From Robert Sutherland of the Humboldt-Mendocino Marijuana Advisory Project June 23, 2014

At the Hummap meeting in Redway yesterday, the main agenda item revolved around genetics, and the discussion lasted clear into the evening. It began with detailed discussions of testing, with the various dispensary people discussing their experiences. All these dispensaries are giving free or low cost cbd to needful poor patients, especially pediatric patients. Results with epilepsy are dramatic and thus cbd is hugely now in demand, which exceeds supply, yet so many need help that it is rather less than break-even financially at this point. It is of course our own SoHum Seeds that first developed some of the most important cbd strains.   Thank you, thank you Ringo wherever you are! There appears to be major promise with cbd in regard to Alzheimer’s and Luke cited (late in the meeting) an example of major remission in an elderly woman of his acquaintance. Cristo says this is the major focus of his work. 

Jon Page researches cannabis genetics in Canada. How can he do this? Simple: DNA is not a controlled substance. But he does have to be careful about how he gets it, and he has cooperation with a US lab that prepares it and then it may be sent to him. He first sampled a lot of Purple Kush from the Vancouver area and found that not all of it was Purple Kush. He wants to establish a baseline of Cannabis genetics so that strains may be compared to this, so he seeks the oldest unhybridized strains he can find. This is what brought him to Humboldt, as he learned from hummap that such strains still exist here. He discussed the history of Cannabis genetics and noted that repressive government policies have created a huge gap in our knowledge of the genetics. He could not state with certainty, for example, whether indica and sativa are valid taxa at either the rank of species or subspecies
Items covered included the Humboldt proposed ordinance (next hummap meeting will be focused on this, is scheduled for Sunday 13 July at the Moose house in Redway at 10 am, please plan on coming). Kristin will do a kmud show on it on this Monday from 530-6pm. The newest Board proposal should be posted on the County website by late on July 11.
 
SB 1262 the Correa bill will be heard by Ammiano Tuesday, then to House floor vote. This bill is hugely improved but still has serious problems including delivery issues. It probably will become our next statewide mj law and is major to you. Kristin and Hezekiah are working on it. Here is a link to it: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB1262 
 
 We also discussed problems at Lost Coast Botanicals with Kat and Cristo. Cristo is leaving and will not be back before late July or August. We were discouraged by what we heard but an effort is being made to solve problems.  
 
Luke Bruner gave a strong report on the new PAC he has formed and the funding he raised in Harris, and similar results are developing in Mendo and Trinity…. This will go to lobbying, and he urged we all participate.  
 
In my opinion this was our most potent meeting thus far, with 18 attendees coming  from as far away as Canada and SanDiego.