Events: Arizona - Phoenix - Scottsdale

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Also Celebrates its Fourth Anniversary & Provides New Patient Orientation at its Scottsdale Location on May 27, and Holds PTSD Support Group Meeting at its Tempe Location on May 31.

Some of the latest statistics show that somewhere around 20 percent of the Military Veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a vicious malady that can cause severe panic attacks and haunting nightmares. However, many Veterans, like Christopher Lengyel, a 27-year-old Tempe resident and retired U.S. Army Combat Veteran, say medical marijuana has the power to control the symptoms of PTSD – allowing them to lead normal, productive lives among that portion of civil society that has never seen combat. Harvest Inc., a national medical cannabis company founded by a local business-litigation attorney, serves a number of Veterans with medical marijuana cards who suffer from PTSD.

On Saturday, May 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Harvest Inc. will hold a Memorial Day Cookout to thank Military Veterans for their service to our country at its Scottsdale location, near Loop 101 and Raintree Drive. The event is also timed with Harvest’s fourth anniversary.

During this Saturday event, Brat House will serve two different meals (ranging from $5-$8), and all proceeds will be donated to Help Me PTSD, a company that was founded by Lengyel. All Veterans with a military identification card will receive a free meal.

The Saturday event is co-sponsored by Vets & Adventures, an 8-week course providing free mixed martial arts (MMA) training, outdoor adventures, and support groups for Veterans.

In addition, Harvest will hold a new patient orientation session at its Scottsdale location that same Saturday, May 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During this orientation, Dr. William Troutt will lead a discussion of medical cannabis. Topics will include: dosage; risks and benefits; realistic expectations; and modalities of use. There will plenty of time for questions. No marijuana card is necessary, and all are welcome.

Then on Wednesday, May 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Harvest Inc. will hold a PTSD Support Group meeting at its Tempe location, which is located on the NW corner of Kyrene and Elliot Roads.

For more information about these events, visit harvestofaz.com.

During these events, members of the media will have the chance to see the inside of a medical marijuana dispensary, browse the dispensary, ask questions, and talk with the company’s friendly and knowledgeable patient advisers about the potential benefits of marijuana as an alternative medicine.

On Saturday, May 27, 2017 there will be a  Memorial Day Cookout from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a new patient orientation from 11 am. to 1 p.m. at Harvest Inc., 15190 N. Hayden Rd., (near the Loop 101 and Raintree Dr.), Scottsdale 85260

On Wednesday, May 31, 2017 there will be a PTSD Support Group from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Harvest Inc., 710 W. Elliot Rd., Suite 102, (NW corner of Kyrene and Elliot Roads), Tempe, 85284. 

Military Veterans, their families and the public are invited to these events, which will offer an opportunity to:

• Learn about the potential benefits of cannabis as an alternative medicine;
• Discover how medical marijuana is helping those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
• Learn the steps involved in receiving a medical marijuana card; and
• Meet friendly and knowledgeable patient advisors.

About Harvest Inc.: Headquartered in Tempe, Ariz., Harvest Inc. is a national medical cannabis company that was founded by a business-litigation attorney in 2011. The company currently has dispensary, cultivation, and production licenses in Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, and Nevada, and plans to expand its reach into more states across the country.

Harvest’s dispensaries are not what you might immediately picture, as they tend to closely resemble a sophisticated medical facility or upscale retail store. Harvest dispensaries provide a safe, clean, comfortable, respectful and compassionate environment for patients looking to obtain medical marijuana. The company’s flagship dispensary in Tempe is considered a model for the industry, as evidenced through the reception of several awards. The company’s dispensary in Scottsdale is one of the largest in Arizona.

Harvest offers free informational orientation seminars for anyone interested in learning more about medical cannabis. Each dispensary location has a space where support-group meetings and lectures are held, including a physician-led new-patient orientation that’s free, family-friendly and open to anyone in the community, whether they have a medical marijuana card or not. The events provide the history of cannabis, strategies, ways to safely ingest it, and other basic topics to assist those considering medical marijuana as an alternative to traditional medications.

Patients who visit Harvest’s dispensaries are not who you might immediately picture, either. While they represent a broad cross-section of the U.S. population, most of them have one thing in common: a serious illness. Terminal cancer, AIDS, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and debilitating or chronic pain are among the top conditions that many medical marijuana card carriers have.

Harvest also operates a 12,000-square-foot indoor cultivation facility in Flagstaff, Ariz., and a 35,000-square-foot facility and 3.3 acres of outdoor cultivation space in Camp Verde, Ariz. The latter site features a fully- automated greenhouse with a building management system that senses and stabilizes the environment, thereby increasing efficiency and efficacy. Harvest has partnered with Quality Connections to employ individuals with special needs at its Flagstaff cultivation facility. This program creates economic opportunities and a sense of identity for a population that tends to fall behind both financially and socially.

Even though Arizona doesn’t mandate that cannabis be tested, or enforce any kind of safety standard for cannabis, Harvest has strict quality-control measures in place to ensure that it is producing the safest, highest-quality products. They feel it’s their responsibility to not only conduct their own internal testing, but also to have their products independently inspected on a regular basis. As a leader in the medical marijuana industry, it’s important to them to test all cannabis products so that they are producing the safest ones in the market.

To ensure sound manufacturing practices and patient-focused standards, Harvest invited Americans for Safe Access to inspect its facilities, audit its policies and procedures, and augment its training programs. Harvest is proud to be one of only a handful of facilities in the United States to earn ASA’s Patient Focused Certification for cannabis product manufacturing.

Since its inception, Harvest has donated more than $300,000 to Veterans, Seniors, patients-in-need, and charitable organizations that include the American Cancer Society, Bosom Buddies, Ryan House, Climb to Conquer Cancer, and the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona. The company also operates a (501(c)(3)) organization called Harvesting Hope, which was established in 2014 to provide a better quality of life for young children suffering from pediatric epilepsy. To date, Harvesting Hope has provided services to more than 100 families and their children, including guidance on cannabis use for seizure control, educational seminars and discussions, and introductions to medical specialists. Harvesting Hope has also raised money to send children to Camp Candlelight, a camp for children with epilepsy.

For more information, visit harvestinc.com.

About Help Me PTSD: Help Me PTSD provides resources such as coaching, educational information and a vast network of clinicians who are here to help those who suffer from PTSD. Currently, live stream videos are being developed by Christopher Lengyel, a retired Army Veteran, who is also responsible for the creation of this company, and assures that it is able to flourish within communities across the United States to assist non-profits. To date, Help me PTSD is working in collaboration with organizations in Arizona,       New  Mexico, Las Vegas and Colorado. For more information, visit helpmeptsd.org.