2014 06 UK by SoftSecrets

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

INCONVENIENT TRUTHS

Issue 6 - 2014

the Scottish Independence Referendum in September, though that result went the government’s way). The report supplies a nifty graph illustrating that in 1970, when the same question was asked, the response was over 80% “no”.

AMSTERDAM

My, how times have changed. Our government is always telling us that the population at large don’t want legalisation of cannabis. That’s the drum the American government were banging as well. Clearly, this is another piece of dishonest political rhetoric (basically, a lie) promoted by successive ruling elites as a strategy for holding onto power: “people are ignorant; they bought the lie before, they’ll buy it again”.

CU PWIN N ER

WWW.PARADISE-SEEDS.COM

Atomical Haze ® “Based on what we have learned, the UK will continue to advocate a balanced, evidence-based approach to the misuse of drugs internationally.”

In this issue: CLASSIC STRAINS: POWER PLANT ››

DECARBOXYLATING CANNABIS: TURNING THCA INTO THC ››

DIY GUIDE: HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MEDICINAL CBD OIL ››

In October of this year, the UK Home Office published a 55 page report with the snappy title of “Drugs: International Comparators”, wherein more enlightened sectors of the political establishment woke up to what many of us already knew.

And this explains why they tried to bury the report - which has been ready for publication since June of this year - and saw the Conservatives employ every trick in the book in an attempt to demolish the perfectly pragmatic points made.

The headline grabber was that, irrespective of how harsh the punishments meted out for using and supplying drugs, they have next to no impact whatsoever on users and dealers. While this may seem obvious to many reading this, it has come of something of a shock to HM Government who for the past forty years have based drug policy on the fiction that the way to reduce consumption is to continually up the ante with severity of punishment.

Much of the report doesn’t really concern us here, as there is a lot of talk about “hard” drugs and as such is beyond the remit of Soft Secrets. However, there is also a fair amount of interesting debate material focussed on cannabis. Let’s consider some of it.

Obviously, this is embarrassing for a government utterly convinced that everything they do is the right thing. It’s doubly embarrassing because the report comes not from some “loony left wing think tank”, but from within their own ranks.

In both States, the voters were asked a simple question: “Should marijuana be legal?” and given a straightforward yes/ no option. 56% in Washington and 55% in Colorado voted “yes” (making the 55-45 vote split almost identical to the result of

The authors of the report travelled to a number of places during the course of their investigations. Two specific destinations are of interest here: Colorado and Washington State.

My, how wrong could they be? The fact of the matter is that the American public overall - not just in Colorado and WS - are broadly very supportive of the move, particularly as applied to medical marijuana. Just remember, this is one of the most conservative countries in the world. But these states have fully legalised cannabis, and there is less than zero chance of that happening here where our blinkered and despotic government feel perfectly entitled to tell Colorado and WS they’ve got it wrong (something the equally blinkered and despotic Federal U.S. Government no doubt completely agree with and would overturn given the chance at the earliest opportunity). The voting public here in the UK need to drag the government – kicking and screaming, no doubt – into the 21st century. Twenty years ago, cannabis legalisation in America would have been unthinkable. Carpe diem! Dr Dee See for yourself here: https://www.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/368489/ DrugsInternationalComparators.pdf

All I want for Christmas is…

Two legends were crossed to produce this strain. Serious Seeds combined their famous Warlock-father with their legendary AK-47-mother and the result gave pure happiness! In fact this hybrid brings happiness TWICE. First you will be happy about how easy to grow she is. Serious Happiness has the perfect hybrid-structure for indoor growing with several side branches not too close together. In flowering each branch grows a very big and dense bud with few leaves, she is easy to manicure! Her aroma and taste are sweet and fruity, sometimes a bit spicy, with a sugary aftertaste when smoked. That is the moment when she gives pure happiness for the second time. Her effect is a longlasting buzz that combines a nice body-stoned with an incredible head-high. The name Serious Happiness came up after smoking this fantastic strain, because thats exactly how the grower feels, happy while she grows and seriously happy when she is finished! Type:

F1-hybrid, Sativa/ Indica Hybrid Recommended veg. time seedlings: 4 - 5 weeks Indoor flowering time: 60 - 70 days Indoor yield: 400 - 500 gr/m2 Outdoor/Greenhouse harvest time: mid/late October

Serious Happiness

! y c i l o p s g u r d a new

This month the BBC will screen Russell Brand’s latest television documentary focussing on drugs policy. Entitled ‘End The Drugs War’ it’ll follow old Rusty travelling around various countries shedding light on important aspects of their drug enforcement policy and comparing it to our own draconian laws back in the UK. He’s always been an entertainer that splits public opinion. But - love him or hate him - you can’t ignore the amount of press attention and social media awareness that Brand brings with him when he gets involved in a cause. Plus, unlike his recent foray into politics, drugs is a topic that Brand famously boasts a wealth of personal experience and so his views tend to carry a significant amount of weight amongst a certain demographic. The documentary will end with Brand presenting his evidence to the Home Office Select Committee, detailing his findings, outlining why their policy isn’t working and asking them for change. Now the timing of the screening may be a little late as, if you follow the news at all, you’ll already be fully aware that - despite a recent inquiry confirming that illegality provides no deterrent to the consumption or dealing of drugs - David Cameron has publicly backed his UK policy and has decided to ‘stick at it’ as he believes it’s yielding results.

What results? Take a look at any news article featuring cannabis in the headline over the past month and you’ll clearly see evidence of why prohibition is not working; West Midlands police seize £4.5m of cannabis plants in one month. How many police man hours were wasted in busting farms to seize those 9500 plants over the course of a month? In contrast, in Canada a single regulated farm would grow that amount of plants and produce medical cannabis for legal sale. Pensioner rescued after fire at neighbouring illegal Cannabis farm. Pushing cannabis to the black market causes growers to take risks, like re-wiring to steal electricity. How many residential fires are there in Colorado and Washington now that growers can openly cultivate their plants or simply purchase their cannabis at a dispensary? A North Devon man is brought before magistrates for 9 pence worth of Cannabis. This must be the most ridiculous story of the year. How much time and money was spent bringing this case to a magistrate court? In Spain or the Czech Republic this would’ve been a non-story, because it simply wouldn’t have happened. We’re pretty confident that the Brand documentary will provide viewers with a balanced view of drug enforcement policy and draw some forward-thinking conclusions on the matter, hopefully opening some debate for reform. At the very least, we’re hoping for a more sensible offering than programmes that have the tackled the subject in the past (remember ITV’s ‘Exposure’ anyone?). So, although we may not be convinced by all his politics (and still can’t believe he kicked Katy Perry out of bed!) we agree with Rusty on drugs policy… It’s time for Revolution!

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READERS’ MAIL

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! 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

Hello Dude’s at Soft Secrets UK, Here are two cuttings taken from a Fruit Spirit mother, rooted under 4 x 18w T5’s, then placed into DWC system. The veg period was 4 weeks under a 400w MH with T5’s as side lighting. They were fed Formulex for 1 week and Ionic grow for 3 weeks and were super cropped during this time. For the flowering period (12/12) we used a 600w HPS and changed the T5’s for a 250w eco light (red). These plants were then fed Ionic Bloom and Ionic Boost 14/15 and flushed for 2 weeks. Yielded 14oz 12.6g of top quality bud. It smokes so nice you want to eat it. These plants were grown to accompany our song Delta 9 which was inspired by Soft Secrets for the reader’s of Soft Secrets. ACCIDENT OF CHAOS (PUNK BAND S.E. ENGLAND) Punk rock, guitars, awesome weed and a stunning girl? You guys were always going to get photo of the month with that combination. We love your track, Delta 9, and hope our readers check it out.

Dear SS, Just a quick Hola from sunny Barcelona. I planted some Auto’s from 00 Seeds, the Bubble Gum & Choco Skunk have a great fruity flavour and a good high, but the Blue Cheese needs some work. I also have some Fem Bubble Gum and some Fem Blue Cheese from Barneys Farm. I have only used bio fertiliser and Rootbastic. I hope you like my pics. Keep up the good work SS! ONE LOVE FROM ESSEX BEN IN BARCELONA Great photo! Cool city, lots of sun, plenty of organic weed. What a life! We’re very jealous. Hope to see you at Spannabis Barcelona next year.

Hi guys, Love the mag and I’m trying to grow for the first time. I thought I’d share my pic as I’m proud as punch. It’s a beast. MANY THANKS, MARIE. Wow! Marie! What have you been feeding her? We’d love to see a picture of her at the end... and maybe you could put in a cheeky appearance too?

6 Hello my name is Grim Reefer, Soft Secrets, I’m a big fan. Really appreciate this newspaper as it has so much great information and great pictures too. This is my 5th grow with Dutch Passion Autos and all I can say is OMG! Here we have a 12 week old Dutch Passion Auto Ultimate, she was grown under a 600w HPS using Advanced Nutrients Sensi Grow and Bloom base nutrients along with all the Canna additives and flush. The growing medium was Canna Terra Pro Plus with a 50/50 mix of perlite, I used a 30 litre home made air pot. Lights were on for 20/4 for the first 6 weeks and 18/6 for the last 6 weeks. KIND REGARDS, GRIM REEFER Great plant. We’ve heard very good things about the Autos from Dutch Passion and with pics like this, we can understand why. We like the homemade air pot; air pruning your roots is a great way of increasing your root mass which will mean you plant uptakes more nutrient. Interesting lighting technique too, we’d like to hear more opinions from Auto growers about the lighting schedule they use and how it effects yields.

Hi Soft Secrets, Some snaps from a Cheese grow. Thank you for a great newspaper. Please include us in your next issue and send us some seeds, we’ll send you some more pics of sweet arse and buds in return. Well, hello cheeky! Cracking arse! The seeds are on their way and we look forward to the next full moon.

Dear Soft Secrets, We’ve been growing for ten years now and sent in these pics to celebrate the non-stop harvest. These are two Bubblegum which I have kept for about five years now from cutting. We grow in large pots with coco, hand watered using Advanced Nutrients. Here’s to the next ten years, thanks for all the great articles over the years. GROO ME Blimey! You don’t get many of them to the pound! Plants look good too. Nice to hear that we helped you on your way and we’ll try to do the same for the next decade.

Hi Soft Secrets, This is my missus and my crop. I had 5 Pineapple Chunk and 1 White Widow. The White Widow is what you sent me from my last grow and it was clearly my best plant. I got 2 oz off each of the Chunk and 3 oz off the White Widow. All grown in soil with Fox Farm nutes, next time im going hydro! THANKS SOFT SECRETS, TIM Nice picture, we’d like to see some more of her, we appreciate that wall artwork too! Good luck with your first go at hydro, send us some pictures and don’t forget to include your lovely lady in them.

Greetings from France! PIERRE Ooh la la! C’est bon!

PRODUCT FLASH / NEWS

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Improves taste and reduces the cultivation period

Plagron is committed to Corporate Social Responsibility. For this reason Plagron is dedicated to support the Movember Foundation by two separate activities.

ADDITIVE / ENHANCER

Plagron Sugar Royal is used for enhancing the natural flavour and taste of the final product. It is an addition to use alongside your basic nutrient. The natural processes of the plant during the flowering period will be challenged and supported by using Sugar Royal. Sugar Royal is a very powerful enhancer based on amino-acids. Sugar Royal evokes a drought stress effect from the plant. The plant feels like it will dry out and starts focusing on reproduction. Flowers, seeds and fruits will be formed at an accelerated pace. The overall ripening process will be sped up. The plant starts producing resin to protect itself from drying out. For a good strain of healthy plants that have the possibility to develop in optimal conditions, the total time from seedling to harvest could be reduced by one week using Sugar Royal. Advantages of Sugar Royal t #FTU TNFMM BOE UBTUF t 4IPSUFOT UIF DVMUJWBUJPO QFSJPE t $BO CF VTFE BT SPPU PS MFBG GFSUJMJTFS * Combine Sugar Royal with Green Sensation for the best results. Do you have any questions? servicedesk@plagron.com For additional information about Sugar Royal and other products check www.plagron.com

ALL NEW FLOWER BURST FROM BUDDHA’S TREE.

All new Flower Burst from Buddhas Tree is a product specifically designed to give your plants what they need to make a smooth and swift transition from vegetive growth to flower production. Flower Burst helps to set flowers on your plant much earlier giving you weeks head start into flowering so they have the chance to begin gaining weight sooner. As your plants start to make the transition to produce flowers, their nutritional requirements begin to change. Adding Flower Burst to your nutrient solution will increase the abundance of elements used in this transitional period. Use Flower Burst from the first day of your flower cycle to the 3rd week at a rate of 0.2ml/litre upto 0.25ml/litre for best results. All products from Buddhas Tree contain no PGRs. So whilst great yields are maintained, quality is never compromised. In Stores Now! www.buddhastree.co.uk

Movember is a yearly event by the Movember Foundation with the purpose to give men’s health a new face. In November, men from all around the world, known as Mo Bros, grow their moustaches to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer. The moustache is used for men to immerse themselves in their own health and to discuss it openly. Until now, over 4 million men have grown their moustache. The purpose of this campaign is to raise funds for the Movember Foundation, to support over 800 research projects worldwide which are aiming on prostate and testicular cancer. Plagron supports Movember because the norms and values complete each other. Furthermore, this campaign perfectly suits the Plagron target group. As mentioned Plagron started two separate activities, these will both be described below. The Plagron Movember campaign started during the Cannafest at 7, 8 and 9 November in Prague, Czech Republic. The exhibition took place in the beginning of November and most of the men had no significant moustache at this time. Therefore Plagron chose to distribute foam moustaches which are produced on behalf of Plagron. The kickoff was a success, proved by the number of visitors who wore the foam moustaches. Partly due to the Movember action, Plagron won a price for the best presentation at Cannafest 2014. Besides Cannafest, Plagron used the social media to retain attention for Movember. For each photo posted on the Plagron social media pages, with a real or foam moustache, Plagron donated €0,50 to the Movember Foundation. Also on the internal base Plagron supported Movember. Plagron’s male employers have grown their hairy friend in November. Each week the Mo Sistas could vote for the pretties or funniest moustache. At the end of November the moustache champion was declared. The Mo Bros were supported by the enthusiastic encourages and raised funds. With these two activities Plagron managed to raise a total amount of €789,50. Because Plagron is dedicated to this campaign and therefore doubling the funds to a total amount of €1500,- for the Movember foundation.

REPORT

Civil Disobedience in Devon, Club Style Cannabis Clubs have been popping up all over the UK during the last few years. Largely with thanks to social media, cannabis users are now empowered with scientific, medical and legal information that was beyond access to most of us only a few years ago. This newly accessible information is giving us the confidence to openly challenge the ungovernable farce that is UK drug policy. Websites such as Facebook are enabling public and popular support of pro-cannabis organizations and giving people the security of a ‘safety-in-numbers’ approach to campaigning and protesting. National and international networking has also mushroomed as a result of the Facebook phenomenon so it was no surprise that people here quickly followed suit after the Spaniards By The Professor picked up the idea and ran with it. Down in Devon a group of three mates, Deej, Jordan and Ryan, decided to step up to the challenge and form Devon’s first official Cannabis Club:

cut out the criminal element and could then be used as an example to the UK government with regards to how cannabis could and should be regulated.

Thanks for the chat guys, what’s the club all about? How long have you been clubbing? “We, the Devon Cannabis Club, were founded in 2011 as a place for cannabis consumers to socialise online and share thoughts and ideas about how to change the cannabis laws in this country. “We are part of the United Kingdom Cannabis Social Clubs network whose aim is the formation of clubs under the social club model that has been so successful in Spain. Obviously our laws are a little different over here because the Spanish are protected by their constitution, but we feel we can use their model to create non-profit clubs which

Nice. Can you tell us a bit about your real-world activities? “Sure, to this end we’ve organised protests in Exeter for the past two years. We set up an information stall in a local playing field and invite people to come along and join us in a display of civil disobedience by openly smoking or otherwise consuming cannabis. The response to these events has been great. Local media have picked up on them and given us largely positive coverage and the police have been extremely cooperative – no arrests or cautions have been issued at any event so far. “In the near future we hope to secure a venue for regular public meetings which

few hippies and a converted Baba lent a colourful eccentricity, a pair of diehard old skool heads turned up to show solidarity, peeps from the Hip Hop nation came to represent, The Dam Good Headshop from Plymouth dropped by and handed out loads of free goodie bags and then we all got excited and everyone got involved in the occasion. That meant skinning up, getting blazed and sending endless clouds of blue smoke downwind into the face of Carlo, our friendly cop for the afternoon. He must’ve slept well that night! Speaking of which, we took the opportunity to have a chat with the local police and this is the gist of what they told us: ‘Our job here today is to facilitate public protest, keep it adult and also to remind you guys that not everyone agrees with what you are doing. We have been instructed to arrest anyone we see with cannabis in their possession – but I haven’t seen any cannabis here today.’ Carlo refused to give his personal opinion on the subject and dodged a debate on the politics and science of the issue. ‘The police aren’t political’, and I’m an alien from the ninth dimension. Anyhow, there wasn’t much policing to do. At one point a group of teenagers arrived. They managed to blast a couple

will encourage more people to get involved in taking our campaign from Facebook out into the real world. We have also just organised a DCC trip to Amsterdam in November so we’re all looking forward to that, especially us as it was a trip to Amsterdam that inspired us to set this thing up in the first place. It was at this years DCC event in Exeter that we managed to catch up with the crew. Things didn’t look too good on arrival. The wrong sort of clouds were threatening to dump their loads on the paddy wagon, police dog van, bobbies on the beat and small groups of heads that were wandering around looking for the event. We all found it after too much trouble. A gazebo playing some old roots reggae was tucked away in a discreet corner of the fields and a small group of people were starting to gather in front of it. It was like a little low-key one gazebo festival – people sat on blankets and jackets chatting and smoking, eating and drinking. A

of hoochies and share a few laughs before they were moved on but apart from that Carlo and his Specials had an easy shift. The rain stayed away, Deej, Jordan and Ryan made sure the music never stopped, there was plenty of information available for digestion and the eighty or so folk that participated all had a high old time, made some new friends and went away afterwards to spread the word for next year. This protest was all about civil disobedience; in Britain today a group of like-minded people gathering in public to share their love and enthusiasm for the world’s most versatile and historically significant plant is, apparently, to be civilly disobedient. Soft Secrets would like to thank the DCC for all their work and, on behalf of the attendees at the Flowerpot Playing Fields protest, thanks to Exeter police for their tolerance and understanding. Devon Cannabis Club can be contacted via Facebook: www.facebook.com/devoncclub or by email: devoncannabisclub@yahoo.co.uk

NEWS BITS

the Professor

Holy and Unholy Shit We all know the dangers of smoking crack whilst attempting brain surgery, but have you heard about the deadly new strains of ‘shit’ that are doing the rounds? Ebola #5 has got every one talking. Operating out of west Africa, a small team of specialists from the US developed and cross bred strains of shit from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea to produce this frighteningly powerful new hybrid. Local populations helped with the research and development and it is suspected that some of these people managed to smuggle a few seeds out into the wider world. As a result Ebola #5 is now available in most countries but users beware - Ebola is a strong and dangerous strain, it will make your eyes bleed and induce extreme lethargy. Less experienced users may also suffer from ‘spin-till-you-puke’ sensations and heavy use can cause death. This latest #5 strain is said to be so strong that the full effects can even be felt by way of passive inhalation. Its a funny one though, smoke a joint and sometimes it’ll be fifty days before you feel the hit. Auto Drone (ISIS Edition Deluxe) is another dangerous new strain of shit from the US. The genetic history of Auto Drone is truly diverse – seeds sown by the CIA in Area 51 were given to the geniuses of Silicon Valley who worked in conjunction with Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and the Blackstone Group (among others) to develop this powerful new creeper. You think its harmless enough, and then BAM! It hits you like a bolt of lightening and knocks you right on your arse. Don’t say we didn’t warn you about the blowback either. If you happen across any Auto Drone (IED) you should treat it with extreme care. Common side effects include anxiety, apathy and oppression. Long term exposure will result in the user

becoming easily influenced by corporate media with the inevitable end-state being the entire loss of independent thought. It’s a great money spinner though, this variety has a rapid growth rate and plenty of fans so expect to see it a lot more of it in the future.

The grow houses and seed stock for Bankster Skank are closely guarded by a pack of vicious, salivating mutant spider mite. It is widely believed that the offspring of these spider mite are responsible for the new Ebola #5 and Auto Drone (IED) strains.

Bankster Skank Kamikaze #666 is a new strain of shit from that secretive cabal of international criminal families who dominate the global production of ganja tokens. The original Bankster Skank was

So praise your Lord for Enlightenment Haze! With shit like Ebola, Auto Drone and Bankster Kamikaze around the hardto-find Enlightenment Haze is becoming increasingly sought after. This legendary Haze was perfected over millenia and is rumoured to be the Holy Mother Plant of Knowledge and Wisdom. If grown properly this amazing genetic creation will start flowering almost instantly and yield potent mind-expanding nuggets for the entirety of its long life. Famous users include Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Mohammed, Bruce Lee, Bob Marley, God and the Chuckle Brothers.

IT HITS YOU LIKE A BOLT OF LIGHTENING AND KNOCKS YOU RIGHT ON YOUR ARSE derived from northern European stock and then crossed briefly with an Italian Mafia variety in the 1920s and 30s. Strong hints of the Mafia variety always lingered but the latest crew of rich kids to take control at the top have made extensive use of the latest technologies to produce a super intense hybrid in which the gangster flavour is strongly resurgent. The new Bankster Skank Kamikaze #666 is a great party smoke with users revelling in their loss of inhibition, new found extravagance and bullish confidence, but it is highly addictive. Abuse and heavy use will always be followed by a long and exhausting comedown, indeed, many addicts have let things get so bad that their dealers have had to kick their doors in and repossess all their goods to cover outstanding tick bills. Sometimes the bastards will even send their politely spoken uniformed thugs around to kidnap you for a few years.

If you haven’t heard it already, the story of Enlightenment Haze is one to behold. Many aeons ago Asians, Africans, Americans, Europeans and Australasians

worked together in peace and harmony. We endured plagues, pestilence and famine, earthquakes, tsunamis and cataclysmic meteorite showers. We even teamed up with the dinosaurs to fight off alien invasions for the whole reason of our existence on this planet was the protection and custodianship of Enlightenment Haze. However, after its nuggets of knowledge and wisdom became popular with Bankster serfs in the 1960s the Bankster Skank Cartel launched a global eradication program and declared war against it. The very existence of Enlightenment Haze threatened the tyrannical and dystopic dominance of the European and North American Banksters; they had long-laid plans to go global with their Kamikaze #666 - that would’ve been impossible if we, the multitude, could all get our hands on some Enlightenment Haze when we needed it. They did a pretty good job as well, but fear not, their stranglehold over the construction of our collective reality is illusory! Enlightenment Haze will never be eradicated. The seeds of this miracle plant can be found hidden in the pages of thousands of books, in the words of the wise and in the millions of sparking synapses between your very own ears. Nobody knows who is going to win this battle for supremacy – will Ebola #5 mania sweep the world? Can the Banksters really steal a total monopoly of the market? Maybe Auto Drone will captivate us all,

or is Enlightenment Haze an unstoppable force? Answers on a postcard... Cartoon by Steven McKenzie: steven_mckenzie@hotmail.com

STRAIN REPORT

Southern Lights GENETICS: MEDIUM: NUTRIENTS: LIGHTING:

N.Y.C.D x Sensi Star Bio Bizz All Mix Bio Bizz Pack 600w MH veg X 1000w HPS flowering

“ I decided to grow out this strain which was a cross of a Diesel with a Sensi Star male. This strain takes around 70 days to be fully done like the Diesel strain. I had heard alot about the power of the original Sensi Star and how it really packed a punch. Ed Borg who is the breeder for Delta 9 Labs had been breeding for over a century now so I was excited to see how these genetics would turn out. In week 1, I popped the seeds in a cup of water and left them over night in a cupboard. I woke up and found them all ready to be planted all with thick white tails on. I planted the seeds in straight into my 25L pots and put under the 600w MH for veg. The tent I was using was a 2m x 2m x 2m with 2 wall fans and a 2 intake fans for extra fresh air. The seeds are regulars so I will need to throw out the males and keep the girls. I do not do any breeding so only the ladies are of interest. After the first week the seedlings have grown to a nice 5 inches and fresh bright sturdy leaves. It grows very much like Diesel and by the second week they were about 1 foot tall with a very nice look. I was feeding the plants according to the Bio Bizz feeding chart so was using their guidance. Either way the plants really took to the feed and kept wanting more nutrients. By week 3, each of the plants started getting wide pointy leaves that were angled towards the light. The size was now around 2 feet but filling out with new shoots. The plan is to flip these on week 4 and to flower for 10 weeks. I fed the plants the last lot of feed for veg and get ready to put them in to flower.

I always like to do a quick flush during the transition of flowering so for the first week of flowering, gave only plain pH adjusted water. In the first week of flower this strain shoots up! By the second week you can see how the plant will look. It is tall with a woody stem with many off shoots that are all searching for light. The colorings of the leaves are a bright green to a light purple. Very exotic looking, or at least something that you would expect to find in a rain forest or somewhere off the beaten path. By week 3 small pre flowers are starting to appear. Only the slightest white hairs but still, enough to get me jumping for joy at the thought of clones. So far, 4 out of 10 girls so in the next week I will know for sure. I keep feeding according to the feeding chart and around the fourth week I can see what is what. From the 10 seeds I got 6 girls and 4 males but I have my eye on one hell of a cutting! There is one of the plants that are superior to the others. It is the biggest and smells like a harsh citrus with the grape smell from the Diesel. Almost an apricot smell, very pleasant indeed and not as hazey as I first imagined.

By Sean much like the picture. Now I will flush the plants for the last three weeks to ensure the best organic taste possible. The buds are swelling and now squeezable hard nugs. The orange smell has more of a citrus kick and is very sticky touch. Come day 70, I chop the girls down but leave the one I really liked for a week

more. The leaves are spiky but easy to remove yet heavy with resin. They all go into a bag and saved for extraction, whilst the buds are all hung in an cool drying room where they stay for a good 2 weeks. In total I have 6 plants producing a total of just short of 800g of stinking sticky buds. Definite head stash. The high is so clear and the taste is like mango or apricot. Very desirable, and great to smoke at any time of the day. I am very happy with the way this crop has turned out. A great sativa high with a sweet mango taste.

Southern Lights in flowering bloom at By week 5 all systems were go and these Southern Lights were thriving under the 1000w HPS. The tall plants grew even taller whilst the internodes were stacked. I left the girls to start budding and soon all the leaves were covered in resin glands. To touch the plants, left a very light apricot and orange smell and gave you very sticky fingers. The buds were swelling and I noticed the buds stand tall and stack high on top of each other. It is like a star shape of flowers and when you see the buds filling out in this way, the plant looks very exotic and strong. The girls loved the nutrients and not one yellow leaf. Around week 7, the pheno I had my eyes on was really packing on weight and was as shiny and white as the others. The cuttings I had taken from all the girls had now fully rooted which meant after enjoying the fruits of my labor, I would really know which was the keeper or keepers in this instance. Around week 8 and they are looking very

Southern Lights in full flowering bloom.

9 of the 10-11 weeks bloom period.

Southern Lights shatter. Produced in a closed-loop vacuum purged system. This is what people are calling the cure for cancer based on it’s extremely high A single plant of Southern Lights is displayed to show off it’s robust yield and hybrid vigor.

THC content of between 70-95% THC and ability to attack cancer cells and other maladies as studies have been proving.

GROW WITH LITTLE LEBOWSKI

Grow Natural Mother Nature; we all love her, right? She provides us with everything we need, including our favourite plants. But how many of us would choose to trust her to feed our plants completely and resist the urge to top up with mineral boosters? To be honest, I’ve always been a fan of mineral feeds. I can be a bit of a control freak when it comes to the grow room, I like the fact that growing indoors allows you to ‘play God’ and manipulate every environmental factor influencing the growth of your plants to squeeze out a 100% natural insect poo

By Little Lebowski

However, when I recently received a phone call off a mate who was experimenting with some slow release organic feed and was seriously impressed with the results, my curiosity got the better of me. The friend in question was playing around with some Green Crack (from Humboldt Seed Organisation, seems to have plenty of buzz around it in the UK at the moment) in AutoPots and 60/40 mix. Alongside his 4 plants in 60/40 mix and mineral feed, he’d also been running 4 plants in a light mix soil with BioTabs slow release food that had been given to him by his friendly local hydro shop – free samples, one of the many reasons to support your local grow shop and stop buying shit on eBay!

Green Crack grown with BioTabs organic feed and tap water Mother Nature has to offer. So, I asked around a few shops and grower friends to see what other natural products they recommended.

is an incredibly effect soil amendment

few additional percentages of yield. I like the fact that you can increase the uptake of specific elements by adjusting the pH and add different elements to control the development of the plants accordingly. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always believed that organics has its place; it’s great for beginners who want to keep things simple or for growers doing a few plants for themselves and want the ultimate in taste. I’ve used organics indoors and outdoors and had some great tasting results, but always thought that the yield suffered, plus I’ve sampled some great tasting weed that has been grown on mineral feed. I also know, having been around commercial crop growers for a few years, that the majority of them don’t use organic techniques because it’s difficult to get consistency on a large scale. So, I’ve never really been a 100% bio convert.

Basically, he explained, you mix all the feed into your growing media, activate it with some gloopy molasses-type mixture and then feed plain tap water for the full crop cycle… and that’s it. Some further inspection revealed that the programme consists of two types of feed; one that’s a powder and is available to the plant almost immediately and one that is a slow release tablet, plus Mycorrhiza and beneficial bacteria additives and the gloopy liquid is a booster that activates everything. So far, so simple. No need to adjust pH or add feed to the tank as the beneficials and slow release tablets work in symbiosis to produce food for the entire life of the plant. I was sceptical, but the results spoke for themselves. The 4 plants in the BioTabs under a 600watt lamp produced a smidge over 500grams dry and, although it isn’t 1gram per watt, that isn’t far off the magic number. Now the plants on the mineral feed produced around 15% more yield but, even I had to admit, there was a difference in taste and smell and for ease of use – particularly if you’re interested in quality rather than quantity – they were really impressive (so much so that I’m doing this article!). This got me thinking that I’d been a little hasty to dismiss organics altogether and maybe I should look a little closer at what

Worm humus and bat guano cropped up as widely used soil amendments. Worm humus is a great all round soil conditioner and contains a healthy dose of nitrogen whilst the phosphorus content from bat guano means it’s ideal to top dress and water through into your soil at the beginning of the flowering period. In fact, a couple of the guys I chatted to swerved mineral nutrients entirely and instead used an All Mix or Royalty Mix soil and just top dressed bat guano in the flowering period. Hand feeding their plants with water throughout the grow. Simples. Most that I spoke to – myself included – had some knowledge and first-hand experience of the benefits of using a Mycorrhiza inoculant when rooting out their plants, so much so that many of them referred to it a grow room essential. For those of you that have never tried using Mycorrhiza in your grow, I urge you to do it. This beneficial fungi is sprinkled around the roots every time you transplant; it binds itself to the roots and breaks down food in the growing media to make it more available to the plant, whilst simultaneously feeding off the waste products that the plants put out. This symbiotic relationship significantly increases root development and nutrient uptake and is a completely natural process. It’s one of those prod-

ucts where you literally see the benefits within days. Finally, one product that all of the shops mentioned was insect frass… that’s beetle larvae shit in layman’s terms. This interesting product can be used in a multitude of ways; top dressing onto your pots, diluted and watered through or even mixed into a foliar spray. The most common way, however, is to mix it into your growing media before you pot up, at a rate of around a litre of frass per 50 litres of media. The frass provides a range of macro and micronutrients, is packed full of beneficial microorganisms (more than 450 million colony forming units of beneficial bacteria per gram!) and also contains chitin, a modified polysaccharide found in cell walls of insects (well, it is made from beetle shit!). The benefits include; improved nutrient availability and root growth, elevated resistance to pests and disease and a healthy kick (or ‘Charge’) in growth from the available macro and micro-nutrients. The consensus was, it’s well worth a try. So, there’s a few examples of natural products to stick on the Christmas list and try for next year. All of them can be added to a mineral feed programme, so can still be used even if you don’t feel like making the full switch to organics. Give them a go and let Mother Nature give you a helping hand. Happy growing!

