Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jul 2015 Source: Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA) Copyright: 2015 The Ukiah Daily Journal Contact: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/feedback Website: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/581 Author: Carole Brodsky CANNABIS: TAKING THE 'HARM' OUT OF 'PHARM' NOTE: This is the fourth in a series of articles covering the establishment of one of the first tribal cannabis farming projects in the United States. The Pinoleville Pomo Nation is providing readers of The Ukiah Daily Journal with a first-hand, exclusive look at the people, the processes and the philosophical underpinnings of this groundbreaking medical cannabis project. Prana is a Sanskrit word roughly translated as "universal life force." It is the balancing and enhancement of the body's life force - - its prana, via the human endocannabinoid system that the medical cannabis products developed by United Cannabis Corporation are targeting. "We produce Prana Bio-Nutrient Medicinals," says Tony Verzura, chief technical officer for United Cannabis. The products, currently available only in Colorado, will soon be produced at and distributed from the Pinoleville Medical Cannabis Project at their reservation north of Ukiah. "Long before Dr. Sanjay Gupta reported on the efficacy of medical cannabis, we were creating CBD cannabis oils, like everyone else," he continues. "From there, we developed a standardized matrix for strains with specific phytocannabinoid and cannabinoid profiles." The Prana Line consists of a variety of cannabis medications, formulated from different plant strains addressing a plethora of medical issues. The products utilize specific routes of entry capsules, sublinguals, transdermals and even essential aromatherapy massage oils. "When someone says they have 60 days to live, we provide a list of GMO and hormone-infused foods to avoid, eliminating sugars, balancing PH and using full-plant, full-spectrum cannabinoids, placing them into a variety of delivery systems," says Verzura. "Half of our product line is non-psychoactive. We did that intentionally, because a lot of people don't want a psychoactive effect," says Verzura. There are nighttime and daytime protocols, with the daily cost for treatment averaging between $2 and $10 per day, depending on patient need. To help standardize care and improve the products, Verzura developed the ACT Now (Advanced Cannabinoid Therapy) program. "This is an EHR (electronic health record), software-based therapy guide for physicians, nurses, practitioners and medical centers." The program assists physicians in determining optimum cannabis therapies, outlines cannabinoid ratios, provides accurate dosing guides and offers delivery method options. "Since 2013, the ACT Now program has helped thousands of patients reduce pharmaceuticals and increase or even extend their quality of life," says Verzura. Together, the Prana line and ACT Now program support patients with chronic pain, opiate dependency, inflammatory conditions, glaucoma, PTSD, neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, Crohn's Disease, seizures, epilepsy, paralysis, autoimmune disorders, autism, HIV/AIDS and several types of cancer. "Let's say a new patient is an 11-year-old boy, weighs 75 pounds and suffers with severe non-verbal autism. The ACT Now software allows us to track patient-driven data in a HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based platform, so the physician or consultant can compare cannabinoid sequencing charts from a global database of matching patient conditions. "This establishes the most effective program for that patient. Each patient always produces a slightly different cannabinoid sequencing chart, but physicians have to have a starting point or guide and true understanding of the products, if they are going to create effective protocols for patients," Verzura continues. "To make the medicine available to a wider population, we needed to take the project out of Colorado, because we couldn't transport medication across state lines. That's why we're here in Ukiah," says Chad Ruby. COO of United Cannabis. He states the Pinoleville site offers many positive features. "We will be growing sun-driven, organic plants, with a focus on biodynamic processes. We are utilizing solar-powered wells already on the reservation and will have no GMO products in any aspect of production. All of our amendments are 100 percent natural, non-manufactured materials such as worm castings and bat guano - locally sourced amendments you use in your own garden," Ruby explains. "There is no point in making plant medicine without following these protocols." By next year, state-of-the-art greenhouses outfitted with supplemental lighting will be the homes for growing plants. Once harvested, an on-site, solvent-free processing facility will transform the plants into medicine. "There is no butane. No CO2. We are creating high-quality extracts which are as pure as can be without harsh solvents," says Ruby. A testing facility will be located on site. "You can't have a medical product that's contaminated with anything. When you walk in a dispensary you may have no idea if the cannabis product you're purchasing has been sprayed with pesticides. We will be actively testing our products to provide consistent medicine and to eliminate the risk of harmful contamination," says Ruby. He expects to engage with many local farmers. Staff will assist those who wish to grow for United Cannabis to meet the stringent product standards. The tribal collective will have an on-site clone bank to provide farmers with the cannabis strains utilized in the medicinal formulations. "We will be testing all products for mold, pests, cannabinoid content and heavy metals to verify that it is organic," Ruby continues. "We already know some local farmers because we have history here. These are not just friends. Everyone involved with this project is putting their neck out there. This is an alliance between the community, the tribe and our farmers," says Verzura. "This project brings local farmers and the tribe together unity in the community. This is why we call ourselves United Cannabis," says Verzura. "Six years ago, I started a company as a cannabis patient with three borrowed lights, a few 'so-so' clones and no money. I wanted to help others like myself who benefited from medical cannabis. Those founding principles were always my 'rock.' "These days, I feel the industry has been compromised. It's time to make the necessary changes to reinstate that spirit. That's why we're here. We're making medicine at the pharmaceutical level without the pharma. We're taking the harm out of pharm," Verzura concludes. Next: "Growing" green: Pinoleville cannabis project will support tribal infrastructure, community non-profits. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom