Aaron Zeeman: Medicinal Patient & Champion Breeder

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The Hawaiian Award Winning Cannabis Breeder Known As Professor Potgrower Tells His Pain Management Story and More:

Aaron is a good friend on Facebook known for winning the 2016 Big Island Championship. I never knew he lived with so much pain. It’s so intense to learn about people that have made so much progress based on a plant. What Aaron speaks of is quite brutal – he is a POW 420. Meaning he, at one time, was in jail solely due to Cannabis. Prohibition has silently killed tens of millions or more due to Endocannabinoid Deficiency Syndrome. Aaron’s personal story is very unique, so let’s read it!

“I was Born Aaron George Zeeman, in New Orleans back 1968 in the Turo infirmary. It’s gone today from Hurricane Katrina.” Aaron explained, “My family moved when I was only 6 months old. I’ve now lived in Hawaii since 1994 on the Big Island, always in Puna. I Love Puna! I somehow washed up on Kehena beach, and ended up naming my 2nd daughter after the beach (black sand beach) in Puna.”

He went on to tell me about his education in Hawaii, “I went to HCC for 5 years straight full-time, 2 degrees one LA. AA, and an AAS in Agriculture” as well as his accomplishments in growing Cannabis, “I’ve been published twice in High Times – Jan ’96, Sept ’10. Well, not me, my buds/plants. The last one was half a page long.” When I asked him how he got his plants into High Times I was shocked by the very down-to-earth response, “it’s not me as a grower, it’s the plant. It’s always the plant – I just give it what it needs and leave it alone. The rest is beyond me”

He was the founder of the Hawaii Island Sports Association. They ran a program with 3 on 3 basketball tournaments for kids and adults. He also has a past history of running the adult flag football league for 10 seasons over 12 years. Aaron only stopped all of his work to help people after he fell ill. He went on to tell me about that:

“In January 2010 I was infected with a tropical parasite. Small nematodes (worms) got into my bloodstream and eventually to my brain. It’s called “rat lungworm”. It’s even worse than it sounds. I was hospitalized for 10 days losing 30 pounds. After 2 spinal taps, they relieved the pressure on my brain.

I never fully recovered. Still have pain 24/7 from permanent nerve damage. Sciatica and phantom pains, as well as extended neuropathy, are just a few issues that come with having this parasite.” His sister, Rachel Kline, is also a Facebook friend of mine and had some input on this, “My brother had only 8% chance to live when I got there when he got meningitis! He went through the worst pain anyone can go through. And has lasting trouble and pain since then.” Wow, and this all came from an ‘unattended salad’. Eating healthy almost ended up costing Aaron Zeeman his life.

He was an activist before he got sick and worked with “Peaceful Skys” on ballot question 1, which inevitably ended up making 24 plants or less the lowest law enforcement priority. He told me, “I created real style campaign signs, this put us over the top and we won. It was fashioned after the Denver LLEP”.

But, Aaron’s story get’s very complicated. On top of becoming ill, which got in the way of his activism and more, he ended up in a legal battle over the plant. This is what he had to say about all of that. “Unfortunately, I was arrested with 13 others in the Roger Christie THC ministry “green 14” federal case. Was federally indicted! I was the only defendant to NOT agree to testify against Roger and Share Christie! Only after Roger finally made his deal did I artfully negotiate away the conspiracy charges with my excellent lawyer Todd Eddins.

He is way cool dude!! Todd was made a judge soon after finishing with my case! I got 2 years probation for distribution (to Roger) the lowest possible offense (less than a kilo). Judge Kobiashi allowed me to use my MMJ with approval from the probation office. They denied me so I got a prescription of the synthetic marijuana pill called Marinol. They denied me the right to use it, so I used it anyway. Then I tested positive and was told I could not use it and was threatened to be revoked from probation if I did. I went home, wrote up a lawsuit, federal and filed it!” See the news story written about his bold move!

He went on to tell me more, “I did not stop what I was doing and had 7 dirties (urine tests positive) in a row so the Marshals got me 2 months later. I then got resentenced by the judge – 1year!! I served the feds from jail, actually, it was the FDC in Honolulu – a big unremarkable building at the interisland terminal at Honolulu International Airport. I did my time – 6 months in FDC, 5 at halfway house, 1 on home detention at a friend’s in Oahu.”

He shared with me that he thought long and hard about the suit knowing things were changing fast in government across the country and hopefully soon – federally. He went on to explain, “I tried to figure if my suit would go to trial first or I would be superseded by an act of Congress. I decided that my life had been terribly damaged already. I lost a lot, it was time to catch up. I dropped the suit and focused on growing.”

Like myself, Aaron battles continual and constant pain. Pain medications have also hindered his lifestyle. The only answer for both of us to get away from these strong pharmaceuticals controlling our every moment is the awesome plant. Aaron told of how it helps him, “Cannabis helps tremendously with the pain. I have reduced my prescription pain meds by half. I make cookies, brownies, smoke joints all day, and use concentrate off and on. The plant is a sacrament. that’s it. All use is medical. It keeps me going, without it. The time in lock-up was a living hell, the pain left me literally an invalid.”

Well, known for speaking out on social media and in-person for patient rights and about growing, breeding, and more – Aaron Zeeman sets an example for true advocacy. “I will continue to fight for patients’ rights and am preparing a lawsuit as we speak”, he said with deep care for others, “The Hawaii MMJ system is wrought with violations – Constitutional violations. The state just has no clue and thinks nothing about patients or the spirit of the law. That is what keeps me going – the fight for what’s right. That and the plant itself. I have dedicated my life to this plant. I love Hawaii, the land, the people – in that order. Nature always first.”

Although very outspoken, he was surprisingly humble when asked about his skills, “I am pretty good at growing and I’ve proven I have a good eye and can make good selections. I guerrilla grew in the jungle for years and I’ve seen thousands of plants. Unimaginable combinations – so many flavors, structures… oh, love the plant! I have big ideas about breeding and THC-V. This is where I am going, old Hawaiian strains need to be found, tropical cannabis is the best. Ask Ed Rosenthal!”

“It’s my life’s work to breed the world’s best herb – bar none. If I do – great, if not – I’ll have fun trying and I may get close. I got a few tricks up my sleeve. Its all about genetics.”