Medzen. As for the wax, it was pretty messy to deal with and I didn’t notice any benefit from these purchases.

Since I was a new member of the program during my experience with Medzen, I didn’t feel comfortable asking that many questions. They keep print-outs of articles from The Weed Blog website in the waiting room, so I obtained a lot of my education through this resource.

It wasn’t until close to the end of my Medzen experience that I was told I could return medicine for an even exchange if I wasn’t happy with it. Before then, I had been afraid to ask. I made one return after that — and did not feel comfortable doing it. Just like on previous occasions when I made mention of my dislike of one strain or another, when I made this one return, their attitude was surprise. It was like, “You mean you don’t like it? Really? How is that possible?” I never figured out how to respond to that attitude.

Most of Medzen’s customers appear happy with this dispensary, but it is my opinion that a lot of their customers don’t have an adequate comparison to Medzen. I mean, I read one review that said: “They have a reputation of having some of the best medicine in New Mexico.” Another one raves, “I have found the best thing going in New Mexico. The medication is always of top quality and Medzen is consistant. You get top grade everytime you go in.” Okay, I don’t know who these reviewers are talking about, but it appears that they have no frame of reference for comparison.

My general sense is that most people try out 2 or 3 different dispensaries, and are either happy with this kind of selection or don’t think that any other products in the market would be an improvement. Of course, I’m sure many patients have just given up trying to find the right medicine and just settle for what’s available, if that.

I also have to wonder about conflicts of interest when it comes to Medzen, as I understand that they are involved with a business for licensed growers.

Since I heard that the Department of Health was going to require testing soon, I emailed Medzen recently to see if and when this dispensary was going to start testing. I received a one-sentence, unsigned reply indicating that they would begin testing when required to do so.

When I can see actual test results prior to purchase, I will consider returning to Medzen.

Anandamide

https://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/exploring_chocolate/choc_8.html

One of the most pleasant effects of eating chocolate is the “good feeling” that many people experience after indulging. Chocolate contains more than 300 known chemicals. Scientists have been working on isolating specific chemicals and chemical combinations which may explain some of the pleasurable effects of consuming chocolate…

Perhaps the most controversial findings come from researchers at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California. They believe that “chocolate contains pharmacologically active substances that have the same effect on the brain as marijuana…

In 1996, when Piomelli’s first study was published and “picked up” by the press, he received a number a phone calls and visits from representatives of the major chocolate companies. “They were worried,” he said, “that they would have to put a warning from the Surgeon General on their products.”

Click to access chocolate-the-new-health-food-or-is-it.pdf

Another chemical known to make us happy when we eat chocolate is anandamide, so named because it means “bliss” in Sanskrit. Not only is it present in chocolate, but it is also produced
by the brain and blocks out pain and depression.

7/14/2011, Whether it’s food or drugs, addiction is the same, new study finds

http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/07/13/7077006-whether-its-food-or-drugs-addiction-is-the-same-new-study-finds

Animal studies have suggested that foods high in sugar and fat have a similar effect on the brain as alcohol and other drugs of abuse, Davis says. “Alcohol is just fermented sugar. They work on our brain reward pathways in the same way.”