SPOT THE DIFFERENCES

Cloud upper left, cloud upper middle, rasta hair lower left, line in joint at left, smiley, heart tattoo, puff of smoke from joint at right, sole of shoe at left, high heels lady, feather in hair lady

The Heart of the Matter

Shrink: I could not be more serious. And at this point, I had an epiphany of sorts.

A week or two back, I had a meeting with a senior addiction psychiatrist. As anyone who reads this column even occasionally will know, these really aren’t my favourite people (and I suspect that I’m not on their Christmas card lists either). However, this was slightly different as he contacted me with a view to “getting together to discuss possible areas of mutual interest for research”.

Here was a man who had spent a good seven or eight years of his life being trained to – supposedly – help people with serious addiction problems; a man whose seniority implied that he had been in the job for quite some time and therefore had a pretty good idea what he was talking about; a man who (as far as I could tell) honestly believed that “addiction” was purely to do with drugs, and that it was a pathway that begun with the casual use of cannabis and ended with trying to find a useable vein to inject heroin into. And he’d never even been curious enough to give cannabis a whirl to see what all the fuss was about.

Dr John Dee

Fair enough. After a considerable amount of faffing trying to arrange a day and time that suited us both, the day came and there we both were, in a bar, eyeballing each other across a table. After some (guarded) pleasantries, I decided it was time to cut to the chase and ask him what it was he had in mind...new psychoactive substances? No. Opiates? No. Stimulants? No. The rest of the conversation went something like this: JD: So what then? Shrink: Cannabis. JD: Really? Okay, but why? Shrink: Because it is pernicious, because it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, because it is where all of the problems start and we both know it. JD (smiling): Yeah, right. But really, what is it you had in mind? Shrink, deadly serious and most definitely not sharing my amusement stays silent. JD: What? You’re not serious? Come on now, did you never smoke weed when you were at university or whatever? Wrong thing to say, as at this point, our man looked at me absolutely aghast, like I’d taken a dump on the floor and wiped my butt with the tablecloth. Shrink: I have never used an illegal psychoactive drug of any sort in my life. I have never even so much as smoked a cigarette. JD (still not sure whether this is a wind up or not): And you’re seriously talking about cannabis as a gateway drug?

And this, readers, is where we get to the heart of the matter. We’re supposed to take these guys seriously, believe what they say, when they cling to outdated and discredited ideas like this one. Gateway Theory? Really? I suppose it’s true that for a lot of “addicts” their first experience of illicit drugs was cannabis, but to say that cannabis is what put them on the road to addiction is, frankly, risible nonsense. This isn’t the place to get into the whole addiction debate, but I’m going to say one thing: I’ve yet to meet an “addict” who didn’t have a whole lot of other problems that predated their initiation into drug use. Their “addiction” is just an add-on to the other stuff. Stopping them using drugs is all fine and good, but the original problem(s) remain; and it’s these that need to be addressed. We have medical “experts” who are quite unwilling or unable to distinguish between the non-problematic use of cannabis for enjoyment and relaxation (something millions do across the planet with little or no problem) and the highly problematic use of “hard” drugs. Talk about reductionist and blinkered. That evening we went our separate ways, each promising to be in touch with the other very soon. This hasn’t happened.

AMSTERDAM

CLASSIC STRAINS

Power Plant aka P.P. One of the most ubiquitous sativas of the European commercial pot scene is the Power Plant from Dutch Passion. Strain Name: Breeder: Genetics: Origins: Flowering: Outdoor Harvest:

Power Plant Dutch Passion Seed Company 80% sativa / 20% indica South Africa 56 to 63 days 49 to 56 days or mid- to late-October

Power Plant (PP) from Dutch Passion provides stable, true-bred sativa genetics with a heavy, reliable yield. Presenting an extremely strong high that is complemented by an earthy, musky scent and a spicy, peppery flavour with a sweet aftertaste, PP has achieved legend status due to its classic South African sativa genetics.

those originating in the tropics – proved problematic for those living in regions

Sativa Diva

and relative ease-of-cultivation. In addition, this non-hybridized pure-bred gives growers all the best of the sativa family genetics without the hassle that usually accompanies the cultivation of pure sativas and haze strains. However, PP results in an impressively high yield, so staking, bending/training and other means of artificial support may be necessary. Power Plant has become famous for its forgiving response to certain types of plant stress and it responds well to LST (low-stress training), topping, super-cropping and bonsai trimming techniques. Large crops will be consistent and uniform; development and yield for each grow are predictable. Light green buds are covered with loads of orange-red pistils and the leaf-to-calyx ratio is low; the PP does not require a heavy hand regarding nutrients. Pre-flowers become visible as early as one week after reducing the light to twelve hours; outdoors, flowering has a slow start that is quickly made up for in rapid bud development. If left to flourish in its natural state, the PP will sprout between one and four huge, fat central colas up

Perhaps the most widely-cultivated strain in the Dutch commercial scene, Power Plant has steadily crept into other growing regions in the international Cannabis Dutch Passion’s Power Plant industry since its release in 1997, repre- offers extremely high yields senting the rare class of stabilized varieties that will flourish in indoor, outdoor and greenhouse settings. Outdoor grow- with a colder or more limited outdoor ers across a wide range of climates have growth cycle, such as the Netherlands, the all successfully grown PP. Although these United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and the days most commonly available in clone northern parts of the United States. form in the Netherlands, feminized seeds are available from Dutch Passion. South African varieties are considered sacred by many breeders, due to the History of the Origins of unique combination of an almost trippy Power Plant sativa gene pool with a short, manage- PP is available in both clone A product of South African genetics, able flowering period. Unlike the tropical form and feminized seeds Power Plant is a descendant of Dagga, sativas, South African strains finish flowthe sativa-dominant strain(s) commonly ering in a reasonable amount of time, found there. In spite of the recent surge often before the first frost sets in. This to twenty to thirty centimetres long that in the cultivation of high-CBD strains, the allows even the shortest growth cycles are flanked by many golf ball-sized buds. Power Plant is a remainder from the era to produce highly desirable sativa crops This result surprises many sativa growers when THC reigned, when smokers around in areas where achieving this was previ- who may be used to only getting a few the world chased the elusive, clear-head- ously impossible. long, thin buds from this family of pot ed high obtained from landrace sativas. plants. If sea-of-green or screen-of-green Although the cerebral, uplifting high was Power Plant Cultivation, approaches are taken, the plant’s energy for many decades considered the ultimate Phenotypes and Effect is swiftly diverted into producing multiple effect achievable from consuming weed, Power Plant offers the combined benefits thick, fat colas spread evenly across the the cultivation of such strains – especially of fast growth with a high sativa content top of the canopy.

A final advantage to growing the Power Plant over other similar genetics is that plant height can be easily controlled and relatively limited, if necessary. This will work for both indoor and outdoor growers, whether height restrictions or discretion is the key concern. One downside to growing Power Plant is its exceedingly pungent smell. Filters should be regularly checked, maintained and replaced, as necessary. For outdoor or guerrilla growers, there is almost no possible way to control the smell, which is, of course, the easiest way to get caught. Regarding its extremely potent effect, it is no accident that the plant has the name that it does; even experienced smokers report that this strain produces a high that is so strong as to be mentally incapacitating for some – perhaps best for daytime smoke sessions after which nothing important has to be accomplished. However, users will certainly not be sedentary or sleepy, as the cannabinoids prevalent in South African sativas tend to induce movement and activity; after a strong Power Plant spliff, some smokers may end up cleaning the entire house or creating a lengthy, rambling screenplay in their head.

Hybrids Related to Power Plant Since PP is a true-bred strain, it can be combined with others to create powerful F1 hybrids, where every characteristic of the offspring can be carefully controlled and selected. Two Dutch Passion hybrids have experienced great success in past years, including Dolce Vita, which is an F1 result of the combination of two great sativas, a female Isis that was pollinated with feminized Power Plant pollen. The other is Sacra Frasca or ‘Holy Joint’, a cross between feminized Skunk Passion pollen and a female Power Plant.

Power Flower from Royal Queen Seeds

REPORT Steve M.

Report Bioavailable medicated cannabis edibles DECARBOXYLATING CANNABIS: TURNING THCA INTO THC Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction within your body. that releases carbon dioxide (CO2). This Lecithin increases the availability of everymeans a chemical reaction takes place thing from sugars to vitamin C, to prescripin which carboxylic acids loose a carbon tion pain meds, and the increase in availatom from a carbon chain. This process ability on contact is said to be between converts THCA to THC, the much loved %15 and %75 depending on the subcompound with many medicinal and stance, vitamin, or chemical. Meaning, the psychoactive effects. When the cannabis dries, it very slowly begins to decarboxylate and converts THCA to THC. blend of hashes, bubble hash & oil. These were put into the freezer to The good news is we don’t have to wait years for cannabis to decarboxylate. facilitate grinding. We can speed things along with a process that is a lot simpler than you might expect. Simply heating dried cannabis to the correct temperature for enough time releases that carbon dioxide and creates THC. Decarboxylating takes place without extra effort when cannabis is heated during the act of smoking or vaporizing. When making tinctures, cannabis is not heated or baked, it is simply soaked in high proof alcohol. Decarboxylation never takes place and you end up with a product with a lot of THCA and very little THC. This may be a good for some symptoms but will not produce the results most expect.

What you’ll need:

Various strains of cannabis were also weighed out before commencing. Coconut oil & soy

(The same process was used for the cannabis but both were decarbed separtly). Sprinkle your hash evenly over the dish, and double seal WELL, with aluminum foil. Set

Now, preheat your oven to 250 f, while you complete the following steps. Don’t worry, it is too hot for now, but you’ll be reducing the heat once you’re ready to use it.

a timer for 20 minutes, place the sealed dish on a baking sheet, in the oven, during pre-heat.. it isn’t entirely necessary, but heating slowly reduces the risk of shattering your dish, and losing your precious material.

In every step of the way, in order to prevent the loss of potency via vapor escape, you MUST wait for your sealed container to fully cool, prior to opening.

The same applies to the end of the heating, turn off the oven, open it briefly, then close it and allow it to cool slowly within the oven for 10 minutes. Total decarb time, 30 minutes (20 of which, the oven is ‘on’). The hashes and oils were ground quite fine, frozen hash and oils are easiest ground when brittle and cold. This would avoid your grinder becoming a sticky nightmare!

lechtin are pictured on the table.

