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INSIDE@CANNABISHEALTH www.cannabishealth.com The Health Foundation was formed in the spring of Editorial ...... 4 2002 as a non-profit foundation. Our mandate as a non-profit foundation is to provide accurate up-to-date information Letters...... 5 on Cannabis and Cannabis in a conservative style magazine that appeals to the general public. We are pleased to announce the journal is now being made available to: Government health organizations, patient support groups, medical The Reluctant Activist...... 6 associations, research foundations and other cannabis related corporations at the very low bulk distribution rate of: $1.00 per copy + shipping by J.P. King Advertisers in the journal receive up to 300 free copies per issue. For advertising information use phone or fax or e-mail: [email protected]. Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana...... 7 SUBSCRIPTION / DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION If you would like to receive 6 copies per year of the most informative resource for Society sponsors Hemp Festival in Annapolis Valley medical marijuana available, subscribe to Cannabis Health by sending your name and address to Cannabis Health Foundation, P.O.Box 1481, Grand Forks, B.C., V0H 1H0 $25cdn in Canada (USA send $45.00cdn and foreign send $75.00cdn) Approval for Cannabis Spray Sought in Canada ...... 10 Bulk distribution rates in boxes of 100 at $1.00 per issue plus shipping. Pharmaceutical giant promotes Sativex E-mail: [email protected] Editor: Brian Taylor Production: Teresa Taylor Sales: Lisa Smith Planetary Pride Hempfest 2004...... 11 Accounting: Barb Cornelius Distribution: Lorraine Langis Shipping & Store: Gordon Taylor Web: Barb St. Jean Public Health Marijuana ...... 12 A very special thank-you to Tom for all his help with this issue.

Dana Beal outlines a new direction in harm reduction No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form, print or electronic, without written permission of the publisher. Cannabis Health is also reproduced on the web in downloadable pdf format at cannabishealth.com/archive.html. Laurence of America...... 14 Founder of the Cannabis Corporation of America revisits the 1970s A parting word word from Brian McAndrew Cannabis, Chocolate and MS...... 16

Recipes...... 17 Chocolate Chip Cookies and Special

Facts about Hemp Hearts...... 18 The health benefits of shelled hemp seeds

New Crops for Old Lands ...... 20

Story of the Doukhobors in Grand Forks

Cannabis Health on the Road...... 21 It was 2 years ago June 1st that we sat down and started working on the first issue of Cannabis Health Journal and it is with sadness that this day Seniors Making a Difference ...... 22 has come. The support and response from the readers and advertisers has The story of Joanna McKee allowed Cannabis Health to grow to the point where it is compromising obligations I have towards the customers of my own graphic and design Spocannabis...... 24 business, Beyond Graphix. Being the production (graphic) guy for the journal for its first 10 issues has provided me the opportunity to showcase Sixth Global March for Cannabis Liberation my skills to the world. I hope I have been able to entertain and inspire you with my work during that time. It is with best wishes and luck for the Book Review ...... 25 future, that I say good bye to Cannabis Health Journal, its readers and Lisa Smith reviews “Good Medicine, Great Sex” advertisers.

Music Review...... 25 Lorraine Langis gives the “Hemp SeeDee” a listen You can visit Brian McAndrew on the web at: Cannabis Insights ...... 27 www.openminder.com Sebastian Schultz reflects on cannabis

Repotting ...... 31 On the Cover

Klozit King offers more helpful tips for growing Doukhobor couple from the village of Archangelsko, Tula region in Russia. In the background stands a handsome hemp plant still grown 2004 Summer Events...... 32 in this area for seed.

Friendly Business Directory ...... 28,29,30,31 Photo taken by B Verigin, circa 1999. Where you can pick up your issue of Cannabis Health

2 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal

EDITOR@CANNABISHEALTH

can stand up tall and say “It is time for a change” /June page 30). We found out that Dave died in and still send the kids to college. the 80`s of lymphatic cancer. Dave had a clear The Canadian election will be over by the time vision of the future, a time when cannabis would you read this journal. Canadians will likely have again be a common commodity in the western elected a minority Liberal government and economy. His art showed the optimism of his changes to Canadian marijuana laws following time, the belief that this senseless drug war the election will once more be back on the agen- would soon be ended and the forces of the mar- da in parliament. The US will be heading for the ket and the art of the people would shape the polls in November; the outcome of that election look of the cannabis industry. is anyone’s bet. You can bet on some limited In recent months, I have become sensitized to attention and interest from the US prohibitionist the , or more accurately the forces in the re-shaping of the Canadian mari- “counter culture”. So named, I assume, because juana laws, but with all the other challenges the it existed at the same time as, and was often US faces, the pro marijuana ballot initiatives and openly opposed to the culture of the day. Those Brian Taylor: Editor-in-Chief the continued legal victories of medical marijua- who experienced the epiphany of the 60`s, are Circa 1974 na patients against federal interference, this now grandmas and granddads. That 70`s revival would seem the ideal time for Canada to take phenomena… just the grandkids acting out. Two 30 something year olds were recently bold action and follow the Canadian senate rec- talking on the net. “How is it that thousands of The couple on the cover are a reminder that ommendations. hippies went to Woodstock and were enlight- around the world the use of cannabis is still part ened and thousands more got lost and didn’t Sativex is expected to be introduced into of everyday life, not a crime, no license is make it, and now all we see is just a few white Canada in late summer. In this first phase, the required, just part of a peaceful agricultural life. haired ones in the movement?” “Well grasshop- new under the tongue spray will be available to Brian McAndrew our production manager has per,” responded the other, “you see, all those a select group of MS patients. As that old vision- moved on to new creative adventures in life. He people went home and got jobs and raised fami- ary Laurence McKinney would say, how can was a founding board member of the Cannabis lies and they are now too afraid of losing the you introduce a medicine made from a concen- Health Foundation and one of the founders of comforts of the good life they have built on trated extract of cannabis and still continue to the journal. Brian spent many long hours over some stupid cause like peace or pot.” vilify the whole cannabis plant? Don’t you wish the past two years making the Journal happen sometimes that hindsight came earlier. On the less cynical side of financial success and giving it the artistic look he desired. and independence, it is nice to know that you CHJ recently ran a picture by an exceptional Thanks and farewell. graphic artist, Dave Sheridan (see CHJ May LETTERS Your children know you smoke pot. About 1989 or so, I started to have a hard time with the lie. You know, taking a walk, smoking on the porch, telling them the little plants you take such good care of are flowers. What I began to see as sad, was the fact that we were raising a generation of children who were being taught by example to lie and deceive. If Mom and Dad smoke pot and lie to me, then it must be ok from me to, say, drink and lie to them or have sex and lie to them. You know, I never thought this would become a problem in my life. I thought the laws would just naturally change as people awoke to the gentle nature of the herb. Laws have changed, they have become harsher. Oregon state once had a liberal attitude to pot, but right now young people are going to jail for four years for possession of more than 100 plants of any age. If I decide to be socially disobedient, I owe it to myself, my children and my community to do something to change the law. I once felt the power to make this change would come to my generation in their forties, I see now it will be later, in our fifties. The fifties are just around the corner for many of us. Hypocrisy is a rot on your soul. Let us begin to speak out and make our stand. What we have to win could pay off the national debt in three years, what we have to lose is the respect of our children. Gord Taylor and Lisa Smith at the Grand Forks Home and Garden Show Your children know you smoke!!

4 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal LETTERS Re: Hemp Magick Masque when the taxes skyrocketed, I cut down consid- “softer than an angel’s ass” erably. I found the less I smoked, the higher my Dear Sir, blood pressure became. Instead of taking more Having used the above mentioned product and and stronger medication, I tried a piece of cook- having tested the results, I must disagree with the ie daily. You can’t imagine how surprised and above noted assessment. happy I was to find my blood pressure came down to an acceptable level and stayed there as With the cooperation of the Boundary Hospital long as I ate my piece of cookie daily. No more laboratory staff and the good offices of Dr. worries about a stroke!! Jeanne, through laser technology, the latest radi- ographic gadgetry, INR’s (Internal Normalcy In closing, I would like to caution readers that Ratios) and a dollop of onomatopoeia devoid of this is my personal experience with marijuana, fundamentalist homophobia, we conclusively and the may be different for determined that my exterior is 33.78 per cent others. SOFTER than the ass of the angel studied. Ilsa B., from BC Perhaps the Ontario study considered the sheathing of an agnostic angel. Do agnostics have angels? Yours truly, Bill Cooper, Grand Forks, BC

Letter to the Editor Although I read Cannabis Health Journal reg- ularly, with great interest, I assumed that only people with chronic illnesses would benefit being treated with marijuana, instead of the vast array of medications available at the pharma- cies. I now know better!! During the long, hot (45*C) summer of last year, I suffered daily with nausea. The many Travel-Tabs I swal- lowed were rejected by my stomach. It was sug- gested that I try a marijuana cigarette. I am a smoker, and very much enjoy it, however, the aroma, which is a concern for me, of the burn- ing marijuana cigarette was almost intolerable. I was then offered a marijuana cookie. When I ate it, my stomach relaxed and the nausea disap- peared. This relief was consistently achieved with roughly a quarter of a cookie 3 – 4 times per day. I found this dosage very comfortable and it kept me free of the nausea and vomiting. This spring, when I badly hurt my back, I asked for more cookies. This was the first time in my life and, I’ll be 73 years young next month, that I had gone to a physician and had an x-ray taken. After the x-ray, despite the help of two canes, I had great difficulty getting from the lying down position into a sitting or standing position. Through it all, the cookies were a tremendous help. In a few weeks, I felt much better. I no longer needed the canes or people to help me move. I now consider myself to be in tip top shape!! I have been a smoker for over 50 years, but

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 5 THE RELUCTANT ACTIVIST by J.P. King and physically challenged people. I am one of the “lucky few” who has the The reason I have become a reluctant activist Federal Authorization to possess marijuana as is that I cannot stand to see the suffering creat- medicine. It took 2 1/2 years and I endured ed by the war on drugs mentality. And it is every form of treatment for my conditions here in my hometown. Yesterday’s paper had a (Chronic Pain Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue story of a military style sweep in a neighbour- Syndrome, Fibro Myalgia , Hep C Tx X2 suc- hood near my home; they were after “Grow cessfully, and other co-morbidity) that exist. Ops”. Prior to becoming disabled, I worked for the I know that crime is becoming more associat- provincially funded Alcohol and Drug Agency ed with marijuana. I’ve been ripped off by in West Vancouver. I was the A&D counselor pirates when I was too ill to do anything about for youth and families in West Van. I had it. But a military style sweep through a quiet worked in that field for 14-15 years, prior to neighbourhood is foolish. I don’t trust any poli- that I worked as a nurses aide with mentally cy that puts my tax dollars or money stolen through “Profits of Crime” legislation into mil- itary response to drugs, especially marijuana. The situation is only justified by keeping marijuana, a harmless herb and beneficial med- icine, illegal. The profits go to the capitalist pigs who don’t care who they hurt. The good cultivators get lumped in with a criminal ele- ment that grows pot fast, cheap and stony, but useless as medicine because of the adulterants. We need to legalize marijuana now. With the election on the way, we need to inundate the provincial capitals and Ottawa with letters call- ing for legislation, not the re-criminalizing Bill C-10. If the politicians see a lot of letters, especial- ly if you take the time to write your own, each letter is viewed as a block of votes. If enough letters call for a full legalization, it becomes an issue that must be addressed. I have created a template letter that can be copied in whole or in part and sent to your rep- resentatives. We tend to be fiercely individualistic people. Most of us hold strong views about a full range of issues. I want to hear them all. Write me, send me your ideas, grow products, vaporizers, pipes, papers, cannabis food, buds, tinctures (non-alcoholic please), any and all good, safe products that should be included in a guide book for medical use. Apotropaic MusicSte 133 – 255, Newport Drive Port Moody, BC V3H 5H1 MARIJUANA BRIEFING FOR SELECT COMMITTEE

13 May 2004, New Zealand Herald

Experts and officials from Government-sanc- tioned medical marijuana programs in the Netherlands, Canada and the United States will visit New Zealand this month. Governments around the world have begun legalizing the use of marijuana by patients with chronic pain and other forms of suffer- ing. A parliamentary health select committee has recommended New Zealand consider making cannabis-based medicines available to suffering patients, and the Drug Policy Forum Trust has invited the overseas experts to brief it on their programs.

6 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal MARTIMERS UNITE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA SOCIETY

A new registered non-profit HEMP FESTIVAL organization is hosting Atlantic Canada’s first annual Hemp toast and beverages) will be prepared for $5.00 Festival in the beautiful, bountiful and a barbequed Montreal pork shoulder roast Annapolis Valley from July 31 – supper with all the fixings will be served for August 1, 2004. This Hemp $7.50. Festival will be the celebration of a Several vendors will be selling memorabilia, wonderful, health- giving plant and paraphernalia and goods and services (i.e.: intu- a call for our government to abol- itive readings, chair massage) reflective of the ish a totally unjust, archaic law. body/mind/ spirit theme. A central campfire will Although early to reflect a “har- be available. Adhering to responsible cannabis vest theme”, mid-summer will find consumption, there will be a zero tolerance pol- the Annapolis Valley in the midst icy in place for alcohol/drug abuse and violence. of tourism season with many Anyone who would like to set up early or stay attractions for people planning a later to partake of the many festivities occurring summer getaway in Canada’s in the Annapolis Valley, or just to relax, put your Ocean Playground. feet up and start thinking about Hemp Festival On a more practical level, Nova 2005, additional camping time will be available. Scotian nights are also more con- Tenting only will be $5.00/night and fees for ducive at this time of year for out- those requiring hookups will be $12.00. door events and camping. Many of the booked speakers For additional information: will reflect the government’s gross mishandling of the Medical Email: [email protected] Marijuana Access Regulations and (http://www.wvda.com/en/visitor/index.php ) how this atrocious situation nega- tively impacts on the country’s chronically ill. Among the speak- Berwick, Nova Scotia photo taken by Clifford F. Wright, ers are Jim Wood, owner of the MPA , courtesy and copyright of Patricia White. Cannabis Café, New Brunswick; Patrick Hardy, federal exemptee who was arrest- party/dance music, blues style). Steve’s ed in Moncton during Marc Emery’s Summer of Hydroponics Legalization Tour for consuming and possessing Headquarters, Lower his legally prescribed medicine; Debbie Stultz- Sackville and Giffin, federal exemptee and chair of MUMM; Greenwonder, and John Cook, Vice Chair of MUMM and Dartmouth are assist- director of the Cannabis Buyers Club of Canada, ing with band spon- Halifax Outlet. sorship. Judith Renaud, Canadian Chair of Educators Tickets for the for Sensible Drug Policy will speak about imple- Hemp Festival will be menting appropriate drug reform, including pro- $25.00 in advance viding our children with accurate, current infor- and for MUMM mation about drugs in our education system, members and $30.00 thereby improving student-teacher relationships at the gate. Admission and creating safer, happier schools. includes a camping Bands for this event have played in bars and at site for one night. Fox festivals throughout the Maritimes and beyond. Mountain Our headline act for this premiere Hemp Festival Campground has is the Terry Edmunds Band, from Halifax. Terry complete facilities, has played extensively for the last 30 years from including a canteen, coast to coast, in Canada and the US, doing showers and is wheel- warm up for musicians like Joe Cocker, Johnny chair accessible. Winter, the Muddy Waters Band and Joni Camping sites include Mitchell. He is a skilled guitarist and recording a large field overlook- artist; in fact, Muddy Waters has likened Terry ing the scenic Edmunds’s guitar playing to Johnny Winter and Annapolis Valley for Eric Clapton. This act is sure to be a crowd tenting, and there are pleaser. several hundred available for campers Other confirmed bands are City Fish (an orig- requiring electricity. inal blend of blues, rock and country), Muddy Creek (original folk/rock), the Blue Marble A canteen is on site, Band (60’s and folk with contemporary rhythms barbequed hot dogs and a solid rock beat) and the Backroom Blues will be available, full Band (specializing in delivering the best of breakfast (bacon, eggs, hash browns,

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 7

APPROVAL FOR CANNABIS SPRAY SOUGHT IN CANADA Wed, 12 May 2004 Globe and Mail (Canada)

The world’s first proposed cannabis-laced prescription drug to relieve pain may get its start in Canada. Pharmaceutical giant Bayer announced yesterday that it has applied to Health Canada for permission to market the drug Sativex to those who suffer from multiple sclerosis and severe neuropathic pain. The application was made in conjunction with the developers of the drug, the pioneering British firm GW Pharmaceuticals, which has been growing about 40,000 pot plants a year at a secret location in a government approved research project. Sativex is a medicinal mouth spray developed from the major compo- nents of marijuana, including (THC) and (CBD).

It would be the first prescription drug that uses real marijuana extracts and not a synthesized form, according to its proponents. GW executive chairman Geoffrey Guy has said the cannabis-derived spray will not get patients high since it is sprayed under the tongue, rather than smoked or swallowed. “They see the benefit without getting stoned.” Early trials of the drug in Britain showed that it was a safe and effective treatment to relieve painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Two weeks ago, the company announced that it did not expect British regulators to approve the drug for use by multiple-sclerosis patients until much later in the year. So, in the meantime, Canada has been asked for permission to market the drug.

About 50,000 Canadians have multiple sclerosis. At least half of them suffer significant pain, according to the drug companies’ statement.

10 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal PLANETARY PRIDE HEMPFEST 2004

FIND NED’S HEAD Hempfest 2004: August 26 through 29 is AND WIN THIS Planetary Pride’s 6th Annual Cannabis TORNADO TWISTED PIPE Festival celebrating the cannabis plant. The FROM WONG BONG PIPES event will be held at a location just outside Sault Ste Marie, a 45 minute run from the Ontario/Michigan border. The Planetary Pride Hempfest is, in itself, a Community. We gather, once a year, deep in the forests of scenic Northern Ontario and celebrate the Cannabis plant. Hempfest attracts people from a wide range of cultur- al and ethnic backgrounds from all corners of North America. One just has to look around their immediate campsite to discov- er new friends from all over the world. Almost 1,000 citizens attended Hempfest in 2003. The Hempfest 2004 crew is plan- ning on 2,000, and because of last year’s huge success, we have even added an extra day. Thursday night is Movie Night, so all the travelers, and there are hundreds of you, come in, grab a camp site and enjoy some movies and the natural beauty of the area. The scenery in the Algoma District is breathtaking and many of the regular Hempfest Citizens vacation in the area, both before and after the festival. The festivities this year include 20+ Bands, guest speak- camping included is just $25.00 per person ers, demonstrations on Bubble Hash and the or $35.00 at the gate. Thursday night is Volcano, competitions like Junk Yard Bong $5.00 plus a can of food. Wars, Rolling Contest, Big Bud Weigh-in. Send page number and location of Ned’s head For more information including the Have fun, be entertained and meet some (Hint: It’s not in the comic!) to: HEMPFEST SURVIVAL GUIDE visit the of the best cannabis people from all over festival at www.hempfest.ca or order North America. Cannabis Health tickets by calling 1-888-215-8970. Box 1481 The cost for all this over 4 days with Grand Forks BC V0H 1H0 PRACTICAL CANNABIS or email answers to [email protected] GROWING GUIDE

Please include your name, address and phone Review by Lorraine Langis number or email address. All correct answers will be entered into the draw for this beautiful This CD-ROM is one of the most informative Tornado Twisted glass pipe from Wong Bong products out there for the beginning grower. In Pipes. an easy to use format it covers everything from ensuring you are getting mature seeds, cloning, Entry deadline August 1st, 2004. harvest and absolutely everything in between. There are recipes, tips on sexing your plants, pic- Congratulations to the Winner of May/June torial guides, organic and hydroponics growing contest, Ryan from Canoe, BC! info…the list goes on. The pictures and video clips are well done and the language used in the “I found Ned’s head chillin with Bob Marley written section is easy to understand. There are letting out a huge hit on page 27. Thank you pull-down menus that allow you to pick and for the good read and keep up the good work.” choose which pieces of information you want to read or which videos you want to watch. There are even links to different sites, so you can become further educated. If you’ve got questions, this CD-Rom proba- bly has the answers! It is truly a wealth of infor- mation at your fingertips. Each CD-Rom has its own individual code and is non-transferable once loaded. Available at cannabishealth.com $20.00 CDN

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 11 PUBLIC HEALTH MARIJUANA: The New Direction in Harm Reduction by Dana Beal tionary function of When the National Institute on Drug Abuse anandamide was to turned its sights on the mechanism of cannabi- control inflammation, nols and their endogenous analogues such as and that its role in the anandamide in the brain, they were disappointed body and nervous sys- to find that the dopamine model they relied on to tem grew as glutamate explain drug abuse and addiction seemed to let came to be used to do cannabis off the hook. The modest uptick in more and more things. dopamine levels produced by pot confirmed what the old hippies saw, marijuana is pleasura- Marijuana, Tobacco, ble, but not particularly addictive. Cancer More recent work tracing the pathways of So beyond the ques- another neuro-transmitter, glutamate, has further tion of cannabis addic- explicated the question of marijuana’s addictive- tiveness, an under- ness. Familiar to aficionados of cheap Chinese standing of glutamate food as mono-sodium glutamate (MSG), it per- mechanism has impor- forms multiple functions throughout the brain tant public policy and the body involved in long-term learning and implications regarding memory and as a kind of natural stimulant that marijuana, tobacco, and “takes the brakes off” metabolic processes, carcinogenesis. The oft- causing everything to burn hotter. repeated myth that “one is 3 (or 10) times In 2001 a Swiss researcher, Francois Conquet, more carcinogenic than made an interesting discovery with “knock-out” a cigarette”—based on mice who had been bio-engineered not to have a the resin content—col- particular glutamate pathway called m (for mes- lapses upon considera- senger) GluR5. Mice with no mGluR5 could not tion of the role of be trained to self-inject cocaine. This chronic glutamate is highly significant because elimination of inflammation of the lin- dopamine transporters and receptors in other ings of the lungs in gen- knock-outs still left them able to be addicted erating the free radicals through cocaine’s rewarding effects on sero- that attack the DNA of tonin. Microdialysis recorded the same immune cells in these dopamine spikes in both wild mice and the linings. Like white mGluR5-deficient ones, but soon after the blood cells, these researchers substituted intravenous cocaine for Dana Beal immune cells are there food, the mGluR5 knock-outs stopped pressing to attack pathogens (the memory, writers use it to finish articles. the lever. Their affinities for food, water, mating lungs are a big vector for infection) that come were unaffected; but cocaine could no longer In the lining of the lung, however, nicotine has their way. “fool” the knock-outs into accepting it as a the perverse effect of putting the damaged replacement for food, water and mating. The truism that cigarettes are more addictive immune cell into kind of suspended animation, than heroin becomes a lot easier to understand blocking apoptosis, or cell death. What happens Cannabis and Glutamate if you keep a damaged cell alive while filling it with free radicals produced by chronic gluta- mate inflammation? Eventually you get bad In Colorado Springs, the Chairman of the “Considered from the genetic code, the cell goes cancerous and starts University of Colorado Biology Department is migrating all over the body spreading that bad Bob Melamede. Dr. Melamede teaches a whole public health standpoint, code. Which is why smokers end up with cancer course on medical marijuana. Central to his the- cannabis is more often in some of the strangest places. sis is the finding that cannabinols and the endogenous neuro-transmitters they mimic are than not a replacement It has been estimated that the average New glutamate antagonists; but not the kind of non- for alcohol and other Yorker breathes in pollutants equivalent to a competitive antagaonists, like , that pack and a half of cigarettes every day. But with- come along to “plug the hole” after inonotropic drugs. When cannabis out the key co-factor of the nicotine, they do not glutamate receptors have opened up to let min- use goes up, alcohol use get lung cancer at anything like the rate of pack- erals through the cell membrane. Instead, and-a-half-a-day smokers. We all have multiple cannabinols and anandamide act to “backsignal” goes down.” redundant natural immunities that block the sea along the metabotropic glutamate pathways that of crap we breathe from giving us cancer. work (like mGluR5) through the second messen- Indeed, the crowning blow to the prohibitionist when we remember that the mediating neuro- ger systems and modulate signals of argument that burn products, not nicotine, cause transmitter of the nicotine high is glutamate. other neurotransmitters. the cancer is the widespread incidence of cancer Once you acclimate to the nicotine, so that it no of the lip and gum among people who chew What cannabinols do is to tell glutamate-firing longer makes you sick, its primary “cascade” tobacco. There are no published reports of stom- cells to chill out, to stop firing so much gluta- effect is a quick fix of glutamate, lasting no more ach cancer from marijuana brownies. mate, an effect that is necessary whenever too than 5 or 10 minutes, which has the effect of much glutamate causes cell processes to burn calming the addict down while giving them a Beyond the reports of direct cannabis efficacy too hot. Melamede believes the original evolu- lift. Typically, because it potentiates long term against certain kinds of tumors, the mechanism of action of cannabinols is 180 degrees opposite

12 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal DANA BEAL of nicotine: anti-glutaminergic, anti-inflammato- users, around 2000 are of Dutch origin, with ry. That is why cannabis is prescribed for all some 1,350 having roots in former colony of kinds of inflammation and auto-immune disease. Surinam, the Netherlands Antilles and Morocco. Dana Beal, organized the first marijuana So regardless of the amount of tar or burn Around 1,750 users come from other European protests during the summer of love, 1967. He products—and meaning no disrespect to the countries, mainly Germany and Italy. The total was a founding member and chief theoretician vaporizer advocates—with cannabinols instead number of hard-drug users is steadily decreas- of the Youth International Party, started the of nicotine in the mix there’s nothing to “turn ing, while their average age is rising, from 26.8 YIPster Times after the Miami Convention on” the carcinogens therein. years in 1981 to 39 years in 1999. In the same protests in 1972 and crusaded for marijuana period the total number of drug users under 22 legalization in the 70’s. He collaborated with Marijuana, Alcohol, Accidents years of age dropped from 14.4 percent to 1.6%. Tom Forcade, founder of , changed The final bit of confusion that can be cleared The singular flaw of the Dutch system from the name of the paper to Overthrow in 1979, up here is the widespread fallacy, based on the the standpoint of nicotine carcinogenesis is the started Rock Against Racism in December outdated notion marijuana works like alcohol, almost universal practice of smoking cannabis 1980, he initiated an Ibogaine project with that pot is a major cause of accidents. Once mixed with tobacco—a habit that totally under- Howard Lots in an effort to make this addic- again, mechanism of action confirms the epi- mines the health benefits of smoking pure tion interrupter available to addicts every- demiological studies that already show people cannabis. It will be a hard habit to break, con- where. He published the Yippie anthology, drive, if anything, more safely on cannabis. sidering the basic chemistry involved. Blacklisted News in 1983, advocated medical Where cannabis has its very own receptors, Combining nicotine’s glutamate agonist effect marijuana for AIDS patients in 1986, joined alcohol works by unleashing a flood of endor- with pot’s glutamate antagonism offers the ben- ACT UP in 1988, pushed Ibogaine through phins in response to major trauma caused by efits of a kind of “speedball”: cutting back on the ACT UP and NIDA until he was unmasked as ethanol stripping the myelin sheaths of the nerve “stoned” effect of the cannabidiol without inter- a medical marijuana activist after a short cells. From there the addictive process is fering with the initial THC-induced melatonin prison stint in ‘93, co-founded Cures not straightforward, with the endorphins engender- rush—the high.** But the seeds of change are Wars, started NYC Medical Marijuana ing a dopamine spike, which eventually locks in contained within the almost 90% switch from Buyers’ Club with Johann Moore in 1995. the mGluR5 pathway and so on. But while the to hydro by Dutch consumers during the Beal published the Ibogaine Story with Paul trauma is occurring, and you’re drunk, you abil- last decade. Without the need for tobacco to DeRienzo in January, 1997. Dana was part of ity to function is severely damaged in a way that make a hash joint, better tasting bud—plus the the Wheelchair Walk for Medical Marijuana just doesn’t happen with a mild glutamate antag- ever-growing popular consciousness of tobac- from Boston to D.C. in fall 1997, brought onist working through its own specific set of co’s dangers—may in the end be enough to Ibogaine to U.K. in 1998, initiated the Million receptors. change European tastes. This changeover can Marijuana March in 1999 and co-sponsored First International Ibogaine Conference Considered from the public health standpoint, and should be augmented by all the publicity at NYU in November, 99. cannabis is more often than not a replacement tools of a full-fledged public for alcohol and other drugs. When cannabis use health campaign, with slo- goes up, alcohol use goes down. And because gans like “Pure Pot Tastes the cannabis effect is NOT incapacitating like Even Better!” alcohol intoxication (every single study to date A better understanding of shows no significant impairment of driving, for the mechanism of marijuana instance) the effect of the substitution of as a glutamate antagonist cannabis is the saving of lives. Economists versus the licit glutamate Frank Chaloupka and Adit Laixuthai, at the agonists, alcohol and nico- University of at , estimate that tine, raises the interesting cannabis decriminalization would reduce youth prospect of the next logical traffic fatalities by 5.5 per cent, youth drinking step for our worldwide rates by eight per cent and binge-drinking rates movement being not strictly by five per cent. Other evidence suggests we medical, but public heath would see similar declines in emergency-room marijuana. In a generation or drug and alcohol cases. less, all carrots and sticks of public health policy may be Tobacco, Marijuana, Harm Reduction enlisted in a conscious effort to REPLACE alcohol and Harm reduction approaches to cannabis have cigarettes with a marijuana focused heretofore on the market separation of monoculture, and to cannabis and other illegal drugs. According to REMOVE all cannabis Dutch government facts-sheets, out of the total opponents from any role in population of 727,000, Amsterdam has around setting that policy. The bene- 5,100 hard-drug users. The primary thrust of fits of saving up to 600,000 policy is to discourage the use of drugs, and to lives a year from cancer and combat the trade in drugs. The authorities also auto accidents in the U.S. seek to minimize the risks incurred by drug users alone will make the switch- and to reduce as far as possible the nuisance fac- over well worth it! tor for the general public. In the context of use, Amsterdam’s drug policy differentiates between ** I will explain the health hard and soft drugs, i.e.: cannabis is available, benefits of melatonin supple- but at locations where no other illicit substances ments for regular cannabis may be sold, and this “market separation” is users in my next article. strictly enforced. Of some 5,100 hard-drug CANNABIS HEALTH Journal page 13 LAURENCE OF AMERICA THERAPEUTIC HELP FOR M.S. FROM CANNABIS

who in August 1970 wrote, In the early 1970s, shortly after my book “ I rejoice that some of the Marijuana Reconsidered was published, I brilliance of Mr. was invited to appear on Bill Buckley’s show McKinney should have Firing Line along with Laurence McKinney, a come up with a program so prominent Cambridge drug educator. He artful, informed and ingen- suggested that we meet at Logan Airport ious.” Only a month later, and fly to together. When I on his yacht the Cyrano boarded the plane I found Laurence hidden and outside the three-mile behind a large potted marijuana plant which limit Buckley actually reached from the pot in his lap to the ceiling tried marijuana, and has of the airplane. I could scarcely believe my argued for better laws eyes. Laurence, on seeing my dismay, with since that time. his characteristic ebullience quickly assured The Creative Learning me that it was a synthetic plant he had Group was praised by the obtained from a police supply firm (one with U.S. Government, and its remarkable similitude) to use as a prop on materials were used in the show. It must have been a strange sight every state, as well as the to the crew and other passengers, but, US Navy and Army. Then, probably because it was early in the war on in one of his last moves marijuana, no one else apparently recog- President Nixon created nized it as the evil and dangerous weed and the D.E.A. and withdrew we had an uneventful flight. To my relief and all government funding for Laurence’s disappointment, Mr. Buckley school drug education. decided against using the plant. Only the Drug War DARE -Lester Grinspoon program was now allowed. By this time, McKinney, Laurence McKinney At a time when his peers were dropping acid working with U.S. Govt. cannabis strains. Then, in 1975 it was McKinney and dropping out, rising from out of the conser- marijuana farm founder Dr. Norman Doorenbos, who connected pioneer Robert vative wasteland of Massachusetts, came a self had founded the Cannabis Institute of America Randall to his UCLA doctors who created the made new age business man with the spirit and (CIA) to research the patent to control THC in first U.S. “medical cannabis” program. beliefs of the counterculture and the entrepre- cannabis. The C.I.A. was founded the same year McKinney was at the center of both events. neurial wisdom of a Harvard grad. as NORML, and by 1973 was publishing Now he realized the patent could also be used to Cannabis Rx, The Journal of Cannabis In the mid 60s Laurence O. McKinney had purify THC from cannabis in India where it was Therapeutics. The first research journal dedi- already started a three-state chain of summer legal for encapsulation and consumption in the cated to cannabis, it was also the first to report surfboard shops. In 1969, he received an MBA US. The giant Perdue Pharma drug company the appetite-stimulating effects of cannabis and from Harvard Business School. His first startup, was willing to back him. The drug company’s boasted a board of leading scientists. All the an educational publishing firm, gave him exten- original owner, Dr. Robert Sackler, had once drug abuse materials, as well as early copies of sive experience in most forms of media from been a subscriber to Cannabis Rx. Everything Cannabis Rx can be seen at McKinney’s web- print to the first videocassette drug education was working out. instruction used by the military. During the next site ThinkAboutIt.org. So McKinney then founded the first legal thirty years he founded and managed a number By 1980, McKinney had obtained the first cannabis company in the world, appropriately of other small firms that developed and intro- cannabis improvement patent. Building thou- titled The Cannabis Corporation of America. duced to the marketplace products ranging from sands of dollars of research into a $29.95 appli- In a stroke of genius, he gave a free share to each award winning curricula to better appliances. ance called “The Maximizer”, the company sold of his Harvard MBA 1969 classmates. A third 6,000 of them with huge High Times double Founded in 1970 by McKinney and Richard registered their shares, giving McKinney 200 page ads in six months. Then the “Anti- Hawkins, the Media Engineering Corp. and the millionaire ”stockholders”. After printing the Paraphernalia” laws decimated the business. It Creative Learning Group introduced America to first Annual Report (see end of story) he was was still the first patented device that was guar- drug education. Their curricula offered a able to raise $150,000 to start work creating high anteed to improve cannabis, and was used by the straightforward approach to youth in language THC strains for cloning and extraction. that young people could understand and identify Mayo Clinic as well as many happy customers. CCA, as it was called, was operating years with. The program rejected fear tactics, encour- The Maximizer remains a legend in America. before HortaPharm was started in Amsterdam, aged an open and honest dialogue and offered an Author Bill Novak used McKinney as a major and a full decade before GW Pharmaceuticals. intellectual and balanced scientific analysis of a source for the book High Culture during this McKinney knew all the Hortapharm founders wide range of drugs and their effects on the user. period. He’s mentioned seventeen times in the and he has spoken with Geoffrey Guy. The program focused on the underlying emo- book. At this point, McKinney took some time McKinney says, however, that if there is any tional problems faced by persons of any age that off, spending time living in India and Nepal, chance cannabis should be legally regulated in lead to drug experimentation and to abuse. meeting among others the Dalai Lama and Mother Theresa. the U.S. he would be able to raise $100 million The curricula came in kits containing teaching in a week from some of the most respected In 1985 the U.S. had legalized THC to make it aids, manuals, books, demonstrations, audio financial institutions in the States. tapes and slides. The program was widely possible for Marinol to be released for I asked McKinney about the publicly traded embraced and financially successful. McKinney chemotherapy nausea. Ironically, cannabis seeds marijuana company, Amigula. McKinney was received critical acclaim from the likes of McKinney sent to Dr. Doorenbos in 1970 highly skeptical of the company and it’s CEO, William F. Buckley Jr. of the , became the basis of the original medical

14 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal LAURENCE OF AMERICA

since the Cannabis Corporation had done the ing pieces. Recently, they created the on-line same work twenty years earlier and he knew catalog for Harvard merchandise, exactly the expertise required. If you want to EverythingHarvard.com. Over 7,500 know all about liquid chromatography to sepa- Harvard alumni visit each month, assuring rate , chat him up. McKinney of a very influential audience if he As the only legitimate pharmaceutical corpo- ever decides to revive his Cannabis ration involved with cannabis, McKinney and Corporation. his company were one of four parties in the his- The couple live in Arlington, Massachusetts, toric 1985-86 D.E.A. medical marijuana hear- only four miles up the street from Harvard, ings. This is where, he feels, he made the great- where McKinney got all his degrees. In 1994, est contribution. With NORML lawyer Kevin he published a groundbreaking book, Zeese (now Ralph Nader’s campaign manager) Neurotheology, the study of the interface being regularly admonished by Judge Young and between religion and the mind. Well reviewed Robert Randall represented by a pro-bono by Arthur C. Clarke (2001 Space Odyssey), the lawyer who was legally and actually blind, Dalai Lama, and dozens of others, it was (as McKinney had hired a top drug lawyer. As a usual) ahead of the curve, predicting and result, the D.E.A. judge ordered the de-criminal- explaining many global problems in terms of ization of cannabis based largely on McKinney’s the clash of cultures. He still chats with Lester arguments, not those of NORML or ACT. Grinspoon (who was on the Cannabis Rx President Reagan’s appointee rejected his own board), Dr. Tod Mikuriya (who was on the judge, but the defense, often called the Olsen Cannabis Corporation board), Robert Defense, remains the best legal argument. Connell Clark and “K” – the grow-room genius In 1970, at the US marijuana farm, scientists dis- In a nutshell, McKinney demonstrated that of the West Coast. After a three year study by a covered cannabis didn’t make THC, but its pre- THC from a test tube and THC from a plant local hospital, which demonstrated that he had cursor, THC acid. This converted to THC gradu- were identical molecules. This made cannabis the best lungs of the study group, he believes his ally by the effects of heat. The perfect simply a raw material in the production of a 40 year relationship with the plant demonstrates temperature was 100 degrees centigrade for 90 legal drug - THC. As sesame oil and gelatine that it doesn’t take a vaporizer, just common minutes. When McKinney saw the paper he capsules were food products, in legalizing THC, sense, to keep ahead of the cannabis curve. recalled hashish included a heating step, by boil- the agency had effectively legalized cannabis ing or steaming. This must be why hashish was so potent! McKinney patented the process, and into Schedule 2 as a necessary precursor of legal SPECIAL FOR OUR READERS THC. This totally confounded the drug agency the laboratory version worked. He then hired McKinney has agreed to release onto the because it meant that the moment THC from Harvey Levine, a brilliant designer who invented “cannabis collectibles” market both the 4-color cannabis was sold, no matter how pure, cannabis the Toast-r-Oven, the Shick hair dryer, and later Cannabis Corporation annual report for 1986, would become legal. The drug agency informed the first vaporizer (called the “Tilt”). They retro- the VMW (Veterans of the Marijuana Wars) Perdue Pharma that they would be forced to test engineered an available appliance to create the posters, extra CCA stock certificates, and Bill every-single-other-molecule in the plant before heating and timing cycles, using the boiling Novak’s High Culture – all at a special set of they could get cannabis-based THC legal. water itself as a timer. The Maximizer is an auto- pages. Go to ThinkAboutIt.org/hc/items.htm Perdue Pharma dropped out and made matic self-timed decarboxylator. Oxycontin. At the same time, Bill Novak gave McKinney the rights to re-publish High Culture, which is why it is still available at Amazon.com or directly from McKinney’s site (see end of story). In many ways McKinney, being the first at so many cannabis landmarks, should have ended up with either fame or fortune. People have made money in hemp, in their institutes, in publishing, and in pharmaceuticals. Instead, without the backing of a pharmaceutical firm, there was no real future. He re-named the company Cambridge Pharmaceutical Laboratories. It still exists selling natural skin products at OilofTara.com but there is no connection to cannabis. In fact, aside from membership in ICRS, the high-tech International Cannabis Research Society, McKinney doesn’t have much involvement with the cannabis movement these days. Laurence now lives with his wife Suki who, in 1997, began designing websites with him. As their businesses expanded she became book- keeper and clerk, maintaining several company sites, creating and producing surveys and com- munications documents, exhibits, and market-

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 15 THERAPEUTIC HELP FROM CANNABIS by [email protected] London), Thc4ms are able to direct the MS suf- victory. She had pled not guilty to all charges Thc4ms is a Medi-weed Co-operative based ferer to the Medi-weed co-op most suited to against her. Following the collapse of her trial, in the UK that produces cannabis chocolate that patient’s needs. Thc4ms decided to rename Canna-choc to bars free of charge for Multiple Sclerosis suf- During this time, members of Thc4ms Canna-Biz in her honour. ferers. All that is required to be accepted as a became aware of the work of Biz Ivol of The media became aware of our work and recipient of cannabis chocolate is a doctor’s Orkney, also an MS sufferer. Biz was produc- articles began appearing in the national press. note confirming diagnosis of MS. A weekly ing cannabis laced chocolate bars for her The numbers of MS sufferers who wished to supply of Canna-biz chocolate will be sent friend, Bill Reeves, an MS sufferer who lives try Canna-choc increased rapidly. upon request. Thc4ms was originally founded on the next island. Bill wished to use cannabis It was decided that the product needed to in 1993 following a chance meeting of several as a medicine, but did not want to smoke. look more professional. Chocolate moulds and MS sufferers who appeared on The Kilroy Thc4ms was producing herbal cannabis and melting pans were imported from Belgium, Show.Thc4ms is a self help group, working giving it away to a small group of MS sufferers food grade wrapping was sourced and labels along side groups such as Alliance for Cannabis in emergency situations only (i.e.: their normal printed listing the ingredients, thus complying Therapeutics (ACT) run by our good friend route of supply had exhausted) and began to with food regulations. Clare Hodges, a fellow MS sufferer. send herbal cannabis to Biz so she could pro- It was not long before it became apparent the duce the cannabis chocolate bars. Thc4ms also Thc4ms works as a first point of contact for service could not be sustained without help started making small amounts of their own MS sufferers who wish to use cannabis as a from the wider cannabis community. Thc4ms Canna-choc, and distributed it free of charge, to medicine, but who have no access to it. Time decided to appeal to the UK home grower for MS sufferers who were worried about smoking. after time the same two questions were being help in maintaining a supply of canna-choc to Unfortunately, Biz was raided by the Northern asked, “Where can I buy some cannabis?” and MS sufferers. “I have some cannabis in a pot in my cupboard Constabulary in 2001, after a local Police Most home growers when asked will say they that so and so gave me, but I do not know what Constable decided to act after reading about grow their own for two reasons: to save money to do with it?” Through networking with other Biz’s activities in a national newspaper. Upon and to escape the stress of having to score from Medi-weed co-ops, such as The Medicinal hearing of Biz’s plight, THC4MS immediately a dealer. When the crop is harvested many Marijuana Cooperative (MMCO) founded by increased production of Canna-choc so the home growers end up with an excess of Colin Davies and the Free Medical Marijuana service could continue uninterrupted. cannabis and have several options for disposing Foundation (FMMF) Glastonbury and, more The case against Biz Ivol was dropped in of the surplus produce. Once self sufficient, recently, The Herb Connection (Chris Baldwin) June 2003, after it was decided Biz was not fit many home growers, do not wish to venture and Tony’s Holistic Centre (Kingscross, enough to stand trial, thus denying her a court

The important thing was it’s the moment when all of that generation of hippies looked at each other and said, “Wait a minute, we’re not a fringe element.There’s millions of us!“

-David Crosby, describing Woodstock

16 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal RECIPES back into the illicit market to sell their sur- Chocolate Chip Cookies plus, and prefer instead to donate the sur- plus to Thc4ms. 1 cup special butter 2/3 cup chocolate syrup Thc4ms regularly appeals on the internet ? t salt 2 eggs message boards such as www.uk420.com 1 t 1/3 cup Kahlua and other cannabis related magazines 1/3 cup Baileys Irish 1 t baking soda requesting donations of surplus herbal ? cup brown sugar 3 ? cups flour cannabis. Slowly the donations from grow- 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup walnuts ers began to arrive. To date, Thc4ms has now helped over 1,200 Multiple Sclerosis sufferers with Cream together the butter, syrup, Kahlua, Baileys, vanilla, and eggs. Mix together dry ingredi- regular supplies of Canna-choc, and con- ents. Mix wet and dry well. If mixture is too wet, add a little extra flour. If to dry, add a little tinues to send out supplies on a weekly extra liqueur. Add chips and nuts. Spoon mixture onto cookie sheets and bake at 350 for ten basis to those MS patients who request it. minutes. Cash donations and volunteer support maintain, stamps and envelopes and Special Butter enables the purchase of chocolate and other consumables. Put marijuana in large pot with water. Make sure M.J. is covered. Bring to a boil then add If you are a home grower and wish to butter. Let simmer for twelve hours. Make sure water doesn’t boil away or the butter will burn. donate herbal cannabis so our work can Strain out and dispose of the leaf. There is nothing left in the leaf. It is now all in the butter. continue or require further information, Put liquid in the freezer to harden the butter. It will float on top of the water. You can pull the please contact us by e-mail. All major butter off the top of the water once it has hardened. Dispose of the water. All the bad stuff is in benefactors are invited to oversee the pro- the water and the good stuff is in the butter. Use about 1 lb of leaf or shake to 3 lb of butter. duction run. We look forward to hearing Strength will vary and you can use more or less of either ingredient depending on how strong or from you. weak you like your cookies. If the butter is to strong you can mix part special butter with part ordinary butter for baking. This butter can be used for any recipe but it will have an M.J. Many thanks. flavour. My cookie recipe is the best I have found to get rid of that taste. For more information, contact: [email protected]

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 17 F ACTS ABOUT HEMP HEARTS (SHELLED HEMP SEEDS)

ENERGY: Middle aged and older individuals lunch and a large salad without dressing in the especially, report that circulation improves. who eat at least four measuring tablespoons of early evening, losing up to one pound per day. Pain and inflammation, characteristic of arthri- Hemp Hearts each morning, usually raw on Because those who eat Hemp Hearts in quanti- tis and many chronic diseases, are often much fruit or oatmeal, notice increased, long-lasting ty every morning are nutritionally satisfied, reduced. Health care professionals are using energy. Many individuals comment that they they have less difficulty avoiding foods made Hemp Hearts to achieve great results. are more productive and much less affected by with sugar, flour, potatoes, pasta and rice and HEMP HEARTS COMPARISON WITH stress. they are less inclined to regain lost weight. OTHER FOODS APPETITE: Except for those with diabetes and DIGESTION: Customers report efficient diges- *Contains more required amino acids (proteins) other conditions which require individuals to tive systems without sluggishness and they than , meat or eggs. eat more frequently, most of our customers seem able to derive much more benefit from *Is a complete protein source—much more bal- report that they are not yet hungry at lunch less food. Because Hemp Hearts are so easily anced & digestible than Soy products. time—often only slightly hungry at two o’clock digested, customers claim that Hemp Hearts *Contains about 47% oil, 78% of which is in the afternoon. Those who are overweight can have cured or reduced the effects of chronic omega 3 & 6—the essential . quite easily limit themselves to a pot of tea for problems of the digestive system. There are no *Contains all the essential or omega fats known allergies to Hemp Hearts. Because they required for human health. are a well-balanced source of all required pro- *Contains several times more omega 3 essen- teins and all essential fats as well as most vita- tial than any fish. mins and enzymes, Hemp Hearts are of special *Provides more energy than energy bars—with- benefit to those who are unable to eat gluten, out their sugar and with much less saturated fat. lactose, sugar, fish, nuts, meat and other com- *Is suitable for those unable to eat gluten, mon foods. sugar, milk, nuts & meat. CLINICAL STUDIES: Analysis indicates that *Is perfect for those troubled with constipation Hemp Hearts are unmatched in nature for their and for those avoiding carbohydrates. balance of all required proteins and essential fats as well as most vitamins and enzymes. Rocky Mountain Grain Products (299614 Analysis also indicates that these beneficial Alberta Ltd) is a small Alberta company with nutrients are concentrated in Hemp Hearts about twelve employees situated in an irrigated, without sugar and with only minimal quantities food producing area of rural Alberta. For the of carbohydrates and saturated fats. Many clin- past thirty years we have worked with other ical studies associate excessive quantities of local farmers to produce specialty crops on irri- sugar, saturated fats and carbohydrates with gated land. For the past three years we have chronic disease. Other studies indicate that been selling increasing quantities of Hemp hemp products reduce inflammation and Hearts (Shelled Hemp Seed) to health food improve circulation, factors of primary impor- stores and to health care professionals for use, tance in the cure and prevention of many dis- especially, by older individuals with chronic eases. A large percentage of older customers health conditions. have selected Hemp Hearts in desperation Hemp Hearts are available from Rocky because of failing health. and within three Mountain Grain Products months report significant improvements in Box 550, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 3Z4 T:24 hr cholesterol and blood pressure. Diabetics, 403 329 1380, F:403 756 3997 Email: [email protected]

18 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal COMING SOON NEW CROPS FOR OLD LANDS

by Howard Semenoff tein. Oil pressed from the seed is of highest for Iskra Magazine, 1995 quality for cooking, can be burned for fuel, and The plant was extensively cultivated for seeds, made into lubricants, plastics and other prod- along with flax and poppies. Oil was pressed Most Grand Forks residents know well that the ucts. The seed cake (the part left after the oil is from all of these seeds, but was the industrial and economic base of this valley is pressed out) makes high-protein food for live- most valued, having the best taste. In Grand undergoing rapid and dramatic change. Mills are stock and people. All of this comes from a plant Forks, these oils were once extracted with a laying off workers and threatening to close that is ideally suited to the climate and soils of handmade press in the complex at the site where down. Much of the discussion has centered this area and grows like a weed! the Flour Mill now stands. In addition to cloth, around forestry issues, but I believe that diversi- It should be noted that hemp is closely related rope, and oil, hemp was valued by many fication into other economic activities would to marijuana. However, the plant used for smok- Doukhobors as an herbal tea. serve us better than continued logging and ing contains a drug called THC. Varieties of Although hemp is just one piece that could fit milling. In Water and Wilderness (ISKRA No. hemp used for fibre and oil contain very tiny into the current economic and environmental 1797, page 14) I mentioned one source of future amounts of THC—they have no drug properties. puzzle, it may become a very important one. If employment—tourism. However, our needs can- It was an accident of legislation that the plant legal barriers are overcome, our future will cer- not be met just with tourism. called hemp, grown for industrial purposes, was tainly include the cultivation of this miraculous banned along with mari- plant. juana. Thus, the legaliza- tion of hemp is distinctly not the legalization of any Members of the Union of Spiritual drug. Communities of Christ (USCC) share a rich her- Growing hemp is one of itage and eventful history spanning centuries the aspects of Doukhobor and continents. They are descendants of heritage and the history of Russian peasants, derisively named this area. In Grand Forks “Doukhobors”, or “Spirit Wrestlers”, for their (and other places), rejection of icon worship and other church ritu- Doukhobors grew hemp als. They adopted the name, stating they wres- for fibre, seed, oil and tea. tled with, not against the Holy Spirit, using the The fibre was spun and power of love to live in harmony with the Law woven into cloth, often of God and the Teachings of Jesus Christ. mixed with flax. This ISKRA: Voice of the Doukhobors has been yielded a garment that was published by the USCC Organization in Grand comfortable and long-last- Forks, BC, since 1943, and is produced tri- ing—many of the old weekly throughout the year. “linen” clothes that are now collectors’ items are For more information, visit www.iskra.ca actually made from hemp Agriculture is an ancient and essential pursuit fibres. that is a large part of this area’s history. Sadly, it has become uneconomical in recent times because of the lack of reasonable markets for traditional crops. However, many presently obscure crops hold the promise of renewed vigor for our agricultural economy. One of the most exciting opportunities is the production and pro- cessing of hemp. Hemp is an extremely valuable and versatile crop. The fibre from the plant makes excellent cloth and rope, having greater durability and fire resistance than any other natural fibre. An acre of hemp produces four times as much fibre and cellulose for paper as an acre of trees, and can be processed in any standard wood pulp-and-paper operation. Moreover, can be made with bleaching technologies (using oxygen rather than chlorine) that are non-polluting and much safer for workers. Hemp can be formed into building panels and used as an ingredient in particle board producing a lighter and more fire resistant product than the board made from pure wood fibre. Hemp seed is a source of high-quality food— the whole seed is among the few plant products (such as soybeans) that contain a complete pro-

20 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal CANNABIS HEALTH ON THE ROAD

by Lorraine Langis, Cannabis Pilgrim when we asked if they felt the same about alco- On April 28, 2004, we were honored to be hol and tobacco. After seeing my ID tag, an invited to participate in the Vancouver Magazine older lady in the elevator said, “Oh, you’re with Promenade, held in the Vancouver Public those drug people.” Library building. The BC Magazine Publishers There are still those out there who believe in Association (BCAMP) hosted the event which the myth that marijuana is the gateway drug. was well attended by people from every walk of The most interesting mixed reaction we life. Here’s a peek at what happened on the 10 received was the StatsCan employee who gladly hour pilgrimage from Grand Forks to Vancouver accepted a copy of the Journal, but declined and at the event. when asked to write an article revealing the fact We received great response from striking HEU that the real problem in Canada is alcohol, not workers in Keremeos. They were very support- marijuana. ive and took lots of copies to pass out to co- The demographic we found to be most inter- workers. (Thanks, ladies!) There was also a ested in medical cannabis surprised us a bit. hitchhiker in Keremeos who took a copy after There were mostly professional males (40+), we apologized for not being able to pick her up. seniors wanting to talk and get information and non-smokers wanting to know more about the medical value of cannabis. In general, the peo- ple who picked up our journal were professors, lawyers, nurses, university students, business- Lorraine Langis and Lisa Smith SOMEDAY people…every walk of life. we can educate, the better off we’ll all be. WE WILL The three most frequently asked questions ENLIST were; “Got any free samples?” “Is marijuana If you would like Cannabis Health to attend legal?” and “What can you tell me about the an event, drop us a line at POLICE medical value of cannabis?” We had a great [email protected]. OFFICERS time. For more pics of the event, visit our web- Also, check out the summer events listings on site (our hits tripled after the show) page 32. You just might see us there! TOO. www.cannabishealth.com. In closing, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our advertisers, without whom the Journal would not exist. Thanks, gang!! I’d also like to thank all of our subscribers and everyone who picks up the Journal when they visit our advertisers; we value your support (Hope you found your ride!) Then there were more than you know. Lastly, thanks to our driv- the six older (55-60) gentlemen at the Princeton er and best friend, Corrina. (We love you, girl!) Hotel pub. They each took a copy of the You all help us fulfill a vision. The more people Journal, asked Lisa a thousand questions, turned on the overhead light and devoured theJournal! (Thanks, guys, you’re awesome!) The reactions we received in Vancouver were quite interesting. Some people gravitated to our booth, some smiled and walked on by, some gig- gled. We noticed some people would not even look our way and some stopped dead in their tracks and came back when they realized what our banner actually said. We had some negative responses, like the group of folks who were sitting next to us in the Princeton Hotel pub (all smokers and drinkers) and the older gentleman in Vancouver (an admit- ted smoker and drinker) who all agreed that “marijuana is dangerous”, but had no response

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 21 SENIORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE by D. Strohm thing as marijuana being used as a medicine, Joanna went searching for information on Joanna pleaded No Contest! People didn’t know medical marijuana organizations across the much about medical marijuana in Alaska then country. Her thought was to find the medical and Joanne thought that she had invented her clubs and use them as models. Joanna called San own defense, because she knew nothing of the Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and lower 48 medical marijuana movement. In even NBC news trying to locate an example of a 1987, Joanna received her first letter from the medical marijuana group. doctor stating it helped her medical condition, Next, she called the local AIDS coordinator in even thought there was no evidence available the County Department of Health and stated that stating marijuana could be effective as a medi- if anyone needed medical marijuana, she would cine. share hers with them. A discussion ensued, but After being told by the District Attorney in no names were supplied at that time. Joanna left Kodiak that her letter was a joke and no one a contact number with the AIDS coordinator would believe it, Joanna never paid attention to “just in case” it was needed. Four people con- the doctor’s letter for another 2 or 3 years. tacted Joanna as a result of this encounter. Then, In October 1990, while still on probation from one day a letter arrived from NBC news. It con- the 1986 bust, Joanna learned through Jack tained a list of individuals seeking information Herer, that there really was a valid argument for on “providers” of medical marijuana. Not know- medical marijuana. Mr. Herer had gone to help ing what to do with this list, NBC had sent it to in Alaska’s battle against the re-criminalization Joanna. As a result the Green Cross Patient Co- of marijuana and the reversal of the Raven case op was formed, 12 members strong. decision. Joanna was helping Mr. Herer get It was during this time frame that Joanna real- around when Jack introduced her to Stick. ized that the patients should have “notes” from Stick (Ron Miller) went to Alaska for 2 weeks their doctors similar to her own. Not only to pro- tect the new patient co-op, but to also help pro- Joanna McKee with as a volunteer to help keep tect the patients from adverse drug interactions Born: Dec. 7, 1942 in Miami, Florida cannabis legal for all adult use in the privacy of their homes. It was love at first sight, even if with their current medical treatments and the they didn’t know it yet. Joanna followed Stick marijuana. Joanna McKee became active in the political back to California. As membership in the co-op gradually arena of the marijuana movement while living in increased, Joanna recognized another need; and Fairbanks, Alaska in 1973, when she became Together, Joanna and Stick traveled to the with her partner, Stick, and her service dog, involved in the Raven case. For those of us too area intending to purchase a sailboat, fit- Lumi, they attended a meeting of the Bainbridge young to know, the Raven case involved the ting it out and then sail on to Europe. Since it Island City Council and requested the council right to use marijuana in the privacy of your own was difficult to obtain decent marijuana for med- assign those who use medical marijuana, the home. This was Joanna’s first struggle, for the ical use in the area (Seattle’s buds were almost lowest priority for law enforcement. The city right to cultivate, posses and administer always too wet) and Joanna gained such relief council gave the pair 3 months to gather the sig- cannabis (marijuana) medically, but not her last. from the pain caused from her injuries, they decided to grow their own. Yes, you got it, grow natures of 1,000 supporters of their proposal; 2 In 1981, Joanna was involved in a terrible on the boat! Joanna and Stick were soon stuck weeks later the task was completed. moped accident that resulted in serious head in Seattle. Why? “Because you can’t grow pot Ms. McKee and Mr. Miller would not have To whom it may concern, on a boat!” attended the City Council meeting that was to In 1991, a kindred spirit approached Joanna address their signature drive and nothing farther would have developed if Ch 7, KIRO News, had Joanna McKee has a number of prob- with the comment, “This bud’s for you, from someone who knows about your need,” and not notified them of the impending meeting of lems some of which followed a head the City Council when they called Joanna injury in August of 1981. She has back shared a cigar-sized bud with her. “I was so blown away that someone who I didn’t know searching for an interview. pain and episodes of depression for understood how desperately I needed this medi- The Co-op continued in this fashion for a cou- which she uses marihuana sparingly cine!” Joanna then began to think that if she felt ple of years and by 1995 the membership num- with beneficial results. I have not dis- that good when someone shared medicine with bered approximately 70, each member possess- couraged this since it seems to help and her, “How much better if I passed it on?” ing a doctor’s note, when a local DEA agent she seems to control its use. In 1992, Joanne saw a television special about ordered that the small band of medical marijua- AIDS patients using marijuana to combat wast- na users be busted. The authorities wanted to Holmes Johnson Clinic Doctor’s note ing syndrome. The marijuana gave them the prove that Joanna and Stick and their patient Co- 6-12-87 munchies so they could eat and keep their food op were not really what they professed to be, but down. This special motivated her to pursue her were indeed criminals who only wanted to get injuries and a sprained neck. She was in a coma goal of sharing her medicine with others. for 6 days. By 1982, Joanna was using marijua- na for the pain that is a result of her spinal cord injuries. While in Kodiak, Alaska in 1986, Joanna was busted for growing her own medicine. She earned the nickname of “Dragon Lady” from the prosecuting attorney for refusing to state her marijuana was something besides medicine. Since no one in Kodiak had heard of such a 22 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal SENIORS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

high and sell dope. not want to lose on Joanna and Stick; it could In 1995, on Bainbridge Island, the founders of affect the other cases. the Green Cross Patient Co-op were busted for The appeals Judge also dismissed the case. manufacturing with intent. Joanna was released Some of the testimony given by Joanna to the on her own P.R. and another individual posted Bainbridge Island City Council in favor of med- bail for Stick. He wanted the money returned ical marijuana had been used against her. because he really wanted a trial more than the Because of this victory in the courts, the 1995 Prosecuting Attorney. Hempfest was dedicated to Green Cross Patient After a lot of publicity and an apology from Co-op. the police, their case was thrown out because of Wanting to be closer to the patients, in 1996, an improper search warrant. The warrant was 3 Joanna and Stick moved inside the Seattle city pages long and the word “marijuana” was not limits. 1996-98 found the Green Cross Patient included anywhere! Co-op (founders and members) helping to Hearing about the first conference in 10 years write the I-692 initiative, gathering signatures about medical marijuana being held in and encouraging people to vote. The new law Washington, D.C., Joanna asked the judge for RCW69.5/a is the result of their efforts. permission to attend. The Judge did not want her After all of this, you would think she was to go, because he thought it was a publicity done and Joanna’s mission to provide access to stunt. Joanna was determined and went to medical marijuana was over, then you would Washington, D.C. anyway. Upon her return, Ms be wrong! To this day, she stands up for med- McKee was escorted to jail for 2 days as a disci- ical marijuana patients by providing expert wit- plinary action. The DEA wanted her bail ness for patients when called to court. She has rescinded and her incarcerated for the entire 5 testified in both the House and Senate days she was away. Although the Judge didn’t Committee meetings in Olympia, and acts as want to discipline her, he had no choice. an advisor on the legal-political aspects of set- The case was dismissed. It took the submis- ting up a medical marijuana patient Co-op. sion of 7 briefs before the “m” word was “I would not have been able to do any of this entered. The state appealed. (of course) without the help and support of Stick and a lot Eighteen other cases were pending in the legal of good people,” is all Joanna McKee wants system with the same type of warrants. They did others to know.

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 23 SPOCANNABIS: SIXTH GLOBAL MARCH FOR CANNABIS LIBERATION DAY

On May 1st and 2nd, an event was held on the North Shore of Riverfront Park in Spokane WA to celebrate Global March for Cannabis Liberation Day, formerly known as the Million Marijuana March. SpoCannabis leader Darren McCrea organized the event with the help of the following sponsors: Luigi’s Italian restau- rant, Printing Inc’s Print and Copy Center, Top o’ the Line, Total Health Shoppe, Six-Nineteen Bar and Grill, Motives Cosmetics, Collage Tattoo, Scotty’s Bar and Grill. Soma (www.somaband.net) photo courtesy of [email protected] Thank you also to our sponsors who believe in our cause but, because of the negative stigma tradition. moved the prosecutor to reduce the pending associated with this plant, have chosen to remain Update on Cliff Chadwell’s legal case. felony manufacturing conviction to a misde- meanor charge. The prosecutors moved his court anonymous. Thanks to the following bands for SpoCannabis blanketed Spokane and the date twice before offering him this deal. Cliff providing the entertainment: Melefulent, James vicinities with posters alerting our fellow would have fought on, but a month later, the Neil, Rich Clark, Oblique, Incident, White humans to the mistreatment we face as sick peo- stress from the ordeal still finds him spending Knuckle, Control-Z, Deaconess, Fatality, Soma ple in the land that claims to be free and demo- most of his time in bed. and Anomaly.Extra special thanks to Cannabis cratic. We spoke of the hypocrisies on radio and Health Journal for attending and helping to pro- TV and we held rallies in Cliff’s defense in front We at SpoCannabis are honored to have been mote the cause of Medical Marijuana and to of the courthouse during his scheduled hearings. able to help Cliff’s grandfather, father, uncle, Green Cross of Seattle. We had a great time with The prosecutors finally recognized Cliff’s stress brother, cousin, neighbor and fellow human good friends for a great cause. We had a lot of level and declining health and offered him a beings fight this unjust system that it sometimes great feedback and plan on keeping it an annual deal. His relentless fight against the system feels like so few are fighting to change.

The 3rd Annual Vancouver Drug War Film Festival will be held September 24th and 25th

To encourage a wider spectrum of partici- pants to view the films, this years event will be staged at a theater separate from the Toker’s Bowl.

Our group, The Drug War Vigil Memorial Society is honored to be affiliated with this festival and we thank Marc Emery, Chris Bennet and the crew of Pot-TV for sup- porting this event; extraordinary activism in action!

It is our hope to inspire independent and amateur film makers to produce inspira- tional works. Entries in this contest must be submitted by Sept 10th/04.

Visit: www.cannabisculture.com/articles/3400 for details on how to enter.

24 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal BOOK REVIEW

Good Medicine, Great Sex! - How Marijuana related ) and he found himself winning awards Brought Me Creativity, Passion, and Prosperity for his creative efforts. Marijuana gave Dave the by David Ford vision to take any job or company he was involved in and make it flourish while remaining Also by Ford, the critically acclaimed kind and considerate to others. David watched marijuana book, Not Guilty As Charged and listened his whole life to stories of how mar- ijuana had helped so many. How can any herb Good Medicine, Great Sex is a completely that has so many healing qualities, be deemed so uncensored, amazing autobiography filled with evil? wild adventures, laughter and tears. It is this question that sent David on the search A former CBS journalist, David describes how of a life time. Along with David’s adventures his Author David R. Ford and his book. marijuana has touched his life for over 50 years. book provides extensive research about marijua- Cannabis helped David overcome cancer, it na’s prohibition. David recounts his own experi- I was fascinated as I read David’s stories helped him write creative lectures (non cannabis ence in uncovering the “truth” and responds to about of how cannabis increases sexual pleasure, every “Drug War” lie with documented and creativity and enjoyment of life. His true life credible science. story is a touching tale of one mans love of life, For the past 30 years Ford has lived in beauti- family, people, and the many friends he met ful peaceful Hawaii. Much of the book takes through one of the oldest social icebreakers, place in Hawaii, the last state to be impacted by sharing a joint. the drug war. Visit David Ford’s web site, www.davidrford.com to read free chapters and When the full effect of the drug war reached learn about his one million dollar challenge to Hawaii, it made marijuana very hard to find and the DEA. expensive. Not surprising methamphetamine Review by Lisa Smith use and overdoses rose dramatically in a state that did not have these problems before. David fights the insanity of marijuana prohi- bition in every chapter. His job with CBS in Hawaii, allowed him to question Hollywood’s finest on their thoughts about cannabis. Some great responses from the stars are revealed in the book. David interviews persons from all walks of life on the subject and readers will relate to these experiences.

MUSIC REVIEW by Lorraine Langis

If you’ve ever been just a little curious about hemp, you should give this CD a listen. Music wise, there’s something for everyone and in between songs, Garnet Kranz speaks about hemp in his parents and grandparents time.

The CD conveys a very strong message about hemp and its ability to help save the environment. Garnet talks about hemp rope, hemp milk (which was apparently a cure for TB in the 1930s) and a lot of other uses they had for hemp when it was legal. He also talks of the criminalization of hemp and the penalties that were associated with it.

I found this CD to be very enjoyable and easy to listen to (my favourite track being “Tasty Hemp Seeds” done to the tune of “Day-O”). If you want to learn more about hemp and be entertained at the same time, this might be the CD for you.

The Hemp SeeDee (A Compilation of Songs and Stories Celebrating the Many Uses of Hemp). $20.00 call 1-800-385-FOLK to order or visit www.coolhemp.com

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 25 26 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal CANNABIS INSIGHTS

by Sebastian Schulz There is a famous claim about the effects of cannabis made by many consumers, a claim that has often been ridiculed as a legend. Critics say that the allegation has only been made up by “potheads” who tend to overestimate the rel- evance of their trip experiences and want to rationalize their smoking habit. Briefly, the claim is this: The use of cannabis can help a consumer to gain valid and important insights. Now, even before we look at the claim in detail, let us anticipate some reactions. The mere men- tioning of this hypothesis instills terror in the camps of both proponents and opponents of the decriminalization of cannabis. It seems accept- able for many to say that cannabis can be used therapeutically for cancer patients to reduce nausea, or for AIDS patients to stimulate appetite and thus help them gain weight. But aren’t those psychedelic “side effects” just annoying and dangerous? Don’t they lead only to a distorted and false perception of reality? Sebastian Schulz Even most proponents of medical cannabis or those who argue for other reasons for its legal- quently used with into. i.e., He had an insight cannabis may indeed enhance our capacity to ization choose not to stress its psychedelic into almost all the secrets of state. gain insights. effects, let alone name them as a plus. Usually, 2. Power of acute observation and deduction; Before we look at those effects, however, let the psychedelic effects of cannabis are seen as penetration; discernment; perception. me point to an important ambiguity in the notion the “recreational” side of the drug and taking of insight, which comes out in the definition of mind-bending drugs for fun is just not accept- (Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary Webster’s dictionary. Generally, an insight is to able to a society whose members are supposed to 1996, 1998, Micra, Inc.) be seen as a sudden, new understanding of a sit- function in a rational way. If at all, it is appro- Insight: priate to mention the relaxing properties of cannabis that help a user to bring himself back to “The immediate, spontaneous grasp of a fact or a functioning state through “intensified recre- a context due to an imagination which re-struc- ation”, just like Disneyland or a mainstream tures the task or issue or which transfers prob- Hollywood movie. But the mere supposition that lem-solving principles to new situations.” a “drug” like cannabis can lead an individual to important insights and thus, may have the poten- (Meyer’s Dictionary/Germany) tial to help him lead a more meaningful life sounds outrageous to most. Also, even if this Those definitions remain somehow neutral, were true, wouldn’t this be the wrong signal to but our everyday notion of an “insight” often give to our children – or even worse, to the gen- seems to have an intrinsic mystical or religious eral public? connotation to it, probably even more so in the context of psychedelic experience with its age- I suggest being philosophical about it: let’s old history of shamanism and religious and care about truth first, then about politics. If we mystical ritual uses. Nevertheless, I would sug- want to evaluate the insight claim, we should gest that even though insights may come to a first try to understand what it means. What, gen- subject like sudden quantum leaps in under- erally, do we call an insight? Here are two defi- standing, they should be considered the result of nitions found in dictionaries: cognitive processes which are no more mysteri- In”sight`\, n. ous than other human cognitive skills. In the fol- 1. A sight or view of the interior of anything; a lowing I will try to briefly outline how I think deep inspection or view; introspection,-- fre- that a combination of psychotropic effects of

