2012 02 UK by SoftSecrets

FREE 18+ For adults only. Soft Secrets is published six times a year by Discover Publisher BV Netherlands

In this issue:

Issue 2 - 2012

SNOOP DOGG THROWS IN THE TOWEL AGAIN

“DUTCH MAFIA” CONTROLS SPANISH CROPS

Is it just a coincidence, or was Snoop Dogg a bit too harsh? During a radio interview, not long before the rapper was arrested – for the umpteenth time – in early January, he had fantasized about visiting President Obama. “Even before saying ‘Hi’ to the President, I’d change the aroma in the room. And once I change that, the conversation could start. You know what I mean?” Snoop Dogg was arrested on the Texas border because a certain amount of marijuana was found on his bus. The rapper declared that the joints belonged to him. The medical marijuana prescription he exhibited didn’t help, as it’s valid only in the state of California.

This according to police in the autonomous community of Valencia. The area, which includes Alicante, is home to nearly 17,000 Dutch, and not all of them are retirees. According to the police, “wellorganized professionals” of Dutch origins are teaching the tricks of the trade in all the clubs. Since 2010, the marijuana fields

concerned. As the market’s importance grew in the surf world as well, performance-enhancing products such as coke and methamphetamines began gaining ground as preferred doping methods. Following some fatal accidents linked to heavy drugs, the Association of Surfing Professionals decided to end all this. The sport should prepare to undergo severe drug tests.

MARIJUANA AGAINST SCHIZOPHRENIA It’s plain crazy. They convince us that cannabis can trigger latent psychoses and then here comes a study that shows that, in fact, cannabis alleviates them. According to researchers, however, it all depends on which cannabinoid comes into play; THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) causes psychotic stimuli, while CBD (cannabidiol) should act as a psychotic suppressant. An article in TIME Magazine suggests that, in the future, CBD-rich cannabis could be used as an antipsychotic measure.

Outdoor 2012: Do and Don’ts of Growing Outdoors in the UK ›› 18 BOLIVIA If the Gods had a recipe book for making ganja growing country then Bolivia must have been in it. The country is blessed with enough roadless mountains, valleys and jungle to give Google Earth a breakdown, and a climate ripe enough to nurture a full range of biodiversity. Soft Secrets’ roving reporter The Professor of course only was trying to locate one particular crop. ››

SURF’S DOWN Drugs have always belonged to the rebellious surfer subculture. It’s no coincidence that Andy Martin, in his classic Stealing the Waves, wrote: “The more marijuana, the better the surf”. But modern surf culture has since left innocence behind as far as drugs are

broken up have been bigger and bigger, and Spain has grown into one of the main weed producers at a European level, even exporting towards The Netherlands. A certain “Mac” from the Valencia grow shop Cannabislandia asserts that cannabis is grown in the region for the Dutch market, but he also states that it’s a “small affair”.

IRISH DOCTOR: LONGER BEARDS DUE TO SMOKE A new danger must be added to the countless others that cannabis threatens humanity with: marijuana causes an uncontrollable beard growth. The keen Continues on page 3

3 Continued from front page

is facing tough times. The retired warrior against drugs was sentenced to life in prison in early January for corruption and drug trafficking. All his property has been confiscated and he was fined $ 20,000. Moek Dara was a trusted informer for the US Embassy in Phnom Penh for years. His conviction raises doubts in diplomatic circles regarding the reliability of the information used by the secret services.

BABY CANNABIS observation was made by Irish doctor Ruairi Hanley (see photo) in an article published in the medical journal The Irish Medical Times. “Like everyone who has studied at an Irish university in the past forty years, I was aware of the existence of marijuana smokers while at university. I admit that I considered them imbeciles, idiots with a certain aversion to personal hygiene who were just trying to attract attention. Another interesting quality exhibited by the human part of this half-retarded animal species was their notorious inability to use a razor with any type of regularity.”

NATIVE AMERICANS CONFISCATE MEDICAL CANNABIS

Type: Autoflowering Indica/ Sativa 90/10. Yield: 400 /450grams per m2 indoors. Outdoors 60 to 100 grams per plant. Lifecycle: from seed to harvest, 60 to 65 days indoors and max. 75 days outdoors. Outdoors in colder regions Northern latitude: Start in May/ June and finish in July/ August. In warmer areas multiple harvests are possible. Effect : Long lasting intense stoned effect , relaxing and medical. Aroma /Taste: sweet & spicy. THC: 15-18% Photo: Paradise Seeds

Pandora

Pandora is a novelty in automatic blooming varieties. The automatic genes are preserved but other than that she is a real Indica variety along the lines of Afghani, Spoetnik and Sensi Star. The plants are compact and so are the aromatic buds. Pandora is a medium sized plant, approximately 90 cm indoors to 1.20 tall outdoors. The plants will yield a firm amount of long sized compact buds, topped with a big layer of resin. The leaf to calyx ratio is ideal for quick manicuring. The overall effect is powerful and long lasting. This variety is possibly the best choice when you want to harvest early and in Mediterranean areas even have multiple harvests per season!

In the US state of Arizona, about 18,000 residents are authorized to use cannabis for medicinal purposes. This authorization also allows them to carry a small quantity of their medicine in their cars, a right

which, however, is not recognised by the Maricopa Pima tribe. Medical cannabis users who drive through their reservation risk being stopped by Indian cops, who apparently see medical smokers as a source of income. There have been several complaints about drivers being randomly stopped, with both marijuana and cars are confiscated. A smoke sign that definitely shouldn’t be underestimated.

FORMER CAMBODIAN ANTI-DRUG CZAR BECOMES PUSHER It’s unknown how many people he put behind bars in his life, but former Cambodian anti-drug czar Moek Dara

Not only are cannabis strains more and more often named after celebrities, these celebrities are getting younger and younger! Singer Beyoncé and rapper JayZ’s little girl, Blue Ivy, was less than two weeks old when California cannabis shops began selling a strain named after her:

OG Blue Ivy. Of course, nobody asked the celebrity couple’s permission but, as they don’t hold the copyright on their daughter’s name, it’s improbable that they could take legal action in the matter.

SINÉAD O’CONNOR’S WEDDING NIGHT The tabloids worked overtime following singer Sinéad O’Connor’s extremely brief marriage with a certain Barry Herridge. The bald-headed Irish nightingale dissolved her marriage after just seven days. On her website, she laid the main blame for the break-up on certain people close to her ex who were against the marriage. But apparently, an incident which took place on their wedding night also played an important role in the marriage dissolving. The lady wanted to smoke a joint, so the couple left their Las Vegas hotel to visit a dangerous area of the city where “we were given some crack”. And that proved to be a bit too much for Mr. Herridge.

higher yields are possible.

pass it on!

www.plagron.com

Attention Readers! Fancy a FREE packet of FEMINISED seeds from DINAFEM? Then send us a picture of your grow room or best cannabis plant, including a visible copy of Soft Secrets, and we’ll send you 3 seeds. Should your photo happen to feature your beautiful wife or girlfriend wearing a sexy microbikini or super hot lingerie, you will receive 6 seeds. Photo of the Month will even receive 9 prime quality feminised seeds. With compliments of Soft Secrets and DINAFEM!

FROM A READER IN FRANCE A cheeky outdoor effort, get some canes to support those stems or you’ll lose them in the breeze! Kush #1 on hydro. Very pleased with an average of 6.8 per plant! ANONYMOUS Good work on the hydro mate, some chunky main colas there. Trim those leaves back next time so we can get a good close up of those buds…. and a close up of your good lady would be much appreciated!

E-mail your entries to SSUK@softsecrets.nl. NOTE: All entries are handled with the utmost discretion. We don’t publish out of focus pics, and we don’t like photos of plants in veg stage. It’s fat buds & sweet babes we want to see!

E-mail: SSUK@softsecrets.nl

ANONYMOUS Very healthy, lovely dark green leaves. Buds are small, but perfectly formed… just like your lady.

My 6 month pregnant step daughter

Woah! Where are you gonna put those ladies when they flower? You’re running out of headroom!

Hi guys just had my first crop and have only just started to read the paper and has come in very handy with hints and tips for my next crop which will be up and running soon will keep up the amazing work MATT, SOUTH WALES Stellar effort for a first time Matt, there’s plenty of bud on there for the size of the plant – it’s a beefy bonsai! Maybe allow for a longer veg period on the next go and let those roots fill the pot.

High to Soft Secrets & friends! Just want to say how much I love Soft Secrets, I have learnt so much over the years from it. From growing tips to hash & oil making plus getting all the latest legal news & stories from all over the world. It’s great that you can read it online too as two of the team are based down south & doesn’t have a local grow shop to pick a copy up from. Here are some pics of my old garden. I grew many different strains, but these are some of the best pics. The purple plants are Purple Wreck by Reserva Privada the multi-coloured plants are Blueberry #1 by Doggies Nuts seeds, the ‘sunset’ pic is of El Nino by Green House & the other pic is Trainwreck by Green House. Some of the strains in the pic of the the room are Lemon Skunk, Blue Cheese, LA Confidential, Jorges Diamonds & G13 Haze. I prefer to grow in soil & hand water as I think you get more flavor than if grown in hydro & though hand watering takes longer than an auto system (esp when you have 42 plants in 11 ltr pots!) I find you get to know your plants better. I used Atami ATA Terra leaves & Terra Max, ATA Zyme, PK 13-14 & Bloombastic with six 600watt HPS lights in the flower room & a 150watt HPS & a 250watt CFL in the veg room. Keep up the good work so we can too! THE PSCHOTROPIC KIDS, DIRTY LEEDS (& DOWN SOUTH)

Nice bit of Blueberry x Skunk #11 grew under a 600 watt HPS using old school optimum and ton ov bud plus heavies first attempt any info welcome. ANONYMOUS Christmas has come early! That tree just needs some tinsel and some presents under it…. Oh wait, there’s a present by the side! Nice thick main cola, keep up the good work.

Welcome to the jungle! Ahhh, the joys and camaraderie of a co-operative grow, good to hear that you still keep in touch with the whole team. We feel you on the hydro v. soil taste comment; how about a compromise? Run hydro under two lights for the easy maintenance and extra yield – still use all those Atami stims and just swap the Terra for AWA nutrients. Then run four lights over soil and use an organic feeding plan – just for the taste of it! Nice pose by the way guys.

8 Grown under 525 watts of envirolights KEITH Hats off for persevering with the CFL’s matey. Take the plunge with a 400w HPS next time and you’ll pull twice that, if heat is an issue then upgrade your outtake fan.

The Cheese from a Scottish grower What a sparkler! Looks like it could go a little longer and fatten out.

Living in Spain? Do an outdoor crop. It would be rude not to! Excellent use of a raised bed and that white wall will reflect light nicely onto the plants, as well as hiding the crop from prying eyes.... not that you’d be able to focus on anything with that hot piece sitting there!

FROM OUR INTERNATIONAL READERS

From a happy camper from France These girls haven’t filled their pots before being switched to flower, make sure your veg times match your pot size – otherwise you’re just wasting soil and nutrients. Your girlfriend is lovely, so all is forgiven!

More happy shiny readers from France Holy shit. We’re moving to France… Au Revoir!

PRODUCT FLASH

ALL-IN-ONE FERTILISER BASED ON BAT MANURE BAT GUANO BY PLAGRON: THE ULTIMATE TREAT FOR YOUR PLANTS Every night, nature is busy making the most nutritious fertiliser we know: bat guano, or pure bat manure, is the ultimate organic plant treatment. The term ‘guano’ originates from Peru, and is used to distinguish the nutrient-rich waste produced by cormorants, pelicans and other seabirds from other useless bird excrement. Bat guano is the best, most balanced fertiliser nature has to offer. Plagron Bat Guano is found in caves deep in the jungles of Cuba, the Philippines and Indonesia, excreted at night by hunting bats. Because the bats live deep in the caves the fertiliser is protected against sun and wind and remains active for longer. Plagron analyses every batch of Bat Guano that arrives in the Netherlands and compiles the ultimate mix. The best of two continents in a single product!

Full of organic elements Every plant will feel in top form because of the presence of countless active organic

AUTOFLOWERING-SUPERMIX

substances and the extremely high nitrogen and phosphorus level in Bat Guano (NPK 3-15-4). The fertiliser also contains useful fungi and bacteria that protect the plant. All these elements aid strong root development and rapid growth, but also abundant flowering and therefore excellent yields. When growing in open ground, use 600 to 800 g per 10 square metres. If you grow plants in potting soil use 30 to 40 g per 100 litres. Rake the Bat Guano through the topsoil and water the soil afterwards for extra fast effects.

Total package Bat Guano stimulates root formation and the growth of soil organisms, promotes healthy growth and flowering and excellent fragrance and flavour. Visit www.plagron.com for more information and to download the new Plagron catalogue.

fiber bricks or bags or the ready substrate Bio Nova Soilmix A-Quality. Autoflowering SuperMix has a NPK ratio of 5-2-5, a bit different from the other Supermixes to adapt to the specific needs of the autoflowering plants. The trace elements are also adjusted and the addition of fermented algae guarantees a top result.

ORGANIC/MINERAL FERTILIZER The name says it all: this is a one-component SuperMix, specially formulated for autoflowering plants, with no specific need for longer or shorter daylight periods in order to start their flowering cycle. This type of plant becomes more and more interesting because it produces beautiful flowers from seeds in around 60 days, and does not need a whole lot of experience to work with. From a technological point of view it is easier to come to nice results with these type of plants than with plants that are depending on long or short light periods for their flowering cycle. Because Bio Nova stands for new developments, a specially formulated fertilizer was created with these plants in mind, for easiness , simplicity and economy . AutoFlowering-Supermix works in the same way as the already existing Bio Nova SuperMixes and can just be fitted into our existing Schedules. Since the third week, when flowering starts, PK 13-14 as Superbloomer should be combined with Autoflowering-SuperMix along the flowering period. That would be the basics. Of course with Bio Nova we have further options and for more dedicated growers you have Roots for the first weeks and our boosters X-ceL , The MissingLink and our finaliser Vitrasol make a good team with Autoflowering-SuperMix. If growing in medium pots, Bio Nova substrates are the perfect choice, our Coco

This fertilizer consists of: - macro elements such as NO3, NH4, NH2, SO4, P, K, Ca, Mg and Si. - chelated micro elements such as Fe, Mn, Zn, B, Cu and Mo - vitalising organic extracts from algae and herbs. Organic additives to AutoFlowering Supermix like fermented algae and herbs featuring: - stimulating of plant’s own hormone production and immune system, promoting a lower disease rate. - strengthening the root system - Cleaning the drip-emitter systems - braking down of died off roots in available nutrients - preserving and stimulating beneficial microorganisms - sustainable: usable in recirculation systems All of the elements mentioned above are 100 % pure and free of any profuse ingredients. Therefore this fertilizer is absorbed directly and easily. AutoFloweringSuperMix enhances an optimal substrat condition, actively stimulates root development and provides as a complete fertilizer for both growing- and floweringperiod. DOSAGE: continuously, mix in 40-50 ml. per 10 litres of water. In the first week of the growth a small dosage suffices. Build up from 20 ml. to 40 ml. during that period. From the second week the maximum dosage should be applied. Dosage PK 13-14: start with 2 ml. in the second week and build up to 10 ml. per 10 litres. In areas with a low calcium-value (soft water) Ca 15 should be added. www.bionova.nl

From just plain simple to highly sophisticated, all Bio Nova ways are incredibly effective.

You decide which way to grow!

Would you like to grow things, but lack a green thumb? No problem! Use The Basic Way and be overwhelmed by the success of your effortless input! Are you a passionate grower who wants high quality? Use The Dedicated Way of growing, it will blow your mind! Or are you that perfectionist, who knows exactly what he is doing and why? The Professional Way will be your path to ultimate satisfaction!

www.bionova.nl | Distributors United Kingdom: Mariner Packaging Company Ltd. - Progrow Scotland

Your green companion in every way!

OUTDOOR 2012

for taking advantage of solar heat and light collection. When larger cloches cover entire rows of plants, they are known as high tunnels or row covers.

by Grubbycup

The Spring Equinox for the Northern Hemisphere is around March 20th, when both the days and nights are about 12 hours long. The nights then get progressively longer until around June 21st when for much of the United States the days get to approximately 14.5 hours long. After that, they get shorter again until the Autumn Equinox when the days and nights are again 12 hours each. Since cannabis plants set out under 12-12 lighting will flower, outdoor gardeners (unless looking for a quick spring crop) wait until mid April or May to set out their plants, outdoor conditions permitting. Even when outdoor conditions aren’t ideal, the growing season can often be started during this with the use of cloches, hoop houses, cold frames, hotboxes, greenhouses, or hothouses. Sunlight is comprised of a wide range of electromagnetic radiation. Plants make use of both visible light (for photosynthesis), and infrared (heat). Full summer sunlight has approximately 400-450 watts of visible light, and over 500 watts of infrared energy per square meter. In comparison, a 400 watt HPS light is about 20% efficient for visible light, so it would take 5 to 6 per square meter to get the equivalent visible light, and there would be a huge excess of infrared. Even the mighty 1,000 watt HIDs would need 2 or 3 per square meter to bring the same light indoors. Outdoor gardens enjoy free light and heat, which can greatly reduce the expense in the cost of growing your smoke. By capturing and storing available heat, growing seasons can be extended even if outdoor temperatures are below a plant’s tolerance. One simple way to trap the heat from the sun is to paint an object black. A black object will absorb more infrared radiation than a white object will. White will reflect much of the heat (and light), and thus stay cooler in comparison. Sunlight striking a black surface will release its infrared radiation into the surface warming it and its contents. Soil solorization is uses this principle to raise soil temperatures high enough to kill most weed seeds and other pathogens. Black sheets of plastic are used to cover soil under summer sunlight. The sunlight heats the plastic, and the air trapped under it, bringing temperatures high enough to kill most seeds and many harmful disease spores.

While black is an ideal color for collecting and storing solar heat, it is opaque to (it blocks) visible light. Covering a plant with a sheet of black plastic would help keep it warm, but the plant would die from lack of visible light. Since plants need both visible light and infrared radiation to survive, the material covering the plants should not only be at least semi opaque to infrared light, but transparent to visible light. If an elevated transparent material is used, the amount of heat that is collected and trapped is reduced, but the visible light that plants need to grow can

a net gain, and internal temperature will rise. In this way, the structure can absorb heat during the day, and release it during the cold hours of night. The smaller the area covered, the less buffered temperature fluctuations are. A small object heated by the sun will cool faster than a large object heated by the sun due to the difference in mass. So cloches will not store heat as well overnight as a full greenhouse will. Small cloches can help protect small spring seedlings. Originally made of glass; these bell shaped domes were

A small, rigid framed structure that uses this same principle is a cold frame. A sturdier and more permanent version of a cloche’ cold frames are usually wooden sided boxes with transparent tops. Light passes through to the plants, but some of the heat is trapped inside. Cold frames can be used to start seedlings before transplanting outside, or used as a staging area for indoor grown plants to help them harden off. By placing indoor grown plants into a protected cold frame, environmental changes can be introduced in steps, reducing the likelihood of shock. A greenhouse is larger, clear-walled version of a cold frame. A greenhouse that functions well enough to maintain growing temperatures in winter months either through efficiency or additional heat sources is known as a hothouse. Winter cannabis gardens

TO MAKE AN INEXPENSIVE CLOCHE FOR A SINGLE SEEDLING, CUT THE BOTTOM OFF OF A 2 LITER CLEAR PLASTIC SODA BOTTLE, AND USE TO COVER pass though. This is why glass, plastic sheeting, and other clear materials are used when trapping solar radiation for plants. As long as the structure absorbs heat faster than it loses heat, it will enjoy

placed on seedlings to protect them. Today, most cloches are made of plastic. To make an inexpensive cloche for a single seedling, cut the bottom off of a 2 liter clear plastic soda bottle, and use to cover. Careful use of a hot soldering iron can make neat holes in the sides. This can help protect the tender sprout from the elements, and the cloche will help keep it warm and humid inside. A larger cloche can be made for a section of the garden by building a simple frame, and covering it with transparent poly sheeting. This style of cloche is often homemade using a simple wooden or PVC frame. Hoop houses are a common style of large cloche, and can be made at home. To make a hoop house wooden boards or PVC are bent into “D” shapes, and then raised into place and attached to each other. This frame is used to hold an outer transparent layer of sheeting. Southern or Southeastern exposures are well suited

often are either started indoors, and moved out to the greenhouse for flowering, or additional lights are used to prevent flowering while plants grow vegetatively in the greenhouse. An advantage to greenhouses, is that not only can they be used to warm plants in cooler months, they can be cooled to reduce the internal temperatures in summer. Greenhouses often have windows that can be opened to release excess heat in the summer, and sometimes fans are added for greater control. Greenhouses can range in size from a handful of feet to huge commercial warehouse sized structures. The pest that walks on two legs prevents many gardeners from taking advantage of natural sunlight in their gardens, but for those fortunate enough to be able to use it, simple greenhouse technology can give plants in less than idea environments a way to make use of the sun.

STRAIN REPORT

INDICA AT ITS BEST!

Wappa (feminised) The indica strain Wappa entered the seed market in 2006, when Paradise Seeds came up with a “six pack” of six new feminised strains. Paradise Seeds has an excellent reputation in terms of feminised seeds, so the grower was curious whether it would be Words & Pics: - G.B.I confirmed by Wappa, too. Paradise Seeds describes Wappa as a stout-statured and stable pure indica strain, the low height of which makes it a good choice for gardeners with limited growing space. It’s available as a feminised strain only. For producing feminised Wappa seeds, pollen is obtained from a female manipulated to produce male flowers and applied to a female plant so that all of the resulting Wappa seeds will become female. It has a flowering time of 55-60 days. When forced to flower at 30 cm, it doubles in size by maturity, producing big chunky colas (yield potential: 400-500 g/m2) that fill the air with sweet aromas of fruits and sugar, or also marshmallows, as reported by some people. Untypical of an indica strain, Wappa has a high calyx-to-leaf ratio which makes it a breeze to manicure. Also unusual for an indica is the fact that Wappa has a light green leaf colour, and in addition, its leafs are sharper serrated than those of other indicas. Also, Wappa’s high provides a surprising effect – even though she is a pure indica, she does not weigh the body down, it’s a non-couchlock and non-stupor indica that delivers “an active, aware body vibe, more conducive to merrymaking than couch surfing”, according to Paradise Seeds. They even promise “it is a luminous high that nudges open the doors of perception” – thanks to a high THC content of 15-18%.

