Patients Against Pain

Mon-Fri 11am-7pm Sat & Sun 8am-5pm
818-752-7274
6240 Laurel Canyon Blvd, # B
North Hollywood, Ca 91606
PatientsAgainstPain.com
MySpace.com/PatientsAgainstPain
Public transportation: Bus line 230 stopsright outside the door

PAP is one of the most affordable clinic I’ve ever come across. They have a great staff, and look to be the most compassionate club in LA. “We have $40 eighths from personal vendors with strains ranging from authentic Og X Bubba Kush, Sour X Bubba Kush, Afghani Kush, Sour Diesel, Train Wreck, Red Citrus, Orange Musk, just to name call a few,” said Dr. K. “We don’t just try, we give back to the community. We have the most affordable prices in town, for the best medical grade cannabis. Why pay more? All of our edibles such as cookies. Horchata, brownies, soda, choco bananas, honey, cup cakes, ice cream are made by staff so we know exactly what goes into all of our products. We provide a friendly environment with out the intimidating security.” Dr K., who helps operate the dispensary wants to let the community know that he has been around for years serving the community and plans to continue the mission. We have donated over 2000 pounds of cloths and food through out my crusade.”

PAP is not as flamboyant as other clubs with the exception of their medical cannabis. There’s plenty of parking. More to the point, they are great, compassionate, humble guys. There is no glass separating people. It’s all hands-on. Touch it. Smell it. Become one with it before you decide which strain suits your particular mood. Herbo super cool motorized bongs are available for the adventurous.

EVERYTHING’S GOOD — At PAP, a staff member packs the weighed medicine into an odor-proof container. Oaksterdam News photo by Jaime Galindo

California Herbal Remedies

Cannabis Cup Winner, 2nd place*
Mon-Sat. 10am-8pm
323-342-9110
5470 Valley Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90032

This roomy dispensary features high end flowers and concentrates and presents them through an Asian influenced / art gallery environment and presentation.

From romantic lighting to the most elegant fish tank placement and fish I’ve ever seen. The fish tank greets you at the front entrance and follows you around inside the dispensary through the wall. I’ll just say seeing the tank design and feeling the vibe here is worth stopping by. The two owners of this fine artistic, cultural dispensary felt there was need for a not-so-stereotypical setting for a cannabis dispensary. Both were also vendors before so are both are more than just tasteful, honest, businessmen, they have complete knowledge of what they are providing. In addition, both
worked at medical cannabis dispensaries, so they also have an understanding of what customer service means.

“People had to drive too far so we made it so they don’t have to or have a choice,” they told me.

There’s plenty of parking with a headshop located next door. CHR is very comfortable. Sophisticated. Very chill. Very safe. Offers superior medical cannabis and extracts. $35-80 per eighth. Makers of Kush Chocolate Cannabis Creations, which are just exquisite. I’ll be back.

CAL HERBAL REMEDIES — The friendly staff at the CHR center are ready with information and medication, depending on the patient’s needs. Oaksterdam News photo by Jaime Galindo

Arts District Healing Center

Mon-Sat 10-11pm
213-687-9981
620 E. 1st St
Los Angeles, Ca 90012

Located in the Arts District, downtown LA, just down the street from Little Tokyo, MOCA, and a multitude of fine eateries, Arts District Healing Center has carved out a niche in the community. Arriving at ADHC, one is immediately impressed by ample parking directly next to their ivy covered 1911 brick building.

You’ve got to pay attention though, the only sign directing you to their location is an “ADHC Parking” sign hanging off the fence.

Registration has all the formalities.  Once inside, their culturally diverse membership enjoys the benefits of a large selection of herbs, over fifty strains, in a delightfully relaxed environment. They have a medicating lounge with music and
video that extends into an outside garden oasis, most unusual for downtown LA. Their finished brick walls are punctuated with art, and the lounge is cozy with a variety of tools for medicating.

Repeat patients seem to be drawn to family like values found at ADHC. Not only is their staff helpful and knowledgeable, but the membership serves as resource for information, activities, and socializing. On any given day you might catch a potluck meal, or a barbeque on Taco Fridays. Their is a sense of community at ADHC which they believe is important for the healing process. Their membership and staff offer counseling on nutrition, and support groups. A free cookie is given with every visit, doubled for first timers!