- Minimum 3.0 grams sifted hash, or fine kief. We’re using hash, oil, and cannabis correct addi- Diamonds in the sky collected from these strains. Preferred tion of lecithin to for instance, vitamin C, are: Bubba Kush, SSH, Amnesia, SOG reduces the quantity of ascorbic acid you Kush and a couple others. need to consume in order to achieve the Note - One could also used prevaporized same effect, by more than 50%. cannabis and skip the decarbing process. The effects are more lethargic though. - Ceramic oven-safe dish - Coconut Oil, 2.5 tsp- organic and - Foil mechanically extracted are good Remember, if a single dose turns out Method: much too strong for you, you can dilute it To start with you’re going to want to further with extra coconut oil until you weigh out at least 2.0-3 grams, of finely achieve the desired effect. There is no sifted hash or kief. I usually use around 3 rush so feel free to fill one capsule, try it grams. Preheat oven, to 220 f. before filling the rest, and see if changes are needed. These start out strong. Some The plate with cannabis is thoroughly sealed with 2 oven bags of you will require less product per-cap.) and then put into our preheated oven. - Pipette to fill your caps easily by hand, or of course a fancy cap-filling machine or tray. - Optional oils, which as a patient with digestive-absorptive difficulties, I use for enhanced mobility and absorption of cannabinoids.. a mix of heavier to lighter oils will create an optimal and varied ‘vehicle’ for cannabinoids, cbd etc., Soy Lecithin. It’s used in food processing to make less sugar appear ‘sweeter’, less chocolate more ‘chocolatey’, and in pharmaceuticals to enhance the effectiveness of medications, it homogenizes and safely coats, then breaks down substances, into more fine, smaller particulates, promoting vastly improved systemic bioavailability

Once cooled, remove your dish.

Unwrap your foil covered dish. Your hash should now have gone from a very pale sandy amber, to a light but somewhat golden brown. Mix ¼ teaspoon Lecithin to the hash, and blend well you’re ready to add your coconut oil, but you’ll need to melt it first. Be careful doing so as some containers have foil seals restricting microwave use, for large and small batches, in order to recreate the same heat exposure and produce consistent batches of oil, the coconut oil should ideally be brought up to at least 200 F which eliminates the heat delay, especially when producing larger batches. Mix your oily hash well, and then seal it up tightly with two layers of aluminum foil. Just to reiterate: Wrapping in foil, during all heating stages, prevents possible vaporization of your valuable potency. Now place your covered dish on a baking sheet, and into the oven. Immediately reduce the heat down to 220 f, and set the timer for 40 minutes. The initial burst of heat is primarily to quickly heat the dish itself, by the time the oil itself begins warming up the temperature should have fallen sufficiently. After 40 minutes, shut off your oven, open it momentarily, then close it allowing your oil to slowly cool. I do this to gently increase processing time, and as a preventative safety measure against the dish breaking from the temperature change, spoiling the product. Once completely cooled, or only warm to the touch (about a half hour) you can remove the foil, and stir in an additional 1/8 of a teaspoon of lecithin (once you’ve made oil a few times, you should experiment with the quantity of lecithin used After you’ve mixed in your lecithin (and after you’ve removed your dish from the freezer, and have given it ample time to reach room-temp) you will again be sure it is wrapped tightly in foil, pre-heat your oven to 220 f, place it inside during the preheat (particularly if you’ve had it frozen, and only recently thawed), and set your timer for a minimum of 40 minutes once preheated. If you desire a more narcotic effect, experiment with continued heating in 40 - 60 minute intervals to produce

21 The plate is allowed to cool before removing the oven bags. This prevents a loss in

byproducts of cannabinoid, primarily THC, degradation, increasing the production of the sedative THC metabolite, CBN.

potency. Measured coconut oil & soy lechtin are then added and well blended. The hashish & shatter were also processed using the same method.

T HE

our mixture is then poured into a rectangular baking dish. Its is then left to cool and harden before being portioned into cubes.

FUDG E RE CIPE

Ingred ien n KEH ts BK n = N CNA=OEJC JJ=>EO

%= n %=HB ?=J ODEOD ,EH 1N EII ?K n ?=N@= J@AJOA@ IEH EJCO G IKJ L n C K@O C NA=P B n C =ODAS JQ KN =E@ PO -EOP= EJC EJ ODEK J n K @ECAO Q PO ?KJQ P P EKJ KEH n 0K U HA?D AP n C ? EJ -KS@AN = OPAN O n QC= C n P QJO=HPA@ > N OL R= JEHH= A Q P PAN T PN=?P

Method 1. Grease an 18cm square cake tin. 2. Put the milk, sugar and butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring all the time, until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted.

A cross section clearly reveales tasty nuts evenly distributed throughout the fudge. Yummy....BANG

3. Bring to the boil and boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring all the time. 4. When the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (115°C on a sugar thermometer), remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and cannabis extract we earlier prepeared. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. 5. Beat the mixture with a spoon for a few minutes until it starts to thicken and the gloss disappears. 6. Pour into the prepared tin and leave to set at room temperature (do not put it in the fridge). 7. Once set, cut the fudge into small squares and store in a sealed container. Results of Decarboxylation Experiment The following charts show the results of the 30 minute and 60 minute decarboxylation experiments. Also included are the lab results from testing done prior to any artificial decarboxylation to establish a starting point. Note that because of the age of both the kief and the trim, decarboxylation had begun to take place to some degree naturally. This may not be your starting point, but should not affect the results of the experiment much. Kief Compound

Before Decarb

30 Min Decarb

60 Min Decarb

THCA

24.5%

2.6%

.1%

THC

3.8%

25.4%

25.5%

CBDA

.6%

.3%

CBD

.1%

CBN

.4%

1.4%

Moisture

Total Cannabanoids

29.3%

30.3%

27.4%

Compound

Before Decarb

30 Min Decarb

60 Min Decarb

THCA

6.5%

2.9%

.2%

THC

.6%

4.8%

6.9%

CBDA

.2%

.1%

CBD

.1%

CBN

Moisture

3.4%

4.5%

Total Cannabanoids

7.3%

7.9%

7.3%

Cannabis Trim

Testing provided by SC Labs

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ED ROSENTHAL

Advanced Hash— Au-delà des bases

By Ed Rosenthal. Photos of Beyond Buds

consumers who want to dab a tasty, effective option that doesn’t involve explosive solvents.

Method Consider the best location for setting up the machine. The best situation is a sterile lab setting. Hash is very sticky, and captures contaminants floating in the air, such as dander, dog hair, and dust. A room with filtered air is best. Outdoors, dry dusty days are a poor choice, but days after a rain when the air is clean are acceptable. The ambient temperature is CFTU CFMPX ¡$ XJUI MPX IVNJEJUZ between 15% and 50%. Hash is oxidized and darkens when it is manufactured or stored for long periods at high temperatures such as 27°C to 32°C. Next, consider the source material. Dried, cured, sugar leaf works fine, but the best water hash is made from fresh-frozen material. Trichome-rich leaves are cut from ripe plants, bagged in Ziploc freezer bags, and frozen. Freezing locks in all the terpenes and cannabinoids present on the plant at the time of harvest, rather than losing significant amounts of both to drying, curing, and processing.

Bubba Kush bubble hash. (Photo: Bubbleman)

Making hashish is a two-step process. In step one, the glands are collected. All collection methods yield a consumable product, but it is not yet hashish. Hashish involves a second step: compressing the collected material into bricks or balls.

Thoroughly disinfect the machine, hose, bags, and buckets using hydrogen peroxide.

ty of the kief influence its color, which ranges from light yellow-tan to charcoal black, and its texture, which ranges from pliable taffy to hard and brittle.

The Machine Method There are several key principles for producing the highest-quality, dabable water hash. First, trichomes must be treated gently. Mechanical agitation in the ice-bath stage is needed, but it’s also the enemy. Paint mixers are too rough for award-winning bubble. Use a special machine such as the Bubbleator (from the Pollinator Company), the Bubble Now, or the gentle cycle on a washing machine modified by removing its filters.

Line your 76-liter bucket with filter bags, starting with the finest 25-micron bag and ending with the biggest 160-micron bag. Bubbleator. (Photo: Pollinator)

Equipment t HBMMPO MJUFS #VCCMF /PX Bubble Magic Extraction Machine, Bubbleator, or top-loading washing machine t #VCCMF #BHT NJDSPOT [JQQFSFE to hold the grass in the washer; 160, the first filter, removes contaminants; 73 for low-grade; 25 for high-grade) t $BOOBCJT UP HSBNT GSP[FO high-trichome leaf )

Several kinds of hash, including Nepalese slabs. (Photo: Ed Rosenthal) Pressing hash involves a combination of force and mild heat to condense the glands into a solid mass. The shape and size of hash varies depending on the pressing method. When hand pressed, hash is often ball-shaped. Flat-pressed hash may look like thin shale rock, with hardened shelf-like layers that chip along the creases. Mechanically pressed hash is usually a neat cake, like a bar of soap. Converted cold-water washing machine being

DoobieDuck.com)

Hashish ranges in color and pliability. The variety of marijuana used, manufacturing method, temperature, and the puri-

Fit the open, 220-micron bag in the machine and add the material. Fill the bag half-full with nine parts trim to one part ice. Alternate adding trim and ice. Zip up and tie the top of the bag, and pour more ice over the bag until the ice level reaches 20 cm below the rim of the machine.

Turn the machine on gentle and monitor the agitation. Use wooden spoons to help the bag settle into the ice bath. Add more ice and water as the ice melts and settles. The color of the water should turn completely gold quickly. On a standard washing machine, use the gentle cycle. DO NOT let the device automatically ESBJO 3VO UXP HFOUMF BHJUBUJPO DZDMFT then let it drain.

loaded with trim to make hash.

Mechanically pressed hash. (Photo:

Place a base layer of ice in the machine.

Next, add water until it’s 10 cm below the surface of the ice. Wait 15 minutes for the trim to soak up the water, then add more ice and water, until the water is below the ice’s surface level, and the ice is 20 cm below the rim of the metal basin. Leave room for the mixture to agitate.

Temple Balls, Blonde Lebanese, and Afghani

Second, heat is an enemy. It can dry out buds and sap them of their flavors and strength. During drying, high temperatures vaporize the hash’s great flavors. Storing hash at a high temperature degrades its flavor and potency. The result of paying attention to the fundamentals of the process is phenomenal. High-grade water hash is being rebranded as “solventless wax.” It gives

Place the machine’s outflow hose into the filter bucket.

t 8 BUFS GJMUFSFE GPS CFTU SFTVMUT

t *DF FOPVHI UP GJMM UIF NBDIJOF full, and refill it as it melts t MJUFS CVDLFU t "MDPIPM PS IZESPHFO QFSPYJEF t (MPWFT t 4QPPO t 4JFWF t 1BSDINFOU QBQFS t 5IJDL DBSECPBSE

During this ice-cold agitation process, the brittle, frozen trichomes will have snapped off the leaf, traveled through the lining of the 220-micron “garbage” bag, and into the ice bath. The water turns green and the plant oils make the surface of the water frothy. After agitation, the machine pumps the trichome-rich water out of the washer

24 basin and into the filter bags, which are set up inside the 76-liter bucket. The inside of the bucket will be foamy with cannabis oils. Jiggle the bucket gently to help water pass through the filters and use filtered ice water in a small pump sprayer to rinse the trichomes off the bag’s sides and down and through the 160-micron filter. Start pulling the bags up one at a time. First pull out the “garbage” bag. The material inside the bottom of the bag looks like green silt. Rinse down the edges, get everything collected in the bottom, and pull out the garbage. Pull the second bag, then spray, jiggle, and repeat. The 73–160-micron stuff is a little green, but not as green as the first bag. Keep pulling, spraying, and jiggling until it’s all collected in the middle of the mesh. Trichomes smaller than 70 microns pass through the mesh but everything from 73 to 160 microns will be collected. (The sweet spot for trichomes is 70 to 160 microns, with tinier ones better for dabbing, and the bigger stuff more suitable for edibles.)

