Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jan 2013 Source: Sacramento News & Review (CA) Copyright: 2013 Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact: http://newsreview.com/sacto/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/540 Author: Ngaio Bealum SCAVENGER BLUNT Where can I find the Three Kings tree? Also, I want to get my card in the new year, and I was wondering if you could recommend a club. - -Mellie Nell The Three Kings "tree"? You make it sound like a quest. "One tree to rule them all." Sometimes finding a particular cannabis strain is a bit of a quest. People are always on the hunt for the Girl Scout Cookies or the Pre 98 Bubba Kush, or Sour Bubble grown by BOG himself. The search for the perfect strain is an ongoing, pleasurable adventure. Some guys even take it to the extreme. The Dutch chronnoisseurs behind the Green House Seed Co. have traveled the world seeking out rare and ancient cannabis strains. You can find their Strain Hunters videos on YouTube. As a weed nerd, I find it fascinating. By the way, my two favorite newish slang terms for weed are: "tree" (I giggle every time I drive past the "Welcome to Sacramento, City of Trees" water tower) and "loud," 'cause it makes me think of synesthesia. But I digress. Your letter doesn't include a location, so I can't make a personal recommendation, but I can suggest a few good online resources. Weedtracker.com is one of my favorites. Weedmaps.com has a really easy-to-use, if sometimes a little inaccurate, search feature. And the website Leafly makes it easy to learn about and locate different strains. You could also maybe just ask one of your friends. Are you the only person you know that uses weed? That would be weird. I wish you Godspeed on your quest to find the legendary Loud Tree of Fire. How do I pick a dispensary? What should I look for? - -Newbie Patient There aren't as many clubs as there used to be, but there are still quite a few. The booklet "Medical Cannabis 101" (www.lamedicalmarijuana.com/files/MediCann101.pdf) has good guidelines on what to look for, such as: "There should be a reasonable selection of medication at fair prices." And "Dispensaries should have a quality control process to avoid mold, mildew, and other contaminates." I don't want to be all Jedi about it, but trust your feelings. If you visit a club and you get a bad vibe, find another club. Plus, delivery services are getting better and better. Even some major brick-and-mortar clubs like Harborside Health Center in Oakland, Calif., and Berkeley Patients Group in Berkeley provide a delivery service. Good luck on your quest! - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom