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PRESS RELEASE: Cannabis Legalization Is Part of Potts’ Economic Transformation Plan

Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Midge Potts, Progressive Party Candidate for US Senate

Midge Potts Announced in June the she will seek Missouri’s US Senate seat in 2010.

Midge Potts for Congress

Contact: Midge Potts

Midge_Potts_US_Senate@MySpace.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 25th, 2009

Third Element of Economic Transformation Plan Revealed By Senate Candidate

Potts Says She Would Submit Bill in US Senate to Allow Farmers to Grow Cannabis

Springfield, MO — On Monday November 16th, Midge Potts revealed that the third element of her Economic Transformation Plan would be to repeal any and all federal statutes that outlaw growing hemp and marijuana in the United States. While appearing as a guest on the conservative talk radio Super Dave Show, airing daily on KFBL 1060am in Springfield Missouri, Dave agreed with Midge that marijuana should be made legal.

“If American farmers could grow cannabis, it would be an incredible jump start for our economy,” Said Ms. Potts, “Besides the tax revenue we will gain from recreational use, the United States will also benefit by utilizing hemp’s industrial uses as a replacement for petroleum products such as plastic, soap, rope, canvass and many other everyday items in the new Green Economy.”

In her June 2009 campaign announcement, Ms Potts spoke of the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act as the first element of a five tier Economic Transformation Plan. The second element calls for a massive tax restructuring in the United States to include an amendment to the Constitution dismantling the Internal Revenue Service.

If elected to the US Senate in 2010, Midge Potts says she also intends to submit a bill to Congress that would allow growing cannabis on a person’s own private property, and allow people to use their harvest as they deem appropriate in their own home just like any other common herb.

###END###

Why Marijuana Should Be Legalized: An Expert’s Perspective

The following letter was sent to the Honorables Carolyn McCarthy, Kirsten Gillibrand, Chuck Schumer, and Barack Obama:

Dear Decision Maker,

We, the leaders, citizens, or friends of micronations, urge you and President Barack Obama to adopt a policy that encourages the legalisation of micronations as nonprofit legal socio-economic entities, which are owed at least the same real autonomy, and the same fiscal status by governments as churches.

We urge you and President Barack Obama to encourage the development of a new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code that will grant true micronations, which find approval with a special new agency in the U.S. Department of State, the status of international missions independent of any particular state, which have at least a US-recognised right to exist as alternative governments, and which do exist not for the purpose of profit, but for the nonprofit purpose of fostering community, positive societal change, progress, and freedom.

We ask you and President Barack Obama to grant true micronations the status of legitimate, but not fully recognised missions of autonomous small nations or states.

We do not ask you and President Barack Obama to recognise any micronational territorial claims, or allow for an extension of the letter and spirit of the Vienna Conventions of 1961 and 1963. We simply ask you to enable fiscal and diplomatic policy that would allow genuine micronational missions “to be considered sovereign, until proven dependent”, respecting the full spirit of the Montevideo Convention. We ask you and President Barack Obama to allow genuine micronational missions to exist legally as nonprofit organisations; that they be treated like separate-from-the-state churches; and that they be treated as nonprofits for fiscal purposes.

We ask you and President Barack Obama to fully embrace the Montevideo Convention and its premises not just with words, but in its spirit, so as to foster the dignity of even small unrecognised nations or states, and so as to enable the fulfilment of this prophecy:

And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)

If you wish to also support this petition, please visit this URL:

http://www.change.org/actions/view/obama_should_legalise_micronations

]]> http://irrahhayes.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/41/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:36:39 +0000 irrahhayes http://irrahhayes.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/41/

History of Weed Part 4 of 5

A great video of 5 parts.

The Cannabis Cultuurprijs 2009, now in its sixth year, is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions towards the acceptance of cannabis in all its forms and to the reintegration of marihuana and hemp culture into modern society.

At a time when ‘zero tolerance’ is replacing the ‘tolerance policy’ it is more important than ever to acknowledge those who have made a genuine difference to the perception and use of this unfairly maligned plant.

Though other prizes exist in the sphere of cannabis and hemp, only the Cannabis Cultuurprijs celebrates improvements to quality of life and knowledge in quite this way.

The prize itself promotes the achievements of the winner: a unique exhibit dedicated to each one is created for public viewing. Displays honoring previous winners Jack Herer and Ed Rosenthal are on show in the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum. Last year’s winner, the late Simon Vinkenoog, is represented in the Hemp Gallery.

A monetary award of €3000 is also presented. The prize is annually awarded in November. It is independently funded and therefore free from political influence.

Here is a list of some of the negative effects of the ban on cannabis:

1. The ban on cannabis means that in addition to the coffeeshops and people who grow for their own use, an illegal market in cannabis also exists. There is no possibility of control over this illegal market which leads to criminality, unsafe situations, and events that disturb the peace; and to which underage people have easy access.
2. The ban on cannabis makes large scale crops and export of the product into a lucrative source of income for criminal organizations which can then use this income for other criminal activities, or ‘wash’ it via money laundering operations that can disturb the legal economy.
3. The ban on cannabis encourages criminal and antisocial behavior: rules concerning safety and security (for growing and in the marketplace) are easily broken and this goes unpunished. Conflicts are resolved using violence.
4. The ban on cannabis leads to an increase in prices, as the producer in an illegal market calculates their risk into the price.
5. The ban leads to a migration of tourists to coffeeshops near the borders of the country, and the operation of ‘drug runners’ to transport the product. Simple solutions for this problem such as the proposal for a so-called ‘Weed Boulevard’ with legal supply logistics are held back by the ban on cannabis.
6. The ban on cannabis puts enormous pressure on the resources of the police and the justice system, which cannot then devote them to other, more important goals. Some of the methods used to enforce the ban limit the personal freedom of civilians and are a matter of contention in court.
7. The costs of enforcing the ban on cannabis are not justified by the results. Although the goal of the ban (an essential reduction in supply and demand) fails to come a single step closer, the ban itself is never brought forward for discussion.
8. The ban on cannabis damages the credibility of the government, given that the use of cannabis continues to be firmly naturalized in society.
9. The (world-wide) ban on cannabis is one of the pillars of the U.S. dominated War On Drugs, which has led to sizeable global violations of human rights; and severely damages both the environment, and the security of the populations of cannabis-producing lands.
10. The ban on cannabis impedes the development of the industrial applications of the plant, which is capable of making a very valuable contribution to a sustainable future.
11. The ban on cannabis makes it impossible to carry out standardized controls on the product. Therefore demands can hardly be placed on the product in terms of consistent quality, health, or accompanying information on the contents and effects of the product.
12. The ban on cannabis leads to unwelcome and unhealthy practices in production which negatively affect the quality and effects of the product, and thereby damage the health of the consumer.
13. The ban on cannabis criminalizes the cannabis consumer (over one million Dutch people), with negative social consequences for the people in question, their relationships, their family, and their home and work environment.
14. The ban on cannabis is a restriction of the right to freedom of expression. It legitimizes information about the supposed evils of cannabis, information that cannot be seriously tested for durability, credibility or truthfulness and yet is used as justification for the active enforcement of the ban.
15. The ban on cannabis damages the right of the individual to make decisions about his / her own body.
16. The ban on cannabis damages the right of the individual to possess a medicine that is necessary to maintain or support his or her health and wellbeing.
17. The ban on cannabis dissuades doctors from prescribing it to patients who could benefit from the effects; and delays the process of recognition of its medicinal applications in the treatment of multiple afflictions such as HIV and AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, cancer, and chronic pain.
18. The ban on cannabis denies the government the possibility of levying taxes on the product.

Source: hashmuseum.com/cannabis-cultuurprijs/

“It’s not a war on drugs, it’s a war on personal freedom is what it is, OK? Keep that in mind at all times. Thank you. They lump all drugs together. It’s not going to work…” – Bill Hicks, 1990

Hicks had a point, you know. But, then again, he frequently did. On that showing, and if he were still alive, I’d probably be lobbying for him to replace Professor David Nutt, the scientific advisor to the British government on the subject of illegal substances, who was unfairly sacked by the Home Secretary Alan Johnson at the end of last week (two of Nutt’s colleagues have since resigned in support of his stance).

And why was Nutt sacked? Simply because he dared to take a stand on the relative dangers of drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy that actually took into consideration the scientific evidence, rather than simply toeing the government policy line on the assumed risks associated with such substances.

Final proof, if any were needed, that drug policy in this country bears no resemblance to scientific fact and has everything to do with the assumptions and prejudices of politicians; many of whom seem to be stuck in the 1950s in their attitudes towards drugs anyway – Gordon Brown’s public pronouncement in April 2008 that cannabis is a ‘lethal’ drug being but one example of how out of touch this government is on the matter.

The drug issue has always been a complex and emotive one. There are and will always be risks associated with drug use, risks which cannot be underestimated or ignored – but the vast majority of illegal drug users in this country (and there are many) have positive and enjoyable experiences on their substances of choice, much like those who enjoy a social and legal pint or two in the pub of a weekend.

And therein lies the problem. The legal status of various commonly-used drugs seems arbitrary at best. Back in 2007, David Nutt and his colleagues drew up a list of the most dangerous drugs commonly used in Britain, which showed that at least 8,274 people died in 2007 as a result of the use of alcohol, a legal drug. And, according to the same survey, another legal drug, tobacco, contributes to the deaths of thousands more people every year.

Yet ecstasy, currently a Class A drug which can get a user up to seven years in jail for possession, is wholly or partially responsible for less than a hundred deaths every year. It is difficult to judge the number of deaths in which cannabis played a part, as other drugs are usually involved in such cases, but it appears to be physically impossible for the human body to ingest the amount of cannabis alone needed to produce a fatal overdose.

The (lack of) logic behind the legal status of these drugs seems mindboggling when you look at such statistics – until you realise the economic rationale behind it. Despite the fact that they are clearly more dangerous than ecstasy or cannabis, alcohol and tobacco are legal because of the huge profits the government can make from them via taxes and duties – and these profits are enormous, particularly from tobacco.

You just have to look at the thriving British black market in cigarettes and rolling tobacco, purchased at considerably lower prices from other European countries, to understand the amount of money the government makes from those who perfectly legally use tobacco – so much so that smokers seeks alternative sources for their legal drug.

You see, that’s where the logic really falls down, in my opinion. The ideal situation in the long term would be the complete legalisation and  liberalisation of drugs, particularly cannabis, but – realistically – that won’t ever happen in this country, for both ‘moral’ and economic reasons. The next best option would be regulation, using the Dutch example as a model – because the net results of that would be advantageous to both the state and to drug users, for a number of reasons.

Seeing as now-illegal drugs like ecstasy and cannabis are comparatively less dangerous than legal substances like tobacco and alcohol, wouldn’t it make more sense to legalise, regulate and tax them – just like tobacco and alcohol? Get the balance of taxes and duties right on such drugs (on any legal or legalised drugs – see above) and the black market should all but disappear, for a start.

And with the number of people who use cannabis and ecstasy on a regular basis in Britain, the government could still make a fair whack from fairly imposed taxes and duties on them, the quality of what is sold would likely improve under such regulation, and other problems associated with the current legal status of such drugs could at least be partially resolved.

Those who seek to prohibit drugs often cite two major and often connected issues as supporting their cause – that of drug-related crime and the link between drug production/distribution and organised crime of various kinds. However, as the notorious example of Prohibition in 1920s America so vividly shows, these undeniable issues come about not as a result of the mere existence and use of such substances, as some would suggest, but as a result of them being made illegal in the first place.

For example, it is doubtful that the likes of Al Capone would have made millions of dollars out of the movement and distribution of alcohol had the booze not been illegal at the time. The simple fact of criminalising drugs also criminalises both supply and users – crime is not a cause of drug prohibition but an effect. A more rational approach to legalisation or regulation would cut crime rates – there would obviously be no more convictions for possession or supply, and there would be far fewer crimes committed in order to obtain drugs if such a regulated supply was freely available.

There could be other societal benefits from changing the law on drugs – a legal, regulated supply should mean standardised quality, reducing the numbers of people who fall ill (and worse) as a result of adulterated substances, and thus reducing the subsequent burden on the health service from those who have to be treated because of their drug use.

All of this could seem highly illogical when so many of us have had the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ theory repeatedly forced upon us; a theory which argues that all drugs are bad by definition, mmmkay, and that any form of legalisation, decriminalisation or sensible regulation would instantly cause society to implode and every child to instantly become a raving junkie.

But none of that has happened yet in Portugal, which abolished all legal penalties for the personal possession of drugs in 2001. In fact, since this change in policy, teenage drug use and the rate of new drug-related HIV infections have actually declined. Neither has Dutch society collapsed as a result of their tolerance of cannabis use in coffee shops, despite the number of ‘drug tourists’ visiting Amsterdam.

Historically, what are now perceived as ‘hard’ drugs (such as the opium-based tincture known as laudanum) were freely and legally available across Europe and the United States during the 19th century, and were widely prescribed for almost any medical ailment you can think of.

Victorian society didn’t fall apart as a result, although addiction was relatively common and little understood – in fact, the use of drugs such as laudanum actually inspired some of the most influential creative minds of the period, such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Thomas de Quincey.

So why should we then expect the universe to collapse if drug policy is actually informed by sane and rational facts instead of hysterical and ill-informed politics? Drugs have been around for millennia. People have been taking drugs for millennia. People are always going to take drugs. Whatever you try to do, you’ll never change that.

Is it too much to ask, as Professor Nutt and his colleagues did, for a bit of joined-up political thinking when it comes to drug policy? Is it too much to ask to expect an evidence-based drug policy rather than one still stuck in the out-dated and just plain unsuccessful idea of the ‘War on Drugs’? I don’t think it is, but clearly Gordon Brown and Alan Johnson still need some convincing.

The biggest mistake ever made with respect to habit-forming drugs was when politicians and governments decided that drugs and addiction were a political and legal problem rather than a medical one. Once this decision had been taken, governments did such a good job of convincing their uninformed publics of the “evils” of certain substances that it has become difficult to turn back the clock.

When scientists and medical experts try to point out problems with prohibition, in other words, when they speak truth to power, they can find themselves in hot water. Look at what happened yesterday in the UK, as reported in the Guardian:

The Government’s drugs tsar was forced to resign last night for stating his view that cannabis, ecstasy and LSD were less harmful than the legal drugs tobacco and alcohol.

The Home Secretary Alan Johnson asked Professor David Nutt to resign as chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), saying he had “lost confidence” in his ability to give impartial advice.

This action by the Home Secretary was despite the fact that Nutt’s advice was both expert and impartial, and thus fulfilled his job description. Furthermore, Professor Nutt’s stance has been backed by numerous experts, drug advisors and politicians.

Nutt, who has apparently never held back much with his “controversial” advice, once “suggested ecstasy, which causes 30 deaths a year, was less dangerous than horse-riding, which causes 100 deaths a year.”

Nor did he go quietly after being asked to resign; he accused “the Government of “misleading” the pubic in its messages about drugs and of “Luddite” tendencies.”

The War on Drugs is almost 40 years old, having been declared by Nixon in 1971. It has been an unmitigated disaster and politicians need to start listening to reason, not acting on gut feelings and ignorance.

Further reading on drugs at Notes: America’s Going Green: Marijuana under Obama

We came across this interesting thread on the BBC website which refers to a lecture given by Professor David Nutt, of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.  Professor Nutt used a lecture at King’s College in London and a briefing paper to attack what he called the “artificial” separation of alcohol and tobacco from illegal drugs, accusing ex-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith of “devaluing” scientific research. He also criticizes the scare-tactics of the U.K government on the issue and claims that the link between cannabis use and schizophrenia is hugely over-exaggerated;  This story has some traction and has been on rotation on both BBC News 24 and British terrestrial television!  It is a blow to the U.K government as Professor Nutt is the new chairman of the Government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs – popularly known as the government’s “Drug Czar”.

Many observers are worried about the contradictory and incoherent nature of the U.K’s current drug policy which clearly hasn’t worked – The U.K has the 3^rd largest cannabis consumption rate in the western world! The Home Secretary has herself admitted to smoking cannabis as a student whilst attending Oxford University – making her a MASSIVE hypocrite – if she had been caught under her own rules, she would never have been able to hold the position of Home Secretary!

I also came across a video on the subject… enjoy!

Heres some links to other relevant articles that we’ve found on the BBC website:
Debate over cannabis classification
Q&A: Cannabis and health
Q&A: Cannabis guidelines

Its also interesting to see what the BBC themselves have to say about cannabis, it’s actually a really good, balanced and informative piece which drew a smile from us all!

