Editorial:
Brian
Taylor Editor
It's
hard not to notice that most of the major US and Canadian financial
journals have now covered or are planning to cover the "economics
of marijuana". Numerous US states are even paying economists
to give them the post-marijuana prohibition picture. Here in BC
where the grassroots economy is estimated to be in the 4 to 6
billion dollar range, we cannot get the attention of the government
opposition. I know now what drives Marc Emery to stand on soap
boxes on street corners and shout, "My fellow businessmen.
Wake up!!"
Two
months ago when we first considered the 4 corner story idea, we
never imagined we would find ourselves stuck in the middle of
a raging scientific and emotional controversy. Our initial strategy
was to parlay our new found friendship with Willem Sholten, the
head of the Dutch government's marijuana program, into an interview
with their supplier, American expatriate, James Burton, from the
Dutch company SIMM, then use that to try to interview their counterparts,
Valerie Lasher from Health Canada and contracted Canadian supplier
Brent Zettle from Prairie Plant Systems. Somewhere between Willem
Sholten's submission and our first interview with Brent Zettle,
Canada released its first legal cannabis to the medical users
and the fireworks began.
Rather
than joining sides, (not to say we have no opinion), we think
the most constructive role the journal can play is to help bring
out the facts and define the problem. When the heat is on, most
government representatives look for cover. We particularly want
to thank PPS and HC for being accessible. For those who read this
and say we could have gone deeper with this issue, keep your tickets.
This situation has become world news and the story will continue
to unfold.
To
borrow a thought from James Burton, Canada has reached the point
where chronically ill and sick people are being asked who they
trust more, their government or their dealer.
Yesterday
I had an intriguing discussion with Lester Grinspoon. It started
with a comment he made several weeks before where he cautioned
us not to make the mistakes the other publications had made. We
talked at length about the evils that threaten the integrity of
neophyte journalistic innocents. Most of all we talked about the
boundaries that we still need to bridge in the marijuana debate.
I realized that we have indeed been so focused on the hard core
medical issues that we have neglected an important part of cannabis
and health. Health is creativity, talking to your loved ones,
laughing at funny stories, writing songs, painting pictures and
making time to explore the beauty of your garden.
The
whole staff voted and our new year's resolution is to pay more
attention to the enhancement and creative aspects of cannabis
in the coming year. Thanks for the reminder Lester. From all of
us at the journal, Merry Christmas North America
LETTERS
We
underestimated the response!
Our
branch managers love the fact that they will continue to receive
the Cannabis Health magazines all of the time! I really have underestimated
the response... our Winnipeg branch has given them out to several
palliative care agencies in the Winnipeg area. They are quite
happy to be receiving them! When can we expect the next shipment???
Thank you again Grant and Marie Krieger Krieger Foundation
No
longer standing alone!
I
have used marijuana for depression for 3 years now and I sure
feel so much better. When I didn't have any support for finding
ways to get medical grade marijuana, times were grim. I bought
my marijuana on the street and sometimes it wasn't flushed or
would still be wet and I would buy because there was no choice.
Now
I have found the BC Compassion Club Society, a place of peace,
truth, kindness and caring. It has saved me from the streets and
suppliers who don't care.
Thank
you Hilary Black and all the members and staff for saving my life.
Thank you Cannabis Health for letting me tell my story of one
man's journey, who is no longer standing alone. Michael
Where
can we go for help?
I'm
an individual who smokes cannabis for pain relief/control. I'm
a full blown chronic fibromyalgic, who had an injury at work in
January, and has graduated from the world's best pain management
program. Still I can't get support from any doctors for medicinal
cannabis, not even from those in the pain program. What am I to
do? Local hydroponic suppliers, alternative health care providers,
family and friends are sympathetic, but I have to unlawfully attain
this medicine and it is like, no one gives a damn!
I
prefer to live within the law but my life will only be an unfortunate
existence if I can't use this medicine, which I use daily to provide
relief to the point where I can function. Otherwise I am bedridden.
I
am starting to think I am in a sadistic pipe dream where I can
only attain medicanal cannabis unlawfully. So, tell me, am I going
crazy, or is everyone else having trouble finding support for
a Section 56 patient? If so, where is the support? Randy
Studies
Canceled!
Dear
Editor: (RE: cancellation of CRIT cannabis research study) I think
the crowning irony is that, while Canadian clinical trials are
stalled, not one but several similar research studies are being
conducted at the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research in California.
Canada
had a chance to be a world leader on this issue, but has not only
dropped the ball, but essentially has flung the ball down on the
ground and stomped on it. I think it is grotesquely ironic that
the war-on-drugs United States has taken the lead on the very
kind of high-calibre clinical research that Anne McLellan is calling
for. They'll probably be announcing their results while we're
still trying to find the starting gate.
Derek
Thaczuk, Treatment Resources, Toronto People With AIDS Foundation
and former chair, CRIT Scientific Committee
Canada's
first cannabis HIV/AIDS study suspended
TORONTO,
June 19 /CNW/ - The Community Research Initiative of Toronto (CRIT)
today announced the cancellation of the first Canadian study evaluating
the therapeutic effects of smoked marijuana, a direct result of
Health Canada's decision not to renew funding for this groundbreaking
project.
This
study was to have assessed whether smoking cannabis can alleviate
the debilitating nausea and weight loss experienced by many persons
living with HIV/AIDS. Research was to have begun this spring as
a pilot study in Toronto, involving a total of 32 individuals.
Hippie Nation Invites:
Our
invitation to do business in friendly BC has resulted in numerous
inquiries and we have made an increasing number of "drop
sales" arrangements with suppliers. That is where we sell
and mail out a wide range of products.
Uncle
Gord who runs the shipping dept is ready to answer all your ordering
,shipping and product questions.
Heart
of gold, bite like a dog.
Thanks
Uncle Gord
I
hope that the exposure you received in Rolling Stone generates
as much business as you can handle. I also hope that the exposure
doesn't generate any problems. Of course Canada seems to be further
ahead than the US in their quest for intelligent pain relief solutions.
I
broke my back on my last fire call in '95 and have been in terrible
pain ever since. The pain doc has me on 80mg/day of oxycotin and
it's not enough, although I am thankful for the bit it does provide.
My wife almost ordered the Raydiator pipe without asking me if
I would want one.
Any
how, my best to you and my best wishes for a long and successfull
business for you God bless Jim
French Cannabis activist visits Cannabis Health in Mid August:
French
Cannabis activist Michka vistiting Grand Forks in Mid August
First of all, fire had to be mastered. Then mankind was ready
to discover that inhaling the smoke of certain plants had a particular
effect, casting a different light over the world.
From
the native Americans who gave us tobacco to the pious saddhus
of India who sacramentally puff on ganja, smoke is holy.
It
connects mankind to the divine element, inviting the gods to descend
among mortals. It inspires human beings. "Before answering
a question, one ought to light a pipe" commented Einstein.
Having
now become an industrial product, tobacco has lost all sacredness.
Condemned as harmful and addictive, cigarettes have fallen into
disrepute, where as cigars, hemp, and a whole new range of smoking
paraphernalia are gaining popularity. All in all, smoke has retained
its mystery.
The
Smoking Museum presents a practice as ancient as mankind. It also
provides a vantage point for the observation of changing behaviors.
http://museedufumeur.net/cadresa.html
A
Cannabis Odyssey
By
LESTER S. GRINSPOON Published on Monday, September 15, 2003 for
the Harvard Crimson Online Dr. Lester Grinspoon is an emeritus
professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the author
of Marijuana Reconsidered and a co-author of Marijuana, the Forbidden
Medicine. He currently manages the website www.marijuana-uses.com.
My
improbable cannabis enlightenment began in 1967. I was concerned
that so many young people were using the terribly dangerous drug,
marijuana, so I decided to review the medical and scientific literature
on the substance and write a reasonably objective and scientifically
sound paper on its dangers. Young people were ignoring the warnings
of the government, but perhaps some would seriously consider a
well-documented review of the available data.
As
I began to explore the literature, I discovered, to my astonishment,
that I had to seriously question my own understanding. What I
thought I knew was based largely on myths, old and new. I realized
how little my training in science and medicine had protected me
against this misinformation. I had become not just a victim of
a disinformation campaign, but because I am a physician, one of
its agents as well.
To
share my new skepticism, I wrote a book, Marijuana Reconsidered,
which was published in 1971 by Harvard University Press. While
writing the book, I considered trying marijuana, not because I
thought it would inform my work, but because it appeared to be
an interesting recreational experience. I decided against it in
order to avoid compromising my objectivity.
After
publication, I began to explore marijuana as a drug for relaxation
and recreation, and I was not disappointed. In fact, it soon displaced
alcohol altogether. I was 44 years old in 1972, when I experienced
my first marijuana high. I have found cannabis so useful and so
benign that I have used it ever since-as a recreational drug,
as a medicine and as an enhancer of some capacities.
I
am one of more than 12 million Americans who use it regularly.
We smoke marijuana not because we are driven by uncontrollable
"Reefer Madness" cravings, as some propaganda would
have others believe, but because we have learned its value from
experience. Yet almost all of the research, writing, political
activity and legislation devoted to marijuana has been concerned
only with the question of whether it is harmful and how much harm
it does. The only exception is the growing interest in the exploration
of cannabis as a medicine, but as encouraging as that development
is, it represents only one category of marijuana use. The others
are sometimes grouped under the general heading of "recreational,"
but that is hardly an adequate description of, say, marijuana's
capacity to heighten the appreciation of music and art or to strengthen
the sense of connection to the natural world. It can deepen emotional
and sexual intimacy, crystallize new ideas and insights, and expand
one's capacity to appreciate new aspects of life. Experienced
users know that ideas flow more readily under its influence. Some
of these ideas are good, some are bad; sorting them out is best
done while straight. Now, whenever I have a difficult problem
to solve or decision to make, I try to think about it both stoned
and straight.
I
often wonder whether, if I had begun to use cannabis earlier,
I would have avoided making some choices I now regret. The worst
career choice I ever made was to enter psychoanalytic training.
Although I became skeptical about some aspects of psychoanalytic
theory during that time, my qualms were not sufficient to dull
the enthusiasm with which I began treating patients psychoanalytically
in 1967. It was not until the mid-'70s, shortly after I began
to smoke marijuana, that my emerging doubts about the therapeutic
effectiveness of psychoanalysis began to make me uncomfortable.
The evenings when I smoke marijuana provide, among other things,
an opportunity to review ideas, events and interactions of the
day. This cannabis review-of-the-day is almost always self-critical,
often harshly so, and its scope is broad. In 1980, the cumulative
effect of these stoned self-critiques finally made me decide not
to accept new psychoanalytic patients and then to resign from
the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute.
I
had been puzzled for many years over one aspect of another bad
decision I made, this time as an adolescent. In later years it
was not difficult for me to understand why I made the decision
to leave high school early in my senior year to enter the Merchant
Marine. What I could not understand was why my loving father (since
deceased) so readily acquiesced to this plan; he never lifted
a finger to try to prevent his promising high school student son
from abandoning our shared dream of my going to college. One evening
while stoned many years later it came to me, and I now understand
what had seemed so inexplicable about his behavior. Would I have
eventually figured it out without the subtle alteration of consciousness
that cannabis provides? Perhaps.
There
is no denying that many people, especially young people, use marijuana
mainly for "partying and hanging out". And most non-users
(at least until they learn of its medical value) believe that
is all cannabis is useful for. This stereotype is so powerful
that reactions ranging from puzzlement to outrage greet claims
to the contrary. Anyone who attributes more than recreational
and medicinal value to marijuana runs the risk of being derided
as a vestigial hippie. So it is not surprising that many people
who use cannabis do so behind drawn curtains.
If
more people in the business, academic and professional worlds
were known to be marijuana users, the government would not find
it so easy to pursue its harmful and wasteful disinformation campaign.
That campaign continues partly because of the widespread false
belief that cannabis smokers are either irresponsible and socially
marginal people or adolescents who "experiment" and
"learn their lesson." These lies are perpetuated when
those who know better remain silent. The gay and lesbian out-of-the-closet
movement has done much to reduce homophobia in this country. It
may be difficult in the current climate where dissenters are intimidated
and profiled, but if the many people of substance and accomplishment
who use cannabis could find the courage to "come out"
in the same way, they could contribute greatly to the diminution
of "cannabinophobia" and help to end the harassment,
persecution and prosecution of innocent marijuana users.
Where
is Dr. Ethan Russo?
A
Note to Cannabis Health and its Readers:
It has been my great pleasure and honor to write the "Ask
Dr. Ethan" column for Cannabis Health in the year of its
inauguration. During this time, many patients and their families
submitted questions about the healing benefits or side effects
of cannabis as medicine. Together, we have been able to explore
the issues related to this ancient, venerable, but controversial
remedy, the study of which finds Canada and Canadians at the forefront
in seeking compassionate and just answers for its people. We have
discussed its use in seniors, cannabis in kids, and even veterinary
indications.
I
regret that I need to move on from the position at this point.
Summer's end in 2003 finds me in the midst of many transitions:
moving our household, closing my neurology practice after 20 years,
and taking a new position as strategic medical advisor to the
Cannabinoid Research Institute. Because that organization is privately
funded by GW Pharmaceuticals, it is clear that many people will
assume an unavoidable conflict of interest. It is my belief that
the new position will afford me better opportunities to promote
research and development of cannabis medicines, and help more
people more quickly in the long-term.
Thus,
I expect to be extremely active and involved with cannabis health
issues, if more behind the political scenes, in future years.
I am very grateful to the staff of Cannabis Health, and its contributors
and readers for their dedication and devotion to a worthy cause.
The chance to contribute to this endeavor has been most rewarding
to me. I look forward to reading each and every issue, and wish
everyone concerned the very best. Sincerely,Ethan Russo, MD
Calling
For International Debate On Prohibition
By
Richard Cowan Richard
Cowan
is the publisher of MarijuanaNews.com and a former National Director
of NORML in the US, and a consultant to the Free Canadian Party
wwwfreecanadianparty.org
Canada's
cannabis communities should unite in calling for an international debate
on prohibition. Sometime in the next 6 months the government of
Canada may or may not change its cannabis laws, depending on what
the politicians feel like doing. It will also depend on how badly
the Canadian police and their US allies can frighten them.
The
proposed "modernization" of the laws is a complete fraud
that would trade a very limited de-penalization of possession
of very small quantities in exchange for a major increase in penalties
for cultivation and a huge increase in funding for prohibitionist
propaganda.
Around
the first of the year, the Canadian Supreme Court will rule on
the constitutionality of the various aspects of prohibition. The
provincial courts are forcing Health Canada to come up with a
workable medical cannabis program. In fact, only court rulings
may force the politicians to confront the issues in any realistic
way.
Although
several of Canada's major newspapers have endorsed the full legalization
of cannabis, the quality of the reporting and commentary seldom
rises to the level of mediocrity. The same is even truer of the
political debate. Nowhere in the public discourse is there any
visible prospect of considering informed public opinion, much
less the views of the cannabis community. As things stand now,
the freedom of millions of Canadians may be decided in ignorance
behind closed doors in the Liberal Party Caucus. We are to be
the targets, not the participants.
To
a degree, this is our own fault. Sadly, Canada lacks any nationally
coordinated challenge to cannabis prohibition. Part of this problem
arises from the highly alienated and individualistic nature of
cannabis users. It would be rather like herding cats, but as Benjamin
Franklin said of an earlier challenge to authority, "We must
all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."
Our
ultimate objective is obvious: full legalization. However, there
are also some immediate objectives, such as a workable medical
access program and an ending of Health Canada's monopoly on medical
grade cannabis.
The
Justice Ministry should also call for an end to any arrests of
users anywhere in Canada, and Immigration Canada should stop trying
to kill medical cannabis refugees by sending them back to the
US. These are simple common-sense moves that have overwhelming
public support.
Despite
this support, the only way that we are going to be able to participate
in the process and influence the public, the media, and the politicians
is by calling for a public debate on the issues. In March of this
year, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon actually called for just
such a debate, and we should take him up on his challenge.
As
Mark Twain observed, the process of lawmaking can be as unappetizing
as sausage-making, but it is really no mystery. Influencing the
future of the cannabis laws is little different from influencing
how any other laws are made, and because Canada has such a small
population, I think that it may be possible to do this for as
little as $250,000.
First,
we need a realistic survey of the situation in Ottawa. We don't
have any idea about how either House will divide, or how the leaders
really feel about the issue.
Secondly,
we will need some presence in Ottawa. "Out-of-sight. Out-of-mind"
is especially true in politics.
Thirdly,
no modern political movement can succeed without the Internet,
and this is where we are strongest, especially in comparison with
our opposition. However, there should be a hub for the movement
on the Internet, so that the politicians and the media know where
to start looking.
Fourthly,
we should seek strategic allies in other areas of Canadian society,
notably in academia and supporters of progressive and libertarian
causes. Last year, the Canadian Senate report exhaustively analyzed
the issue and strongly called for full legalization. Senator Pierre
Claude Nolin, who chaired the committee that issued the report,
is a very articulate and intelligent advocate.
Finally,
given the blatant official US interference in Canada's internal
affairs, Canadian reformers should not be bashful in seeking support
from their American allies. The best place to start would be in
the entertainment industry. Vancouver is famous for being "Hollywood
North", and Toronto's recent film festival drew the glitterati,
many of whom are "cannabis-friendly" most notably
Woody Harrelson and Canadian documentary producer Ron Mann.
Recently
in Seattle, US Drug Czar, John Walters even echoed Cauchon's call
for a debate on the legalization of cannabis. Because of the US
policy of interfering in the internal affairs of countries that
deviate from the prohibitionist orthodoxy, the debate will necessarily
be international.
If
Walters can demand that Canadians give up their freedom, I would
like to offer my help to Canadians to defend everyone's freedom.
I
want to tell the politicians in Ottawa and the people of Canada
that if cannabis is important enough to justify arresting people,
then it is important enough to have policies based on informed
public opinion, rather than demonizing anyone with real knowledge
of the subject.
Most
importantly, Canadians must confront the fact that their police
use public funding to lie to the people and the politicians. That
appalling practice itself should be the real cannabis issue, here
and everywhere. Prohibitionists always want to talk about cannabis,
but never about how cannabis prohibition really works.
Steve
and Michele Kubby have created the Free Canadian Party as a vehicle,
and Advanced Nutrients has provided the initial funding, but this
must be an inclusive effort. We will win, but only if we unite
and make ourselves heard.
Canada
is the perfect forum for an international debate on cannabis prohibition,
and I urge those who want to help launch this debate to get in
touch with me at cowan@FreeCanadianParty.org
From a Jamaican Green to a Canadian Reality
Providing
a legal, therapeutic cannabis to the Canadian market has been
a dream come true for the founders of Med Marijuana Inc., Michael
and Melanie Patriquen. They have seen first hand the health wonders
of the cannabis plant during their time spent in Jamaica in the
'70s & '80s. Cannabis was being used in most of the homes for
many different ailments, ranging from influenza to arthritis,
and for more serious disorders such as chronic pain.
When
Canada finally cracked open the door to total legalization by
allowing the production and distribution of low THC cannabis,
Med Marijuan Inc. was born. From years of accumulated research
between them, they knew that low THC cannabis had been effectively
used to treat high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol
and weakened immune systems. Research determined the most benefical
type of low THC cannabis to grow, as well as the best area in
Canada for doing it. Then a licensed cannabis grower was chosen
to provide raw cannabis for the company's product. At the same
time, financing, marketing, distribution, production and packaging
was being set up and coordinated.
In
the Summer of 2001 the first crop for Med Marijuana Inc. was harvested,
the oil was extracted from the plants in an "inert environment"
(on a cold press in the absence of oxygen and light to preserve
the delicate medicinal qualities). After micro bioligical testing
is completed, the extract is packed into vegan gel caps and then
into plastic containers to be distributed throughout Canada.
Med
Marijuana Inc. has been moving forward ever since. They have wholesale
and retail distributors in every province as well as a recent
agreement with an agent to provide global marketing via the internet.
The
success of the product has been proven through its personal benefit
to our clients, some who have become wholesale distributors themselves.
Age has never been a barrier for the inquiring customer.
In
our expanding business we have recently introduced a new veterinary
suplement, Medi-Paws-tm. Med Marijuana benefis all mammals and
is guaranteed to make your "critter fitter".
Under
development is a cannabis weight gain product for those suffering
"Wasting Syndrome" and along with their cannabis epidermal
lotion, are expected to be on the market later this year.
For
more infomation visit www.med-marijuana.com.
Courage
by
J. B. York
There
are words in the English language that we all know by definition
and immediately understand. There are plenty of words that we
have to look up in the dictionary if we are to learn what they
mean. Then there are words that we all think we know and that
are bandied about to a point where the real meaning is obscured.
I think that 'courage' is one that falls into the latter category.
Is
a soldier courageous if he follows orders and goes into battle?
I'm not sure about that. What other choice does he have? In wartime
he'd be shot if he refused to fight. When there is no alternative
is it really courage that is involved?
How
many times do we hear, "So and so fought a courageous battle
with cancer or some other disease"? What choice does a victim
of a life threatening illness have except to get as much medical
help as they can and carry on with life as long as possible? Is
survival really about being courageous?
What
about police and firemen? They are often offered up as examples
of courage but, let's face it, they receive specialized training
and have all the equipment to do their jobs and they are paid
well to do it, so isn't their situation more about having nerves
of steel? Some people look at daredevils and think they must have
extra amounts of courage to be able to drive that car over the
Grand Canyon or bail out of an airplane and free fall from tremendous
heights. Again, is that really what courage is all about? I don't
think so.
Don't
misunderstand me. I have great respect for all the people I've
just mentioned; it's just that I don't think courage is what they
are examples of.
When
it comes to real courage, I think there has to be an element of
choice. You have to understand that there is something about what
you are doing or going to do that is a danger to you and, even
though it's not your job or responsibility, you decide to do it
anyway because of the greater need. It is the element of choice
that has to be present for courage to be tested.
Am
I being courageous taking what may be an unpopular stand on this
subject, having the courage of my convictions? After all, I expect
that most people will want to discuss examples of what they see
as heroic deeds by great individuals. You know, stories of saving
lives and great sacrifices by those special people we only hear
about but will never know personally. That is all fine but the
stories of ordinary men and women taking extraordinary measures
to make life better for their families and even their communities
intrigues me.
Take
Grant Krieger for example. Here's a man who has suffered for years
with Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that robs you of your life
by sapping your energy, screwing up your insides and taking away
your ability to walk. Most of its victims have known for some
time that the symptoms of this curse are eased by marijuana. Why
would anyone who is suffering every moment of every day, take
it upon himself to be a martyr and publicly smoke pot on the front
steps of the Calgary courthouse? Why would he do it? He had to
know that it would end with his arrest. He wouldn't be able to
smoke pot in jail, so he'd end up suffering excruciating pain.
His leg muscles would knot up and he'd have to live with continuous
Charley Horses for days on end. This is such unusual behavior
that most of us don't recognize it for what it is: raw courage.
He had the choice to continue to buy the pot quietly and keep
to himself and avoid trouble but he elected to take a stand that
he knew would bring him hardship, even agony. He was trying to
achieve something for his brothers and sisters in pain and now
that the federal government is moving to de-criminalize simple
possession, he may have succeeded. Grant Krieger is an example
of courage personified.
Individuals
who try to save a drowning person, stop a thief or 'give' their
lives to the service of their fellow man or those who elect to
become police, fire or emergency medical personnel in an effort
to save lives, sometimes at the risk of their own, display tremendous
courage. Their contribution to our society is invaluable and as
far as the hundreds of thousands of victims of Multiple Sclerosis
here in Canada and perhaps to others throughout the rest of the
world, Grant Krieger's contribution, I believe, is also one of
great courage.
For
more information go to www.kriegerfoundation.org
Providing
the right environment for a Sativa
There
are marked differences when growing the 2 branches of the Cannabis
family. Since the Indica plant grows in the Northern and Southern
latitudes, its short-day triggered flowering reaction is well
documented. An 18 hour day and 6 hour night will promote vegetative
growth which is triggered by a 12 hour day/night cycle. The same
cannot be said of the equatorial Sativa varieties (which are now
being sown by medical growers for their ability to relieve symptomatic
and severe clinical depression, and help ease withdrawal from
hard drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine) This giant is a little
more difficult to grow, requiring extra experience and time, but
offering special curative effects. Its medicinal properties are
usually uplifting, creative, and pleasantly enjoyable.
Its
flowering cycle typically occurs after a long vegetative phase
at an even light/dark ratio, (13/11 to12/12) and the change in
light length is actually very slight indeed. After 6 months of
growing through the summer season, the change in length of the
day, shortening to 11 hours and lengthening the night to 13 hours,
which allows the hormonal buildup that will trigger the plants
to begin blooming.
Their
size means a Sativa can be very difficult to tend, making them
less likely to be cultivated inside, except in a ScROG type of
grow where the height can be kept in check at all times. Often
they are over 8 feet tall, and the largest can reach 16 to 20
feet tall, easily outgrowing the normal garden space. Clever gardening
is needed to surmount this. For example, a seedling can be grown
to a good size and many clones made of it to provide the right
output for a medical garden. Using small pots and a floor tray,
a "sea of green" (SOG) can be made from clones which
grow into big bonsai buds as well, each yielding up to an ounce.
The
length of the flowering cycle is much longer than an Indica plant,
the shortest being around 12 weeks, and some others stretching
to an unbelievable 20 weeks depending on the genetics of that
particular variety. It is best to know in advance what the length
of the flowering time is. Timing is everything, and if you are
providing herbs for medical patients you need to know that you
can be on time to fulfill their needs. (Being a compassionate
grower and med MJ provider means being on time.)
If
you have gotten used to growing an Indica on a schedule, and realize
a good consistent yield, then all you will have to do to be successful
with a Sativa grow is adjust your expectations and adopt a new
set of rules to govern the flowering behavior of the sub-species.
All of the same general rules for growing Cannabis still apply
other than that.
Lighting
Vegetative
growth may be done under 12 to18 hours of lighting, but on the
equator it is likely to be: Vegetate at: 13 Light / 11 Dark Trigger
at: 12 Light /12 Dark
Flowering
at: 11 Light /13 Dark
Enjoy
your Sativa!! Klozit King www.klozitking.net
the
Cana-Dutch model
Canada
and Holland have long had a close and personal relationship tested
by famine and war. Both countries have had relatively liberal
marijuana laws and both have implemented access programs for medical
users. As of this month, the Dutch and the Canadians have a new
thing in common; both countries are distributing medicinal quality
marijuana to approved patients, grown by a private contractor.
Cannabis Health Journal contacted the principle players in both
countries and offer the following:
Medicinal
cannabis now available in the Netherlands
by
Willem K. Scholten
Willem K. Scholten PharmD. MPA, is head of the Office of Medicinal
Cannabis of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague,
The Netherlands.
Cannabis
has been available on prescription in the Netherlands since the
1st of September 2003. Following a government decision taken in
autumn 2001, preparations were made to cultivate and distribute
cannabis under government control. After tendering, the Office
of Medicinal Cannabis (OMC) contracted two growers, a laboratory,
and a packaging and distribution company. Cultivation started
last March and the first batches were ready for sale in August.
The
OMC is a government agency with a monopoly on the wholesale of
cannabis. It is also responsible for granting any licences required
for cannabis or cannabis resin. The fact that it holds the monopoly
means that all cannabis is owned by the state from the moment
the harvest is bought from the growers until the final product
is sold to a pharmacy in sealed five-gram containers.
The
contracted growers, the Institute of Medical Marihuana (SIMM)
and Bedrocan, are required to comply with the rules of Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP) for the cultivation of medicinal cannabis. These
rules were laid down by the Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare
and Sport and are based on the GAP rules formulated by the European
Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products. Additional rules
were introduced to standardise the cultivation and drying processes
and to prevent diversion. Standardised cultivation ensures a constant
cannabinoid content in cannabis products. As the two growers employ
different methods and cultivate different varieties, their end-products
differ from one other. As a result, prescribers and patients are
offered a choice of products. The Bedrocan variety contains approximately
18 percent dronabinol (the official WHO designation for THC) and
the SIMM 18 variety around 15 percent. Both are low in cannabidiol.
The OMC is considering expanding the product line in future by
adding varieties with a higher cannabidiol content or a high cannabichromene
or cannabigerol content.
The
cannabis delivered by the growers to the OMC is gamma-irradiated
to reduce and virtually eradicate bacteria and moulds. The procedure
eliminates microbiological contamination, which may be harmful
to immune-compromised patients. The cannabis is laboratory tested
for identity, purity and content, using an analytical monograph
drafted by the National Institute for Health and the Environment
(RIVM). It is tested to ensure purity from microbiological contamination,
heavy metals and pesticides, and to establish the dronabinol,
cannabinol and cannabidiol content. Finally, it is packed in polypropylene
containers holding five grams each. We made grateful use of Canadian
documents when designing our quality control system. They prevented
us from overlooking important factors and helped us to harmonize
production and international quality requirements right from the
start.
On
the basis of the laboratory results, the OMC approves batch release
for packaging and distribution. The company responsible for packaging
also does the logistics on behalf of the government, taking orders
by phone, fax or email and forwarding them to pharmacies within
24 hours. It invoices customers monthly and collects payments
on behalf of the OMC. Cannabis is supplied only to pharmacies;
patients cannot order it themselves.
Dutch
policy is based on the principle that cannabis is a medicine,
like morphine or any other controlled narcotic. Hence, there is
no reason to prohibit its use for medicinal purposes as long as
it is prescribed according to the rules that apply to all controlled
substances and that it is used in a responsible manner.
We
refer to our products as cannabis or hemp (hennep in Dutch). We
choose not to use terms like 'weed' and 'marihuana', which are
associated with the recreational use of drugs and may stigmatize
patients as drug abusers.
The
product information provided by the OMC notes that the efficacy
of cannabis has not yet been proven, although it is recorded as
a treatment for over 200 conditions. It should therefore be used
only if the conventional treatments prescribed in medical protocols
prove ineffective, and not as a first-line treatment.
In
other words, it is indicated only if other drugs offer insufficient
relief or produce excessive side effects. In the Netherlands cannabis
is recommended only for the conditions listed below, for which
there is most evidence of its efficacy:
· nausea and vomiting in cancer chemotherapy, radiotherapy
and HIV therapy
· palliative treatment for cancer patients (i.e. as an
appetite stimulant and for pain relief and well-being in general)
· spasticity in combination with pain (e.g. multiple sclerosis
or spinal cord injury)
· chronic neuropathic pain conditions
· Tourette's syndrome.
Under
Dutch law, doctors are not prohibited from prescribing cannabis
for other conditions, but they are answerable to the medical council
or the health care inspectorate for any adverse effects.
The
Netherlands is thus following the example set by Canada, where
cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for some years.
Though not identical, the policies of the two countries are similar
in many respects. Above all, both recognise the medical potential
of cannabis but require more evidence of its efficacy. In the
meantime, Canada has allowed cannabis to be used on compassionate
grounds, but without giving it medical status. The Netherlands
allows doctors to prescribe it as a last-line medicine. Both countries
encourage research. Few clinical trials were carried out during
the decades of worldwide prohibition, and information is sorely
needed. As explained below, Canada has so far been more successful
than the Netherlands in generating research.
Canada
and the Netherlands are the first and, at present, the only countries
to allow the medicinal use of cannabis, and both have to do the
groundwork. This may change in the future, as several other initiatives
have been launched. The UK-based company GW Pharmaceuticals plc,
for instance, has developed a sublingual spray based on a cannabis
extract. It has applied to have it licensed in the UK. The government
of New South Wales in Australia recently announced its intention
to make cannabis available for clinical trials on a relatively
large scale. Cannabis will be supplied to all patients suffering
from certain specified conditions. Several European countries,
including Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg, are reconsidering their
positions and may ultimately accept cannabis as a useful medicine.
Some
patients in Canada are evidently dissatisfied with the distribution
of cannabis in their country and are under the impression that
the Dutch are doing better. However, they may be overlooking the
fact that the Canadian government authorised the possession, cultivation
and use of medicinal cannabis several years ago. The Netherlands
followed suit only as of 1 September 2003 by making it legal to
supply Dutch patients with pharmaceutically approved cannabis.
Canadian patients are also critical of the strength of the cannabis
they receive. However, I do not believe that strength is the main
issue. Patients who used to buy medicinal cannabis illegally in
the Netherlands expressed satisfaction with a content of 10 percent,
although stronger varieties were also available. I have no illusions
on this score. Dutch patients are also critical, and it will be
impossible to satisfy everybody. The point is that we know so
little at present and it will take several years to obtain the
information we need to produce the best possible treatment for
specific conditions.
The
Canadians are also dissatisfied with the price of cannabis, which
I consider quite low. Although we market our products at cost
price, they are twice as expensive in the Netherlands. It is expensive
to produce cannabis that meets all pharmaceutical requirements.
Standardization, laboratory testing, professional packaging, pharmacy
services, a 24 hour delivery service countrywide, plus a 6 percent
sales tax make prescription cannabis far more expensive than the
illegal product. On the other hand, our product is constant in
strength and available at all Dutch pharmacies. But the two products
cannot be compared. And if we regard it as a medicine, cannabis
is not expensive.
To
its credit, Canada is one of very few countries to fund clinical
trials. The results of their research will be invaluable, and
I wish we could afford to do the same in the Netherlands. However,
we are in the throes of an economic recession and the government
is not funding cannabis research. As a result, almost no research
is being done.
More
information will be available shortly on www.cannabisoffice.nl.
The Dutch site, www.cannabisbureau.nl
is now open.
Interview
with SIMM the contracted dutch grower
James
Burton:
Director Stichting Institute of Medical Marijuana
Cannabis
Health:
Do you feel competition from the coffee shops or other illicit
distributors?
James
Burton:
Not at all. We produce a medicine. As medicines go, this is a
very affordable choice. The dangers of the illegal product are
the same everywhere: no idea of potency, how it was grown and
what contaminates it might contain. We deliver a safe medicine
to people who would never buy from a coffee shop.
CH:
Would you comment on the reported criticism of the newly released
Canadian cannabis.
James:
There is no reliable THC testing. Regardless of your methods,
testing can be manipulated. Given a certain target and access
to a lab, it is conceivable that one could pick the % you wanted
to test out at. Using HPLC for instance will always show THC levels
3 to 5% higher. HPLC will give you a different reading than testing
by MSGS Each method will give you a different reading on the same
sample. Even though this is one of the most studied plants on
the earth we know so little about some things. We are still learning
about pre-heat temperatures and cannabinoid vaporization levels.
The most insidious mistake that Canada has made, and likely contributing
factor to this situation is the further stigmatization of an already
highly stigmatized issue. Becoming the direct distributor of cannabis
is without precedent and sends the message to patients that this
plant is even more dangerous than any other chemical drug, and
so dangerous that it can only be managed by the government. To
receive a normal medicine, you do not have to fill out special
government forms. I am aware that Canada was forced to act by
the courts, but they did have some choices. Now they have created
a situation where the patients have to choose who they trust more,
their government or their dealers.
CH:
So tell me more about the issue of quality.
James:
Quality is in the whole process, the growing, trimming, curing
handling and storage. Getting rid of the chlorophyll is just the
start, we use dark and temperature and time not unlike a wine
maker to bring out the best of the strain. I refer to what I call
my cookbook which contains formulas for each strain or cultivar.
In it I have the plant and strain specific organic nutrient and
other environmental variables required to produce a perfect healthy
plant in dirt. Regardless of the lighting companies claims of
wide spectrum coverage, real sunshine is still the healthiest
and the best for both the plant and the people who use it.
CH:
I have heard some conflicting reports on the acceptance of cannabis
as a medicine by the insurance companies?
James:
In Holland, the more affluent who have private insurance will
have the cost of their cannabis covered under their insurance,
but those on the public plan are not at this time covered. I would
predict that they will be include in the next few years.
CH:
Looking forward a few years, where are you going?
James:
I have a few old cannabis medicine bottles from the early 1900s
and I remind my friends that this is not new, this is the reintroduction
of an old medicine. I see our cannabis industry creating a vigorous
and healthy debate and I predict over the next 2 or 3 years, you
will see increasing levels of acceptance of medical cannabis in
the European community and new opportunities for our company and
others.
CH:
Can you comment further on your relationship to the Canadians?
James:
We have had a number of visits and an ongoing relationship with
our Canadian officials We were disappointed that Canada did not
take us up on the offer we made to assist them with their start
up. We offered some genetically stable seed strains and if they
wished for even more control, we offered to share cloned stock.
The option to acquire Dutch cannabis was also available. I am
not aware of what seeds were finally chosen. Patients assisted
in the selection of cultivars that were chosen for distribution
here, and we even offered to supply Canada with cannabis grown
in Holland to make it possible for them to begin research.
Interview
with Health Canada
Health
Canada was the final interview in this series and for the sake
of brevity and clarity the interview with Valerie Lasher, and
Dr. Richard Viau has been organized into topics.
Valerie
Lasher is with the Office of Cannabis Mecical Access and Richard
Viau PhD. is Director of Drug Analysis Service, Health Canada.
Comments
on the quality of cannabis and recent criticism by some patients.
Richard made it clear that quality was important, but, he was
not convinced that stronger was better, pointing out again that
scientific research was not available on this and other quality
issues. He used the example of personal taste and preferences
in whisky, beer, and cigarettes and went on to explain that no
real science exists to support these preferences or some of the
personal preferences expressed by cannabis users.
Valerie
stated that only 2 patients have returned the product, and she
expressed her regrets that some potential cannabis users might
be frightened off by the reports of basically two patients.
Richard
reported that product that they ordered from PPS was to be grown
as close to the desired THC level as possible and then blended
to achieve a THC level of 10% plus or minus 1.5%
Reduction
of the THC levels was achieved by adding minimal amounts of lower
THC leaf and stalk or small sticks. When asked if this made the
product less smokable, Richard reminded me that HC did not recommend
smoking anything. When questioned on the slippery issue of "organic"
his opinion was that since there is no official definition, the
one used for plant food products was, the absence of the use of
pesticides and herbicides. Richard pointed out that if this definition
is used, then the PPS product qualifies as organic. "However,
the use of such a nebulous term in a scientific context is problematic
since it is not clear what is meant if anything".
We
asked Richard if the THC testing was as easily manipulated as
James Burton had indicated in his interview. He confirmed that
yes, manipulation of results is possible, and sometimes desired,
but, properly calibrated testing of the type used in the testing
of the PPS product was extremely accurate in establishing cannabinoid
levels and detecting any adulteration.
On
the future of compassion clubs:
Individual US states and other countries have chosen to work with
the existing club or other group distribution system. Valerie
made it clear that the distribution networks that have been set
up in Canada are illegal and the responsibility for dealing with
this issue will be with the police and the justice system. not
HC
On
patient Involvement:
Both Valerie and Richard were happy with having 2 medical patients
on the committee. Valerie indicated that patient input was also
happening at the patient advocacy group level with the involvement
of patients through their advocacy groups like HIV Aids, and the
Arthritis society. They pointed out that the committee was already
large, and dealing with a highly sensitive issue affecting the
whole community, a large number of stakeholder groups want representation.
On
research:
Over the course of the interview Richard made numerous comments
on the need for more scientific data and clinical trials, specifically
in relation to strength/potency and on smoking and vaporization.
He indicated the same concerns in relation to the impact of specific
cannabinoids like CBDs and the whole strain efficacy debate.
Valerie
announced that new other research initiatives were under consideration
and that research at the University of McGill was proceeding using
PPS product and she was optimistic that the work initiated by
CRIT would be continued.
On
Insurance coverage:
Valerie said an issue for insurance companies was that cannabis
is not an "approved drug" which explains why insurance
companies will be reluctant to cover the cost.
Valerie
expressed her desire to improve communications with the medical
cannabis community. Those of you who have followed our journal
over the past year will realize that granting this on-the-record
interview is in itself a breakthrough.
Thanks
to Richard and Valerie for the interview and their co-operation.
Interview
with Prairie Plant Systems
(Editors
Comment)
In
early 2000, a year or so before the start of this journal, I led
a team for the Cannabis Research Institute that responded to the
Canadian federal government's call for a company to grow medical
quality marijuana. I was elated at the chance to interview Brent
Zettle the head of Prairie Plant Systems, the company that landed
that first Canadian contract.
Cannabis
Health:
In general terms Brent, how have things gone?
Brent
Zettle:
This project has been a total personal challenge, and by far the
easiest part has been the growing of the cannabis. Dealing with
the regulations, the exhaustive analyses and testing has been
demanding, but frankly, communications with, and the expectations
of Health Canada has been the biggest challenge. This is a sensitive
political issue and the high turnover of staff has made communications
more difficult.
CH:
The marijuana that was sent out from Health Canada to a select
number of doctors in Canada has now been tried by some of the
patients. Considering the obvious frustration with Health Canada
expressed by some medical users, one could argue that being rated
as 6 out of 10 is not a bad a rating for your introductory product.
Brent:
I am pleased at the reception our product is receiving. Using
cloning to reproduce the same genetics in each plant, we can produce
our marijuana very close to the limit of 10% THC that Health Canada
requires. In this release of product, we have chosen a strain
that produces very close to 10%, and we have been required to
make minor potency adjustments.
CH:
How would you compare the product being delivered by the Dutch
government to your product? I understand that the Dutch product
will test at 15% with the higher potency, better quality reaching
18%.
Brent:
To be fair, we have genetics and can produce plants with 25% THC
but at this stage we are being told by Health Canada to produce
10% THC and we are.
Also
you have to consider the testing methods and the accuracy. PPS
uses the LCMS method as opposed to the standard GC test and we
provide a profile of 5 cannabinoids, THC, CBD, CBC, CBG,and CBN.
The
safety of our product is the major concern for our company. Our
testing identifies a broad range of potentially dangerous mold
spores and residuals that could negatively affect patients with
compromised immune systems. As well, our testing provides the
most accurate cannabinoid profile.
CH:
How about the issue of variety and cost? Patients are saying that
some strains are better and variety works best.
Brent:
We are aware that patients are seeking variety and saying that
some strains work better. You have to understand that we are working
within a new and sensitive field. Under the rules and restrictions
established by Health Canada and other regulating agencies, PPS
is producing the best quality product possible. We could provide
variety, but right now the order is for one strain with a stable
cannabinoid profile, and 10% THC. Health Canada has established
the cost to the patients.
CH:
I am interested in the delivery and packaging.
Brent:
Our product is delivered in heat sealed air locked plastic bags.
The marijuana is manicured, the moisture level is controlled and
the plant material is predominantly mature female flower. As you
are aware, the federal RFP called for the delivery of rolled joints.
Pre rolling is not attractive to the consumer. Holland and Canada
both concurred that patients want the freedom to custom roll their
joints or to use the product in a pipe or other delivery choice.
CH:
What do you think about the current nutrient war, and, do you
favor a particular nutrient company?
Brent:
PPS treats cannabis like any of the other plant we are asked to
grow. It is interesting how some factions would like to convince
you that growing cannabis is a mystical and magical process. We
approach cannabis as an elastic and highly adaptive plant, but
in the end we look at the necessary 13 macro and micro nutrients
that all plants require and we prepare our own nutrient formulas.
The other science we introduce is when you feed, how much you
feed and in what nutrient ratios you feed the essential nutrients.
In short, we have great lab facilities and we do not get involved
in the politics and the competition over cannabis nutrient.
CH:
Those who are aware of the RFP are interested in how PPS is doing
financially with this contract and question who will own what
at the end of the contract.
Brent:
No windfalls, on this project, PPS is just holding their own.
We have seen changes and additional testing requirements, and
again security costs that have kept our costs up. For instance,
money saved from rolling has gone into packaging that delivers
a product that is sealed and moisture controlled and safe. Health
Canada owns the genetics. The intellectual property is owned by
PPS.
As
far as the future goes, we see the potential of the industry and
we are looking at developing strains with cannabinoid profiles
that address the increasing sophistication of research into cannabis
and specific illness.
CH:
How do you deal with the politics?
Brent:
From my perspective the changes that are unfolding are driven
by the courts. Allen Rock had a vision for how this program would
evolve, he was open and expected feedback. Ann McLelleand brought
another approach, less open, more cautious. But to understand
how the problems develop you must look at the whole reality. HC
is forced to deal with a new hot issue, few rules, no history
and nervous politicians. Many of their people have never been
in the spotlight, far less under the hot lights of weekly national
television.
CH:
So what can we do better?
Brent:
I see many of the problems as communications problems. Again,
we are a company that is working within very tight parameters
set by the government. Lots of details are being worked out and
I am well aware of the cautious pace. These are my tax dollars
being spent. The most important improvement would be to introduce
more openness, more transparency; be positive, the public is ready,
they just want to know what is going on.
Between
the time of this first interview and our print deadline a number
of medical patients and other cannabis activists took exception
to the cannabis released by Health Canada and grown by Prairie
Plant Systems. We reconnected with Brent to discuss the negative
reactions of some medical patients.
CH:
What
do you think is happening here?
Brent:
I hesitate to point fingers at any one individual, however the
persons that have released the so called results of secret testing
are way off the mark, and frankly most appear to have a vested
interest.
The
agenda of this group appears to be organic growing and anger that
the government has chosen not to support the distribution by these
clubs and groups.
Our
product has gone through exhaustive analyses with both inhouse
and independent testing.
If
it wasn't for the fact that this emotional attack reflects so
poorly on the credibility of the attackers, we would consider
legal action.
CH:
What do you think of the pictures they have posted on their web
site?
Brent:
I can only speculate on what may have happened Is it our product,
or has it been tampered with? Who knows? Emotions are running
high and people have attitude and a vested interest.
GOT
SHAKE???
by
Lisa Smith
Ed
Rosenthal has done his homework again.
Trash
to Stash
shows us how to use the full potential of a harvest. Understand
your harvest and you'll never throw out shake again. Trash
to Stash is the how-to book, everything is in here, including
recipes, shopping lists, reviews of products and other invaluable
information. Ed takes an in depth look, in an easy to understand
format, at alternative administrative methods for cannabis.
Sometimes
smoking cannabis can be obvious and inconvenient. Trash
to Stash shows how to make edibles and tinctures that
come in real handy for someone who doesn't want to smoke or needs
to be discreet. Also included in this book is information to regulate
dosage (titration).
Ed
fully explains how to take shake and turn it into something very
valuable. Need to know how to make kief, hash or cannabis butter??
That's here too!! Ed includes many methods for doing great things
with bud and shake.
Do
you know anyone who can't always afford high grade, but needs
help? Why not save a big bag of shake from harvest and include
a copy of Trash to Stash? You will have given someone an invaluable
gift. Thanks, Ed, I never knew what to do with that bag at the
back of my closet. Five Leaf Award
DETAILED
RESULTS OF NUTRIENT RESEARCH
Editors
Note:
In
September/October issue 6 edition of Cannabis Health Journal,
we published a nutrient comparison study conducted by Brian Carlisle.
In response to critiques that this was funded by Advanced Nutrients,
we repeat, this article was not published as a clinical study.
We believe the general public are confused at claims and counterclaims,
and in the absence of other hard data, this, at least, is a positive
approach to the problems by a group of medical users.
The
Results VEGETATIVE CYCLE;
General
Hydroponics:
Calcium, zinc, and potassium deficient and were 3rd largest plant
in size.
Dutch
Master:
Manganese deficiency and 4th largest plants in size.
Super
Natural:
Were stunted and had sulfur and calcium deficiencies and were
6th largest plant in size.
Canna:
Calcium, nitrogen and sulfur deficiencies and were 2nd largest
plant in size.
Grow
Tech:
Were stunted and had nitrogen and sulfur deficiencies and were
5th largest plant in size.
Advanced
Nutrients:
Had no deficiencies and had the largest plant size.
FLOWERING
CYCLE;
GH:
Was Phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen deficient with largest
colas but the plants stayed small.
DM:
Was manganese deficient and had the smallest colas but the tightest
colas although the plants stayed small almost "dwarfish".
SN:
Had nitrogen burning, the 2nd largest colas yet the plants stayed
small.
GT:
Had potassium and nitrogen deficiency and the plants only grew
to 2/3 size. CA: Had nitrogen and potassium deficiency and the
plant only grow to 2/3 size.
AN:
Had a slight amount of tip burn. Even though the group was given
2 small plants unlike the other groups which received only one,
even those 2 plants grew into full size plants and the group produced
the largest and most abundant colas.
GREEN
& CLEAN HYDROPONICS - Company Review
Green
& Clean Hydroponics has been in business
since July 1997 in Sudbury, Ontario. It originally started off
with a 500 square ft. retail location. Two years into the business,
owners Sharon Shaw and Frank Beaudoin realized that expansion
was necessary in order to supply the Northern Ontario Market.
A wall was torn down and the unit next door became an additional
storefront. This allowed Green & Clean to build
a self-contained grow room for display purposes. Customers can
experience first hand live tomato and herb plants growing hydroponically
year round. Sharon and Frank realized early in their business
venture that the Northern Ontario Market was greatly under serviced
and they allow customers from distant locations in the north to
be serviced by bus and mail orders. They have always maintained
that if they don't have a product they can probably get it. Green
& Clean has remained independent and deals with a number
of suppliers offering the best selection, best products and best
prices in the North. Green & Clean believes that
it is all about choice, and due to the increase in medicinal growers,
they can offer compassion discount to those in need. www.greenandclean.ca
HIA
2003 Convention Sovereignty for Pine Ridge Reservation, SD
Gathering
at Kiza Park on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, fifty
hemp entrepreneurs and activists were welcomed by the White Plume
family to their Lakota cultural center. We came with intent to
support sovereignty for all people, and specifically for this
tribe whose laws allow industrial hemp cultivation (one of sixteen
in the USA). Alex and Debra White Plume's family was terrorized
by the DEA three years ago and today they continue to fight for
the right to grow a plant that can feed, clothe, and house their
family.
The
Hemp Industries Association (HIA) held their tenth annual convention
on native land, sleeping in tipis, eating buffalo stew, listening
to Lakota singing, and joining in prayers of thanks. Some rode
horses, while others hiked the beautiful hills and communed with
the buffalo. We visited hemp buildings - one house built by Tom
Cook and crew for his wife, Loretta Afraid of Bear's family, a
greenhouse, and another earthship being built by Henry Red Cloud.
Their Slim Buttes Land Use Association has developed over 400
vegetable gardens on the reservation. Gorgeous beadwork was offered
by skilled craftswomen.
Stories
were shared by Milo Yellow Hair, Alex White Plume and Tom Cook
of the struggles the Lakota have endured and continue to fight.
The Black Hills were taken by the government because there was
gold and oil to be mined, so the Lakota's seven sacred sites are
unavailable for their ceremonies. Through all the challenges (85%
unemployment, alcoholism, etc.) the Lakota remain strong and several
families have the courage and determination to keep traditions
and maintain their language, and survive with dignity and respect
for each other and Mother Earth. It was a special meeting and
we thank our hosts for the precious time spent with them in their
homeland.
