The Canna Embassy organic homegrowers thread

[JamieShoes]

Hi JamieShoes,


Welcome to the "purple soul train".

And the beat goes on.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqyKqPAKGMA


Peace, G.A.

thanks man, nice to be aboard ... :smile:

 

[elmanito]

A friend made some close-up trichshots of Mama Thai.

Namaste

 

[G.A.]

Hello world,

Nice shots there Elmanito...


Today I've been on the road.
Visited a nice place called Ja Ja in Breda this morning.
Nice "headshop".
Loved the statues.

We also met with our friends of the Cannabis consumers foundation.
www.vvcc.nl They are doing a great job at the moment.
Looks like people are coming together a little bit more again.
The 20.000 signatures are almost there! 2 more weeks to go.
Today was sunny and 12 degrees! Spring is realy in the air right now.

Catch you all later folks..
Take care and stay safe.


Peace, G.A.

I love purple :smile:

 

[G.A.]

Source: ACM

Study Questions Validity Of So-Called “Cannabis-Induced Psychosis”

Aarhus, Denmark: People who experience long-lasting psychotic episodes after consuming cannabis may be exhibiting early signs of schizophrenia, according to clinical trial data published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

Investigators at a pair of Denmark universities compared the family histories of 609 people treated for so-called “cannabis-induced psychosis” and 6,476 individuals who had been treated for schizophrenia or a related psychiatric condition. Researchers found that people treated for post-pot “psychosis” were just as likely to have a family history of schizophrenia as were those diagnosed with the mental illness. “Cannabis-induced psychosis could be an early sign of schizophrenia rather than a distinct clinical entity,” researchers concluded.

Researchers said that their finding challenge the hypothesis that heavy marijuana use may cause schizophrenia in a minority of users, noting, “These people would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis.”

Despite recent claims purporting a potential link between cannabis use and mental illness, there is no empirical data indicating a rise in incidences of schizophrenia in populations with statistically higher rates of marijuana use.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director. Full text of the study, “Comparison of subjects treated for cannabis-induced psychosis and schizophrenia,” appears in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Schizophrenia

People who have long-lasting psychotic episodes after cannabis use may be exhibiting early signs of schizophrenia, researchers of Aarhus University, Denmark, reported. Between 1994 and 2005, 609 individuals received treatment of a cannabis-induced psychosis and 6476 received treatment of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Predisposition to both psychiatric disorders contributed equally to the risk of later treatment because of schizophrenia and cannabis-induced psychoses. Researchers concluded from the results of their study that "cannabis-induced psychosis could be an early sign of schizophrenia rather than a distinct clinical entity." (Source: Arendt M, et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2008;65(11):1269-74.)

 

[G.A.]

news from HCLU Vienna....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkXX8M0pUzA


Peace, G.A.

 

[elmanito]

The Danish have a strain (Leb27) in their possession for more than 30 years which could help against schizophrenia.CBD is the only cannabinoid in this strain which has this quality to treat schizophrenia.Disappointed is the fact that the UK government still thinks that heavy Cannabis use will bring problems like schizophrenia or psychosis what have been shown in the documentary Cannabis The Evil Weed.

Namaste

 

[hanfiking]

I thought that the BBC documentary was handled very diplomatic and fair in my view. The
Problem is the lack of research or the fact that so much of it was destroyed during Anslinger.

The problem with the neurologic disfunctions is that the door was still shut until cannabis came
along. it may have been there, dormant already but when the drug was taken this persons
life has changed drastically before this should have if it even would have happened.

Even if it's not the cause of psychological disorders it still had the key to unlock some doors

In a way some positive can be taken from this though, we could utilise cannabis as a sort
of psycho test if it's used right. so there aren't many cases of this happening not more
than there are of natural causes of schizophrenia. and what about alcoholism?! a person
isn't an alcoholic but becomes one but that's not that bad (!) everyone likes a drink so
lets keep it legal. Well everyone likes Ganja so legalize that too!

 

[G.A.]

