Green Zen| Washington

Access Point Name: Green Zen

Address: 22705-B Meridian Ave. E., Graham 98338

Website: (253) 732-4208   

Interviewed:Robin Austin

How and when did your access point start up?

Allow me to introduce Doc Hansen, a true survivor who previously went through a liver transplant and suffered from Hepatitis C, and who also helped blaze a trail for the medical marijuana cause. In 2012, Doc put his heart and soul into building his dream, investing every penny he had. He gave up his home and moved into his first access point, Green Access, because he wanted folks to have access to their medication. Next came the access point Green Kings, followed by another one called Green Zen, each unique from the other, serving completely different patients.

Top selling strain, concentrate and/or edible?

It’s different at each access point (i.e. Green Access, Green Kings and Green Zen) but for the most part, anything that Doc and his son have produced with their green thumbs is a top seller. Some of Green Zen’s spotlights are CBD-infused creams, salves and lotions. Many of the collective’s edibles fly off the shelf!

How has the cannabis industry changed since you have been in the business? Where would you like to see it go?

Frequent law changes make it difficult to keep up with. On July 1, 2016, collectives will be abolished and replaced with “co-ops,” which in turn will add new rules, regulations and more laws, tracking seed from beginning to end. Basically, this means more government involvement. I recently attended several planning meetings where a handful of nice people, who were selected by the city council, were asked to work out details and present a plan. Someone asked, “Does anybody know the difference between collective gardens, a co-op, and a dispensary?” The answer was no.

All they really need to know are a few facts: In areas where marijuana is legal, the accidental overdoses of opiates have gone down 25 percent. Or how about the fact that the first steps towards heroin is Doctors prescribing opiates for pain when children are hurt. One collective member said the government pays their $4,000 prescription bill every month, but now that medical marijuana has replaced it, it only costs him $400 a month and offers a better quality of life! Let’s not forget to mention the amazing power of CBD, and how it has reduced epileptic seizures in children up to 95 percent. This “plant” is a medicine that can heal, clothe, shelter and more . . . but most people take it for its side effects.

What are the biggest challenges you face in this industry as an access point? . . . Biggest joys?

Number one: All the bad publicity, misinformed information/lack of education, negative propaganda, bureaucrats and people believing everything they read on the internet is truth, is a huge challenge to overcome. Sick folks are going to be forced to go to a recreational store or back to black market because they can’t afford rec prices to get their medicine, while other folks are traveling to our state to get their party on and purchase marijuana legally. Medical patients need special care, dignity, respect and privacy. Medical cannabis should be allowed to stand alone, or be represented in a rec store.

Biggest joys: Seeing people being helped, and their pain relieved and healed—it just doesn’t get better than that!

If someone wanted to open an access point and get their feet wet in the industry, what advice or counsel would you give them?

Do what you know! Getting your feet wet is one thing, but jumping into a fast-moving river could lead to an unknown waterfall. Many unknowledgeable folks somehow got themselves into the cannabis system, which resulted in cutting out the other advocates who did all the hard work and fought to legalize. Those individuals will soon realize that the idea is the easy part, but applying it is often unreachable, and that they wasted their time and money.

What is the most important thing you hope to accomplish while in the MJ/MMJ community?

As I mentioned before, Doc Hansen has accomplished what others had not yet even begun to achieve when he opened his access point. Whatever happens next, Doc Hansen will continue to enjoy the journey.