Meals
prepared by Alta and Rita, Debra White Plume's sisters, and neighbor,
Betty were authentic Lakota fare - buffalo stew, fry bread, and
choke cherry pudding. Thanks to the crew from Prairie Dust Films
we enjoyed a dinner, offered interviews and participated in filming
sessions. David Frankel, Tom Ballanco, and Johanna Schultz shared
some great vegetarian foods. Hemp granola, hemp bread, hemp chips,
hemp oil salad dressing, hemp ice cream, hemp sodas, and hemp
protein powder were donated and enjoyed by all.
On
Friday, August 22nd a Hemp Seminar in Hot Springs, SD was presented
- a hemp luncheon with speakers, a benefit auction, and demonstrations.
Attendees were enthusiastic in supporting the many uses of industrial
hemp. Joe American Horse, in full headdress, led with the opening
prayer and song in Lakota language. Panel One began with Tom Cook
and Alex White Plume who gave a historical overview of the hemp
movement on Pine Ridge. Attorney Bruce Ellison spoke about the
DEA case against the White Plumes. Tom Ballanco and David Frankel,
also attorneys, shared their involvement with the tribal sovereignty
issue, citing treaty breaches that will be used in the legal challenge.
The tribal president, John Yellowbird Steele, then spoke, offering
his support, and a tribal representative from the Cheyenne River
included his remarks upholding the right to grow hemp on the reservation.
Gloria Castillo, co-producer of the seminar, ended the first panel
with a clarification of the expanded meaning of sovereignty -
freedom for all people.
Representing
the newly formed Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, Arthur Hanks of
Saskatchewan talked about the progress and set backs the Canadian
hemp industry has had in the last five years. The expertise gained
was offered to those who will grow hemp on the reservation in
the future. David Bronner, HIA Food & Oil Chairman, gave a brief
rundown on the phenomenal growth market for hemp foods and body
care, the development of the Test Pledge Program, and introduced
attorney Patrick Goggin who elaborated on the HIA vs DEA case
pending in the Federal 9th Circuit Court. Prospects for processing
hemp in neighboring North Dakota were presented by Robert Robinson
of Modern Hemp. Bob Newland of the SD Industrial Hemp Council
spoke about legislative efforts and encouraging polls taken in
the region, and his partner, Jeremy Briggs, announced the beginning
of a new industry publication, Hemphasis Magazine.
The
final panel at the seminar focused on applications of hemp fiber
and seed. Shaun Crew of Hemp Oil Canada has a successful food
and body care company and offered to send 500 lbs. of seed when
the legalities for the cultivation of hemp have been established.
He explained that it is not difficult to process seeds for oil,
nut, meal, and flour. An investment of $60,000 usd would set up
a facility. Craig Lee from Madison Hemp and Flax in Kentucky spoke
about using hemp seed and meal for feeding beef and fish. The
high protein and omega fat content is perfect for animal feed.
University of KY research results are available. Hemp fiber used
for horse bedding has also been researched and a market targeted.
Albert Lewis of Hempy's, a clothing and accessories company, shared
his experiences with managing growth in the textile sector. A
lecture and demonstration was held outside as Agua Das from Original
Sources showed how biofuel can be made from hemp fiber using gasification.
A spinning wheel and hemp break were also demonstrated, showing
a primary use for hemp.
Hemp
products donated by HIA members were auctioned and raised $2900
for the White Plume Defense Fund. Thanks to all who contributed!
And a special thanks to Carol Koski and Ron Holton for receiving
the goodies and organizing the auction.
Marie
& Teresa Mills - Navajo Hemp Rug For Mother Earth - hemp jewelry
Living Seed Products, Merry Hempsters, and other Oregon companies
- Hemp Lip Balm, Hemp Zap, Dolly Mama Doll, Hemp Chocolate Bars,
Hemp Bag, Hemp jewelry, Hemp Candles, Naked Clothing hemp shirt
and hoodie. Hemp Trivia - Hemp Tshirt, Postcard set, Hemp Farmer
Notepads, George Washington was a Hemp Farmer Posters, Presidents
Rolling Papers. Chic Eco - 2003 Directory Hempcore - Hemp Skateboards
Hemp Hound - Dog collars Smith Center - Organic Cotton Tshirts
Intl. Hemp Association - Journal of Industrial Hemp Kashmir Gold
- Goddess Kit: Evening purse, silk/hemp & lace handkerchief, rosebud,
candle, lavender oil, and soap. Paul Benhaim - Fields of Green
music CD - hemp plastic tray. Hemp Starzz - Lip balm, Uncle Betsey
Tshirt and CD - High Hopes - We Want Hemp Now! Minawear - Hemp
shirt Magellan - Race Around the World Game Hempy's - Shorts,
hats, bags Sativa Hemp Wear - Zipper purse, stickers Pure Hemp
- Cigarette Papers Global Groove - Hemp Waist Belt Candi Penn
- Hemp Fabric from Thailand Living Tree Paper Company - Circle
of Life Poster signed by Julia Butterfly, 2004 Protest Poster
Art Calendar, Movie Poster "Scorched" with Woody Harrelson.
Hempola - Temporary Tattoos Co-op America - Community Lender Brochures
James Pollock - "Grow a Field of Hemp" Tshirts Cool
Hemp - Hemp Seedee (Canadian hemp songs & stories) Santa Barbara
Hemp Company - Hats and Tshirts Original Sources - Hemp I Scream
Sandwiches Humbodlt Hemp Foods - "Oh Mega!" Organic
Blue Corn Hemp Chips Nature's Path - "Hemp Plus" Granola
Cereal Hempzel Pretzel Company - Hempzels, Flour, and mustard.
Nutiva - Organic Hemp Protein Powder French Meadow Bakery - Hemp
Sprouted Bread Hemp Oil Canada - Roasted Hempseed, Shelled Hempseed,
Hemp Flour, Body care products. Ruth's Hemp Foods - Hemp Oil & Balsamic
Salad Dressing Vote Hemp - Brochures, VH Reports HIA - 2003 Calendars,
HIA T-shirts.
Upon
return to the reservation that night, we were met with a grass
fire, out of control with 50 mile an hour winds spreading it toward
Kiza Park. The community fought the fire and it stopped just over
the hill. The horses and buffalo were ok. The house and camp were
ok. It was another awakening for us to the daily struggles of
the Lakota people. They will experience a spiritual, emotional,
and physical model of a beautiful, truthful, loving way of life.
Thanks
to all who helped make this a wonderfully successful event!
Respectfully
submitted by Candi Penn HIA Executive Director 8/28/03 2003 Convention
Committee Alex and Debra White Plume - alexwp@gwtc.net
Tom and Loretta Cook - slmbttsag@bbc.net
Gloria Castillo -btggc@hotmail.com,
Ron Holton and Carol Koski, David Frankel - dfrankel@igc.org,
Tom Ballanco - tom@datagram.com,
Craig Lee - craiglee@eonet.net,
Candi Penn - info@thehia.orgC.
Penn, HIA Executive Director Hemp Industries Association, PO Box
1080, Occidental, CA 95465 Tel: 707 874 3648 Fax: 707 874 1104
Email: info@thehia.org,
http://thehia.org http://hempstores.com
http://testpledge.com,
http://votehemp.com
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