cannabisnews.com: In Praise of Cannabis





In Praise of Cannabis
Posted by CN Staff on September 19, 2005 at 07:35:39 PT
By Ruth Toledano
Source: International Herald-Tribune
Spain -- According to archaeologists, evidence exists proving that hemp has been cultivated since about 8,000 BC: it was used for human consumption, and for making fabrics. About 2700 BC we find the first written reference to the use of cannabis in the work of Shen Nung, the father of Chinese medicine.Almost a decade ago the first cannabis-derivatives fair was held in Germany; since then many such fairs have emerged, based on cannabis in all its uses, be they direct or derivative.
In the last two years there have been two Spannabis fairs in Barcelona, and a few days ago, for the first time, the La Cubierta cultural center in the southern Madrid district of Leganés hosted Expocannabis, a trade exhibition aimed at bringing the public closer to the world of cannabis and alternative technologies. Gathered in Leganés were almost 100 national and foreign exhibitors: from cultivation-based product manufacturers, to firms that supply products derived from the plant: food, clothing, footwear, cosmetics, furniture, construction materials.One aim of the fair is to become a forum for reflection about cannabis. A group of noted cannabis activists and medical and legal experts debated themes such as therapeutic uses, new home-growing methods and the present legal situation regarding cannabis, in an attempt to encourage the legalization of its social use, as well as more active participation in the development of a prosperous industry exploiting all the possible uses of the plant. Expocannabis enjoys the precedent of the two previous fairs held in Barcelona, in the Palau Sant Jordi, which were attended by about 15,000 people - a success which suggests the social and economic potential of this plant in the 21st century.The medicinal and therapeutic properties of marijuana, which have been employed for thousands of years, are now being rediscovered. In 10 US states the law now permits its medicinal use for those in a "debilitated clinical situation," which includes cases of cancer, glaucoma and AIDS. But at the same time there has been an increase in the orchestration of campaigns against the use of cannabis by the ill. In April 2005, Canada became the first country to approve the use of Sativex, a cannabis extract, which has been available there since June 20, under medical prescription, for the treatment of neurological pain in adults with multiple sclerosis. In Spain, the Health Department of the regional government of Catalonia, with the approval of the Spanish Health Ministry, will be the first official agency to try a pilot plan of treatment with cannabis, using a spray containing extracts of the plant, made by GW Pharmaceuticals and distributed by the firm Bayer.Apart from the therapeutic uses of cannabis, a revolutionary plastic is now being made of hemp and of recycled materials, as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics - hemp based products tend to be stronger and lighter, with a renewable annual harvest and a more sustainable future. This plastic is already used, for example, to make biodegradable cases for CDs and DVDs. Hemp oil, too, is used in diet and cosmetic products, in energy drinks, wines and beers, and in food products such as pasta, candies, cookies and chocolate. Hemp can be used to make paper, furniture, cloth, shoes, bags, wallets, bracelets and other complements. That is, hemp is an interesting and necessary alternative solution to a number of ecological problems.But we cannot ignore the fact that its use as a recreational substance is extremely widespread and normal in society. The law should recognize this, and cease to harass its cultivation and consumption. You can see how widespread its use is in virtually any bar or at any meeting of people of any class, or at any party. Princess Margaret, the sister of Elizabeth II, who died in 2001, liked to smoke joints. The de-criminalization of its use would merely lift the flimsy veil of a useless and outmoded hypocrisy.Website: http://www.elpais.esCopyright: 2005 El Pais Source: International Herald-Tribune (International)Author: Ruth ToledanoPublished: September 19, 2005Copyright: 2005 International Herald Tribune Contact: letters iht.comWebsite: http://www.iht.com/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #27 posted by paulpeterson on September 21, 2005 at 16:33:53 PT:
GCW-have I got a Sacrament for you
I've been working on and researching a super-high Omega 3 diet for livestock, whereby the meat gets a person buzzed. Shuts down dos, expands windows, opens the corpus collosum as well. A truly prayerful thing. Very effective in conjunction with other entheogens widely used. Recently, in fact, I triggered an opening in the space time portal, such that I could "know" answers to specific questions I keyed in (mentally, that is) about what this super diet had to do with the Roman experiment. A bunch of I Ching combinations of mythical images caused me to hunt and find the clues. The Romans did the binge, purge, in fact, not for the alcohol overintake but for the omega 3's. Super high dosage gives stomach upset (from fat/oil metabolism). However, my rapid infusion meats, when chewed, cause a protein intake and absorbtion through the mucus membranes, direct to the brain. The problem is, the Romans took it in with copious levels of lead toxicity. Omega 3 increased the intake and damage from the lead.Anybody that wants to talk about this or experience it in person better get to Wilmette, Illinois, before my store is evicted soon, from lack of money for rent, etc. I have plenty of room for guests, at least for now. This could be the perfect stealth weapon in the war on war on drugs, if only I could get some cash to get current and reopened and moving along with research. 847-853-4200 paul peterson
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Comment #26 posted by FoM on September 21, 2005 at 08:45:12 PT
Max Flowers 
One thing I know is I would never ever do LSD again. I have reach a point in my life where I'm not ready to die and I'm afraid any powerful substance could cause me serious harm. My husband says I'm fragile and I know I am. Those where the days though! LOL!