We have recently come across this very interesting press release from Professor Peter Walker at the University of Bath (U.K) who is leading the research into the use of hemp-lime in construction.  Buildings and other infrastructure currently accounts for almost 20% of the UK’s eco-footprint.  This is another example of how this wonderful plant can help save reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  Recently we brought you the news that Hanes – one of the worlds biggest consumer brands – has been investing in a new hemp technology called Crailar which requires only a fraction of the water needed to make cotton; and we are very happy to announce that it is the subject of another of our articles, a Dutch company called Hempflax who has won the contract to supply the raw materials to Hanes – i.e. the HEMP!

Here’s the press release:

Houses made of hemp, timber or straw could help combat climate change by reducing the carbon footprint of building construction, according to researchers at the University of Bath.

Currently the construction industry is a major contributor of environmental pollutants, with buildings and other build infrastructure contributing to around 19% of the UK’s eco-footprint.  Researchers at the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials are researching low carbon alternatives to building materials currently used by the construction industry.  Although timber is used as a building material in many parts of the world, historically it is used less in the UK than in other countries. Researchers at the Centre are developing new ways of using timber and other crop-based materials such as hemp, natural fibre composites and straw bales. Their work using straw bales as a building material has already been featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs series.

Professor Peter Walker, Director of the Centre, is leading the research. He said: “The environmental impact of the construction industry is huge. For example, it is estimated that worldwide the manufacture of cement contributes up to ten per cent of all industrial carbon dioxide emissions.  “We are looking at a variety of low carbon building materials including crop-based materials, innovative uses of traditional materials and developing low carbon cements and concretes to reduce impact of new infrastructure. As well as reducing the environmental footprint, many low carbon building materials offer other benefits, including healthier living through higher levels of thermal insulation and regulation of humidity levels.”

Their research is being presented at the Sustainable Energy & the Environment showcase at the University of Bath.  The exhibition will be opened by David Willetts MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities & Skills, and will be attended by industrialists, research councils, local and national government representatives and other key stakeholders from across the South West.  The exhibition coincides with the launch of the Institute for Sustainable Energy & the Environment (I-SEE) at the University of Bath, which will bring together experts from diverse fields of science, engineering, social policy and economics to tackle the problems of climate change.

I  found another article on the subject which can be read here:

Hemp could be used to build carbon-neutral homes of the future to help combat climate change and boost the rural economy, say researchers at the University of Bath.

A consortium, led by the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials based at the University, has embarked on a unique housing project to develop the use of hemp-lime construction materials in the UK.  Hemp-lime is a lightweight composite building material made of fibres from the fast growing plant, bound together using a lime-based adhesive. The hemp plant stores carbon during its growth and this, combined with the low carbon footprint of lime and its very efficient insulating properties, gives the material a ‘better than zero carbon’ footprint.  Professor Pete Walker, Director of the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials, explained: “We will be looking at the feasibility of using hemp-lime in place of traditional materials, so that they can be used widely in the building industry.  “We will be measuring the properties of lime-hemp materials, such as their strength and durability, as well as the energy efficiency of buildings made of these materials.  Using renewable crops to make building materials makes real sense – it only takes an area the size of a rugby pitch four months to grow enough hemp to build a typical three bedroom house.  Growing crops such as hemp (cannabis Sativa) can also provide economic and social benefits to rural economies through new agricultural markets for farmers and associated industries.”

The three year project, worth almost £750,000, will collect vital scientific and engineering data about this new material so that it can be more widely used in the UK for building homes.  The project brings together a team of nine partners, comprising BRE Ltd, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studio architects, Hanson Cement, Hemcore, Lhoist UK, Lime Technology, National Non-Food Crops Centre, University of Bath and Wates Living Space.  As part of the project the University of Bath received a research grant of £391,000 from the Renewable Materials LINK programme run by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Source:  http://www.bath.ac.uk

Heres the link to the article about Hanes investing in Hemp

Here’s a piece I found on Marc Emery on U.S TV – it includes an interview with his wife Jodie Emery and is well worth a watch!

Marc is one of the figureheads of the cannabis legalization movement and his treatment by U.S and Canandian prosecutors who circumvented normal procedure to extradite him from Canada is both contradictory and illegal in our eyes.  Further information can be found at drugwarrant.com

FREE MARC!

The Obama administration announced today that it will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws, under new policy guidelines to be sent to federal prosecutors Monday 19th October. A 3-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states which allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes, and also to top officials at the FBI and the DEA.

According to officials, the memo is designed to give a sense of prosecutorial priorities to U.S. Attorneys in the states that allow medical marijuana. It notes that cannabis sales in the United States are the largest source of money for violent Mexican drug cartels, but adds that federal law enforcement agencies have limited resources – It emphasizes that prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing which cases to pursue, and says it is not a good use of federal manpower to prosecute those who are without a doubt in compliance with state law.

And while the policy memo describes a change in priorities away from prosecuting medical marijuana cases, it does not rule out the possibility that the federal government could still prosecute someone whose activities are allowed under state law. Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state laws. The new policy is a significant departure from the Bush administration, which insisted it would continue to enforce federal anti-pot laws regardless of state codes. Fourteen states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington) currently allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes with more States expected to follow suit in the near future. California remains unique among those for the presence of dispensaries – businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in March that he wanted federal law enforcement officials to pursue those who violate both federal and state law, but it has not been clear how that goal would be put into practice. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss any legal guidance before it is formally issued. Officials were keen to stipulate that the government will still prosecute those who use medical marijuana as a cover for other illegal activity. The memo particularly warns that some suspects may hide old-fashioned drug dealing or other crimes behind a medical marijuana business. In particular, the memo urges prosecutors to pursue marijuana cases which involve violence, the illegal use of firearms, selling pot to minors, money laundering or other crimes. Medical marijuana advocates have been anxious to see exactly how the administration would implement candidate Barack Obama’s repeated promises to change the policy in situations in which state laws allow the use of medical marijuana. Shortly after Obama took office, DEA agents raided four dispensaries in Los Angeles, prompting confusion about the government’s plans.