The next bag catches the vast bulk of trichomes between 25 and 73 microns. The material in here is both green contaminant and gold trichomes. The goal is to push the green through the screen while holding on to the gold. Pull the bag up; it’ll be heavy with water, its pores clogged with trichomes. Much like panning for gold, you want to lightly spin the emulsion while spraying down the sides. The mesh holds on to the glands while the fine green particles fall through with the water. Keep spraying, rotating, and pulling until the green is gone and it just looks like a bunch of golden sand. Full melt bubble hash. (Photo: Steep Hill Halent) Remove this light clay-like wet hash from the mesh and place it on a drying surface. Once the bottom of the mesh bag is scraped clean of any remaining hash, use a sieve and spoon to redistribute and aerate the drying hash on a wider surface area. You will have two piles: the 25–73-micron pile, which is full melt suitable for smoking, and the 73–160-micron pile, which is great for baking. Leave it to cure for 12 to 24 hours. It’s done when it is totally dry and crumbly between your gloved hands.

Drying 5IFSF T B DPNQSPNJTF JO ESZJOH USZJOH to remove moisture from the hash without also vaporizing off the delicious yet volatile essential oils, or terpenes. Use a spoon to break up the wet clumps of hash and spread it evenly on parchment paper on a thick cardboard drying board. Drying should be done in a room with a temperature between 4°C and 20°C. The reason for the low temperature is that some terpenes evaporate at 21°C.

73-micron hash.

Humidity is also a factor, with sub-30% humidity being optimal, but it can vary by strain.

Tips t 4USBJOT %JGGFSFOU TUSBJOT ZJFME EJGGFSently sized and shaped trichomes, and differing amounts of oils and terpenes. Hashing Blue Dream versus hashing Bubba Kush is like night and day at the micron level. Blue Dream trichomes are long and thin, and you can raise the temperature and humidity during drying. Bubba Kush, Sour Diesel, and OG Kush glands are short, stocky, and oily, and need to be processed at as cold a temperature as possible and dried at 4°C under minimal humidity to capture the resin’s odors. t $VMUJWBUJPO &OWJSPONFOU 0VUEPPS grown cannabis tends to have smaller trichomes (120 microns) than indoor (160). t #BH 4J[F BOE /VNCFS 5IJT DBO WBSZ You can use as little as two 25- and 160-micron bags, plus a 220-micron garbage bag for simplicity’s sake, or pull and spoon progressively narrower bands of glands and materials at 90, 73, and even 35 microns. t "HJUBUJPO 1VSJTUT TPNFUJNFT VTF TPNFthing as basic as a pole or paddle to gently hand-agitate the main bag in the bucket; the trade-off is in the yield. A 30-minute machine wash of 1,000 highquality grams can yield as much as 112 grams of top-shelf hash. Less agitation equals purer hash but lower yield.

each yields dry, loose material that can be pressed to make hash. Before attempting to press kief or water hash, the material must be completely dry. To ensure that all moisture has been eliminated before pressing, dry the material one last time. Place the kief or water hash in a food dehydrator set on the lowest setting, a horticultultural heat mat (preset at 23°C), microwave the material on low, or place it in an open dish in a frost-free freezer. The vacuum conditions promote water evaporation, preventing mold from infecting and spoiling the hash. However, when the

Preparing Kief or Water Hash for Hash Making While kief and water hash methods of collection have different advantages, Collecting hash resin.

90-micron hash. (Photos: David Downs)

Pull up the bag to the top and spoon out the green-colored wet paste onto parchment paper set on a towel or thick cardboard, or something else that will safely wick moisture away.

Under magnification, the final product will look like sandy heaps of full, sticky, oily, trichome heads. Store in a cool, dark place, and don’t press until the material is completely dry.

Nonsolvent extracts. (Photo: Pollinator)

25 drying temperature is above 24°C some of the terpenes will evaporate, costing the hash a panoply of unique odors and their effects. Collecting by Hand: Rubbing for Hash There are many tales about collecting hash from fresh plants. Hand rubbing

plants rather than dried trim and leaf. Unlike the other methods, it is only capable of being made at certain times in the growing cycle and cannot be made from material that has been collected and stored. Removing the collected resin from the hands can be an involved task.

to be less than an 28 grams per hour. It is best to collect for hash when the plants’ stigmas have just started to turn amber as they reach full maturity, but before the leafy material has become brown or dry. The more dead or dry material, such as dead leaves on the plant, the more plant debris will be mixed in with the hash. If the plants are mature and have some dead or dried material, removing these leaves before collection increases the quality of the hash. Collection should not be done when the plants are wet from watering, as this increases the water content.

Parchment paper and silicone are excellent containers. Using water to remove resin from the hands is counterproductive, since the goal is to remove as much water as possible. Instead of aiding in the removal of the resin, water promotes spoilage. If hash shows signs of molding, such as an acrid or mossy smell, or grainy white lines appear within the hash, it is ruined and should not be used. These bacteria and molds are no good for you.

Pressing Hashish Removing the Resin Scrape the collected material from your hands periodically. Another person can help, or you can do it yourself. Use a blunt-edged scraper such as a dull dining knife. If more resin is to be collected, leave a little on the hands. Another way to remove collected resin is to rub the hands back and forth against each other, as if trying to warm them up. The resin forms into a roll.

Rubbing hand hash to create a ball.(Photos: Ed Rosenthal) Having pointed out these shortcomings, hand rubbing can be used when the goal is a small amount of quality hash to be used shortly after it is collected. Especially when the leaves and trim aren’t going to be saved, hand rubbing is a good way to salvage some of the THC before or during harvest and manicuring. The amount of material collected through hand rubbing is dependent on timing and good technique but is likely

After the material is scraped or rubbed off of the hands it is kneaded and rolled between the hands until it forms a ball. It can be worked by rolling it between your two palms. Work it for several minutes to warm it and squeeze out residual moisture. Hand-rolled hash can be pressed further or it can be considered complete after it has been worked into a ball. It is better to use this hash soon after it is made rather than storing it. Because it contains fresh resins, high vegetative content, and water from the live plant, hand-rubbed hash is more vulnerable to spoilage. If stored, the best place for it is in an opaque container that is not made of plastic or rubber, placed in the freezer.

Pressing transforms the material both chemically and physically. The glands are warmed and most break, releasing the sticky oils that contain the psychoactive DBOOBCJOPJET BT XFMM BT UIF UFSQFOFT the source of marijuana’s smell, taste, and personality. Terpenes lend fragrance to the hash. Smells and flavors characteristic to hashish range from spicy or peppery to floral. Many terpenes are volatile at room temperature. When inhaled they contribute to the lung expansiveness (i.e., cough factor), as well as the taste. Aged kief is both milder in smell and flavor, and less cough inducing, because some of the terpenes, not the THC, have dissipated. Releasing and warming cannabinoids exposes them to air. This has the beneficial effect of potentiating the THC through decarboxylation. Continued exposure to light, air, heat, and moisture leads to THC deterioration. You can press hash manually or mechanically. Manual methods work well for smaller amounts. Mechanical methods use a press, which is fast, convenient, and efficient.

for hash has been a common gathering method for centuries in some parts of Asia, and it is still a primary way of collecting for hash in other parts of the world. Because it requires no equipment, hand rubbing is a novel and spontaneous way to collect for hash, but this method also has several downsides. First, the effort required to produce substantial yield is greater than with other methods. It can be messy and labor intensive. Second, hash collected this way contains debris from plants and hands, and contains more water, making it more likely to spoil. Hand rubbing requires access to mature

Sticky resin built up on hands is rolled into a ball of finger hash. (Photo: Ed Rosenthal)

26 Hand-pumped hydraulic presses are a less expensive way to get a tight press. Another cost-effective method uses a vice grip, although it takes some adaptation. For small amounts, a pollen press can be used in conjunction with a handheld kief-collecting grinder. Kief is added to this small metal tube. The tension pin is placed in, and the pollen press is screwed shut. The next day, the kief has been pressed into a neat hash block. Many companies have similar presses now, including one made of stainless steel with a low-torque T-handle.

Decarboxylation Explained In the growing plant THC is present in the form of THCA, also called THC acid. A carbonate molecule (COOH) is attached to it, which is also called a carboxyl group or acid. THC is only marginally psychoactive when a carboxyl group is attached. Decarboxylation removes the carbonate molecule COOH by breaking its bond with the THC molecule, which occurs when material is subject to mild heat. This is sometimes called “potentiating” the THC because it becomes psychoactive.

Pressing by Hand Pressing by hand is a method for transforming kief into hashish a few grams at a time. Fresh hand-rubbed resin is often pressed by hand, too. To hand press, measure out a small mound of fresh kief that will fit comfortably in the hand. A few grams are usually the most. Work this material with one hand against the other until it begins to cohere into a solid piece. Then rub it between the palms, or between palm and thumb.

Hash Joint (Photo: Ed Rosenthal) This heavy-duty unit presses large amounts of kief. (Photo: TrimPro) After 10 minutes or more of working the material it begins to change density. Dry, aged kief lacks some of its original stickiness and may take longer to stick together, but if it was stored properly it should cooperate, though it may require more kneading. When a piece of hashish has not been pressed properly, it crumbles easily at room temperature. If the kief is particularly stubborn and won’t stick together to form a mass, mildly heat it. Wrap the material in food-

grade cellophane, ensuring that it is completely sealed and all the air is squeezed out. Wrap this package in several layers of thoroughly wetted newspaper or cloth or paper towels. Turning frequently, warm in a skillet that is set on the lowest heat. It doesn’t need to be heated as long as with other methods because the only point of heating it is to get the material to stick together so it can be kneaded into a solid piece.

Another method is to wrap it the same way and press it for a few seconds on each side with an iron that is set on a very low heat setting.

Machine Presses Making hash is a cinch with a mechanical press. Bookbinding presses, called nipping presses, can be used. Plans are available on the web for building a press using a hydraulic jack.

This is an excerpt from Ed Rosenthal’s new book Beyond Buds—the first to cover the shift from smoking buds to vaping and dabbing concentrates such as shatter, wax, budder, and oil. A DIY guide to making butane and CO2 extracts, as well as kief, hash, tinctures, topicals, and edibles, Beyond Buds features full-color photos of awardwinning concentrates and highlights the best products to use, from basic to professional. Beyond Buds is available — order your copy online now at www.quicktrading.com or www.amazon.com.