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Comment #25 posted by Max Flowers on September 21, 2005 at 08:30:01 PT
FoM on LSD (hey, that has a nice ring to it!)
- Is LSD even around anymore or is it an old obsolete substance? -Definitely still around, never went away but had a slump for many years, and now is in the midst of a big comeback. Availability right now is apparently the highest that it's been since the 1980s.
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Comment #24 posted by afterburner on September 21, 2005 at 08:21:20 PT
LSD philosophy, RE dogenero & FoM
Set and setting. The drunken frat party approach is the number one fuel to the prohibitionist mindset, the reason we must fight so hard to get the authorities to see that there is a kinder, gentler responsible way.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on September 20, 2005 at 13:47:45 PT
dongenero
Thank you. 
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Comment #22 posted by dongenero on September 20, 2005 at 12:54:34 PT
FoM
Well said
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on September 20, 2005 at 12:19:55 PT
dongenero 
Thank you. I agree with you in what you are saying. LSD was used to gain some deeper knowledge but it wasn't for partying that I ever thought. An LSD trip was really an individual experience even if shared with others. It wasn't taken lightly.
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Comment #20 posted by dongenero on September 20, 2005 at 12:11:10 PT
LSD philosophy
FoM, I think it comes down to how people use it. When I used LSD with my good friends, our approach was along the lines of a search for enlightenment. A spiritual, ritualistic approach in a way. It can be beneficial in this way.Later, a couple of years down the road, the people we were around were more varied and diverse. The approach that many of these people had to LSD and franlkly, any other drug these people could get their hands on was like...whoooo Yeeahhh! partyyyyyy...let's do some acid!I'm not saying that we did not have fun with our trips because it was so reverent. To be sure, we had a ball! But it is, and should be, a much different mindset than a drunken frat partyFor me, that was the end of it but, I had already gained a great deal from my earlier experiences.
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on September 20, 2005 at 11:50:32 PT
A Question
Back in the days when many people experimented with LSD did most people gain a better insight on how life works because of trying LSD? I only did LSD a couple times back in the 70s and never wanted to do it again but I felt I gained wisdom from the experiences. Is LSD even around anymore or is it an old obsolete substance? 
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on September 20, 2005 at 11:24:07 PT
I Hope Everyone Is On The Bus!
I know I am.
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Comment #17 posted by Dankhank on September 20, 2005 at 11:18:48 PT
Kesey ... et al 
I too read the book back in the day ...So when I was offered acid the first time I accepted and the rest is, as they say, history ...:-)
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Comment #16 posted by dongenero on September 20, 2005 at 09:23:01 PT
kesey and the pranksters
Thanks for those Kesey and the Pranksters links Dankhank!I read The Electric Koolaid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe when I was in highschool. That reading was a pivotal experience for me. I found that book shortly after my friends and I began to experiment with LSD.
 
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Comment #15 posted by The GCW on September 19, 2005 at 20:11:07 PT
Letters of the year from Boulder Weekly.
We've got mailReaders exercise the First Amendment By Editorial Staff (editorial boulderweekly.com) It's a well-known fact that Boulder is an intelligent community. According to a poll in the USA Today, 52.4 percent of our populace over the age of 25 has at least a bachelor's degree, which is the highest in the nation. And speaking of highest in the nation, another poll found that Boulder was the second "highest" community when it came to marijuana usage. So it makes sense that the letters section—penned by you, dear Boulder—is one of Boulder Weekly's most popular sections, with a wide variety of opinions, articulated to the utmost. Many readers have told us it's the first section they read when they pick up the paper each week. For some reason, people seem to take great pleasure seeing a despised columnist or blockhead letter-writer receive the proverbial tar-and-feather job. Cont. w/ some letters about the war on drugs and even the plant cannabis...http://www.boulderweekly.com/coverstory.htmlOur inboxes have been jam-packed with letters about the War on [some] Drugs, CONT.