Flower production exploded Wappa also has a good outdoor performance, she adapts well to the climates of Northern Europe, such as Belgium or Holland, but she really goes strong in sunnier and warmer regions like France,

Italy or Spain, yields of up to 500 grams per plant are possible. A grower called “The Doc” germinated three feminised Wappa seeds (only three because he also tested a fewer other varieties at the same time) in order to get a first impression of the Wappa strain. All of the seeds sprouted perfectly and the seedlings were grown under two 125 W CFL lights (6400 K) during the first two weeks. The seedlings were transplanted to 11 litre pots filled with Plagron Standard Mix. After two weeks, The Doc replaced the CFLs with two Planta Star 600 Watts high pressure sodium lamps and one with 400 Watts. That certainly was an extremely copious amount of wattage for The Doc’s grow room with an area of a few square meters. Without a doubt, Wappa would enjoy optimum growing conditions in that light paradise. After the third week in the vegetative stage, at a height of 30-40 cm and a width of already more than 40 cm, the first side branches slipped through the huge leafs from below. The three Wappa plants grew very homogeneously and bushy, producing many long side branches within a short time, something that is also rarely seen on indica plants. After four weeks in the vegetative stage – the plants had kept on growing vigorously, having reached a height of 50-60 cm The Doc induced flowering by reducing the light period from 18/6 (day/night) to 12/12 and replaced the Planta Star lights with two 600 Watts Osram Son-T Plus and one with 400 Watts. Already two weeks later, flower cluster formation had started at the plant tips. The numerous side branches kept on stretching in the first weeks of flowering, and so did the whole plants, also further increasing in width. After four weeks in the flowering stage, the plants had reached a height of about 100 cm, having become luscious globe cannabis plants that raised the expectation of a bumper harvest, the more so as the buds where about becoming very big, dense and long.

on one plant was the fact that it even outmatched the high resin content of the other two plants. Also the fruity sweet aroma was the same with each plant. The plants didn’t exhibit any male flowers, the feminisation quality of Wappa seemed to prove the good reputation of Paradise Seeds once again, although three plants cannot be considered as representative in general of course. All the three plants – which had grown to a height of about 120 cm in the end could be harvested between the eighth an nineth week of flowering, which was in line with the flowering time data stated by Paradise Seeds. After the buds had been dried, The Doc happily took 312 grams off the scales, a yield that did fulfill the high harvest expectations. And there also was plenty of resinous leaf mate-

Strain Genetics: Vegetative stage: Flowering stage: Medium: pH: EC: Lights:

Temperature:

Mental candyfloss At the end of the fourth week of flowering, the buds were already coated with a shimmering resin layer. After five weeks, flower production kind of exploded, the buds tremendously increased in size and density. Also in the flowering stage, there was a great deal of uniformity, there were no different phenotypes, even the flower structure was identical on all the three plants. The only difference found

Air humidity: Watering: Fertilisation: Additives: Height: Yield:

rial for being used in the Ice-O-Lator. Wappa’s high was as strong as expected, it had a quick onset and lasted for many hours, having a pleasant body relaxing effect which, indeed, was not paralysing – The Doc still could move easily and was mentally present, being densely enwrapped in mental candyfloss though, he was heavily stoned but also felt a lot of euphoria. Wappa’s smell and flavour also fully convinced him, the buds provided a mild and sweet smoke with nice subtle fruity undertones. For The Doc, Wappa easily ranks amongst the best strains of Paradise Seeds. With a price of 30 Euros for five feminised seeds and 55 Euros for ten, Wappa furthermore has a very good value for money – undoubtedly, this is indica at its best in any respect.

Wappa 100% Indica Here: 4 weeks 8-9 weeks Plagron Standard Mix (soil mix) 6.0–6.5 Vegetative stage: 1.2–1.6 mS Flowering stage: 1.6-2.0 mS 1st half of vegetative stage: 2x 125 Watt CFL (6400K) 2nd half of vegetative stage: 2x Planta Star 600 W + 1x 400 W Flowering stage: 2x Osram Son T plus 600 W + 1x 400 W Vegetative stage: 22-24°C (day) Flowering stage: 24-28°C (day) Night: 18-19 °C Vegetative stage: 40–60% Flowering stage: max. 50% by hand HeSi Bloom Complex, also HeSi Phosphor Plus from the 4th week of flowering Nitrozyme, HeSi Boost and Root Complex, Enzyme about 120 cm 312 grams

OUTDOOR 2012

Having an indoor garden is great; you can grow whatever strain you like, have full control over your plants environment and it’s a fun hobby to have! But what about utilising that great big grow lamp in the sky? Growing outside in the UK is easier than you think and it’s a chance to By Little Lebowski get out in the great outdoors with the added excitement of getting your grow on guerrilla style! Growing outdoors in the UK is absolutely possible, the success of your crop will depend on a number of factors; like the strain of cannabis used, the latitude of where you are in the country, the location of your grow spot and – of course – the weather. Latitude is represented by a number which simply refers to a location on the globe relative to the equator. The lower the number is; the closer that location is to the equator. The latitude of the UK ranges from 59 in the north of Scotland, to 49 in the very south of England. Broadly speaking, the closer to the equator you are, the better the climate will be for growing cannabis.

To find out the latitude for your location, use a tool like Google Earth or simply put your location into Google Maps; right click on the area you are interested in and select ‘What’s here?’ from the menu – the co-ordinates will be added to the map. These latitude co-ordinates can be helpful when picking your strain. If you’re planning on a guerrilla outdoor crop, then April is considered the best time to start, this is when the warmer temperatures should be with us and there is less likelihood of frosts (although anything is possible in the UK!). The outdoor growing season lasts from April through to November, with the majority of strains ready to harvest from mid to

late October. You will get one crop during this growing period. Seeds should be sown in early April, so that they are ready for moving outdoors from mid-May to early June. Start them indoors under a regular propagation light or even on the window sill or greenhouse. As you get closer to the date that they will transplanted to your grow spot, harden them off outdoors; increase the amount of time they spend outside to get them acclimatised to the outside temperatures. The plants will vegetate through the months of May and June and will be triggered into the flowering photo period after the summer solstice – the longest day of the year – this is when the amount of daylight hours gets progressively shorter and the plants instinct is to put out flowers – buds – in order to reproduce. Most strains will take between 8 and 12 weeks to finish flowering, meaning that crops will be ready to harvest between the end of September to the start of November. To check out the number of daylight hours for your grow spot, check out a calendar website like timeanddate.com; this allows you to pick a specific region in the UK.

Do – Take the time to pick your site When growing outdoors, you should take the same approach as growing indoors – keep your crop as secret and well hidden as you possibly can; you do not want anybody to stumble across your grow, so make sure it isn’t on a well-trodden public footpath! For yield, the absolute best growing site would be a flat, open field, but – obviously - this isn’t secure, unless you own a few hundred acres!! Wasteland, scrubland and woodland can all provide excellent spots. Use the landscape to your advantage, a tall hedgerow will hide your crop nicely, swathes of nettles will do the same, natural clearings within heavily wooded areas also provide perfect grow spots. Remember that you should only visit your grow spot when absolutely necessary. Think of it this way, every time you visit you are drawing more attention to your spot and increasing the likelihood that it’ll be found. It is entirely possible to get away with just four visits throughout the entire cycle;

1. To plant out, water in and set up your plant protection

2. To give them a feed during the veg stage

For all you gardeners out there considering a UK guerrilla grow, here’s a list of Do’s and Don’ts…..

3. To give them a feed during the flowering stage

4. To harvest and clean up

19 You can plant out as late early June and still pull a harvest at the start of November, so don’t risk it.

Don’t - Put all your eggs in one basket Your outdoor grow spot isn’t dependant on regular visits from you to thrive, so rather than transplanting 30 plants out to one area, you should play the numbers game and pick more than one spot to grow in. Spread the love, have two or three grow spots on the go and expect to lose one of them to thieves or pests, then you’ll secure yourself a decent outdoor crop.

Don’t - Waste your money on nutrients

You’ll only need to physically water your plants if the UK is experiencing a severe drought, i.e. no rain for 3-4 weeks.

Do – Plan ahead Ideally, start looking for potential grow spots the year before you want to do the actual grow. Visit as frequently as you can during the months that your intended grow will be there – May to October – see how the landscape and foliage changes throughout the growing season. Ask yourself the following questions; Will the foliage over grow my plants and block out light? Will the foliage drop back and leave my plants exposed to passers-by? Who visits the area; dog walkers, ramblers, crop stealing pikeys? What animal life is apparent in the vicin-

ity? Rabbits and deer will eat your crop if it’s not protected. Grows that are started ‘off the cuff’ without planning will carry more risk, but just use your common sense and check for signs of human activity; fresh litter, dog shit, hedges with straight edges, these are all signs that other people are visiting the site. If you intend to plant straight into the ground, check the pH of the soil. The ideal pH is roughly 6-7, if the pH of your spot is not within this range then you can treat it in the 3 months prior to setting up your grow; add lime to raise the pH or sulphur to lower it. You can also mix multi-purpose compost into the soil if you wish. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have enough drying space at home for your potential harvest. If you usually only do 4 plants indoors, don’t kid yourself that you’ll use the same drying space for 20 outdoor grown plants. Remember that outdoor plants will, potentially, be much larger than your usual indoor crop and you don’t want to be manicuring your harvest at your grow spot. Make sure you have the space to do it home…. and do it discreetly!

Do – Try to find a south facing plot Ideally, your plants will need 5-7 hours of direct sunlight per day. This will be achieved with a south facing grow spot. It’s a good idea to visit a potential spot throughout the day and watch the sun’s position – or just take a couple of joints and a good book down and stay there for the whole day! The more direct sunlight the plants get, the better the yields you’ll harvest. You can also use mapping tools on the web to try and determine if your plot receives a decent amount of sun. A program like google earth is great as it allows you to check out satellite imagery of your plot. If your plot faces towards the bottom of the web page, then it’s facing south. If it faces more

towards the top of the web page then it’s north facing and won’t receive a decent amount of sun. Morning dew will tend to get trapped in buds and may form mould over time, so direct sun from as early in the day as possible will minimise the moisture trapped in your outdoor buds and will reduce the risk of bud rot.

Do – Pick the right strain The majority of seedbanks have a range that they recommend for outdoor growing, and the well informed banks will even mention a recommended latitude range in which to grow each strain. Growers in certain areas of the UK have preferred strains and it’s always a good idea when you’re first starting out to sow a few different strains to see which one performs best. There are literally hundreds of strains to choose from, a few to look at that have a proven track record in UK outdoor grows are Durban Poison, Passion No.1 and Northern Lights. It’s also worth taking a look into some of the auto-flowering strains available. These plants will flower from seedling under any lighting conditions and

do not require a specific light cycle. They’ll take around 3 months to finish, which means that if you’re growing from late April to late October, you could potentially get two harvests in. Although yield per plant will not be as high as a regular plant, it’s still worthwhile having a few on the go for a mid-summer harvest.

Do - Take your dog with you If you’ve got a dog (and it’s fairly obedient) take it with you, you’ll look far less suspicious wandering around a remote area with a dog than you will if you’re just on your own!

Unless you’re using solid containers or grow bags, your plants will grow down into the natural soil below them. You can enhance this natural soil using an organic, slow-release additive during your feeding visits at the veg and the flowering stages – try worm castings during veg and bat guano during flower. There is no point investing in mineral feeds and additives as they will quickly leach into the soil after it has rained.

Don’t – Forget about pests When you’re growing outdoors, you’re never going to eradicate insects. There’s very little point in spraying for pests as you’re not going to visit the spot often enough to maintain treatments. However, two pests that you will need to protect against are rabbits and slugs. The latter can be sorted out with simple pellets, reapplied to your spot during each visit.

And finally, the don’ts…. Don’t – Tell anyone what you are doing This is fairly obviously but, as with

indoor growing, if you’ve taken precautions and been successful in hiding your grow; then the most likely way of getting found out is by telling someone. Even the closest of friends can get tempted by the prospect of a free harvest, so keep your mouth shut.

Don’t - Risk the frosts A sure-fire to wreck your perfectly propagated plants is to put them outside too early, they will not last the frosts.

Rabbits need to be kept away from your plants using a physical barrier; the best method is to make a ‘tube’ of chicken wire – around a foot in diameter – that can be placed around each plant. This will be enough to keep the pesky bunnies at bay whilst the plants are small and vulnerable. Don’t – Forget to clean up after yourself A good grow spot can be utilised for years, don’t draw attention to it by leaving plant waste, chicken wire or compost bags there after you have harvested. Clean up after you have cropped and – fingers crossed - it’ll be waiting for you next season. Happy Guerrilla Growing!

BOOK REVIEWS Text: Grubbycup

ED ROSENTHAL MARIJUANA PEST & DISEASE CONTROL REVIEW Marijuana Pest & Disease Control by Ed Rosenthal is a new book from Quick American Publishing the gives detailed information about the most common unwelcome visitors to a viper’s garden. The book has two parts, one for the problems, and one for the problem solvers. The old adage “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” holds especially true for garden pests. Good housekeeping practices can avoid many problems before they start, and this book explains how. Healthy plants are more disease and insect resistant, and proper nutrition is a key to healthy plants. Basic nutrition is explained, and photos illustrate common nutrient deficiencies. Then a menagerie twenty one vicious marauders is described in detail. Gardeners prone to nightmares may wish to read this section only in small doses. Diseases, fungi, insects, and crit-

ters can all pose a threat, and each is given space between these pages. The most common garden threats (except for the one that walks on two legs) are covered, from ants to whiteflies. Information about lifecycles, behavior, identification and treatment suggestions are included for each. The writing is straightforward and easy to follow; the photos are helpful in visualizing the topics. One thing I learned, with much amusement, was the proper name of “Grey Mold” or “Bud Rot” is Botryotinia fuckeliana, appropriately enough as any gardener who has been fuckelianaed by it can attest to. More sobering was learning that not only can cannabis catch the dreaded Tobacco Mosaic Virus, but that smoking infected tobacco nearby can be a source for infection, no more smoking in the garden. But every good story needs a happy ending, and the second part of the

book explains how to get rid of these terrors of the garden. Physical defenses such as fences or netting, natural and chemical pesticides, and biological agents can all be used to help protect and treat problems. Advice is given on pesticide alternatives, including several recipes for those that want to whip up a batch of Garlic Spray or other homemade cure. The biological controls section details beneficial critters than can be enlisted as a defending force. One of the disadvantages to growing outside is the additional exposure to larger pests like deer and rats, and the last control section is devoted to such outdoor specific problems. I’ll keep this book handy as a reference, but I hope not to need it often for my own garden. I enjoyed reading it, and know more about these pests and their treatments for doing so. Appropriate for novice through expert gardeners.

Being prepared allows for a faster response; with this book and a little advance reading and planning you can be prepared for an unpleasant invasion, and hopefully rise victorious.

MEL THOMAS CANNABIS CULTIVATION REVIEW Mel Thomas’ Cannabis Cultivation from Green Candy Press is a nice overview suitable for beginning to intermediate gardeners. Written by London’s own “Mr. Big”,

this third edition has over 300 color pages, detailing a variety of cannabis topics.

colorful background is evident in his tips on avoiding detection and prosecution.

pruning and training tips to maximize the use of available space.

Mr. Thomas was arrested in 1996 for a 200’ x 30’ indoor garden that produced hundreds of pounds of bud per year, and in Cannabis Cultivation, he shares his practical experience and real world knowledge with the reader. Mr. Thomas’ commercial growing background shows in his no nonsense approach to marijuana gardening. The information is presented in a casual tone, with the underlying scientific theory explanations kept to a minimum. It is more a book about making the most out of a garden, and having a successful harvest, than a college text on the topic.

Electrical needs, and different methods if acquiring it are addressed, including generators and photovoltaic solutions. Lighting systems described include not only the standard fluorescent and high intensity discharge options, but also alternative lighting technologies including LEDs, Sulfur Plasma, and light movers.

Harvesting tips guide the gardener toward collecting the type of bud they want, early for a high, late for a heavier smoke.

Starting with an introduction to the cannabis plant, and chapters on security and location selection, the book covers all the major topics of cultivation, including hydroponic indoor gardening, greenhouses grows, and outdoor fields. The author’s

An entire chapter is devoted to organic cultivation, and includes recipes for homemade potting soil. The section on hydroponic cultivation describes the different hydroponic styles well enough for a handy gardener to understand well enough to build. For example, the soda bottle tube system can be made with empty 2 liter bottles and a trip to the hardware store. Compact cultivation beats not having any smoke, and techniques and tips for smaller grows is included, along with

As a nice bonus to a book on growing cannabis, there are also chapters on THC extraction and cannabis consumption. Different methods of hash making are explained, as well as instructions for a homemade tumbler. The chapter on medical cannabis lists several ailments that cannabis has been used to treat over the years. The history of cannabis and humans goes back thousands of years, and the reader is treated to some of the details on how it was used by ancient civilizations as well as contemporary methods of ingestion. Included are recipes for tinctures and edibles, enough to get started with.

® Feminised Seeds

Best Seeds Bank Expocannabis 2007

Cream Caramel

S.A.D. S1 Sweet Afgani Delicious

1 Prize Outdoor “Girl of the Year” Cannabis Champions 2011 Cup 2009

Jack Herer x Ak 47 Indica/Sativa: 25%-75%

1 Prize Indoor Bio Cannabis Champions Cup 2009

3s. 24,00€ 5s. 40,00€ 10s. 80,00€

x10

Also available in 2nd GENERATION AutoÀowering

Cream Caramel Auto 3s. 20,00€ 5s. 33,00€ 10s. 66,00€

3s. 18,50€ 5s. 30,50€ 10s. 61,00€

3s. 29,90€ 5s. 48,90€ 10s. 98,80€

Also available in 2nd GENERATION AutoÀowering

Cream Caramel x Ak 47 Indica/Sativa: 50%-50%

3s. 24,90€ 5s. 40,90€ 10s. 81,80€

Psicodelicia

Black Jack Auto

AXtRÀRweUinJ 100% IndRRU/OXtdRRU +aUvest: 9 weeks from germination +eiJKt: 40-110 cm

Cream 47 49,90 euros Big Foot Green Poison

S.A.D. S1 Black Jack Psicodelicia

3s. 28,50€ 5s. 47,50€ 10s. 95,00€

Mohan Ram

38,00 euros

Sweet Tai

Ice Cool

U.S.A Clone x Nepal’s Plant Indica/Sativa: 30%-70% 3s.19,50€ | 5s.32,50€ | 10s.65,00€

White Widow x S.A.D. S1 x1 Indica/Sativa: 85%-15% 3s.20,00€ | 5s.33,00€ | 10s.66,00€

Super Tai x Early Skunk x5 Indica/Sativa: 30%-70% 3s.17,50€ | 5s.29,00€ | 10s.58,00€

NYC Diesel x Nafarroa Diesel x5 Indica/Sativa: 40%-60% 3s.29,30€ | 5s.48,80€ | 10s.97,50€

Green Poison

Ganesh Spirit

Wild Rose

Sweet Cheese

Secrets Ingredients x3 Indica/Sativa: 70%-30% 3s.22,50€ | 5s.37,50€ | 10s.75,00€

Sativa clone from Northern India’s Mountains Indica/Sativa: 40%-60% 3s.15,50€ | 5s.25,80€ | 10s.51,00€

~ Collector Edition ~ Speccial Edittion &oOOe ectoU 1 1

~ Also available in our catalog~

Speciial Edittio on

AXtRÀRweUinJ 100% IndRRU/OXtdRRU +aUvest: 9 weeks from germination +eiJKt: 50-120 cm

Cream 47

3s. 19,50€ 5s. 32,50€ 10s. 65,00€

3s. 24,00€ 5s. 40,00€ 10s. 80,00€

Jack 47 Auto

Secrets Ingredients Indica/Sativa: 50%-50%

Black Domina x Jack Herer Indica/Sativa: 50%-50%

3s. 18,50€ AXtRÀRweUinJ 100% 5s. 30,70€ IndRRU/OXtdRRU +aUvest: weeks from germination 10s. 61,00€ 8+eiJKt: 40-90 cm

Big Foot

Also available in 3nd GENERATION AutoÀowering

S.A.D. Auto Sweet Afgani Delicious

3s. 33,00€ 5s. 55,00€ 10s. 110,00€

Also available in 2nd GENERATION AutoÀowering

AXtRÀRweUinJ 100% IndRRU/OXtdRRU +aUvest: 8 weeks from germination +eiJKt: 40-90 cm

Black Jack

Jack 47

Self-Pollination Black Domina Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%

Blue Black x Maple Leaf Indica x White Rhino Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%

'istUibXto in UK!

Best Seeds Bank Spannabis 2008

Rosetta Stone x Hog x2 Indica/Sativa: 35%-65% 3s.19,90€ | 5s.33,00€ | 10s.66,00€

Cheese x Black Jack Indica/Sativa: 30%-70% 3s.14,50€ | 5s.24,00€ | 10s.48,00€

6 seeds properly labeled (2 seeds for variety)

Speccial Edittion &oOOe ectoU 2 2

Speccial Edittion &oOOe ectoU 3 3

Speccial Edi dittion &oOOe ectoU 4

Spec cial Edit diitio on &oOOe ectoU 5

S.A.D. S1 40,00 Sweet Tai euros Cream Caramel

Mohan Ram 41,00 Double White euros Cream Caramel

Jack 47 50,00 Wild Rose euros Green Poison

Black Jack 35,00 Snow Fruit euros Sweet Cheese

Us 'istUibXto! in IUeOand

www.sweetseeds.es &/ 'U. Nicasio BenOOocK n 36-38 ā 46015 ā 9aOencia ā Espaxa ā 34 963 890 403 ā 34 963 473 730 / 34 963 404 289 :KoOesaOeUs ā )ax 34 961 934 843 SaOe pUoKibited to peopOe XndeU 18 \eaUs oOd. Seed IoU coOeccionist Xse excOXsiveO\. It s iOeJaO to Pake tKeP JeUPinate. TKe\ Ue not IoU aJUicXOtXUe pXUposes. &onsXOt Oaws aboXt cannabis apOied in \oXU pOace oI Uesidence. Sweet Seeds wiOO not be acoXntabOe IoU iOeJaO Xse oI tKis seeds done b\ tKiUd paUties.