ADHC has quality medicine at fair prices, starting at $35 per eighth up to $70. They are also the only cannabis outlet in the Arts District of Los Angeles. They are very hospitable, welcoming people, who always keep patient satisfaction as their top priority. It was nice to finally meet these freedom fighters in person.

Venice Beach Care Center

Mon-Thu 12pm-8pm
Fri & Sat: 11am-10pm Sun 11am-7pm
310-399-4307
410 Lincoln Blvd
Venice, Ca 90291
VeniceBeachCareCenter.com

Venice Beach Care Center VBCC specializes in only in High Grade / Quality Medication. As all medical cannabis dispensaries, products are only available to patients/members and only with a valid doctors recommendation. VBCC was founded by a group of patients dedicated to providing a safe and friendly experience with extraordinary service and quality medication. They are always interested in your comments and feedback and welcome your questions and requests.

This Collective is formed by a group of people who collectively donate labor, materials, money, and knowledge to empower and alleviate the sick and disabled from serious illness. They are fully handicap accessible through out the entire building and you will find the staff to be friendly and helpful. It is organized around a series of guiding principles:

A. To provide Members with an alternative place to heal and relieve their symptoms of serious illness.

B. To provide Members with quality and affordable goods by utilizing their united funds and efforts for the purchase and consumption of those goods, and the performance of services and such other activities as will benefit the Members;

C. To supplement traditional medicine with natural medicine to provide relief from pain and suffering

HOT & COLD — These cannabis condiments range from hot sauce to cold beverages, but they share one critical link: They can be found at the Venice Beach Care Center. Oaksterdam News photo by Jaime Galindo

Valley Coop

Cannabis Cup Winner, 3rd place*
Mon-Sat 11-10pm Sun 12-7pm
818-727-1419
8363 Reseda Blvd #203a
Northridge, Ca 91324

Have you stopped by this place lately? It’s Under new and improved ownership. These folks have a whole new attitude towards patient satisfaction.

“We take pride in serving existing clients and new clients”.

They have completely updated all of their strains offered. Heavenly relief awaits the patient. Be sure to stop by and experience their whole new meaning of flavor and high potency medicinal cannabis that’s sure to alleviate even the most gruesome of pain. Is it Wednesday yet? Patient appreciation day falls on every single Wednesday of every single week around here.

Now that’s what I call putting a cherry on top of their already great prices. All else I can say is that it brought me great pleasure to see a club that puts the patients interest before their own.

It might not be the biggest and fanciest club I’ve been to, but the buds were quite couture. Wheel chair accessible.

West Valley Co-Op

Mon-Thu 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
Sun 12pm-7pm
818-713-0258
19709 Ventura Blvd # B
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

100% discrete location in a medical professional, atmosphere. Plenty of parking in rear of building or on Ventura Blvd. Next to Luggage-4-Less. Use east side entrance of florist building. Large selection of Indicas, Sativas, hybrids, concentrates and
edibles. Discounts for patients who qualify (SSI, severe disability, terminally ill). Free Gram Mondays. 10%-off concentrate Wednesdays, and $55 Bubba Kush Fridays.

Professional, clean, well lit, very relaxing feel. Eighths are moderately priced at $40-65.

This place is awesome. The staff here really takes pride in their work and workplace,thus the patient enjoys the benefits such as the large selection and sweet aromas of all the fresh green cannabis strains. Right off the bat, you get a sense of wow, I am alive. Very courteous people here.

Unfortunately these kind people were victims of the Los Angeles DEA raids of January 2007. Do your part to help, please stop by and show support and help West Valley Co-Op get back on its feet. Tell them Oaksterdam News sent you.

COUNTER INTUITIVE — The trained staff at West Valley Co-op offer advice on how different strains of cannabis affect various symptoms, and which are preferred by other patients with similar problems. Oaksterdam News photo by Jaime Galindo

PURPLE LIGHT — From the Wellness Earth Energy Dispensary. Oaksterdam News photo by Jaime Galindo.

The Wellness Earth Energy Dispensary

Mon-Sat 11am-8pm
818-980-2266
12021 1/2 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, Ca 91604
www.TheWeed420.com

Located in Studio City directly over the hill from Hollywood. Hop over Laurel Canyon and you’re there. Plenty of parking. WEED prides itself on their high quality, freshness, and flavor. Select from many of the perfectly cured, authentic cannabis strains, stored for display and sample purposes in some of the most beautiful, simple, clear, glass jars I’ve come across. Medicine is then packaged in cost-effective, properly labeled, medically approved, sterile plastic containers. Nothing like being kind to the environment, they have a recycle program for used medicine jars so be sure to do your part and bring down your empty containers and toss them in the barrel. They won’t be re-used but they will be recycled. Free glass accessory for first time patients. After that patients may purchase a new glass accessory for only $5. The WEED is located in a very clean well lit, safe neighborhood.

