MEDICAL MARIJUANA COMES TO ALKI

Pharmaseed Cooperative Is Now Open

The field of alternative medicine offers many modalities from the
questionable to the controversial and those offering the services or
products are sometimes seen with a deeply skeptical eye. Medical
marijuana and the recent growth of outlets that provide it have
absolutely been in that questionable category but that is changing.

Two entrepreneurs on Alki believe they can accelerate greater
acceptance and help a lot of people in the process.

Chris Montgomerie and Joey Phinney are the men behind a medical
marijuana outlet called Pharmaseed Cooperative located on Alki (the
exact location is disclosed only to patients). It is now one of two
in the West Seattle area. The West Seattle Herald previously covered
the story of an outlet in the Junction.

This week the small company opened and began offering a range of
products that are intended to be used by approved medical marijuana
patients. "Aside from just the bud and the flower we've got different
edibles including cookies, tincture infused suckers, and products
that appeal to different people to be as widespread as possible,"
said Montgomerie.

In Washington State the medical marijuana Law became effective Nov.
3, 1998. Those diagnosed with a qualifying condition (see below) are
allowed 24 ounces for personal use, or 15 plants (although more can
be grown upon application)

The qualifying conditions include: HIV, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy
or other seizure disorder, or spasticity disorders, glaucoma (acute
or chronic), Crohn's Disease, Hepatitis C, anorexia (resulting in
nausea, vomiting, wasting, appetite loss, cramping, seizures, muscle
spasms, or spasticity).

Currently under consideration (a public hearing was held on it Feb.
23) is SB 5073 sponsored by Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D) 36th
District regarding the medical use of cannabis.

The full text of the original bill can be found here with revisions.
The bill seeks to clarify the medical marijuana law since patients
continue to face arrest and prosecution. Care providers and growers
have been subjected to law enforcement raids and it has forced local
jurisdictions to attempt to interpret laws themselves.

Outlets of this type are possible because of the original law and due
to the fact that both Montgomerie and Phinney are approved patients
themselves in a true non profit cooperative. They work strictly on a
salary basis.

The two owners don't have a background in alternative medicine.
Phinney is a carpenter and Montgomerie is an audio recording engineer
but they saw an opportunity in both the area of the city they plan to
serve and in "doing it better than places we've done business with.
Some of the places were uncomfortable. We're trying to bring a little
higher standard to the industry."

Both of them believe that their approach which puts an emphasis on
patient safety, and discretion, is key to getting and keeping customers.

They have taken steps to ensure this by installing bullet proof
glass, and a 16 camera hi-def security system.

Customers come to them through the website (Pharamaseed.co which is
still being built) or by telephone but must provide a doctor's
prescription prior to admittance to the physical area where the
products are dispensed. Prices range from $8 to $12 per gram of the
product depending on its form.

While some may doubt the benefits of these products both Montgomerie
and Phinney are witness to the positive effects. "We just had a
gentleman in who was overseas in the military in Iraq," said
Montgomerie. " While he was there he developed some kind of stomach
disorder. He has a lot of pain.

He went through normal 'Big Pharma' and he was anti-marijuana prior
to this and thought of it as the last resort. He discovered that in
very small doses of edibles it will actually help him get by for a
day and a half at a time. Hearing people's testimonies about the
health effects, I think it's getting to the point that it's undeniable."

Much of the use of these products is misunderstood since there are
levels of dosage that have no psychoactive effects, especially in
products such as hand lotion or lip balm. Those levels however are
hard to determine largely because, "This industry has been suppressed
for so long that it hasn't allowed for the technology to do the
proper scientific research in a lot of cases," said Montgomerie.

You can reach Pharmaseed via email at info@pharmaseed.co (not .com)
or by telephone at (206)588-1143.