Source:AP

Just thought we’d share some helpful tips on what NOT to do when growing cannabis:

• 1. Don´t Over water – Over watering kills weed plants. Water once the top few inches of the soil dry out.  Hydroponics is harder to over water because rockwool has such excellent drainage properties. As long as the rockwool cubes are not sitting in liquid it is virtually impossible to over water a hydroponic setup. A hydroponic setup could either be watered constantly as the drip method, or once to three times a day as in the flood and drain method.

• 2. Don´t Tell People – Why? They will only be jealous. People love to feel important and that is why they will tell other people; because others will listen to them. – Keep it to yourself.

• 3. Touch/kill Germinating Seeds – Please have some patience. It sometimes takes 10 days for a seed to sprout. The paper towel method is recommended but be careful  because you must handle the seeds when transferring them from the paper towel to your growing medium. This must be done with extreme care!

• 4. Grow seeds from seeded weed – One of the greatest disappointments known to the growing man.

90% of what the final product will be is in the seed´s genetics and has little to do with the environment the plant is grown in.

Many get their hands on the seed and think they have a gold mine. They will probably grow something like this: hermaphrodites, tall late flowering females coupled with early flowering males. This is because the only pollen that could have produced the seed was from a hermaphrodite or a very stunted and late flowering male the grower did not notice. Unless you are prepared for possible disappointment don´t use “unknown”  cannabis seeds. This is why people buy seeds from seedbanks such as Sensi Seeds, White Label Seeds, Weed Seed Shop or Flying Dutchmen.

• 5. Don´t Over fertilize -Fertilize after first 2 spiked leaves appear follow the label. DON´T FERTILIZE EVERY TIME YOU WATER!!! Start with 25% and work your way up!  Leach the plants with lots of pure water every 2-4 weeks.  If the leaves suddenly twist or fold under, Leach and Spray with pure water for several days!

• 6. Don´t Under fertilize – Under fertilizing is less common but it happens. If you are one of those people that likes to give the plant just enough nutrients make sure you use a organic soil mixture with blood meal and bone meal or some slow release fertilizer with micro nutrients.

• 7. Don´t Start Too Early Outdoors – For several reasons! If you are starting outdoors June 1 is perfect. But if I start earlier I will get bigger buds right? Probably Wrong! Its strange but usually true: Plants started in early spring will get big but they will take significantly longer to start flowering. This is because at the peak vegetative period they sense the light cycles getting longer and longer, until June 21. But they don´t realize that its time to flower yet. Finally in the middle of August the plant says “HEY” “time to flower already” and it produces buds in August and September or later they will be tall as trees but thinner buds due to the fact that the sun is not as strong in September. Now if the ganja plants were put out later, as soon as they get a foot off the ground they say “what´s going on” I am just in early veggie and the light hours aren´t getting longer in fact SHORTER” Then the plants go crazy and since the sun is so bright in July and August you get amazing 6 foot trees that are heavier than the plants started in April!!! in addition to finishing earlier the late started plants are not nearly as noticeable.

Indoors is the same for different reasons. The light cannot penetrate more than a foot or two. So flower when plants are a foot tall. If you wait longer because you want bigger yields, you will get smaller yields and wait longer for them.

• 8. Don´t Start too Late Outdoors – Plants need atleast a few weeks growing time before flowering starts as the summer days get shorter.  Starting too late in the summer will lead to small and/or immature plants by the time the season ends (harvest time)

• 9. Don´t Provide A Bad Environment – Always provide air circulation and fresh air even during the night cycle is fine. All the air indoors should be replaced every 5-10 minutes.  Humidity between 30-70% temp aim for around 75-85´ Even seedlings need a gentle fan to strengthen the stems.

• 10. Don´t Harvest Too Early – We know its hard. You see the buds and resin forming at a rapid rate. The buds are potent and you feel tempted to chop em down! The only problem is that another 25% of the weight will form in 2 more weeks. Wait until the plants have totally stopped growing and the white pistils are at least 50-75% brown.

*NOTE: Outdoors if security is a factor make your own call on when to sacrifice the fields. Also take buds continuously in case of thieves.*

United States Patent US6113940:
Cannabinoid patch and method for cannabis transdermal delivery.

We  found this patent application in the U.S for a cannabis patch similar to the nicotine patch which has been commercially available for years. Several companies (and even the U.S government – see our previous article “U.S Government Patents Cannabis“) have recently started to take notice of the medicinal properties of cannabis and have started a rush to patent any possible application of this wonderful natural herb. Part of this trend could be linked to the legalization movement which has successfully highlighted several medical advantages to cannabis over traditional pharmaceuticals, particularly the lack of significant negative side-effects when treating serious illness.

Here are the links to both the Patent outline and the Application in .pdf form

Le Maroc reste le plus gros producteur mondial de résine cannabis selon un rapport de l’organe international de contrôle des stupéfiants

Le cannabis au Maroc. Le Maroc reste le « plus gros » producteur mondial de résine de cannabis, a indiqué l’Organe international de contrôle des stupéfiants (OICS) dans un rapport daté de 2008, mettant en garde le gouvernement marocain devant « l’ampleur des cultures illicites de cannabis sur son territoire ».

Ce rapport, particulièrement accablant, vient de confirmer (si besoin en était) que le Royaume chérifien, qui tente de donner le change à travers des campagnes ponctuelles et sans lendemain de destructions de quelques plans de cannabis et arrestations d’une poignée de dealers, encourage en sous-main cette forme de financement de différentes activités illicites, et d’enrichissements personnels pour la plupart des officiers supérieurs des Forces royales marocaines et d’éminentes personnalités du Makhzen.

Pour revenir au rapport en question, qui devrait pousser Interpol à regarder de plus près ce qui se passe au Royaume de Sa Majesté Mohamed VI, celui-ci ajoute que « Le Maroc, qui approvisionne les marchés illicites d’Europe occidental et d’Afrique du Nord, reste le plus gros producteur mondial de résine cannabis ». C’est d’ailleurs une des raisons qui pousse Rabat à continuer d’insister pour rouvrir ses frontières avec notre pays. Une bonne partie de la drogue, cultivée à l’est du Royaume, au vu et au su de tous, sous la protection d’officiers marocains qui en tirent de substantiel dividendes, vise le « marché » algérien. Le rapport rappelle au passage qu’ « après des mesures prises par le gouvernement marocain, la production du cannabis au Maroc avait connu un certain recul en 2005, tout comme les superficies cultivées pour s’établir à 76 400 hectares », en se référant aux chiffres de l’Office des Nations unies contre la drogue et le crime (Onudc). Mais en 2007, les saisies de résine et d’herbe de cannabis ont augmenté, connaissant des pics jamais atteints jusque-là.

Source:www.algerie-dz.com

C’est l’histoire d’un petit fermier au États-Unis, au début du siècle dernier, qui faisais pousser, bien tranquille, une nouvelle plante dans ses champs. Cette plante était révolutionnaire au point de vue des fibres solides et durables qu’elle pouvait produire. Elle pouvait facilement remplacer plusieurs matériaux de l’industrie du textile et produire des papiers de très bonne qualité sans les désavantages de la déforestation. De plus, notre fermier n’avait aucune difficulté à la cultiver puisqu’elle pousse très bien dans le climat d’une grande partie de l’Amérique du Nord. Cette plante se nommait le chanvre. Il se trouve, par contre, que certaines industries n’avait pas intérêt à voir cette plante remplacer leur matières premières, c’est-à-dire la source de leurs profits. Cependant, les grandes industries n’avait aucun prétexte pour attaquer le pauvre fermier. Il ne tarda pas avant que ces industries découvre que la famille des plante de cannabis contient quelques spécimens ayant des effets psychotropes. Ayant cette information en main et ayant l’appui de politiciens, ils lancèrent une campagne de terreur contre cette plante. Les résultant furent bien malheureux pour notre fermier et plusieurs autres comme lui à travers le pays. La plante était rendu illégale le demeure encore aujourd’hui aux États-Unis. Par la suite, de nombreux études biaisées, hypothèses sans fondement et un nombre incalculable de mythes ont circulé à propos de cette drogue douce qu’est la marijuana. Souvent associée à la jeunesse et aux mouvements contestataire comme les hippies, elle connu de nombreuses campagnes de salissage. Le film “The Business Behind Getting High” est un documentaire très intéressant qui traite des effets réels du cannabis et des raisons qui le rendent illégal.

Vous pouvez aller le voir en suivant ce lien.

Vous y trouverez plus en détail l’histoire de sa criminalisation et vous pourrez constater la désinformation qui entoure ce sujet.

Texte par J

With this post we want to clarify some of the misconceptions that a lot of people seem to have on skunk.

Firstly, let us point out that Skunk is nothing more then a name for (mostly indica) potent weed. It is NOT some genetically engineered super dangerous new type of weed. (special announcement for the media; did you guys notice the word NOT? )

For your information, the Dutch ska band “Doe maar” made an album called skunk back in 1981! So the term has been around for a while. However, even if it was a new kind of weed.. Will this new super potent weed be somehow more dangerous than the weed smoked 20 years ago? So what if weed is more potent? This only means that you have to smoke less of it.. Isn’t that supposed to be a good thing? And what about hash? Shouldn’t this be even more dangerous? Even in the seventies people smoked hash which is a lot more potent than any skunk you can buy nowadays.

The third argument that the anti-legalization lobby likes to use is that skunk/cannabis use somehow causes schizophrenia? Let’s pretend for a moment that this is proven to be true ( scientists still seem to disagree ) isn’t that all the more reason to have a legal and regulated market for it? What is the worst that can happen? In the Netherlands adults are allowed to buy small amounts of weed and this has worked just fine for the last 20-odd years.

Just to compare the two systems.. 9.7 percent of youngsters (15-24) use cannabis at least once a month in the Netherlands, compared to 15.8 percent in the UK. ( source )

News has reached us that the world-renowned author, activist and marijuana anti-prohibitionist Jack Herer suffered a heart attack this weekend.  Emergency crews were called in as he collapsed in his chair after delivering a fiery speech at the Portland Hempstalk Event at Kelly Point Park. After spending a lengthy amount of time stabilizing Jack at the scene, he was transported to the Emanuel Trauma Center in Portland in critical condition with his son at his side. Soon after that, his family were told that he was the victim of a heart attack, a result of arterial blockage.

Jack is arguably the best-known person in the world on the subject of marijuana; he is an icon of popular culture and his book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” is the largest and first account of the real story of marijuana and the techniques used by big money corporations to demonize and criminalize it.