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GROW WITH LITTLE LEBOWSKI TRY SOMETHING NEW: PART 1

Lighting As another year draws to a close, now is a good time to reflect on how our gardens have performed over the last 12 months. How have they developed and what – if anything – did we learn? As, I’m sure, many of you will be winding down to enjoy the festive period, take a few minutes out from devouring masses of food and – hopefully – your recently harvested green and start planning for the New Year. By Little Lebowski Rather than bash together an article on preparing a grow room for the New Year, I thought it might be more helpful to focus on a few techniques and products that’ll help you go that extra mile in pushing your room to the limits. A few suggestions for those of you that don’t mind experimenting and changing things up a little to try and set a new personal best for your room. Before we get into it, it’s worth noting that these techniques are for those of you who have your rooms pretty much dialled in. That is, you’ve been running things over 12 months and get consistent results each time, regardless of what the weather’s like outside. It doesn’t necessarily mean that any of these products or techniques are difficult or advanced, more that if your environment isn’t right in the first place the techniques probably won’t get you the results you’re looking for. Or, in certain cases, could do more harm than good. If you’re happy enough with your set up and have tweaked it over the last few grows to the extent that your plants aren’t stressed to fuck when the outside temperatures alter by a few degrees, then read on…! This issue we’ll start with lighting; Probably the most important factor in your growing environment, since without it your plants won’t photosynthesise and grow, there are plenty are lighting tweaks that will increase the performance and output of your room. Bulb – that £65 light kit that you bought to get you started may have been great

Ballast - Now the best bulb in the world won’t help your plants grow any better if it doesn’t receive the right amount of power. This where your ballast comes into play. Joking aside, if you did purchase a cheap-arse budget ballast there’s the possibility that it may be under powering your bulb and this will reduce efficiency. Under or overpowering the bulb will still cause the gases contained in it to burn and produce light, but the output will differ from that which the manufacturer designed them

Replace your reflector every 12 months for best results

Get a group of seasoned growers in a room together and ask them what the best reflector in the world is and you’ll probably get a different answer off each of them. There’s not enough word count left in this article to describe the different varieties of reflector on the market and their various pros and cons so we’ll save that for a later issue. But, broadly speaking; Wing-style reflectors can be placed closer to the crop as their two open ends allow for heat to escape, although light intensity is lost along with the heat. Closed ended reflectors provide maximum light intensity as the majority of light emitted from the bulb is reflected down towards the plants, as is the heat, so these can’t be placed as close to the canopy. Some growers swear by parabolic shades which offer the best of both worlds; a closed sided design complete with a wide spread, allowing then to be placed closer to the canopy. Air cooled reflectors allow for multiple lights to be used in a grow space without negatively affecting the room temperature, they can also be placed close to the plant canopy. However, up to 5% of light intensity can be lost through the glass screen on the reflector and constant air flow passing over the bulb can reduce its temperature which can affect the quality of its light output. It’s swings and roundabouts. Do your research, pick the design that suits your room the best and make sure you keep it properly cleaned and maintained.

least – and then take a look at doing the same with your reflector. We’ll presume that you selected a branded ballast and it’ll do another 6 months or so without melting through the floor! Choose a decent branded bulb like an Osram, Sylvania or push the boat out and get a Phillips. It’ll cost more, but the output will be significantly higher than a budget lamp and you’ll notice the difference in plant development and, ultimately, yield. For best results, try a

THERE’S SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE THAT CAN MAKE A SERIOUS DIFFERENCE TO YOUR YIELD value at the time, but it isn’t going to cut the mustard if you’re attempting to push your plants to their limits. Once you’ve had a few grows out of it then it’s time to upgrade your bulb – at the very

of growers that favour using a dual spec bulb in flowering as they like to keep a little bit of blue light in the spectrum to reduce stretching. Some believe that a bit of blue light also improves the quality of the end product.

two bulb technique. Metal halide for vegetative growth – keeps internodes short and promotes lateral growth – and a HPS in the red spectrum or a dual spectrum HPS for the flowering phase. I know lots

for. In layman’s terms, you won’t be getting the output that you paid for. The answer? Beg, borrow or steal a plug in energy meter, plug your ballast into it and fire it up. Check the wattage that your ballast is drawing and remember that magnetic ballasts draw around 10% more wattage than the bulb requires, this is to make up for the energy they lose in heat. So, your 600watt magnetic ballast should be drawing a minimum of 660watts. Are you getting what you thought? If not, it’s time for an upgrade… don’t cheap it out this time, you get what you pay for. Reflector – A great quality bulb and ballast combo can be rendered totally impotent if the reflector isn’t up to the task. Even the cheapest reflectors out there still do a sterling job of reflecting and distributing light evenly over your crop, so there’s no excuse not to replace them once a year. Dust particles build up on the surfaces of metal reflectors and they’re difficult to clean off without scratching, which will affect the light intensity and distribution. Reflectors degrade quickly and this will affect the performance of your room.

New lighting technology – If you do decide that it’s time for a complete upgrade on your lighting and you fancy splashing the cash on something that’s a bit special, there’s some new technology out there that can make a serious difference to your yield. From speaking to many UK retailers, it’s clear that 400v fixtures are now the preferred choice of the connoisseur grower. These HPS lights step your voltage up from 240v to 400v and power a high frequency bulb which emits around 8% more usable light than a regular 240v fixture. They’re usually an integrated fixture with the ballast mounted directly onto the back of the reflector and bulb holder, doing away with meters of trailing leads thus seriously reducing the risk of EMI (electromagnetic interference) playing havoc with your neighbours wifi! The leading brands of 400v lighting units also produce their own digital controllers which completely do away with mechanical contactors and instead keep your ballasts running on standby during the off period (just like your tv at home) this means that there is no power surge when

30 faster in veg, stretch less when they enter the flowering cycle, show flowering sites far earlier and are generally healthier and less stressed as there isn’t a huge reduction in lighting from veg to flower. Many users of the GLR also follow our next technique… Diminishing Light Schedule (DLS) – In nature, the amount of daylight decreases towards the end of the growing season, forcing the plant to produce more flowering hormones and divert more energy into flower production. Rather than set your lighting schedule during the entire flowering period to 12/12 – which is basically the borderline number of hours that will induce flowering – start at 11/13 (light/darkness) and increase the dark period by 30 minutes every two weeks. For example; 2 weeks at 11/13, 2 weeks at 10.5/13.5, 2 weeks at 10/14, 2 weeks at 9.5/14.5 final week at 9/15.

315watt CDM fixture running at 400v… your plants dream of this!

the lights are turned on. Add a temperature sensor to the controller and it’ll automatically dim your lights when your room gets too hot. Some brands even go a

ral lighting patterns where a reduction in daylight hours (after the summer solstice) indicates to the plant that Autumn is on its way and it’s time to reproduce and gener-

GROWERS REPORTED GREATER RESIN PRODUCTION AND, SUBSEQUENTLY, MORE WEIGHT step further and integrate measurements and control for humidity, CO2 and plant vapour pressure deficit. Mesmerising shit! New lighting kit that utilises LED or LEP bulbs are featured in this fine publication fairly frequently, but another trick piece of lighting kit well worth checking out is Ceramic Discharge Metal Halide or CDM. The easiest way to describe it is that it offers a light spectrum that is close to plasma lighting (which is as close to natural light as you can get) with the intensity of 400v HPS lighting. It’s incredibly efficient, putting out 1.9 micromole (umol) per watt of electricity, in other words that’s extremely high PAR levels. These 315watt fittings can be used as a sole light source or added amongst HPS fixtures to enhance yield and quality. Oh, and Phillips make the bulbs, so you know you’re dealing with quality.

ate flowers. The GLR is based around the theory that plants only require 13 hours of light to remain in the vegetative phase and that nowhere in nature would a plant receive 18 hours of continuous light – not even equatorial strains. In fact, 18 hours of light actually stresses the plant.

The GLR lighting schedule involves 12 hours of light, 5.5 hours of darkness, a single hour of light and finally another 5.5 hours of darkness. Basically a 12/12 schedule with 1 hour of light inserted into the middle of the dark period to prevent the plants from flowering. The idea is that the prolonged dark periods allow the plant to rest and develop healthier roots, stems and vegetation. The plants are charged with flowering hormones but the single hour of light prevents the plant from flowering, when that hour is removed they explode. Converts to the GLR absolutely swear by it and state that their plants grow much

The additional hour of darkness (11/13) at the start of the DLS sends the plant a clear message that the time is right to flower whilst the diminishing light hours throughout the rest of the flowering period will force an increase in production as the plant realises that her end is nigh! Growers that I spoke to that used the GLR and DLS techniques reported more flower sites, far greater resin production and, subsequently, more weight. Plus, a significant saving in electricity. Of all the new techniques that I’ve discovered this year, this is the one that I’ll be taking a punt on… who’s with me? Happy growing!

Now that you’re lighting is sorted, it’s time to play around with a few techniques; Gas Lantern Routine (GLR) – This one was brought to my attention earlier in the year by a mate who runs a shop up North. I’d never heard of it before but a bit of online research brought up plenty of mentions on the usual forums. It’s basically a lighting schedule for the vegetative phase that promises to supercharge your plants with flowering hormones as well as saving almost 50% on your electricity. For decades now indoor growers have stood by the tried and tested 18/6 lighting schedule for the vegetative period, reducing down to 12/12 for the flowering period. The schedule loosely follows natu-

New lighting techniques seriously increase resin production

JORGE CERVANTES

Clones and Cloning

These plants will spend a short time in vegetative growth and will be subject to fewer problems.

Strong vegetative growth is essential to a healthy harvest.

The cannabis seedling growth stage lasts for about two to three weeks, from seed germination to (strong) root set. Once a strong root system is established, foliage growth increases rapidly and seedlings enter the vegetative growth stage. When chlorophyll production is full speed ahead, a vegetative plant will produce as much green leafy foliage and root growth as is physically and genetically possible. Of course, growing DPOEJUJPOT $0 TPJM PYZHFO MFWFMT OVUSJFOUT XBUFS BOE TP PO NVTU OPU CF MJNJUFE and must be in the proper balance to be available for rapid uptake. Properly maintained, some varieties of medical cannabis will grow from half an inch to two inches per day. A plant stunted for any reason could take weeks to resume normal growth. A severely stunted plant may never fully recover.

During vegetative growth, plants need water and often need supplemental fertilizer too. Outdoor and greenhouse organic gardeners are able to build organic soil with bulk nutrients and amendments. Indoor gardeners most often need to add supplemental fertilizer. The garden will also need adequate air circulation and ventilation both day and night. Nutrient deficiencies that start in the first or second week of growth indoors usually show outward signs by the third to fifth week of growth. Nutrient deficiencies that start during the fourth or fifth week of growth outdoors and in greenhouses show visible outward symptoms during the sixth to eighth week of growth. But low-level nutrient imbalances take longer to manifest, if ever. Infestations of diseases and pests often flare as nutrient deficiencies progress. Many times new clones from another garden are already infested with spider mite eggs, powdery mildew, or root disease, with few outwardly visible signs. Always quarantine and dip new clones and seedlings in an organic fungicide/insecticide/miticide before introducing them to the garden.