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Comment #14 posted by The GCW on September 19, 2005 at 19:51:55 PT
The tree of life is granted to who belive/overcome
I just said, "With cannabis, Jews and Muslims and Christians (obedient Christians) should get along well!!!"That is because cannabis is the tree of life as in the Bible, as in the very last page, where it tells Us all, the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations. That's about Revelation 22:1-4.For the Jews, Muslims and Christians to get along well, they are going to need the leaves of the tree of life to heal them.This aint no joke, folks.We all need the tree of life and We all already have it; it is just a matter of accepting it and stopping those in power that use their power to keep it away from Us.The tree of life is for Us and We must stop those who stop Us from having access to it.Those who believe and overcome are granted to eat of the tree of life. -see Rev. 2:7.THCUBELIEVE - OVERCOME - GAIN ACCESS TO THE SUPERPLANT and You have something.We must have access. That's what they don't want; access, so that when We believe and overcome, We can be kept from making that vital connection.This is the way that We may all become Christs.Instead of a planet full of disobedient people, how about a planet full of Christs?I'm all for it.It is time.If cannabis PROHIBITION, EXTERMINATION AND PERSECUTION is keeping Us from becoming a planet full of Christs, then let's remove the exterminators.! They have already built their own plank; all We must do is step back and let them walk it in their own perfect time. Be patient as fast as You can.The Green Collar Worker
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Comment #13 posted by The GCW on September 19, 2005 at 19:34:29 PT
Nice combo's... and bad combo's...
E_Johnson, said, "Once upon a time in Spain, Christians, Jews and Muslims lived in peace. But then in the 15th century, the Christians expelled the Jews and Muslims and converted the synagogues and mosques to churches."Was it also a matter of the "Christians" eliminating cannabis / kaneh bosm? That mistranslation of kaneh bosm in the 5 Bible locations happened before the King James Version of 1611, I believe. With cannabis, Jews and Muslims and Christians (obedient Christians) should get along well!!!With out cannabis and with disobedient Christians thrown in, they will all kill each other.Cannabis and obedient Christians make a good pair.
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Comment #12 posted by mayan on September 19, 2005 at 18:21:05 PT
Great!
Great Article!May the petrol-pushing fossil people realize that their money won't be any good on a planet that can't sustain life.
May they also develop hearts and brains!
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 15:30:06 PT
The War
The war with Canada! LOL!Great bus! I would love to have a bus like that.
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Comment #10 posted by Dankhank on September 19, 2005 at 15:12:43 PT
Buses .......
http://www.intrepidtrips.com/http://www.pranksterweb.org/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merry_Pranksters
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 14:52:14 PT
A Bus
My husband drove with other soldiers in a painted bus on a pass from Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri to the Boston Commons around 69. Somewhere we have a picture of the painted up bus. He thinks they drove back to Missouri in it but you know it was easy to forget in those days.
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Comment #8 posted by Dankhank on September 19, 2005 at 14:30:10 PT
1969
It may seem cheap from our worldly perspective ...At the time those kids, and never forget that they WERE kids, and many were of that internally peaceful, externally fearful cusp of a time when things were darkest, but lit by the mind-expansion of the herb.Many were searching for some truth ... and just trying to stay alive.Peace ...
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Comment #7 posted by global_warming on September 19, 2005 at 14:26:57 PT
re: article
It was a well written piece..greatest of Lucks to Ruth Toledano ...
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Comment #6 posted by potpal on September 19, 2005 at 14:24:08 PT
More praise...
...cannabis is a wonderful plant! Word's out.ej
Been to Toledo too. I remember the cathedral, there was a sign inside of it I just had to take a picture of...the sign read 'No Photography' in several languages. 
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Comment #5 posted by global_warming on September 19, 2005 at 14:17:45 PT
re:StarGate and that Bus
I did see that episode, it kind of cheepened that man and his girl, they did help those from the future, which never made a reference how the war on drugs was going along.In our present,..
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 13:30:14 PT
Dankhank 
Thank you. I never watched the progam but I'll do my best to check it out.
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Comment #3 posted by Dankhank on September 19, 2005 at 13:24:24 PT
Stargate - 1969
FoMSci-Fi 5PM central, the afternoon show.SG1 goofs around in a painted bus riding cross country in 1969.
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Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on September 19, 2005 at 08:42:51 PT
Holy Toledo
The author is named Toledano, I wonder if that's where she's from. I've been to Toledo, the one in Spain. It's an amazing city. Built on a hill. Said to be the spiritual heart of Spain. You do into a cathedral there and inside it turns out to be a mosque. Once upon a time in Spain, Christians, Jews and Muslims lived in peace. But then in the 15th century, the Christians expelled the Jews and Muslims and converted the synagogues and mosques to churches.http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/galleries/toledo/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/galleries/toledo/photo4.html
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 19, 2005 at 07:37:17 PT
In Praise of Cannabis
Yes Cannabis is a God Send and the war on this plant really needs to end. 
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