ESTABLISHED IN AMSTERDAM, 1985

ISSUE 2

2012
18+ For adults only. Soft Secrets is published
six times a year by Discover Publishers USA, Inc.
In This Issue:
A TALE OF TWO
CANNABINOIDS
A British report on THC, CBD and Sativex


27
URBAN FARM
EVOLUTION:
Someday you may be forced to use your
weed-growing skills to feed your family...


5
CANNABIS COMPANIONS
Is your ganja lonely? Introduce it to
some friends...

13
The Medi-Weed
Movement 18
No doubt you have been planning your
celebrations for some time now, and with
the unseasonably warm spring this year,
the 420 events for 2012 promise to be
more enjoyable than ever. Whatever you
do for this international, weed-themed
day of Cannabis celebration and commu-
nity, be certain to make the move from
slacktivism to true activism this year.
Why not get off the sofa, stop posting
pointed comments on various Cannabis
forums and articles, and do something
with your opinion?
You can begin by checking out your local
NORML chapter to see if there are events
in which you can participate, petitions
to sign, green prisoners whose cases
deserve attention, or other locally-ben-
eficial activities that might interest you
(www.norml.org) or write a letter to
your local officials regarding local ballot
measures and other legislation.
If travel is more your style, a slew of
international festivals, expos and gather-
ings will take place on the eponymous
dope day. The vast Soft Secrets family
of publications is proud to be hosting
its first ever Growmed Valencia in Spain
from April 20th to 22nd. A weed fair with
a twist, Growmed promises to offer all
the usual weed-related goodies that you
will typically find at these events, includ-
ing grow equipment, seeds and smoking
paraphernalia. The twist at this new expo
is the addition of a park-style setup, the
Medical Arena. Here you can meet and
interact with doctors and medi-weed
celebrities, as well as experts from uni-
versities, dispensaries, collectives and
medical labs around the world. Know
what you smoke especially if its for
medical purposes.
Our home base of the Netherlands
will also host many local events, typi-
cally organized through forums and
other online Cannabis communities.
The largest and perhaps most attend-
ed gathering is likely to be the Anti-
Weedpass Smoke-Out, occurring from
noon until 5:30 PM. Under the theme
of Puff, Puff... NO PASS! the organizers
plan to announce the location only one
hour in advance, through the website
www.coffeeshopnieuws.nl, perhaps in an
attempt to avoid an early shutdown. The
impending Dutch Wietpas and ban on
Cannabis products above 15% THC is stir-
ring anger among coffeeshop customers,
staff and owners, and so now is likely the
best time to speak up. If you plan to be
in Amsterdam for the week of 4/20, and
if you enjoy the freedom of being able to
visit our famous (and previously non-dis-
criminatory) coffeeshops, be certain to
add your shouts of protest to the cause.
Finally there is the Global Marijuana
March also known as the Million
Marijuana March, Cannabis Liberation
Day, or a variety of other monikers usu-
ally held on the first Saturday of May,
if not on 4/20 itself. Started in 1999,
the March now attracts over 700 coun-
tries with a common message: celebrate
Cannabis culture, end punitive Cannabis
laws, stop the drug war, allow patients
safe access to safe medicine, and free
the green prisoners worldwide. Find
out where the action is happening at
www.millionmarijuanamarch.com.
Its 4/20!
Pot for PMS
and PMDD 7
3
F
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Fruit Spirit is the current result of a never-ending quest for
new flavors that send your taste buds dancing with every
hit of the joint or bong. This Cannabis strain is one of the
sweetest skunks we have come across in our time.
www.royalqueenseeds.nl
Its 4/20! 1 FROM THE EDITOR
Page 3 Girl: Fruit Spirit 3 STRAIN REPORT
Big Low (Automatic) 4 POSTER
Urban Farm Revolution 5 ECO-REPORT
Pot for PMS and PMDD 7 MEDICAL 101
Vita Start 9 PRODUCT FLASH
Ercole 9 PRODUCT FLASH
SHL Strain Lab Awards 10 NOR-CAL TEST LAB
SGL Strain Lab Awards 12 SO-CAL TEST LAB
Cannabis Companions 13 ORGANIC CULTIVATION
Spring Planting and Greenhouses 16 SERIOUS GARDENING
Premier Counter-Culture Expo 17 GLASS COMPETITION
The Medi-Weed Movement 18 LEGISLATION
Wives Tales and Wisdom 20 ORGANIC CULTIVATION
Cannabis and Our Environment 22 HEMP BOTANY
Moroccan Kif 24 ENDANGERED STRAINS
Dutch 15% Rule Revisited 24 MADE IN HOLLAND
Sativex: Phase III 25 CANNABIS MEDICINES
Hys Deli by oz. 25 COMIC
Indica at its best 26 GROW REPORT
A Tale of Two Cannabinoids 27 CANNABIS MEDICINES
Syrian Vacation 29 SMUGGLERS TALES
Jelly Hash 30 DIY
Fruit Spirit 32 POSTER
Flush It Dont Rush It! 33 CULTIVATION 101
Magic Grass 34 MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
Cannabis Cultivation 35 BOOK REVIEW
Marijuana Pest & Disease Control 35 BOOK REVIEW
How Green is the Rif? 36 ECO-REPORT
Caterpillar Confidential 38 ORGANIC CULTIVATION
Passive Hydroponics 40 SERIOUS GARDENING
Simple Water Extraction 42 DIY
A Stoned Selection 43 MUSIC REVIEWS
Cannabis in Russia 44 CULTIVATION ABROAD
Image: Seeds of Life
B
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55
As the worlds population races in ever
greater numbers to our sprawling and
polluted metropolises, the problem of
how best to feed the swelling ranks of
city-dwellers becomes ever more press-
ing. Providing a suitable habitat for the
fruits and vegetables we depend on can
be extremely difficult in an urban setting.
Beyond the high cost of land, local cli-
matic conditions can be greatly altered by
the grow of a city, and can have adverse
effects upon agriculture. But it is a press-
ing issue food prices are currently at
record global highs, and significant num-
bers of the urban poor are facing rising
food insecurity, a problem shared by an
increasing number of nations as the glob-
al recession deepens.
To assist in counteracting this rising inse-
curity, various city farm schemes have
been proposed throughout the world,
and many have been implemented
already. Most major US cities now have
some form of scheme in place; a few of
the very largest conurbations, such as
New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles
and the Bay Area, have seen great suc-
cesses. By redeveloping derelict spaces
and thinking creatively (rooftop vegetable
gardens are a great example), it is possible
to get a lot back from a relatively small
input but despite the many success
stories, we are very far from achieving self-
sufficient cities.
Over the years, the transfer of knowledge
between legal agriculturalists and (large-
ly) illegal cultivators of Cannabis has been
great. The first indoor Cannabis gardeners
were greatly supported by the wealth of
pre-existing knowledge of indoor grow-
ing in general, and due to massive selec-
tion pressures on establishing efficient,
covert and low-impact systems, they and
their descendants have become leaders in
the field. Now their knowledge is proving
valuable to the urban farming industry,
and liaisons between Cannabis growers
and various urban farm initiatives are
becoming more common in some parts
although for obvious reasons remain
largely unpublicized.
The art of producing a high yield from a
limited space, without sacrificing quality,
is without doubt the specialty of the pot
farmer. Sea of Green is a classic example
of a Cannabis cultivation technique that
has been successfully applied to various
other fruiting plants, such as tomatoes,
beans and peas. This technique is suitable
for plants that can be planted very close
together, and will flower and fruit after
very little vegetative time. Examples of
such knowledge transfer in this direction
are few, but Cannabis growers are impor-
tant for other reasons also.
The Cannabis market is worth almost
$120 billion in the US alone, according
to some estimates, and growers are often
among the earliest adopters of new and
experimental techniques, which helps to
encourage further research and develop-
ment and ultimately leads to improved
products. Lighting systems are a good
example: the need to reduce heat, power
consumption, and visibility to law
enforcement meant that LED lighting
technologies were eagerly taken up by
the Cannabis world, even in their earliest
stages of development, helping to reach
our current highly competitive standards.
Now LEDs are the sole lighting source for
many productive commercial enterprises,
including PlantLab, a vertical farm scheme
in Den Bosch, the Netherlands, whose
managers report up to three times the
yield from conventional systems using
their specially-tweaked high-efficiency
LED rigs.
Similarly, hydroponics as a technique
for high-yield, intensive cultivation was
adopted by the earliest indoor growers,
so avidly that the method soon became
inextricably linked to Cannabis. This is
still the case: pioneers of new hydroponic
urban farming schemes have occasion-
ally found their suggestions summarily
rejected by investors on the basis of an
uncomfortably strong perceived associa-
tion. However, ignoring these schemes
may well prove hugely short-sighted, as
they show several signs of being truly
viable options for a sustainable future.
Large vertical farms were proposed as
a potential solution to the food crisis as
early as 1915, and over the last few years
the movement has markedly increased,
particularly since the publication of ecolo-
gist Dickson Despommiers 1999 work,
The Vertical Farm. In Linkoping, Sweden,
construction has just commenced on
what they claim is the worlds first fully-
automated vertical farm concept the
Plantscraper, which functions as a tem-
plate for future projects. Work is due to
be completed by mid-2013. While the
concept of utilizing as much vertical
space as possible is hardly revolutionary
in agricultural circles, the idea of building
specially-designed skyscrapers solely to
grow food is hugely controversial, for vari-
ous reasons.
Critics suggest that the environmental
and financial cost of such projects would
outweigh the benefits, and it is certainly
true that conservative estimates of the
cost of building a 21-story tower are
around the $84 million mark a cost
that could only be borne by the big-
gest agribusinesses (or ironically, some of
the wealthiest Cannabis producers). The
buildings would require supplementary
Kali Mist
ADVANCED LED SYSTEMS AT PLANTLAB IN DEN BOSCH (PLANTLAB)
A BEAUTIFUL JUXTAPOSITION OF THE ORGANIC
AND THE ARTIFICIAL (TIM GONZALEZ)
CANNABIS UNIQUELY PROVIDES A REASON FOR PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED WITH PLANTS,
TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIC CONCEPTS AND APPLY THEM TO GROWING OTHER CROPS
66
lighting, irrigation systems and automat-
ed systems, not to mention the build-
ing materials themselves, which are often
extracted from hugely environmentally-
damaging quarries.
However, supporters of the vertical farm-
ing concept are positive that the cost
to run a properly-designed vertical farm
would be minimal. Using one existing
technology, Verticrop from the UK com-
pany Valcent Technologies, a daily power
usage equivalent to that needed to run a
desktop PC for ten hours can reportedly
yield annual harvests of half a million let-
tuces up to seven times less expensively
than conventional methods. Another
benefit of an enclosed vertical system is
the relative certainty of crops success-
fully reaching maturity; as our cropland
is devastated by the ravages of invasive
monoculture, we are seeing diminishing
harvests. It is possible that investment
in vertical farming schemes will soon be
seen as safer and more appealing than
investing in traditional agriculture alto-
gether, to the objective financier.
In the US, vertical systems are not spring-
ing up as the Despommier school had
hoped. Although much ado was made on
the internet a few years ago over a pro-
posal to erect a $200 million hydroponic
tower in Las Vegas, city authorities denied
the existence of any such plan. However
in Chicago, The Plant has begun con-
struction a former meatpacking ware-
house that by 2015 will have completed
its transformation into a net-zero, off-grid
vertical farm, drawing its power from an
anaerobic digestion system consuming
10,000 tons of food waste a day. The pro-
ject is part-funded by grant money from
the Illinois Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity, and is a gigantic
step in the right direction that could be
quickly repeated by other cities if success-
ful. Some have postulated that an ideal
urban farming environment may even be
better for our species at its current state of
development than more traditional out-
door methods.
For one thing, the systems already in place
to control waste water could ensure that
potentially-harmful runoff is safely con-
tained within the confines of the city,
rather than finding its way to the ground-
water, and properly-treated human waste
could be used as fertilizer. Furthermore,
the proximity of the food supply to the
consumers is hugely important: the num-
ber of food miles clocked up by trans-
porting produce vast distances to the
customer makes a massive contribution
to current levels of emissions, and if food
was produced on the doorsteps of the
60% of the worlds population living in
cities,these food miles could be slashed.
The urban poor could greatly benefit from
a sustainable, secure and low-cost supply
of diverse produce, and the potential for
job creation and adoption of commu-
nity labor- and produce-sharing schemes
could further help to alleviate poverty.
Theoretically, quality of urban life and
environment could be greatly improved.
It is not only the urban environment that
would benefit: creating contained urban
farms would allow pressures on our belea-
guered rural ecosystems to relax greatly,
and they could be allowed to recover. The
benefits of allowing even a small portion
of the 400 million or so acres currently
devoted to cropland in the US to revert
to nature would be huge biodiversity
would have a chance to increase, honey
bee populations could recover, and visual
scars on our landscape would be covered
with new growth.
Although on a much smaller scale, the
vertical systems now being implemented
have been tested and made viable by
Cannabis farmers (among others) over the
last two or three decades. While the scale
of the projects now being proposed is
much larger than those used by Cannabis
cultivators, the concepts are very much
the same. For example, the lighting, air-
flow and irrigation systems likely to be
used would be familiar to any hydroponic
weed grower. A 30-story skyscraper would
comprise various different environments
on individual floors, and the individu-
al floors would operate on a scaled-up
version of the stacked systems available
today. Stacked systems are suitable for
growing a wide variety of crops including
lettuce, micro-greens and mushrooms.
Beyond all consideration of economic
factors, Cannabis uniquely provides a
reason for people to get involved with
plants, to understand the basic concepts
and apply them to growing other crops
when needed, and to rekindle the natu-
ral interest in plant husbandry that so
many urban-dwellers have lost. An excel-
lent example comes from the Farm:Shop
collective in London, England, which has
striven to include community members of
every status almost entirely volunteer-
run, they are regularly paid visits by local
Cannabis growers keen to offer advice,
and are not averse to taking it!
A multitude of durable, well-designed
products is available to assist the urban
gardener. For a minimal outlay, it is pos-
sible to establish a small garden wher-
ever there is space. Simple vertical stack
systems, such as the Hydrostacker or
Vertigro, provide customizable solutions
for all requirements these are easiest to
find online, but any local garden supply
center should have a similar system for
home cultivation projects.
Anyone who has successfully set up a
Cannabis farm will have little problem
figuring out any other type of system,
and the only significant extra knowledge
needed is that of each crops own spe-
cific requirements. Looking at the Old
Farmers Almanac or similar resources will
provide most of the needed information
beyond that, all thats required is a small
amount of time for initial setup and and
even smaller amount every day or two for
maintenance. How much time is needed
depends upon the chosen crops and the
size of the project, so it is advisable to
keep it small and simple at first.
Because of Cannabis, many people who
would never otherwise have any reason to
learn have become experts in the intrica-
cies of plant cultivation, and their exper-
tise is needed. If every Cannabis cultivator
could spare a few hours a week to volunteer
at a local community farm shop, or to find
a spare balcony or rooftop to convert to a
fecund paradise of succulent edible green-
ery, we could collectively make a huge
difference to our communities, as well as
doing our part to shatter the lingering
negative connotations of Cannabusiness.
The future may well consist of skyscrapers
filled to the rafters with an array of deli-
cious crops, but just as important will be
the smaller, local community efforts that
will in time lead to every single member
of urban society being involved.
THE CANNABIS MARKET IS WORTH ALMOST $120 BILLION IN THE US ALONE,
ACCORDING TO SOME ESTIMATES, AND GROWERS ARE OFTEN AMONG THE EARLIEST
ADOPTERS OF NEW AND EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES
A SMALL HYDRO SETUP, IDEAL FOR HERBS (HANDOLIO)
HYDROPONICS IS ADVANCING RAPIDLY (RETRO MODERNS)
ONE OF MANY WAYS TO UTILIZE
VERTICAL SPACE (KANU HAWAII)
BRINGING AGRICULTURE AND
LOCAL YOUTH TOGETHER! (LONDON
PERMACULTURE FLICKR)
7
MEDICAL REPORT
Its no secret that Cannabis is helpful to
myriad illnesses and ailments. These days
much more empirical information is avail-
able, whereas in the past, due to secre-
cy and stigma many relied solely upon
patient testimonies and feedback. What
we may now benefit from is each form of
medical evidence supporting the other,
although the latter is difficult to collate
when the topic is private in nature. One
of the most popular, yet less-discussed,
applications of medical Cannabis is for the
treatment of PMS and PMDD, or premen-
strual dysphoric disorder.
While not all women suffer from PMS
(premenstrual syndrome, also called PMT
or premenstrual tension), it is estimated
that up to eighty-five percent of women
of child-bearing age do experience some
type of physical symptoms during ovula-
tion. PMS, however, refers to a distinct
set of physical and emotional symptoms
that are experienced strictly during the
luteal phase, or post-ovulation, through
the first few days of the menstrual cycle.
These symptoms must be severe enough
to interfere with some aspects of the suf-
ferers life in order to qualify as PMS. Many
women who do endure this syndrome
must deal with outward stresses as well,
due to the typical jokes of the uneducated
and occasionally, even unsympathetic
doctors as well.
There is some truth to the idea that
women will withhold information from
their primary care practitioners due to
shame, taboo or a negative medical his-
tory in dealing with the sensitive subject.
Even today some ladies are hiding great
portions of their medical history, as the
doctors from whom they have attempted
to seek help have suggested that they
toughen up and that its merely some-
thing that all women must endure, with a
sort of get over it attitude. Friends, part-
ners, family members and even co-work-
ers may accuse a woman of exaggerating
her symptoms in order to shirk respon-
sibilities, or worse, to excuse why shes
being such a bitch. Unless you personally
have experienced this set of symptoms,
its best not to generalize; PMS has much
more control over a womans body, mind
and life than she would prefer. Better yet,
offer the lady a big fat joint or space cake
it might just make her feel better. In fact,
it almost definitely will.
The typical physical problems associat-
ed with PMS, such as bloating and pain
(sometimes all over the body) are easily
assuaged with the correct strain of weed,
or particular preparation. Smoking is, of
course, not good for anyone, but if you
dont own a vaporizer and are not particu-
larly handy with DIY, then its better than
nothing. Smoking Cannabis delivers an
almost instantaneous therapeutic effect,
although a vaporizer is more efficient
with regards to cannabinoid delivery and
stretching your moneys value. Inhaled
cannabinoids are quickly able to assimi-
late and be picked up by the bodys endo-
cannabinoid system, whereas edibles take
considerably longer to become effective.
Chances are good that each particular
female will find benefits from different
strains and varying forms of Cannabis;
however, for most women, indicas aid
in muscle relaxation and other physical
complaints and sativas help with the pain,
nausea and emotional aspects. A nice
haze joint can help to balance the mood
disruption experienced by PMS sufferers:
tension, irritability or unhappiness melt
away with a few good sativa hits. The abil-
ity to control ones mood at this time is at
a high premium.
Inhaled cannabinoids will likely aid symp-
toms such as nausea and severe cramp-
ing; consuming a medible requires con-
siderably longer to take effect so there
is no immediate relief, and eating baked
goods and the like may not be possible
or practical in cases of extreme nausea,
for example. Drinking Cannabis tea would
present a good substitute for actually eat-
ing something containing canna-butter,
hash or weed-infused cooking oil, but
again, it depends on the person and her
symptoms. Occasionally even the tea can
cause stomach upset not the best side-
effect for someone already experiencing
digestive problems.
Some females do experience relief from
bloating after drinking Cannabis tea,
although it should be noted that a few of
them had flavored it with peppermint tea,
another known stomach-soother. The tea
and other food/ beverage products have
also been lauded for providing relief for
the typical backache associated with PMS.
This begins quite low in the back mus-
THE SHARP EDGE OF SEVERE WOMENS WOES IS DULLED BY THE WONDERFUL WEED...
Pot for PMS and PMDD
Sativa Diva
HERBAL MEDICINE WITH NO HARSH SIDE EFFECTS
8
cles, radiating around the sides and up
through the rib area. Ingested Cannabis
provides a slower release than smoking
usually does, allowing a patient to go for
longer between doses. Regardless of the
strain used to make the tea, cake, butter,
etc. it seems that most people experience
a sedated, sleepy effect when Cannabis is
digested.
This effect also aids in the tension, cramps
and digestive problems that accompany
PMS, even allowing sufferers to acquire
much lengthier and higher-quality nights
of sleep. In turn, it is therefore easier for
women to combat the headaches, mood
swings and general exhaustion that PMS
causes, leading to higher functionality
and a heightened ability to simply deal
with this disruptive week each month.
These days the dispensaries are able to
provide tinctures, oils, various forms of
hash, edibles, etc., as well as advice for
each patient. Its possible to experiment
to see what works best for you, especially
considering that most womens symp-
toms while presenting some semblance
of a pattern can occasionally change
from month to month. What helps for
one cycle might not be as effective for
the next.
For an unfortunate percentage of women,
PMS takes on a more sinister tone, pre-
senting as PMDD. The word dysphoric in
the title suggests the emotionally devas-
tating nature of this disorder, defined as
the opposite of euphoria. Studies suggest
that between three- and eight percent
of women find themselves distressed by
this every month, but due to the arbitrary
diagnostic standards experts suggest that
as high as eighteen percent of menstruat-
ing women in the US are actually experi-
encing PMDD. This disorder is effectively
disabling for many women, sometimes
making it even more difficult to accurately
diagnose and treat.
Extreme anger, depression and anxiety
propel PMDD sufferers out of the range of
mere PMS. The emotional aspect is often
crippling, disturbing personal relation-
ships and even affecting a womans ability
to maintain her job or career. Symptoms
typically last from ovulation all the way
through several days of the menstrual
cycle. The typical physical symptoms asso-
ciated with PMS are experienced at a dis-
tressing level for PMDD patients, includ-
ing extreme bloating, heart palpitations,
weight gain, severe abdominal cramps,
constipation and other digestive disrup-
tions sometimes even leading to a dys-
morphic body image.
Although the exact cause of PMDD is
still baffling scientists, studies suggest
that it is related to a lack of serotonin,
explaining not only the extreme emo-
tional disruption that results, but also
why Cannabis is effective in treating its
symptoms. The human endocannabinoid
system is designed to accept and respond
to cannabinoids, herbal- or otherwise.
The happy and high response that most
patients experience when consuming
sativas and hazes perfectly lends itself to
evening out the emotional mayhem expe-
rienced by those with PMDD.
One of the worst things about this disor-
der is the fact that it does follow a cycli-
cal pattern; as with PMS, the symptoms
may worsen or lessen each subsequent
month, but the knowledge that this hor-
mone-wrenching ailment will be there,
waiting every few weeks is enough to
make many patients despair. There is an
absolute loss of control over ones emo-
tions, fears and reactions, actually inca-
pacitating some sufferers. It is here that
the mood-dominant aspects of Cannabis
use are particularly helpful; as with some
nerve pain patients, medi-weed is the
only drug that works. An affected mood
tends to dominate with PMDD, and some-
times getting a little too high can even
block out the depression experienced.
The major difference between PMS and
PMDD is severity: both ailments carry
a certain amount of both physical and
emotional upheaval, but PMDD reaches
the point of crippling its sufferers. The
physical aspects of pain and swelling
may be alleviated with combinations of
inhaled or ingested or even topical
Cannabis preparations, again with the
indicas treating the muscle-related com-
plaints. Insomnia, anxiety and anger may
be assuaged by the indicas; however one
should note that depression is often exac-
erbated by these relaxing strains. Chronic
fatigue, tension and anxiety, difficulty
concentrating and even a diminished
sex drive may be evened out with a
good sativa strain.
Of course its best to consult a doctor
or other medical professional before
embarking upon a journey of self-med-
ication; the list of symptoms below is
used as a current diagnostic guide, with
PMDD sufferers classed as experiencing
five or more of these during and slightly
after the luteal phase not before. Again,
its best to ask questions at each dispen-
sary before you purchase any medicine.
What works for one person might not be
the best for you, so buy small quantities
at first and ask absolutely anything you
need to know. Perhaps the two most
dangerous of the symptoms listed are
suicidal ideation and uncontrollable
anger, both of which should be dealt
with on a professional level.
PMDD, Emotional Symptoms:
Despair, Deep Sadness, or Suicidal
Ideation
Increased Anxiety or Tension
Intense Sensitivity to Rejection or
Criticism
Rapid and Severe Mood Swings,
Uncontrollable Crying Bouts
Binge Eating or Extreme Food
Cravings
Chronic Fatigue
Insomnia or Hypersomnia
Extreme Irritability or Anger
Difficulty Concentrating
Apathy or General Disinterest
Severe Changes in Sex Drive
Increased Need for Emotional
Closeness
PMDD, Physical Symptoms:
Headaches
Joint and/ or Muscle Pain
Facial Swelling
Heart Palpitations
Breast Tenderness or Swelling
Bloating and/ or Weight Gain, Actual
or Perceived
On a final note, it should also be men-
tioned that some PMS and PMDD patients
are combining their Cannabis therapy
with hemp seed oil added to their diets.
Hemp oil capsules are perhaps the easi-
est way to receive the benefits of omega
acids, vitamins and proteins or the actu-
al hemp nuts themselves may be incor-
porated into your daily menu simply by
adding them to a smoothie, salad or even
a grilled-cheese sandwich. Hemp seed
oil can clear up acne-prone skin, eventu-
ally lessen the severity of some menstrual
cramps, and even acts as a mood stabilizer
which is important when you feel so
completely out of control or depressed.
Due to this being such a sensitive and
personal subject, and the frequency with
which women are accused of faking it
or exaggerating, its no wonder that this
disorder goes so under-diagnosed. While
self-medication is not always recom-
mended, surely its better to secretly toke
up than to suffer in silence.
THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PMS AND PMDD IS SEVERITY: BOTH AILMENTS
CARRY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BOTH PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL UPHEAVAL, BUT PMDD
REACHES THE POINT OF CRIPPLING ITS SUFFERERS
CANNABIS TINCTURES WERE
ONCE PROLIFIC (COURTESY
WIKIMEDIA.ORG)
OTHER FORMS MAY BE CONSUMED, SUCH AS
CANNA-BUTTER (COURTESY BORGQUEEN)
9
PRODUCT FLASH
9
VITA START BY PLAGRON
Vitamin spray for seedlings, cuttings and mother plants
A strong and healthy plant that delivers a great yield: isnt that what we all want? Plagron offers an innova-
tive vitamin spray that guarantees an excellent cultivation. Vita Start is not just a vitality product but also
a growth stimulator.
Vita Start contains a carefully balanced combination of organic enzymes, trace elements and growth stimu-
lators. These protect the plant against negative external influences and ensure a greater yield. Vita Start
enables the plant to absorb the available nutrients better and use them more effectively.
Broad effect
Vita Start can be used for seedlings, cuttings and mother plants in the growth phase. Vita Start has a very
broad effect. It ensures a comprehensive and strong root system, improved resistance, accelerated absorp-
tion of nutrients, faster cell division and more branching and sprouting. The time of application determines
the exact effect on the plant. For a greater fruit yield use Vita Start in the second and third week of the
flowering phase.
Only a small amount needed
Vita Start enables the plant to absorb the available nutrients more effectively and deeply and eliminates
the risk of over-fertilization and malnutrition. Spray Vita Start on the leaves of the plant. The product is
highly concentrated so you only need one ml per liter of water. Vita Start is available in packs of 100 ml,
250 ml, 500 ml and one liter.
For further information or in the case of any questions please dont hesitate to contact us via servicedesk@
plagron.com or visit www.plagron.com. You can also download our new catalog from this website.
servicedesk@plagron.com
www.plagron.com
ERCOLE
Nuova Pasquini and Bini SPA is proud to introduce the
innovative ERCOLE pot system.
After an initial trial period, in which a great many samples
were sent to clients for them to trial and report back their
findings, it proved to be a huge success.
The ERCOLE pot is designed to prevent root spiraling
and bring a high level of air to the root zone. This in turn
reduces the production time as the plants root much
faster in the ERCOLE pot than they do in conventional
nursery stock pots.
To achieve the very best results from the ERCOLE pot sys-
tem, use a potting soil with good levels of coir fiber and
pine bark. These two products give improved water man-
agement and give high levels of air into the root zone.
A wise choice of potting soil combined with the ERCOLE
pot system make both good horticultural and financial
sense in these difficult trading times.
Nuova Pasquini e Bini S.p.A
Loc. Tei Zona Industriale La Galeotta
55011 Altopascio (LU) ITALY
Tel: 0039 0583/264656 Fax 0039 0583/269115
info@pasquiniebini.it
www.pasquiniebini.it
DOWNLOAD AND READ YOUR FREE COPY ONLINE
WWW. SOFTSECRETS. NL
N
EW
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IM
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ED

W
EBSITE
10
NORCAL TEST LAB
10
SHL Strain Lab Awards
In the increasingly competitive California
Medical Cannabis system, patients are
privy to thousands of unique stains.
Many patients find inconsistencies in
the medicine from grower to grower
or even batch to batch. This is why lab
testing is crucial to guarantee a consist-
ent product. Dispensaries like San Joses
Harborside Health Center screen every
batch of flower and concentrate using
our QuantaCann technology and Steep
Hill Laboratory services. Harborside
Health Center takes it one step further
by selectively branding the best produc-
ers and allowing the patients to identify
their work by name. This April we have
chosen to highlight the some of the
most sought-after strains branded by the
some of the best producers and breed-
ers. This branding, along with lab testing,
gives patients consistency of product
and peace of mind.
Wilson Linker
Strain GC Model 9 THC HPLC Model THCA HPLC Model 9 THC
Delta559s BoggleGum 17.3 20.3 3.3
French Laundrys Ingrid H
2
0
Concentrate
49.8 55 10.4
Sovereigns The Pure 22.1 24.9 3.9
Chem Dawg D H
2
0
Concentrate
46 45.5 7.5
Kens Granddaddy Purple 15.4 19.8 1.2
Chems Sister 19.8 24.3 3.5
KENS GRANDDADDY PURPLE
SOVEREIGNS THE PURE
DELTA559S BOGGLEGUM
FRENCH LAUNDRYS INGRID
H
2
0 CONCENTRATE
CHEM DAWG D H
2
0 CONCENTRATE
CHEMS SISTER
Harborside San Jose QuantaCann Results
12 12
SOCAL TEST LAB
SGL Strain Lab Awards
HIGHEST THC THC: 26.17%, CBD: 0.68%, CBN: 0.70%
GODFATHER OG I: HOLISTIC MEDS RX
Get ready for a knock your socks off, head in the clouds kind of high after you
smoke this pure gem of a flower from Holistic Meds Rx. Godfather OG is hands-
down one of the heaviest hitters to come around in a long time. Clocking in at
26.17% THC, 0.68% CBD and 0.70% CBN, do not expect to be getting off the couch
any time soon after smoking a bowl of this amazing bud.
HIGHEST CBD THC: 16.23%, CBD: 0.72%, CBN: 0.10%
STRAWBERRY COUGH X PURPLE URKLE H:
CANTO DIEM
Anxiety and pain sufferers look no further for that perfect midday smoking break
bud. Canto Diem has provided you with an ideal flower entitled Strawberry Cough x
Purple Urkle. With a hypnotic blend of sativa mind buzz and indica body high, it is no
surprise that this bud is at the top of the CBD charts with a hefty 0.72%. This strain
will leave you feeling relaxed and ready to go for hours.
MOST CRYSTALLIZED THC: 21.20%, CBD: 0.37%, CBN: 0.14%
RASPBERRY KUSH I: DELTA 9
Looking for that perfect end of day, ease into a mellow night kind of bud? Look no
further than Delta 9s Raspberry Kush. The amount of crystals on this fuzzy flower
will quickly put anyones racing mind and body at ease after a long day of work or
school. This bud will keep you clear headed enough to clean up that mess from the
night before, and still have enough energy to make yourself some dinner.
DEEPEST PURPLE THC: 18.05%, CBD: 0.53%, CBN: 0.14%
DARTH VADER KUSH I: FONTANA
DISCOUNT COLLECTIVE
The force will definitely be with you after you smoke even a small amount of this
stellar bud from Fontana Discount Collective. This is the flower that will ironically
take you away from the dark side, making all of your pain, nausea, and anxiety
seem light years away. Deep purple leaves are intertwined with golden hairs to
make up this impressive looking bud. Things may have turned out differently in a
galaxy far, far away if everyone had just gotten together and smoked a bowl of this.
RISE & SHINE THC: 21.14%, CBD: 0.44%, CBN: 0.35%
HANGOVER S: SHERMAN OAKS HOLISTIC OASIS
If there is one thing that this bud knows how to treat, its a hangover. Sherman Oaks
Holistic Oasis has provided us with this monster of a wake and bake sativa. Coming
in at 0.44% CBD and 0.35% CBN, after a few puffs of this youll be (almost) as good
as new! Like a steaming cup of black coffee to the brain, your mind is instantly made
clear for the day, while stress and nausea are made into a thing of the past.
13
ORGANIC CULTIVATION
13
With spring comes the much anticipated
and thrilling feeling of unlimited potential
when it comes to benefiting from these
natural forces and converting them into
a great, green, lush garden of plants. Be it
on your windowsill, your balcony or roof,
your garden (for the lucky ones) or the
more discreet great outdoors itself (for the
slightly less lucky ones), these locations
are rich in potential to give you the best
results you could possibly imagine.

In these days of hydro-focused cultivation
methods, striving for the highest yield and
the strongest THC production, it seems as
if the simplicity linked to using Mother
Earth is fading away. Yet, one only needs
to travel to those warmer, more southern
latitudes to get a true reality check.
During my latest travels to Spain, I was
lucky enough to meet many outdoor
growers who not only were some of
the most open people I met during my
stay, but also readily admitted to the fact
that the incredibly resinous and fragrant
results they showed me were due to not
much more than patience and a bit of
TLC... they all simply let the seasons guide
their plants into 12-foot, heavily laden
monsters. Admittedly the plants diet also
had a little something to do with it as well,
but it got me to thinking: if they can do it,
then so can I!
Whereas the climate I reside in does not
benefit from the same outrageously ideal
conditions, the choice of the right strain
and the proper preparations should guar-
antee a delicious and 100% bio-organic
result certain to keep me happily stocked
for those colder months of the year.
Furthermore, it would mean that I would
not have to resort to the energy-hungry
indoor methods so liable to get me into
trouble because of those infuriating laws
in place at the moment. The challenge
remains, however: how can I achieve simi-
lar results to what my Spanish friends so
effortlessly seem to, and this as naturally
as possible? What tools can I rely upon to
get the best of those small, tiger-striped
seeds just waiting to wake?
Choosing the right strain is the first step,
of course. It is no use fantasizing about
those beautiful, stretchy and fruity sativas,
given the limited amount of time the
plants will have when the light conditions
trigger them to flower, come the end
of summer. The best chances at a more
northern latitude come with the more
compact and resistant indica strains, but
there are also several strong hybrids that
might pull it off a good compromise
if looking for that headier high some of
them are able to offer! Given the relative
ambient humidity, mold-resistant strains
will also provide a definite advantage in
case things were to turn rough.
The second step is figuring out where
best to place your pride and joy, focusing
on allowing it access to as much sunlight
as possible. Believe it or not, exposure
was one of the biggest selection criteria
for me when I was last searching for an
apartment. Needless to say that when the
exposure was to the north, I would nicely
yet firmly guide my girlfriend towards
other options, obviously better suited
to her needs... catch my drift? The ideal
exposure when thinking green is south
but, depending on the setup of your loca-
tion, be sure to maximize the plants light
exposure and be wary of artificial lights.
Ive known many who turned out to have
endlessly growing plants because of the
street lights located a couple feet away.
Then comes the soil. If unable to plant in
the ground, some will have to resort to
using a pot. Others will justifiably favor
doing the latter, as it will allow them to
move their plant if ever the weather were
to take a turn for the worse. I person-
ally prefer placing them in the ground,
though this does entail a bit of work when
it comes to preparing the soil itself. As it
happens, the soil I have is not particularly
rich, meaning that I have to prepare it by
digging up a proper-sized hole and refill-
ing it with a rich mix of nicely-aerated and
fertilized soil. This is a tedious yet satisfy-
ing job, given that you then know you
have given your plant the best conditions
possible to establish itself and thrive.
Most people would leave it at that guid-
ing the plant as it grows, hoping for the
seasons to remain stable and for pests and
disease to stay away. I used to employ this
approach. It was one day, reading through
a horticulture magazine, that I came
across the strangest of articles discuss-
ing the interrelationship that happened
between plants of different species while
they grew, something called companion
planting. The purpose is to combine an
array of plants that will help each other
by stimulating the growth and yield of a
plant, repelling and/or attracting differ-
ent kinds of harmful or beneficial insects.
Basically, this technique aims at maximiz-
ing every kind of beneficial stimuli, while
efficiently repelling or at least discourag-
ing harmful pests.
Of course, simply planting all the plants
and hoping for the best is a little too
optimistic. The interrelations between the
Cannabis plant and other types are still
relatively unknown, and trial and error
is the best way forward from this point.
However, here are a couple of plants
whose benefits seem quite obvious.
ALFALFA: Needing only a little rain water
to survive, these small plants arent only
a fantastic addition to any salad, their
roots also go deep, oxygenating and
fixing the soil with nitrogen, while also
accumulating other minerals (includ-
ing iron, magnesium, phosphorous and
potassium). It is a resistant plant thanks
to its elongated taproot and has proven
beneficial to just about any soil. To give
you some idea, it has been known to
survive in clay as well as in rocks one
hell of a survivor plant.
ANISE: Most famous for the drinks one
can derive from it, and generally very
appreciated by the French in the warm
summer months, anise is a licorice-fla-
vored herb that is quite attractive to pred-
atory wasps, who in turn prey on aphids.
It has been said to improve the vigor of
any plants growing near it and to work
well when grown together with coriander,
another quite beneficial addition to your
garden, which we will cover also.
Cannabis Companions
MOTHER NATURE AT HER BEST
Winter, slumbering in the open air, wears on its smiling face a
dream... of spring. - Phil Connors, Groundhog Day
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have once again gone full circle and
are now finally approaching the season in which life itself seems
to erupt from the but recently frozen ground, the season in which
the sun seems to regain its energy to flood the world with its life-
stimulating rays. Spring is back! Buddy Kush
14
BASIL: This delicious smelling and tasting
plant is easy to grow and particularly use-
ful in improving the growth and flavor of
its neighboring plants (usually known for
its beneficial effects on tomatoes). More
than this, spider mites tend to favor it
above Cannabis. Keeping a close eye on
your basil plant can allow you to antici-
pate any attack from the all-mitey enemy
on your other plants.
BORAGE: This is a very interesting one, as
this plant is believed to have a direct, posi-
tive impact on its neighbors by increas-
ing their resistance to pests and disease.
Additionally, you can eat its flowers, there-
fore adding the pleasurable to the useful.
BUCKWHEAT: This plant has very shallow
roots and may be an interesting cover
crop to experiment with, since it is known
to accumulate calcium in the soil. It pro-
duces small white blossoms, which prove
to be attractive to insects that help con-
trol aphids, mites and other pests.
CHAMOMILE: Now here is an interesting
one. The more I read about it, the less I
understand why I have not been using it
sooner to enhance my plants productivity.
Known as the plant doctor, chamomile is
thought to help other plants by stimulat-
ing them to grow in a healthier and faster
and, fascinatingly, to be particularly effi-
cient when growing plants that produce
essential oils... I think you will agree that
this is definitely worth a try! As an added
bonus, it is also a repellent to certain pests.
CHIVES: These well known plants have
quite a reputation at helping to keep
aphids away and for preventing downy-
and powdery mildew when used as a tea.
Easy to cultivate and with many varieties
to choose from, they are quite a no-brain-
er when it comes to outdoor cultivation.
COMFREY: An ever-present plant along
the roads of Holland, this plant can be
turned into an exceptionally rich tea for
your plants. An easy and inexpensive
source of nutrition!
CORIANDER: This herb (though not the
easiest to grow from personal experience)
is known to repel aphids as well as spider
mites. Used in the form of a tea, this can
be sprayed onto your plants to help repel
the latter and is a great companion to
anise as well.
DILL: This is a plant with which many are
already familiar regarding fighting aphids.
It apparently also affects spider mites,
although more testing is needed to vali-
date this theory.
GARLIC: Who can really say that they enjoy
the smell of garlic? Well, neither do aphids!
By planting garlic plants in the proximity
of your ganja garden, you will be sure to
create an environment few of them will be
willing to stand. Concentrating garlic in the
form of a spray will also allow you to fight
against them, together with other pests
(such as white flies and fungus gnats) and
this from relatively low concentrations.
LAVENDER: A popular plant to grow
because of its resilience and fragrance, the
lavender plant is also an efficient way to
repel certain pests, including white flies.
MINT: Efficient against insects, you have
to be slightly careful as it tends to spread
itself quite quickly.
NETTLES: Easy to find just about any-
where, nettles can be allowed to rot, and
then transformed into plant feed with
amazing results as long as you can
withstand the smell, of course.
PYRETHRUM: You have probably already
come across products resulting from
those pretty little flowers. Used as a pow-
der or a spray, it has proven to be an
efficient and organic solution to pests
including spider mites, aphids and white
flies. This is not a particularly easy plant
to grow but the rewards may be worth
the cost.
TARRAGON: This is one of the biggest
surprises encountered while studying
companion planting. It appears that
many pests have a particular dislike of
the tarragon plant, which makes it an
ideal candidate to spread through your
garden.
Companion planting with Cannabis
seems obvious once you start to think
about it, but while researching the sub-
ject it was surprising to find that there is
little real data covering the topic some
experiments here and there, but nothing
extensive. So, more than a theoretical
piece, I hope that the information in this
article will encourage you to test this for
yourself and to share the results in order
to help enrich our common knowledge
of outdoor Cannabis cultivation. Most
importantly, you can link your love of
Cannabis to the development of a well-
balanced and productive garden. Enjoy!
BORAGE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE A DIRECT, POSITIVE IMPACT ON ITS
NEIGHBORS BY INCREASING THEIR RESISTANCE TO PESTS AND DISEASE
CHIVES HAVE QUITE A REPUTATION AT HELPING TO KEEP APHIDS AWAY AND FOR
PREVENTING DOWNY- AND POWDERY MILDEW WHEN USED AS A TEA
16
GREENHOUSE 101
The Spring Equinox for the Northern
Hemisphere is around March 20
th
, when
both the days and nights are about 12
hours long. The nights then get pro-
gressively longer until around June 21
st

when, for much of the United States,
the days reach approximately 14.5 hours
long. After that, they get shorter again
until the Autumn Equinox, when the
days and nights are again 12 hours each.
Since Cannabis plants set out under
12/12 lighting will flower, outdoor gar-
deners (unless looking for a quick spring
crop) wait until mid-April or May to set
out their plants, outdoor conditions per-
mitting. Even when outdoor conditions
arent ideal, the growing season can
often be started with the use of cloch-
es, hoop houses, cold frames, hotboxes,
greenhouses or hothouses.
Sunlight is comprised of a wide range of
electromagnetic radiation. Plants make
use of both visible light (for photosyn-
thesis) and infrared (heat). Full summer
sunlight has approximately 400 to 450
watts of visible light, and over 500 watts
of infrared energy per square meter. In
comparison, a 400-watt HPS light is about
20% efficient for visible light, so it would
take five to six per square meter to get
the equivalent visible light, and there
would be a huge excess of infrared. Even
the mighty 1,000-watt HIDs would need
two or three per square meter to bring
the same light indoors. Outdoor gardens
enjoy free light and heat, which can great-
ly reduce the expense in the cost of grow-
ing your smoke.
By capturing and storing available heat,
growing seasons can be extended
even if outdoor temperatures are below
a plants tolerance. One simple way to
trap the heat from the sun is to paint an
object black. A black object will absorb
more infrared radiation than a white
object will. White will reflect much of
the heat (and light), and thus stay cooler
in comparison. Sunlight striking a black
surface will release its infrared radiation
into the surface, warming it and its con-
tents. Soil solarization uses this principle
to raise soil temperatures high enough
to kill most weed seeds and other patho-
gens. Black sheets of plastic are used to
cover soil under summer sunlight. The
sunlight heats the plastic, and the air
trapped under it, bringing temperatures
high enough to kill most seeds and many
harmful disease spores.
While black is an ideal color for collect-
ing and storing solar heat, it is opaque
to (blocks) visible light. Covering a plant
with a sheet of black plastic would help
keep it warm, but the plant would die
from lack of visible light. Since plants need
both visible light and infrared radiation to
survive, the material covering the plants
should not only be at least semi opaque
to infrared light, but transparent to visible
light. If an elevated transparent material is
used, the amount of heat that is collected
and trapped is reduced, but the visible
light that plants need to grow can pass
though. This is why glass, plastic sheeting,
and other clear materials are used when
trapping solar radiation for plants.
As long as the structure absorbs heat
faster than it loses heat, it will enjoy a net
gain, and internal temperature will rise.
In this way, the structure can absorb heat
during the day, and release it during the
cold hours of night. The smaller the area
covered, the less-buffered temperature
fluctuations are. A small object heated by
the sun will cool faster than a large object
heated by the sun, due to the difference in
mass. So cloches will not store heat as well
overnight as a full greenhouse will.
Small cloches can help protect small
spring seedlings. Originally made of glass;
these bell shaped domes were placed on
seedlings to protect them. Today, most
cloches are made of plastic. To make an
inexpensive cloche for a single seedling,
cut the bottom off of a two-liter clear plas-
tic soda bottle, and use to cover. Careful
use of a hot soldering iron can make neat
holes in the sides. This can help protect
the tender sprout from the elements, and
the cloche will help keep it warm and
humid inside.
A larger cloche can be made for a sec-
tion of the garden by building a simple
frame, and covering it with transparent
poly sheeting. This style of cloche is often
homemade, using a simple wooden or
PVC frame. Hoop houses are a common
style of large cloche, and can be made
at home. To make a hoop house wooden
boards or PVC are bent into D shapes,
and then raised into place and attached
to each other. This frame is used to hold
an outer transparent layer of sheeting.
Southern or southeastern exposures are
well suited for taking advantage of solar
heat and light collection. When larger
cloches cover entire rows of plants, they
are known as high tunnels or row covers.
A small, rigid-framed structure that uses
this same principle is a cold frame. A
sturdier and more permanent version of
a cloche, cold frames are usually wooden-
sided boxes with transparent tops. Light
passes through to the plants, but some
of the heat is trapped inside. Cold frames
can be used to start seedlings before
transplanting outside, or used as a stag-
ing area for indoor grown plants to help
them harden off. By placing indoor grown
plants into a protected cold frame, envi-
ronmental changes can be introduced in
steps, reducing the likelihood of shock.
A greenhouse is a larger, clear-walled ver-
sion of a cold frame. A greenhouse that
functions well enough to maintain grow-
ing temperatures in winter months, either
through efficiency or additional heat
sources, is known as a hothouse. Winter
Cannabis gardens often are either started
indoors and moved out to the green-
house for flowering, or additional lights
are used to prevent flowering while plants
grow vegetatively in the greenhouse.
An advantage to greenhouses is that
not only can they be used to warm
plants in cooler months, they can be
cooled to reduce internal temperatures
in summer. Greenhouses often have
windows that can be opened to release
excess heat in the summer, and some-
times fans are added for greater control.
Greenhouses can range in size from
a handful of feet to huge commercial
warehouse-sized structures.
Fear of theft or discovery prevents many
gardeners from taking advantage of natu-
ral sunlight in their gardens, but for those
fortunate enough to be able to use it, sim-
ple greenhouse technology can provide
plants in less-than-ideal environments a
way to make use of the sun.
Peace, love and puka shells,
Grubbycup
Spring Planting and Greenhouses
Grubbycup
BY CAPTURING AND STORING AVAILABLE HEAT, GROWING SEASONS CAN BE
EXTENDED EVEN IF OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW A PLANTS TOLERANCE
SINGLE PLANTS MAY BE PROTECTED
BY PLASTIC SODA BOTTLES
ALLOW YOUR BABIES TO BREATHE!
17
FESTIVALS & EXPOS
The Contemporary Hand-Crafted
American Made Products Show (CHAMPS)
brings in the most amazing technical,
scientific and artistic glass blowers the
United States has to offer, as well as one-
stop shopping for anyone who has the
desire to open up a smoke shop or sell
to one. There are vendors here selling
clothes, like Shop Therapys collection
ranging from sexy, India-inspired hippie
dresses to the cute hand-knit animal hats
with arms for neck warmers. Under this
same roof you also have modern clothing
with brands like Seedless, always there to
represent, and new \comers, such as Mary
Jane Smokewears sweet designs.
Over these years I have seen small dis-
tributors grow from a few hundred prod-
ucts to thousands. Glow Industries is one
such example. They went from a small
selection of door beads, tapestries and
Nag Champa to a full spectrum of choices,
from high tech state of the art Vape-or-
Smoke hand pipes to detox drinks. To
top it off they had an open bar party for
buyers at the Wynns Tryst, with some
deliciously under-dressed go-go dancers.
This was not the only party happening
for these lucky, lucky buyers and vendors.
The Glass Gripper threw down with a DJ
Crime/ Los Marijuanos extravaganza at
the Palms Las Vegas Hardwood Suite. And
Mary Janes Herbals were dabbing us into
the stratosphere at the Hard Rock. Its a
good thing this trade show does not start
until 11AM every day.
HBI is another impressive company you
can meet up with if you ever make it out
to these shows. They have grown from
a thousand-foot warehouse to a multi-
nation empire on slim profits that would
make even a grocery store wince. These
kids are not having crazy, balls-out par-
ties; they spend their profits making sure
the Federal government (via the FDA) is
not stealing more of our personal free-
doms. These incredible people have taken
rolling papers and accessories to another
level and are the only reason flavored
wraps are still legal. They are the genius
behind Raw, Elements and Juicy, to name
a few.
Unfortunately, not everyone at these
shows attends with good intentions.
Laws passed by Congress in 1985 made
thought crime a reality, meaning legal
items that could be used illegally were
now subject to criminality. Since then the
DEA has been hard at work with operation
after operation to take the legs out from
under this industry they helped gener-
ate. In 2003, Operation Pipe Dreams was
a decapitation. US Attorney General John
Ashcrofts indictment of Tommy Chong
was payback in a culture war that has been
tearing families and communities apart
for over 40 years. Fortunately the head
was that of the Hydra, it created three
times as many companies as it destroyed,
and the public saw it as a ridiculous waste
of $12M dollars to put Tommy Chong in
jail for nine months.
Now, nine years later, the government is
back with a vengeance using undercover
officers and front companies. The ques-
tions begin: what are they up to now? Do
they have their sites set on specific indi-
viduals? Are they gathering information
on all of the top players, or is it Spice they
are targeting? The mood was as paranoid
as I have ever seen, but with good reason.
Election years are notorious for bad shit
going down. Political robots always want
to make a name for themselves and police
love overtime, especially with hazard pay.
Vaporizers were also out in force with
dozens of styles available from reliable
companies like GOT VAPE. The booth girls
are always worth the trip. You can also
hook up with some of the originators like
Vapor Brothers at the show.
Innovations abounded; 420 Science, crea-
tors of the 420 Jars, never stop impressing.
Their UV-Concentrate Jars and Droppers
are the shizzle. Now the Science have
gone way past jars with Resin Block,
Smoke Soap, optics up to 800x resolution
and 420 Preserve a botanical storage
spray that will preserve your herbs for
months with no detectible degradation.
The Glass Games were off the hook this
spring with $35,000 in cash prizes award-
ed to glassblowers for functional art pipes.
The categories ranged from the popular
to technical. Some of the highlights were
David Stuckys R/C water pipe, Flexs pipe
drum kit, and Joe Blows smoking ear-
phones. Earl Jr. might have had something
if his fountain would have been dispens-
ing some jungle juice or spiked punch!
Hamm did something straight out of my
chemistry teachers lab, and Tyme and
Shaggy also did some awesome work. My
favorite, and the Peoples Choice, went to
Kristian Merwin with Wasatch Glassworks.
The spider alone was impressive and cool
to watch being made.
Incorporating mixed media from inception
as he threaded glass leg joints to attach
them with steel bolts connecting them
to the body... then throwing that into a
tent with a color-coordinated light show,
Premier Counter-Culture Expo F.RED
For over a dozen years buyers and vendors from all over the world
have been traveling to Las Vegas, braving the heat of the summers
and cold of the winters for the largest gathering of glass blowers and
retailers in the universe.
visual art and the lovely Ananda dancing
topless (except for body paint) was genius.
Without nipples hard enough to cut glass,
none of the other artists stood a chance.
Even heavy weights Dirty Louie and Jason
(a.k.a. Jerome Baker) were outdone.
Three whirlwind days of sales with hun-
dreds of buyers can mean months of work
for vendors trying to catch up in time for
the next trade show. Some get crushed
under the weight. As one person you can
only produce a finite amount even with
a crew it is easy to be overwhelmed. So
grow or die, or sometimes its grow and
die. If a company over-expands they can
lose quality, or a downturn in the econo-
my can bury them with debt. Just the sea-
sonal buying trends can be difficult for a
manufacturer to juggle. Whether a buyer
or seller, if you ever want to get a foot into
this industry CHAMPS is definitely a great
place to be.
THE GLASS GAMES WERE OFF THE HOOK THIS SPRING WITH $35,000
IN CASH PRIZES AWARDED TO GLASSBLOWERS FOR FUNCTIONAL ART PIPES
FISH WATER PIPE
SKULL HOOKAH
PEOPLES CHOICE GLASS GAMES WINNER (COURTESY OF CHAMPS)
18 18
In most countries, using hemp is pro-
hibited even for medical purposes. Self-
medication with Cannabis has brought
a great number of normally law-abiding
citizens into conflict with the legal system.
Patients often feel compelled to engage in
a political struggle for not only their lives
or health, but for their freedom as well.
People often become criminals merely
for obtaining their needed medicine.
Willingly or not, they sometimes become
known as civil rights activists and free-
dom fighters. The international fight to
get the sick and dying access to medically
approved Cannabis has been going on for
many decades now.
Robert Randall was the first legal med-
ical marijuana patient in the US since
Cannabis prohibition began in 1937. At
25 years of age he was told he would be
blind before he turned 30; he kept his
eyesight, however, thanks to medi-weed
until he died of AIDS 28 years later. Forced
to break the law to save his eyesight, Bob
sued the federal government to obtain
legal access to Cannabis and won, then
continued to work on behalf of other
patients. Randall convinced the judge
that he would have to break the law, for
medi-weed kept him from going blind.
In 1976 Washington, DC. Superior Court
Judge James A. Washington ruled that
the patient had established a defense of
medical necessity.
Unfortunately, the federal program
providing legal Cannabis medicine to
patients was soon closed down by the
government. Randall was an inspira-
tion to countless other medical freedom
fighters around the world. Keith Stroup,
executive director of NORML, called him
the father of the medical marijuana
movement. By 2011, medi-weed has
become legal in 15 states. The drug is
commonly prescribed for glaucoma, nau-
sea, poor appetite and pain.
In their book, Marijuana Rx: The Patients
Fight for Medicinal Pot, Robert Randall
and Alice OLeary describe the situation
of medical Cannabis users in the US in
harsh words: bureaucrats are willing to
arrest, jail, blind, cripple and even kill
seriously ill people to maintain the con-
sistent message of zero tolerance and
fight the evil weed. There is also a cult
of synthesis: only drugs invented and
owned by large companies are welcome;
any natural medicine that is easy to grow
at little or no cost but cannot be pat-
ented threatens the corporate monopo-
ly. For example, a synthetic anti-nausea
drug used by cancer patients undergo-
ing chemotherapy may even cost $600
per dose, usually $1,500 a day. By com-
parison, Cannabis controls vomiting bet-
ter and costs $0.50 per day.
The authors conclude that the American
people are starting to realize their gov-
ernment is increasingly anti-democratic,
and much too often run by liars and
crooks. In the 1970s and 1980s two-
thirds of the US legislatively mandated
that Cannabis had medical value, but the
unelected drug warriors in Washington
blocked these popular state efforts. The
Attorney General threatened to arrest
any doctor who dared to even mention
medi-weed use with a patient. The gov-
ernment also proposed a ban on any and
all research into the prohibited plants
potential benefits.
Despite all the propaganda, harsh laws,
suppression and denials by government,
patients have discovered hemps healing
powers for themselves and used it, trust-
ing their own intuition, folk tradition or
gossip. Only recently have various inde-
pendent experts started to notice that
the masses were right in their judgment
about this famed, yet illegal, folk remedy.
David R. Ford notes in his book Marijuana:
Not Guilty as Charged that falsely instilling
fear into the hearts of citizens is immoral,
while withholding medical Cannabis from
patients is criminal. It is hypocritical to
ban this relatively harmless drug which
has never caused one death and leave
dangerous drugs like alcohol and nicotine
legal. Ford notes that in the US, physicians
can prescribe about 50,000 drugs, many
of which can cause death or seriously
bad side effects. Yet they cannot pre-
scribe non-toxic Cannabis preparations.
Ford suggests that many of the crusaders
for the anti-pot war may have honestly
concluded that Cannabis is the evil they
have been brainwashed into believing it
to be, as few people could be so heart-
less intentionally. As Stanley Milgram (a
Yale psychologist and an expert on issues
of civil obedience) has written, ordinary
people, simply doing their jobs, without
any particular hostility on their part, can
become agents in a terribly destructive
process.
Franklin C. Lyn Nofziger, former depu-
ty chairman of the Republican National
Committee and a White House adviser
during the Richard Nixon and Ronald
Reagan administrations, supports the
medi-weed movement. In his opinion a
doctor should have every possible medi-
cation in his arsenal. If doctors can pre-
scribe morphine and other addictive
drugs, it makes no sense to deny Cannabis
to sick and dying people. Some politicians
have begun to realize that it seems cruel
and unusual to the public to treat the
sick and dying as if they were drug cartel
kingpins. Moreover, it is a complete waste
of taxpayer money.
Polls have shown that 80% of Americans
support pot for medicinal purposes (2002
Time/CNN survey). Howard Zinn, author
of A Peoples History of the United States,
states that often the government is only
moved to reform by the civil disobedi-
ence of organized citizens. A hundred
years ago ending child labor, granting
womens rights, stopping racist segrega-
tion, creating an eight-hour work day,
or accepting the right to organize were
radical ideas to many Americans. Today,
medical freedom fighters are causing a
similar social upheaval.
Physicians often express the opinion
that the War on Drugs has become a
war on doctors and patients. The tar-
get is easy compared to underground
criminal empire warlords. The DEA has
maliciously investigated and prosecuted
thousands of physicians in the name of
the War on Drugs.
And it is doctors who have been on
the frontiers of this war since the very
beginning: one of the few reasonable
voices of doubt during the 1937 com-
mittee hearing on Cannabis came from
the American Medical Association
(AMA). Their Legislative Counsel, William
Woodward, offered compelling testimo-
ny before Congress begging them not
to pass the bill. Woodward criticized the
way the word marihuana had been used
to deliberately conflate and confuse the
medical and industrial hemp communi-
ties, and asked why the bill had been
prepared in secret for two years without
any warning to the profession. Later his
statement was ignored and forgotten:
the act for prohibiting Cannabis was
passed. Woodward said no medical man
would identify this bill with a medicine
until he read it through, because mari-
huana is not a drug, but simply a name
given to Cannabis.
The AMA defended Cannabis in 1937
and still does today. In 2009 the AMA
officially asked the Federal government to
review the status of Cannabis in Schedule
I of the Controlled Substances Act. The big-
gest medical association in America has
once again acknowledged the medical
benefits of Cannabis and its component
cannabinoids. Many American physicians
continue to recommend medi-weed to
their patients, even though by doing so
they are running the risk of being impris-
oned or ruining their careers.
Doctor John P. Morgan, professor of
pharmacology at the City University of
New York, has expressed the belief that
the governments purpose in regulating
medicine is to protect patients from toxic-
ity. Cannabis, though, has no overdose
level. Dr. Morgan is also a board mem-
ber of NORML. Another distinguished
NORML board member is Professor Kary
Mullis, 1993 recipient of the Nobel Prize
in Physiology and Medicine. NORML has
helped Cannabis to become recognized
and accepted as medicine by state laws,
a huge success that did not come easily.
In 1972, NORML filed a petition with the
government to reclassify Cannabis from
Schedule I to Schedule II so that doctors
could prescribe it as a medicine. Finally,
in 1988 the DEA responded when their
The Medical Marijuana Movement:
Sebastian Daniel
BREAKING THE LAW TO SAVE LIVES
PATIENTS TOO OFTEN MUST RISK LOSING THEIR RIGHTS, FREEDOM, PROPERTY AND
CHILDREN, JUST FOR USING THE SAFEST DRUG KNOWN TO MEDICAL SCIENCE
19
own Administrative Law Judge Francis
Young concluded in a 69-page ruling:
...in strict medical terms, marijuana is
far safer than many foods we common-
ly consume. After two years of hear-
ings, the DEA rejected their own judges
recommendation.
Doctor Lester Grinspoon, author of
Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine points
out that a mountain of evidence com-
ing from thousands of patients is being
ignored, while controlled clinical trials
are discouraged. Anecdotal evidence was
accepted as part of medical knowledge
until the second half of the 20
th
century
and the invention of modern scientific
methodology, such as double-blind stud-
ies. However, large double-blind studies
are almost impossible to conduct because
of the law. To cite only one example, it
took Dr. Donald Abrams four years to
receive permission to study medi-weeds
effects on AIDS-related neuropathic pain.
Despite evidence that Cannabis is useful
in treating both major and lesser diseases,
under Federal law the DEA continues to
arrest patients and caregivers, even in
states that have tried to legally protect pot
under their own state laws. Doctors feel
threatened for even discussing Cannabis
with their patients. The sick, the crippled
and the dying are usually confronted with
guns during raids and arrests. They are
sometimes shot and killed, often sen-
tenced to many years behind bars.
Some patients have attempted suicide,
unable to live without their medication.
Victims of cancer, AIDS, or stroke tes-
tify that Cannabis had the power to bring
them back, literally, from the edge of
death. Glaucoma sufferers are petrified
of going blind without their medicine.
Patients too often must risk losing their
rights, freedom, property and children,
just for using the safest drug known
to medical science. Many die in prison,
deprived of their medicine, as is often the
case with cancer or AIDS patients. They
are allowed to use morphine, but not
Cannabis. Sick people of all walks of life
fear incarceration because of the medi-
cine they use. The sick and the dying feel
that the prohibition of medical Cannabis
is the greatest social injustice in history of
mankind; one desperate patient said that
their tragedy and pain is comparable only
to the crucifixion of Christ.
This is still the harsh reality of the medi-
weed underground in many countries
around the world. Patients have lost their
case in the US Supreme Court; in 2005
an amendment to stop the arrests of
medi-weed patients was also defeated in
Congress. Cannabis remains a Schedule
I controlled substance with no medical
value, the most restrictive category
which also includes heroin. Drugs like
methamphetamine have enough medici-
nal value to be classified as Schedule II
narcotics. Cannabis, under Federal law, is a
more serious narcotic than crack cocaine.
European countries like the UK, Spain,
Switzerland and Italy have undertaken
efforts to explore the benefits of Cannabis
for medical purposes. In the Netherlands,
since 2003, Cannabis can be obtained in
pharmacies, and a government center of
medical Cannabis has been founded. In
2007 Germany allowed its first medi-weed
patient (a multiple sclerosis sufferer) to
legally buy medical-grade pot. In 2008
the Supreme Court in the Czech Republic
decided in favor of growing Cannabis des-
tined for medical applications.
In 2009 at Pragues Lichtenstein Palace,
during the 16
th
gala evening of the Czech
Governments Committee for People with
Disabilities, presided over by the Prime
Minister and consisting of, among oth-
ers, several ministers an official prize was
awarded to the Konop Je Lk (Cannabis
Cures) organization for a web page
devoted to old and new applications of
Cannabis in medicine. The Czech Minister
of Health Care, Dana Jurskov, promised
not only to participate in a public debate
on the issue, but also to support the intro-
duction of phyto-therapy to the Czech
health care system, provided the results
were promising. The Minister of Labor and
Social Affairs, Petr imerka, presented KJL
President Duan Dvok with the award,
signed by the Prime Minister of the Czech
Republic Jan Fischer. Duan Dvok once
faced a five-year sentence for cultivation
of over 800 Cannabis plants.
20
FACT VS. FICTION
Wives Tale:
Vitamin B1 is a useful additive
for normal plants.
The myth that vitamin B1 (thiamine) helps
plants root and grow has its origins in a
study done over 70 years ago that used
vitamin B1, along with an auxin (plant
growth hormone), resulting in plant
improvement. Although vitamin B1 has
some specialized horticultural uses in
plant tissue culture, for most gardeners
this is irrelevant. It has been determined
by repeated studies that it was the auxin
not the vitamin B1 that caused the
increase in vigor. In at least one study,
plants performed better with plain water
than water with B1 added.
Even today there are several additives
that use a plant hormone, such as naph-
thylacetic acid (NAA) or other beneficial
substance for the active ingredient, and
then add vitamin B1 so that it can be sold
as a B1 plant supplement for marketing
purposes. If you want to add plant hor-
mones, you can just do so. Indolebutyric
acid (IBA) and NAA are common rooting
hormones often used in rooting solutions.
To assist in transplant shock, use a little
extra nitrogen.
Wives Tale:
The length of the light periods
determines flowering.
It is the length of the dark periods not
the light periods that triggers flower-
ing. Cannabis has photo-receptors, which
can detect light above normal moonlight.
Over a period of a couple of weeks, if the
plant gets a long dark period of 12 hours
or so, it will begin to generate flowering
hormones that will be used to trigger or
continue flowering during the next lit
period. If the dark period is shortened or
interrupted, the level of flowering hor-
mone will drop, and the plant will return
to vegetative growth. Most Cannabis
plants will continue to grow in size, as
long as they do not receive the extended
dark periods that cause flowering.
Wives Tale:
Grams-per-watt is an indication
of performance.
A plant kept in growth (18 or more hours
of light) for 12 months before flowering
will show a very high grams per watt
ratio in comparison to a plant grown for
a total of 12 weeks, even if the 12-week
grow was the more efficient of the two.
A much more useful number to calculate
is Grams Per Day (GPD). Subtract the
planting date from the start date to find
the total number of days grown. Then
take the weight of harvest, and divide
by the number of days grown, to find
out how much was produced each day.
Calculating the GPD for each harvest will
allow a gardener to compare the success
of different grows, even if the number of
days for each is different.
Wives Wisdom:
Willow water or aspirin can
help a plants defense against
stress.
Willow water contains salicylic acid and
aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid. Both
induce a response known as Systemic
Acquired Resistance (SAR) in the plant,
similar to how the plant responds when
attacked by a pathogenic agent. Since
the plants defenses are already acti-
vated, it is better prepared for an attack
or exposure to stress. Willow water can
be made by placing willow twigs in hot
water and allowing that to sit overnight.
Make aspirin water with one 81 mg non-
coated aspirin per gallon (3.78 liter) of
water.
Wives Wisdom:
Epsom salts can treat a magne-
sium deficiency.
Epsom salts are basically magnesium
sulfate, which supplies magnesium
in a water-soluble and available form.
Although it is rare to encounter a sulfur
deficiency, Epsom salts are a source of sul-
fur as well. Apply at one teaspoon (5 ml)
per gallon (3.78 liter). Apply at one-month
intervals, as magnesium deficiencies are
not common.
Wives Tales and Wisdom Grubbycup
When a person finds something that works (or that they think does),
they often share this information with friends, family, and some-
times through the use of the Internet proclaim it to the world. While
occasionally this information is correct and benefits others, often it
is incorrect, which is not helpful at all. To help you tell one from the
other, here is an assortment of wives tales and wives wisdom and
an explanation of which is which.
Wives Wisdom:
Cannabis should be heated either
before or as it is consumed.
Not all, but most of a buds potential
effect is expressed as tetrahydrocannab-
inolic acid, which has little effect if con-
sumed directly. Tetrahydrocannabinolic
acid forms the more active tetrahydro-
cannabinol (THC) when it decarboxy-
lates (loses a carbon dioxide molecule).
This release of carbon dioxide can result
from either dehydration (curing) or heat,
either of which drives off a water mol-
ecule and in the process releases a car-
bon dioxide molecule. Simple drying can
cause this effect over a period of time, or
the heat from a flame, vaporizer or cook-
ing are all sufficient to induce almost
instantaneous decarboxylation.
Wives Wisdom:
Diluted milk can be used to
treat plants against certain
fungi and insects.
Milk has been shown to successfully treat
powdery mildew and aphids. Use one part
milk to two parts water. Be forewarned
that over application may result in an
unpleasant sour milk smell and unappeal-
ing (but benign) microorganism growth.
Wives Wisdom:
Talk to your plants.
Talking to plants does help the longer
the better. Of course so does just spend-
ing time in your garden; as a source
of carbon dioxide (CO2) you help your
plants just by breathing near them.
Bringing in a friend for heavy breathing
in the garden can be good for your plants
(and your relationship).
Not all the information that gets handed
down or passed around is correct; on the
other hand, not everything that is old is
wrong, either. Knowing which advice to
follow and which to avoid can help your
garden be a happy place, for both you and
your plants.
Peace, love and puka shells,
Grubbycup
NAA IS THE USEFUL INGREDIENT LISTED
COMMON ASPIRIN CAN TRIGGER A
STRESS RECOVERY RESPONSE
FLOWERING IN CANNABIS IS TRIGGERED BY THE DARK PERIODS
22
as much reason for profiteers, prepared
to cut corners and risk the health of the
consumer, to jump on board the gravy
train. We must accept that the legaliza-
tion of a previously-restricted good in a
country like ours is bound to involve its
commodification; in an ideal world there
would only be small, organic Cannabis
farms, but in our existing system we must
be prepared to seek and accept the best
compromise, and be prepared to collec-
tively mitigate any consequent damage.
Currently, while Monsanto, et al wreck
our environment with impunity, their
propaganda machine is adept at sub-
verting the argument to make us look
guiltier than them. Any transgression by
Cannabis producers is seized upon as
evidence of the evil of the entire indus-
try. As the social pariahs of agriculture,
we have to work twice as hard to main-
tain a good image as big agribusinesses,
who have their legality to hide behind.
Beyond all question of how it might look
to the rest of the world, its pretty messed
up to destroy 900-year-old sequoias to
grow 90-day plants, so (for karmas sake,
if nothing else) one would hope that
growers, illegal or otherwise, will in the
future begin to prioritize correctly.
In California, the predicted effects of cli-
mate change include a marked reduc-
tion in the level of snow cover in the
Sierra Madre mountains. Thousands of
hectares of Cannabis fields rely upon sea-
sonal irrigation provided when the snow
melts in spring, and when that is insuffi-
cient to satisfy the plants voracious thirst,
other methods are needed. This is already
occurring in years of low precipitation,
which are predicted to increase in the near
future. The huge network of pipelines that
criss-crosses through California permits
the fecundity the state is renowned for,
and that the rest of the nation depends
upon (along with the other agriculturally-
productive states) if precious water was
to be diverted to what many feel is an
unessential commodity and away from
foodstuffs, it would spark huge contro-
versy, if not in fact threaten production of
other crops themselves.
Of course it is not just Cannabis that
requires irrigation most crops do, and
agriculture uses up to 80% of total US
water consumption but the massive
increase in land given over to this particu-
lar crop in recent years is putting increas-
ing pressure on already straitened sys-
tems. The Colorado River, which irrigates
a vast expanse of the southwestern US,
is experiencing a decline in water levels
and an increase in salinity due to agri-
cultural overdraw and decreasing snow
cover in the Rocky Mountains; up to 70%
of its water is diverted for agriculture,
and Arizonas Lake Mead, formed by the
Hoover Dam, is estimated to lie at 130 feet
lower than its level in 2000. Further pre-
dicted decreases in precipitation through
the Rockies may lead to further reduction
in flow up to 20% over the next forty
BIOIMPACT
22
We are facing some serious choices in
coming years: on whichever side of the
Climategate fence we choose to sit, we
cannot deny that our actions are adverse-
ly effecting the environment we depend
on to survive, and that we must reevaluate
our agricultural methods along sustain-
able lines. Proponents of Cannabis believe
that legalization could provide solutions
to key environmental issues, while pro-
hibitionists cite instances of ecological
damage caused by irresponsible growers
as reasons to keep it illegal. Both camps
are often guilty of oversimplifying their
position; many inconvenient contradic-
tions are ignored or kept quiet so that the
overall message remains decisive.
Advocates of Cannabis cite the environ-
mental benefit a legal industry would
bring, but this is not the whole picture.
While it is true that properly-managed
crop rotation schemes involving Cannabis
can be among our most appropriate
methods, the complete opposite is true
for indoor growing, which can be hugely
energy- and resource-intensive. Illegal
outdoor grows can wreak havoc on the
local ecosystem, and even in states where
they legally occur, the level of regula-
tion is insufficient to ensure that practices
are entirely safe. However, wild Cannabis
can be a vital part of its ecosystem, and
eradication programs have caused severe
environmental problems.
In the regions where Cannabis is indig-
enous or established, it is often so crucial
to the maintenance of the local ecosys-
tem that eradication causes immediate
and severe consequences. In Bangladesh,
a country so deeply linked to Cannabis
that its name is derived from it, efforts to
destroy wild populations have led to an
increase in the severity of seasonal flood-
ing. The long root systems of riverbank-
adapted Cannabis strains provide stability,
and when the plants are destroyed, the
dead roots can no longer act to reduce
erosion when the floodwaters surge
through the countrys eight hundred
rivers, covering up to 80% of its entire
area. In mountainous countries such as
Morocco and Mexico, eradication can lead
to increased mudslides and landslides.
In the USA and Latin America, herbicides
that have known toxicity to humans as
well as other animals and plants (such as
Paraquat and Triclopyr) have been used
although, largely thanks to NORML, their
use has been mostly phased out.
While it is demonstrably harmful to
destroy Cannabis where it is meant to
grow, it is similarly inappropriate to grow
it where (and how) it is not. In Morocco,
where Cannabis is aggressively cultivat-
ed (and is an introduced species), huge
swathes of land are prepared for planting
by burning existing vegetation. In sev-
eral US states, there have been cases of
outdoor grows causing severe localized
damage diverting water from nearby
streams, clearing forested areas to provide
unrestricted light, draining toxic chemi-
cals directly into the local water table,
and using polluting diesel generators for
power in remote areas.
This issue is certainly not helping to win
the hearts and minds of farmers, environ-
mental groups or law enforcement, and
the Office of National Drug Control Policy
has recently stated that for every acre
of marijuana grown, a further ten acres
are polluted with toxic by-products. In
2008, a Humboldt County grower spilled
a thousand gallons of red diesel into a
Salmon Creek tributary, poisoning fish
and salamanders. In Sonoma County, an
illegal operation discovered last summer
involved the felling of fifteen protected
redwood trees on private land.
It is vital for the future of Cannabis in
the US that we steer as far as possible
from the image of willfully-destructive
environmental terrorists towards that of
responsible custodians of nature, who
respect all its parts equally and do not
seek to destroy parts of it to further indi-
vidual profit. Some argue that these prob-
lems would cease if Cannabis were to
be legalized and regulated, and it is true
that the need for secrecy is behind much
illegal chemical disposal and generator
use. However, legal and regulated agri-
businesses still commit environmental
atrocities, and are afforded effective carte
blanche by their ability to pay millions for
legal costs, lobbying and advertising.
A legal cannabis industry would provide
as much opportunity to lobby for favora-
ble laws as any other big business and
Cannabis and Our Environment: Kali Mist
AN INCREASINGLY DELICATE BALANCE
PROPONENTS OF CANNABIS BELIEVE LEGALIZATION COULD PROVIDE SOLUTIONS
TO KEY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES; PROHIBITIONISTS CITE INSTANCES OF ECO-DAMAGE
CAUSED BY IRRESPONSIBLE GROWERS AS REASONS TO KEEP IT ILLEGAL
TRADITIONAL ORGANIC METHODS ARE BETTER
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ( MISHIMOTO)
RED DIESEL SPILL FROM AN ILLEGAL FARM (JUSTICE.GOV)
23
Switching to organic nutrients and pes-
ticides, and adopting a less-is-more atti-
tude to their use, should not mean a
reduction in yield for a skilled grower.
Preventing pests, rather than needing
to deal with infestations, should always
be possible with neem oil application
and use of repellant plants; old soil can
be composted or taken to certain recy-
cling centers. Every step a grower takes
to minimize their environmental impact is
a step in the right direction. Token efforts
now will benefit us in the future, and
until we have realized the goal of a legal
Cannabis industry made up of small, out-
door, organic and minimal-impact inde-
pendent farms, we have work to do. We
cant expect any industry to clean up its
act entirely overnight, but if every grower
tightens up their game little by little, col-
lectively we can achieve a great deal in a
short time.
years. As our population and its energy
and nutritional requirements increase
over the coming years, and resources
become ever scarcer, every single crop we
sustain must be provably economically
and environmentally appropriate.
Properly managed, Cannabis can help
mitigate the effect of drought and climate
change. Hemp is well-known to be a low-
impact crop that requires few fertilizers or
pesticides, eagerly colonizes areas other
plants cannot tolerate, and improves the
soil until other plants can be grown. It can
also replenish nutrients lost in soil from
intensive farming of crops such as soy
for this reason, growing hemp in rotation
is increasingly promoted as a sustainable
agricultural model. It can also destroy soil
pathogens (which parasitize other crops
such as soy and potatoes) and reduce
radioactive or toxic particles in contami-
nated soils.
Hemps potential as biofuel could help
mitigate climate change by reducing
our reliance upon hydrocarbons, and
increasing hemp food production could
similarly lessen the need for unsustain-
able crops such as corn. There are already
widespread populations of escaped ditch-
weed left over from the Hemp for Victory
campaign, which thrive all over the US,
and by their very existence demonstrate
the plants adaptability and appropriate-
ness for our diverse range of habitats.
Hemps many uses in sustainable industry,
such as zero-carbon housing, mark it out
as worthy of inclusion in our future sus-
tainable policies.
While many of the drug varieties grown in
America require intensive irrigation, many
varieties (including most hemp strains)
are well-adapted for arid environments.
Cannabis originated in desert regions,
and exhibits many adaptations to such
conditions, such as its crystalline, cannab-
inoid-containing resin (which protects the
flowers from the worst extremes of tem-
perature), and ability to survive in areas of
very low precipitation. The long, complex
root systems are not only useful at main-
taining slope stability but also extract-
ing maximum moisture from surrounding
soil. Selecting drought-adapted varieties
is therefore of great importance, espe-
cially in California, Colorado and other
drought-prone Cannabis-farming states.
The magnitude of the problem is being
greatly underplayed, but if prioritized as a
matter of urgency, there is no reason that
we cannot stick with strains appropriate
for their host environment, which cover
our various needs and do not require
unjustifiable diversion of resources.
Apart from the irresponsible minority,
Cannabis growers in the US often have
higher-than-average regard for the envi-
ronment, borne of the spiritualist and
naturalistic beliefs many profess to hold
dear, as well as a heightened sense of
responsibility brought about by many
years in the spotlight. Many growers use
organic pesticides and fertilizers. There
are some that even use solar panels to
provide their electricity, and closed-loop
rainwater-collection systems but these
can be beyond the budget of many
smaller operations. There have been
huge advances made in LED lighting
technology, and the Cannabis commu-
nity has enthusiastically accepted the
challenge perhaps not universally,
but as costs come down and yields go
up (reports of 400g/m or more being
achieved with LEDs are increasingly com-
mon), were sure to see more and more
indoor and greenhouse growers opting
for their obvious advantages.
Whatever the budget, there are ways to
minimize environmental impact. If solar
panels and rainwater-collection systems
are too expensive, there will always be
another area where tweaks can be made.
Indoors, or in the greenhouse, opting for
600-watt bulbs over 1000-watt greatly
improves energy efficiency, and is a quick
tweak for those who dont have enough
to invest in LEDs. Digital ballasts are more
efficient than magnetic, good reflector
hoods will reduce light wastage, and auto-
mated light movers can save much more
energy than they use by reducing the
required number of lights. Sea-of-Green
(SOG) techniques yield more final product
per watt of light, as they require little to no
vegetative time. Users of generators can
install cut-off switches and replace diesel
with biodiesel.
AS THE SOCIAL PARIAHS OF AGRICULTURE, WE HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD
TO MAINTAIN A GOOD IMAGE AS BIG AGRIBUSINESSES, WHO HAVE THEIR LEGALITY TO HIDE BEHIND
HEMP AS BIOFUEL COULD MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE BY REDUCING OUR RELIANCE UPON HYDROCARBONS,
AND INCREASING HEMP FOOD PRODUCTION COULD LESSEN THE NEED FOR UNSUSTAINABLE CROPS
ILLICIT OUTDOOR GROWS CAN BE
DESTRUCTIVE (JUSTICE.GOV)
A SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL
WITH SEIZED CANNABIS (JUSTICE.GOV)
REDUCING SNOW MELT IN THE ROCKIES LEADS TO
IRRIGATION PROBLEMS (ANDRUS DEVELOPMENT)
HEMP CAN BE PART OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE (SIMON & INDIA)
24
ENDANGERED STRAIN GUIDE / MADE IN NL
The Moroccan Kif is a legendary variety
of Cannabis that has been cultivated for
centuries in the high valleys of the Rif
Mountain range in northern Morocco. The
Kif variety was originally grown so that
the floral clusters could be smoked in
an unprocessed form; it was not until
around 60 years ago, with the advent
of Western influence on the Moroccan
Cannabis trade, that farmers began to
process it into the hashish that is now
so famous. Cannabis was first brought to
Morocco during the Arab invasions of the
seventh century, and it is generally held
that the dominant variety is mostly sativa,
but with some indica genetics possibly
from Afghanistan or Iran.
These days, Kif generally refers to the
finely-chopped floral clusters of any
Moroccan-grown pot since Western
influence took hold, varieties from all over
the world were brought to the Rif val-
leys in a drive to create ever-stronger
hashish. This had the unfortunate and (at
least to regular readers of this column)
now-familiar consequence of diluting and
altering the indigenous gene-pool with
foreign DNA, and there is much specula-
tion now as to whether or not the original
strain has survived at all. This problem is
greatly compounded by the fact that little
to no care is taken to remove staminate
(male) plants from outdoor crops dur-
ing the growing season, clouds of male
Cannabis pollen can be seen floating over
vast expanses of northern Africa, and the
possibility of inadvertent cross-breeding
is very high.
Another factor speeding the decline of the
indigenous Rif genetics is the program of
eradication. Although largely unsuccess-
ful, this has led to the loss of large swathes
of plants, which are then replaced with
introduced genetics. Moroccan produc-
ers as a general rule are not overly fussy
about the strains they grow as long as
they achieve a good harvest, they will
plant whatever seeds are available. The
climate of the Rif mountains, which is not
ideal for Cannabis cultivation at the best
of times, is changing as global tem-
peratures creep up, the snow cover that
provides much of the irrigation for the
Cannabis crops when it melts in spring is
slowly reducing, and the future of cultiva-
tion in the region is far from secure.
However, whether or not the original
strain still survives, Morocco is showing
little sign of slowing down its produc-
tion of hashish, and many of the varieties
available are of a very high quality. In
recent years, Moroccan ice-o-lator hash
has made an appearance in Amsterdam
coffeeshops, demonstrating that the
Moroccan producers themselves are not
standing idly by while the rest of the
Cannabis community advances. If similar
efforts can be made in the direction of
preserving and improving the local varie-
ties, futures generations of hash-smokers
will have much to be thankful for.
Since the news of the upcoming ban on
all Cannabis products containing higher
than 15% THC was first announced in the
Netherlands, as well as the furor regarding
the Wietpas (Weed Pass), we have already
begun to see the consequences. The usual
poorly-relayed information has found its
way into other countries media, including
reports in Italy alleging that all foreigners
would be banned from all Dutch cof-
feeshops, to be immediately effective on
January 1
st
, 2012. Although the general
trend for visitors from countries such as
Spain and Italy has dropped (mainly due
to economic factors) over the last decade,
the noticeably larger-than-usual spike in
tourists from these countries around New
Years can perhaps be attributed to these
pieces of misinformation.
The actual situation is as follows: as of
the first of January 2012, it is no longer
permitted for coffeeshops in the south of
the Netherlands to stock products con-
taining higher than 15% THC. Coffeeshops
must operate on a members-only basis,
with membership limited to two thou-
sand customers. By the first of January
2013, this will extend to the entire coun-
try. Coffeeshops are already subject to
random spot checks by the Hit Squad;
from now on, these will include testing
of samples to ascertain their THC content.
The membership list (kept by the coffee-
shop operator) will also be checked dur-
ing these hits. By 2014, any coffeeshop
within 350 yards of a school must close.
Although an outright ban on hashish of
all forms was proposed, it has now been
deemed unnecessary as most hash con-
tains more than 15% THC and will be
illegal under the original terms of the
new law.
The Dutch Minister for Security and
Justice, Ivo Opstelten, has received wide-
spread criticism for his policies, which
many feel are unreasonable and unwork-
able. The hash question in particular has
been raised in order to stamp out impor-
tation from countries such as Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Morocco, due to their asso-
ciation with terrorism and funding for-
eign criminals. Throughout the country,
however, the overriding feeling is that
freedom is being restricted, rather than
public health and safety protected.
Moroccan Kif Kali Mist
The Dutch 15% Rule Revisited Kali Mist
The coffeeshops in the touristic north of
the country are not taking the imminent
changes well. Coffeeshops in Haarlem
have collectively stated that they will not
implement a Wietpas system, as surveys
of customers have revealed their belief
that it is an invasion of privacy, and their
determination to find other suppliers
if they cannot visit a coffeeshop in the
anonymous way they are accustomed to.
Many ordinary Dutch citizens face future
discrimination as laws change and a pre-
viously acceptable pastime becomes
taboo to employers; they are therefore
unprepared to put their names in any
Cannabis-related database, and intend to
start growing their own.
KIF IN THE MOONLIGHT ( PIERRE-
ARNAUD CHOUVY )
A KIF CAT ( CHRISTINA BOOSE)
BEAUTIFUL HAND-PRESSED CHARRAS WILL SOON BE ILLEGAL (MIRAN RIJAVEC)
ARE HAPPY SMOKERS AND
COFFEESHOPS STILL ASSOCIATED?
(LUCIANO GUELFI)
25
acceptance. Approval will also overturn
the claims that weed leads inevitably to
mental health problems. There are no
government warnings on Sativex bottles
telling you that the drug is dangerous and
will lead to psychosis.
The arrival of Sativex will allow a formal
recognition of everything that the medi-
cal marijuana movement has been saying
for years. Marijuana is a highly effective
medicine for a range of conditions and
it comes with no nasty side effects. It is
not addictive; it will not cause a mental
health crisis. Legal Cannabis medicine in
the local pharmacy signals the beginning
of the end of the Cannabis misinformation
campaign. That is something to celebrate.
Sativex is basically no different to the
Cannabis tinctures that they were making
in the 1930s by soaking weed in alcohol
and filtering it. Each oral spray (or dose)
delivers 2.7 mg of THC and 2.5 mg of CBD.
Costs per patient are currently around
$790 per month. These costs will plummet
when rival pharmacy companies decide
to get in on the act. The manufacturing
process clearly isnt that complicated and
the free market economy is ruthless in the
pharmaceutical industry if you dont have
watertight patent protection.
As the legal objections to Cannabis medi-
cines are systematically removed it is
certain that within ten years the Indian
copycat pharmaceutical industry will have
their own Cannabis-extract oral sprays at
a fraction of the current prices. Just look
at the number of Indian and Chinese
manufacturers of cut-price Viagra-type
pills. Cannabis medicines will be easy to
make you just need a few fields of weed
and a few barrels of alcohol.
Some within the medi-weed movement
feel that it is wrong to allow a drug com-
pany to charge punishingly high prices for
a simple Cannabis extract, while prohibit-
ing the public to cultivate and enjoy their
own homegrown weed. Of course they
are completely correct. However, by allow-
Sativex: Phase III
Legal Cannabis medicines pass
tough European medical tests,
nothing can stop them now...
Amazing results, No traces of
withdrawal effects Cannabis
isnt addictive, Floodgates
opening into Cannabis research
for multiple conditions, From
MS to cancer, Cannabis is the
answer Dutch Joe
As we reported a couple of months ago,
the legally approved Cannabis extract
Sativex is now becoming widely available
across Europe and the rest of the world.
The latest stage of Sativex testing has
involved over 1,500 patients across Europe,
and all feedback has been scrutinized by
leading experts. The key findings confirm
that Cannabis is indeed highly effective as
a medicine and is not addictive unlike
traditionally prescribed morphine-derived
painkillers, and many other medicines.
In simple terms what this really means
is that all the feedback so far is posi-
tive. Nothing, it seems, can now stop the
widespread introduction of Sativex, not
even the right wing prohibitionist politi-
cians who have spent so long trying to
convince everyone that Cannabis is toxic
and highly dangerous. So far Sativex has
been exported to 28 different countries,
and that number seems sure to increase.
The reason the gradual approval and
introduction of Sativex is so exciting is
that it is allowing Cannabis to receive
mainstream medical and government
ing the drug companies to press ahead
with the formal approval of legal Cannabis
medicines it will make it easier in the long
run for the medical Cannabis movement
to succeed. After all, the drug companies
have the political and financial influence to
force governments to believe in the medi-
cal effectiveness of Cannabis, and they can
back it up with scientifically conducted
drug tests to provide absolute proof.
Sometimes we have to look at the wider
picture. If all this allows medi-weed to
gain acceptance, then perhaps we can
live with some initial profiteering by the
drug companies.
THE REASON THE GRADUAL APPROVAL AND INTRODUCTION OF SATIVEX
IS SO EXCITING IS THAT IT IS ALLOWING CANNABIS TO RECEIVE MAINSTREAM
MEDICAL AND GOVERNMENT ACCEPTANCE
FIELDS OF WEED... SOON THEY WILL BE PLANTING THIS LEGALLY
26
GROW REPORT
PARADISE SEEDS: WAPPA FEMINIZED
Indica at its best
The indica strain Wappa entered the seed market in 2006, when
Paradise Seeds came up with a six-pack of six new feminized
strains. Paradise Seeds has an excellent reputation in terms of
feminized seeds, so the grower was curious whether it would be
confirmed by Wappa, too. Green Born Identity - G.B.I.
Paradise Seeds describes Wappa as a stout-
statured and stable pure indica strain, the
low height of which makes it a good choice
for gardeners with limited growing space.
Its available as a feminized strain only. For
producing feminized Wappa seeds, pollen
is obtained from a female manipulated
to produce male flowers and applied to
a female plant, so that all of the resulting
Wappa seeds will become female. It has
a flowering time of 55 to 60 days. When
forced to flower at 12 inches (30 cm), it
doubles in size by maturity, producing big
chunky colas (yield potential: 400 to 500
g/m
2
) that fill the air with sweet aromas of
fruits and sugar, or also marshmallows, as
reported by some people.
Atypically of an indica strain, Wappa has
a high calyx-to-leaf ratio which makes it
a breeze to manicure. Also unusual for an
indica is the fact that Wappa has a light
green leaf color, and in addition, its leaves
are more sharply-serrated than those of
other indicas. Wappas high provides a
surprising effect even though she is a
pure indica, she does not weigh the body
down; its a non-couchlock and non-stupor
indica that delivers an active, aware body
vibe, more conducive to merrymaking
than couch surfing, according to Paradise
Seeds. They even promise it is a luminous
high that nudges open the doors of per-
ception thanks to a high THC content of
15- to 18%.
Flower Production Exploded
Wappa also has a good outdoor perfor-
mance; she adapts well to the climates
of Northern Europe, such as Belgium or
Holland, but she really goes strong in sun-
nier and warmer regions like France, Italy or
Spain. Yields of up to 500 grams per plant
are possible.
A grower called The Doc germinated
three feminized Wappa seeds (only three
because he also tested a fewer other varie-
ties at the same time) in order to get a first
impression of the Wappa strain. All of the
seeds sprouted perfectly and the seed-
lings were grown under two 125-watt CFL
lights (6,400K) during the first two weeks.
The seedlings were transplanted to 11-liter
pots filled with Plagron Standard Mix.
After two weeks, The Doc replaced the
CFLs with two Planta Star 600-watt high
pressure sodium lamps and one 400-watt.
That certainly was an extremely copious
amount of wattage for The Docs grow
room with an area of just a few square
meters. Without a doubt, Wappa would
enjoy optimum growing conditions in
that light paradise. After the third week
in the vegetative stage, at a height of 12
to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) and a width of
already more than 16 inches, the first side
branches slipped through the huge leaves
from below. The three Wappa plants grew
very homogeneously and bushy, produc-
ing many long side branches within a short
time, something that is also rarely seen on
indica plants.
After four weeks in the vegetative stage
the plants had kept on growing vigorously,
having reached a height of 20 to 24 inches
(50 to 60 cm) The Doc induced flow-
ering by reducing the light period from
18/6 (day/night) to 12/12 and replaced the
Planta Star lights with two 600-watt Osram
Son-T Plus and one 400-watt. Already two
weeks later, flower cluster formation had
started at the plant tips. The numerous
side branches kept on stretching in the
first weeks of flowering, and so did the
plants as a whole, also further increasing
in width. After four weeks in the flowering
stage, the plants had reached a height of
about 39 inches (100 cm), having become
luscious globe Cannabis plants that raised
the expectation of a bumper harvest, all
the more so as the buds became very big,
dense and long.
Mental Cotton Candy
At the end ofthe fourth week of flowering,
the buds were already coated with a shim-
mering resin layer. After five weeks, flower
production kind of exploded: the buds tre-
mendously increased in size and density.
Throughout the flowering stage there was
a great deal of uniformity; there were no dif-
ferent phenotypes even the flower struc-
ture was identical on all the three plants.
The only difference found on one plant
was the fact that it even outmatched the
high resin content of the other two plants.
In addition, the fruity sweet aroma was the
same with each plant. The plants didnt
exhibit any male flowers the feminization
quality of Wappa seemed to prove the good
reputation of Paradise Seeds once again
(although three plants cannot be consid-
ered as representative in general, of course).
All the three plants which had grown
to a height of about 37 inches (120 cm)
in the end could be harvested between
the eighth- and ninth week of flowering,
which was in line with the flowering time
data stated by Paradise Seeds. After the
buds had been dried, The Doc happily took
312 grams off the scales, a yield that did
fulfill the high harvest expectations. There
also was plenty of resinous leaf material for
being used in the Ice-O-Lator.
Wappas high was as strong as expected:
it had a quick onset and lasted for many
hours, having a pleasant body relaxing
effect which, indeed, was not paralyzing
The Doc still could move easily and was
mentally present. Being densely-wrapped
in mental cotton candy, though, he was
heavily stoned but also felt a lot of eupho-
ria. Wappas smell and flavor also fully con-
vinced him the buds provided a mild and
sweet smoke with nice, subtle fruity under-
tones. For The Doc, Wappa easily ranks
among the best strains of Paradise Seeds.
With a price of 30 (ca. $40) for five femin-
ized seeds and 55 (ca. $73) for ten, Wappa
furthermore has a very good value for
money undoubtedly this is indica at its
best, in any respect.
Green Born Identity - G.B.I.
Cultivation data:
Strain Wappa
Genetics: 100% Indica
Vegetative Stage: Here: 4 weeks
Flowering Stage: 8-9 weeks
Medium: Plagron Standard Mix (Soil Mix)
pH: 6.0 - 6.5
EC: Vegetative Stage: 1.2 - 1.6 mS
Flowering Stage: 1.6 - 2.0 mS
Lights: First Half of Vegetative Stage: 2 x 125-watt CFL (6,400K)
Second Half of Vegetative Stage: 2 x Planta Star 600-watt + 1 x 400-watt
Flowering Stage: 2 x Osram Son T Plus 600-watt + 1 x 400-watt
Temperature: Vegetative Stage: 22 - 24C (day)
Flowering Stage: 24 - 28C (day)
Night: 18 - 19C
Air Humidity: Vegetative Stage: 40 - 60%
Flowering Stage: max. 50%
Watering: By hand
Fertilization: HeSi Bloom Complex (also HeSi Phosphor Plus from the fourth week
of flowering)
Additives: Nitrozyme, HeSi Boost and Root Complex, Enzyme
Height: About 37 inches (120 cm)
Yield: 312 grams
27
A Tale of Two Cannabinoids
There wasnt much of a fanfare from
Cannabis activists, or even outrage in the
British media, when Cannabis started to
be legally prescribed in the UK for the
first time in June last year. A few years
ago, getting Cannabis prescribed for
MS sufferers was high on the Cannabis
Activists wish list (remember Mark and
Lezlie Gibson getting busted in 2007 for
providing MS sufferers with Cannabis
chocolate?) so now we should be happy,
right? Well, kind of
The fact is, rather than allowing the
estimated third of MS patients in the
UK who currently use illegal Cannabis
to treat their symptoms, to possess
and consume Cannabis without fear of
prosecution, the Government have out-
sourced to the pharmaceutical industry
namely GW Pharmaceuticals (a division
of Bayer), for the delivery of Cannabis as
medicine. Unlike California and some
other progressive states in America, the
UK Government at present only recog-
nizes Cannabis-based medicine as effec-
tive for the relief of spasticity related to
MS, not for the whole host of conditions
from cancer to insomnia and depres-
sion that some American doctors can
prescribe it for.
As Americans, your prescription from
the doctor allows you to buy a whole
host of raw buds from specialist dis-
pensaries where the experts will advise
you on what variety will best treat your
condition. Over here in the UK, the only
way youre going get government sanc-
tioned Cannabis is with a prescription
from the doctor for relieving MS-related
spasms, and even then it will come in
the form of a spray called Sativex, and
it wont actually get you high. So, it may
be a good thing that the government
finally recognizes some medicinal value
in Cannabis.
In that typically British way, theyve had
to admit that it is an effective and suit-
able treatment, but only once theyd
sucked all the fun out of it. One posi-
tive to come from this development is
that GW Pharmaceuticals with all their
facilities, laboratories, equipment and
most importantly, money have done
some pretty interesting and long over-
due research into cannabinoids and how
they actually affect us.
From their perspective the more condi-
tions they can prove their drug works
for, the more money they make, which
puts them as uneasy allies with the pro-
Cannabis community. By proving some
of the positive effects of Cannabis con-
sumption the hope is that the image of
Cannabis may improve in the eyes of the
general population, having taking such
a bashing in the media following the
Lancet Journals 2007 publication of the
paper Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychotic
or Affective Mental Health Outcomes, a
systematic review that supposedly high-
lighted the causal link between Cannabis
and psychosis. Ironically, high on GW
Pharms list of conditions that may be
helped by Cannabis is psychosis.
It was in 1988 that scientists first discov-
ered the endocannabinoid system in the
human body, that is, naturally occurring
cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2)
in all human brains. This was followed a
few years later by the discovery of the
ligand that bonds with these receptors,
named anandamide after the Sanskrit
word for bliss. This discovery that the
human brain and Cannabis were linked
through these receptors and naturally
occurring endocannabinoids opened up
the study of Cannabis as medicine, as it
showed the scientific community that
Cannabis clearly does effect the many
ways our brains and bodies operate, be it
pain perception, mood, muscle control,
sleep, anxiety, psychosis and so on.
Research has so far identified two main
cannabinoids that affect the human
endocannabinoid system: 9-THC
(Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD
(Cannabidiol), and it is these two that
make up Sativex. In their own words:
THC has analgesic, anti-spasmodic,
anti-tremor, anti-inflammatory, appetite
stimulant and anti-emetic properties,
whilst CBD has anti-inflammatory, anti-
convulsant, anti-psychotic, anti-oxidant,
neuroprotective and immunomodula-
tory effects. Another study involving
Cannabis and sleep found that fifteen
milligrams THC would appear to be
sedative, while fifteen milligrams CBD
appears to have alerting properties as it
increased waking activity during sleep
and counteracted the residual sedative
activity of fifteen milligrams THC.
Clearly these two cannabinoids interact
in interesting ways that we are only
just beginning to understand. Both are
present in the vast majority of Cannabis
plants but in different ratios, depend-
ing on the plant itself. Recent Cannabis
breeding has had the aim of deliber-
ately increasing THC levels and lowering
CBD to achieve the most powerful and
euphoric high, without the counter-
effect of CBD. It is this same logic that
has ultimately brought about the intro-
duction of a suitable medical Cannabis
product.
When taken together the CBD modu-
lates the effects of the THC. For this
reason GW include a fine balance of
both in Sativex, all but eradicating any
kind of high. This was a major hurdle
for GW in bringing their product to
market because as a medicine it is not
meant to actually get you high. Heaven
forbid! As an aside, research also found
that when CBD is separately adminis-
tered first, then followed by THC (as was
By Hugh Fitz
INTERNATIONAL REPORT
SSUSA OBTAINS A BRITISH PERSPECTIVE ON SATIVEX, ITS GROWING
ACCEPTANCE WORLDWIDE, AND HOW IT ALL CAME TO PASS...
28
done under scientific trial conditions
with human volunteers) it inhibits the
breakdown of THC in the liver, therefore
raising levels in the brain for a longer
period. CBD before THC gets you high-
er, basically.
So how exactly do they produce this
Cannabis-based preparation? Sativex
is an oromucosal spray, which means
it is absorbed through the mucous
membrane in the mouth. The label
states that each 100 microliter spray
contains 2.7 mg delta-9-tetrahydro-
cannabinol and 2.5 mg cannabidiol
from Cannabis sativa L. To make it, GW
has been growing its own Cannabis
plants at a secret location in the south
of England. Primarily they have been
using a high-THC strain with no CBD,
and a high-CBD strain with no THC.
They have grown the CBD chemovar
outdoors which, along with the lack of
THC, would suggest it is a hemp fiber or
even ruderalis strain; whereas the THC
chemovar has had to be grown indoors
or under glass in the summer.
Much time was wasted trying to grow
a greenhouse crop in the winter before
GW realized that high light levels played
a crucial part in producing THC (is
there anyone reading this that didnt
already know that?) Then, theyve effec-
tively been making hash they call it
an Enriched Trichome Preparation or
ETP or more accurately, bubble hash,
from the dried buds. They could have no
doubt saved themselves a bit of effort if
they had asked an experienced grower
and hash maker for some tips. Still, its
nice to know that the men in white coats
endorse the bubble hash process, but
for their purposes only the six- or seven-
screen process (like the Ice-o-Lator bags,
Next Level BubbleSacs and the Canadian
Bubble Bags with the 75-micron and
25-micron screens) are used for separat-
ing the useable gland.
Their research showed that most of the
plants cannabinoids are in the upright
gland heads (again, we could have told
them that) which are roughly 75- to
100-microns in size and so are exclu-
sively caught on the 75-micron screen.
The THC hash (ETP!) and CBD hash are
blended together, suspended in etha-
nol, creating Sativex.
Its not original to observe how remark-
able the Cannabis plant really is, but the
more we learn through rigorous scientific
research, the more the population as a
whole will be able to see how much we
have missed out on through prohibi-
tion. The fact that Cannabis can have so
many medical applications for conditions
where the best alternatives are either
ineffective or cause horrific side effects,
while being completely non-toxic and
free from unpleasant side-effects, must
be a dream for a pharmaceutical com-
pany and is in itself pretty remarkable.
The fact that we humans have our own,
naturally occurring cannabinoid (anan-
damide) in our bodies, and receptors
in our brains to receive it and that
Cannabis is the only place outside of our
own bodies where these compounds
are found must surely hint at a very
long evolutionary history between us
and the Cannabis plant. Indeed, it is
well-documented that humans ate the
seeds and used the fibers, but a recent
archaeological dig in the Gobi desert
(China) revealed the tomb of a blue-
eyed man buried with 789 grams of bud
that still had active THC in the glands,
estimated to be 2,700 years old. Man has
evolved alongside Cannabis, growing
and selecting all the time.
Undoubtedly it is a good thing that MS
sufferers can have some much needed
relief from Sativex. Getting any phar-
maceutical drug to market takes a pain-
fully long time for those waiting for it.
GW is currently trying to get Sativex
licensed for many more conditions, but
research has to be done and reviewed
before this can happen. What Sativex has
done is drawn a distinct line between
medical and recreational Cannabis.
This is the major difference between
medical Cannabis here, and in California
or Holland, where it is accepted that
Cannabis is beneficial and it is up to the
patient as to how they administer it and
in what form they buy it. Whether or not
this is a good thing is debatable.
Already growers, breeders and Cannabis
experts are responding to this new
research and particularly to the ben-
efits of CBD. Jorge Cervantes, Howard
Marks and Shantibaba have all put their
names to the CBD Crew; while Jamie
from Resin Seeds in Spain recently tested
an individual plant with an even ratio
of THC and CBD. This has kicked off a
program to breed seeds that can offer
this chemical profile every time, clear
evidence that the Cannabis Community
is responding in its own way to these
new discoveries.
The problem they have is that the only
way to tell the chemical profile of a
plant is by having it tested in a labora-
tory. Most Cannabis breeding is done
by selecting plants on the basis of size,
smell, yield and high, rather than their
cannabinoid profile. This means that
simultaneously we have the dedicated
Cannabis experts and breeders with
limited resources but a wealth of knowl-
edge and experience of Cannabis use
and GW Pharmaceuticals: with all its
money, resources and scientific know-
how, but clearly no direct experience
striving for the same thing. Both ulti-
mately have the same goal, producing
effective Cannabis-based medicine, but
both are being held back by their lack of
the very thing the other party has. You
can see where this is going; medicines
take a notoriously long time to get to
market, but as more and more conditions
are recommended for Cannabis therapy,
the harder it will be for the anti-Cannabis
lobby to paint it as the devils-weed of
1930s prohibition propaganda.
The medical community has well and
truly started to take notice of Cannabis
as a possible panacea. Public opinion in
the US is quoted as being 70% in favor
of the Federal legalization of Cannabis;
Switzerland have just made growing a
personal supply of Cannabis a non-pros-
ecutable offense; Portugal has decrimi-
nalized all drugs; while all over Europe
laws on personal use are increasingly
being relaxed except in Britain. We
are sadly now a long way behind the
rest of the Western world in our attitude
towards Cannabis.
Still, if youre an MS sufferer with spasms,
congratulations! You can now get the
first legal Cannabis this country has seen
for a very long time. What is certain is
that the issue is not likely to go away,
especially now that the pharmaceuti-
cal industrys appetite is whetted. As
this goes to press a challenge has been
raised to the monopoly that GW has
been granted by the government to pro-
duce medical Cannabis. Since GW holds
the only license in the UK, they certainly
do have a monopoly, which is indeed
illegal, so it will be interesting to see how
it plays out. This is just the beginning.
29

At the time, Lebanon was tearing itself
to pieces in an orgy of sectarian violence.
Despite that, it was also the largest supplier
of hashish, much of which went through
Syria. Ninety percent of this trade was run
by one family; their worldwide network
shipped red and gold hashish to just about
everywhere on the planet. My contact was
Ali, a lower echelon member of the family...
and a little crazy.
I boarded the flight with a couple of mind-
ers and six hours later touched down at
Damascus airport there my troubles
began. My companions carried passports
agreeable to the dictatorial regime of
Damascus and received a visa. My pass-
port, however, was thrown back with a
sneer, Non, and the glass panel slammed
shut. I had no choice but to return and
apply for a visa in Europe, and the last flight
had already departed. My companions left
and I sat down in the lounge to wait for the
next days flight. They had left me a stack
of magazines, so I opened a Penthouse and
waited. Within fifteen minutes I had a bite
a policeman appeared at my side: Do you
have any more of those? Two Penthouses
and a bottle of whiskey later, I had my visa.

My companions were impressed; I just
remembered that alcohol and porn were
currency in the Middle East. That night
after dinner we visited the hotel bar,
which was full of men in dark glasses; the
CIA and KGB were well represented.

Later that night, unable to sleep I stepped
onto the balcony for a smoke. A convoy of
camouflaged SCUD missiles was passing
silently below.

Ali appeared next morning, a .45 in his
belt; his two friends were also armed. An
envelope of cash changed hands and the
mood lightened. A few whiskeys later we
were all the best of friends. Alis airport
contact wasnt working for a couple of
days, so we were invited to stay at his
farm in the Bekaa Valley he assured us it
would be perfectly safe.

Later that night we were in a huge Chevy
hurtling through the darkness, while Ali
displayed his weapon collection, occa-
sionally firing off a burst through the open
window. He really was crazy. There were
military road blocks all the way to the
border, but Ali simply flashed a UN police
pass and we were waved straight through.

After the Sheraton the farm was pretty
primitive, but there was good food and
enough hashish. Next morning the Israelis
began shelling the valley and we spent
two days hiding in the basement. Despite
Alis assurances they wouldnt hit the farm,
they came pretty close. On the third day
there was a lull in the shelling and we left.
Stopping at another farm, we picked up
a nervous American with a suitcase full
of hash.

We passed back through the roadblocks
without a problem, until we reached one
controlled by the Syrian army. This time
the barrier didnt lift and the guard ges-
tured us out of the car. Alis driver refused
and waved his pass again; the guard
cocked his gun. From where I was sitting
I could see the driver was reaching for his
gun. Ali hissed at the American to pass
him the Uzi from under the seat, but he
froze. This was not looking good.

There was only one guard, but behind was
a lit hut, perhaps full of reinforcements.
The guard moved in closer, gun leveled
at the driver, who once more flashed his
pass. Ali used the moments distraction
to roll out the passenger door and bring
his .45 to bear on the guards head. Now it
was a real standoff.

After what seemed like ages, Ali threw
a wad of dollars to the ground and the
guard lowered his gun. The car rolled
slowly forward as the barrier raised, Ali still
aiming at the guards head.
What would have happened? I asked
when Ali got back in the car. Wed have
killed him, he replied. Oh, great!

After we dropped off a catatonic American,
I was taken straight to the airport to catch
the Sunday morning flight to Amsterdam.
Ali handed me a bag with twenty kilos in it
and explained that the guard working the
scanner was his man.

Once inside the airport I joined the queue
for security. It was then the policeman
to whom Id given the whiskey and
Penthouse spotted me. My friend, he
strode over and put his arm around my
shoulders. Come.
He then guided me through security and
passport control with a wave of his hand.
Alis contact turned white when he saw
what was happening, convinced I was
busted. Instead I was personally escorted
onto the plane, while he tried to con-
vince me to bring back more contraband.
I said yes to everything to get rid of him.
Finally the other passengers boarded,
and he left.

Strapped in, the stewardess announced
there would be a short stopover in Beirut,
the first commercial flight to do so in a
year. Now I was really nervous and so were
my fellow passengers.

Twenty minutes later we were on final
approach into Beirut. The plane had bare-
ly touched the runway when there was a
massive explosion. The pilot reacted very
quickly and spun the plane around, tak-
ing off through a rain of debris. Circling,
we could only see smoke. Later the pilot
informed us it had been the American
base, and many people had died.

Landing in Amsterdam six hours later,
we were met by the worlds press and I,
along with my twenty kilos, was on the
evening news.
SMUGGLERS TALES
Syrian Vacation ORiodon
Smuggling is a dangerous game and can often go wrong; Id sum up
my career as a successful failure. After one particularly disastrous
adventure, I was left owing somebody a lot of money and the sug-
gested repayment plan was a plane ticket to Damascus, Syria. I was to
become a mule until the debt was paid and it was non-negotiable.
THERE WERE MILITARY ROAD BLOCKS ALL THE WAY TO THE BORDER, BUT ALI
SIMPLY FLASHED A U.N. POLICE PASS AND WE WERE WAVED STRAIGHT THROUGH
SYRIAN ARMY ROADBLOCK
DAMASCUS AIRPORT SUICIDE BOMBING OF AMERICAN BASE TWO DAYS IN THE BEKAA VALLEY
BREAKING THE LAW TO SAVE LIVES 18 A TALE OF TWO CANNABINOIDS 27 URBAN FARM EVOLUTION 5
30
A POTENT DELICACY!
In this issue, we will describe how to prepare our jelly, a series of
extractions resulting in a resin of excellent quality. There are several
steps to follow in order to obtain a specimen that presents a good
level of purity; hopefully you will find our advice useful! Mr.X
Dry Extraction
First of all, begin with the easiest and
most familiar part for any Cannabis con-
sumer: dry- and/or ice trichome extrac-
tion. The result will be the first compo-
nent of our jelly.
To work in dry conditions, you can use
any of the classic systems that everyone
is familiar with: rods in a sieve, manual
shaking, cylinder-shaped extraction
containers as long as the material
used is of good quality, any of these sys-
tems will work. I recommend the weed
be cured for at least a couple of months,
to remove as much chlorophyll as possi-
ble, and that it be in its prime, strength-
wise. One thing I like about this method
is that its not necessary to wait for the
resin to dry; the terpenes remain more
intact, and so we usually retain a bet-
ter aroma/flavor. However, if you wish
to keep the quality high, extracting a
decent percentage of the whole weight
without introducing impurities is rather
complicated.
Inserting dry ice in the rotating drums
works very well and increases produc-
tion; this allows you to maintain the
steady low temperature, while also
ensuring that the trichomes rupture
optimally. Remember that were talk-
ing about dry ice, also known as card
ice, which doesnt leave any liquid resi-
due when it evaporates this makes
it a powerful ally. Because of the large
quantities of carbon dioxide released
you should always work in a well-ven-
tilated environment, and wear thermal
gloves when handling it, in order to
avoid skin damage or damage to your
respiratory system.
Ice-Water Extraction
In this case, the best way to maximize
your results is to opt for ice-water extrac-
tion. By using good-quality screens and
correct micron size youve already won
half the battle; then you need to gather
a good quantity of ice in order to main-
tain as low a water temperature as pos-
sible during the process.
Although there are washers specially-
intended for this use, which work quite
well, in my experience it is easier to
control the process if you have the time
to carry it out by hand.
Beating the compound lightly means
being less aggressive, and so rupturing
less vegetable material that you arent
interested in. Using a large container
gives the buds more space to open. A
mass of damp weed in four gallons (15
liters) of water is very different from a
mass of damp weed in 26 gallons (ca.
100 liters) of water, where there is defi-
nitely enough space for it to unfurl and
free its load.
Using small leaves from the manicuring
gives good results, but if you can use
buds, the best way is to shred them
gently with your hands instead of grind-
ing them. Otherwise most of the resin
will remain trapped inside. Quality is
improved by alternately beating the
compound and letting it settle (15 min-
utes per cycle); its important to keep
adding ice so that a minimal amount is
always visible. This method is no longer
effective if the temperature rises. The
idea is that frozen trichomes fall into ice
water, while vegetable matter floats on
an air-entrained concentrate.
Once this part is complete, the next step
is to catch the first floating layers in a
strainer, crushing them in your hands to
try and free as much liquid as possible.
Then move over to another container
where youve placed your wire netting;
of course, the thicker part is turned
toward the inside and the thinnest part
toward the top. After siphoning every-
thing, place each net on a dish towel to
remove any excess water. Then gather
the product and place it on a plate,
using a knife to grind the grain as much
as possible, in order to be able to strain
it in a colander (as if it were a cheese
grater), applying a slight pressure with
your fingers and rolling the compound
until all that remains on the plate is a
fine powder.
The powder must be left on a coffee
filter, cardboard or on a paper towel
for a few days (at least a week) to expel
any remaining humidity. Never press it
right away because, although the result
RESIN OBTAINED BY DRY EXTRACTION
IN A CURING CONTAINER
PREPARING THE ICE AND OTHER MATERIALS RESIN OBTAINED WITH ICE
SURGICAL STAINLESS STEEL EXTRACTOR
THE GAS STARTS RISING, CARRYING
THE TRICHOMES WITH IT
might look good at first glance, it will
crumble or harden within a few days,
losing all elasticity and organoleptic
properties. In other words, if you dont
let it settle, all your work will be ruined.
When it has dried completely, its best
to keep it in this powder form and just
work the part you want to use. In this
case, save it for subsequent blending
with the oil that youll extract as the
second component.
31
and offering a flavor, scent and clean
effect without additions. For me it led
to an important change in my appre-
ciation and enjoyment of this type of
extract in crystal pipes, which allow you
to avoid using lighters, although you
still have to use specialized gadgets for
oil or ceramic-tipped heaters to begin
combustion. A possibility for the most
health-conscious is using a vaporizer
with a bubbler (for example), achieving
a clear, re-hydrated vapor.
At your next trim session, I encourage
you to save any small leaves or lower
buds and then try to carry out your own
extractions Im sure the results will
amaze you.
Happy smoking, X.
PLACING THE TRAY IN AN AU BAIN-MARIE THE FIRST PURGE
BHO, READY FOR CONSUMPTION MOLDING THE JELLY
BUDDER, EMULSIFIED BHO
BUBBLER PREPARED FOR
SMOKING CONCENTRATES JELLY, READY FOR CONSUMPTION
Extracting the BHO (Butane
Hash Oil)
At this point, you have one of the two
parts youll be using, and its time to turn
to the more complicate and delicate
part of the process extracting the BHO,
which calls for great care. First of all, I
must thank my friend, master Leocadius
a genuine web crack as far as extrac-
tions go for advising and helping me
as I wrote on the subject.
Extracting oil with gas is simple; doing
it properly is a whole different story,
and requires a job that is partly confec-
tioner and partly chemist. Most extrac-
tions Ive witnessed show a high level
of retained gas, and the principle aim is
to avoid this, because the mercaptans
contained in the gas are extremely toxic
and shouldnt be consumed. The word
mercaptan means capturing mercury,
a substance you certainly dont want to
come into close contact with.
The first step is to try and obtain a high-
quality and refined gas some of the
most common types are colibr, vec-
tor or z-plus, as their impurity content
is much lower. I use a surgical stain-
less steel extractor, made by Leocadius,
which has a section to capture activated
carbon, so the gas is already free of con-
taminating substances and traces by the
time it reaches the weed.
Fill the extractor with material, not too
tightly but without leaving empty spac-
es, because the gas must be able to
pass through quickly and needs to be in
contact with the highest surface area of
weed as possible. Once again, the same
as during the ice procedure, if youre
using buds you must crumble them with
your fingers, not with a grinder. When
the extractor is full, it needs to be placed
in a freezer with the bottles of gas you
intend to use for at least thirty minutes.
Leaving it overnight is even better.
Now you need a Pyrex container; boro-
silicate glass has higher resistance to
thermal changes, solvents and acids
compared to regular glass. The bigger
your container, the easier it is to carry
out your purge; you also need another
container, larger than the first, for your
au bain-marie.
After having done all this and always
outdoors its time to put the gas
through the bud-filled tube on top of
the Pyrex container. In just a few sec-
onds you can observe the liquefied gas
rising and covering the bottom; if the
first bottle starts shrinking its best to
change to the second one right away, to
maintain pressure.
Having already prepared a dish with
several inches of solution, place it in the
second container, previously filled with
very hot water. Throughout the process
its important to keep far away from
any stoves, lighters or closed spaces
in general. Youll see how quickly the
water starts evaporating, forming bub-
bles that you need to puncture with a
pin to free the gas.
In just a few minutes, youll find a layer
of oil at the bottom, which will get
harder and harder but wont be ready to
use yet. This first purge only takes about
two minutes, in all.
Let everything settle briefly while you
reheat the water and repeat the previous
step, placing the Pyrex in the au bain-
marie, puncturing the bubbles that start
forming again. If youre lucky and car-
ried out the process properly, this purge
should already leave you with something
thats fairly clear. This second purge should
take around 15 minutes.
After finishing the second purge, wait
at least an hour while everything cools
down, then reheat it one last time, which
makes extracting the result easier. Be
quick, because the compound will harden
so much in just a few seconds that you
wont be able to remove it. Use a series of
blades to catch part of the oil on each one;
it will crystallize, forming attractive gems
in a range of colors from pale yellow to
dark amber.
Now you have your BHO, the strongest
extraction possible. In this case its used in
combination with dry pollen but I recom-
mend that you keep a portion aside and
try it like that, because its truly a delight
for the senses. Only if you have a high tol-
erance level, though, because otherwise
it could knock you out before you notice!
This type of extract offers its best strength
within the first week, so you shouldnt
prepare much more than you plan to use.
If you have an excess amount and wish to
keep it for a while, be sure to freeze it to
maintain its properties.
As a fun anecdote, I remember performing
my first extractions of this type a few years
ago in spite of having read and heard
innumerable times that the process should
never be carried out indoors, I thought that
the final stage really wasnt so dangerous,
and I decided to perform the purge in an
au bain-marie over the saucepan on my
small stove. I thought I could save a few
minutes this way. But I had barely set it
down when I saw a huge ball of fire light-
ing the dishcloth and food wrappers, and
singeing my eyebrows and beard. Luckily, I
had an extinguisher on hand and was able
to put out the fire, but I can promise that
I was so scared I never even thought of
smoking anything else all day!
Preparing the Jelly
Now you have everything you need,
and with a small margin can decide the
quantities on a personal basis how-
ever, a good ratio is 25% BHO for every
75% of resin. The rest depends upon
the texture and strength you wish to
obtain; the result is so creamy that light
pressure is enough to amalgamate and
unite it. Actually, it would be hard to
avoid this result.
This jelly is without a doubt one of the
strongest and most impressive hashes
available for consumption; touching,
molding and observing its gelatinous
appearance is always a pleasure. A crystal
pipe is probably the best way to enjoy its
many properties.
Taking all those pains to extract resin just
to reapply it to weed or worse, tobacco,
doesnt make much sense. Nor does it
make sense to use the oil to camou-
flage a mediocre pollen; the only reason
for creating this blend is the high qual-
ity of each individual component which,
together, are even more easily manipu-
lated, allowing us to dose strength and
consumption more effectively.
The level of purity is sufficient to con-
sume it in a crystal nail file or a tita-
nium swing, vanishing without a trace
MOST EXTRACTIONS SHOW A HIGH LEVEL OF RETAINED GAS, AND THE
PRINCIPLE AIM IS TO AVOID THIS, BECAUSE THE MERCAPTANS CONTAINED IN THE GAS
ARE EXTREMELY TOXIC AND SHOULDNT BE CONSUMED
F
r
u
i
t

S
p
i
r
i
t
Royal Queen Seeds
Genetic Background: Blueberry x White Widow
Indica / Sativa: 25% - 75%
Height of the plant: 50-60 cm
Flowering Time: 8 weeks
Effect: High (sweet taste)
33
CULTIVATION 101
What and When to Flush?
Any plant that has been raised on a min-
eral feed and additives should be flushed,
regardless of the growing method or
growing medium used. In pure hydropon-
ic growing methods like nutrient film
technique or aeroponics plants have
constant access to mineral nutrients and,
provided the solution in the reservoir is
balanced, will constantly take all the ele-
ments they need via active uptake. These
elements will be stored, in the root zone
and plant sap, all the way up to harvest.
Plants grown in soil or cocos will also store
excess elements. The medium around
the roots provides a buffer that protects
against over-fertilization. So, unlike in
hydro where too much nutrient has an
immediate effect on the plant, a soil-
grown plant may show no effects of over
feeding, despite having a buildup of min-
erals around the roots. Therefore, flushing
is still necessary.
The exception to the rule is growing on
organics. With a mineral nutrient the
plants are fed directly, using elements
that can be immediately taken up by the
plant. With an organic feed, you are feed-
ing the microbes within the soil. These
microbes then produce elements that the
plant takes up; the plant is not fed directly.
As a result, there is no excess of minerals
stored in the plant and you can feed until
the day you chop.
One other thing to bear in mind is that a
flushing product can be used to clear out
any mineral buildups that have occurred
through over-feeding, at any stage of devel-
opment a sort of colonic irrigation for
plants! If your girls are starting to show signs
of nutrient overdose crisping at the edge
of the leaves, for example use a flushing
agent with water in your hydro system or
pots. This will minimize the stress caused
by the over-feed and aid your plants recov-
ery. Be sure to check the ingredient list, as
some of these flushing products are highly
chemical in composition.
How Does Flushing Work?
The simplest method of flushing is to just
feed water in the last week or two before
harvesting. The lack of elements being
fed to the plant forces it to use up the
excess elements stored within its tissue.
This method is effective, but there are
still likely to be some excess minerals left
within the plant, particularly if concen-
trated mineral additives have been used.
There are various flushing products on the
market, each based upon different tech-
niques of removing, or forcing the use of,
excess nutrients stored within the plant.
These techniques include:
Stress
When the flush is administered it creates a
root stress that forces energy in the plant
to be expended, therefore using up the
excess nutrients stored and ripening the
plant at the same time. Some of the flush-
es that employ this technique are so pow-
erful that they actually destroy the roots
of the plant, triggering a survival instinct,
forcing all of the energy into reproduction
(i.e. the buds).
Mineral Salts
A good technique for pure hydroponic
systems where the roots are exposed,
large mineral particles are added to the
flushing solution. These particles are too
large to be taken up by the plant, but
when washed through the roots will
attract any excess mineral deposits that
have built up, and wash them away.
Hormones
Flushes containing natural plant hor-
mones will trigger a natural reaction in
the plant that forces it to mature and
finish. This uses up excess minerals stored
and also ripens the fruit, improving qual-
ity and yield.
Some of the better flushes on the market
use a combination of techniques to get
the best result.
Temptation is a dangerous thing for the
home grower, from the excited first-timer
to the seasoned expert; when those buds
get ripe, theyre hard to resist! Just remem-
ber, for a smoother, tastier smoke, its truly
worth hanging on that extra week. Trim
and smoke a few air buds if you have to;
just make sure you flush before you chop
the main harvest.
And, dont forget to cure it properly...
happy flushing!
It can mean the difference
between a harsh or smooth
smoke, a natural or chemical
taste and, in some cases, a few
extra grams of yield. Flushing is
one of the most important parts
of your grow; yet it is also one of
the most overlooked. Lets take
a look at this simple, but often
misunderstood, technique.
Why Flush?
When cultivating using mineral nutrients
the NPK levels within a plant can become
unbalanced, and excess elements are
stored within the tissue of the plant. This
is particularly true in the case of Cannabis
cultivation where additives are given to
the plant to trigger a specific reaction or
process. For example, after the first two
weeks of the flowering period it is com-
mon to administer a PK additive to trig-
ger flower development and increase the
weight and density of the buds.
Think of the amount of flowering stimula-
tors, catalysts, ignitors and boosters that
are available on the market each pro-
claiming to be more powerful and con-
centrated than the other. The high per-
centage of mineral elements contained
in those products undoubtedly forces an
increased yield (some incredibly so) but
if they are not flushed out, they will be
stored in the plant and affect its flavor.
End product from plants that have not
been flushed can suffer from a chemi-
cal taste; smokers often complain that
hydroponically-grown weed has a dif-
ferent taste from soil-grown, whereas in
reality it is likely to have not been flushed
properly.
Flushing also affects the burn of the end
product. Next time youre smoking on
some dealer-bought weed, take a look at
the ash on the end of the joint: if its been
properly flushed, the ash should be light
gray, with a fine, powdery texture. Ash cre-
ated from burning weed that hasnt been
flushed will be black, with a much more
solid consistency and in particularly bad
cases can pop and spark as the impuri-
ties still contained are ignited. I can recall
a particularly nasty batch of commercial
dope that crackled and popped so much,
it was like toking on a fireworks display.
FOR THE BEST END PRODUCT FLUSH!
BLACK ASH MEANS EXCESS MINERALS ARE STILL STORED IN THE BUD
34
Born in Lithuania and brought up by her
naturalist grandmother, she was taught
the healing power of plants from an early
age. Arriving in America at the age of six-
teen, she was involved in an automobile
accident that shattered her legs. With no
antibiotics available, it wasnt long before
gangrene set in and the only option was
to amputate. She refused despite the
pleas of her parents, who were convinced
she would die.

Ann spent the days resting in her yard;
one day she noticed her puppy chewing
on grass shoots and remembered the
teachings of her grandmother. So every
day she chewed on the fresh grass shoots,
sucking out the juice and then exposing
her body to sunlight. Within weeks the
gangrene started to recede and eventual-
ly disappeared. Within months her bones
knitted and she was able to walk again,
prompting disbelief among her doctors
and family.

She realized that this was a gift that all
mankind should share, but chewing
the lawn is not for everybody. Besides,
humans cant digest grass, but they can
drink the juice. Ann bought an old meat
grinder and used this to extract the dark
green liquid from the young grass shoots.

There are almost five thousand species of
grass on this planet none of them are poi-
sonous the most beneficial being wheat
grass. The juice from the young shoots
has similar characteristics to blood and is
absorbed rapidly into the body. The chloro-
phyll is similar to hermin, the protein part of
hemoglobin in blood that transports oxy-
gen the difference being that chlorophyll
is bound by an atom of magnesium and
hermin by one of iron. Wheatgrass is also a
powerful cocktail of vitamins, minerals and
enzymes easily absorbed by the internal
organs. When freshly juiced, it is buzzing
with active photons that change sunlight
into energy, so its the equivalent to drink-
ing liquid sunshine.

In the 1950s Dr. Ann Wigmore opened the
Hippocrates Health Institute in Boston,
founded on the premise that the body can
heal itself, given the right tools. The insti-
tute began treating a variety of ailments
and pioneered ground-breaking research
into the potential of sprouts and grasses.
Their results showed positive effects on
many illnesses such as diabetes, obesity,
gastritis, ulcers, liver problems and ane-
mia. Used topically it can treat burns and
skin diseases. These are also an easily
absorbable food source that can sustain
patients combating cancer and other
degenerative disease.

Its enormous food potential was shown in
an experiment where pigs were fed only
wheat grass juice for a year, in which time
they registered above average growth
and were more relaxed. At the end of the
period they were offered normal food
again, but chose to return to the wheat-
grass. Remember, the most powerful ani-
mals in the world live on grass.

I have some personal experience with
wheatgrass, having used it for more than
ten years, and probably juiced more than
three football fields worth in that time.
Aside from the vitamins and minerals it
contains, I discovered another benefit.
One day, having drunk more than half a
pint of wheatgrass juice, I stepped out into
the midday sun. The feeling was immedi-
ate; as if I had been connected to the
electricity mains. The active photons now
in my blood were still converting sunlight
into energy, boosting my energy levels.

Now I could go on about the mind bend-
ing amount of vitamins, minerals and
enzymes wheatgrass contains, but you
have the internet for that. What I will tell
you is in the midst of all the processed
garbage that we eat, theres definitely
room for something that can help you
feel healthier and more vital. It only costs
twenty cents a day and just fifteen min-
utes of your time to cultivate and con-
sume. The returns you receive will be a
hundredfold.

In the summer months, planting through
to harvesting takes just eight days and I
use a tray per day. Grown in organic soil
and watered with reverse-osmosis (6.5
pH) tepid water, the result is an unbeliev-
ably sweet taste with just a hint of licorice,
followed by a rush of well-being and clear,
green energy. The sweetness surprises
many people.

To start, soak 200 grams of seeds over-
night in a cool, dark place in filtered water.
The next day, empty them into a tight
mesh net and rinse with tap water, return-
ing them to a dark place. Rinse twice a day
with tap water until they sprout, which
usually takes two days. Then fill a 20 by
30 tray with two inches of organic soil
and spread the sprouted seeds evenly
across the surface. It is best to spray rather
then water, as this doesnt disturb the
seeds. The water should be the cleanest
possible and between 5.5 and 6.5 pH, but
tap water will do. The tray should be cov-
ered with dark plastic and lightly sprayed
once a day. In two days the shoots will be
two inches high and ready to be uncov-
ered. Place in a well lit place, but not in
direct sunlight and watch the shoots
turn green. Six days later they will be eight
inches tall and ready for harvesting.

Now you can just chew the grass and
suck out the juice, but the best way is to
juice it with a machine. Wheatgrass will
destroy most juicers; whats required is a
slow moving worm-drive juicer that will
squeeze the juice without oxidizing it. An
old fashioned meat grinder will do, but I
use a Samson 9001 multi-purpose juicer,
which will juice anything. Best is to drink
it straight and immediately, but it can be
mixed with other fruits and vegetables. So
juice and enjoy.
There are also wheatgrass enemas, but we
wont go there.
Magic Grass
The earth is covered in it; the largest, most powerful animals live off of it and we play sports on it,
never realizing the enormous potential that is under our feet. Have you heard that when animals are
sick, they eat grass? Back in the 1920s Ann Wigmore noticed this. ORiodon
SPREAD THE SEEDS EVENLY
OVER YOUR ORGANIC SOIL
SPROUTS FLOURISH
AFTER JUST TWO DAYS
HARVEST TIME IS A PALETTE OF VIVID GREEN HUES, EVERY EIGHT DAYS
THIS SAMSON 9001 JUICER
CAN HANDLE WHEATGRASS
35
BOOK REVIEWS
Mel Thomass Cannabis Cultivation from
Green Candy Press is a nice overview
suitable for beginner- to intermediate gar-
deners. Written by Londons own Mr. Big,
this third edition has over 300 color pages,
detailing a variety of Cannabis topics.
Mr. Thomas was arrested in 1996 for a 200
x 30 indoor garden that produced hun-
dreds of pounds of bud per year, and in
Cannabis Cultivation, he shares his practi-
cal experience and real world knowledge
with the reader. The authors commercial
growing background shows in his no-
nonsense approach to marijuana garden-
ing. The information is presented in a
casual tone, with the underlying scientific
theory explanations kept to a minimum.
It is more a book about making the most
out of a garden, and having a successful
harvest, than a college text on the topic.
Starting with an introduction to the
Cannabis plant, and chapters on security
and location selection, the book covers
all the major topics of cultivation, includ-
ing hydroponic indoor gardening, green-
houses grows, and outdoor fields. The
authors colorful background is evident
in his tips on avoiding detection and
prosecution.
Electrical needs (and different methods
if acquiring it) are addressed, including
generators and photovoltaic solutions.
Lighting systems described include not
only the standard fluorescent and high
intensity discharge (HID) options, but also
alternative lighting technologies includ-
ing LEDs, Sulfur Plasma and light movers.
An entire chapter is devoted to organic
cultivation, and includes recipes for home-
made potting soil. The section on hydro-
ponic cultivation describes the different
hydroponic styles sufficiently for a handy
gardener to understand well enough to
build. For example, the soda bottle tube
system can be made with empty two-liter
bottles and a trip to the hardware store.
Compact cultivation beats not having any
smoke, and techniques and tips for small-
er grows are included, along with pruning
and training tips to maximize the use of
available space. Harvesting tips guide the
gardener toward collecting the type of
bud they want: early for a high, late for a
heavier smoke.
As a nice bonus to a book on growing
Cannabis, there are also chapters on THC
extraction and Cannabis consumption.
Different methods of hash making are
explained, as well as instructions for a
homemade tumbler.
The chapter on medical Cannabis lists sev-
eral ailments that Cannabis has been used
to medicate over the years. The history of
Cannabis and humans goes back thou-
sands of years, and the reader is treated
to some of the details on how it was used
by ancient civilizations, as well as contem-
Marijuana Pest & Disease Control by Ed
Rosenthal is a new book from Quick
American Publishing the gives detailed
information about the most common
unwelcome visitors to a vipers garden. The
book has two parts: one for the problems,
and one for the problem solvers.
The old adage an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure holds especially
true for garden pests. Good housekeep-
ing practices can avoid many problems
before they start, and this book explains
how. Healthy plants are more disease- and
insect resistant, and proper nutrition is
the key to healthy plants. Basic nutrition is
explained, and photos illustrate common
nutrient deficiencies.
Then, a menagerie of 21 vicious marauders
is described in detail. Gardeners prone to
nightmares may wish to read this section
only in small doses. Diseases, fungi, insects
and critters can all pose a threat, and each
is given space between these pages. The
most common garden threats (except for
the one that walks on two legs) are covered,
from ants to whiteflies. Information about
life cycles, behavior, identification and treat-
ment suggestions are included for each.
The writing is straightforward and easy to
follow; the photos are helpful in visualizing
the topics. One thing I learned, with much
amusement, was the proper name of gray
mold or bud rot is Botryotinia fuckeliana,
appropriately enough as any gardener who
has been fuckelianaed by it can attest to.
Cannabis Cultivation Grubbycup
Marijuana Pest &
Disease Control Grubbycup
porary methods of ingestion. Included are
recipes for tinctures and edibles, enough
to get started with.
Cannabis Cultivation has earned a place on
many gardeners bookshelves since it was
first released, and this third edition is an
improved update to the original material.
Peace, love and puka shells,
Grubbycup
www.greencandypress.com
www.melthomas.info
More sobering was learning that not only
can Cannabis catch the dreaded tobacco
mosaic virus, but that smoking infected
tobacco near it can be a source of infection
no more smoking in the garden.
But every good story needs a happy
ending, and the second part of the book
explains how to get rid of these terrors
of the garden. Physical defenses such as
fences or netting, natural and chemical
pesticides and biological agents can all be
used to help protect and treat problems.
Advice is given on pesticide alternatives,
including several recipes for those that want
to whip up a batch of Garlic Spray or other
homemade cure. The biological controls
section details beneficial critters than can
be enlisted as a defending force. One of
the disadvantages to growing outside is
the additional exposure to larger pests like
deer and rats, and the last control section is
devoted to such outdoor-specific problems.
Ill keep this book handy as a reference,
but I hope not to need it often for my own
garden. I enjoyed reading it, and know more
about these pests and their treatments for
doing so. The advice herein is appropri-
ate for novice through expert gardeners.
Being prepared allows for a faster response;
with this book and a little advance read-
ing and planning you can be prepared for
an unpleasant invasion, and hopefully rise
victorious.
Peace, love and puka shells,
Grubbycup
36
The Red One interviews the King
of Compost, Malcolm McEwen
Its amazing who you meet when you go
traveling, especially in places like the Rif
mountains. We were over there research-
ing the political and economic issues of kif
in the Rif, but that sort of work can get a
bit stressful sometimes, so plenty of ham-
mock time is called for. Mmm, the Monkey
Mans hardella, doble zero zero the best.
Hot sunshine, 100-plus degrees. A gentle
breeze and a lazy swing in the hammock.
Before I knew it I was in slumber land.
Then came an ear-splitting crash, a puff of
smoke and a flash of light was I dream-
ing? I rubbed my eyes. As the smoke
started to clear I could see a man floating
in front of me; he was sitting in the lotus
position, hovering above a large, shiny
metal chest. His gray hair was dragged
back into a ponytail and his woolly beard
gave him the look of an old colonial
explorer. He was dressed in a pale blue
Pakistani dress suit, his eyes were twin-
kling and he was smiling a mischievous
smile this was Malcolm.
Malcolm McEwen is a self-styled trave-
ling soil scientist and Sufi mystic with a
degree in Habitat and Soil Management.
He has a dedicated and adoring follow-
ing as Youtubes King of Compost, but
now he spends most of his time conduct-
ing research and consulting with farm-
ers in Africa and south Asia. Hes been
leading this nomadic lifestyle for the last
seven years with his mission being to
help farmers adopt better practices and
resource management techniques. He has
also learned a lot while hes been on the
road. His website Persephone Habitat and
Soil Management (www.phasm.co.uk) is
a free resource and virtual consultancy
for anyone wanting to develop sustain-
able agriculture. As we speak, Malcolm
is busy researching the implications and
opportunities of Cannabis agriculture in
northern Morocco; hes got some very
interesting points to make so SSUSA took
advantage of our meeting and conducted
the following interview
SSUSA: Before we start talking about
Cannabis agriculture in the Rif moun-
tains, can you give us an idea of the
broader issues you deal with?
Malcolm: Yes, of course. Since the advent
of the Green Revolution agriculture has
become increasingly dependent on mech-
anization and the industrial-scale use of
artificial manures, pesticides and herbi-
cides. Once heralded as the end of food
shortages, these modern practices have
since led to accelerated soil erosion, water
pollution, a frightening loss of biodiversity
and pervasive habitat destruction.
There have been a good deal of social
implications as well; men who used
to drive horses have been replaced
by satellite-controlled tractors pulling
disc harrows. While this may have
led to greater efficiency in short-
term production, it has also created
unemployment and precipitated the
demise of rural communities. So, while
the Green Revolution might have
theoretically put more food on the plate,
it did so at the cost of the environment
and the rural social systems that
depended upon it; a cost we now know
to be unsustainable.
SSUSA: Can you take us a little bit
deeper with regards to the chemical
side of things?
Malcolm: Monoculture farming has
become a generator of green deserts, vast
fields devoid of anything except a single
strain of plant. Absurdly, in the name of effi-
ciency some of these green deserts stretch
to the horizon and beyond; they are main-
tained by regular applications of oil-based
fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. The
GPS-controlled tractors trace and retrace
their previous tracks through these green
deserts while they spray the crops with all
these noxious agrochemicals. Under the
industrial scale farming system there is no
room for biodiversity, so the system needs
these apocalypse-inducing chemicals to
maintain production levels.
Most agricultural crops, particularly grass-
es and cereals, require 250 kg of nitrogen
to be added per hectare per year. This
nitrogen is produced by fixing atmos-
pheric nitrogen a process that requires
lots of energy, which is why most nitrogen
fertilizer factories are located very close
to oil refineries. This form of nitrogen is
highly soluble so, while effective in plant
nutrition, it is easily leached from the soil
into water sources where it causes pollu-
tion. Furthermore, it interferes with the
carbon cycle, accelerating CO
2
evolution
and eroding the soils organic reserves.
The loss of Soil Organic Carbon through
both cultivation and fertilizer use is
believed to be a major contributor to the
current elevated CO
2
levels in the atmos-
phere, with as much as a third having
originated directly from agriculture.
The use of herbicides and pesticides have
similarly had major implications by caus-
ing massive declines in common herbs,
insect populations, small mammals and
birds that depend on them. This is by no
means a recent phenomenon we have
known about the ill effects of pesticide
use since 1960 when Rachel Carson got
Silent Spring published. Now more than
fifty years have gone by yet most of the
bread you eat will have at least one herbi-
cide and one pesticide application while
in the field; if you are wearing cotton
then this has had at least two more, and
if youre a smoker it is highly likely that
your tobacco still contains traces of the
pesticides used in production.
SSUSA: Thats some scary stuff. How
does it all relate to the Cannabis agri-
culture of the Rif?
Malcolm: When we look at the Rif moun-
tain agriculture we see little evidence
of the above practices. The mountains
are entirely unsuitable for mechanization
and they are still tilled by hand and/or
with a single plow pulled by a donkey or
a couple of horses. It is hard, crude and
poorly paid work. It is only performed
once to prepare the ground for sowing,
and it is also the principle means of con-
trolling [unwanted] weeds: no herbicides
are or could be used here.
Also, dotted in and amongst the culti-
vated fields are various fig trees which,
under the hot summer sun, produce
giant, soft, sweet fruits in shades of
green, pink and yellow. Such is the abun-
dance of these fig trees that their essen-
tial symbiotic partner, the fig wasp, is in
similar abundance this would not be
the case if pesticides were in use.
Relative to a lot of modern agriculture
the Cannabis agriculture in the Rif is
surprisingly eco-friendly; with no herbi-
cides or pesticides in use, the springtime
is awash with floral color and the air is
buzzing with bees and other pollina-
tors. Summer time is equally as active,
with swifts performing their acrobatics
as they scoop the dusk flies out of the
air, and 40-watt light bulbs become a
Mecca for successive waves of moths.
These winged evening visitors may be a
nuisance to some, but they are the adult
stage of the insect and to the ecologist
they are evidence that the environment
is providing sufficient food for the grubs
and caterpillars they originate from.
SSUSA: How about fertilizers? There
has been a bit of worry in recent years
that Riffian farmers are starting to use
chemical fertilizers on their crops.
Malcolm: When it comes to fertilizer use,
the Riffian agronomists add no nitroge-
nous fertilizers but they do use ammoni-
um phosphate, which contains nitrogen.
Ammonium phosphate is a chief product
of Morocco and it is also arguably an
unnecessary application. What they use
more of is animal manures mainly from
sheep, cattle and horses. This is applied
fresh and directly to the land at the
same time as it is cultivated and sown.
How Green is the Rif?
IMPLICATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
THE KING OF COMPOST
37
The Riffians are missing a bit of a trick
here though: because their manure is
not composted properly they are only
harnessing around ten- to fifteen percent
of its potential nutritional value with
proper composting they could boost
that to eighty or ninety percent.
SSUSA: It sounds as if the agriculture
in the Rif is quite sustainable is that
true?
Malcolm: Well, all agriculture is environ-
mentally damaging in some respects
but, compared to most other agricultural
choices, Cannabis is a very ecologically
sustainable crop.
I understand that Cannabis has been
grown in these mountains for between
three- and four hundred years this
has sustained the local human commu-
nities for all that time and the suste-
nance of that, through the generation of
employment, filters its way throughout
Moroccan society.
More recently though, the Cannabis
industry in the Rif has grown to inter-
national proportions in order to supply
the demand in Europe and elsewhere.
Despite this, its impact on the local envi-
ronment has been minimal and with
a little planning and consideration the
industry could turn itself into an example
of excellence in agriculture.
This is all in stark contrast with the
impacts of commercially-cultivated
indoor Cannabis, which is the other
chief source of Europes Cannabis. Done
on an industrial scale, this indoor meth-
od destroys good housing, uses large
amounts of electricity and produces a
far more potent end result. Such an
industry contributes nothing to either
the society in which it is based, nor to
the environment in which it operates.
This is in comparison to the Rif, where
Cannabis cultivation and production is
a family affair, the backbone of the com-
munity: it sustains farmers, the land,
tourism and the community as a whole.
Theres also another important point
I want to make about the Cannabis
crop in the Rif. As it is grown princi-
pally for the resin glands produced by
the female flowers, the majority of the
plant, the biomass, is not exported. The
extraction of the resin is achieved by
physically beating the flowers over a
fine mesh to dislodge and collect the
glands. The husk, the stalks and large
amounts of the beaten flowers are then
returned to the land from which they
came this means they are effectively
growing a green manure! In terms of
chemical composition, the resin is quite
innocuous; it contains no proteins, car-
bohydrates or nutritional value and is
made of little more than water and
air (carbon, hydrogen and oxygen). All
this means that hashish exports do not
rob the ground of fertility, as only a
very small percentage of the biomass is
being exported.
SSUSA: Youve thought about Cannabis
cultivation and its role in the wider
world could you tell us a bit about
that?
Malcolm: Yes, we have to ask ourselves
the question as to what extent does
hashish production contribute to the
global objective of sequestering atmos-
pheric carbon and could/does this indus-
try contribute towards a zero-carbon
society? The answer to this is relatively
easy to calculate; as is tailoring Cannabis
production to encourage nutrient accu-
mulation, building fertility at the local
scale. Both of these objectives are com-
plimentary; we could build fertility and
achieve the global objective of carbon
sequestration without compromis-
ing crop yield or quality. Arguably, a
Cannabis industry that is sustainable,
environmentally friendly and socially
responsible is, regardless of your political
views, far better than one that is not. And
lets face it, as long as there are people on
this earth there will always be a Cannabis
industry to supply them.
So there you have it folks. With a little care
and intellectual investment the hashish
industry of Morocco can be turned into
a positive force for the environment and
society in general. When analyzed in con-
trast to the impact of indoor hydroponic
cultivation, these very simple arguments
alone should be more than sufficient
to persuade policy makers to rethink
their ignorant and highly politicized laws
regarding Cannabis. Youve got the argu-
ments now its your job to start inform-
ing the policy makers!
TO WHAT EXTENT DOES HASHISH PRODUCTION CONTRIBUTE TO THE GLOBAL
OBJECTIVE OF SEQUESTERING ATMOSPHERIC CARBON AND COULD/DOES THIS
INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS A ZERO-CARBON SOCIETY?
THE RIF MOUNTAINS ARE AN ECOLOGICALLY DIVERSE TREASURE
MALCOLM WANDERS THROUGH THE FERTILE LAND
38
BIO PEST CONTROL
Though often referred to as bud worms,
they are actually caterpillars in the insect
order of butterflies and moths. These cat-
erpillars are ferocious feeders that lurch
their entire backside in the air right before
they go for a big bite of your matur-
ing buds painful to watch! Luckily, we
are about to detail everything needed
to detect and disappear these Cannabis-
specific caterpillars.
Not all caterpillars eat Cannabis, but the
ones that do usually quickly devour big
sections of your crop. These challenging
pests are the kind that go unnoticed until
they directly attack your precious females,
which happens well into flowering. The dis-
gusting part is that they leave droppings
all over the plant after they eat the flow-
ers. These sometimes-nocturnal green or
black worm-looking pests are good at hid-
ing (under leaves and other places) with-
out leaving much of a trace, yet they are
nowhere near microscopic. So, when they
do leave telltale signs, like trails of shiny
slime, ripped or dry buds, it has already
negatively affected your harvest.
The first thing that is usually noticed is a
whitish web under one of your healthier
and larger leaves. When you look at it
closely enough you see a little worm-look-
ing insect under the web, and that is when
you know you have a problem.
I would snip those leaves and flush them
down the toilet for safe and recycling-
minded disposal. After a few days, just
when you thought you caught the prob-
lem in time, you start to notice buds with
Caterpillar Confidential Davi Lenyo
In past issues of SSUSA weve highlighted how growing outdoors in
California is not always easy, especially when enduring high tempera-
tures like last summer. There are other, more universal obstacles to
successfully growing outdoors, regardless of temperature or geogra-
phy and the pest under the microscope here is definitely a wormy
adversary all growers should know about.
less of the typical form and maybe even a
few of these insects in the act of munching
on your plants!
If you miss all of the other warning signs
and just see the dried buds, you may
think at first that these buds have matured
faster than the others because they were
getting more sunlight not the case but
understandable wishful thinking. What is
happening is that the bud worm has con-
sumed all the THC juice out of the bud
and has left it desiccated. That is why the
buds that have been attacked do not look
fresh and blooming, but instead improp-
erly dried with all the life sucked out of
them. At this point, it is very easy to go into
panic mode and actually consider slash
and burn techniques as a way to com-
pletely destroy the slimy suckers and feel
a bit better. However, all is not lost if you
move fast and think of broad-spectrum
solutions to this growing problem.
Though some caterpillars eat several types
of crops, most of them are crop-specific.
These ones eat and even bleed green, and
are especially attracted to larger harvests
with more than a few plants. The best way
to avoid these Cannabis-sucking caterpil-
lars is, without doubt, prevention. That
means taking at least a couple of hours
a day, inspecting the plants from every
angle possible, using mirrors, and getting
down and dirty on the ground like almost
all farmers have to do. Assuming you have
been too busy or naive to do this, as many
of us are, you nevertheless have taken the
risks that have forced you into using reac-
tive methods.

The quickest and safest solution to this
mess is to spray the plants with Bacillus
thuringiensis (BT), a food-crop safe bacte-
rium that causes a plague amongst the
caterpillars. Pyrethrum is another possi-
ble organic solution, but is short-acting.
Upon spraying your plants with BT you
will find them dead on the floor within a
few days. Perfect, right? But what do you
do the moment you find caterpillars crawl-
ing on your buds, aside from panic? You
get your tweezers and start protecting the
untouched and nicest buds left before it
is too late. No tweezers? Use your fingers,
but be quick, nimble and unafraid. All
these pests want to bite is Cannabis.
While you wait for BT in the mail or send
someone out to fetch it, you must try to
make do with what you have at hand. As
was in my case, you may be isolated from
any shop or civilization for that matter. It
took me a couple of days just to get enough
cigarette butts to make a nicotine spray.
You have to get on your back, for hours
usually, and manually pick off the cater-
pillars with tweezers. This is quite time-
consuming especially if you have more
than four or five mature plants but the
faster you do it, the more chance you have
to take these THC-suckers to task. When
plucking, be careful to not do it too hard
because then you cut open the caterpil-
lars, causing green, protein-rich blood to
squirt around. They will also try to stick to
the buds or create silk strings to escape
down. Since I try to keep my grow sustain-
able, I would collect all the caterpillars in a
glass jar until I had amassed about six or
seven, then I would feed them all to the
fish now that is reuse and recycling!
Cannabis-consuming caterpillars are
undoubtedly one of the more destruc-
tive insects, going straight for your buds,
not stopping until they have devoured
all. Bacillus thuringiensis is the most effi-
cient method of getting rid of Cannabis-
consuming caterpillars, but when your
most prized bud of the plant sits shining
and bristling atop your evolving harvest,
you should do anything possible to make
sure that its not touched by a fly, much
less some voracious weed-eater. If youre
on some mountaintop or other complicat-
ed area where BT is out of reach, or out of
reach for a few days, one must improvise. If
not, these multi-legged pests will seriously
reduce your total bud weight.
CATERPILLARS ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE DOWN A SILK STRING
THE REMAINS OF THE AFFECTED PLANTS:
SPINDLY, HALF-EATEN, DEFINITELY NOT COOL
EVEN AFTER DRYING AND CURING THE DAMAGE
FROM CATERPILLARS IS IRREVERSIBLE
40
SERIOUS GARDENING
What is passive hydro?
Passive hydroponics is the catch-all term
for growing techniques that involve mak-
ing nutrient solution constantly available
to the roots of a plant. Unlike active hydro
techniques, which employ a water or air
pump to deliver nutrient solution, pas-
sive hydro techniques usually rely on the
capillary action of the growing medium
surrounding the roots there is no pump
involved. This is usually achieved by keep-
ing the growing media in contact with a
reservoir of nutrient solution; in its sim-
plest form, standing a pot of growing
media in a saucer of nutrient solution is
passive hydroponics.
Plants grown in a passive hydro setup
will have constant access to water and
food and, because most passive systems
involve watering from underneath, the
top part of the root zone remains highly
oxygenated. Therefore passive hydro can
provide superior results, compared to
traditional hand-watering methods. The
more oxygen, water and nutrients that
a plant can absorb, the bigger the yields
they will produce.
For growers looking for a simple intro-
duction to hydro or simply an increase
in growth rates and yield compared to
hand-watering, but arent ready for a true
hydroponic setup, passive hydro is the
way forward.
Why passive hydro over hand-
watering pots?
Theyre simple For an inexperi-
enced grower who is still learning
the basics of cultivating indoors, pas-
sive hydro reduces the risk of over-
or under-watering and there are no
pumps, timers or complicated feed-
ing schedules to figure out.
Increased yield Constant access to
nutrients and water means healthy
growth, bigger plants and more buds
Less work Looking for less main-
tenance? Passive hydro provides
the perfect compromise between
workload and yield. Youll pull less
ounces than you usually would
with an active hydroponic set up,
but youll certainly do less work for
your bud.
Easily expandable Most types of
passive hydro systems that run off
a header tank or reservoir are easily
expandable without increasing your
workload. This means its as easy to
water 200 plants as it is to water 20!
Types of Passive Hydro
Systems:
Trays and Saucers Placing a pot of grow-
ing media in a saucer or tray is the sim-
plest form of passive hydro. Plants can be
watered from above using a watering can;
the runoff fills the saucer and, as the plant
feeds, the runoff will be absorbed into the
pot via the capillary action of the media.
The saucer acts as the reservoir and effec-
tively decreases the number of waterings
required handy if you cant get to your
plants every day.
Another method is to water from below,
using a gardening tray as the reservoir
these are available in various sizes from
any decent hydro shop. Pots are filled with
an absorbent growing media (soil, coco,
rockwool mini cubes), and placed in the
tray. Nutrient solution is then poured into
the tray and will be absorbed into the pots.
Its a good idea to cover the top of the tray
(cut holes in it for the pots first) as this will
prevent the nutrient solution from evapo-
rating away under the hot grow lamps.
Saucers and trays are a simple and cheap
way to reduce the amount of time you
spend watering your plants, but do have
their draw backs; keeping the growing
medium wet all the time will mean there
is less oxygen in the root zone, which can
lead to root rot. Its important to allow the
growing medium to dry out and become
aerated between waterings.
Gravity Fed a similar watering technique
to using pots and trays, these systems
use a large reservoir or rain barrel/water
butt to deliver nutrient solution to the
tray in which the pot sits. The rate of flow
of the solution is controlled by a valve
that is either connected directly onto the
reservoir or onto the tray itself. The solu-
tion flows through the valve and into the
tray, where it is absorbed into the pot.
The valve then stops the flow, once the
solution reaches a desired level in the tray.
The most popular of these systems is the
Autopot, a modular system that can be
expanded from one pot to literally thou-
sands! Depending upon the size of the
reservoir used, the system can be left for
weeks. Ideal for large scale grows.
Passive
Hydroponics
HYDRO OVER HANDWATERING
Lets face it, active hydro isnt for everyone: playing with pumps and
feeding schedules, checking EC and pH may not be your cup of tea
and some of us like getting our hands dirty with soil! But how about
the benefits of hydro; more buds and less time spent watering your
plants, without having to give up your beloved pots? Time to give pas-
sive hydro a second look Little Lebowski
HEALTHY PLANTS GROWN IN A PASSIVE POT AND TRAY SETUP
POTS AND TRAYS: HAND-WATER AND LEAVE FOR DAYS
41
Hempy Buckets these are a great option
for growers looking to cultivate big plants;
they are also cheap to make and easy to
maintain. To make one, you will need:
A 20-liter black plastic bucket (impor-
tant that its black, as this will keep
light out of the root zone and pre-
vent algae from growing in the res-
ervoir)
A drill with a half-inch drill bit
A try to catch runoff
A mix of three parts perlite and one
part vermiculite
Any decent hydroponic nutrient
Drill a hole in the side of the bucket, two
inches from the base. Fill the bucket with
the perlite/ vermiculite mix and pot your
plant (the plant should be root-bound in
a propagation block). Water from above
until you see runoff coming out of the
hole on the side of the bucket. The base
of the bucket is now the reservoir, effec-
tively mimicking the water table that a
plant feeds from when naturally growing
outdoors.
For the first two weeks the plant will need
to be watered every other day as its roots
fill the bucket and head towards the res-
ervoir at the bottom. Once the roots reach
the reservoir, the growth is phenomenal!
The watering is then reduced to twice
a week; hand-water the nutrient solu-
tion until you have achieved around 30%
runoff then you can be sure that youve
replaced all the old nutrients in the res-
ervoir and have drawn fresh oxygen into
the root zone.
The hempy bucket offers the constant
supply of nutrient, water and oxygen that
leads to rapid growth and massive buds.
When the roots hit that reservoir at the
bottom of the bucket your plants will fly!
The only downside is that planting up in
a relatively large container from the start
means a longer than usual veg period, so
theyre not so suitable if youre looking to
get a quick crop in. But if you like the idea
of big plants, give this a try.
For what type of grower is pas-
sive hydro most suitable?
Any grower looking to reduce their water-
ing workload should at least take a look
at passive hydro; for some growers it is a
perfect match:
Beginners or inexperienced growers
when starting out from fresh, there is so
much to fuck up when growing indoors,
that it makes sense to simplify the actual
feeding of your plants! Using a passive
setup with a reservoir turns watering into
a weekly task, rather than a daily chore,
so you can concentrate on mastering the
basics of your grow room: lights, extrac-
tion and fighting the urge to trim off
your first buds as soon as you spot them!
Newbies scouting for a fail-safe system
should look no further, passive hydro
could be your savior.
Growers on a budget cheapskates who
dont want to splash out on their grow
setup can head to the local DIY shop
and pick themselves up a set of 20-liter
buckets and a couple of bags of perlite
and vermiculite to create a hempy bucket
setup, for the same price as some quality
pots and two bags of soil and theyll
most likely score a better yield!
Commercial growers when growing
large-scale commercial, its all about get-
ting maximum yield with minimal risk.
To avoid getting caught with your hands
dirty, youll need to spend as little time in
the grow room as possible. Hand water-
ing large scale is a full time job, so thats
a no-no. Active hydro systems will give
you the yield, but maintenance duties
will mean frequent trips to the grow
room to top up the system and adjust
EC and pH levels. A passive system fed
by a large reservoir can, in theory, be
visited once a week, massively reduc-
ing the risk of drawing the attention of
nosy neighbors, local law enforcement or
dirty, crop-stealing herberts!
The Three Steps to Passive
Hydro Heaven:
1. Use a light and airy growing medium
passive setups rely on the capillary action
of the growing medium to transport food
and water throughout the root zone. This
means that the growing medium is wet
for the majority of the time. To ensure that
the roots remain oxygenated and healthy,
choose a well-aerated growing medium;
coco is ideal, as is a coco/ clay pebble
mix (like the 60/40 mix currently on the
market), add perlite into heavy soil mixes
to increase the aeration, or try a 50/50 per-
lite/ vermiculite mix for an equal balance
of aeration and water retention.
2. Choose your nutrients carefully it
may sound obvious but, when using a res-
ervoir in a passive setup, organic nutrients
will spoil as quickly as they would in active
hydro, possibly even quicker as there is
no pump to agitate or oxygenate the
solution. If your passive setup consists of
watering from above and catching runoff
into pots and trays, then organic nutrients
are fine. But if youre using a large reser-
voir to feed your crop, then choose min-
eral nutrients all the way. If using a very
large reservoir then its a good idea to fix
a circulation pump at the base of the res
and set it on a timer. This will effectively
mix your solution, allowing you to leave
the grow for longer periods without the
worry of the nutrient settling.
3. Keep on top of your levels when
using a large reservoir, bear in mind that
when plants first go into the system, they
will use much less water than when they
are mature and will take a longer time to
empty the reservoir. Therefore if you com-
pletely fill your reservoir when the plants
are young, be prepared to add additional
nutrients to the solution before it runs
empty. Otherwise you may notice your
plants showing signs of under-feeding as
their food requirements increase but the
amount of nutrition in their feed remains
the same.
Q & A with a Passive Hydro
Grower:
When can plants be transferred to the
system?
As soon as they are root-bound in their
starter medium, you should see white
roots on the outside of the block or pot.
To avoid transplant shock, try and use the
same starter medium as your main grow-
ing medium, e.g. a coco pellet if youre
potting up into coco, or a rockwool cube
if youre going into a hydro mix of perlite
and vermiculite.