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 27 CANNABIS INSIGHTS

uation, fact or problem, but there is also a more speakers who often lose the thread while they thing?’And this struck me, and made me restricted sense of insight, which is that of an are speaking or listening to a story. In contrast to realize that Sam had never rebelled enhanced capacity of introspection into one’s this, many users under the acute influence of against anything or anyone in his life! own mind. Insights can be of a more general cannabis have reported an enhancement of their The next day, this insight seemed pretty kind, but often they come as a form of intro- ability to deliberately retrieve memories or to ordinary, but I notice that I have always spection into one’s own mental states, producing erratically produce memories about episodes in remembered it, and ever since then I in particular insights about the individual con- their life. Often, these memories are “re-lived” think I have understood Sam a little bit sumer himself. I am firmly convinced that more vividly, accompanied sometimes by vivid better” (personal report cited in High cannabis not only enhances our capacity to gain imagery of remembered situations. It also seems Culture: Marijuana in the Lives of general insights, but also especially enhances that under the influence of cannabis, a consumer Americans, by William Novak [1980]). “introspective” insights. Due to space restric- accesses memories which he usually cannot tions, however, I cannot argue the case here. retrieve at all. A cannabis high also often pro- Now, as the insights’ originator herself noted, Instead, I will try to give you a rough impression duces mindracing, an accelerated stream of asso- in a way, this insight doesn’t seem to be spectac- of how a combination of the psychotropic effects ciative thoughts almost similar to dreaming. ular from an intellectual point of view, however, of cannabis may generally enhance our ability to Further, it has been observed that the influence remarkably, it is a new perception that will stay gain insights. of cannabis leads to “increased perceptual with the woman and have a significant impact on Let’s first look at a few of the well known psy- organization” or in other words, a better pattern her thinking about her husband for the rest of her chotropic short-term effects of cannabis known recognition, like a tendency to perceive faces in life. I suspect that her judgment about her hus- from scientific psychological studies and from mountain or cloud formations. band strongly depends on a rapid retrieval of a anecdotal evidence. Cannabis consumers often It seems obvious to me that in particular cases long list of distinct episodic memories concern- experience short-term effects such as a malfunc- a combination of these effects can lead to altered ing her husband with reference to the question tion of short-term (or “workspace”) memory, an patterns of cognition and, consequently, to whether he ever rebelled against anything, or enhancement of their ability to retrieve episodic insights. Here is a report of one type of insight: told a story of rebelling against anything. memories, mindracing, hallucinations, a change I remember saying to [my husband], There seem to be at least two basic short-term in pattern recognition, and a change in their ‘Sam, do you have a sense of what your effects of cannabis involved here: mindracing attention. These, to name only a few, are the daughters will be rebelling against in the and the enhancement of episodical memory short term effects of cannabis which I take to be next few years?’ And he replied, ‘Why retrieval. The latter effect made it possible for relevant for the production of insights. The neg- do you think they will rebel against any- her to access episodical memories which are ative impact on short-term memory is visible in Cannabis Health Friendly BUSINESSBUSINESS & Distributor Directory

28 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal CANNABIS INSIGHTS

usually not that easily accessible to her, whereas the former effect (mindracing) enabled her to retrieve them in a rapid manner, allowing her to form a new generalization about her husband despite her cannabis-induced shortened work- space memory. Note also, that what made this insight possible was what we could call a “shift- and-zoom” effect of attention. The couple was focussed on the issue of the children’s future, but then the woman’s thinking shifted to a focus extensively on a character disposition of her hus- band. Presumably, this “shift-and-zoom” effect also has to do with the negative effects of cannabis on our workspace memory. In the con- sumers, where the insights have a rough and as me that most of us now perceive a large part of versation cited above, the woman probably did yet hypothetical genealogy. our external reality by looking at representations not quite stick to the original topic (the children) Let me cite just one slightly more complex on television and on the internet – representa- because her memory of the original topic of the insight. I remember how I was watching televi- tions which will more and more lose their discussion had quickly faded away. Her atten- sion, smoking marijuana and suddenly realized integrity for us. I also thought that the movie tion then slipped to another topic, where she tar- that my trust concerning video and photo cover- “The Matrix” was an excellent example of this ried reminiscing about her husband (zoom age shown in the news had already started to loss of integrity. effect). Certainly, this insight is nothing that fade as a result of my knowledge of modern Just a comment on another aspect of insight: couldn’t have happened to her in a sober state of post-production manipulation techniques. For an Cannabis seems especially to enable us to “feel mind. But we can see how and why the use of instant, I felt I was able to put myself subjec- from within” as if we were in a different situa- marijuana enhanced her readiness to come to tively into the position of a viewer in a possible tion, or as if we were a different person. As a that perception of a fact about her husband future where we watch the news with the same matter of fact, this underlying capacity of men- through certain types of the short-term higher disbelieving attitude as most of us now watch a tal perception has come to be recognised as one cognitive effects of cannabis. digitally created movie effect, like in the sci- of the basic mental capacities of human thinking The example above is only one example of ence-fiction movie “Godzilla”. It really felt and become a focus of modern cognitive sci- one of the typical insights reported by con- strange to watch the news this way. It then struck ence. Based on my experience and my study of

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CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 29 CANNABIS INSIGHTS

reports, I believe that cannabis can enhance intu- then allow us to understand the more complex insight therapies. On the cultural level, we will ition and sometimes even dramatically affect our patterns of short-term cognitive effects of probably have to re-evaluate the impact that capacity to “feel from within”. cannabis which can trigger the production of drugs like cannabis have had, not only on indi- Generally, I would argue that we can distin- various types of insight. viduals, but also on societies in general, through guish between several specific types of typical We have only just begun to understand the the new thought patterns cannabis has generated insight which are traceable to various basic basic psychotropic effects of cannabis, and what in thinkers, artists and musicians who influenced short-term psychotropic effects of cannabis. Of is required is a more in-depth and complex and inspired their cultures. course, cannabis will not ‘deliver’ the contents inquiry, an exploration of the combined impact Hopefully, as we would learn more about the for those insights; it will only help to “catalyse” of cannabis on higher human cognition. The historical, religious and traditional inspirational thoughts and memories and alter our cognition result of such an investigation could produce uses of cannabis and about the motivation of in various typical ways such that we come to significant knowledge on both an individual and consumers today, cannabis consumers will focus new perceptions, ideas and conclusions based on a cultural level. On the individual level, we more on the inspirational potential and less on our individual intelligence and knowledge. could understand more how cannabis, as well as the recreational or “party” uses of cannabis. If we want to understand better how cannabis other psychedelic substances, contribute to help- produces these types of insight, we will have to ing us obtain significant insights about ourselves Dr. Sebastian Schulz holds a P.H.D. in philos- work from two ends. First, we have to gather and and about the world in general. This interdisci- ophy and specializes in the philosophy of mind. classify reports about certain types of cognitive plinary “neuropsychedelonautic” research will effects and insights reported by users of not only produce significant knowledge about He is currently writing a book about the subject cannabis. Second, in order to better understand the psychotropic effects of cannabis, but can and is looking for additional grants to fund the the various basic effects of cannabis on the reveal important facts about the most fascinating research. human brain, we have to combine a lower-level aspects of human cognition itself, like creative scientific approach inspired by neuropsycho- thinking, pattern recognition, or the architecture pharmacology with other neuroscientific disci- of our memory. It will enable us to better evalu- plines, including in particular, the new knowl- ate possible use of cannabis for specific medical edge of the . This would treatments, conceivably even something like

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30 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal REPOTTING After the plants have been growing a while so that the water coming through the soil is clear you will need to get your root-bound seedlings and not yellow when you’re finished. This will into a larger home. Timing depends on the size require five times the volume of the soil in clear of the container, sooner for smaller pots. Failure water to make sure the yellow, brackish organic to do this will cause undue stress on the plants, matter is cleared from the root-ball. This will potentially stunting their growth or worse, forc- flush plant excretions from the processes of the ing the female plants to hermaphrodite, turn both growing seedling, and failure to do so can result male & female. in high pH levels and excessive acidity. If these When you notice the pots drying out faster, it residues remain in the new soil, they can impede indicates the young plants are increasing their the nutrient uptake to the plant. requirement for water and need a larger footing Take the pot in one hand, and holding the plant and longer lasting moisture supply. Two-inch stem between your middle fingers, turn it over pots need to go up to 6-inch pots before the next so the plant is hanging upside down. Gently larger ones, so to save time, germinate in a 6- squeeze the pot to loosen the soil. Slide the pot inch pot for the first 2-3 weeks knowing they off upwards, and there, you have the plant in will be going into a 3-5 gallon pot or larger for your hand. inside. I will pot them up to a 1 gallon if they are Turn the plant over and place the root ball in going into an outside garden plot to finish. the center of the new pot so that one to two inch- will ensure your plants will not suffer potting Prepare soil using 4 parts black potting soil, 1 es of the lower stem is buried under soil. Fill in shock by drying out. The first fertilization can be part Perlite, and 2 parts composted matter to with more soil, packing it evenly, making certain done on the next watering, and will not be provide good soil fibre. For every mixed batch it is not too loose. Bring the soil level in the pot required again for around 4 weeks. of soil add in 1 cup of wood ash. mix thorough- up to within an inch of the top. Leave enough Have a great summer, everyone. K.K. ly, and prepare your larger pots, filling each one- room so it may be generously watered. Once the For more growing tips, go to: third full with the soil mixture. babies are in their new home, water the plants While still in the small pots, flush each plant generously; soaking them so the water comes www.cannabishealth.com out the holes in the bottom of the new pot. This Pick up your copy of Cannabis Health Journal at any of our advertiser’s locations.

CANNABIS HEALTH Journal 31 2004 SUMMER EVENTS

Hemp Festival, 2004, Atlantic The next issue of Cannabis Health Canada Festival of Freedom July 31 to Aug 1 will feature the art and at the Forks [email protected] spirituality July 23-25, 2004 of cannabis Grand Forks, BC Krieger Smoke Out, Regina We encourage readers A musical celebration of August 7 to 8 to send us your art, Peace, Environment, and music, cartoons, fash- Freedom! ions and your spiritual For more information call: Shambhala, Nelson BC experiences. Deadline August 13 to 15 for submissions is 1-866-442-2833 or visit: www.f3u.com www.shambhalamusicfestival.com July 15/04.

Seattle Hempfest, Washington August 21 to 22 www.hempfest.org

Hempfest 2004, Northern Ontario August 26 to 29 www.hempfest.ca

Drug War Vigil Film Festival, Vancouver, BC Sept 24 to 25 www.cannabisculture.com/articles/3400

Cannabis Culture Toker’s Bowl, Vancouver, BC Sept 24 to 25 www.cannabisculture.com

The 100 acres of the Salmo River Ranch, deep in the heart of BC’s Kootenays, will be transformed into a multi-media musi- cal empire. There will be DJ’s from around the world, cutting edge technolo- gy, and thousands of people having an amazing time celebrating music, diversity, creativity, and individuality. For more information, check out the Shambhala website at www.shambhalamusicfestival.com e-mail [email protected] or call 250.352.7623. Escape, come see what the world could be like at Shambhala.

32 CANNABIS HEALTH Journal