MEDICAL MARIHUANA DOES MARIJUANA CAUSE OR CURE CANCER?

“CANCERGATE” In 2012, another large-scale study has confirmed that smoking marijuana is not harmful to the lungs. The U.S. government has spent about $1 trillion dollars to fight drugs, but is still unable to produce a single marijuana-use fatality to show that cannabis can Author: Sebastian Daniel be lethal or causes cancer. The Lancet, one of the world’s best-known and most respected medical journals, has stated as early as in 1995 that “the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health” and that “cannabis per se is not a hazard to society, but driving it further underground may well be.” The journal reminds that not only physicians but also chiefs of police support reforming the law. It states that, according to a Dutch government review, decriminalization of possession of soft drugs has not led to a rise in the use of hard drugs. The Lancet further claims that decriminalization is not enough: it has to be accompanied by controls on sources, distribution, and advertising, much as happens with tobacco. Interestingly, the same prestigious journal wrote about hemp more than a century ago. Queen Victoria’s personal physician praised the plant in the journal’s columns in 1890, recommending it for insomnia, nervous tics, asthma, and PMS. The queen herself used an extract. Marijuana smoke, like that of cigarettes, contains carcinogens, although, according to the US-based National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana has not been shown to cause lung cancer. Lung cancer scare tactics are widely used by the media, anyway - in order to justify cannabis prohibition, even though experts have not been able to show even one case of cancer caused by cannabis use alone. In 2006 a study by noted pulmonary researcher Dr. Donald Tashkin showed that not only does cannabis NOT cause lung cancer, but it appears to protect against it. Two years later a group of respected doctors felt compelled to write a letter citing Tashkin’s work to the European Respiratory Journal (Sept.2008) so as to debunk a widely publicized New Zealand study which claimed that smoking cannabis leads to an increased risk of lung cancer. Doctor Tashkin, an Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), presented the results of his study in an article, Marijuana Use and Lung Cancer: Results of a Case-Control Study. Tashkin found that smoking marijuana does not appear to increase the risk of lung cancer or head-and-neck malignancies, even among heavy users. The more tobacco a person smoked, the greater their risk of developing lung cancer and other cancers of the head and

neck. But people who smoked more marijuana were not at increased risk compared with people who smoked less and people who didn’t smoke at all. Marijuana use was associated with cancer risk ratios below 1.0, indicating that a history of marijuana smoking had no effect on the risk for respiratory cancers. In contrast, tobacco smoking had a 21-fold risk for cancer. What is also strange for a smokable drug, marijuana does not cause or potentiate emphysema in any way, states Dr Tashkin. He also noted that a single hit of marijuana has been known to stop a full blown asthma attack. The researcher was surprised to find that marijuana smoke opens the airways of the lungs (tobacco has the opposite effect). Doctor Tashkin has spent nearly 40 years investigating the harmful effects of smoke on the lungs and concludes that marijuana users have a lower risk of developing lung cancer than tobacco smokers; he has also found that regular marijuana smoking may in fact actually be associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer. Scientists believe this may be due to the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of some of its compounds.

At Brown University, another study with people who had head or neck cancers indicates those who had used cannabis for a decade or two were significantly less likely to develop these cancers than those who did not use cannabis. In fact, their rates of cancer were less than half the rate found among non-users. The study was published in Cancer Prevention Research in 2009. THC has been found to reduce tumor growth in common lung cancer by 50 percent and to significantly reduce the ability of the cancer to spread. Researchers at Harvard University have tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies and suggest that THC might be used in a targeted fashion to treat lung cancer. The study was published by the American Association for Cancer Research in 2007. According to another study from the same year at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, cannabidiol (CBD) may stop breast cancer from spreading throughout the body. Head researcher Dr Sean McAllister stated that CBD offers hope of a non-toxic therapy that could achieve the same results without any of the painful side effects of chemotherapy. The researchers say that CBD works by blocking the activity of a gene, which is believed to be responsible for a process called metastasis, the aggressive spread of cancer cells away from the original tumor site. CBD does not have any psychoactive properties so its use would not violate any laws, says Molecular Cancer

Therapeutics. The authors stressed that they were not suggesting patients smoke marijuana and that it would be highly unlikely that effective concentrations of CBD could be attained this way. Several cancer drugs based on plant chemicals are already used widely, such as vincristine – which is derived from a flower called the Madagascar Periwinkle and is used to treat breast and lung cancer. BBC News covered the story (“Cannabis compound ‘halts cancer’”). Past research has shown CBD can block aggressive human brain cancers. Scientists at Complutense University of Madrid found that chemicals in marijuana promote the death of brain cancer cells. The researchers discovered that cannabinoids had anticancer effects in mice with human brain cancer cells and in people with brain tumors. When mice with the human brain cancer cells received THC, the tumor shrank. After analysis of the brain tissue taken both before and after a 26- to 30-day THC treatment regimen, the researchers found that THC had eliminated cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact. Patients did not have any toxic effects from the treatment; previous studies of THC for the treatment of cancer have also found the therapy to be well tolerated. Biochemists Guillermo Velasco and Manuel Guzmán established that THC can kill cancer of the brain, skin, and pancreas, by generating programmed suicide in cancerous cells. In a trial of nine brain cancer patients whose disease had worsened despite standard therapy, the scientists found that THC injections into tumors were safe to give. Many other recent studies show promise that cannabis can actually combat cancer. Scientists are hoping for a new therapeutic approach. Cannabinoids selectively target cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth. Investigators at the respected Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden reported that cannabinoids may have inhibitory effects on tumor growth, angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), migration, metastasis and, remarkably, that these effects may be selective for cancer cells, while sparing normal cells and tissues. The scientists have come to the conclusion that such apparent tumor-cellselectivity makes the endocannabinoid system an attractive target for cancer therapy. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health have reported in the journal Cancer Research that the administration of cannabinoids halts the spread of a wide range of cancers, including brain cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, pancreatic cancer and lymphoma.

23 The research is long overdue. Scientists first learnt of such great possibilities in 1974 when University of Virginia researchers discovered that cannabis inhibited the growth of lung cancer cells (the study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in September 1975). However, the findings were ignored by the media and further studies were dis-

side the US, and the anti-cancer properties of cannabis became known again, thanks to pioneering work done by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam in Israel and Dr. Manuel Guzman in Spain. Mitch Earleywine, Associate Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York at Albany laments that the majority of this important work is originated outside the US, often in

medical evidence by saying that the cannabinoids found in marijuana may have a primary role in cancer treatment and prevention. The documentary film “What If Cannabis Cured Cancer?” (2010, directed by L. Richmond) summarizes the recent remarkable findings. According to Dr. Weil, this documentary presents “compelling evidence that our

GROWING YOUR OWN CANNABIS AS A WAY TO REDUCE HARM TO HEALTH AND SAFETY WAS ACCEPTED IN 2005 BY THE BELGIAN PARLIAMENT couraged by the government. Funding for studies was only available if the intent was to prove harmful effects. The US Government did a secret follow-up study on the Virginia findings 20 years later. When it confirmed the results of the 1974 research and showed that THC, when administered to mice, protected them against malignancy, the government attempted to bury the results once more. Fortunately, a draft copy of the study was leaked to the journal AIDS Treatment News, and the media covered the story. Paul Armentano, senior policy analyst for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about marijuana, does not hesitate to call this shameful part of modern US history a “Cancergate”. He states that we should not add a potential treatment for cancer to the evergrowing list of victims of marijuana prohibition. Cancer patients, their families and friends are becoming angry with the silent conspiracy and blame bureaucrats who for decades have been withholding research on a possible cure for them or their loved ones. Even non-users of marijuana express their doubts as to whether prohibiting cannabis is harmful to the progress of science. One can only wonder what drugs could already have been developed if the above mentioned trillion dollars had been put toward curing cancer instead of fighting the popular weed. Since statistics indicate 1 out of every 3 or 4 persons will confront cancer sometime in their lifetime (which averages out to every family being involved), these questions should be important to everybody. The taboo was more easily broken out-

countries that lack America’s economic and scientific advantages. Earleywine hopes that US drug policy won’t stymie the battle against the second leading cause of death. Doctor Andrew Weil, the founder and Program Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, educator and author of many popular medicine books, summed up the vast body of

current policy on cannabis is counterproductive and foolish”. The film makes the future of cannabis, and perhaps even the future of medicine, look much brighter in the years to come. Another reliable source of information is the chapter on cannabinoids and cancer in Integrative Oncology (Oxford University Press, 2009), a textbook Dr. Weil edited with the integrative oncologist Donald

Abrams. Hundreds of published cannabis and cancer studies can be found via the search engine PubMed. In 2011, there were over 100 research teams in hospitals and universities from at least 25 countries studying cannabinoids. Numerous patents have been filed by many major drug companies. Finally, the pharmaceutical industry begins to see the medical value of marijuana. In spite of its illegality and many blackmarket additives to the product, cannabis smoking is not thought to have a major public health impact on respiratory risks, including cancer. Growing your own cannabis as a way to reduce harm to health and safety was accepted in 2005 by the Belgian parliament because it had become clear that prohibition and the consequent impossibility of quality control, leads to the prevalence of bad quality products often laced with dangerous substances.

INCLUDING:

HIGHLIFE CUP, CANNABIS CANARIAS CUP, OIRTZUN CUP, REFLEX SOFT SECRETS CUP AND MORE... FOR UPDATES: CHECK

Facebook.com/RQSeeds Twitter.com/royalqueenseeds

WWW.ROYALQUEENSEEDS.COM TEL: +31 (0)73-5479916 ORDER@ROYALQUEENSEEDS.COM

GROW WITH LITTLE LEBOWSKI

Cloning: A Beginners Guide Sexual reproduction involves growing plants from seed. The seed will contain genetics from two or more plants. Just like in humans, the dominant genes will win out and the new plant will contain characteristics from the ‘parent plants’. In humans this dictates eye colour, facial features and height. In plants it dictates resistance to disease, yield capability and growth rates.

A HEALTHY ROOTED CLONE

Ever wished that your new crop behaved in the same way as your last? Wished that there was a way to predict how they will react and develop within your specific growing environment? There is a way; cloning! Unlike humans, plants have the ability to grow missing parts, because every cell within the plant contains the genetic information required to re-grow any part of the plant. Given the right conditions; stems can grow new roots, leaves can grow stems and roots, and roots can grow stems and leaves – incredible! You will have experienced your plants re-growing missing parts whenever you have pruned or topped your own plants. Pruning creates stress for the plant that triggers a hormonal response, leading to a flurry of new growth. Cloning is commonly done by taking cuttings. A small portion of stem and leaf is cut from the mother plant; the cut stem is dipped in a rooting hormone – usually a powder or gel – and then grown on. How Plants Reproduce Plants can reproduce in two ways; sexually and asexually.

Cannabis seed banks work long and hard to ensure that positive characteristics such as; strong growth, THC content and uniformity are dominant amongst the seeds that they sell. This ensures that the seeds you buy yield plants that are close to the description on the packet. Ultimately though, each seed has the potential to be slightly different to another. Asexual reproduction involves making an exact copy of the main host. Plants produced asexually will contain exactly the same characteristics as the mother plant, because they are a genetic copy of that plant.

grow another crop of that plant again because it is reacting favourably to your growing environment, then take some cuttings and clone it.

The Benefits Of Cloning - Predictability – if you have had success with a particular plant and take cuttings from that plant, you know that the clones will react to your growing environment and input in the same way as the original plant. You’ll be more likely to

By Little Lebowski

go into the vegging room. Propagation time is far shorter than when growing from seed, you can save yourself up to two weeks. In fact, some growers using hydroponic techniques like aeroponics or NFT, will take large numbers of clones, root them, place them into the hydro system and give them a couple of days to adjust, then switch straight to flower for a sea of green. - Maintain a strain. If you really love a certain strain and don’t want to risk losing

CLONING IS FAR SIMPLER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK replicate your previous success. - Uniformity – if your crop is made up entirely of clones from one plant, then they should grow identically and be ready to harvest at the same time. No need to move them around under lights because they’re all at different heights, or postpone your harvest date as you wait for a few plants to mature. - Shorter growth cycles – once a clone is rooted out, it is ready to transplant and

it, keep a mother plant to take cuttings from. Some original strains are clone only and, if you want the original, have to be raised from clones.

How To Clone With Cuttings Cloning is far simpler than you might think and it is as relevant to the small scale gardener cultivating four plants for themself as it is for the commercial grower with 50 lights.

A well-known example of asexual reproduction occurring in nature is strawberries. Strawberry plants can reproduce by sending out ‘runners’; a long, vine-like branch that produces nodes and eventually roots itself near to the mother plant. Lots of plants that don’t send out runners – including our favourite plant! - can also reproduce asexually. This is done by cloning. So, what exactly does cloning involve? Put simply, it involves taking cuttings from the mother plant that – when rooted and grown - will replicate all of the same genetic characteristics as the mother. If you have a plant that is displaying favourable characteristics like strong horizontal growth, resistance to disease or you simply want to

AN AEROPONIC CLONING MACHINE

26 gation methods. You can save yourself 3-5 days using a cloning machine. They can range in size from spaces for a few clones to over 100 and the better ones on the market come with a lid.

How To Keep A Mother Plant Maintaining a mother plant is fairly inexpensive and straightforward. A well cared for mother can be kept for a couple of years if treated right. - Keep a separate mother room. Mother plants need to be kept in the vegetative stage of growth on 18 hours (or even 20 hours) of light; this means they’ll need to be kept out of the flowering room. Grow tents are a great option as one, or

container of water. Repeat until you have all your cuttings. - Slice off the lower leaves where they join the stem and just leave a few leaves at the top of the cutting. Remember that the leaves require energy to maintain them and you want the majority of the cuttings energy to go into root growth. So, if the leaves on the cutting are quite large, cut them lengthways. Less leaf area requires less energy to maintain it. - Use a scalpel or razor blade to cut the base of the stem diagonally, ensure the blade is very sharp – this will avoid crushing the stem. - Dip the stem in rooting hormone. Always pour an amount of powder or gel into a small container (or lid) to dip the cut-

IF YOUR CROP IS MADE UP ENTIRELY OF CLONES FROM ONE PLANT, THEN THEY SHOULD GROW IDENTICALLY

A HEALTHY MOTHER PLANT THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO FLOWER!

Firstly, select the plant you want to clone. The plant needs to be in good health and free from pest infestation or disease. If you pick an unhealthy plant to clone from, you’re screwed from the start! Remember that clones taken from a diseased plant will be carrying the same disease as the mother. Once you’ve selected your plant, look for areas of new growth. New growth is the best for cloning as it tends to be softer and less ‘woody’, so should root quicker – although any healthy stem with a couple of leaf sets will work. Also, ensure that the mother plant is well hydrated, as plants that are dry will not yield a healthy cutting. Another important factor is the stage of growth. When you take a cutting, that cutting is at the exact same stage of the plant life cycle as the mother plant it was taken from. If you take a cutting from a flowering plant, then that cutting is in the flowering stage and will continue to flower! It’s possible to switch the plant back to the vegetative stage by growing it under 18 hours of light (or preferably more); however this can stress the plant and lead to growth issues. It’s much better to take cuttings from plants in the vegetative stage before they are switched to flowering or, even better, keep a mother plant in a perpetual state of vegetation and use this as your source of clones. Don’t take cuttings from, or attempt to clone, an auto flowering plant, it will be flowering as it roots out, which cause

developmental issues and – more importantly – it can yield very little. One of the most important factors in taking cuttings is hygiene. A new cutting is vulnerable to pathogens entering through the open tissue at the base of the stem. Using dirty tools or working in a dirty environment is a sure fire way of introducing fungal or bacterial pathogens to your clones. Make sure that you spend an extra few minutes cleaning your cutting tools and cutting area and you’ll be rewarded with healthy cuttings that root quickly. If you’re using a growing medium like soil, coco or rockwool to raise clones, then it is very important to maintain the correct levels of moisture in the medium and humidity in the air. Use some form of propagator, even if it’s just small plastic bags placed over each plant. A heated propagator with a lid is best, as the warmth stimulates root growth and the lid ensures humidity and prevents the medium from drying out. Use the vents in the lid to ensure that the environment isn’t too moist as this can cause rot or ‘damping off’. It’s a balancing act, but give it a few tries and you’ll master it! Hydroponic cloning machines maintain the moisture balance for you and take out some of the guess work. They involve placing the cuttings into neoprene collars and then into small baskets, that are suspended above a nutrient tank. The stems are misted with the nutrient solution and root out quicker than in traditional propa-

several, plants can be kept in a light tight environment close to, or even within, your main room. - Choose the correct lighting. Plant lighting that is at the blue end of the spectrum encourages vegetative growth, so if using a HID lighting system choose a metal halide bulb. If you’re only keeping one or two mother plants a blue cfl lamp or large T5 propagation lamp will be more than adequate and will cut down on heat. - Choose the correct growing media. You can keep a mother for a long time if you wish, but long term plants will need a healthy root zone. If you want to hand water, choose a light and aerated media that won’t compact over time – like coco or a light potting soil. If you wish to use a hydroponic system, go for one that allows you to use inert clay pebbles – like a drip feed system or ebb and flood. This will ensure that there is plenty of oxygen around the roots. - Choose the correct feed. A nitrogen rich grow formulation will be required as your base nutrient. Make sure you use an enzyme product periodically to break down old roots and keep the root zone clean.

tings. Don’t dip into the main container or you may contaminate your entire supply of hormone. Throw any excess gel or powder away; don’t pour it back into the main container. - Sit your cutting into its propagation media and place it into a propagator, roots will develop with 3-7 days. If using a cloning machine, slip the cutting into the neoprene collar and turn on the pump. Do not add nutrients to the reservoir until you see the first signs of root development, usually after 3-5 days. So, there you have it; cloning is an easy way to ensure your crop is healthy, develops at the same pace and is ready to harvest at the same time. Plus, it’s good fun! Happy cloning!

Cloning Top Tips - If using a mother plant, give it a good spray with a nitrogen based foliar feed one to two weeks before you are due to take your cuttings. This will ensure that there is plenty of healthy, new growth to select your clones from. - Keep your cloning area separate from your main growing area. This will prevent any airborne pathogens present in the main room from entering your new clones. Remember that healthy mature plants may not show any sign of disease, but pathogens may still be present. - Prep your area; you’ll need a sharp scalpel or razor blade, a container of water at pH 5.5-6, rooting hormone, a clean mat and your propagation media or cloning machine. - Take your cuttings; select a 3” or 4” stem complete with a few leaves, cut just below where the leaves join the stem (this is where your clone will produce roots) and place the cutting into the

ONE OF THE UK’S MOST POPULAR ROOTING HORMONES

EDS

ICAL

MEDICINAL USE ceutical industry if you don’t have watertight patent protection. As the legal objections to cannabis medicines are systematically removed I am sure that within 10 years the Indian copycat pharmaceutical industry will have their own cannabis extract oral sprays at a fraction of the current prices. Just look at the number of Indian and Chinese manufacturers of cut-price Viagra rip-off pills. Cannabis medicines will be easy to make, you just need a few fields of weed and a few barrels of alcohol.

Sativex Legal cannabis medicines pass tough European medical tests, nothing can stop them now “amazing results”, “No traces of withdrawal effects - cannabis isn’t addictive”, “floodgates opening into cannabis research for multiple conditions”, “from MS to cancer, cannabis is the answer” As we reported a couple of months ago, the legally approved cannabis extract ‘Sativex’ is now becoming widely available across Europe and the rest of the world. The latest stage of Sativex testing has involved over 1,500 patients across Europe. All feedback has been scrutinised by leading experts. The key findings confirm that cannabis is indeed highly effective as a medicine and is not addictive -unlike traditionally prescribed morphine derived painkillers and many other medicines. In simple terms what this really means is that all the feedback so far is positive. Nothing, it seems, can now stop the widespread introduction of Sativex, not even the right wing prohibitionist politi-

cians who have spent so long trying to convince everyone that cannabis is toxic and highly dangerous. So far Sativex has been exported to 28 different countries and that number seems sure to increase. The reason I am so excited about the gradual approval and introduction of Sativex is that it is allowing marijuana to get mainstream medical and government acceptance. Sativex approval will also overturn the claims that weed leads inevitably to mental health problems. There are no Government warnings on Sativex bottles telling you that Sativex is dangerous and will lead to psychosis. The arrival of Sativex will allow a formal recognition of everything that the medical marijuana movement has been saying for years. Marijuana is a highly effective medicine for a range of conditions and it comes with no nasty side effects. It is not addictive; it will not cause a mental health crisis. Legal cannabis medicines in the local pharmacy signals the beginning of the end of the cannabis misinformation campaign. That is something to celebrate. Sativex is basically no different to the cannabis tinctures that they were making in

the 1930’s by soaking weed in alcohol and filtering it. Each oral spray (or ‘dose’) delivers 2.7mg of THC and 2.5mg of CBD. Costs per patient are currently around €500 per month. These costs will plummet when rival pharmacy companies decide to get in on the act. The manufacturing process clearly isn’t that complicated and the free market economy is ruthless in the pharma-

Some within the medical marijuana movement feel that it is wrong to allow a drug company charge punishingly high prices for a simple cannabis extract while prohibiting the public to grow and enjoy their own home grown weed. Of course they are completely correct. But I believe that by allowing the drug companies to press ahead with the formal approval of ‘legal’ cannabis medicines it will make it easier in the long run for the medical marijuana movement to succeed. After all, the drug companies have the political and financial influence to force governments to believe in the medical effectiveness of marijuana, and they can back it up with scientifically conducted drug tests to provide absolute proof. Sometimes you have to look at the wider picture. If all this allows medical marijuana to gain acceptance then I can live with some initial profiteering by the drug companies.

TRAVEL

SWEET MARIA AND THE DARK SHADOW OF UNCLE CHARLY

By The Professor “Bolivia isn’t just about the coke, they have some really good maria there as well.” nd El Presidente, aka Indigenous Evo the coca farmer, kicked out the DEA in 2008/09? Well bash me on the head with a bag of fertiliser if they don’t sound like two good reasons to head over yonder Atlantic and find out what’s been going on in this poorest of South American countries…

25 grams? Is that ok? “Give my friend ten Bolivianos, he can get beer for when we wait.”

If the Gods had a recipe book for making ganja growing country then Bolivia must have been in it. The country is blessed with enough roadless mountains, valleys and jungle to give Google Earth a breakdown, and a climate ripe enough to nurture a full range of biodiversity. Add to that a human culture in which psychotropic plants have played a crucial role, and where the Sun, Moon, Earth and Water gods are still venerated then you have all the ingredients for a very appetising pocket of tricks.

Our man walked off and left me with the mad one of the three, Cocaine Pedro, a typically squat Andean, a long-haired metaller in his thirties who spoke song lyric English. We had a manic conversation about British rock, punctuated with wild air-guitar demonstrations while we waited. Half an hour later our high hopes came skulking back into the square looking like a couple of junkies on the rob:

Our first attempt at tapping into the Bolivian pot scene turned into one of those comically frustrating wait-arounds that took all evening and didn’t exactly finish as expected... Our advice had been to go out to the main square after 9pm and ask some likely characters. 3 guys sussed: 8 metres to 2 o’clock, sitting on a bench. Their long hair, denim jackets, shifty eyes and general studenty appearance gave them away We approached:

I pass the guy 50 Bs as we walk up the street away from the square.

Hola amigos, tienes un fuego? Tienes maria? You want smoke? No problem, I give my friend a call. How much you want?

I gave him twenty (not quite two quid), but we never saw him again. “My friend with the maria will be here in fifteen minutes. I will go to meet him.”

Come, we have it, give my friend 50 Bs, but not here, away from the square.

Wait here, we must go to get it out of the bag. Cocaine Pedro and I wait on the street corner while our two sketchy amigos ducked through an arch way. And we wait, and wait, and wait. After an hour or so Pedro needed a cocaine perk up and my stubbornness finally gave out so, with Pedro cursing his low-down, thieving, yellowbellied friends, we made our way to a bar where he promised me “good people, and good weed, and the best cocaine,

you want cocaine?” A bong on top of a speaker… Bob Marley on the sound system and smiles and handshakes when we walked in – this was a good bar, with good people, and good weed… “My friend live in Santa Cruz, I speak to him on the phone and I tell him ‘life is good, but I need something extra you know what I mean?” Said our barman, grinning the grin of the knowing. “…My friend, he tell me ‘I think I know what you need, I’m going to see my friend in the country later so send you a package tomorrow.’ Yesterday I got this beautiful maria!” Another time, another place: “The best weed in Bolivia is grown at 2500 metres, and near Santa Cruz they have the best soil in the country for marijuana. All the

smoke – a light, giggly, scatty high, and an instigator of some truly funny conversations… Nature as nature intended! But alas, if only their weed politics were as promising as their weed plants... Given the situation between the Bolivian government and the DEA (the DEA were given their marching orders in 2008 for interfering in the domestic politics of the country), and the country’s history with the coca leaf, one could be forgiven for thinking that Bolivia is a relatively drug-tolerant country. This couldn’t be further from the truth though. Part of the understanding reached with the US/UN when the DEA were kicked out meant that Bolivia would have to assume full responsibility for its drug policies, enforcement and cooperation with international treaties. As things currently stand under Bolivian law there is no distinction between cannabis, cocaine, and any other drug: possession of more than the minimal quantity for immediate personal consumption is enough to get you charged with trafficking and staring through the bars of a minimum ten year stretch – be it for a few ounces of pot or a shipping

IF THE GODS HAD A RECIPE BOOK FOR MAKING GANJA GROWING COUNTRY THEN BOLIVIA MUST HAVE BEEN IN IT maria in Bolivia is sativa, when the plants grow above 2500m some of the flowers go purple and orange and dark green. We don’t use any fertiliser either, just what is natural from the soil, but when we grow it we plant it with corn because maria and corn love to grow together. If you want more I can get it for you – 2800 Bs for a kilo (about £250).” This was a new guy so we made do with a taster. When we got our score back to the ranch and checked it out properly it was full of nuggety little dark green and purple buds, relatively seedless and a true pleasure to

container full of coke. If this lack of distinction between different substances, in a country where the cocaine trade has wreaked so much havoc, astonishes you then you are not alone. When you consider the acute environmental and social damage caused by the cocaine industry and the relative benignity of the cannabis industry you have to be left scratching your head as to why the two are still seen as equals in the eyes of Bolivian law... The law in question is known as Law 1008, of the 19th July 1988. According to Diego Giacoman this set of laws “was informally designed by US agents” during a period when the US had close ties with the Bolivian government. (1) Significant sections of this law include Article 48: ten to twenty five years for trafficking plus a fine of ten to twenty thousand times the daily rate (whatever that means). And article 49: The detaining of “Drugdependent persons or non-habitual consumers apprehended in the possession of controlled substances in minimal quantities that are presumed to be intended for their own immediate personal consumption” in public or private treatment centres until they have been rehabilitated. (2) And how do they distinguish between users and traffickers? “The minimum quantity for immediate personal consumption shall be determined through a ruling by two experts from a public institution for drug-dependence. If the quantity held is greater than the minimum quantity, it shall fall under the provisions of article 48 of this Law.” (2)

31 How’s that for vague and arbitrary! It is also worth mentioning that Giacoman criticises these laws for contravening the civil and constitutional rights of Bolivians and that, as usual, it is the most vulnerable of society that are massively and disproportionately punished. (1)

Internationally, Obama recently singled Bolivia out as having “failed demonstrably” to honor their end of agreements made around the international table when it came to drugs issues and has refused to normalise US trade relations with them as a result – a typical US ‘pot calling the kettle black’ statement which reeks of political spite rather than any objective analysis of progress in Bolivian drug policy. Then there’s El Presidente’s promised review of the ludicrous 1008 drug laws that fail to distinguish between coke and smoke and three ounces or thirty tonnes; due to the central issue of coca in disputes with the US and UN, Evo has hinted at a twotiered set of drug laws – one that legalises coca leaf production and chewing and another that bows to international demands by dealing with all other fashionably criminalised plants – which is likely to include cannabis. But then, we can’t forget that Bolivia is part of South America and, as a region, South America has what seems to be the most progressive, rational and organised debate under-way concerning drug laws and policy. Cannabis is in the process of being decriminalised or depenalised in many of the countries on the continent so, with a bit of luck, those decisions and arguments will help inform Evo when he comes to reviewing the shambles of a drug policy and prison system over which he currently presides.

Down on the front lines, cops in Bolivia are paid US$100 bonus for catching a dealer. Planting drugs on people by the police is, to this end, not unheard of but it would be wrong to say that corrupt police were much of a concern: “Generally the cops are pretty good, if they come into this hostel and find people with cocaine then they close me down and it’s big trouble but if they find someone with some weed then I only have to pay 100 Bs (ten euros) and the problem is finished – under the law and in the courts here there is no difference between weed and cocaine but the police know there’s a big difference. If the cops like you then you can pretty much get out of some small weed trouble with a bit of money, but if they don’t like you then they can use the law to really screw you!” However, if one was to get caught up in the Bolivian court system then things could rapidly turn into a nightmare. A former secretary for a defence lawyer told us: “The system here is very corrupt, if a lawyer defends a person on a drugs charge against the state then, a lot of the time, the state accuses the lawyer of being a narco-trafficker and making money from narco-trafficking. Many lawyers have lost their jobs and reputations because of these accusations when really it’s the police, politicians and judges who are all corrupt. Now if you get caught it’s very difficult to find a lawyer to represent you.” A local expat also told us: “If you get caught with drugs tonight then tomorrow you can be charged, remanded, publicised and in prison waiting for a very long time, maybe two years, before you go to court. The courts like to make examples out of gringos as well, maybe they give you a ten year sentence if you get caught with a lot but after six months or so they’ll probably

send you home… But if they don’t like you then maybe they’ll keep you here for the full time, just to punish you!” A quick glance at the local prison stats confirms our source; now, around 30% of convicted prisoners in Bolivia are non-violent drug offenders and, 67%, give or take, of the state’s detainees are still waiting to be sentenced. (1) That said, fewer people are being convicted of drug crimes each year under the watch of Mr Morales so at least that’s one trend going in the right direction.

The political future of cannabis in Bolivia is anybody’s guess, but cannabis’s problem in Bolivia is that the country is always going to be thinking about the cocaine trade when they dis-

The future of Bolivian cannabis outside the political sphere looks good though. We experienced a good vibe of fraternity with local Bolivian smokers and there are plenty of knowing heads faithfully tending their crops; as regional knowledge of the plant grows with the progressive laws of the countries around her, then we should be looking forward to the days when these

WHEN WE GROW IT WE PLANT IT WITH CORN BECAUSE MARIA AND CORN LOVE TO GROW TOGETHER cuss drug laws, so the issue of cannabis tends to get ignored and then tagged on to the end of laws designed with cocaine in mind.

sweet Bolivian sativas will be fulfilling even more of their potential. And the colours of the Bolivian flag? Red, gold and green – jah rasta!

GROW WITH GRUBBYCUP

Cannabis Wives’ Tales and Wisdom When a person finds something that works (or that they think does), they often share this information with friends, family, and sometimes though the use of the Internet proclaim it to the world. Sometimes this information is correct, and benefits others, and sometimes is it incorrect, which is not helpful at all. To help you tell one from the other, here is an assortment of Wives’ Tales, and Wives’ Wisdom, and by Grubbycup an explanation of which is which. Wives’ Tale: Vitamin B1 is a useful additive for normal plants. The myth that Vitamin B1 (thiamine) helps plants root and grow has its roots in a study done over 70 years ago that used Vitamin B1 along with an auxin (plant growth hormone) that resulted in plant improvement. Although Vitamin B1 has some specialized horticultural uses in plant tissue culture, for most gardeners this is irrelevant. It has been determined by repeated studies that it was the auxin, and not the Vitamin B1 that caused the increase in vigor. In at least one study, plants performed better with plain water than water with B1 added. Even today there are several additives that use a plant hormone such as Naphylacetic acid (NAA) or other beneficial substance for the active ingredient, and then add Vitamin B1 so that it

Cannabis has photoreceptors, which can detect light above normal moonlight. Over a period of a couple of weeks, if the plant gets a long dark period of 12 hours or so, it will begin to generate flowering hormones which will be used to trigger or continue flowering during the next lit period. If the dark period is shortened or interrupted, the level of flowering hormone will drop, and the plant will return to vegetative growth. Most cannabis plants will continue to grow in size for as long as they do not receive the long dark periods that causes flowering.

Wives’ Tale: Grams per watt is an indication of performance. A plant kept in growth (18 or more hours of light) for 12 months before flowering will show a very high grams per watt ratio in comparison to a plant grown for a total of 12 weeks, even if the 12 week

IN AT LEAST ONE STUDY, PLANTS PERFORMED BETTER WITH PLAIN WATER THAN WATER WITH B1 ADDED can be sold as a B1 plant supplement for marketing purposes. If you want to add plant hormones, you can just add plant hormones. Indolebutyric acid (IBA) and Naphthylacetic acid (NAA) are common rooting hormones often used in rooting solutions. To assist in transplant shock, use a little extra Nitrogen.

Wives’ Tale: The length of the light periods determine flowering. It is the length of the dark periods, not the light periods that trigger flowering.

grow was the more efficient of the two. A much more useful number to calculate is Grams Per Day (GPD). Subtract the planting date from the start date to find the total number of days grown. Then take the weight of harvest, and divide by the number of days grown, to find out how much was produced each day. Calculating the GPD for each harvest will allow a gardener to compare the success of different grows even if the number of days for each is different.

NAA IS THE USEFUL INGREDIENT LISTED

in an water soluble and available form. Although there it is rare to encounter a sulfur deficiency, it is a source of sulfur as well. Apply at 1 tsp (5ml) per gallon (3.78 Liter). Apply at one month intervals, as magnesium deficiencies are not common.

Wives’ Wisdom: Cannabis should be heated either before or as it is consumed. Not all, but most of a buds potential stone is expressed as Tetrahyrocannabinolic Acid, which has little effect if consumed directly. Tetrahyrocannabinolic Acid forms the more active Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) when it decarboxylates (loses a carbon dioxide molecule). This release of carbon dioxide can result from either dehydration (curing) or heat, either of which drives off a water molecule and in the process releases a carbon dioxide molecule. Simple drying can cause this effect over a period of time, or the heat from a flame, vaporizer, or cooking are all sufficient to induce almost instantaneous decarboxylation.

Wive’s Wisdom: Diluted milk can be used to treat plants against certain fungi and insects. Milk has been shown to successfully treat Powdery Mildew and aphids. Use one part milk to two parts water. Be forewarned that over application may result in an unpleasant sour milk smell and unappealing (but benign) microorganism growth.

Wives’ Wisdom: Talk to your plants. Talking to plants does help, the longer the better. Of course so does just spending time in your garden, as a source of carbon dioxide (CO2), you help your plants just by breathing near them. Bringing in a friend for heavy breathing in the garden can be good for both you and your plants. Not all the information that gets handed down or passed around is correct, but on the other hand, not everything that is old is wrong either. Knowing which advice to follow and which to avoid can help your garden be a happy place, for both you and your plants. Peace, love, and puka shells, Grubbycup

Wives’ Wisdom: Willow Water or Aspirin can help plant’s defense against stress. Willow Water contains salicylic acid and aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid, both induce a response known as ‘Systemic Acquired Resistance’ (SAR) in the plant, similar to how the plant responds when attacked by a pathogenic agent. Since the plant’s defenses are already activated, the plant is better prepared for an attack or exposure to stress. Willow water can be made from willow twigs placed in hot water and allowed to sit overnight. Make aspirin water with one 81mg uncoated aspirin to a gallon (3.78 Liter) of water.

COMMON ASPIRIN CAN TRIGGER A STRESS RECOVERY RESPONSE

Wives’ Wisdom: Epsom Salts can treat a magnesium deficiency. Epsom Salts are made from magnesium sulfate, which supplies magnesium

FLOWERING IN CANNABIS IS TRIGGERED BY THE DARK PERIODS

GROW WITH LITTLE LEBOWSKI

Hydro Hygiene Growing in hydro has serious benefits for the home grower; faster growth rates, more crops per year and more yield per harvest. When you’re growing a decent sized garden, and it isn’t your only form of employment, it’s easier and less time consuming to maintain one or two hydro reservoirs than it is to hand water. Hydroponic systems are very popular in the UK for this very reason. But, from asking around the shops and growers one thing is clear, not everyone is getting the results that they could be, because not every grower knows how to keep their hydro systems clean.

how to keep it clean, although the general hygiene is an issue, I think it’s more about what you can and can’t put into your reservoir and also how to keep the microbial life balanced, if you decide to go down that route.

It seems weird to recommend adding microbial life to a nutrient tank; because it’s microbial life that causes that shitty smell you get from a tank. But, that smell comes from bad bacteria releasing elements like sulphur – that stink! Beneficial bacteria and fungus actually help to keep things clean. SS: So, what’s the sterile option? John: Just continuous use of a sterilising agent like H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). This will help to oxygenate your nutrient solution and roots obviously need oxygen to stay healthy – the more the merrier. H2O2 will kill off all of the microbial life in your reservoir; nasty pathogens and bacteria, but also the good bacteria. It’ll sterilise the root zone.

growing medium, in turn this life will release nutrient for the plant. So, the organic nutrient feeds the soil and the soil feeds the plants. Adding anything organic to the reservoirs – unless it’s inoculating the root zone, like the beneficials that we discussed earlier – will have bad affects. The plants can’t feed on the organic material, it hasn’t been made ‘bite sized’ for them, so bacteria will feed on it and break it down. This is what causes slimy deposits and the shitty smell that you get in some nutrient reservoirs. SS: How else can growers prevent this from happening? John: Basically avoid putting anything organic into the reservoir. That includes starting your plants in any organic medi-

We had a chat with ‘John’ an experienced hydro grower from the south of the UK, to get an insight into where some growers may be going wrong and to get some top tips on how to keep it clean; SS: Hi John, thanks for doing this interview for Soft Secrets UK. Let’s start with your background, how do you grow? John: I started off in soil many years ago and then a friend of mine turned me onto hydro after a couple of years. I’d always been happy with my yields, but when I first tried an NFT tank it totally blew me away. Watching the roots grow inches by the day was fucking magical! I did some fairly large set-ups for a good few years, always using big NFT tables. Now I’ve scaled things back quite a bit, I’ve usually got a couple of lights on the go; one for hydro – either NFT or aeroponics – and one for soil as I like a couple of strains that seem to react very differently in soil than they do in hydro, more resin production using an organic feed than a mineral feed in a system. SS: So, you got the hydro bug, but still keep a few soil pots on the side? John: Yeah, variety is the spice of life and all that!! SS: You mention NFT and aeroponics, they are pure hydro set ups, no growing media around the roots, right? Do you find that you can use them all year round, even in the summer? John: Regardless of the weather outside, it’s all about controlling the ambient room temperature. If your room is running too hot then your reservoir will be running too hot and that’s where you’ll get into problems with techniques like NFT and aeroponics, because they’re bare rooted. There’s nothing protecting the roots. If it’s too warm, you risk damaging the roots and when they’re damaged they’re more vulnerable to attacks from pathogens – like the dreaded pythium. If your reservoir isn’t clean then you’ll be even more at risk. SS: Is there a lack of education amongst growers on how to keep their reservoirs clean? John: I don’t think it’s a question of

BAD HYDRO HYGIENE LEADS TO ROOT PROBLEMS

SS: How do you mean? Explain for the readers. John: The way I’ve always looked at it is; you can go completely sterile in a nutrient tank and actively kill of the microbial life in there in order to keep it clean. Or, you go completely the other way and deliberately introduce beneficial microbial life which will colonise the root zone and work your plants. Dipping your cuttings in a trichoderma will give your plants a good start as it colonizes the root zone and is a very aggres-

SS: Interesting. What about other products that you add to the reservoir, like the nutrients themselves? We’ve seen so-called ‘Hydro-Organic’ nutrients coming over from the US. Do you rate them? John: Bollocks! There is no such thing. If you’re growing in hydro then you need to use a proper hydroponic nutrient. In a hydroponic feed the key elements that a plant needs are made available in a form that the roots can directly uptake. Think of them as ‘bite sized’ particles, just like cutting up food for a little kid. A nutrient

um; start them in something inert like rock wool or clay pebbles. These won’t break down later on in the growth cycle. Also, if you’re growing in ebb and flood or a re-circulating drip irrigation system I’d use an inert medium. If you use soil or coco then you’ll run the risk of introducing organic matter into the reservoir. I’m not saying don’t do it, I know that loads of people like to use coco in something like a Wilma system, I’m just saying be prepared that you’ll need to keep on top of cleaning the reservoir.

NOT EVERY GROWER KNOWS HOW TO KEEP THEIR HYDRO SYSTEMS CLEAN sive fungus. It will attack other pathogens that come into contact with the roots, so is a really effective precaution to prevent against pythium. Also, if you inoculate the root zone with mycorrrhiza then you’ll benefit from more nutrient uptake and healthier grow as the fungus works together with your roots; breaking down food to be up taken and at the same time feeding off the waste products that your roots put out.

containing chelated elements is best as these are easier for the roots to up take. Adding organic nutrients to a hydro reservoir is like trying to feed a whole steak to a baby - just plain wrong! SS: Just explain a little deeper what you mean by that. John: I’m not a qualified scientist, hahahah. But as far as I’m concerned, organic foods feed the microbial life in the

Also, algae is something that you need to avoid. It’ll develop on the surface of your nutrient solution if you allow light in. The best way to avoid this is to use a hydro system with a black tank or if you’ve got a DIY set up, use a reservoir with a lid; like a waterbutt. If you’re worried about a black tank getting too hot under your grow lights then you can always buy a couple of metres of silver sheet to lie on top and reflect light.

35 But, like I said earlier, if you’ve got an issue with heat in the reservoir then you probably need to sort out your ambient room temperature. Increase the size of your fan, add an intake fan to your room that is bringing in air from a cooler area of the house or outside, or get yourself some air cooled lights.

SS: What about some very simple hygiene factor for the guys and girls that are just starting out? Keeping it simple I’d say make sure you keep your entire grow room clean. That means removing any dead leaves or pruning material from the grow room and not letting them accumulate all over the

the older the solution in the reservoir is, the more unbalanced it is becoming. So, you are really getting false EC readings after a while. It’s easier and more beneficial to completely drain and refill your reservoir a minimum of once every two weeks. Reach into the reservoir and mop up the last bits of old solution with a big sponge, wipe the sides to prevent and mineral deposits building up. Then

Oh, and before I forget, if you’re getting plants from a friend, make sure they are healthy before you bring them into your room. Take a good look for any signs of fungus or pests. You don’t want them contaminating your nice clean room!! SS: Nice advice. A lot of hydro growers in the UK seem to use air pumps, do you? John: I have done in the past. One thing that I would say is that in a very small NFT or aeroponic system, the nutrient solu-

IF YOU’VE GOT AN ISSUE WITH HEAT IN THE RESERVOIR THEN YOU PROBABLY NEED TO SORT YOUR AMBIENT ROOM TEMPERATURE OUT

A BIG NFT SET UP CAN COVER 10 SQUARE METRES OF GROWING SPACE, RUN FROM ONE TANK!

Another thing that I’d recommend is adding an enzyme product to your reservoir. An enzyme will quickly break down any dead plant material - like old roots - and prevents them from being broken down by bad bacteria – which will start to cause problems for you. You can get natural enzyme products like Cannazym or Atazyme – or nearly any product with ‘Zym’ or ‘Zyme’ in the name, hahah! These will use natural processes to break down the old root material into elements that are actually usable by the plant. Or, if you are going down the sterile route, that we discussed earlier, you’ll need a synthetic enzyme or cleaning product. If you’re keeping the root zone sterile, you won’t get the best out of a natural enzyme product. Some of the better synthetic compounds available in the UK are Hygrozyme, ATAClean and D-Block. Just ask your local grow shop, they should be able to steer you in the right direction.

fill the reservoir with water so that the pump is just covered and run the system for 10 minutes. Empty it out again and then refill fully with water, add your nutrient and beneficials, then adjust your pH as necessary. The whole process might take you half an hour, but you’ll be rewarded with healthier plants and a better yield.

floor. Make sure that you clean all of your measuring equipment frequently; jugs, buckets, pipettes, whatever. Most important – and obvious, because it’s what we’re talking about! – is to keep the reservoir clean. It’s easy to monitor nutrient solution and maintain pH and EC levels, but remember that

One more thing that is good practice, is to make sure that there is plenty of air movement in your grow room. If there isn’t then you’ll find that areas of still, damp air can encourage mould – particularly in dense foliage. Mould spores can then enter your tank and cause problems, so it’s always good to keep the air moving.

tion is being circulated so often – because the reservoir is small – that it’s probably aerated enough. Although, air pumps and air stones are so cheap now that it doesn’t do any harm to chuck one in. For bigger reservoirs, it’s important to keep the solution agitated and circulating. You need to prevent the minerals in the solution from settling on the bottom of the tank. Just remember that if you break the surface tension, then you’re oxygenating the solution; a lot of growers use a technique called ‘flooming’ where an additional pump is added to the wall of the reservoir to circulate solution, but is angled slightly upwards so it also breaks the surface tension. Give that a try!

THIS LARGE AEROPONIC SYSTEM FEEDS 84 PLANTS FROM ONE TANK

GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES

Harvesting Harvest when plants are at peak ripeness. Harvest timing is critical. The peak harvest window is open for roughly 5–7 days. Most growers manicure harvested buds before drying them slowly and evenly so THC is preserved. After drying, buds must cure so that full aroma and flavor develop. Like a fine wine, aging (curing) improves taste and fragrance. Once cured, proper storage will ensure buds retain all of their essential qualities.

Harvesting Leaves Remove large leaves while plants are still in the ground. Cut or pluck off the entire leaf and leaf stem. Once the large leaves are fully formed, THC potency has generally peaked. Smaller leaves around buds continue to develop resin until buds are ripe. Peak potency is retained as long as leaves are healthy and green. Harvest yellow and diseased leaves and dispose of them.

Give plants total darkness for 48 hours just before harvest so that more resin develops on buds.

Toss leaves into a paper bag, not a plastic bag. Paper bags breathe well and can be closed by folding over the top.

Before Harvest Pungent marijuana odors are often a problem around harvest time. To minimize odors keep the drying and trimming room well ventilated so fragrances do not linger. Keep rooms cool, below 70°F (21°C) so essential cannabis oils release few pungent aromas. An air conditioner works well to keep odors to a minimum in sealed rooms. A carbon filter will remove odors in the drying/ manicuring room and will also treat expelled air.

How to tell when fertilizer will affect taste t -FBG UJQT BOE GSJOHFT BSF CVSOFE t -FBWFT BSF CSJUUMF BU IBSWFTU t #VET DSBDLMF XIFO CVSOJOH t #VET TNFMM MJLF DIFNJDBMT t #VET UBTUF MJLF GFSUJMJ[FS

Irrigate with plain water or clearing solution to remove residual fertilizers in foliage and soil. Give plants plain water the last 7–14 days before harvest. Make sure to let 10–20 percent of the water drain out the bottom of containers. Clearing solutions remove fertilizer residue faster and are used the last few days before harvest.

on top. These trichomes develop most heavily on buds and small leaves. THC is most concentrated where the stalk meets the ball of the resin gland. Keep the paper bag in a closet or area with 45–55 percent humidity and 65°– 75°F (18°– 24°C) temperature. Reach into the bag once or twice a day and turn leaves so the moist leaves mix with drier leaves. Leaves will be dry to the touch in 5–7 days. Once dry, place leaves in the freezer so they are ready to make hash.

Large female leaves like the Yumboldt at right and male plants contain fewer resin glands and much less mind-altering THC. The THC content found in stems and roots is virtually nonexistent. Male plants, stems, and large leaves hold low levels of THC and are most efficiently used to make hash, concentrated resin.

Harvest

Change the nutrient solution to plain water in recirculating hydroponic systems 7–10 days before harvest. Continue to top off the reservoir with “fresh” water until harvest, or use a clearing solution as per directions. Do not water for 1–2 days before harvest, so plants are pre-dried at harvest. Let the soil dry out but do not let the plants wilt.

At harvest all plant growth and THC production stop. THC content cannot increase after harvest. In fact, it can only decline. Slow THC decomposition by keeping harvested buds out of extended exposure to light and warm temperatures (above 80°F [27°C]); jostling and bruising from handling; and damp, humid environments.

Male Harvest

Mind-bending psychoactive THC (tetrahydrocannibinol) is located in leaves, flower buds, and stalked glandular trichomes. The majority of THC is found on female (sinsemilla) plants in the resin glands or trichomes on flower tops. Stalked trichomes look like a small post with a ball

Harvest male plants before they disperse pollen. Most growers remove them from the garden as soon as they are spotted at pre-flowering, near the end of vegetative growth. Male flowers produce visible pollen sacks with viable pollen 2–4 weeks after lights are set to a 12-hour day/night photoperiod.

Too Early! This bud is weeks from harvest. Wait at least 6 weeks before testing buds for harvest. Many growers harvest lightweight buds before THC develops to full potential.

If harvested a little early pure sativa and sativa-dominant plants contain lower concentrations of all cannabinoids; the stone is often more heady and soaring. Pure indica and indica-dominant strains tend to yield a somewhat less intense body stone.

Peak Harvest Resin gland formation slows. Trichomes are starting to degrade faster than they develop. THC production has peaked out. Now is the best time to harvest. Harvest when THC levels are at their peak for maximum mindbending effects. This close up of trichomes shows you what to look for at the time of peak maturity.

Late Harvest Trichomes start to degrade faster and faster. Harvest now for a heavier high. Put a plastic bag over any male plants that might disperse pollen before cutting the main trunk off at the base. Shake the plant as little as possible to minimize any pollen dissemination. See Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower’s Bible for complete information on breeding.

White pistils turn brownish-red as buds continue to ripen. In some strains, peak potency is when half of the pistils are white and the other half have turned brown. This test is only a general guide to peak potency.

Early Harvest This bud is still a couple weeks from harvest. The healthy, white fuzzy pistils are still growing and the resin is really starting to accumulate. After a couple of weeks, this bud will be packed with resin. Buds harvested now will yield up to 30 percent less weight.

Sinsemilla Harvest Harvest sinsemilla plants 6–12 weeks after inducing flowering with the 12/12 day/night photoperiod. Harvest at the point when THC production is at its peak, before it starts to degrade. Most plants that receive the same amount of light throughout are ready to harvest at the same time. Lower buds that receive less light often take a few more days to mature. In general, indica and indica-dominant strains are ripe 6–8 weeks after initiating flowering. Sativa and sativa-dominant

strains are ready to harvest in 8–12 weeks. Too often growers harvest too early because they are excited to have a crop. Test for ripeness by removing a small piece of a mature bud. Put it in a microwave oven or conventional oven. Set the microwave on a low power setting and turn on in 10- second bursts until it is dry enough to burn. Place a little bit of the dry bud in a single-hit pipe and sample. The dry, raspy taste will be from fast drying, but you will be able to tell how potent the pot is.

Harvest after peak maturity for higher levels of CBD in relation to THC to yield more of a body stone. Indica, afghani, indicadominant and afghani-dominant strains harvested now produce a heavier body couch-lock stone. Sativa and sativa-dominant strains harvested after peak potency yield more of a body stone too.

BACKGROUND

model. It uses latest 3W LED arrays, which are currently a flagship technology of the LED world. These LED’s seem to have the penetrating power that earlier LED’s lacked. We were quite amazed by the result achieved. Although the Penetrator Pro draws around 300W the performance appeared to be the equivalent of a 600W HPS, possibly even more.

By Tony, Dutch Passion Take a look at the graph below. It is from Hydrogrow LED. They are one of a new breed of suppliers that are, for the first time, sensing that they have got HPS in their sights. The graph shows the spectral output and intensity of a 1000W HPS bulb in black compared to their 550W LED panel in purple. The horizontal axis represents light wavelength from blue to red. The vertical axis represents intensity. Most people would say the outputs look nothing like each other. The LED panel has no significant output at all in the 550-620nm wavelengths in contrast to HPS. The LED panel is designed mainly to produce red and blue wavelengths. For many of the LED grow panel manufacturers around 90% of the LED’s used are red and blue. Along with many other observers, my original opinion of LED was that the LED marketing was a few steps ahead of the actual truth. The LED story seemed better than the reality, and it had made me sceptical. I had also closely followed the arguments behind high-powered compact fluorescent lights (‘CFL’) story a few years previously. These looked a good option for some people, but somehow I never believed that the power output from them would be sufficient to challenge the supremacy of HPS. To me, LED seemed just the same. It looked better on paper than it looked in the growroom. But all that changed in late 2011, and we first started to take LED seriously when one of our AutoFem customers got the Hydrogrow LED 189x Penetrator Pro

LED grow lights used to be treated with almost universal derision by the indoor cannabis grower. Growers had become tired of marketing claims that were never backed up. On a personal level I began to doubt whether LED would ever make it. But in the last year the latest LED technology, and the adoption of the new 3W diodes in particular, has produced results that have got a lot of people talking. Working at a company like Dutch Passion allows you to see what is being achieved by growers with the latest LED kit, and it is impressive. We also get sneak previews of what is on the technology horizon. The last 12 months has seen a major shift in the quality of LED grow lights and it is generating lots of questions and interest. Dutch Passion isn’t, and never has been, in the grow light business. We focus our energy on our seed development, but we like to keep one eye on the future. If something is getting the interest our customers then it is usually of interest to us.

The grower, a deep-water-culture specialist called Seymour Buds, pulled 350grams from an AutoMazar grown underneath it. We were so impressed we made him the first recipient of our new Think Different auto strain and he pulled a staggering 356 grams from a single AutoFem grown under a total of 600W of LED (two of the 300W panels) in just 75 days. Our interest, and that of many other observers, had been caught. We had never seen LED produce results anywhere near as good. LED was not just matching HPS, for the first time it looked like it was actually outperforming it. More and more growers were contacting us asking us for an unbiased opinion. Had LED really arrived? Or was it all a massive con? We had to find out more. LED power has been doubling every 2-3 years, and production costs halving every few years. It is a standard fact of life in the electronics industry, performance goes up and prices tumble. LED researchers call this ‘Haitz’s Law’, it states that each decade LED light output increases by a factor of 20 and costs reduce by a factor of 10. Please think about that for a moment. In a few years these high performance panels will be half the size, with half the number of LED’s and will be more powerful than the current units that have got everyone talking. Next generation panels won’t even need the small cooling fans that current units use. There will be no moving parts, less LED’s and manufacturing costs will drop into the range where the keen hobby grower will be tempted.

40 I suspect that we are only a few years away from this point. So far LED’s have only been used by the early adopters. But if progress continues at current levels then we will see mainstream growers being tempted sooner than many had ever imagined. The performance expectations of LED are finally being met, but for the mainstream grower the prices for these units will need to drop from around €1000 to below €250 before we see the start of a genuine movement away from HPS. But we should remember that the LED manufacturers, many of whom are based in the Far East, are producing more powerful and cheaper LED’s every year. It makes you wonder where LED will be in 10 years time. If progress can continue at current rates, and I appreciate that is a big ‘if’, HPS may be in its last decade. Of course we are not saying that will definitely happen, but we are saying that at current rates of progress it is, for the first time, a real possibility. One thing that all the producers of LED grow lights are agreed on is the importance of red and blue LED’s. Chlorophyll, the main pigment, absorbs red and blue light heavily, the green light is not absorbed as much. It is reflected back to our eyes. That is why plants look green. Many of the LED grow light suppliers use 2 or 3 slightly different red LED’s to give a broad output in the red spectrum. In our customers case the panel had red LED’s at 640nm, 660nm and 740nm. These match chlorophyll ‘A’ and chlorophyll’B’ absorption requirements in the red spectrum. The far red 740nm is to increase resin/THC production and is important to allow the

Emerson effect. This ‘Emerson effect’ shows that far-red wavelengths, in combination with shorter wavelengths of red, boost the photosynthesis process. LED grow light technology has become a science in it’s own right.

grower was able to compensate for the deficiencies with extra Calcium and Magnesium but it was an interesting learning point. Perhaps the indoor grow feeds of the future will need rebalancing if LED catches on?

Another technical fundamental that all the LED grow light manufacturers are agreed on is the importance of blue LED light for the chlorophyll a & b molecules. Whereas red LED’s often account for around 75% of the LED’s, the blue ones are needed in smaller quantities. LED grow light manufacturers also add small numbers of other colours as well. Opinions vary on this topic, some use a small number of white LED’s, others green or orange. But in general they all seem to have around 75% of their output in red, around 10-15% blue and the rest varies from one supplier to another.

So LED may, at last, be the next big technology for the indoor grower. Without doubt LED has suffered as a result of early marketing over-hype but that will quickly be forgotten if it continues the pace of progress seen in the last year.

From our observations, the ‘sweet spot’ for classy results with LED seems to start when the panels use around, or above 300W.

If current rates of progress are maintained then one day in the coming decade LED may well overtake HPS. No technology is immortal, so why should HPS be? HPS light technology has had a relatively long time as market leader by the standards of modern technology. But diodes on the face of it appear to be fundamentally easier and cheaper to make than the clunky and complicated HPS bulb design. LED’s look inherently easier to mass-produce on a production line, and they are said to last several times longer than any HPS bulb can. LED grow panels can be fine-tuned to precise photosynthetic plant requirements whereas HPS is ‘get what you are given’.

Other than the obvious price concerns, are there any negatives to LED? With Think Different (AutoFem) the grower, Seymour Buds, noted some Calcium and Magnesium deficiencies. We were all puzzled by this as he was using some quality nutrients from the CANNA boys. When we asked CANNA about it they had a surprising answer. LED’s give out less radiant heat, less of the IR that causes transpiration on leaf surfaces compared to HPS. The effect of this is a different rate of transportation of nutrients around the plant, with Calcium and Magnesium ions being particularly vulnerable. The

But should we really be that surprised? HPS has been the supreme choice for a generation of indoor growers. HPS has been tweaked along the way to give better spectral output but it is fundamentally an old technology used simply because it was the best available light technology at the time.

Eventually the cost of manufacturing these solid state electronics may fall

to the point where more and more people will prefer them over HPS. That may not be for 5+ years, but for the first time it looks like a possibility. Whereas HPS was used as an affordable light technology that happened to be good for indoor growing, LED is fine tuned specifically for it. LED wastes no energy producing less useful wavelengths; it is brutally efficient at giving only the required ones and nothing else. Contrary to popular misconception, LED’s do produce some waste heat, but nothing like as much as HPS. It seems almost unnatural growing a plant under these LED’s but is it any less natural than growing under HPS? And if the bioscience boffins decide they can increase performance by adding different wavelengths it is as simple as inserting a few different coloured LED’s into the panel. As always with new technologies the initial prices are high, but they are sure to drop as component costs in the Far East fall. Already at Dutch Passion we have seen some amazing results from LED. So yes, LED has finally captured Dutch Passions interest, LED is now a technology which we are tracking closely and we will continue to take a very keen interest in all new developments. The next few years will be very interesting. LED has finally proven itself technically; next it needs to deliver some hefty cost reductions. If it can do that, then LED will finally be a viable alternative to HPS. LED technology is moving fast – just 12 months ago I never thought I would be writing an article such as this for Soft Secrets. Imagine what we might be saying about LED’s in 10 years time.

BBBB $

***

0 6 7 ( 5 ' $ 0

BBBB

Guaranteed Quality

***

FLOWERING %OXH 0\VWLF 6KRUW 5LGHU %XEEOHOLFLRXV -RFN +RUURU 1RUWKHUQ /LJKWV

ZZZ QLUYDQD QO

SPECIAL

Dr Hornby My role in the medicinal industry began in the late 1990’s when I was granted a license by Health Canada to measure the resin concentration of medicinal herbs. It was the observation of the different medicinal profiles of the different strains of medicinal plants that lead my company (Hedron Analytical Inc.) into the medicinal realm. My power within the industry has been my background with a doctorate in human pathology and an master’s degree in biochemistry but more so my ability to run analytical instruments such as High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectral detectors. These analytical tools allow identification and quantification of virtually any compound known to man. It is with the HPLC that I have built a name in the industry by identifying and quantifying the most abundant medicinal compounds present in a given sample. I have been running an HPLC since shortly after the technology became

available in the 1970’s. Beginning my education with the instrument at the BC Cancer Research Center where I spent nine years as a technician. It was also the key tool used during my doctorate training and research on oral cancer. It is the usefulness of HPLC that has been adapted by Green Planet to determine certain nutrients effectiveness in producing ‘full’ medicinal profiles. Using HPLC we can easily see the various medicinal compounds produced in a plant as well as their concentrations. Thus we can compare different nutrient regimens and their ability to produce medicine profiles. Having spent the past five years working directly with a local compassion society I have experienced what many medical users go through in getting their license, setting up their own gardens, growing and consuming medicinal herbs.. Most of these people (more than 80%) are dealing with chronic

pain. They do not need the mixing, pouring and measuring that is required for most nutrient regimens found on the market. When I first heard of MediOne, designed for the novice or injured grower, I was excited by the notion. Having now run a number of grow experiments, using an experienced, licensed medicinal grower, also in chronic pain, we

can scientifically show the medicinal profile generated from the Medi-One formula vs. more expensive and much more labor intensive full feed regimens. I like Medi-One because it is not only very simple to use, it is ideal for the disabled or novice grower.

A. Paul Hornby, Ph.D.

COLUMN / PRODUCT FLASH

The Return of Soapbar (part 2) My previous column generated a surprising amount of email correspondence (for which, my thanks to you all: it’s always nice to know that people actually read the stuff I write). The majority of these communiqués would appear to have come from readers with – how can I put this delicately - at least a passing interest in conspiracies. A number of correspondents have the idea that when prices came down too much to make cannabis economically viable (after all, who wants to go to prison for selling ounces of Soapbar for £30 or less?), the people who decide these sorts of thing intentionally withdrew resin and then fiddled with the weed market (see the last column for more on this), gradually pushing the price of weed back up to silly prices before reintroducing Soapbar at 1990s prices. In short, the capos of the different organised criminal groups met and decided on a longer-term plan (10 years or thereabouts) during which time they manipulated the market, creating long-term “droughts” of resin while simultaneously pushing up the price of weed. This sort of set up is sometimes referred to as “Pax Mafiosa” , where normally hostile parties declare a

truce in order to work together for a communal good (either short or long term). Just so we’re clear, when I say “communal good”, I’m referring to the communal good of the hostile parties, and most definitely not to the wider community. The problem with the above is that it assumes an organisation, collaboration and cooperation among criminal groups that I’m really not sure exists. It’s really not like those old Godfather films where everything comes down to whether or not it’s “good for business” and that this simple line dictates working practises, alliances and so forth. I’m not sure that this ever existed outside the imaginations of Hollywood scriptwriters. Dope in the UK (and most other countries where it’s illegal) is big business. Okay, there are other drugs that command higher prices, but cannabis is a staple for most drug users; more people use dope than any other illicit substance in the UK, and where other drugs come and go in peoples’ lives, cannabis remains. For many, their relationship with it lasts for decades. So cannabis is a constant source of income for those of a mind to go into the market and hold on to their share of it.

ATA XL ATA XL from the Atami range is an ideal addition to NPK nutrition and/or stimulators. ATA XL is a great blend of natural ingredients, added minerals, vitamins and amino acids and that makes this product a excellent growth and flowering stimulator in one. This 2 in 1 stimulator is to be used on any type of substrate, dose not contain any NPK’s and gives during the growth phase a growth spurt of the plant with strong branching. During the flowering phase, this powerful stimulator will develop a rich intense bloom of the flowers. Beside ATA XL has a particularly positive effect on the condition of the root set.

It used to be pretty straightforward (in Scotland at any rate): domestic distribution and dealing was handled by (usually) white guys who spoke English as a first language. Nowadays this isn’t the case and we’ve got distribution and dealing cartels made up of people from all over the world, so Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, Pakistani and so on all jostling for a bigger share of the domestic market. And the real problem for any Pax Mafiosa is that most of these groups don’t like each other very much. This doesn’t seem due to the fact that they’re in competition with each other (though I’m sure that’s a part of it); there are language and cultural divisions; religious ones even. But it seems to me that the real obstacle to any sort of inter-cartel peace and harmony set up is basic racism. Or perhaps that’s too strong, I don’t know. Russian dealers don’t like Chechen dealers (putting it mildly) in a way quite apart from how Scottish dealers regard English ones. And absolutely nobody appears to like or trust the far eastern players. I use the term “far eastern” as there’s an assumption made based completely on physical appearance that these guys are Chinese, but of course this may well not be the case. So I don’t buy this organised crime price fixing arrangement. However, I do concede that there is most certainly something going on here. Do these things happen purely by chance and any apparent pattern to it is accidental also? Anyone with the answer, email me at the usual address: dimethyltryptamine777@hotmail.com

CORRECTION: INCORRECT WEBSITE INFORMATION OF GIB LIGHTING IN PRODUCT SPECIAL A wrong web address was erroneously included in the 2011 product special on the Grow In AG product editorial page. The correct web address for more information about the highly reflective reflector with Mithralit coating is www.gib-lighting.de. If you enjoy browsing online then visit www.grow-in-berlin.de. The whole world of Grow In is at your fingertips, 24 hours a day.

Because ATA XL is made from natural ingredient it contains no fibers, that makes the final product free from residues and organic flavors. The stimulators and liquid nutrients from Atami are very economical to use, sealed with a screw cap and light free the quality is guaranteed.

ROOTBASTIC Following the highly successfull Bloombastic range from your trusted nutrients supplier ATAMI, now presents you with great pride a new variant; ROOTBASTIC!!!

www.atami.com

This high quality root supplement ensures an explosive root production. This means a larger root system and many small capillaries causing the plant to absorb the nutrients more easily. Also Rootbastic increases the resistance of the plant which makes it less receptive for environmental stress. This root booster is specially designed for cuttings and seedlings when the first roots are visible and suitable for all types of substrates. Rootbastic is rich in phosphorus (P), direct soluble, suitable for all irrigration systems, can be combined with all other basic nutrients and is very concentrated. www.atami.com

ED ROSENTHAL EXCLUSIVE

Connoisseur Home Hash Making 7. The next step is to remove remove water from the plant material using a strainer. This is the really laborintensive part of the process because the water must be stirred vigorously as the soaked grass is scooped up and shaken vigorously over the garbage can.

8. You can discard the leftover plant material, or use it for cooking. MAKE USE OF THE REMAINS FROM YOUR HARVEST TO MAKE HASH

If you have excess plant material after your harvest, making hash is a great way to make use of it. The technique demonstrated here is popular among Northern California connoisseurs. COVER THE LEAF WITH WATER

1. We start this process by chopping up fan and trim leaves that have been frozen in a block since the harvest. This material is chopped into 2 cm pieces using a sharp steak knife or serrated blade. This makes it easier to separate the trichomes from the plant material.

2. Fill the container one-third full with the chopped

CHOPPED POT GOING INTO THE FIRST CONTAINER

material.

3. Cover the leaf with water. Add just enough water to cover the material—more water makes extra work later when it is removed. ICE IS ADDED TO THE CONTAINER

4. Once the water covers the bud, add ice to the mixture. For a 115 liter container, 9kg of ice was added.

5. Use a heavy-duty drill with a 75 cm long by 1 cm shaft swift mud mixer bit to agitate the material. A paint FILL THE CONTAINER ONE-THIRD FULL mixer bit can also be used. Our bit has a shape similar to WITH THE CHOPPED MATERIAL a racing bicycle pedal. (A standard drill is not powerful enough for this icy mixture.) The goal is to separate the trichomes from the plant material through vigorous agi- mixing. Time length depends on the amount of material. tation. This much material required about 20 minutes of Longer beating times are not a worry.

6. Foam is created when the water is agitated. It doesn’t contain trichomes so it is scooped up and discarded.

CHOPPING FROZEN MARIJUANA WITH A SHARP KNIFE

AGITATING THE MIX

A POWERFUL DRILL IS REQUIRED

46 9. After the water is drained from the material, it is rinsed with clear water so that any trichomes remaining on the grass are rinsed into the liquid.

10. Once the solid material is removed from the liquid, the trichomes are filtered out. Two filters are used. The sock is fitted inside the second container, pouch in, with its top hugging the container’s side. 11. A silkscreen on a frame with large holes was placed on top of the container. As water pours from the first to the second container, the top filter removes all of the larger material from the mixture, leaving only the fine crystals in the water that poured down into the sock. 12. The water/crystal mix is poured through the top filter into a home-sewn large silk “sock” that had been placed inside the second container. The holes are too fine for the crystals to pass through so the hash crystals collect in the sock. The sock is slowly lifted from the container, allowing the water to drain from it. Finally, the rest of the water is removed by squeezing the water through the sock.

THE USED GRASS. IT STILL CONTAINS SOME TRICHOMES AND CAN BE USED FOR COOKING OR MAKING DRINKS

DRAIN AND RINSE UNTIL IT RUNS CLEAR, TO ENSURE FOAM FORMS ON THE TOP

TRICHOMES ARE WASHED INTO THE LIQUID

THE SOAKED GRASS IS SHAKEN VIGOROUSLY OVER THE CONTAINER

THE CUSTOM-MADE SILK SOCK WITH COLLECTION POUCH IS INSTALLED IN CONTAINER 2

® Best Seeds Bank Expocannabis 2007

Best Seeds Bank Spannabis 2008

$XWRÁ RZHULQJ

Cream Mandarine

Auto

Sweet Skunk

+ Speed Auto

Auto

Green Poison Auto

9 weeks from germination INDOOR 400-550g/m² OUTDOOR 45-170g/m² Height: 50-110 cm

7½ weeks from germination INDOOR 400-500g/m² OUTDOOR 35-150g/m² Height: 60-90 cm

7 weeks from germination INDOOR 350-500g/m² OUTDOOR 30-150g/m² Height: 50-90 cm

8 weeks from germination INDOOR 400-550g/m² OUTDOOR 35-200g/m² Height: 60-100 cm

3s.23,90€ | 5s.39,50€ | 10s.78,80€

3s.14,50€ | 5s.23,90€ | 10s.47,80€

3s.20,90€ | 5s.34,50€ | 10s.68,70€

3s.22,50€ | 5s.36,90€ | 10s.73,80€

Sweet Cheese Auto

Jack 47 Auto

Mohan Ram Auto

Sweet Special Auto

8 weeks from germination INDOOR 350-550g/m² OUTDOOR 35-175g/m² Height: 60-110 cm

9 weeks from germination INDOOR 450-600g/m² OUTDOOR 50-200g/m² Height: 50-120 cm

8 weeks from germination INDOOR 425-550g/m² OUTDOOR 40-180g/m² Height: 50-100 cm

8 weeks from germination INDOOR 400-550g/m² OUTDOOR 35-175g/m² Height: 60-100 cm

3s.14,90€ | 5s.24,50€ | 10s.48,70€

3s.29,90€ | 5s.48,90€ | 10s.98,80€

3s.19,90€ | 5s.32,80€ | 10s.65,80€

3s.24,90€ | 5s.40,90€ | 10s.81,80€

Fast Bud #2 AutoÀowering 100% Indoor/Outdoor Harvest: 7½ weeks from germination Height: 40-90 cm

Big Devil XL

3s. 19,50€ | 5s. 32,50€ | 10s. 65,00€

AXtoÀowering 100% Indoor/Outdoor Harvest: 9½ weeks from germination Height: 110-160 cm

Fast Bud ®

3s. 26,50€ | 5s. 43,90€ | 10s. 87,80€

Big Devil #2

Speed Devil #2

AutoÀowering 100% Indoor/Outdoor Harvest: 9 weeks from germination Height: 100-150 cm

AutoÀowering 100% Indoor/Outdoor Harvest: 8 weeks from germination Height: 70-80 cm

3s. 24,00€ | 5s. 40,00€ | 10s. 80,00€

3s. 25,00€ | 5s. 42,00€ | 10s. 84,00€

Big Devil XL ® Black Jack Auto

Big Devil ®

3s. 14,90€ | 5s. 24,80€ | 10s. 49,60€

Speed Devil

3s. 19,90€ | 5s. 33,00€ | 10s. 66,00€

® Cream Caramel Auto

S.A.D. Auto

Speed Devil ®

~ Collector Edition ~

6 seeds properly labeled (2 seeds for variety)

Special Edition AutoÀowering Big Devil Special

Sweet Afgani Delicious

47,60 euros

3s. 17,50€ | 5s. 29,00€ | 10s. 58,00€

Big Devil XL Big Devil #2 Big Devil

53,00 euros

Collector Pack AutoÀowering Jack Collector

Jack 47 Auto Big Devil XL Black Jack Auto

Collector Pack AutoÀowering Large Size Collector 9 weeks from germination INDOOR 400-550g/m² OUTDOOR 40-250g/m² Height: 40-110 cm 3s. 24,00€ | 5s. 40,00€ | 10s. 80,00€

8 weeks from germination INDOOR 350-500g/m² OUTDOOR 35-100g/m² Height: 40-90 cm 3s. 20,00€ | 5s. 33,00€ | 10s. 66,00€

8 weeks from germination INDOOR 400-500g/m² OUTDOOR 40-100g/m² Height: 40-90 cm 3s. 18,50€ | 5s. 30,70€ | 10s. 61,00€

52,60 euros

Big Devil XL Jack 47 Auto Green Poison Auto

Also available: Collector 3ack AutoÀowering #1 - 35,00€ Collector 3ack AutoÀowering 2 Generace - 41,50€ Collector 3ack AutoÀowering + Fastest - 42,50€

www.sweetseeds.es C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch nº36-38 · 46015 · Valencia · España · +34 963 890 403 · +34 963 473 730 / +34 963 404 289 (Wholesalers) · Fax +34 961 934 843 Sale prohibited to people under 18 years old. Seed for coleccionist use exclusively. It´s ilegal to make them germinate. They´re not for agriculture purposes. Consult laws about cannabis aplied in your place of residence. Sweet Seeds will not be acountable for ilegal use of this seeds done by third parties.

49 The yield was a large handful of golden, very pure hash. It took a few days in open air for the hash to dry completely. Fortunately, it was smokeable as soon as it was finished. It is important to be careful when handling this fresh hash as it is very sticky and coats hands when touched. It was placed in a glass container for safety. The smoke was very pure and expanding. Unless the inhale was followed by a fast exhale before the big expansion, major coughing fits happen. Happy Hash making! You can see this hash-making in progress on YouTube: http://youtu.be/l84fsPZ_Poc

WATER IS POURED THROUGH THE TOP SCREEN, WHICH FILTERS OUT COARSE PARTICLES

THE HASH, THOUGH STILL WET AND VERY FINALLY, THE REST OF THE WATER IS REMOVED BY SQUEEZING THE WATER THROUGH THE SOCK

THE WATER CRYSTAL MIX HAS COLLECTED IN THE SOCK POUCH

STICKY, IS READY TO SMOKE. IT HAS A BOLD AND FRESH TASTE, SORT OF LIKE “NEW WINE

Big Low (Automatic)

Photo: Seeds of Life

BAND INTERVIEW

Alabama 3: An Army of Love In a fairly inconspicuous building (only a stone’s throw away from an epicenter of the August riots that took place across the UK) in Brixton, South London, can be found the home of the Alabama 3. The band’s recording studios, pressing plant, offices and club venue are all within these walls. Police sirens screeched relentlessly through the night, as forces arrived from all over the country. Meanwhile, the studio was alive with the sound of a hot new album being recorded. It is here that SSUSA spoke to front man, Larry Love, about the gospel according to Kaz Peet Alabama 3 and Shoplifting 4 Jesus, their latest sermon. Half-consciously muttered, late one night, the title is provocatively anarchic and twisted in a typical Alabama 3 kind of way. It sets the tone for the album, and as Larry begins to illuminate, “We believe that the culture in which we now live per-

a bit of glamor and a bit of funk; it makes people think outside the box and our record reflects that.” Never exploiting the global success of the Sopranos theme tune and never selling out, the band is certainly known for their commitment to aiding outlaw causes. But they are equally notorious for their hedonistic attitude, something that is strongly transmitted through the music. The crowd will always leave an Alabama 3 gig on a massive high. It seems that it is more important to have fun than to be angry, and to laugh in the face of adversity. In this church, grooving to funky chords and harmonic melodies can transport the soul to a beautiful place, transcending the discordant racket of the morally-lacking organization.

of MC5 – kick out the jams, motherfuckers – and he set up the White Panther Party, which ran in tandem with the Black Panther Party. Basically, he was a countercultural figure who Alabama 3 was lucky enough to meet recently and do some recording. We made music and we got high together; he told me about all the new strains of weed in Amsterdam and he invited me to appear on his new album. He’s a cool operator waiting to be discovered by those who don’t already know him. In terms of Soft Secrets, he’s probably one of the biggest advocates; he smokes dope 24/7 and has the mind of Einstein. He doesn’t drop a stitch; he’s brilliant.” Larry Love also smokes 24/7, including throughout this interview. Musing over how the band’s support for the legaliza-

I THINK THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO GET A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE FROM LOADS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TOGETHER, DANCING AND ASKING QUESTIONS mits a license to thievery. The bankers and the global financiers of the planet deem it acceptable to liberate, uncontrollably, the hard-earned incomes of many poor people – hence the current recession. LARRY LOVE

AURORA DAWN

REV. D. WAYNE LOVE

“Couple that with the concept in the music industry that people no longer buy records. So, I think that there is a whole kind of culture within society, both economically and aesthetically, whereby thievery is acceptable. Alabama 3 has made no secret of the fact that, as T.S. Elliot said, amateurs plagiarize, true artists steal, and Alabama 3 are the biggest motherfuckin’ thieves on the block. The album is very much comprised of ideas, snippets and melodies from hundreds of other people’s songs. We make no claim for originality; what we do claim is that whatever we’ve stolen, we’ve stolen in the name of the Lord. “As we all know, if you put the name of the Lord behind anything, you can get away with murder. That is the theme behind the album. We are on the zeitgeist, with the current occupations in New York and London a very beautiful thing to see in terms of young people being energized – people are sussed to the fact that everything is being stolen. The crisis in capitalism is waking people up to the fact that stealing is believing.” While the distinctive Alabama 3 sound is clear throughout the album, there is a strong feeling of a hugely increased passion injected into this, making it stand out from being ‘just a new Alabama 3 album’. Appreciating the compliment and with enthusiasm gathering, Larry agrees and explains, “This is a culmination of the last four or five years of us becoming a completely independent and autonomous organization. Consequently, this album very much reflects that energy. In this time of recession people need music,

“Our fans know that we know how to party,” smiles Larry. “There’s nothing more boring than soap box preaching rock ‘n’ roll. I think that the most important thing is to get a room full of people from loads of different backgrounds together, dancing and asking questions: why are you talking about Mao Tse Tung and Che Guevara? Who was Sister

tion campaign may have had a detrimental effect on their career, he nonetheless appears undeterred. Although Alabama 3 are probably best known in the US for the Sopranos theme tune, Larry believes they have always maintained their integrity – that the American

ALABAMA 3 Rosetta Tharpe and who is John Sinclair? The last thing we want to do is give people boring politics. We are very political in our nature, but if you ain’t got the ladies’ asses moving to the left and the right, and the gangsters in the back feeling whack all night, then you ain’t got a party going on and people won’t ask the questions.” Indeed the band is fond of asking questions itself, as in the track entitled Who the Fuck is John Sinclair? Why is the 1960s jazz poet, beatnik and political activist, entrapped and imprisoned for the possession of Cannabis, relevant to this album? “Well, John Lennon and Yoko Ono did the Free John Sinclair rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1972 and I recognize the fact that John Sinclair was the manager

audience are becoming more wise to the band. As he describes them: “A band coming out of Brixton with a Welshman and a Scotsman, pretending they’re from Alabama, talking in American accents and mixing country and techno is a shit idea. It’s taken a while even for a British audience to realize that there is a serious agenda behind this and I think the American audience recognizes that these boys can play the blues and they respect the quality of the music. Hopefully they will love it and dig it and we will be out there soon – hopefully April [or] May next year.” After offering a final blessing of “Peace out ‘n’ keep on smoking,” Larry asks the growers out there if they can “have some Willy Weed when the band visits New Orleans next year, please?”

REPORT

Hemp has always been important for Russian culture and industry, and was especially so between the 15th and mid-20th centuries. Cutting off England’s hemp supply was a major cause of Napoleon’s war against Russia in 19th century. Historians say that even the name of the country’s capital, Moscow, is derived from an Old Author: Sebastian Daniel Russian term for cannabis. Russia is the world’s largest country. Hemp seeds were brought to today’s territory of Ukraine, Poland, and the European part of Russia by Scythian tribes from Siberia circa 2,500 years ago. Ancient historian Herodotus wrote about the popularity of hemp smoke rituals among Scyths. Cannabis was used at burial and religious rituals, as well as in the old Russian sauna bath (which, like the Turkish one, was also quite a religious experience of a cleansing kind).

The Grass in the Soviet Backyard

Cannabis for thousands of years has been one the largest and most important branches of agriculture and industry on the planet. Hemp fibers made the conquest of the seas and oceans possible: each ship needed strong hemp sails and rigging, even glue and paint from hemp to ensure water resistance. The economy of the entire planet has benefited from thousands of products made from these durable and fast-growing plants, especially hemp paper, clothes, food, and lamp oils. Hemp food became a part of the Russian national diet. Russia, having cheap labor, produced 80% of all hemp in the world in the 18th century. It became the world’s largest producer of high quality raw hemp materials for manufacture of sails, ropes, nets, fabric, paper, etc. Tsar Peter I introduced a state monopoly on the exporting of cannabis and controlled the quality of the goods himself. In 1706 he issued a decree giving the death penalty to merchants who added waste products to hemp pulp. During the life of Peter I, exports amounted to 37,000 tons per year. Most of the production went to countries such as Holland, Britain, and other

Over time, hemp clothes were replaced by cotton and synthetics, and sailing ships gave way to steamers. Demand for hemp decreased, as well as its economic significance. Nevertheless, it still remained an important crop in the agribusiness of the USSR, and the country was still first in the world in the cultivation of cannabis. The Soviet Union became a worthy successor to the tsarist regime in this one regard. In the first years of communism, the production of hemp was not only upheld, but even extended to other regions, including Siberia. Hemp was one of the main crops of the Soviet Union. This was officially confirmed by placing the cannabis leaf with wheat and sunflower in the center of the fountain called the “Friendship of Nations” at the international exhibition showing the achievements of the national industry of the USSR in 1954. Medals honoring Masters of Hemp Agriculture were handed to the best farmers. But seven years later, in 1961, the government ratified the UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs, announced that cannabis was now a dangerous drug, and ordered the destruction of crops. The shocking discoveries about the role of drugs in the history of communism

maritime powers. Hemp fibers used in their ships were, in 90% of cases, made in Russia. In 1812, the “hemp war” started. When Napoleon attacked Russia, his purpose and strategy was to stop the export of Russian hemp to England and thus destroy the English fleet. Napoleon’s plan was based on the assumption that, without Russian cannabis, England would be forced to stop the war with France.

HEMP, WHEAT AND SUNFLOWER IN THE CENTER OF THE MONUMENT DED-

are described in a book written by Prof. Peter Razgulajev from the University of Novosybirsk called “При дворе-трава” (“The grass in the backyard”). The book covers the period from 1917 to 1986. The longest chapter deals with Nikita Khrushchev – the merry formidable successor to the fearful Joseph Stalin. Here is a quote from the book: “Together with Coca-Cola, corn, and the end of the cult of personality (Stalin), in Khrushchev’s times there came into fashion marijuana. In the early 1950s it became clear to the party leadership and the government for the first time that the socialist economy is a dead-end street, and an intriguing plan was developed. The plan in which the Soviet population through a system of trade and public catering was to be bombarded with “hormones of happiness”. In particular, it is known that bread bakers, according to the state’s

countrie many other European or Asian countries. Just using and possessing a small amount of drug is not a criminal offense and one will not be sent away to a labor camp in Siberia anymore. All you risk is a fine from 500 to 1,000 rubles (10-20 euros) or arrest for 15 days. In reality, the law absolutely does not work like this. Even first-time offenders fall victim to the brainwashing and pressure from the cops to squeeze out answers to routine questions. You should have no more than 2 grams of hash or 6 grams of weed on you – there the “significant quantities” start, according to Section 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which can land you in prison for from 2 to 12 years. There are also other controversies. There are plenty of headshops and hats, key fobs and other gadgets with a cannabis leaf in Russian stores, but in August 2011 one head-shop was accused of “illegal advertising of drugs.”

RUSSIAN LEADER NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV DREAMED OF LEGALIZING MARIJUANA THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE USSR original technology, were directed to add 20 to 30 mg extract of female flowers of cannabis. Similar plant or synthetic compounds (e.g. mescaline, which had been imported since 1958 by the Soviet Union from Mexico for “the needs of the pharmaceutical industry”) became part of a large number of different types of bread produced in the years 1950-1960. The narcotic effect, which was subjected to millions of Soviet citizens, was supposed to cause mutations of organisms and convert them into weak, docile creatures.” Different from other Soviet leaders, known for their drunkenness, Nikita was distinguished by a happy nature and the ability to think and compromise. A prominent role in forming his personality was played by his appetite for marijuana. Having known the effects of THC, Khrushchev tried unsuccessfully to encourage Stalin to legalize marijuana. When he himself became the Soviet leader, Nikita was known for his extravagant behavior. Today, his actions look quite understandable, because we know their purpose and reason. Already in the 1940s Khrushchev dreamed of transforming the Crimean Odessa, known as the Pearl of the Black Sea, into the world center of the hemp-hashish industry and of legalizing marijuana throughout the entire USSR. Unfortunately for his country, he could not fulfill his plans. He was ousted from power by fans of vodka drinking under the leadership of Brezhnev, who ruled out the idea of legalization for many years. In 1987, even the cultivation of industrial hemp was banned throughout the USSR.

ICATED TO THE “FRIENDSHIP OF NATIONS” AT THE EXHIBITION SHOWING

Cannabis Laws Today

THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE RUSSIAN AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY

At present, a Russian amateur of pot has an incomparably easier life than his peers in

The court ordered a ridiculously small fine (4000 rubles), but nonetheless it was a court ruling. Unfortunately, the arbitrariness of powers in Russia is common. When you’re stopped by the police for possession of even small quantities of marijuana, good connections and bribes may play an important role. The police are famous in the Russian media for their brutality, alcohol abuse, and pervasive corruption. As in most countries, in Russia we can also find hemp organizations and companies, countless web pages, forums, blogs. There are popular magazines devoted to cannabis such as “Trawa” (“Grass”) or “Konoplana Pravda” (“Cannabis Truth”). These newspapers are full of ads for seed companies, equipment and other items useful to the growers, as well as the most famous Dutch coffeeshops. Since 2010 there has been a new fashion for growing cannabis at home. Previously, this method was quite unknown. Russians are becoming more and more dedicated to urban gardening. In the big cities of Russia, one growshop after another is opening its doors. There is a growing army of urban gardening enthusiasts. Growing hemp is not legal and it carries some risk. Of course it all depends on the size of the crop. For example, the cultivation of less than 20 plants carries a liability in the dimension of 1500-4000 rubles fine or arrest for 15 days. Russian legislation does not prohibit the possession or sale of cannabis seeds, but growing ii in the Russian Federation for any purpose is prohibited. But now there are the first signs of change. The national press announced recently that “Russia will once again grow hemp.” The authorities have begun to speak about the legal cultivation of hemp for industrial

54 and medical applications. National drug control authorities have even called for the restoration of all the hemp crops in Russia and asked the government for biilions in investment. Russian scientists are advising the government to go back to the culture of hemp and turn Russia into a global leader in the cultivation of cannabis again, also for the production of biofuels. Aleksiei Mitrofanow, a Deputy of Duma (Russian Parliament), talks openly about the need to legalize soft drugs. In an interview with “Tribune” magazine he said that the ban on cannabis is only corrupting prosecutors and has contributed to the rise of the drug mafia. Newspapers predict that sooner or later, soft drugs will be permitted.