How should plants be spaced?
This depends entirely on how you want
to grow and the amount of space you
have; passive systems usually allow you to
space the plants out however you want.
Put them nice and close and flower them
early for a Sea of Green, or space them fur-
ther apart and veg for longer if you want
some monsters!
Will plants need to be supported?
The passive systems rely on having
growing medium around the roots, so
this is usually enough to support them.
However, it really depends on how big
you grow your plants! If youre going for
a SOG then you shouldnt need any extra
support. Ive always preferred growing
bigger plants, so usually just use a bam-
boo cane and a simple tie, just the same
as I did when I hand-watered pots. Make
sure you set up your supports before you
flip to 12/12, when you can actually get in
amongst your plants. Nothing worse than
crawling through foliage and snapping off
branches and stems as you go!
So, there you have it; want to cut down
on your watering workload? Give passive
hydro a try.
Happy growing!
THE MOST POPULAR PASSIVE HYDRO SYSTEM: THE AUTOPOT
A SAUCER UNDER A POT ACTS
AS A SIMPLE RESERVOIR
42
DIY HASHMAKING
Simple household items can be used for
water extracting hash (resin, kif, skuff,
etc.) from the other plant material. The
basic principle involved is the difference
in buoyancy between the trichomes and
the rest of the plant material. Trichomes
will sink in water, and most of the rest of
the plant material will float.
Big buds are sexy, desirable, and by far
get the most attention, but what about
the rest? After harvest, the trimmings and
small buds can comprise a fair-sized pile.
At one point or another, many home
growers wind up with a bag of harvest
that they dont care for. A cure gone
slightly off can make for a jar of second
choice too nice to throw out, but not nice
enough to be very enjoyable smoke. The
easiest way to prepare for this method
is to keep a jar handy and collect these
castoffs until you have enough to bother
with. Make sure that, as you acquire new
bits and pieces, the material you add to
the jar is dry enough to prevent the entire
contents from molding.
I started with 45 grams of trim and weed
I didnt care for the flavor of. If it isnt
already, over-dry it slightly, as you want to
crumble or grind it into very small pieces.
I used a wire mesh kitchen sieve to sift
the ground material into a rough powder.
Purer results can be obtained by re-sifting
the powder, or using a finer grind.
After sifting, place the powder in a close-
able, preferably non-breakable container.
Make sure that you can reach the bottom
Simple Water Extraction
of the container, as the portion you want
will sink to the bottom. Do not try to pro-
cess too much in a single batch; if layered
too thickly, efficiency will suffer.
Fill the container three-quarters full of
water. Seal, and shake well. Let this sit
undisturbed for a half hour or so the
material should separate into a floating
portion and a sinking portion, with a
semi-clear band in between.
Carefully spoon off all the material that
floats. If you are feeling frugal, you can
use this to make a second pass with, or to
make a light cannabutter or infused oil.
Then remove as much of the top liquid as
is easy to do so, without disturbing the silt
at the bottom.
Using a coffee filter or the single layer of a
paper towel, strain the silt at the bottom
of the container. This is the water hash. Dry
these golden-green crystals thoroughly. If
allowed to sit wet for long periods, mold
will develop, so the product must be well
dried before storing.
Once dried, I had a six-gram pile that I light-
ly pressed into a heart shape, and it may be
smoked as is, or with a little heat and pres-
sure the powder will melt into hash.
LOWER-QUALITY STASH IS PERFECT FOR HASH-MAKING
MANY TOOLS MAY BE SOURCED FROM THE KITCHEN
SEPARATE THE TRICHOMES FROM THE PLANT MATTER
WATCH OUT FOR LEAKS IN
YOUR CONTAINER!
TRICHOMES WILL SINK AND PLANT MATTER FLOATS
SPOON OFF THE
FLOATING PLANT JUNK
BE CERTAIN TO REMOVE ALL
MOISTURE FROM THE SKUFF
SMOKE AS IS OR PRESS INTO HASH
BREAKING THE LAW TO SAVE LIVES 18 A TALE OF TWO CANNABINOIDS 27 URBAN FARM EVOLUTION 5
43
Various Artists: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Chimes of Freedom salutes the 50
th
anniversary of Amnesty International, in many ways reflecting and
encapsulating the organizations life-saving human rights work across the planet. Coming as a four-CD
package, the album features 75 newly-recorded Bob Dylan songs performed by a stellar and totally diverse
group of artists spanning both the generational and musical spectra. Two iconic forces: the crucially
empowering activism of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Amnesty International and the incomparable, genius
like artistry of Bob Dylan, combine together to create this composition of mighty proportion.
In 1962, Amnesty International evolved from a one-year campaign to free political prisoners into a
worldwide movement fighting for justice, freedom and human dignity; today the organization has more
than three million supporters in 150 countries. In March of that same year Bob Dylans debut album was
released, launching an unparalleled recording career. Over the half century, Dylans art has explored and
expressed the anguish and hope of the modern human condition.
Bob Dylans music endures because he so brilliantly captures our heartbreak, our joy, our frailty, our confu-
sion, our courage and our struggles, said Karen Scott, AIs Manager of Music Relations. His words convey
a depth of meaning that few artists can equal, inspiring us and always moving ahead of our expectations.
We at Amnesty International are deeply grateful to this legendary musician and to all of the artists who
have contributed to this project.
The performers, including many of Amnestys long-time supporters,
range in age from teenage pop star Miley Cyrus (19) to folk music legend
Pete Seeger, whom at 92 records Dylans poignant Forever Young, with a
childrens chorus. The rich diversity of musical styles includes tracks from
Johnny Cash, Patti Smith, Ziggy Marley, Pete Townsend, Band of Skulls,
Betty LaVette, Elvis Costello, Joan Baez, and avant-garde outfit Kronos
Quartet, among many others.
For sure, not every listener will like every track, but as a whole, the
album stands as solid testament to Amnesty Internationals depth of support in the music community, the
universal appeal of the core message of human rights and the breadth of Dylans impact upon culture.
Ruts DC: Rhythm Collision Volume 2 SOSUMI
It must be almost 33 and a 1/3 years since the mighty Ruts DC presented the seminal Rhythm Collision Volume
1. It came after the success of punk classics Babylons Burning (with its now-infamous bass line) and Staring at
the Rude Boys, as the band moved more into their, perhaps, true passion of deep down low, heavy bass, dub
sounds. At last, Ruffy and Segs have once again entered the hallowed walls of Mad Professors studio, and
delivered from way out and up high, this five-track sampler of the coming album Rhythm Collision Volume
2 and its an absolute treat.
With the same confident and relaxed atti-
tude of 1-2-3---RECORD the 24-track was
rolling and rhythms were being alchemi-
cally fired to tape. Amazingly, after only
two days in the studio and, this time,
utilizing the talents of Chemical Brothers
mixer Steve Dub Jones, the album was
pretty much recorded. Flexed by the
additional weight of some hefty dubbing,
courtesy of the one and only Prince Fatty, these bin-friendly bass-lines not only reverberate in all the right
places, but are also sharp enough to bite off your head.
Serving up a funk-driven, conscious theme that livens up the room, never succumbing to gloom, these tunes
shout positivity from the rooftops. In One-Step, with obvious lyrical reference to Max Romeos 1970s roots rock
stepper hit One Step Forward two-step backward we are veering in a more optimistic direction. The pieces
crowning glory is surely the explosively uplifting Mighty Soldier, featuring the legendary Tenorfly, mixed in
Charles Street, Jamaica and earmarked for seven-inch vinyl release.
Dr. John: Locked Down NONESUCH RECORDS
Stoned musician and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dr. John Mac Rebernnack releases Locked Down, a startling album that marks a significant
departure from his recent efforts. The new album, produced by The Black Keyss Dan Auerbach, is an entirely new approach for the iconic Dr. John
and features a band of young musicians, hand-picked by Auerbach, to record at his studio Easy Eye Sound in Nashville. It was way cool cutting
this record with Dan and the crew he put together for it, says Rebennack. Its reel HIP.
For his part, Auerbach says about the collaboration: Mac inspired me every single day we were in the studio together: musically, spiritually, cosmi-
cally... something special seemed to be happening and everyone involved could sense it. For my money, Macs one of the greatest who ever was
and who ever will be... Im so honored to have had this opportunity to work with him.
It looks as if in Locked Down, this legend of New Orleans may just have delivered his finest album in decades.
Various Artists: Cumbia Cumbia: 1 & 2
WORLD CIRCUIT
This compilation, already described as proof of the existence of God,
is guaranteed to spread light to even the darkest spot of your heart or
to any other shady corner.
Cumbia, the music and the dance synonymous with Colombia, has
been around almost since the 17
th
century. Today, its a badge of iden-
tity for Colombians everywhere, and is now also enjoying a global
renaissance filling dance floors and captivating a new generation
of music fans. Selected from thousands of tracks, this double-CD
collection brings together some of the greatest recordings made by
Columbias legendary record label, Discos Fuentes, between 1950
and 1988.
The vision-
ary musician,
arranger and
producer,
Antonio Lopez
Fuentes,
founded
Discos
Fuentes in
Cartagena
in 1934. It
was the first
important
record label
in the country
and grew into a company of immense significance for Colombian
music, responsible for thousands of hits and scores of legendary
singers and musicians over six decades. Fuentes hand-picked his
musicians and singers, then meticulously arranged, produced and
recorded their music in-house.
Presenting thirty of these three-minute masterpieces, the album
showcases the gamut of styles that make up the distinctive and irre-
sistible cumbia sound; a sound typified by a loping two/four gait and
a pulsing rocksteady bass line, overlaid with heavy rural percussion,
brass, accordion, clarinet, electric guitar and vocals. Disc one features
a broad range of cumbia styles with recordings from 1960 through to
1988, while disc two digs further into the classics of the past, focusing
almost exclusively on the 1950s and 1960s.
The production is lush, multi-influenced and ridiculously attractive in
its joyfully bounding, idiosyncratic tropicality. When the guitars rip-
ple weirdly, the shakers go crazy, the horns weave and blurt and the
vocalists go ape, nothing can compete.
By Kaz Peet
MUSIC REVIEWS
44
INTERNATIONAL REPORT
Russia is the worlds largest country. Hemp
seeds were brought to todays territory of
Ukraine, Poland and the European part of
Russia by Scythian tribes from Siberia circa
2,500 years ago. Ancient historian Herodotus
wrote about the popularity of hemp smoke
rituals among Scyths. Cannabis was used
at burial- and religious rituals, as well as in
the old Russian sauna bath (which, like the
Turkish one, was also quite a religious expe-
rience of a cleansing kind).
For thousands of years Cannabis has
been one the largest and most important
branches of agriculture and industry on
the planet. Hemp fibers made the con-
quest of the seas and oceans possible:
each ship needed strong hemp sails and
rigging, even glue and paint from hemp
to ensure water resistance. The economy
of the entire planet has benefited from
thousands of products made from these
durable and fast-growing plants, especial-
ly hemp paper, clothing, food and lamp
oils. Hemp food became a part of the
Russian national diet.
Russia, having cheap labor, produced 80%
of all hemp in the world in the 18
th
cen-
tury. It became the worlds largest pro-
ducer of high quality raw hemp materi-
als for manufacture of sails, ropes, nets,
fabric, paper, etc. Tsar Peter I introduced
a state monopoly on the exporting of
Cannabis and controlled the quality of the
goods himself. In 1706 he issued a decree
giving the death penalty to merchants
who added waste products to hemp
pulp. During the life of Peter I, exports
amounted to 37,000 tons per year. Most of
the production went to countries such as
Holland, Britain and other maritime pow-
ers. Hemp fibers used in their ships were,
in 90% of cases, made in Russia.
In 1812, the hemp war started. When
Napoleon attacked Russia his purpose and
strategy was to stop the export of Russian
hemp to England, thus destroying the
English fleet. Napoleons plan was based
on the assumption that, without Russian
Cannabis, England would be forced to
stop the war with France.
The Grass in the Soviet
Backyard
Over time, hemp clothes were replaced
by cotton and synthetics, and sailing ships
gave way to steamers. Demand for hemp
decreased, as well as its economic sig-
nificance. Nevertheless, it still remained an
important crop in the agribusiness of the
USSR, and the country was still first in the
world in the cultivation of Cannabis. The
Soviet Union became a worthy successor
to the tsarist regime in this one regard.
In the first years of communism, the pro-
duction of hemp was not only upheld, but
even extended to other regions, including
Siberia. Hemp was one of the main crops
of the Soviet Union. This was officially
confirmed by placing the Cannabis leaf
with wheat and sunflower in the center
of the fountain called the Friendship of
Nations, at the 1954 international exhibi-
tion showing the achievements of the
national industry of the USSR. Medals
honoring Masters of Hemp Agriculture
were handed to the best farmers. But
seven years later, in 1961, the government
ratified the UN Convention on Narcotic
Drugs, announced that Cannabis was
now a dangerous drug, and ordered the
destruction of crops.
The shocking discoveries about the role
of drugs in the history of communism are
described in a book written by Professor
Peter Razgulajev from the University of
Novosybirsk called - (The
Grass in the Backyard). The book covers
the period from 1917 to 1986. The long-
est chapter deals with Nikita Khrushchev
the merry formidable successor to the
fearful Joseph Stalin:
Together with Coca-Cola, corn, and the
end of the cult of personality (Stalin),
in Khrushchevs times there came into
fashion marijuana. In the early 1950s it
became clear to the party leadership and
the government for the first time that the
socialist economy is a dead-end street,
and an intriguing plan was developed.
The plan in which the Soviet population
through a system of trade and public
catering was to be bombarded with hor-
mones of happiness.
In particular, it is known that bread bakers,
according to the states original technol-
ogy, were directed to add 20 to 30 mg
extract of female flowers of Cannabis.
Similar plant- or synthetic compounds
(e.g. mescaline, which had been import-
ed since 1958 by the Soviet Union from
Mexico for the needs of the pharmaceuti-
cal industry) became part of a large num-
ber of different types of bread produced
from 1950 to 1960. The narcotic effect,
which was subjected to millions of Soviet
citizens, was supposed to cause muta-
tions of organisms and convert them into
weak, docile creatures.
Different from other Soviet leaders,
known for their drunkenness, Nikita was
distinguished by a happy nature and
the ability to think and compromise.
A prominent role in forming his per-
sonality was played by his appetite for
marijuana. Having known the effects of
THC, Khrushchev tried unsuccessfully to
encourage Stalin to legalize marijuana.
When he himself became the Soviet
leader, Nikita was known for his extrava-
gant behavior.
Today, his actions look quite understand-
able, because we know their purpose
and reason. By the 1940s Khrushchev
already dreamed of transforming the
Crimean Odessa, known as the Pearl of
the Black Sea, into the world center of the
hemp-hashish industry and of legalizing
marijuana throughout the entire USSR.
Unfortunately for his country, he could
not fulfill his plans. He was ousted from
power by fans of vodka-drinking under
the leadership of Brezhnev, who ruled out
the idea of legalization for many years. By
1987, even the cultivation of industrial
hemp was banned throughout the USSR.
Cannabis Laws Today
At present, a Russian pot amateur has a
superficially easier life than his peers in
many other European or Asian countries.
Just using and possessing a small amount
of drugs is not a criminal offense and one
will not be sent away to a labor camp in
Siberia anymore. All you risk is a fine from
500 to 1,000 rubles ($13-$16) or arrest for
15 days. In reality, the law absolutely does
not work like this.
Even first-time offenders fall victim to the
brainwashing and pressure from the cops
to squeeze out answers to routine ques-
tions. You should have no more than two
grams of hash or six grams of weed on you
there the significant quantities begin,
according to Section 228 of the Criminal
Code of the Russian Federation, which can
land you in prison for two to twelve years.
There are also other controversies.
There are plenty of head shops and
hats, key rings and other gadgets with
a Cannabis leaf in Russian stores, but in
August 2011 one head shop was accused
Cannabis in Russia Sebastian Daniel
H.A.T.E. HEMP, ALCOHOL AND THE TOBACCO ECONOMY
Hemp has always been important for Russian culture
and industry, and was especially so between the 15
th

and mid-20
th
centuries. Cutting off Englands hemp
supply was a major cause of Napoleons war against
Russia in the 19th century. Historians say that even
the name of the countrys capital, Moscow, is derived
from an Old Russian term for Cannabis.
IN 1812, THE HEMP WAR STARTED. WHEN NAPOLEON ATTACKED RUSSIA,
HIS PURPOSE AND STRATEGY WAS TO STOP THE EXPORT OF RUSSIAN HEMP TO ENGLAND,
THUS DESTROYING THE ENGLISH FLEET
45
of illegal advertising of drugs. The court
ordered a ridiculously small fine (4000
rubles or $136), but nonetheless it was
a court ruling. Unfortunately, the arbi-
trariness of powers in Russia is common.
When youre stopped by the police for
possession of even small quantities of
marijuana, good connections and bribes
may play an important role. The police
are famous in the Russian media for their
brutality, alcohol abuse and pervasive
corruption.
As in most countries, in Russia we can also
find hemp organizations and companies,
countless web pages, forums and blogs.
There are popular magazines devoted
to Cannabis such as Trawa (Grass) or
Konoplana Pravda (Cannabis Truth). These
publications are full of ads for seed com-
panies, equipment and other items useful
to the growers, as well as the most famous
Dutch coffeeshops.
Since 2010 there has been a new fashion
for growing Cannabis at home; previously,
this method was quite unknown. Russians
are becoming more and more dedicated
to urban gardening. In the big cities of
Russia, one grow shop after another is
opening its doors. There is a swelling army
of urban gardening enthusiasts. Growing
hemp is not legal and it carries some
risk. Of course it all depends on the size
of the crop. For example, the cultivation
of less than 20 plants carries a liability in
the dimension of 1500-4000 rubles ($51-
$136) fine or arrest for 15 days. Russian
legislation does not prohibit the posses-
sion or sale of Cannabis seeds, but grow-
ing in the Russian Federation for any pur-
pose is prohibited.
But now there are the first signs of change.
The national press announced recently
that Russia will once again grow hemp.
The authorities have begun to speak about
the legal cultivation of hemp for indus-
trial and medical applications. National
drug control authorities have even called
for the restoration of all the hemp crops
in Russia and asked the government for
billions in investment. Russian scientists
are advising the government to go back
to the culture of hemp and turn Russia
into a global leader in the cultivation of
Cannabis again, also for the production of
biofuels. Aleksei Mitrofanow, a Deputy of
Duma (Russian Parliament), talks openly
about the need to legalize soft drugs. In
an interview with Tribune magazine he
said that the ban on Cannabis is only cor-
rupting prosecutors and has contributed
to the rise of the drug mafia. Newspapers
predict that sooner or later, soft drugs will
be permitted.
Hemp vs. Alcohol and Tobacco
Economy
Buying good grass in Russia is still rela-
tively difficult, while heroin and synthetic
drugs have become readily available and
popular. This has created a disastrous
situation; heroin use is spreading like
vodka drinking. The mafia imports tons
of heroin from Afghanistan, and trade is
often secured by politicians, mayors and
police officers. No one really fights the
heroin trade; local authorities are busy
hunting for a less risky target a hippie or
a Rastaman. Dangerous new inventions
are being created in home laboratories,
like the infamous Russian crocodile, called
heroin for the poor. Shocking films about
the devastating effect of this drug can be
seen on YouTube.
Looking at Cannabis as a stimulant, it
has to be taken into account that Russia
was and still is more an alcoholic culture.
Whats strange though is that the Russian
public often stands with the drunks, not
users of Cannabis. Unfortunately, smoking
grass is considered an activity that takes
man to the bottom faster than alcohol
consumption (unlike in India where the
use of Cannabis ennobles people in tradi-
tional communities even including the
possibility of rising from the caste of the
untouchables while drinking alcohol
always degrades). Most Russians over 40
years of age believe that Cannabis is a fast
way to hard drugs and moral degradation.
Apparently, the generation brought up
under Communism have forgotten that
before World War II, Slavs often treated
alcoholics with concoctions of Cannabis.
Also, American tobacco has become a
new tradition in Eurasia and has imper-
ceptibly supplanted illegal marijuana from
the public consciousness. The younger
generation has rejected a number of
Soviet stereotypes and is returning to its
ancestral traditions, looking at marijuana
differently. Young people understand that
this is no deadly drug, and recognize the
fundamental differences between mari-
juana and heroin, alcohol or nicotine. It
is no secret that smoking marijuana is
prevalent among a very large group of
Russians, especially from the Asian repub-
lics of the former Soviet Union.
On one hand, marijuana is prohibited; on
the other hand it is grown and sold on a
massive scale. In every Russian city and
town, you can find a grass dealer and buy
some grass or hash. There is local grass,
which grows wild over an area of 1,000,000
hectares the remains of the great indus-
trial hemp farming from the time of Tsar
Peter I. Cannabis grows in all regions of
Russia; the largest crops can be found in
the Far East, the Amur region, and in Tuva,
RUSSIAN LEADER NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV DREAMED OF
LEGALIZING MARIJUANA THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE USSR
ODESSA (TODAY UKRAINE) LOST ITS CHANCE TO BECOME THE POT
CAPITAL OF THE WORLD IN THE 50s - LONG BEFORE AMSTERDAM
part of the world), but a return to the roots
and the great Russian Cannabis culture
and tradition.
The author would like to thank Gee Maru for
his help in writing this report.
Buratii (the Jewish Autonomous Area)
and the Krasnodar Krai. Weed and hash
are also imported from the former Asian
republics of the former USSR: Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, or
countries like Afghanistan, Morocco and
the Netherlands.
It should be remembered that alcohol
causes more deaths worldwide than AIDS,
tuberculosis or violence, as the World
Health Organization warned in 2011. Yet
alcohol control policies are weak and
remain a low priority for most govern-
ments despite road accidents, violence,
disease, child neglect and job absentee-
ism, WHOs Global Status Report on Alcohol
and Health said. The harmful use of alco-
hol is especially fatal for younger age
groups and alcohol is the worlds leading
risk factor for death among males aged
15 to 59. It is a causal factor in 60 types of
diseases and injuries. Alcohol consump-
tion has been linked to cirrhosis of the
liver, epilepsy, poisoning, traffic accidents
and fatalities, domestic violence, sexual
assault, homicide, suicide, and several
types of cancer, including cancers of the
breast, larynx and liver.
Alcohols heavy toll on society is clearly evi-
dent in Eastern European countries, such as
Poland and Russia. In Poland, 40% of young
adults have one or two alcoholic parents. In
Russia, every fifth death is due to harmful
drinking. A report by the Advisory Board of
the President of Russia estimates the num-
ber of deceased from alcohol-related ill-
nesses as over half a million people every
year. Lethal alcohol poisoning (overdose)
alone is the cause of death of 40 thousand
people every year.
Alcoholism is also causing a demographic
collapse: by 2050 the number of Russian
citizens will have decreased from 145 mil-
lion to 100 million. In 2008, 89% of women
and only 56% of men reached retirement
age. For years the Russian government has
attempted to fight the alcohol problem.
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev introduced
limitations on vodka sales, which caused a
proliferation of moonshiners and even led
to social unrest and riots. People addicted
to alcohol consumed substitutes: cologne,
brake fluid or window cleaning fluid. These
caused mass poisonings, deaths and cases
of loss of vision. There were attempts to
restrict the sale of not just alcoholic drinks,
but also ethanol-based perfumes, which
were commonly consumed as a substitute.
Cigarettes, poor nutrition and alcohol are
the first three leading causes of death in
Russia, America and many other coun-
tries. It seems that the genocidal policy
concerning hemp, alcohol and tobacco
should be called Hemp, Alcohol and the
Tobacco Economy (H.A.T.E.). Journalist
David Malmo-Levine answers the often-
repeated question If marijuana is so harm-
less and helpful, why is it illegal? with
the following explanation: Forget about
fantasies regarding health concerns; its a
game of racism and monopoly over medi-
cine and sacrament, a game of hierarchy,
megalomania and of classic divide-and-
conquer of the masses. Malmo-Levine
laments that famous Cannabis products
like hashish from Afghanistan or ganja
from Jamaica remain illegal, while big
pharma industry enjoys a monopoly of
legal Cannabis medicines, using fake con-
cerns over smoke and euphoria.
Certainly, the Russian government should
consider the re-legalization of Cannabis as
soon as possible, especially since, as his-
tory shows us, its not the launch of some
new exotic drug (one can rather say this
about the appearance of tobacco in this
INDEX OF ADS / COLOPHON
46
Colophon Index of ads
Name Page
Dinafem Seeds 11
Green Style Consulting 39
Hydroasis.com 39
La Wonderland Caregivers 2
Letgrow.net 1
Mountain High 39
Paradise Seeds 1
Pasquini Bini 21
Plagron 48
RAW 15
Seeds of Life 39
Strain Genius Labs 47
Vapors 21
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A word from the publisher:
To the chagrin of the US Federal Government,
almost half of the states have embarked on a
process of relative liberalization towards the
use of Cannabis, and Cannabis activists are
engaged in broadening this progression. Some
townships, mayors and police chiefs on a
local level now actively support a compassion
club distribution system as a way of separating
recreational stoners from the people who legiti-
mately need therapeutic help, simultaneously
decreasing the number of unnecessary arrests.

Whether they are finding their way to the local
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one and are causing no discernible social prob-
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than ever, are calling for the outright legali-
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Soft Secrets USA #3/2012 out:
June 15
th
, 2012
SCIENTISTS ARE ADVISING THE GOVERNMENT TO GO BACK TO THE CULTURE
OF HEMP AND TURN RUSSIA INTO A GLOBAL LEADER IN THE CULTIVATION OF
CANNABIS AGAIN, ALSO FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOFUELS
HEMP, WHEAT AND SUNFLOWER IN THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATIONS
MONUMENT PRAISING RUSSIAN AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY
THIS SOVIET MEDAL READS MASTER
OF HEMP AGRICULTURE