La Cannabis nella Storia, la Linea del Tempo

A historical timeline of Cannabis through the ages

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Cannabis Timeline

A historical timeline of Cannabis through the ages.

6000 B.C.Cannabis seeds used for food in China

4000 B.C.

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Textiles made of hemp are used in China. Remains have been found of hemp fibers from this period and from Turkestan a century later.

2727 B.C.First recorded use of cannabis as medicine in Chinese pharmacopoeia. In every part of the world humankind has used cannabis for a wide variety of health problems.

1500 B.C.Cannabis cultivated in China for food and fibre.

1500 B.C.Scythians cultivate cannabis and use it to weave fine hemp cloth. (Sumach 1975)

1200 - 800 B.C.Bhang (dried cannabis leaves, seeds and stems) is mentioned in the Hindu sacred text Atharva veda (Science of Charms) as "Sacred Grass", one of the five sacred plants of India. It is used by medicinally and ritually as an offering to Shiva.

700 - 600 B.C.The Zoroastrian Zend-Avesta, an ancient Persian religious text of several hundred volumes, and said to have been written by Zarathustra (Zoroaster), refers to bhang as Zoroaster's "good narcotic" (Vendidad or The Law Against Demons)

700 - 300 B.C.Scythian tribes leave Cannabis seeds as offerings in royal tombs.

500 B.C.Scythian couple die and are buried with two small tents covering censers. Attached to one tent stick was a decorated leather pouch containing wild Cannabis seeds. This closely matches the stories told by Herodotus. The gravesite, discovered in the late 1940s, was in Pazryk, northwest of the Tien Shan Mountains in modern-day Khazakstan.

500 B.C.Hemp is introduced into Northern Europe by the Scythians. An urn containing leaves and seeds of the Cannabis plant, unearthed near Berlin, is dated to about this time.

500 - 100 BCHemp spreads throughout northern Europe.

430 B.C.Herodotus reports on both ritual and recreation use of Cannabis by the Scythians (Herodotus The Histories trans. G. Rawlinson).

100 - 0 B.C.The psychotropic properties of Cannabis are mentioned in the newly compiled herbal Pen Ts'ao Ching



which is attributed to an emperor c. 2700 B.C.

0 - 100 A.D.Construction of Samartian gold and glass paste stash box for storing hashish, coriander, or salt, buried in Siberian tomb.

70Dioscorides mentions the use of Cannabis as a Roman medicament.

170Galen (Roman) alludes to the psychoactivity of Cannabis seed confections.

500 - 600The Jewish Talmud mentions the euphoriant properties of Cannabis. (Abel 1980)

900 - 1000Scholars debate the pros and cons of eating hashish. Use spreads throughout Arabia.

1090 - 1256In Khorasan, Persia, Hasan ibn al-Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountain, recruits followers to commit assassinations...legends develop around their supposed use of hashish. These legends are some of the earliest written tales of the discovery of the inebriating powers of Cannabis and the supposed use of Hashish.

Early 12th CenturyHashish smoking very popular throughout the Middle East.

12th CenturyCannabis is introduced in Egypt during the reign of the Ayyubid dynasty on the occasion of the flooding of Egypt by mystic devotees coming from Syria. (M.K. Hussein 1957 - Soueif 1972)

1155 - 1221Persian legend of the Sufi master Sheik Haidar's of Khorasan's personal discovery of Cannabis and it's subsequent spread to Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt and Syria. Another of the ealiest written narratives of the use of Cannabis as an inebriant.

13th CenturyThe oldest monograph on hashish, Zahr al-'arish fi tahrim al-hashish, was written. It has since been lost.

13th CenturyIbn al-Baytar of Spain provides a description of psychaoctive Cannabis.

13th CenturyArab traders bring Cannabis to the Mozambique coast of Africa.



1231Hashish introduced to Iraq in the reign of Caliph Mustansir (Rosenthal 1971)

1271 - 1295Journeys of Marco Polo in which he gives second-hand reports of the story of Hasan ibn al-Sabbah and his "assassins" using hashish. First time reports of Cannabis have been brought to the attention of Europe.

1378Ottoman Emir Soudoun Scheikhouni issues one of the first edicts against the eating of hashish.

1526Babur Nama, first emperor and founder of Mughal Empire learned of hashish in Afghanistan.

1549Angolan slaves brought cannabis with them to the sugar plantations of northeastern Brazil. They were permitted to plant their cannabis between rows of cane, and to smoke it between harvests.

mid 16th CenturyThe epic poem, Benk u Bode, by the poet Mohammed Ebn Soleiman Foruli of Baghdad, deals allegorically with a dialectical battle between wine and hashish.

17th CenturyUse of hashish, alcohol, and opium spreads among the population of occupied Constantinople.

1606-1632French and British cultivate Cannabis for hemp at their colonies in Port Royal (1606), Virginia (1611), and Plymouth (1632).

Late 17th CenturyHashish becomes a major trade item between Central Asia and South Asia.

1798Napoleon discovers that much of the Egyptian lower class habitually uses hashish (Kimmens 1977). He declares a total prohibition. Soldiers returning to France bring the tradition with them.

19th CenturyHashish production expands from Russian Turkestan into Yarkand in Chinese Turkestan.

1809Antoine Sylvestre de Sacy, a leading Arabist, reveals the etymology of the words "assassin" and "hashishin".

1840In America, medicinal preparations with a Cannabis base are available. Hashish available in Persian



pharmacies.

1843Le Club des Hachichins, or Hashish Eater's Club, established in Paris.

c.1850Hashish appears in Greece.

1856British tax ganja and charas trade in India.

1870 - 1880First reports of hashish smoking on Greek mainland.

c. 1875Cultivation for hashish introduced to Greece.

1877Kerr reports on Indian ganja and charas trade.

1890Greek Department of Interior prohibits importance, cultivation and use of hashish.

1890Hashish made illegal in Turkey.

1893 - 1894The India Hemp Drugs Commission Report is issued.

1893 - 189470,000 to 80,000 kg of hashish legally imported into India from Central Asia each year.

1906Pure Food and Drug Act is passed, regulating the labelling of products containing Alcohol, Opiates, Cocaine, and Cannabis, among others. The law went into effect Jan 1, 1907.

Early 20th CenturyHashish smoking very popular throughout the Middle East.

1915 - 1927Cannabis begins to be prohibited for nonmedical use in the U.S., especially in SW states.

1920Metaxus dictators in Greece crack down on hashish smoking.

1920s



Hashish smuggled into Egypt from Greece, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Central Asia.

1926Lebanese hashish production peaks after World War I until prohibited in 1926.

1928Recrational use of Cannabis is banned in Britain.

1920s - 1930sHigh-quality hashish produced in Turkey near Greek border.

1930Yarkand region of Chinese Turkestan exports 91,471 kg of hashish legally into the Northwest Frontier and Punjab regions of India.

1930sLegal taxed imports of hashish continue into India from Central Asia.

1934 - 1935Chinese government moves to end all Cannabis cultivation in Yarkand and charas traffic from Yarkand. Both licit and illicit hashish production become illegal in Chinese Turkestan.

1936Propaganda film "Reefer Madness" made to scare American youth away from using Cannabis.

1937Cannabis made federally illegal in the U.S. with the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act.

1938Supply of hashish from chinese Turkestan nearly ceases.

1940sGreek hashish smoking tradition fades.

1941Indian government considers cultivation in Kashmir to fill void of hashish from Chinese Turkestan.

1941 - 1942Hand-rubbed charas from Nepal is choicest hashish in India during World War II.

1945Legal hashish consumption continues in India.

1945 - 1955Hashish use in Greece flourishes again.



1950sHashish still smuggled into India from Chinese Central Asia.

1950sMoroccan government tacitly allows kif cultivation in Rif Mountains.

1962First hashish made in Morocco.

1963Turkish police seize 2.5 tons of hashish.

1965First reports of C. afghanica use for hashish production in northern Afghanistan.

1965Mustafa comes to Ketama in Morocco to make hashish from local kif.

1966The Moroccan government attempts to purge kif growers from Rif Mountains.

1966England win the World Cup.

1967"Smash", the first hashish oil appears. Red Lebanese reaches California.

Late 1960s - Early 1970sThe Brotherhood popularizes Afghani hashish.

1970 - 1973Huge fields of Cannabis cultivated for hashish production in Afghanistan. Last years that truly great afghani hashish is available.

1972The Nixon-appointed Shafer Commission urged use of cannabis be re-legalized, but their recommendation was ignored. Medical research continues.

Early 1970sLebanese red and blonde hashish of very high-quality exported. The highest quality Turkish hashish from Gaziantep near Syria appears in western Europe.

Early 1970sAfghani hashish varieties introduced to North America for sinsemilla production. Westerners bring



metal sieve cloths to Afghanistan. Law enforcement efforts against hashish begin in Afghanistan.

1973Nepal bans the Cannabis shops and charas (hand-rolled hash) export.

1973Afghan government makes hashish production and sales illegal. Afghani harvest is pitifully small.

1975FDA establishes Compassionate Use program for medical marijuana.

1976 - 1977Quality of Lebanese hashish reaches peak.

1978Westerners make sieved hashish in Nepal from wild Cannabis.

Late 1970sIncreasing manufacture of "modern" Afghani hashish. Cannabis varieties from Afghanistan imported into Kashmir for sieved hashish production.

1980sMorocco becomes one of, if not the largest, hashish producing and exporting nations.

1980s"Border" hashish produced in northwestern Pakistan along the Afghan border to avoid Soviet-Afghan war.

Early 1980sQuality of Lebanese hashish declines.

1983 - 1984Small amounts of the last high-quality Turkish hashish appear.

1985Hashish still produced by Muslims of Kashgar and Yarkland (NW China).

1986Most private stashes of pre-war Afghani hashish in Amsterdam, Goa, and America are nearly finished.

1987Moroccan government cracks down upon Cannabis cultivation in lower eleations of Rif Mountains.

1988DEA administrative law Judge Francis Young finds after thorough hearings that marijuana has clearly



established medical use and should be reclassified as a prescriptive drug. His recommendation is ignored.

1993Cannabis eradication efforts resume in Morocco.

1994Heavy fighting between rival Muslim clans continues to upset hashish trade in Afghanistan.

1994Border hashish still produced in Pakistan.

1995Introduction of hashish-making equipment and appearance of locally produced hashish in Amsterdam coffee shops.

Oct 23, 2001Britain's Home Secretary, David Blunkett, proposes relaxing the classification of cannabis from a class B to class C. As of June 10, 2002, this has not taken effect.

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History of the Medical Use of Marijuana

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History of the Medicinal Use of Marijuana

From the National Commission of Marijuana and Drug Abuse

see also: The History of the Intoxicant Use of Marijuana

The term "marijuana" is a word with indistinct origins. Some believe it is derived from the Mexican words for "Mary Jane"; others hold that "marijuana" comes from. the Portuguese word marigu-ano

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which means "intoxicant" (Geller and Boas, 1969: 14). This section outlines the many and varied uses of marihuana through history, and deals with its use in medicine and its use as an intoxicant. The experience of the 1960's might lead one to surmise that marihuana use spreads explosively. The chronicle of its 3,000 year history, however, shows that this "explosion" has been characteristic only of the contemporary scene.

The plant has been grown for fiber and as a source of medicine for several thousand years, but until 500 A.D. its use as a mind-altering drug was almost solely confined in India. The drug and its uses reached the Middle and Near East during the next several centuries, and then moved across North Africa, appeared in Latin America and the Caribbean, and finally entered the United States in the early decades of this century (Snyder, 1970: 129). Meanwhile it had been introduced into European medicine shortly after the invasion of Egypt by Napoleon and had a minor vogue as an intoxicant for a time in France.

Regardless of which parts of the world are discussed, many of the same problems and concerns about cannabis are common to all, including the United States. Understanding its various uses during many centuries in diverse countries and continents can perhaps lead to a better understanding of marihuana in general.

History of the Medical UseThe history of cannabis products and their use has been long, colorful and varied. "To the agriculturist, cannabis is a fiber crop; to the physician, it is an enigma; to the user, a euphoriant; to the police, a menace; to the trafficker, a source of profitable danger; to the convict or parolee and his family, a source of sorrow" (Mikuriya, 1969: 34). The fact is that cannabis has been held simultaneously in high and low esteem at various times throughout recorded history, particularly in our own times.

The volume of information available on the medical application of cannabis is considerable. Occasionally certain references have been condensed or deleted, but this should not detract from the completeness of the report. This historical survey of the medical uses of marihuana is introduced by abroad overview of its use, including brief notes on current and projected research, and then considers specific historical settings and circumstances in ancient China, moving on to Egypt, India, Greece, Africa, and the Western World.

Cannabis sativa has been used therapeutically from the earliest records, nearly 5,000 years ago, to the present day (Mikuriya, 1969: 34) and its products have been widely noted for their effects, both physiological and psychological, throughout the world. Although the Chinese and Indian cultures knew about the properties of this drug from very early times, this information did not become general in the Near and Middle East until after the fifth century A.D., when travelers, traders and adventurers began to carry knowledge of the drug westward to Persia and Arabia. Historians claim that cannabis was first employed in these countries as an antiseptic and analgesic.

Other medical uses were later developed and spread throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Several years after the return of Napoleon's army from Egypt, cannabis became widely accepted by Western medical practitioners. Previously, it had had limited use for such purposes as the treatment of burns. The scientific members of Napoleon's forces were interested in the drug's pain relieving and



sedative effects. It was used during, and to a greater extent, following his rule in France, especially after 1840 when the work of such physicians as O'Shaughnessy, Aubert-Roche, and Moreau de Tours drew wide attention to this drug.

With the rise of the literary movement of the 1840-1860 period in France (Gautier, Baudelaire, Dumas, etc.), cannabis became somewhat popular as an intoxicant of the intellectual classes. In the United States, medical interest in cannabis use was evidenced in 1860 by the convening of a Committee on Cannabis Indica of the Ohio State Medical Society, which reported on its therapeutic applications (McMeens, 1860: 1). Between the period 1840-1890, Walton states that more than 100 articles were published recommending cannabis for one disorder or another.

Concern about cannabis as an intoxicant led the government of India to establish the India Hemp Commission of 1893-94 to examine the entire question of cannabis use in India. Paralleling the question over cannabis use in the latter half of the 19th century was the growing medical use of other medications superior to cannabis in their effects and more easily controlled as to dose. Consequently, medical use of cannabis declined and cannabis began to lose support of the medical profession. During the years between 1856-1937, cannabis lost its image as a medicine and was left with a disreputable image as an intoxicant.