Jack suffered a stroke a few years ago that had left him somewhat challenged in terms of speaking, but those who heard him speak at the rally on Saturday afternoon noted that his speech was much clearer than it had been in many years.

In an ironic twist, an interview recorded 2 hours before the heart attack with friend Dr. Phillip Leveque of Salem-News.com, hears Jack explaining how he has been feeling better recently, stating: “I’m healthier than I’ve been in ages… in 10 years!”

Last night the doctors put him in an induced coma and lowered his body temperature with ice. They are keeping him this way for 48 more hours. His heart is doing well for now so they think he will be ok soon. Early reports that he underwent angioplasty are unfounded.

There are no equals to Jack Herer; he is a massive inspiration to us all – we have a huge amount of respect for his dedication to the cause; he is an inspirational figure and a genuine trailblazer. We wish Jack all the best and we hope that he makes a full and complete recovery. At this time, our thoughts go out to his son and wonderful wife Jeannie Herer.

Source: www.Salem-News.com

UPDATE (17/09/09): Jack has been taken off of the medications that were keeping him in a state of induced coma. He is not awake yet and the doctors are saying that it may be a few days before …he comes out of the coma. Jack swallowed some fluid into his lung’s during the heart – attack and this caused a minor infection. He is considered stable at this time just in a comatose state.  Good luck Jack – we’re all rooting for you friend!

09 August
Edwin Stratton High Court Case. E. Stratton Challenge’s the Law

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High Court challenge Edwin Stratton
Published: Friday 22 May 2009 12:51 by Gixxer

Tagged as: culture socia

Oct 28th 2009

Edwin Stratton has been granted leave by the High Court to challenge the possesion  of cannabis charges and cultivation of cannabis charges alleged against him. This will take place in the spring of next year -2010.

Congratulations Ed

Professor Quail marks a story that starts in Mexico acted out an arguable law Th legalising willpower of little comes of cannabis, cocain, heroin and former drugs altho boosting free politics handling for drug addiction. The police arrays maximal ‘ain usage’ adds up for drugs, as well admitting lysergic acid diethylamide and methamphetamine. Mass confined with those amounts will no more cheek prosecution when the police comes in set up Fri.” An confirmed in the lawyer general’s agency told, “This isn’t legalisation, this is baffling the egress and affording citizens bigger legal sure thing for a drill that was already in situ.” In 2006, the United States knocked an alike account that had no supplies for mandatory treatment, and the then president aired it back to Congress for rethink.

Voila un petit article que j’ai trouvé sur la loi française en ce qui concerne le cannabis:

Les lois concernant les drogues interdisent le cannabis (mais pas des graines de cannabis) depuis 1925 (Convention de Genève / Convention de l’ONU 1961). Celui-ci a été retiré de la pharmacopée française depuis 1953. Sa prohibition n’a pas évoluée depuis. Son usage, importation, vente, transport et production sont strictement interdits par la loi. Ainsi, le Cannabis, ainsi que ses dérivés à base de cannabinoïdes (naturels ou de synthèse), ne sont pas autorisés pour usage médical en France.

Néanmoins depuis 1999, l’Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé (AFSSPS) a autorité pour délivrer des autorisations nominatives ou de cohorte ATU (Autorisation Temporaire d’Utilisation) pour tous produits de santé. Les ATU concernent les produits de santé qui ne sont pas autorisés sur le marché français. En 2008, les ATU concernant les cannabinoïdes n’ont été délivrées que pour le Marinol® (dronabinol ou THC).

Jugements / Cours:
En mai 1991, la cour administrative de Paris a rejeté la demande du MLC (Mouvement pour la Légalisation Contrôlée) concernant l’importation de 10 kg de cannabis pour le soulagement des douleurs de 10 patients souffrants de maladies incurables. Les arguments du refus étaient l’incompatibilité avec la convention de l’ONU de 1961 et l’impossibilité du MLC de contrôler scientifiquement et administrativement l’usage médical du cannabis.

En septembre 2002, un patient de 50 ans, atteint du SIDA depuis 17 ans, a été condamné à 10 mois de prison avec sursis pour avoir fait pousser 34 plants de cannabis.
En 2002, la cour de Papeete (Tahiti) a acquitté un patient paraplégique de 55 ans. Il avait été inculpé auparavant pour avoir fait pousser 350 plants de cannabis. La cour a basé sont jugement sur l’article 122-7 du code pénal qui spécifie : ” n’est pas coupable une personne qui, face à un danger réel, accompli un acte dans le but se protéger lui-même “.

Réalités:
Depuis 2001 74 ATU nominatives pour le Dronabinol ont été délivrées. Le nombre de ces ATU a doublé de 2001 à 2002. Depuis 2003, il diminue chaque année.

Les ATU pour le Dronabinol ont été délivrées pour les conditions suivantes :
- Douleurs résistantes aux traitements standards (41)
- Affections inflammatoires du système nerveux (12)
- Maladie d’Unverricht-lundborg (8)
- Appétit / nausées (7)
- Syndrome de Tourette (3)
- Dystorie résistante aux traitements standards (8)
- Douleurs Paroxystiques (1)
- Total (74)

20 ATU ont été refusées pour les conditions suivantes :
- Douleurs résistantes aux traitements standards (12)
- Spasticité secondaire due à sclérose multiple (3)
- Para parésie spastique douloureuse (3)
- Appetit / Nausées (1)
- Douleurs chroniques (1)

Depuis 2001, toutes les ATU demandées pour le Sativex® (8) ont été refusées.
Source : acmed.org

After a decade trying to prove that hemp could be soft as cotton, one American company is starting to draw the attention to its product from some of the world’s biggest consumer brands.