Hemp vs. Alcohol and Tobacco Economy Buying good grass in Russia is still relatively difficult, while heroin and synthetic drugs have become readily available and popular. This has created a disastrous situation; heroin use is spreading like vodka drinking. The Mafia imports tons of heroin from Afghanistan, and trade is

THIS SOVIET MEDAL READS “MASTER OF HEMP AGRICULTURE” often secured by politicians, mayors and police officers. No one really fights the heroin trade; local authorities are busy hunting for a less risky target – a hippie or a Rastaman. Dangerous new inventions are being created in home laboratories, like the infamous Russian “crocodile”, called “heroin for the poor”. Shocking films about the devastating effect of this drug can be seen on YouTube. Looking at cannabis as a stimulant, it has to be taken into account that Russia was and still is more an “alcoholic culture”. Very strange though is that the Russian public often stands with the drunks, not users of cannabis. Unfortunately, smoking grass is considered an activity that takes man to the bottom faster than alcohol consumption (unlike in India where the use of cannabis ennobles people in traditional communities – even including the possibility of rising from the caste of the “untouchables” – while drinking alcohol always degrades). Most Russians over 40 years of age believe that cannabis is a fast way to hard drugs and moral degradation. Apparently, the generation brought up under communism have forgotten that before World War II, Slavs often treated alcoholics with concoctions of cannabis. Also, American

ODESSA (TODAY UKRAINE) LOST ITS CHANCE TO BECOME THE HEMP/ HASHISH CAPITAL OF THE WORLD IN 1950S - LONG BEFORE AMSTERDAM

tobacco has become a new tradition in Eurasia and has imperceptibly supplanted illegal marijuana from the public consciousness. The younger generation has rejected a number of Soviet stereotypes and is returning to its ancestral traditions, looking at marijuana differently. Young people understand well that this is no deadly drug, and recognize the fundamental difference between marijuana and heroin, alcohol or nicotine. It is no secret that smoking marijuana is prevalent among a very large group of Russians, especially from the Asian republics of the former Soviet Union. On one hand, marijuana is prohibited, on the other hand it is grown and sold on a massive scale. In every Russian city and town, you can find a grass dealer and buy some grass or hash. There is local grass, which grows wild over an area of 1,000,000 hectares – the remains of the great industrial hemp farming from the time of the Tsar Peter I. Cannabis grows in all regions of Russia; the largest crops can be found in the Far East, the Amur region, and in Tuva, Buratii, the Jewish Autonomous Area and the Krasnodar Krai. Weed and hash are also imported from the former Asian republics of the former USSR: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan or countries like Afghanistan, Morocco and the Netherlands. It should be remembered that alcohol causes more deaths worldwide than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence, as the World Health Organization warned in 2011. Yet alcohol control policies are weak and remain a low priority for most governments despite road accidents, violence, disease, child neglect and job absenteeism, WHO’s “Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health” said. The harmful use of alcohol is especially fatal for younger age groups and alcohol is the world’s leading risk factor for death among males aged 15-59. It is a causal factor in 60 types of diseases and injuries. Alcohol consumption has been linked to cirrhosis of the liver, epilepsy, poisoning, traffic accidents and fatalities, domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide, suicide, and several types of cancer, including cancers of the breast, larynx and liver. Drinking’s heavy toll on society is clearly evident in Eastern European countries

like Poland and Russia. In Poland, 40% of young adults have one or two alcoholic parents. In Russia, every fifth death is due to harmful drinking. A report by Advisory Board of President of Russia estimates the number of deceased from alcohol-related illnesses as over half a million people every year. Lethal alcohol poisoning (overdose) alone is the cause of death of 40 thousand people every year. Alcoholism is also causing a demographic collapse: by 2050 the number of Russian citizens will have decreased from 145 million to 100 million. In 2008 89% of women and only 56% of men reached retirement age. For years the Russian government has attempted to fight the alcohol problem. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev introduced limitations on vodka sales, which caused a proliferation of moonshiners and even led to social unrest and riots. People addicted to alcohol consumed substitutes: cologne, brake fluid or window cleaning fluid. These caused mass poisonings, deaths and cases of loss of vision. There were attempts to restrict the sale of not just alcoholic drinks, but also ethanol-based perfumes which were commonly consumed as a substitute. Cigarettes, poor nutrition, and alcohol are the first three leading causes of death in Russia, America

and many other countries. It seems that the genocidal policy concerning hemp, alcohol, and tobacco should be called Hemp, Alcohol, and the Tobacco Economy (H.A.T.E.). Journalist David Malmo-Levine answers the often-repeated question “If marijuana is so harmless and helpful, why is it illegal?” with the following explanation: Forget about fantasies regarding “health concerns”, it’s a game of racism and monopoly over medicine and sacrament, a game of hierarchy, megalomania and of classic divide-and-conquer of the masses. Malmo-Levine laments that famous cannabis products like hashish from Afghanistan or ganja from Jamaica remain illegal while big pharma industry enjoys a monopoly of legal cannabis medicines, using fake concerns over smoke and euphoria. Certainly, the Russian government should consider the re-legalization of cannabis a.s.a.p. Especially since, as history shows us, it’s not the launch of some new exotic drug (one can rather say this about the appearance of tobacco in this part of the world), but a return to the roots and the great Russian cannabis culture and tradition. The author would like to thank Gee Maru for his help in writing this report.

Greengo King Size Slim 4HE kRST REAL UNBLEACHED PAPERSÏ 0URE NATURAL - FSC Mix 4OTALLY #HLORINE &REE - Arabic Gum $UTCH WINNER OF %0!

Greengo 4HE BEST TOBACCO SUBSTITUTE AVAILABLEÏ .O NICOTINE ,ESS TAR 0URE NATURAL HERB MIX

www.basilbush.com www.greengo.co.uk www.greengo.nl

BACKGROUND

Cannabis Dealers by Lazystrain

In this issue of Soft Secrets we shall take a closer look at the subject of Cannabis Dealing. During the course of my CannaAnthropological studies I have been fortunate (and unfortunate) enough to have socialised with a variety of people involved in the supply of Cannabis. Throughout Europe from International Growers, Wholesale Importers and Street Dealers. In fact Cannabis Dealers come in so many shapes, colours, religions and sizes, that it would be presumptuous to paint all Cannabis Dealers with the same oil. Here we shall attempt to pattern several ‘types’ of Cannabis Dealer from an anthropological perspective; while remaining conscious of the fact that Cannabis Dealers are merely those people that supply other people with Cannabis. Note: this report does NOT aim to support or condone any of the criminality that the prohibition of Cannabis currently generates. Neither do we wish to glorify or promote the work of certain idiots currently involved in the Cannabis Trade.

Cannabis Dealers A Cannabis Dealer is simply someone that buys more Cannabis than they need for their personal use [Howard Marks]. There are several Natural explanations why a Cannabis User might wish to purchase more Cannabis than they require for their personal use. Firstly, buying in bulk lowers the cost of the Cannabis. Secondly buying in bulk often ensures the same consistency of Cannabis. Thirdly buying in bulk requires fewer transactions or “deals” of Cannabis. Likewise, there are several reasons why a Cannabis User might want to purchase more Cannabis as a means of supply - thus becoming a Cannabis Dealer. Firstly, dealing might help out friends or family with a regular and reliable source of Cannabis. Secondly supplying Cannabis might be a way of making any Cannabis consumed, by the Dealer, cheaper. Thirdly supplying Cannabis may be a way of generating an income in cash.

Wholesale Dealers Wholesale Dealers are those people involved in transporting large amounts of Cannabis from one location to another for a profit. Wholesale Dealers might operate locally, nationally or internationally depending on the scale of their business interests. International Wholesale Dealers are mostly interested in facilitating the supply of Cannabis over long distances via the use of telecommunications and methods of haulage and transportation. The Cannabis Dealer that is willing to travel overseas and exchange money into another currency to arrange a deal. The Cannabis Dealer foremost involved in the importation of Cannabis on a national level.

National Wholesale Dealers are those people concerned with transporting imported quantities of Cannabis towards a local destination. The Cannabis Dealer that is happy to drive the length and width of a country in order to facilitate a Dealers supply. The Cannabis Dealer ready to purchase 100kg of Cannabis for cash. Local Wholesale Dealers are those people involved with supplying large quantities of Cannabis to Middle Men. The Cannabis Dealer that works exclusively within the parameters of the same city , town, or neighbourhood, with the express intention of supplying Cannabis to all the Local Dealers or Middle Men in the area.

Middle Men Middle Men (and Women) are those people that trade in Cannabis while aiming to interact as little as possible with Cannabis Users. The Cannabis Dealer that remains hands-off in every aspect of the Culture, except when it comes to counting the cash. The Cannabis Dealer that often supports various avenues of recreation in society; including the supply of Class A Drugs. The Cannabis Dealer that holds little respect for either themselves or their Community. The Cannabis Dealer that inflates the price of Cannabis on the street, with every deal.

Street Dealers Street Dealers are those people involved with supplying Cannabis at a grass-roots level. This includes Mobile Cannabis Dealers and Home Cannabis Dealers. The

Cannabis Dealer that supplies consumers and friends on a local and regular basis. These days such Street Dealers are often more reliable than the Post Office, as consistent in quality than any Dutch Coffeeshop, and can usually deliver the goods quicker than the local Pizza Hut! In fact many Street Dealers pride themselves on the high level of service they provide their customers with. Including free skins, tobacco and cups of tea ! The Cannabis Dealer that will travel across town at midnight for a regular Customer. The Cannabis Dealer that lays down their own credit facility in the neighbourhood. The Cannabis Dealer that works at smoking Cannabis with Customers part-time. Whilst maybe loathed, rejected, or even feared, many such Cannabis Dealers are often respected for the function and facility they provide within the local Community.

Grow Dealers More recently there has been a dramatic upsurge in the number of Grow Dealers supplying Cannabis to consumers. Grow Dealers being those people that cultivate Cannabis on a small scale with the intention of supplying a local market on a regular basis. In fact hundreds of the Readers of this page will probably automatically fall into this category. Traditionally Home-Growers could barely smoke, let alone sell their own product! However as standards in cultivation have slowly improved, a market for HomeGrown Cannabis has opened throughout Europe. As a result those Growers that grow too much Cannabis for their own consumption, often (by default) find

themselves in the new position of being a Cannabis Dealer - with the small scale supply of Skunk type Cannabis currently taking the Lion’s share of the profits. The rise of the Grow Dealer has obviously had a knock-on effect in places. For example, those aggressive, irrational, and often violent ‘drug dealers’ , of the past, now find it extremely difficult to compete against the more peaceful, mindful, and accepting Grow Dealer of the future. Who it should be added, often produces a higher quality Cannabis product than any Middle Man (or Women) or Bag Dealer ever would or could. The cost of demand, in the presence of Grow Dealers, has actually created as many problems as it has remedied a cure for supply. Whilst the number of Wholesale Cannabis Importers has dramatically dropped since 9/11, the uptake in the number of Grow Dealers does not yet quite fill the gap (especially in the UK, Italy, and France). Thus leaving the whole Cannabis Market wide open to abuse by Middle Men (and Women), and the more traditional/hardcore Drug Dealer in the neighbourhood and the New Importers that help support them!

Gang Dealers There has been focus on Indo-Vietnamese Communities, much as a scape-goat to explain away the fact that the same traditional and corrupt International Drug Dealers from several different forces in Europe, still operate within the Cannabis Trade. Moreover New Communities from within the EU have now entered into the Cannabis Market, with plans on taking it over (just like they have the amphetamine and arms trade in the UK). Within Italy, a few years ago, local gangsters practically wiped out the local Cannabis variety ‘Red Calabrese’ to make way for a team of Grow Dealers working on the Italian/Swiss boarder. In doing so many peaceful home-growers where visited by the local Mafia, threatened, and told to stop supplying Cannabis to local people for a good price. Likewise, in Ireland, a few years ago, local paramilitaries where pamphleteering in pubs, with a message telling Local Cannabis Growers to stop cultivating Cannabis in the area. This would appear most moral, where it not for the fact that, the same paramilitaries where aiming to control the local Cannabis Market during the same period. Back to reality, today the Cannabis Market is mostly controlled by some kid in a hood with a few mobile phones. The reality being that, Cannabis Dealers don’t need to travel the world of Cannabis to find out what’s growing on the corner. What started out as a giant game of chess between importers and customs officials , gangsters and villains, has ended up as a game of cat and mouse between some smart little ****er and the local Community Support Officer. Peace !

REVIEW

Plant Magic Plus Ltd Plant Magic Plus was founded in November 2008, a company established to provide growers with the resources to produce healthy plants. The brainchild of a horticulture veteran and sometimes magician, their ethos is to supply a range of products that naturally enhance the growth and development of plants. They focus on increasing the soil fertility, nutrition and microbial activity, bringing together many elements from nature; from beneficial fungi and bacteria to natural growth stimulants. When the company began, their focus was on a small range of Beneficials. These 6 products were designed to be used in conjunction with one another to help the plant utilize the nutrients in its environment and to protect it from diseases. The stand-out stars of this range were a concentrated bio-culture called Essence and a Mycorrhizal fungi based bio-stimulant called Granules. Essence comes as a kit that when mixed, becomes active and is applied as a foliar. Over 20 strains of micro-organisms colonise the surface of the plant combating infection and acting as a barrier to airborne pathogenic fungi. Granules are introduced to the root zone and work by forming symbiotic relationships with the root, acting as a barrier to harmful pathogens and effectively increasing their area and capability. Side by side testing of the granules has

shown a marked reduction in susceptibility to soil-borne pathogens and a huge increase in root mass. As word spread about this new company that worked towards healthy plants, demand for additives and nutrients started to build. Heeding this call, the company went to work on a range of high quality nutrients to give growers all they need to produce healthy plants. The range covered soil, hydro and coco, but more importantly was tailored to the UK water system. Being based in the UK allowed them to understand the need for nutrients to cater for hard and soft water areas. This reduces the need to add pH adjusters which can upset the nutrient balance. Alongside the nutrients came the Additives. These three products were designed to supplement the nutrient range, allowing growers to accommodate the changing needs of plants. Flush (available in hard or soft water format) is designed to help the plant use up all nutrients at the end of the flowering cycle, reducing minerals which can taint flavours. Bloom Boost is a 13/14 PK booster which also contains a source of NH4 that helps to create a balanced nutrient profile. The third and final additive, Root Stimulant contains

a unique blend of natural plant hormones, amino acids and humates to increase biological activity in the root zone resulting in explosive growth. The range of nutrients and additives only served to increase demand for more high quality products. This led to collaboration with a godfather of the industry by the name of Old Timer. Together they created an organic range designed to work with the soil and micro-organisms to produce healthy vibrant plants with vigorous growth. The reputation that Plant Magic Plus had for quality products, together with the experience of Old Timer sent sales of the Old Timer Organic range soaring. With a range of nutrients, beneficials and additives, the company now set about sourcing the best quality media. This was a mammoth task that underwent rigorous testing in order to find the right supplier offering the right quality. The Coco Coir is fully washed and buffered to allow it to retain the appropriate balance of nutrients and crucially, it is not heat treated. The lack of heat treatment means the naturally occurring beneficial fungi are not destroyed, which promotes balanced healthy growth. The Soil Supreme is a light, aerated sphagnum peat of the highest quality, together with our very own organic growth stimulant and

added Fytocell foam. The organic growth stimulant works wonders on all crops, this encourages nutrient uptake but also stimulates the Rhizosphere leading to a better developing root mass, more nutrient uptake thus giving a more vigorous vertical growth and maintain superior health throughout. The Soil Supreme is mild enough for seeds or cuttings and the Fytocell foam provides unrivalled moisture retention and aeration without impeding root growth. The most recent weapon in Plant Magic’s ever increasing arsenal is Evolution. Released at the Grow 2011 Manchester show, this beneficial is a foliar spray used in the vegetative stages of growth. Evolution speeds up the vegetative stages of growth and helps the plant to produce an abundance of new shoots that lead to increased fruit sets and a greater yield. As a foliar, this product can be used with any growing medium and supplies natural plant hormones and growth stimulators through the leaves directly into the plant. Currently Plant Magic is working on a premium range booster as an alternative to the Bloom Boost. This new booster will contain your usual P and K nutrients but with the added extra of Nitrogen, natural plant hormones, protein building blocks, a whole wealth of nutrients and trace elements and a sugar source that will feed microorganisms which will stimulate the production of more flavoursome fruits and increase the BRIX count (the amount of sugars in the fruit, this is deemed to increase yield, flavours and aromas). Development of this nature is typical, as Plant Magic are a dynamic company whose product range is always expanding. Not only is new development constantly occurring, but all products go through regular review and refinement procedures to make sure they are on the cutting edge of technology. To get their products out, Plant Magic teamed up with Nutriculture giving them exclusive UK distribution rights. In return for access to their substantial network built up over many years, Plant Magic products are one of the top selling nutritional ranges in Nutriculture’s catalogue. Having put a stamp on the increasingly competitive UK market, they are now looking to venture into Europe. In 2012 they’re exhibiting in Valencia and Prague, with a presence at the trade show in Malaga in May. Last year at the Grow 2011 show in Manchester, the stand proved very popular with hundreds of growers not least for their free advice and free gift bags! Despite their meteoric rise over the past three and a half years, from a few beneficials being sold to local shops, all the way to having a corner of the UK market with views to Europe, they still see themselves as a small yet capable company. Accessible by growers and international distributers alike, they still pride themselves on working with nature by promoting healthy plant growth.

%65$) 1"44*0/

:&"34 0' $"//"#*4 *//07"5*0/ 45*-- -&"%*/( 5)& $0..6/*5: 13&4&/54 /&8 &9$-64*7& 7"3*&5*&4

/JHIU 2VFFO Ñ

'SFEEZ T #FTU Ñ

%BSL %FMJHIU Ñ

5IJOL %JGGFSFOU

0ME TDIPPM HFOFUJDT

5IF MFHBDZ PG 'SFEEZ

&YPUJD NVMUJ DSPTT WBSJFUZ

5IF /FYU (FOFSBUJPO "VUP'FN

'3&& '&.*/*;&% 4&&%4

7"-*% '03 "-- 163$)"4&4 0' € 03 .03& 8*5)*/ 5)& &6301&"/ 6/*0/ $)&$, 888 %65$) 1"44*0/ /- '03 5&3.4 "/% $0/%*5*0/4 +" #&58&&/

/ 45 "

13 5)

4IPQ (SPUF (SBDIU .BBTUSJDIU )PMMBOE JOGP!EVUDI QBTTJPO OM

8IPMFTBMF TBMFT!EVUDI QBTTJPO OM

".";*/( "$)*&7&.&/54 "VUP.B[BS Ñ #FTU 0VUEPPS :JFME HS #FTU *OEPPS :JFME HSBNT -&%

."45&34 "5 803,

AMSTERDAMNED

THANK YOU, PLEASE DON’T COME AGAIN

Dutch Weed Pass Well, as I write this, the Dutch government is busy banging another nail into the coffin of Cannabis tourism. They have decided they don’t want your dollars any more and the next time you visit Europe they’d prefer if you went elsewhere to smoke your dope. In a brain-churning stroke of ostrich politics, they want to turn our coffeeshops into private clubs, off limits to you and all other visitors to Holland. Yes, folks, should you come to visit the fair city of Amsterdam and want to buy some weed, then you’re out of luck… by O’Riodon unless you have a ‘wietpas’ (weed pass). Unfortunately you can only get one of these if you’re a legal, tax paying resident, but it doesn’t stop there. In order to get a pass you have to register your name, address and social security number; also, the pass is only valid in the coffeeshop nearest to where you live. They even know when you buy and how much because payment must be done with a bank card – no more cash. This could be a law within six months. After that, tourists will potentially only be able to access the passes from their hotel reception or doormen; or, they will just have to buy off the street. Quality will go down and there is the added opportunity to get involved in a violent street crime. This is sending us back to the ‘80s, when we had lots of bad drugs and violence on the streets, and tourists were ripped off all the time. Today, Amsterdam is a clean, friendly city, visited by millions of people and (according to the statistics) a quarter of them will safely visit a coffeeshop, a tradition as Dutch as tulips and cheese. To close them to visitors is not only stupid, but discriminatory and a denial of people’s rights. The city of Amsterdam is against the plan and a number of other cities in Holland have also expressed doubts; they would prefer a more liberal approach, but the government in The Hague is not listening, despite all the advice to the contrary.

When the Minister of Justice was asked about the increase in street dealing that would follow such a move, his reply was simply, ‘the police will deal with it.’ They’ve just cut the police force. In their war on the growers, private companies now deal with a large part of the busts. Sure, it is the police who serve the warrant and make the arrest, but then private enterprise takes over. Weed may be ‘legal’ in the coffeeshops, but a hundred mature plants can get you a 10K fine and the chance of a life-changing experience. This government, an unelected coalition of tight-assed racists and poker-faced deniers, has been wrestling with the ‘Cannabis problem’ since they first got together in their grubby little pact. They wished Cannabis didn’t exist, along with all the weirdos who smoke it, but we do. When medical marijuana became big news in the States, they realized it was an opportunity to do the same in Holland, with a few changes. Whereas the US system is run by medical practitioners, ours will be run by the justice department and they will want everybody’s name and number. This is the same justice department that carries out more telephone taps than any other country in the world. Meanwhile in the criminal world, champagne corks are already popping; the move will expand an already huge black

THIS TINY CARD COULD INCITE A HUGE UPROAR. (PHOTO: MARCEL VAN HOORN)

TIGHT-ASSED RACISTS AND POKER-FACED DENIERS PLAGUE THE GOVERNMENT IN NL

market. This is a mistake of Himalayan proportions and experts have told them so, but the government will not listen. This is a moment for some clear-headed thinking and an admission that recreational Cannabis use poses no threat whatsoever to society. The public know this, so why don’t politicians get it? It makes me wonder if there isn’t some ulterior motive, probably involving money. There have been rumors of a rather cynical plan that would explain the continuing onslaught on the growers. As a result of all the busts, prices have been rising steadily. It is believed the government wants to push the price to over thirty dollars a gram and then tax it. The new weed pass will fit very well into their plan, because they will have everybody’s bank- and personal details. What if this information falls into the wrong hands? It could have far-reaching effects: denial of auto insurance; negatively impact a job application or a custody hearing, etc.. This is dangerous territory and infringes upon our human rights. Fortunately there are number of groups challenging the law on the grounds of discrimination (which is against a current EEC law), but the Minister of Justice is just pig-headed enough to try and push it through, then fight about it with the European Parliament later.