Strong public reaction coupled with a campaign in the public press led to a federal anti-marihuana law in 1937. (The drug was illegal in many states before 1937.) The issue of medical use remained active, however, and Dr. William C. Woodward, Legislative Counsel to the AMA, an opponent of cannabis use and the only physician to be a witness at the Taxation of Marihuana hearings, stated:

"There are exceptions in treatment in which cannabis cannot apparently be successfully subsituted for. The work of Pascal seems to show that Indian Hemp has remarkable properties in revealing the subconscious; hence, it can be used for psychological, psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic research". (Hearings, House of Representatives, 1937: 91).

Although cannabis drugs are generally regarded as obsolete and rarely used in "western" medicine today, cannabis is "still used extensively in the Ayruvedic, Unani and Tibbi systems of medicine of the Indian-Pakastani subcontinent" ("The Cannabis Problem, 1962: 27). The Pharmacopoeias of India mention cannabis use in the recent past. Two preparations of cannabis, a liquid extract and a tincture, are listed in the 1954 and 1966 Pharmacopoeias of India which contain descriptions of cannabis and its extract and how it is made (Chopra & Chopra, 1957: 9).

A more recent source makes reference to the fact that "in contemporary India and Pakistan, there continues to be widespread indigenous medical, 'quasi-medical,' and illicit use of both opium and cannabis" (Chopra & Chopra, 1957: 12-13). Bouquet notes that hemp resin is occasionally used in the native medicines of the countries where it is collected. He points especially to India where, "the medical systems . . . make much use of cannabis as a sedative, hypnotic, analgesic, anti-spasmodic and anti-hemorrhoidal" (Bulletin on Narcotics, 1962:27). According to the Canadian Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs:



"There is no currently accepted medical use of cannabis in North America outside of an experimental context. Although cannabis has been reported to produce an array of possibly useful medical effects, these have either not been adequately investigated, or can be replaced by using other more readily available and convenient drugs.

The natural product's variability in potency and instability over time are among the factors which have led to its disfavor in Western 20th century medicine.... cannabis has often been employed in the past, and is currently used illicitly in North America, to reduce the secondary symptoms and suffering caused by the flue and the common cold. These . . . alleged therapeutic properties of cannabis have not been adequately studied in a scientific context, and their general medical potential remains a matter of conjecture". (1970: 74).

Similar statements regarding cannabis are to be found in Marijuana, edited by Erich Goode, and in the textbook Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics by Goodman and Gilman (1970: 300). Concerning therapeutic uses, the latter states:

"Although cannabis was once used for a wide variety of clinical disorders and has even been demonstrated to have antibacterial activity, there are at present no well substantiated indications for its use. It is no longer an official drug. Preparations are rarely available (cannabis preparation and synthetic THC are obtainable only for research purposes), and prescriptions are regulated by special tax laws".

Hollister (1971: 27) lists a few difficulties of the therapeutic use of cannabis:

"The onset of the action of oral doses of THC is often rather slow, contrary to that of conventional sedative-hypnotics. Doses high enough to produce a marked hypnotic effect are almost always accompanied by some degree of psychotomimetic-like perceptual disorders, which many patients might find disagreeable. The fine titration of dose required to provide sedative effects is likely to be difficult. The drug does not have novel effects compared with other sedative-hypnotics".

The Department of Health, Education, and We] fare report to Congress in 1971, Marihuana and Health, repeats the statement of the Canadian Interim Report of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs, and states:

"There is no currently accepted medical use of cannabis in the United States outside of an experimental context".

(DHEW: 1971: 27). Allen Geller and Maxwell Boas (1969: 4) think that cannabis' "unsavory reputation has largely stymied further research."

Despite the many statements discounting cannabis' therapeutic usefulness, some authorities maintain that its medical value might be reborn through further research and/or use. David Solomon, in his foreword to The Marihuana Papers (1968: xxi) argues that:

"Marihuana should be accorded the medical status it once had in this country as a legitimate



prescription item. After 1937, with the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act and subsequent federal and state legislation, it became virtually impossible for physicians to obtain or prescribe marihuana preparations for their patients. Thus, the medical profession was denied access to a versatile pharmaceutical tool with a history of therapeutic utility going back thousands of years".

In a 1970 article, "Pot Facing Stringent Scientific Examination ," reference is made to Dr. Par who states that there are three areas in which "chemical and animal experiments are under way:" (1) Analgesia-mood elevation plus analgesic power may make useful drug. (2) Blood pressure reduction-hypertension may be helped by new drugs which lower the blood pressure by what seems to be action on the central nervous system. (3) Psychotherapeutic-new compounds are antidepressants and antianxiety drugs (Culliton: 1970).

Mikuriya cites it studies concerning cannabis funded by the National Institute of Mental Health in 1961. The studies were "either specialized animal experiments, part of an observational sociologic study of a number of drugs, or explorations of chemical detection methods" (Mikuriya, 1969: 38). Feinglass has pointed to four general categories into which the clinical studies of marihuana could be divided (1968: 206-208). They are:

Anticonvulsant effects-treatment of tetanus, convulsions of rabies, epilepsy, infant convulsions, Psychotherapeutic actions - appetite-stimulation, treatment of depression, sedative and hypnotic in reducing anxiety, treatment of addiction, Antibiotic properties, Pain-affecting power.

Grinspoon suggests:

Very little research attention has been given to the possibility that marihuana might protect some people from psychosis. Among users of the drug, the proportion of people with neuroses or personality disorders is usually higher than in the general population; one might therefore expect the incidence of psychoses also to be higher in this group. The fact that it is not suggests that for some mentally disturbed people, the escape provided by the drug may serve to prevent a psychotic breakdown. (1969: 24).

Mikuriya lists many possible therapeutic uses of THC and similar products in his paper "Marihuana in Medicine: Past, Present and Future." He includes:

Analgesic-hypnotic, appetite stimulant, antiepileptic, antispasmodic, prophylactic and treatment of the neuralgias, including migraine and tic douloureaux, antidepressant-tranquillizer, anti-asthmatic, oxytocic, anti-tussive, topical anesthetic, withdrawal agent for opiate and alcohol addiction, child birth analgesic, and antibiotic (1968: 39).



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The History of the Intoxicant Use of Marijuana

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From the National Commission of Marijuana and Drug Abuse

see also: The History of the Medical Use of Marijuana Abuse

The preceding history of the medical use of Marijuana has provided an outline of how Marijuana has

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been alleged to care diseases and relieve pain. This section discusses the non-medical use of cannabis. The survey includes a discussion of Marijuana use in India, the rest of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the United States; and a concluding analysis of the intoxicant use in contemporary times.

Assessing Marijuana's use as an intoxicant is difficult because for many people around the world, its importance as an intoxicant has been secondary to its use as a folk medicine or a ceremonial adjunct (Grinspoon, 1971: 173-174). Caffeine and nicotine apart, cannabis is second in worldwide popularity only to alcohol.

IndiaMarijuana was probably first used as an intoxicant in India around 1000 B.C., and soon became an integral part of Hindu culture (Snyder, 1970: 125). In China, where the Marijuana plant had been used to make cloth and certain medicines for centuries, it was not recorded as an intoxicant. Explanations are unclear as to why Marijuana was used as an intoxicant in India but not in China.

Marijuana was also used as an intoxicant in other parts of the world prior to 500 A.D. but was not as well documented as the use of opium. The drug "nepenthe" in Homer's Odyssey is believed by a number of scholars to have been a brew in which the most active ingredient was hemp (Brotteaux, 1967: 10). Galen wrote in the second century that it was customary to promote hilarity and happiness at banquets by giving the guests hemp (Reininger, 1967: 14-15).

Cannabis is used in three different preparations in India (Snyder, 1970: 27). The first is called bhang, comparable in potency to Marijuana in the United States. It is made from the leaves and stems of uncultivated plants and blended into a pleasant tasting liquid concoction. The second is ganja, more potent than bhang, made from the tops of cultivated plants. The third and most potent preparation, charas, is similar to hashish or "hash" and is obtained by scraping the resin from the leaves of the cultivated plants. Hard blocks are pressed from this material which are converted for smoking.High-caste Hindus are not permitted to use alcohol. But they are allowed bhang at religious ceremonials, and also employ it as an intoxicant at marriage ceremonies and family festivals. Bhang is used by laborers in India in much the same way as beer is used in the United States (Barber, 1970: 80).The lower classes of India use either a few pulls at a ganja pipe or sip a glass of bhang at the end of the day to relieve fatigue (Grinspoon, 1971: 173), to obtain a sense of well-being, to stimulate appetite, and to enable them to bear more cheerfully the "strain and monotony of . . . daily routines" (Geller and Boas, 1969: 5). These types of users and objectives are frequently the reverse of those in the United States where Marijuana users consider themselves an exclusive and advanced "in-group" (Andrews and Vinkenoog, 1967: iii). A major intoxicant use in India is for religious purposes.

Asia and the Middle EastCannabis spread from India to other parts of Asia, to the Middle East and then to Africa and South America, although some believe it may have originated independently in the latter two continents (Fort, 1969: 15). Cultural values may have played a part in determining its use. Opium and cannabis were equally available in pre-Communist China; but cannabis had no vogue as an intoxicant (Barber, 1970: 80). The Chinese spoke of the plant as the "Liberator of Sin." In India, it was called. the "Giver of Life" (Fort, 1970: 15). One author proposed that temperament may have also played a role in this



determination, suggesting that perhaps the placid, practical Chinese did not appreciate the euphoria produced by cannabis (Snyder, 1070: 125).

Additional evidence of mid-Asian use comes from cuneiform tablet interpretations that ascribe use in Persia circa 700-600 B.C. and of the time of Ashurbanipal's Assyrian reign, 669-626 B.C. (Blum. and Associates, 1969, 1: 62).

The drug's popularity as an intoxicant spread to the Middle East and thoroughly permeated Islamic culture within a few centuries (Geller and Boas, 1969: 5). Because alcohol was prohibited to the followers of Mohammed, cannabis was accepted as a substitute.

The Myth of the AssassinsTwo Muslim myths, one from the 10th century A.D. and the other from the 13th century A.D., have been the sources of some of the contemporary attitudes about the drug. The first myth deals with hashish as a magical eastern drug brought by the Arabs into Spain in the 10th century. These invaders confined its use primarily to themselves, taking it back to Africa when they left Spain. Although it did not become a European habit, some beliefs about the drug were left behind.

The existence of this "magical eastern drug" was probably known to Marco Polo, the Venetian traveler of the 13th century A.D. before he left on his journey to the East. Marco Polo returned to Europe with his own tale of cannabis which, in the potent form of hashish, was said to be used as an intoxicant by Hasan-I-Sabbah to send his ruthless followers on missions of murder. The word "assassin" was said to be derived from the word "hashish," or from Hasan (Geller and Boas, 1969: 6). Marco Polo had written about how this "Old Man of the Mountain" sent his men out on their missions with all the color and pageantry that Europeans associated with the East. As Marco Polo described:

In the territory of the Assassins there were delicious walled gardens in which one can find everything that can satisfy the needs of the body and the caprices of the most exacting sensuality. Great banks of gorgeous flowers and bushes covered with fruit stand amongst crystal rivers of living water.... Trellises of roses and fragrant vines cover with their foliage pavilions of jade and porcelain furnished with Persian carpets and Grecian embroideries.

Delicious drinks in vessels of gold or crystal are served by young boys or girls, whose dark unfathomable eyes cause them to resemble the Houris, divinities of that Paradise which the Prophet promised to believers. The sound of harps mingles with the cooing of doves, the murmur of soft voices blends with the sighing of the reeds. All is joy, pleasure, voluptuousness and enchantment.

The Grand Master of the Assassins, whenever he discovers a young man resolute enough to belong to his murderous legions . . . invites the youth to his table and intoxicates him with the plant "hashish." Having been secretly transported to the pleasure gardens the young man imagines that he has entered the Paradise of Mahomet. The girls, lovely as Houris, contribute to the illusion. After he has enjoyed to satiety all the joys promised by the-Prophet to his elect, he falls back to the presence of the Grand Master. Here he is informed that he can enjoy perpetually the delights he has just tasted If he will take part in the war of the Infidel as commanded by the Prophet (Geller and Boas, 1969: 6).



Another translation (Kitti, 1967: 24) begins the tale this way:

Now no man was allowed to enter the Garden save those whom he intended to be his ASHISHIN.

In reality, this was a religious situation and scholars have long since exposed Marco Polo's tale as being a myth, at best an imaginative embellishment of tales he had heard.

AfricaUse of cannabis in most parts of Africa developed slowly, most of it during the past 100 years (Blum and Associates, 1969, I: 73). A report from Africa in 1891 (Reininger, 1966: 141-142), dealt with a tribe that used hemp as an intoxicant in their newly formed religion and in preparation for battle. A similar use is described in the Congo, when Simba warriors in 1964 were said to use a cannabis-alcohol mixture in preparation for battle, to rouse themselves for the battle and to magically guarantee immunity from harm.

In Morocco, Marijuana, called kif, has been used as an intoxicant by adult males for centuries; that custom continues today even though the drug is illegal (Mikuriya, 1970: 122-123).

Although moderate use appears to be tolerated in the areas of India, North Africa and the Middle East, excessive use is generally viewed as indicative of serious personality problems (Geller and Boas, 1969: 7).

EuropeOne of the more suggestive parallels between 19th century France and the United States today is the fact that the French interest in cannabis at that time was aroused by the returning French soldiers and scientists of Napoleon's army in Egypt, a source of the drug. A similar interest occurred in the United States after the Korean conflict, and has intensified since Vietnam (Geller and Boas, 1969: 7).

During the 19th century, European interest in the drug was aided by two scientific reports, the first by W. B. O'Shaughnessy in 1839, and the second report by Queen Victoria's physician, Russell Reynolds. Both men recommended its medical use for a variety of ailments and as a mild euphoriant (Grinspoon, 1971: 56). Cannabis received highly laudatory testimonials from the medical profession of that day and was readily available without prescription (Snyder, 1970: 121).

Interest in cannabis was further kindled by popular writers who used and spoke of hashish enthusiastically, including Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud, and Pierre Gautier. Gautier and Baudelaire, in fact, were members of the Club des Hachischins, in which a number of writers and intellectuals gathered and experimented with hashish (Geller and Boas, 1969: 13).

Although the public delighted to read of the French writers' drug experiences, the public did not care to engage in the same kind of activity; to them the experiences were frightening and repugnant. "As a result, the smoking of hashish remained the sub-rosa province of a few European artists until the recent trans-Atlantic phenomenon of the American drug culture" (Geller and Boas, 1969: 8).



United StatesThe, events surrounding the introduction of cannabis use to the New World are entirely unclear. Some historians say the Spaniards brought the plant with them in the 16th century, other say Marijuana smoking came in with the slave trade or with the Asian Indian migration of the late 18th century.

The hemp plant was cultivated in the United States for centuries, apparently without general knowledge of its intoxicating properties (Grinspoon, 1971: 10). Cannabis was an often used medicine in the United States in the 19th century. It was easily available without a prescription and was also widely prescribed by physicians (Snyder, 1970: 26). Hemp was used by the pioneers to cover their wagons. The plant was a major crop in Kentucky, Virginia, Wisconsin and Indiana, and was one of the more important southern agricultural products, after cotton.. It is still used to make rope, twine and textiles, while the seed is used as bird food (Geller and Boas, 1969: 16).

Marijuana use as an intoxicant in the United States began slowly in the early part of this century. Puerto Rican soldiers, and then Americans who were stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, are reported to have been using it by 1916. American soldiers fighting Pancho Villa circa 1916 also learned to use it. This follows the first reported use in Mexico in the 1880's (Blum and Associates, 1969, 1: 69-70). Intoxicant use in the United States is also traced to the large influx of Mexican laborers in the 1910's and 1920's (Geller and Boas, 1969: 14).

The 1933 Report of the "Military Surgeon" stated, regarding Marijuana use among the soldiers in the Canal Zone, that:

Marijuana as grown and used on the Isthmus of Panama is a mild stimulant and intoxicant. It is not a "habit forming" drug in the sense that the derivatives of opium, cocaine, and such drugs, are as there are no symptoms of deprivation following its withdrawal.

Delinquencies due to Marijuana smoking which result in trial by military court are negligible in number when compared with delinquencies resulting from the use of alcohol drinks, which is also classed as a stimulant and intoxicant (Geller and Boas, 1969: 147).

The report went on to say that Marijuana presented no threat to military discipline, and "that no recommendations to prevent the sale or use of Marijuana are deemed advisable."

Cannabis has been rejected in various societies on ascetic grounds. In such puritanical societies such as the Wahabil of Arabis and the Senussis of Libya, no smoking of any kind was tolerated, nor was coffee. In North Africa, social rank dictated use: the aristocratic Moors scorned both hemp and tobacco smoking, preferring instead, as compatible with high status, opium eating (Blum and Associates, 1969, 1: 73).

One statement highlighting this kind of value conflict comes from a Nigerian journalist (Davies, 1966: 299-300) attempting to explain the 15-year prison sentences of foreign tourists for growing and smoking Marijuana:

There is a growing trend in the more economically advanced countries to indulge at leisure in the



exploration of the personality. At a certain stage of development, there is less need to produce and more time to spend consuming. This is healthy. If used properly, Marijuana could be helpful at this stage of development. However, countries which are only beginning to develop a more complex economic structure must channel all their energies into creating a new system. This means that they must sacrifice more of their pleasure. People who smoke hemp seem on the whole to be less aggressive than people who drink alcohol. Hemp smoking may have a positive value for certain social functions....

One of the first acts of the Military Government was to issue a decree making it punishable by death to grow Marijuana, and by up to twenty years of prison for merely being in possession of it . . . meantime, we Nigerians have to stop getting high for a while and develop our country.

In the United States, the decade of the 1960's has seen a spectacular and unprecedented spread of the use of Marijuana, chiefly among the youth. An estimated 24 million persons have used Marijuana and approximately 3.4 million are current users. The numbers involved and the fact that use spans all age groups and social classes in American life has produced marked public reaction and a need for more information on the drug.

Disclaimer:Much of the information contained on this website would be illegal were it to be practiced in most countries around the world - including the UK. Our intent is to educate and inform NOT to encourage anyone to break the law.

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Marijuana for medicinal purposes

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Medicinal Marijuana

Medical Applications of Cannabinoids.

Cannabinoids are molecules unique to the cannabis plant. There are over 60 such cannabinoids in the plant including 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 9-THC Propyl Analogue (THC-V), Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabidiol Propyl Analogue (CBD-V), Cannabinol (CBN), Cannabichromene (CBC), Cannabichromene Propyl Analogue (CBC-V) and Cannabigerol (CBG).

THC is the cannabinoid that has to date received most attention both from the scientific community and the general public. However, THC and other cannabinoids have been shown to have analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-convulsant, anti-tremor, anti-psychotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic and appetite-stimulant properties. Research is ongoing into the neuroprotective and immunomodulatory effects of cannabinoids.

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Below are 3 recent reports of interest:

House of Lords Science & Technology Committee - Ninth ReportCannabis: The Scientific and Medical Evidence (November 1998)

House of Lords Science & Technology Committee - Second ReportTherapeutic Uses of Cannabis (March 2001)

National Academy of Sciences Institute of MedicineMarijuana and Medicine - Assessing the Science Base (1999)

Therapeutic Cannabis Users & the LawThere have recently been a number of high-profile cases involving the prosecution of therapeutic users of cannabis: the memorandum by the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics (ACT) (p. 26) has highlighted a number of them. The decision to prosecute, taken by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), does not seem to be consistent from region to region. Moreover, in some cases, juries have acquitted therapeutic users who do not deny the offence, but plead therapeutic use in mitigation; in other cases, defendants have been found guilty and sentenced.

Ministers sought to deny that therapeutic cannabis users were subject to "postcode prosecuting". They stressed that the number of therapeutic users who were prosecuted was extremely small when compared to the total of 89,000 cases involving cannabis in 1998.[10] He also said that the variation in the outcome of cases for therapeutic users was less than for other offences, including the recreational use of cannabis. The number of cases of therapeutic users of cannabis being prosecuted is certainly small. Exact statistics are difficult to obtain, however, as the Home Office does not maintain a record of those prosecuted for cannabis use who claim therapeutic use as a defence.

The Minister further said that he had no intention of changing the current position, whereby the decision whether or not to prosecute for cannabis-related offences is made locally by the Police and the CPS. He did, however, emphasise that discretion could be exercised at three levels of the prosecution process: by the Police; by the CPS; and by the Courts. Guidelines issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on dealing with cannabis offences specifically refer to therapeutic use, and recommend that a caution is usually appropriate; the CPS guidelines require that any prosecution should be in the public interest; and the Court of Appeal issues guidance that the possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use can often be met by a fine.

(Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis - March 2001)

AIDS Wasting SyndromeArthritisBrain Injury/StrokeMultiple Sclerosis


http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199798/ldselect/ldsctech/151/15101.htm




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Nausea associated with cancer ChemotherapyAnti-Tumor EffectsAsthmaEpilepsyGlaucomaSchizophreniaMigraineEating DisordersGeneral Pain

AIDS Wasting SyndromeAIDS wasting syndrome, a common and often fatal outcome of HIV infection, is defined as the involuntary loss of 10 percent of body weight or more that is not attributable to other disease processes. It is critical for HIV and AIDS patients to maintain a healthy appetite and body weight to avoid opportunistic infections. Medical cannabis appears to help counter the appetite loss, nausea, and pain associated with HIV and AIDS and their commonly prescribed medications. Presently, medical organizations specializing in AIDS research are some of strongest advocates for legalizing medical cannabis, calling it "potentially lifesaving medicine".

ArthritisArthritis refers to any more than 100 inflammatory joint disorders characterized by pain, swelling, and limited movement. Arthritis involves the inflammation and degeneration of cartilage and bone that make up the joint. Experts estimate that more than 31 million people in the United States alone suffer from various degrees of the disease. Common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Emerging evidence implies that cannabis can help alleviate symptoms of both conditions.

Cannabis' pain reducing properties are well documented and emerging evidence indicates that it holds anti-inflammatory qualities. Dale Gieringer, author of the paper "Review of Human Studies on the Medical Use of Marijuana," cites three animal and laboratory studies documenting cannabis' potential anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, a 1988 study by an British research team found the cannabinoid CBD (cannabidiol) ameliorated inflammation in mice.

Brain Injury/StrokeEmerging research indicates that cannabinoids possess neuroprotective properties (1,2). Researchers at the National Institutes for Mental Health (NIMH) demonstrated in 1998 that the cannabinoids THC and cannabidiol (CBD) are potent anti-oxidants in animals. (3) Doctors rely on anti-oxidants to protect stroke and head trauma victims from exposure to toxic levels of reactive molecules, so-called "free radicals", that are produced when the brain's blood supply is cut off. Head injuries and strokes cause the release of excessive glutamate, often resulting in irreversible damage to brain cells.



Multiple SclerosisMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease affecting the central nervous system. MS exacerbations appear to be caused by abnormal immune activity that causes inflammation and the destruction of myelin (the protective covering of nerve fibers) in the brain, brain stem or spinal cord. Common symptoms of MS include muscle spasms, depression, and incontinence (involuntary loss of urine) or urinary retention.

In a 1998 review article published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review, Drs. Linda Growing et al. observed that the distribution of cannabinoid receptors in the brain suggests that they may play a role in movement control. The authors hypothesized that cannabinoids might modify the autoimmune cause of the disease. If so, it is possible that cannabis may both relieve symptoms of MS and retard its progression.

Nausea associated with cancer chemotherapyA large body of clinical research exists concerning the use of cannabis and cannabinoids for chemotherapy- induced nausea and vomiting. A review of the medical literature reveals at least 31 human clinical trials examining the effects of cannabis or synthetic cannabinoids on nausea, not including several U.S. state trails that took place between 1978 and 1986. In reviewing this literature, Hall et al. concluded that "… THC [delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol] is superior to placebo, and equivalent in effectiveness to other widely-used anti-emetic drugs, in its capacity to reduce the nausea and vomiting caused by some chemotherapy regimens in some cancer patients".

Anti-Tumor EffectsEmerging research indicates that cannabinoids may help protect against the development of certain types of tumors. Most recently, a Spanish research team reported in Nature that injections of synthetic THC eradicated malignant brain tumors - so-called gliomas - in one-third of treated rats, and prolonged life in another third by as much as six weeks. Team leader Manuel Guzman called the results "remarkable" and speculated that they "may provide a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of malignant gliomas". An accompanying commentary remarked that this was the first convincing study to demonstrate that cannabis-based treatment may combat cancer. Other journals have also recently reported on cannabinoids' anti-tumoral potential.

AsthmaAsthma is a breathing disorder caused by inflammation and swelling of the small airways (bronchioles) that afflicts some 10 million Americans, killing more than 4,000 annually. When the bronchioles become inflamed, swollen, and filled with mucus, the airways constrict and patients have difficulty breathing. Asthma attacks are typically treated with "bronchodilators," drugs that relax and open the bronchioles, or anti-inflammatory steroids to reduce swelling.

The Australian National Task Force on Cannabis determined, "Smoked cannabis, and to a lesser extent oral THC, have an acute bronchodilatory effect in both normal persons and persons with asthma". A handful of human studies demonstrate this effect, including one that showed smoking even low THC



cannabis produced bronchodilation nearly equivalent to a clinical dose of isoproterenol. The House of Lords 1998 "Ninth Report" on cannabis acknowledged that cannabinoids seemed to work as effectively as conventional asthma drug treatments. Experiments using oral THC produced a smaller bronchodilator effect after a substantial delay, and proved to be a bronchial irritant when administered as an aerosol.

EpilepsyEpilepsy is a common neurological disorder that afflicts nearly 2.5 million Americans. Patients suffering from epilepsy experience periodic, recurrent seizures triggered by the misfiring of certain brain cells. These seizures occur in various forms, ranging from mild to severe convulsions and loss of consciousness. Standard treatment for epilepsy involves anti-convulsants. While there are several studies and references by the Institute of Medicine, House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, Australian National Task Force on Cannabis, and others regarding cannabis' anti-convulsant properties, there are few human studies specific to epilepsy.

A double blind controlled study on the effects of the marijuana compound cannabidiol (CBD) on epilepsy yielded favorable results. "Fifteen patients suffering from secondary generalized epilepsy with temporal focus were randomly divided into two groups. Each patient received, in a double-blind procedure, 200-300 mg daily of CBD or placebo. … All patients and volunteers tolerated CBD very well and no signs of toxicity or serious side effects were detected on examination. Four of the eight CBD subjects remained almost free of convulsive crises throughout the experiment and three other patients demonstrated partial improvement on their clinical condition".

GlaucomaGlaucoma is a disorder that results from an imbalance of pressure within the eye. The condition is characterized by an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) that progressively impairs vision and may lead to permanent blindness. Glaucoma remains second leading cause of blindness in the United States.

The aim of glaucoma treatment is to reduce interocular pressure. Several human studies demonstrate that inhaled cannabis lowers IOP in subjects with normal IOP and glaucoma. Some animal studies indicate that cannabis can also be effective when administered topically (e.g. as an eye drop.) Two of the eight legal U.S. medical marijuana patients have used government cannabis to effectively maintain their eyesight for more than a decade.

MigraineMigraine is a type of episodic, recurrent, severe headache lasting hours to days. Migraine is typically accompanied sensitivity to light, intolerance to loud noises, and nausea or vomiting. Surveys indicate that 15 to 25 percent of women and five to 10 percent of men suffer from migraine.

A century ago, physicians commonly prescribed cannabis for migraine. Famed physician William Osler wrote that it was "probably the most satisfactory remedy" for migraine in his textbook, The Principles and Practice of Medicine.



Some patients and physicians are once again showing interest in examining cannabis' potential to treat symptoms of migraine. A recent article in the medical journal Pain (Journal of the Association for the Study of Pain) concluded that "cannabis delivered … in the form of a marijuana cigarette, or 'joint,' presents the hypothetical potential for quick, effective, parenteral [non-orally administered] treatment of acute migraine." The author called cannabis a "far safer alternative" than many prescription anti-migraine drugs, and reported that a large percentage of migraine sufferers fail to respond or cannot tolerate standard therapies.

SchizophreniaCannabis' impact on patients suffering from schizophrenia is not well understood and often disputed. The Australian National Task Force on Cannabis cites anecdotal clinical evidence that "schizophrenic patients who use cannabis and other drugs experience exacerbations of symptoms, and have a worse clinical course, with more frequent psychotic episodes than those who do not". However, the researchers admit that "very few well controlled studies" have documented this relationship.

In his book Marihuana The Forbidden Medicine, Dr. Lester Grinspoon (with James Bakalar) cites a pair of studies that found schizophrenic patients who used cannabis responded better to the disease than nonusers. One study reported that patients who smoked marijuana had "fewer delusions and, above all, fewer of the so-called negative symptoms, which include apathy, limited speech, and emotional unresponsiveness." The other study concluded that those who used cannabis had a "lower rate of hospital admissions than those who used no drugs at all. The paticipants said that cannabis helped them with anxiety, depression, and insomnia." Grinspoon also notes that in his own clinical experience, schizophrenics who regularly use cannabis generally regard it as helpful.

Eating DisordersSurvey data beginning in 1970 demonstrated a strong relationship between inhaling marijuana and increased appetite. This data also found a majority of cannabis users reporting that "marijuana made them enjoy eating very much and that they consequently ate a lot more.") Cannabis is also documented to enhance the sensory appeal of foods.

Several human trials have established cannabis' ability to stimulate food intake and weight gain in healthy volunteers. Dr. Leo Hollister of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California presided over two separate experiments that found "total food intake, as well as reports of hunger and appetite, are increased … after oral administration of marihuana." A later trial of 27 cannabis smokers and ten controls concluded that marijuana smokers ate more and gained more weight than non-smokers after 21 days in a hospital research ward. The cannabis-smoking group immediately began eating less after ceasing their marijuana use.

General PainPain is a sensation of physical discomfort, mental anguish, or suffering caused by aggravation of the sensory nerves. It remains the most common symptom for which patients seek therapeutic relief.



Cannabis has historically been used as an analgesic, and was commonly prescribed by physicians in England and America in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many researchers now believe that cannabinoids hold promise as safe and effective pain reducers with no physical-dependence-inducing properties.

Authors of the 1999 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, "Marijuana as Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," describe three types of pain that may be ameliorated by cannabinoids: somatic pain, visceral pain, and neuropathic pain. Researchers appear most interested in examining cannabis' ability to relieve neuropathic pain, which results from injury to nerves, peripheral receptors, or the central nervous system, because it is often resistant to standard opioids.


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Growing Marijuana - UK Specifics

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Growing Marijuana in the UK

A complete guide to everything you wanted to know about growing marijuana in the UK, but were just too stoned to ask.

By Sensi Sid

Acknowledgment:The author does not claim originality for this guide. It has been assembled from a variety of sources, mainly on the

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Internet, and edited so that only the information relevant to a UK grower is included. Many thanks to all those clandestine authors who provided such a wealth of data. You are encouraged to distribute this guide as widely as possible; however, do not pretend you wrote it and don't try to make any money from it.

Location, heating & ventilationLighting Systems & TechniquesGermination & Vegetative StageFlowering stage, harvesting & curing

IntroductionCannabis is an annual herb - that is to say it germinates, flowers, sets seed and dies in one year. Male and female flowering parts appear on separate plants (although it is possible to grow hermaphrodites).

Cannabis Sativa Leaf© Erowid.org

Cannabis has two main varieties, cannabis sativa and cannabis indica.

Sativa is characterised by a tall growth habit, slender fingered leaves, lowish flower to leaf ratio and rather long flowering period.

Indica is characterised by a bushier growth pattern with wider fingered leaves, a higher flower to leaf ratio and a shorter, more predictable flowering period.

When smoked, sativa gives a clear, up, cerebral high while indica produces a 'stonier' more physical hit. In the last few decades, enthusiasts have created sativa/indica hybrids which combine the best features of both varieties.

The weather in the UK does not entirely suit the requirements of what is, essentially, a tropical plant. This guide attempts to show how a carefully controlled environment coupled with a suitable choice of





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plant variety can produce herb of the highest quality. In the author's opinion, herb

Cannabis Indica Leaf© Erowid.org

grown organically tastes and smells better than hydroponically grown; therefore a compost-based method is fully described but fans of hydroponic methods will find that the principles outlined still hold good.

Where to grow Outdoors The growing season in the UK is rather short. Cannabis is induced to flower when the daylight has reduced to about 13 hours per day. This happens sometime during September, therefore the plant has only 6 to 10 weeks flowering time before the first frost kills the plant.

September and October can also be cold and wet, increasing the chances of fungus and disease ruining the crop. There are varieties bred especially for outdoor growing in Northern Europe, but these tend to give poorer results than the best indoor or greenhouse types.


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Marijuana Pictures from around the world

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Marijuana Pictures

A selection of marijuana pictures from around the world and a little on hybrid breeding illustrated in the pictures below.

Most of the marijuana pictures below are the result of extensive breeding, and creation of hybrids by interbreeding of marijuana plants with the desired charateristics. Each generation of plant builds on the characteristics of it's parents.

This can take many generations to acuire the desired features. Some of the well known Amsterdam seed suppliers are reputed to breed 1000 plants at a time, pick the best 50 plants, breed them with each other, and then starting the process again with another 1000 plants of the new genetic mix.

"Marijuana plants inherit their genetic characteristics from their sets of parents. Natural heredity laws

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define why offspring inherit different traits from the same parents. These laws assist breeders to forecast the number of offspring that stand to inherit a specific trait. Anybody who is serious about breeding has a good background in the laws of heredity. It’s essential.

Inbreeding establishes a pure breed. A pure breed has consistent chromosomes. That is, the genetic makeup of offspring is relatively uniform. This true or pure breed is necessary so common growth characteristics may be established. If the plants are not a pure breed, it will be impossible to predict the outcome of the hybrid plant. After the 4th to 6th generation of inbreeding, negative characteristics, like low potency, legginess and lack of vigor tend to dominate. Inbreeding is necessary to establish a true breed, but has been shied away from after the strain has been established".

Extract from: Breeding for Beginners by Jorge Cervantes


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How to Roll The Perfect Joint or Marijuana Origami

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Rolling Techniques

Techniques and styles for rolling that perfect joint time after time.

Gentlemen - select your weapons

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Rolling the perfect jointProducing a consistently good roll-up is something that without doubt takes practice, but with knowledge of some good techniques and a few tips, it can become much easier.

Here we present 3 different rolling styles for you to play with, remember practice makes perfect, and before you know it you'll be able to roll a joint one-handed walking down the street on a windy day (the guy in the pictures does!).

Remember, the text under each picture links to a larger image.

The basicsReaders from other countries may find this strange but most rollers in the UK will mix their chosen ingredients with tobacco - mixes can be expensive over here, and so it pays to stretch them out a little. Many smokers just take a cigarette, turn the tobacco end down, and squeeze until the leaf drops out. This can be messy, and lacks finese (not the SKD way).

Two spit cigarettes. The lowerillustrates the seam method.

The image on the left shows two similar superior methods. A slightly damp tongue, run the length of the cigarette, softens the paper enough to simply split the cigarette lengthways in between your thumbs.