Based in Portland, Oregon – Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. – has developed an enzyme treatment which makes organic fibres (principally hemp and flax) suitable for producing clothes and other uses.  This treatment is known as “Crailar Fiber Technology”.  Here’s the information that Naturally Advanced provides about Crailar on their website:

“CRAILAR employs a simple, efficient 100% organic, enzyme bath and scales easily to leverage the global industrial hemp industry. In addition, CRAILAR Organic Fiber will be cost-comparable to organic cotton. Therefore, CRAILAR enables the transformation of hemp into a better sustainable alternative to organic cotton. “

Some of the world’s biggest consumer brands have displayed serious commercial interest in Crailar after a string of successful tests conducted at North Carolina State University which, according to Naturally Advanced CEO, Ken Barker, proved hemp can easily transition away from being a niche consumer fabric.

One of the world’s largest consumer apparel brands -  Hanesbrands Inc. ($4.2 billion in sales ‘08-’09) have just entered into a joint development agreement with Naturally Advanced to retrofit their existing dyeing equipment with the company’s enzyme process to study how its organic fibers can be entered into mainstream production.  Although this is currently just a test, it is just phase one of what is seen as a major move towards the commercialization of hemp.

This news provides further proof that even large companies like Hanes are becoming aware of the potential hemp has and are starting to invest.  One major issue remains; the cost of production.  This is still a major obstacle in hemp becoming more than simply a niche product, but when asked about the deal with Hanesbrands, Ken Barker recently stated that:

“Crailar shrinks far less during production than cotton, the resulting savings could bring its final cost closer to regular cotton than organic cotton, which is 60 percent more expensive than regular cotton.” and that the partnership (with Hanes) serves as “absolute validation that our technology is viable and capable of mainstream apparel production.

While Barker said it’s too early to guess how lucrative the Hanes deal could become, Matt Hall, VP of external communications at Hanesbrands, said that although the idea isn’t to replace cotton, if Crailar can be commercialized, it would mean being able to produce organic fibers for everyday products at competitive prices.

Alongside the deal with Hanes, Naturally Advanced also reached a spinning and trademark licensing deal with Patrick Yarns of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, a maker of industrial yarns, to produce Crailar products for denim, work wear, home furnishings and carpet markets; and a manufacturing agreement with Philadelphia dyehouse G.J. Littlewoods & Son Inc., which will produce the fabric ordered by Patrick Yarns.

In what could be an equally sizable deal, the company in June signed a development deal with Georgia Pacific Consumer Products LP, which makes household paper products such as Brawny paper towels. Barker said he was prohibited from disclosing details of the agreement.

The European leader in the production of industrial hemp fibre is Hempflax, based in Holland.

Source: www.portfolio.com

Here’s the complete press release: Naturally Advanced Technologies and Hanesbrands Inc. Enter Multiphase Joint Development Agreement for Organic-Fiber Commercialization

Nous venons d’apprendre la nouvelle d’une crise cardiaque subie par Jack Herer, auteur de renommée mondiale et activiste pro-cannabis et anti-prohibitionniste après avoir fait un discours passionné lors de l’événement “Portland Hempstalk” au Kelly Point Park aux Etats-Unis.  Les services de secours se sont rapidement rendus sur place et, après l’avoir stabilisé, l’ont transporté, ainsi que son fils, a l’ “Emanuel Trauma Center” à Portland, dans un état critique  Sa famille a peu après déclaré qu’il avait été victime d’une crise cardiaque liée a un blocage artériel.

Jack Herer est indiscutablement l’une des personnes les plus connues au monde quand il s’agit de la marijuana.  C’est une icône de la culture populaire et son livre “The Emperor Wears No Clothes“ est LA référence liée a l’histoire du cannabis et aux techniques employées par les gouvernements des pays développés afin de le demoniser et le criminaliser.

Jack a déjà subi une attaque cérébrale il y a quelques années ce qui avait affecté sa diction.  Cependant, ceux qui l’ont entendu parler samedi après-midi ont noté que sa façon de parler était beaucoup plus claire qu’elle ne l’avait été depuis plusieurs années.

C’est une ironie du sort que lors d’un entretien enregistré avec son ami le Dr. Phillip Leveque de Salem-News.com 2h avant les événements – Jack expliquait qu’il se sentait mieux récemment:  “Je suis plus en forme que je ne l’ai été depuis une éternité… depuis 10 ans!”

Hier soir, les médecins l’ont mis dans un coma artificiel et le garderont dans cet état pendant 48 heures.  L’état de son coeur paraît s’être amélioré et les bruits qui courent, indiquant qu’il devra subir une angioplastie ne sont pas fondées

Jack est un véritable pionnier qui n’a pas son égal; c’est une inspiration pour nous tous et nous avons un grand respect pour son attachement à la cause.  Nous lui offrons tous nos voeux, et espérons pour lui un rétablissement rapide et complet.  Nos pensées vont à son fils et à sa merveilleuse epouse Jeannie Herer.

Source:www.Salem-News.com

Mise à jour 18.09.09: L’on n’administre plus à Jack les médicaments qui le tenaient dans un état de coma artificiel.  Il ne s’est pas encore réveille, et les médecins disent qu’il peut falloir quelques jours avant qu’il sorte du coma.   Jack avait avale du liquide qui s’était installe dans ses poumons pendant qu’il subissait sa crise cardiaque, et ceci a été la cause d’une petite infection.  Actuellement, son état est juge “stable”, mais comateux.   Bon courage, Jack, nous pensons bien a toi!