THE DUTCH GEDOOGKABINET (TOLERANCE CABINET)

All this is happening in a time when the French, who until now have been the bad guys with their relentless persecution of the Cannabis user, are suddenly looking at it in a favorable light. A Monsieur

Valiant, an ex-cabinet minister, has put forth a proposal to bring Cannabis under the same law that governs tobacco. He suggests the government should set aside a hundred thousand acres and start major cultivation. Then the highly-taxed product would be sold in local tobacconists, bringing in enough revenue to kick-start the economy. Importers and non-licensed growers would still be prosecuted, but not so harshly. Now, if France can come up with something positive, why can’t Holland? So, after all the ID checks, you have finally been issued with a weed pass and you need a smoke. Well, whether it’s good or bad, you’ll have buy from your nearest coffeeshop, because the card is not valid anywhere else. So much for free choice; if you’re lucky you might find something good and buy the maximum allowance – three whole grams!

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR! Many Dutch city councils have already commented that they will NOT enforce the use of the weed pass. Most notable, Amsterdam mayor Van der Laan said Amsterdam police will not enforce the law that bans tourists from coffeeshops. So most probably there will be yet again a new ‘gedoogbeleid’, where coffeeshops who do not enforce the use of the weed pass will not be checked.

uk grow rks hydroponic & horticultural specialists

94 Upper Wickham Lane Welling Kent DA16 3HQ

Unit4 Belltower Ind Est Roedean Road Brighton BN2 5RU

<UP[ - 5VY[OÅLL[ Lower Road Gravesend DA11 9SW

0208 854 5160

01273 624327

01322 838131

10%

DISCOUNT WHEN YOU SHOP ONLINE PUT IN CODE:

SOFTGROW AT THE CHECKOUT

offer only applies to our online store

STOP E N O REMIER P HOP! S ’ S K U D A E H

52 Avenue Road Bexleyheath Kent DA7 4EG

79 London Road Brighton East Sussex BN1 4JF

184 Victoria Road Aldershot Hampshire GU11 1JZ

0208 304 0444

01273 601140

01252 447752

10%

DISCOUNT WHEN YOU SHOP ONLINE PUT IN CODE:

SOFTSKUNK AT THE CHECKOUT

offer only applies to our online store

Totem, Symbol, Ritual Traditionally a Totem is an ancestral group (tribe of people) who share the same spiritual believes or conform to the same myths within society. Today however Totems may be prescribed to broader groups that share the same spiritual believe or ideology. Sociologists could therefore argue that Cannabis Culture has become yet another Totem by Lazystrain within post-Modern Society. Traditionally the most basic Symbols were used as Runes or Devices 1) to allocate meaning to objects 2) to waypoint specific geographical locations. Today the majority of Symbols we see are logos related to advertising. However the Symbol of a green five to seven fingered palmate leaf holds its own meaning. A Symbol that unites millions of Cannabis People under the same anthropomorphic motif. Traditionally Ritual was commonly practised 1) as a right-of-passage 2) as a way of conforming to a standard of practise either for a) hygienic b) spiritual c) moral reasons. Today many Rituals have become uncommon or unpractised. Unlike many cultural phenomena however Cannabis Culture still holds onto many of its rituals in practise. The varying subjects of Cannabis Totem, Cannabis Symbol, and Cannabis Ritual, will form the basis of this Cannaanthropological report.

Cannabis Totem The most famous Anthropologists Claude Levi Strauss argued that ‘ human cognition, which is based on analogical thought, is independent of social context ‘. Moreover Strauss later concluded with the opinion of EvansPritchard that a Totem represents the symbolic meaning of a group in

abstraction from the wider society surrounding it. In other words, those that think and react as part of a wider social group (or network) usually generate and discover their own sense of being and identity in the process. Cannabis People often identify themselves as ‘ Smokers ‘ - a secondary Totem that unites and divides those who smoke cannabis and those that do not. The linguistic setting behind the identity of a Cannabis Totem is therefore liable to change or shift as the subject of Cannabis Culture progresses. For example, today there are many Medicinal Cannabis Users that do not smoke cannabis and therefore do not associate themselves with the totem of ‘Cannabis Smokers’. Initially when introduced to the ‘Word of Cannabis’, the brain immediately conjures up several false images; some fanciful, some romantic, some mythical. Many of these images were implanted into our brains cognitively at a young age, while others are the result of our observational experiences. When combined, preconceptions in our imagination then forms the basis of our Cannabis Totem. Later, at the point of Cannabis Consumption, neurological-transmissions are changed (forever) as the brains receptors accept the dopamine

Sweet Seeds Environ: Method: Medium: Grow time: Flower time: Plant structure: Bud structure: Scent: Effect: Yield:

that the body naturally craves. For Cannabis People an almost inherent relationship between Cannabis Totem or its lifestyle is amplified by the senses. At which point many Cannabis People look to find a Symbol to help represent the culture.

Because of prohibition the Cannabis Symbol is not always displayed or worn openly in public. The Cannabis Symbol in fact works as a covert logo in the truest sense of a devise. The sticker that sits on the inside of a wardrobe door, the hat that can only be worn at home, the t-shirt that has to be worn as an undergarment on the high street.

Cannabis Symbol

Cannabis Ritual

It is difficult to say when the Cannabis Leaf Symbol became such a big hit as a commercial logo. What is sure is that ever since the New Stone Age (20,000 -10,000 BC) all the way up to the New Stoned Age (AD 1950 – 2010) many tribes and cultures of people have used a Cannabis Leaf Symbol to represent their interpretation of Cannabis Culture.

Cannabis Ritual is most specific to those people that practise it. Firstly and most importantly, Cannabis is a sacred plant. Cannabis People do not mistreat Cannabis. As a natural and fragile substance Cannabis is revered and treated with respect by those people that work with it. For ‘ Non Cannabis People ‘ this can be an extremely difficult concept to accept.

Today both Crafts People and Wholesale Manufacturers continue to etch, stitch, print, paint and emboss the very same Cannabis Leaf Logo onto all manner of goods from lighters to grinders to t-shirts to coffee-mugs. Moreover every other Cannabis Leaf Symbol or logo holds its own unique design, expression, and style in motif.

Secondly, Cannabis is worshipped as a Deity (for example as the Goddess Ganga). Likewise Cannabis is often treated as an anthropomorphic being. A mythical feminine character given the title ‘ Her ‘. Especially by everyone that rolls her up , trim her leaves , clones her out , gives her water , and so on.

Today the Cannabis Leaf Symbol sits just behind the Crucifix and the IBM logo in the top ten of Symbols. An iconic image with no copyright, patent, or owner. A Symbol that suppresses all the red bulls and golden-arches. A Symbol that generates tens of millions of Pounds (£), Dollars ($), and Euros (E) every year. Not to mention all the other currencies that the Cannabis Leaf symbol is now traded under. This Cannabis Leaf Symbol, regardless of how it is portrayed, remains unique and specific to Cannabis Culture and those people that practise it. A Symbol synonymous with mystic Yogi, far out

of soil. The soil was a mixture of Bio Biz All Mix and Canna Coco Professional. No fertilizers was used.

Green Poison by Mr Mash

Glasshouse and Outdoor LST Bio Biz and Coco 10 weeks 10 weeks wide purple pointed fruity meditative average

These feminized seeds were free courtesy of Soft Secrets. We planted a few seeds in May in small pots of soil in a glasshouse. At the beginning of June the most healthiest plant was re-potted into a large pot

Hippies, deadlock Rastas, and more recently hip hop Hoodies.

As the best Green Poison plant reached about 80cm in height it was transplanted into an outdoor soil bed in July. Then it grew taller and wider every week. The top of the plant was bent over to keep the plant low against the skyline. The leaves where wide and deep emerald green in colour. In August the Green Poison plant started to flower. The top of the plant got broken by the wind a in September, which only left the main side branches of the plant. These grew rapidly and started to develop a purple colour in the flowers as the nights got colder. The Green Poison had a strong smell that could be smelt from a distance when brushed against. At the start of November the frost came and the plant had to be harvest to prevent mould. Overall the yield was average, but this was the best outdoor plant this season, with more smell and taste than many other varieties.

Thirdly and finally the act of consuming cannabis is itself shrouded in esoterism and ritual. From the biting or burning of the end paper , to the sharing of a joint. From the passing of a pipe anti-clockwise to ward-off evil spirits, to the communal sharing of cannabis. All of which adds a certain degree of mystic to the world within a world it creates. The Totems, Symbols, and Rituals of Cannabis, like anything comes with practise. As the world gradually becomes more homogenised via globalization, it will be interesting to see which aspects of Cannabis Totem, Cannabis Symbol, and Cannabis Ritual survive.

ENDANGERED STRAINS

Purple Haze Purple genetics, and especially Purple Haze itself, are a topic of endless controversy within the growing community. Cold temperatures during flowering play a large part in the appearance of purple coloration, but in recent years varieties that express purplish, blue or red hues – without the need for a drop in temperature – are becoming hugely popular. In the midst of all this progress the original Purple Haze has apparently been lost, as with so many of Kali Mist the famous strains of the 1970s. Purple genetics, and especially Purple Haze itself, are a topic of endless controversy within the growing community. Cold temperatures during flowering play a large part in the appearance of purple coloration, but in recent years varieties that express purplish, blue or red hues – without the need for a drop in temperature – are becoming hugely popular. In the midst of all this progress the original Purple Haze has apparently been lost, as with so many of the famous strains of the 1970s. It is difficult to pinpoint the origin and characteristics of the original Purple Haze, and some claim that there never was a single, true-breeding strain of that name – that it is in fact merely a generic term for purplish pot, whatever the lineage. Others are adamant that the strain existed, and is now extremely rare, if not extinct. Those in the latter school of thought believe that the original Purple Haze was a cross between an early Dutch skunk and a Thai/Colombian haze, and that its descendents may be found in a smallish selection of purple outdoor varieties still available in the Netherlands today. The fact that the existing Dutch purple strains are very similar in appearance, effect and taste could be explained by this theory. The majority of known purple strains are sativa-dominant, with a cerebral and uplifting effect (no doubt due to the Thai genetics that are so common with purple lineages), and a refined, delicate grape or

hyacinth aroma. Often, Afghani or Indian indica varieties are used to create purple strains, due to their tolerance of colder temperatures. In today’s cornucopia of Cannabis varieties, there are strains with purple leaves only, those with purpling on just the buds, and those that express purple over the entire plant.

The purple effect begins to express towards the end of the flowering cycle, as molecules that reflect the red end of the spectrum begin to accumulate. These molecules, called anthocyanins, form in response to successively cooler nights and shorter days, which leads to the idea that purple buds are just the result of cold temperatures. However, when grown from seed, purpling occurs to varying degrees – and often not at all – depending on the individual plant’s genetics. Despite this, if a plant that has a tendency to purple is exposed to cooler-thannormal temperatures, the purple effect will be intensified. This is certainly the case with the present-day outdoor Dutch purples, which often are so purple as to almost appear black, while the stems and leaves remain lighter and greener in comparison. The original Purple Haze was said to share this tendency. Whether or not the Dutch purples of today are truly the direct descendants

of the original, they seem to have much in common with it. However, the focus has shifted onto more potent strains that will still go purple even indoors; while some of these genetics are incredible in their own right, it is sad that the original strains are being forgotten.

Growkits and = 0DJLF 7UXIÁHV 0DJLF 7UXIÁHV

NEW A FORMUL IGHER MUCH HLD YIE

Ask your local growshop

AMAZON Your Pleasure is our Business SEEDS - ROLLING PAPERS - BLUNTS - ONA - GRINDERS - BONGS - FLAGS

Seeds

Legal Highs

EDIT contact lenses

Bandanas

www.redeyeamazon.com | redeyeamazon@gmail.com | Tel: 07976 247 920 402 Ladypool Road - Birmingham - B11 8JZ

Official Retail Distributor

EDIBLES

Eating Cannabis is still one of the best ways of consuming nature’s gift; it’s tasty and only as dangerous as the sugar that goes with it. If the dose is right, it can be a pleasant and enlightening experience, but there’s a darker side to eating Cannabis – the surprise effect. Unwittingly eating a cookie that takes you into another state of mind can be a little unnerving, especially if it’s your first time. I have to confess in my younger, less sensitive days I was inevitably responsible for by O’Riodon giving nearly sixty people just such an experience. The occasion was my first marriage, a miss-match way back in the heady days of the ‘80s. She was a money dealer and I was a gallery owner; it seemed like a good idea at the time. We married in Amsterdam and the reception was held in the gallery. The guest list was varied due to our different professions and wide circle of friends. My seventy-four-yearold grandmother even attended, hav-

the bankers and even I had managed to shake off the stag night hangover. It was at that point the cake arrived, glistening white and sporting a big red ribbon, a delicious time bomb about to blow the party apart. The cake was handed over with the whispered words, ‘it didn’t seem like much, so we put it all in.’ Even in my

MY NEW IN-LAWS HAD JUST DISCOVERED THE CLOAKROOM WAS FULL OF HAIRY PEOPLE SMOKING WEED ing flown over from England with my mother. There was also my new wife’s extensive Dutch family. A friend offered to bake a wedding cake. At first it was going to be a normal fruit cake covered in icing, then the idea to give it a ‘sparkle’ crept in. The hash was actually meant to be a reward for the chef; I’d just suggested a pinch or two in the mix to mellow things out. On the day, the wedding ceremony was over and the party was getting into full swing, thanks to that social lubricant: alcohol. The artists had softened to

inebriated state, I realized the explosive implications of a cake containing sixty grams of hash. Using the excuse of looking for a knife, I disappeared with it into the kitchen and locked the door. I couldn’t throw it away; they’d all seen it, so I decided to cut off a small piece and hide the rest. When I reappeared with a plate of minute portions there were lots of complaints, but that was the least of my problems. My new in-laws had just discovered the cloakroom was full of hairy people smoking weed. It was downhill from there on in. The cake tasted so good, people kept asking for more and my constant refusal seemed weird. When somebody walked past carrying a large piece, I freaked. Rushing into the main room, I discovered my wife’s uncle had found the cake and was passing it out to little old ladies. In complete panic, I rushed up and grabbed what was left and disappeared upstairs. I must have seemed deranged, but not as much as when I discovered the Colombian Ambassador had moved into the back room and was holding audience over an Andean-sized pile of cocaine. He promised to look after the cake.

THEY DROPPED LIKE FLIES

Having already eaten a piece, I was beginning to realize just how strong it was. Back in the party, I saw cake in all the wrong hands. I even took a halfeaten piece off my grandmother. To add to the weirdness, one of my more lecherous musician friends had turned up dressed as a priest and many of the older guests thought he was legit. My grandmother even commented on

A DELICIOUS TIME BOMB

smelling of weed. He left, unaware of the experience yet to come.

IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A

This was a chapter out of William Burroughs and I was not enjoying it. Behind me, a shout announced somebody had found the remainder of the cake. The bearer, holding it high, tripped and fell down the stairs, scattering cake everywhere. Half the party fell on it like wolves; the other half were beginning to wonder why they felt so weird. Then, the next surprise.

‘PRIEST’ IN ATTENDANCE My partner’s Siamese cats had retreated to the back room. Playing with them on the floor were my wife’s teenage nieces, and how nice it was that I had a priest for that’s where their mother found them. I a friend. So, when he got drunk and heard the explosion from the other end chased women around the party, it just of the party. Numb and in shock, the haranguing I got had little effect, but did added to the bizarreness. prompt a visit to the back room. I mentioned earlier that my new wife was a money dealer; well, befitting her All about the place the people were status, the director of the bank dropped starting to turn green; one uncle had by to pay his respects. His Rolls Royce eaten seven pieces. When the end finally and escort were blocking the street. came it was quick. The guy I was talking In less than a year he would become to suddenly lay down on the floor and Minister of Finance and eventually go then got up again as if nothing had hapon to oversee the introduction of the pened; a moment later he really passed Euro. When I met him he was just fin- out. Then it started; they began to drop ishing a piece of cake. After a moment like flies – fortunately I left before the or two of pleasantries, he handed over ambulances arrived. Depending upon a coffee machine and said goodbye, who you talked to, it was either the best then headed for the cloakroom to get party ever, or the worst. his coat. I just beat him to the door. The coat (once found) was handed over To my new in-laws I was the devil incarnate.

CANNABIS NEWS / INDEX OF ADS / COLOFON

CANNABIS AGAINST CANNABIS ADDICTION Cigarette smokers can buy nicotine patches and heroin addicts receive methadone. But the only solution available to marijuana smokers who wish to achieve their good intentions is abstinence. But researchers from an Australian university hold out hope for these smokers. Sativex, a cannabis-based oral spray prescribed in Australia for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, appears to be perfect for detoxifying. Heading the research team is Jan Copeland, who declares that the spray works because of the presence of the CBD cannabinoid, which “liberates from the desire to smoke cannabis”.

Index of ads Name

“green” pharmacist explains how he used Lebanese hash, Sweet Mountain hemp and Bubba Kush hash to build his house. The Vancouver Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary wishes you a “Merry-juana Christmas and a Hashy New Year!”.

LOW-QUALITY POT SAVES SWEDE FROM PRISON

IS MANCHESTER FOOTBALLER RIO FERDINAND A WEED GROWER? Footballers have been known to invest the fortunes they earn by kicking a ball around in almost anything. For example, in chic restaurants, like Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand with Italian restaurant Rosso. It was immediately clear that the 29 bags found stashed in a staff

A Swedish grower caught with enough weed to be sentenced to prison had a lucky break, because even the judge thought the quality of his pot was too poor. The 35-year-old grower admitted to growing a few plants for personal use and that, due to the Swedish climate, they had died too soon. In a desperate attempt to retrieve at least something, the Swede cut a bit of ruined green to hang and dry in his attic. Although the weed’s THC level wasn’t registered, the judge found the man’s story so believable that he sent him home with a very light sentence.

SMARTER OLD AGE FOR SMOKERS locker by the police didn’t contain oregano, but first-class buds. The footballer’s responsibility regarding this exotic weed isn’t in question, but his reputation is at stake. “Ferdinand’s top priority is extirpation of responsibility, because he wouldn’t want ‘the restaurant of his dreams to go up in smoke’ ” was one of the comments in the British press.

PSYCHEDELIC CHRISTMAS KITSCH The American tradition of building gingerbread houses at Christmastime inspired a British Columbia medical cannabis pharmacist to create a psychedelic version, a hashish house. As spicy as the original model, but with a livelier aftertaste. On his Facebook page, the

“Smoking makes you stupid” is an oftenheard prejudice. This prejudice was destroyed by a recent study carried out by London’s King’s College. The mental capacity of about 9,000 42-year-old cannabis users was tested, and tested again when the men turned 50. Compared to the group of non-smokers also examined, the long-time smokers in question had nothing to complain about; their performances actually proved to be better than those of the non-smokers.

Advanced Seeds Amsterdam Seed Center Angel Grow Hydroponics Atami A-Zee Hydro II Big Stone River Indoor Garden Centre Bio Nova Bio-G-Power Brit Crops Buddha Seeds Bank Buddha Seeds Bank Bushman Carbon Active Clever Green Clockwork Horticulture Dinafem Seeds Dr. Blooms Hydroponics Dutch Passion Easyleaf Hydroponics Ed Rosenthal Eva Female Seeds Funky Skunk the Grass-O-Matic Green Life Seeds Green Tingz Greenday Horticulture & Hydroponics Gro-Rite Hydroponics Grow Room (Worthing) the Grow World Hydroponics Growing Underground Growryder Hesi Hesi Hydro Lab Hygrow II I Grow Ponics Jorge Cervantes Junction 6 Hydroponics Legalhash Ministry of Cannabis Money Tree Hydroponics Mycologics Nirvana Odysseed.nl Ozotres Paradise Seeds Paradise Seeds Plagron Procare Pyramid Seeds Red Eye Amazon Royal Queen Seeds Seedmadness Seeds of Life Smokin Vinyl Southern Hydro Centre SouthWest Headshops Sweet Seeds Sweet Seeds TGC Trading UK GroWorks UK Skunkworks Urban Jungle Hydro Wellingborough Hydroponics

Colofon Page 44 55 49 72 56 64 12 71 59 14 52 68 13 1 56 29 1 59 66 48 10 66 17 64 1 28 68 66 59 63 17 1 2 63 68 63 36 25 66 7 64 68 41 68 68 1 27 4 68 32 68 24 8 35 59 68 18 21 47 55 63 64 63 66

Soft Secrets is published by Discover Publisher BV P.O.Box 362, 5460 AJ, Veghel, Netherlands Telephone: +31-(0)73-5498112 Fax: +31-(0)73-5479732 E-mail: uk@softsecrets.nl Editor: Cliff Cremer Contributors: Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Lazystrain, Dr. John Dee, Grubbycup, Little Lebowski, The Red One, the Professor, O’Riodon, Kali Mist and others Translations: Jules Marshall Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: Soft Secrets, P.O. Box 17250, 1001 JG, Amsterdam, Holland, E-mail: ssuk@softsecrets.nl Advertisements: James Telephone: +44 (0)751-4273810 E-mail: james@softsecrets.nl A word from the publisher: The UK government has embarked on a process of relative liberalisation towards the use of cannabis, and cannabis activists are engaged in broadening this engagement. Several local councils and police chiefs now actively support a Dutch-style coffeeshop system as a way of separating soft and hard drugs, as it has proven to do in Holland. Whether they are finding their way to new coffeeshops or growing for their personal supply, cannabis users are a menace to no one, and are causing no discernable social problem. Some politicians and commentators are calling for the outright legalisation of marihuana. Let’s wait and see how the debate develops during a period of relative peace between all sides of the argument. In the meantime, the publisher hopes Soft Secrets will show the public a positive side to the normalisation of cannabis use, and is anxious to offer a forum to both pro- and anti-legalisation advocates. This assumes that the publisher does not necessarily agree with everything that appears in articles and advertisements. The publisher therefore distances himself explicitly from published statements or images that might give the impression that an endorsement is being made for the use or production of cannabis. Nothing from this publication may be copied or reproduced in any format without prior permission from the publisher and other copyright holders. The publisher is not responsible for the content and/or point of view of advertisements. The editors take no responsibility for unsolicited submissions.

Next issue out: June 29 2012

N OO

OU Y N

SAM E … N QUALIT EW LOO Y!!! K!!!

4DA NABNAODA@ !P=IE "a?QVV N=JCA

081111

AL C O RL

P HO