Hello world,

Elmanito, Hanfiking

A nice radio documentary was broadcasted on Dutch national radio abouth the VN drugconference in Vienna.
Parts are in english, but the report is Dutch.
Something is moving.....
Report starts after news and commercials.

http://player.omroep.nl/?aflID=9127644


Peace, G.A.

 

[esbe]

PURPLE SPRING PEACE AND KARMA TO ALL!

heres some reading for freedom fighters!

http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/policy/cannabis_commission.html

The Global Cannabis Commission

"That which is prohibited cannot easily be regulated"​

Why did The Beckley Foundation Convene This Report?

The global increase in the prevalence of cannabis use.

The fundamental changes in the global situation since cannabis came under the control of the international narcotics treaties in 1961.

The lack of interest towards cannabis in international drug policy discussions.

To analyse the latest scientific evidence on the potential harms of cannabis use.

To investigate the social harms caused by cannabis prohibition.

The escalating harms of the 'War on Drugs', of which cannabis is the mainstay.

The need for a more rational, effective approach to cannabis control.

Recognition that different policies whether draconian or liberal have little effect on the prevalence of drug use

The identification and analysis of different possible routes forward from depenalisation, to decriminalization to partial legality and finally to a regulated legal market.

To identify different ways in which individual countries can seek to reform cannabis policies in order to better suite their individual needs. These include individual countries denouncing the international conventions and re-acceding with a reservation on cannabis, or for a group of like minded countries to negotiate and adopt a new international convention specifically concerning cannabis.
Cannabis Use:
Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug, making it the mainstay of the 'War on Drugs'. The UN has estimated that cannabis is used by 4% of the global adult population. The number of users has risen by 10% since their last estimate in 2005, despite the call for a drug free world. This compares to a figure of 1% for the use of all other illegal drugs combined. However, the focus of international attention has concentrated on that 1% which causes the most harms leading to cannabis being largely ignored in international drug policy discussions while.



Conclusions about Cannabis Use and Harms

1. In the last half century recreational use of cannabis has become widely established among teenagers and young adults in a broad range of developed countries and in some developing countries. In developed countries with the longest history of use, a substantial minority of users continue their use into middle age and beyond.

2. There are a number of health harms from smoking cannabis. Cannabis use impairs functioning in exacting tasks, and use before driving probably increases the risk of a traffic crash. About 10 percent of those who try cannabis develop dependence on the drug, and they have a higher risk of respiratory disorders, of impaired cognitive functioning (at least in the short term), and of developing psychotic symptoms or a psychotic disorder. Early and heavy use by adolescents may increase the risks of poor educational and other psychosocial outcomes in young adulthood.

3. The probability and scale of harm among heavy cannabis users is modest compared with that caused by many other psychoactive substances, both legal and illegal, in common use, namely, alcohol, tobacco, amphetamines, cocaine and heroin.

4. Recently, concerns have been expressed about increased potency of cannabis products. Average THC content in many countries probably has increased, at least in part because of the illegality of cannabis production. The health consequences of any such increases will depend on the extent to which users can titrate the dose of THC.

5. There are variations over time in rates of cannabis use within and between countries, but these variations do not seem to be affected much by the probability of arrest or penalties for use or sale, however draconian. The widespread pattern of cannabis use indicates that many people gain pleasure and therapeutic or other benefits from use.

6. It is probable that cannabis users who drive while intoxicated can harm others. Measuring tools are now available to establish whether a driver is under the influence of cannabis and regulations and enforcement to deter this behaviour should be broadly implemented. Other harms to others from cannabis use are less well established. Role-failures from cannabis dependence (in work and family life) are probably the most important.

Conclusions About the Effects of Current Policies

7. There have been longstanding efforts to deter cannabis use by prohibition and policing. Enforcement efforts in most countries have focused on the arrest of users. In developed countries with large cannabis-using populations, the criminal penalties actually imposed for possession and use are usually modest by comparison with those possible by law. Moreover the probability of being arrested for any one incident of cannabis use is in the order of less than one in one thousand. The enforcement effort has not had much success in deterring use.

8. The rationale for severe penalties for possession offenses is weak on both normative and practical grounds. In many developed countries a majority of adults born in the past half-century have used cannabis. Control regimes that criminalize users are intrusive on privacy, socially divisive and expensive. Thus it is worth considering alternatives.

9. In addition to the substantial government resources expended in enforcing a prohibition regime, such a regime imposes very large secondary costs and suffering at the personal level. For example, a criminal conviction for cannabis possession can exclude an individual from certain jobs and activities, and arrest can impose personal and family humiliation. In countries where data are available, arrest rates are sharply higher for many minority and socially disadvantaged groups.

10. Measures to reduce penalties or to decriminalize possession and use have been adopted in numerous jurisdictions without an upsurge in use. Moreover these reform measures have had some success in ameliorating the adverse consequences of prohibition. However, the benefits of decriminalization can be undercut by police practices which may increase the number of users penalized, or by discriminatory enforcement of the law.

Beyond the International Treaties

11. The present international treaties have inhibited depenalization and prevented more thoroughgoing reforms of national cannabis regimes. Regimes which do go beyond depenalization or decriminalization have been characterized by inconsistencies and paradoxes. For example, the Dutch coffee shops may sell cannabis products through the front door, but are not supposed to buy their supplies at the back door.

12. 'That which is prohibited cannot be regulated'. There are thus advantages for governments in moving toward a regime of regulated legal availability under strict controls, using the variety of mechanisms available to regulate a legal market, such as taxation, availability controls, minimum legal age for use and purchase, labeling and potency limits. Another alternative, which minimizes the risk of promoting cannabis use, is to allow only small scale cannabis production for one's own use or gifts to others.

13. There are four main choices for a government seeking to make cannabis available in a regulated market in the context of the international conventions:

(1) In some countries (those that follow the expediency principle), it is possible to meet the letter of the international conventions while allowing de facto legal access. The Dutch model is an example.

 

[Karma Genetics]

Just flying by thanks for that radio link GA.

 

[G.A.]

Hi Esben,

The Beckley report is a good report. Reuter made also the evaluation for the Viena conference that's going on at the moment.

Hi Karma, yip, I like that reportage very much also... Funny, the reportage ends with music of Trentemöller :smile:

Feels like spring today!

Visited a lot of coffeeshop today to spread around posters for the VVCC (cannabis consumer foundation).

One of the shops shows that the coffeeshop is realy a part of Dutch culture.
This one is realy a museum of art....

Peace, G.A.

 

[elmanito]

Hello G.A.,

Still in the run for the VVCC.Is it possible to make a photo of that poster of the VVCC.I will put it on the Dutch forum, like i did with the link to sign online.
Are you sure to pop the seeds next week???

Namaste

 

[G.A.]

Hi Elmanito,

Yes still on the road for "the good case"....

I am sure with popping my seeds next week.
I start in little pots in front of my window in the living.
If the weather is sunny I will put them outdoors by day.
But I keep you all informed at this thread and I will report frequantly, starting the 26th with new moon...

You can copy the pic here of the poster.

Visitted my friend "Miss Muffin", some of you know her already.
We had a "spring lunch" and shared some quality seeds.

Today lovely weather again. Sunny and around 12 degrees...

Keep on growing, take care and stay safe folks....


Peace, G.A.

 

[G.A.]

News from Viena.

Live monitoring the 52nd session of the UN commission on narcotic drugs:

http://www.cndblog.org/


The date of the Global Marijuana march in Amsterdam takes place on the 9th of may at het Museumplein....



Peace, G.A.

 

[hanfiking]

Cannabis is linked to over 70% of drug related psychiatric admissions. A new awareness campaign was launched in 2008 - Commitment to a drug free Nigeria. Training on demand reduction strategies has been done for officers. Drug education has been initiated in schools.

Treatment and rehabilitation "have been given priority attention", and there is a need for upgrading of treatment centres.

Cannabis most used drug. Misuse of prescription drugs also identified as a concern. Studies have revealed problems with solvent use in some parts of the country. There is a need for a national survey of drug use.

Are you absolutely fucking kidding me?! There are mothers in Nigeria giving Solvents
to their addicted toddlers, there are small children fighting over the bottles saying
they need it even though it gives them chest pains. and Nigeria says "oh yeah, by
the way, we might have a small solvent problem too. But we need to worry about
Cannabis". Why don't they prioritize cleaning up their country for a start!

There are 3 million drug users in Indonesia. 47% are 'addicts'. 15% injecting drug users and 85% non-injecting drug users. Cannabis most widely used illicit drug (70% of illicit use). There are concerns at increase of ATS use, and ATS now a bigger concern than opiates. Heroin use is stabilising and to a certain extent decreasing. Addressing ATS is the big issue. Effective drug demand reduction staratgies must be evidence based.

I don't really understand this either. It is common knowledge that Amphetamines
like MDMA are one of the safest drugs around safer even than Cannabis or Aspirin!
If the governments took production into their own hands then they could control
the amount of a substance that goes into a drug which would lower psychological
dependence and subsequently these drugs wouldn't get cut with all sortsof crap
that people get poisoned with and die from! AND they spelled strategies wrong.

Lol the U.S. Blogger spelled Methamphetamine wrong.

Italy has taken 'and extremely firm stance' against drug use. It follows three principles

1. It is illegal. There is no right to use
2. All narcotics are equally damaging and danegerous
3. Addicts must always be seen as persons who can be brought back to normal like, so focus must be to 'liberate addicts'.

So I am guessing that Cannabis is not targeted here(!) considering that is not a
narcotic. What about prescription drugs, or coffee or nicotine or alchohol? How
many of these people will go home tonight and indulge in a Havanna, Davidoff
or a Chardonnay, Shiraz or cognac? What about Valeriana?! That is a herb which
is used as a medicine in tablet form to aid sleeping disorders.

Honestly it's like these governments are small children that can't tell their own arse
from their face, and I can't tell which end produces more shit. They are all just
pandering and preaching because they are lazy and don't want to take this problem
into their own hands but if they did it wouldn't be a problem. “lets let the police and
prisons deal with it. We have more pressing concerns, like giving banks money they
don't need, don't know what to do with, and throw out the window”.

I respect the police, even if they bust us, it is what they have been told to do! They
are not the problem. As soon as these people wake up and sort it out then we can
get on and provide people with the medical MJ they need, start saving the world and
reducing carbon dioxide!

Someone needs to fire that blogger! He can't spell to save his life!

 

[elmanito]

Thats really bogus.MDMA is not safer than Cannabis.From what we eat or drink is Cannabis the most safest on earth.If you drink 7 liters of water at once it will kill you.Most industrial food what we eat today is even not safer than Cannabis.To much salt (> 6 gram) is responsible for heart disease and high blood pressure.
Even smoking Cannabis is safer than walk outside in the city or next to the highway.

Namaste

 

[hanfiking]

sorry, this isn't the right thread for such a discussion I was just giving my point of view on the things I read. If you want to you can tell me what you know about MDMA in a PM.

 

[elmanito]

Will California legalise marijuana and tax it to overcome the financial crunch.
Probably they will according state assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D)

http://www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/video/2009/03/wordt_blowen_legaal_in_califor.html

Namaste

 

[G.A.]

Hello green friends,


Today was realy sunny, spring in the air!
The midgets are crawling out of their holes again...
The first flowers, working on a bird island in de sun.
A nice puff on a sunny sunday afternoon near the canal, the sun reflecting in the water....
Sun, sun, sun here we come....

Working on a floating island for waterbirds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqJX1Hf3xQA

Peace, G.A.

 

[G.A.]

Hello world,

Still alive and kicking...
Had the flew and fever last 2 days, but I managed to prepare the pots and seeds.
The fourth season at this thread has started!!


Peace, G.A.