This technique is improved on by running your tongue along the length of the seam of the cigarette. This then allows you pinch the tip of the cigarette, and pull back, a neat seam is then exposed.

The Standard 3 Paper StrategyMany people stick with this method for rolling - usually the first technique they learned. It consists of three papers (fig. 1), two of which are partially glued lengthways to extend the length (fig. 2). The third is then glued accross the back of the two papers, securing the sections together (fig. 3).





Fig.1Getting started, the three papers

Fig.2Joining the first two papers

Fig.3Securing with the third paper

The excess is then trimmed (fig. 4), and you're ready to rock... and roll.

Fig.4Removing the excess











Fig.5Filling, and adding roach

Fig.6Rolling - the inital pinch

Fig.7The final roll

Fig.8Firming up & packing down

Notice how we insert the roach *before* we start rolling (fig. 5). Fig.6 shows the all important pinch, with the thumbnail, allowing us to move into the final roll (fig.7).

Notice in (fig. 8) the packing device - the flint insert from a standard lighter does just the job!











Now here at SKD, we're not a great fan of this method, firstly because you end up smoking loads of paper, and we're not here to smoke paper, and secondly, well frankly it's just not very cool.

Fig.9Gum the long edge to the short

The Two Paper PyramidOther than only using two papers, this technique is useful for those of us that need a little more room to roll.

Take the two papers, and glue the the short edge of one paper to the long edge of the other (fig.9), taking care not to wet the whole of the long edge.

Fig.10Folding the corner into the longedge of the second paper

Fig.11Tearing the diagonal fold

At this point, we still have un-needed paper. Fold the corner of the paper glued along it's long edge










(fig.10) into the edge of the second paper.

A few more folds, and you'll have a beautiful swan... sorry origami is the next section.

Fig.12The final result

Very slightly, run your tongue along the edge of the fold we've just made to soften it, and tear along the diagonal (fig.11).

The final result is shown in (fig.12).

The next page we discuss rolling with a sushi mat, an alternative roach, and the SKD ultimate rolling technique - remember where you saw it first!


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A smokers guide to Amsterdam

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A smokers guide to Amsterdam and surrounding areas, Including coverage of the law, and a review of the 13 best coffee shops out there.

We had very much wanted to bring you these 'Dam articles this month, however our intrepid reporter appears to have been "mislaid" somewhere in the vincinity of Central Station. As soon as he is no longer comatose, and capable of stringing an intelligent sentence together, we will get the full report published here ASAP. Any readers spotting "Whitey" are encouraged to let us know - the last we heard we thought he'd said something about Excercise - or was that Excise?

We do have some great video footage, interviews and photos on the way - so check back real soon!

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Ed.


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Looking for a great source Marijuana - information of course!

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Welcome to Skunked

A source of education, entainment and enlightenment....

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Looking for a great source Marijuana - information of course!

Happy New Year to all our readers. Now I know we've been promising this for a while, but the remainder of the site is going live on January 10th. Whilst we have had a fair few compliments about this site - we felt the design could be improved. So Skunked has been through a complete "Changing Rooms" makeover to make it faster and easier to use, as well as launch the online shop we've promised for so long. Watch out Carole Smile - the countdown has started!

Welcome to Skunked, a site we hope will provide a real resource of value to the pro-Marijuana legalisation lobby in the UK. Whilst our opinions will never allow us to be truely neutral, we do hope the information you find here is as well balanced as it is well argued. We will try not to wear our rose-tinted spectacles all the time!

Ed.

In the news:Simon Woodroffe, founder of the Yo! Sushi restaurant chain, is among investors standing by - among them pop stars, venture capitalists and even a television racing pundit. While most established businesses are keeping silent on their plans, Woodroffe is looking to create an "elegant" range of high class cannabis bars in London that would redefine the drug's image.

London Evening Standard - Cannabisness: springing up



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Growing Marijuana - Greenhouse heating & ventilation

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Growing Marijuana - Location, heating & ventilation

A complete guide to everything you wanted to know about growing marijuana in the UK, but were just too stoned to ask.

By Sensi Sid

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Growing Marijuana - an introductionLighting Systems & TechniquesGermination & Vegetative StageFlowering stage, harvesting & curing

GreenhouseA greenhouse provides an environment that is warmer and drier than outdoors. This is beneficial because the crop can be started earlier and flowered longer with less chance of an early frost nipping the flowers. Flowering will still start at the same time as it would have done outdoors. There are many varieties that will grow both indoors and in a greenhouse with good results.

If you are buying a greenhouse solely for the purpose of growing cannabis, a 6ft by 8ft aluminium framed house will cost about £200; the same sum will buy you only 40g of good bud on the black market so it should be viewed as an investment rather than an expenditure. Avoid the galvanised steel framed type with stick-on flexible PVC covering if you want it to last more than two seasons.

Growing IndoorsIndoor growing allows the gardener to exercise complete control over the growing environment. Length of day, levels of light, temperature, humidity and nutrient are all adjustable. Arguably the best varieties are bred for indoor growing.

Setting up an indoor growing area Planning A space as small as the average wardrobe will provide enough bud for personal use (including a few friends). Heavy tokers may want to create a larger growing area - the following method can be scaled up to virtually any size.

Plan the grow room carefully before you start construction. Ask yourself a few questions:

Have I got access to several 13A sockets?Can I get water to the grow room easily?Will anyone be able to see light spillage?Will anyone be able to hear the ventilation fans?Will anyone be able to smell the plants (it's not called skunk for nothing!).What can I do if I want to go on holiday?

Tell nobody about your horticulture unless absolutely necessary. Buy your supplies with cash and don't give your name or address to the retailer; in the past, some retailers have been busted and their mailing lists used by the police to raid growers.

Creating a space Find a suitable sized wardrobe or cupboard. If you want something bigger, construct a box with roughcut timber covered with plywood, chipboard or plasterboard. The box could extend from floor to ceiling, giving the impression that it is an integral part of the structure of the house.

The floor of the growroom should be some sort of waterproof tray - if you bring down the ceiling of the






flat below, awkward questions will be asked! The floor (wardrobes and cupboards) should be strong enough to support the weight of your plants, pots and water-soaked compost.

Make a door big enough to allow easy access to the plants and equipment inside. You could try disguising the door of a floor to ceiling box such that it is not obvious that the growing room even exists!

Line or paint the room with something reflective; matt white seems to work better than a mirror finish. Remember that the inside will have to be cleaned periodically to remove dust, compost, mould and algae.

VentilationVentilation is very important; plants need CO2 for photosynthesis and the temperature and humidity must be kept to an acceptable level. Louvres at the top and bottom of the space will sometimes be enough but it is better to arrange for some forced ventilation. Electronics shops like Maplin or Tandy sell 240v fans for around £15. Fans need to be kept running 24 hrs/day irrespective of the length of lighting period. If you can, take the fan exhaust through an outside wall to reduce the smell. Some growers report that an ioniser operating near the exhaust end of the air vent reduces the smell considerably. A circulating fan inside the room is desirable but not essential.

HeatingFor healthy growth, the temperature needs to be maintained at 15C to 30C. Cannabis will tolerate temperatures as low as 5C and as high as 40C but these do not represent ideal growing conditions. If your grow room is in an otherwise unheated area (like a cellar or garage) you will need to install some sort of electric heating controlled by a central heating thermostat.


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