Stephen DeAngelo, nationally known cannabis activist and host of the Discovery Channel's Weed Wars paid a visit to West Seattle's Northwest Patient Resource Center (NWPRC) on Friday March, 9 to meet owner John Davis and tour the facility, now a collective garden distribution point for cannabis.

The business, which opened in May of last year, is located at the corner of 35th Ave. s.w. and s.w. Roxbury Street. The West Seattle Herald covered their opening.

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DeAngelo, active in the field of cannabis reform for nearly four decades is the founder of Harborside Health Center in Oakland CA.. "Harborsside has more than 94,000 patients which makes us the largest retailer of medical marijuana on the entire planet," DeAngelo said and has served as a model medical cannabis dispensary for others.

He has extensive knowledge in this on the subject and has become a highly sought after speaker regarding the cannabis and hemp industries. He is also the star of the Discovery Channel show Weed Wars that explores the issues surrounding medical marijuana.

DeAngelo himself is focused on the medicine's wellness benefits. In a statement on his website he said, "I prefer to describe cannabis in terms of wellness, than recreation. I don't like the term "recreational cannabis" because it does not accurately describe my own experience. I use cannabis to facilitate and enhance a variety of mental/psychic/physical states. It can and does facilitate and/or enhance a variety of recreational activities like taking a walk, or enjoying a piece of music, or a satisfying meal. On the other hand, it can also help me go to sleep, stay calm, keep my patience, or manage my pain. Some of the ways I use cannabis promote my recreational activities; some promote my work life; and some promote my rest. Not all of them are about recreation, but they are all about wellness. I think it is the same for every cannabis user I know."

He was in Seattle to host tax audit seminar hoping to fight the reform of 280E. This designation refers to a piece of IRS tax code that was put in place during the Reagan Administration. They are seeking to reform the code and exclude legally operating medical marijuana dispensaries (or in Washington State Collective Garden Distribution Points) from what they regard as excessive taxes.

On the reform effort's website they state: "Legitimate medical cannabis businesses want and expect to pay their fair share of taxes. In addition to federal taxes, dispensaries also pay state and/or local taxes. However, the IRS is now using 280E to stop medical cannabis businesses from making standard business deductions, which leaves them with a crushing tax bill they cannot afford. In a growing number of audits, the IRS is leaving dispensaries no recourse but to shut down – or to move to the underground economy."

DeAngelo, on his tour noted the various products for sale, encouraged Davis to improve labeling on some of the "medible" products available, and was liked how secure and understated the facility and street presence is. "I am impressed," he said, " I like the logo and I like the signs a lot too." He commented on NWPRC's testing of what are called CBD plants which contain far less psychoactive compounds and far more medically useful compounds according to Davis and DeAngelo. "For many years plants were grown to enhance their levels of THC (the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana) but pros like John are working to bring CBD back into the genetic pool. In the underground marketplace there was no value for CBD. It's entrepreneurship at its finest."

Davis said, "It's an honor to have Steve here. Steve is a pioneer in the movement and someone that has really got my respect. He's very knowledgeable about the law, and has been involved in politics forever."

The 280E Facebook page is here. The 280E website is here.