Patients Sensitive Services

Cannabis Cup Winner, 1st place*
7 Days 12pm-8pm
818-926-7890
5761 Whitnall Hwy Unit A
North Hollywood, Ca 91601

Plenty of parking. Pool table. Ping pong table. All their medical cannabis is imported from Humboldt direct, from where the World’s Finest cannabis comes from. (In case you didn’t know, now you do.)

It is owned and operated by patients. The true sense of hospitality and warmth found in the personalities and compassion here seemed to warm up the place, which felt quite good as it was freezing outside! Got a dog? Guess what, you can bring him or her or them along, they have a really nice dog park right across the street! Come on down with your best friends and enjoy the park and the fresh air and watch your pals enjoy the ride as much as you did! What else does a dog and a dog lover want?

The world’s best cannabis? I think I already mentioned they have that too, and guess what, you will not believe the compassion found in their prices. Eighths are only $60 for this unbeatable High Grade Medical Cannabis, plus the more you buy, the more you save. Simply, this medical cannabis dispensary left me with one of the best experiences I’ve ever encountered, even though the place isn’t all “decked out” yet, their cannabis is. So there you go. What else can I say? Oh wait until you see the dog portraits the director of this place can draw and paint of any dog. just be sure to ask about them and his other business, backyard doodies, “when your pets poop, we come to scoop” is their motto. You can learn more about his other business at www.backyarddoodies.com.

SENSITIVITY — Patients Sensitive Services verifies that patients are qualified before they can become members. Oaksterdam News photo by Jaime Galindo.

Green Earth Collective

7 Days 11am-8pm
323-982-9042
5045 York Blvd
Los Angeles, Ca 90042
GreenEarthCollective.com

Here at GEC, little sister to Earth Collective, they offer first time patients a free gram of choice with any eighth obtained by donation. Also, they have a referral program that offers the referring party a free gram of choice as long as the new member donates towards an eighth. Patients that travel from out of town will even be given 5% discount to accommodate their travel expense! They have a rewards card program that generously gives patients 5% credit towards their future donations.

They offer a wide range of flowers, edibles, concentrates, and clones. Flowers range from $35 and up packaged in beautiful glass containers to ensure top quality. The environment of the collective offers a warm and welcoming feeling for the patients. The staff behind the counter was very knowledgeable and courteous, I told them of my preferences and they made absolutely perfect recommendations of what I
wanted in quality, taste and potency. The staff was very honest, no b.s. here! GEC is located in the middle of four different freeways, the I-5, 134, 2 and 110, which makes it very easy for patients, and there’s plenty of easy access parking.

Compassionate Patient Resource

Mon-Fri 12pm-8pm
Sat-Sun 12pm-7pm
818-343-3690
19237 1/2 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, Ca 91356
www.CPRMeds.com

Plenty of parking. Free, quality, non-cannabis snacks, drinks, and a super clean, culturally diverse comfortable professional environment.

The check in / waiting lounge is great if you travel with non-patient company as they can chill and wait for you inside, instead of the car and enjoy the complimentary treats. CPR made me feel good. I don’t mean the generic goodwill elicited by fine cannabis at sensible prices. I mean something more. True, the good buds and low prices are at the heart of my positivity but it’s a lot more than just getting high. Respect, that’s what it’s all about.

There’s a mixed crowd of people who can grab some complimentary snacks and a soda on the way out. Come
back next week and do it again. The place is really large also, so you’re not cramped. Anywhere! It smelled good and clean inside, had peaceful music playing and was very well lit. The 2 strains I tried were the K-9 and Sweet Tooth x Purple Kush. Both of them are really good, especially at the $55 an eighth in the LA cannabis market.

* A group of patients, including this reviewer, sampled and rated products from the various dispensaries represented here. Patient Sensitive Services took First Place for Indoor Purple Kush. Second Place went to California Herbal Remedies for Maui X Banana. Valley Coop took Third Place with Bubba Kush.