Interview

I think they’ve got a kind of loose information network. But as I said before, the stuff I produce is really consistent in terms of strength so that makes it less of a problem.

So no, I don’t worry about it. As far as I’m aware, most of them eat it, but if they want to smoke it, who cares? It’s a personal choice, and for some health worker to tell someone in their seventies, for example, who is crippled by a debilitating and possibly terminal condition that smoking weed is bad for them is patronising rubbish. If it was me in that situation, I’d be telling the dogooders to fuck off and mind their own business.

What’s next?

I’ve started to investigate the pros and cons of making tinctures and a sort of cannabis oil. It’s all pretty basic at the moment and I’m having some “issues” with potency (laughter), but with the assistance of my two associates I think we’ll get it right. I’m looking at these because with tincture you can use an eye dropper full and put it in your tea or hot chocolate or whatever. You use less and I think the effect will be quicker once we’ve got the problems worked out. And you don’t have the problem of the smell of the weed, which I’m told is a concern for some of my clients. The oil is basically for the same reason but it won’t have any alcohol in it. Both oil and tincture have the attractions of being easy to carry around without stinking to high heaven, and as I say, they should work more quickly than eating a piece of cake. The alcohol in the tincture is the only possible problem. But we’re just experimenting at the moment so it’s all kind of hypothetical.

I’m not one of those optimists who think dope will be legal one day, I’m afraid. There’s way too much pharmaceutical industry interest at stake and these greedy fuckers do have a lot of clout.

Sounds great! How did you learn to do all that?

I know something about chemistry, and that really came in useful. The other guys are on about the same level as me with that. You don’t really need to know all that much, but you do need the basics, what the symbols mean, for example, and you need to know when not to have naked flames and that sort of thing (laughs). I couldn’t have done this five or ten years ago, because the hardest part would have been getting the equipment. That’s not the case these days and I got everything I needed from E-bay and a few other bits from car boot sales. The leaves and what have you are provided by me and the guys who help me out and that’s what we use for the basic cannabis oil and tincture. That’s the thing about leaves; they’re a rough smoke but they do contain THC and therefore can be used. You just need to know how to use them. One absolutely cracking book for this is a thing called The Practical Handbook of Plant

Alchemy by a guy called Manfred M Junius. The rest of the information I’ve picked up from various other books and websites.

I was considering making hash there for a while but I think I’ve talked myself out of it now. The oil and tincture have the obvious advantage of being smaller amounts because of the concentration, and they’re quick working and they don’t stink to high heaven. With resin there’s quite a bit of pissing about involved and you still have this bulk problem. So it looks like weed and oil is where I’m at for the foreseeable at least.

What do you see yourself doing five or ten years from now? Still doing this?

I really don’t know. I’d like to think that the laws would have changed so that cheap and good quality weed was provided by the state for people who need it. Or even changed to allow people like me to continue to do what I do but without the fear of getting busted. I think I’m doing a good thing and I’ve got a lot of clients who’d stand up in court and say so as well.

To be absolutely honest, I think that I’ll still be in the same position as I am now. Either that or I’ll be in jail. I’m not one of those optimists who think dope will be legal one day, I’m afraid. There’s way too much pharmaceutical industry interest at stake and these greedy fuckers do have a lot of clout. But I suppose you’ve got to look on the bright side. Who knows? Maybe medical and compassionate use sanctioned by the government really is just round the corner.

I’m not going to hold my breath though.

Product Flash

Better clones with Rootech Cloning Gel

Root hormones are handy products with which we can treat our fresh clone cuttings to make sure they have a speedy root development. They come in many forms, usually a liquid or a powder - and now a gel. Cloning Gel from Rootech is an unusual and unique recipe that contains powerful hormones, vitamins and nutrients that have been specially formulated to promote fast and healthy root growth during vegetative pre-growth. It is a thick, rich gel that sticks to the sliced off plant tissue surface, so that air bubbles (embolism) and shock are prevented. When it is applied, the unique formula from Rootech surrounds the stem with vitamins and nutrients which it can immediately start to use. Rootech is ideal for propagating plants that find it hard to root, and it can be diluted with water for use with clones that find it more easy to form roots. The gel is packed ready to use in a container with a wide opening, into which you can dunk several clones at the same time without running the risk of making a mess or spillage. The composition and the consistency of the gel make it easy to use, while it also removes the risk of inhaling powders. Rootech is registered with the Canadian food inspection service, under authority of the law on artificial fertilizers (reg. nr. 990008 A).

Clean air with the Air Sock

New to the indoor grow scene is the Air Sock, a refreshing product from Ferro tailor-made nutrients. The Air Sock ensures an optimal distribution of your incoming - mostly cold - air. Thanks to this optimisation of the air distribution, cold drafts on your plants can become a thing of the past. Because the incoming air is so well distributed by this product the grower needs 20 to 30 percent less ventilation in order to arrive at the same temperature. What’s more, you are ensured a better microclimate, which will eventually result in increased yields as a result. The Air Sock also keeps insects from entering and works as a sound insulator. The Air Sock is available in the following sizes (respectively neck size and length): 125 mm/3 m, 125 mm/5 m, 160 mm/3 m, 160 mm/5 m, 200 mm/ 3m, 200 mm/5 m, 250 mm/3 m, 250 mm/5 m, 315 mm/3 m, 315 mm/5 m and 315 mm/10 m.

Info: Ferro Tel: +31 (0) 486 416 959 / Fax: +31 (0) 486 416 962. / www.ferro.nu

Info: PK Trading. Tel: +31 (0)10 280 9878. Fax: +31 (0)10 2809875. www.pktrading.nl & www.hydroponics.net

Once again: Rootech Cloning Gel

Since PK Trading launched the Rootech Cloning Gel in the last issue of Soft Secrets’ Dutch sister magazine Highlife, customers have reported that the gel works perfectly with older mother plants in the concentration it is sold at. With younger mother plants we advise you to mix the stated quantity of Rootech with about 25 percent of that volume of distilled water. Ordinary tap water will also do, but is not recommended because water hardness is not the same everywhere. Given the reactions that we have received to the Rootech gel, we can firmly say that the product has proved itself.

The Microclimate Mini air humidifier

A new development from van Hometech, who have already built up a good track record of bringing innovative products to the market. This new compact air humidifier can pump out up to 4 litres of water per hour via its two atomisers. Most common air humidifiers can only manage to get through 5-12 litres of water per day. The apparatus consists of two built in ventilators that spray the damp air into your grow room. A hygrostatic regulator that comes bundled with it ensures that the Microclimate stops spraying once the desired humidity level is reached. The Microclimate works both with a water vat as its source of water or it can very quickly be attached to the water mains. The Microclimate is an ultimately modern air humidifier for desert-dry grow rooms and its absolutely suited for professional growers.