Growing large plants in relatively small containers, in this case a five-gallon (19 L) pot, requires daily irrigation with a complete nutrient solution. A layer of mulch would keep roots from being exposed. Jorge Multiple nutrient deficiencies, excesses, pests, A strong, unrestricted root system in a perfect rhizosphere (root zone) that is able to take in all necessary available nutrients is essential to robust growth. Unrestricted vegetative growth is the key to a healthy harvest. A plant’s nutrient and water intake changes during vegetative growth. High levels of nitrogen are needed. Potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and trace elements are used at much faster rates. Transpiration is carried on at a more rapid rate, requiring more water. The larger a plant gets and the bigger its root system, the faster the soil will dry out. The key to strong vegetative growth and a heavy harvest is supplying plants with the perfect environment both aboveground and belowground.

and diseases become apparent during vegetative growth.

After one to three months of vegetative growth, nutrients have had a chance to build up to toxic levels, and plants may show outward signs of deficiencies or excesses. Leaching containers will wash away water-soluble toxic nutrients, See “Leaching” in DIBQUFS /VUSJFOUT GPS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO 0UIFS QSPCMFNT PWFSXBUFSJOH VOEFS XBUFSJOH BJS DJSDVMBUJPO BOE WFOUJMBUJPO FUD BMTP PDDVS OPX 4FF i$PNNPO /VUSJFOU Problems” in chapter 21 for more information.

34 Transplanting

Vegetative growth in cannabis is maintained indoors, outdoors, and in greenhouses with 16 to 24 hours of light daily. Autoflowering (feminized) cannabis will flower according to chronological growth and is not affected by photoperiod.

Clones are ready to transplant once new,

Good strong roots must grow before

green growth starts. Cannabis will continue vegetative growth for a year or longer under an 18-hour photoperiod and a temperate climate. But sooner or later a genetic maximum is reached causing cannabis to degenerate. Indica and indica-dominant varieties suffering stress from cold wintry conditions tend to flower regardless of hours of light, often producing more resin on stunted plants. Indoors and in greenhouses, growth stages can be controlled with the light-and-dark cycle (photoperiod). It is the main stimulus to induce flowering. Give plants a 12/12-hour day/night light schedule to induce flowering. Give plants 0 to 8 hours of darkness and 16 to 24 hours of light to retain vegetative growth. Controlling the photoperiod allows indoor and greenhouse horticulturists to control vegetative and flowering cycles. See chapter 17, Light, Lamps, and Electricity, for more information on Cannabis flowers when given long nights photoperiod control. Outdoor gardenand short days. ers work with Mother Nature and harvest after long nights and short days in spring and autumn. Once a plant’s sex is determined, it can become a mother, clone, or breeding male and can be harvested or even rejuvenated (see “Rejuvenation” in chapter 5). Note: Plants show early male or female “pre-flowers” about the fourth week of vegetative growth. See “Pre-flowering” in chapter 8, Flowering. Jorge Mother plants and clones all grow under long 18-hour days with short 6-hour nights.

Transplanting, pruning, bending, and trellising are all initiated when plants are in the vegetative growth stage. Information on these subjects follows.

cones are ready to transplant.

When plants have outgrown their containers, they must be transplanted in order to continue rapid growth. Inhibited, cramped root systems grow sickly, stunted plants. Signs of root bound plants include slow, weak growth. Severely rootbound plants tend to grow straight up with branches that painstakingly stretch beyond the sides of the pot. By the time you see these symptoms, the plant is rootbound. To check roots, remove a plant from its pot to see if roots are deeply matted on the bottom or circling the sides of the pot.

The clones in this perfect Trichome Technologies garden are easy to care for.

When growing short plants that can be watered daily and reach full maturity in 70 to 90 days from clones or seedlings, there is little need for containers larger than approximately three to five gallons (11.4–19 L). Larger plants and mother plants will need a large pot if they are kept for more than three months. A long vegetative growth stage lets plants Outdoors and in greenhouses, plants can grow much larger than indoors. Containers should be as big as possible to accommodate a large root mass. Big plants that produce ten pounds (4.5 kg) of medical cannabis buds can be grown in 200- to 500-gallon (757–1893 L) containers.

get big enough to grow an abundant crop

This is the first of six excerpts from Jorge Cervantes ´new book, the Cannabis Encyclopedia: Indoor, Outdoor and Greenhouse Cultivation, Concentrates and Cooking Medical Marijuana, 279 x 216 mm (8,5 x 11-inch) format, 608 color pages, 2.100 color images, with 340,000 words. Publication date: September 2014. Find more information including the complete Table of Contents and more excerpts on Jorge´s site, www.marijuanagrowing.com.

of flower buds.

STRAIN REPORT By Packed Nicely

White Siberian After a browse through the wide variety and range of seeds in the Dinafem seed catalogue and a suggestion by my good friend Purple Phoenix, I decided to try out their White Siberian strain. It descends from a carefully selected White Widow chosen for its stability, high yields, psycho-activity and taste, along with its medicinal aspects crossed with an equally well chosen AK-47 which offered it’s aromatic properties, strength and heavy yields. Considering some of the packaging provided by some seed companies, I was rather impressed with the presentation of the Dinafem seeds, they arrived in a small pop tin which itself contained a plastic vessel with seeds within. They were very well protected. A pack of three seeds was used and they were started in the process of germination. All three of the pack actually sprouted and they were then transferred to Root Riot cubes and put into a heated propagator until roots became visible through the bottom and side of the cubes. Then the seedlings were potted up into small pots with Plagron Light-Mix soil and they were carefully observed for vigour and vitality, the best of these was then moved on to the grow tent. The entire grow was housed in a Hortilab 80x80x160 tent, fitted with an extraction system provided by a Vents TT 100 fan and a 100mm Rhino hobby filter. With the size of the tent and its positioning in a small cupboard, I decided upon and 250w Maxibright Digilight ballast and a 250w Sunmaster dual-spectrum bulb to help in some way to reduce any difficul-

ties with heat. Additionally, an Exhale CO2 bag was added to provide some added CO2 and the potential bonus should we get any further heat problems, sadly a rather common predicament in these situations, especially during the summer months. Once the seedling was ready to be potted up, it was transferred to a 11L pot containing Guanokalong soil mix and watered in using Growth Technology’s Nitrozyme feed and Vitalink’s Bio Plus, utilised for its effective vitamin-based root initiation and as a stress reliever, especially useful after being re-potted. As the plant had started to flourish, the feed was changed for Ionic Soil Grow, a vegative feed, to provide more building blocks for increased growth and potential yield. The growth throughout could

be said to be vigorous, things looked healthy and there was a flourish of leaf production.

ciously powerful and sweet aroma, that certainly got the olfactory system fired up and eager for more.

The pH was monitored throughout this cultivation and only once did I find it necessary to add a touch of Growth Technology’s pH Down, to bring the pH from 7 to a more suitable range of 6.5, this would help to ensure the proper uptake of all the vital minerals required for vigorous growth. After a couple of weeks the plant was ready to be initiated into the flowering phase, so the lighting hours were switched and reduced from 18.5 hrs of light down to 11.5 hours. To facilitate this change in phase of the plant’s growth, the feed was changed and the bloom feed aspect of this grow was covered by using Growth Technology’s Ionic Soil Bloom. In addition, I used Dutch Pro Explode for a bloom booster to provide that little extra something and give her every opportunity to produce as much flower as she could, especially given the circumstances of her position, in a small tent, in a small cupboard. I have had some encouraging results with the Explode product as a booster additive in the past. Looking in the tent at this stage of growth there was a wonderfully proportioned plant developing with a strong looking central stem around which there was an abundance of flowers budding and filling. The lateral buds were demonstrating a similar property. White Siberian is an Indica Sativa hybrid that is predominantly Indica, the bud production was vigorous once it had been initiated and as ever, a true pleasure to watch them grow and swell to capacity. As they did so, the buds were becoming encrusted with an impressive collection of trichombs, giving them a shiny appearance and oozing a deli-

This has been an unusually warm summer and I have heard plenty of reports of people complaining about this slowing down their grows and adding a couple of weeks to the process and causing all manner of other difficulty and problem. I should say that this did occur with this grow and it took almost two weeks longer than expected to finish, but the actual grow location made making major alterations to combat this problem relatively unfeasible. That said, I wasn’t complaining about the result, apart from this extra few days, the plant showed no sign of stress whatsoever. On the whole this plant took 73 days in flower until finally, harvest time arrived. The buds from this beauty were thick and dense, but they were also relatively easy to trim, with plenty of frosting on the smaller leaves roundabout the actual flowers . The resulting harvest weight from this plant was just under five ounces of dried bud, weighing in at 136g, it was a most satisfactory and gratifying return. Smoking proved to be a very pleasant long-lasting experience, the sweet aroma and intense effect of this strain gave a cerebral experience and also a relaxing physical effect which would be much appreciated by many who use Cannabis as a medicine. In fact, it has proved very popular with a number of friends who do self-medicate and tried it, their experience of this bud has led to a number of requests for more. I think I may just have to take Steppes to doing some more and making it a White Siberian winter too!

COMIC

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DIY

How To Make CBD Oil COMMON METHODS OF PRODUCING CBD OIL FROM CANNABIS Sativa Diva Soft Secrets takes a look at popular CBD oil extraction methods and explains how to conduct a simple alcohol extraction. These days, CBD (cannabidiol) has become the dominant therapy in many dispensaries and pot shops around the world. Contrary to the recent surge in media coverage, cannabidiol has been around for just as long as THC; in fact,

ping winged predators and aiding in wind and contact pollination. The trichomes contain a cannabinoid-rich oil, the content of which differs not only per strain, but also per plant and even per trichome on the same plant. Additionally, the active ingredients or cannabinoids can be concentrated and purified via Cannabis oil production, decreasing dosage and increasing potency. This not only saves money but also lessens the amount required to achieve the desired effect. The lack of smoke or bud material means that CBD oil can be used with discretion in public, allowing for regular, timed doses. This also enables severely ill children to receive helpful medication.

“A highly anticipated book” MAXIMUM YIELD Butane honey oil (BHO) during the evaporation process [Credit: Vjiced]

THE WORLDWIDE REFERENCE

CO2 extraction is expensive, but Cannabis oil is rapidly increasing in popu- home-use equipment larity as a medicinal product that can also is now available be consumed without smoking [Credit:

[Credit: The Pollinator Co.]

Ryan Bushby (HighInBC)] Double boilers are used for alcohol the primogenitor marijuana plants that originated in Central Asia were indicadominant strains. Unlike the floaty, uplifting effect imparted by THC-rich sativas, the CBD in indica-dominant plants gives users a relaxed, body-based feeling that is medically relevant for myriad ailments.

Why Use CBD Oil?

Available from Growth Technology, Highlight Horticulture, Hydrofarm, BWGS and major distributors worldwide. MAMAPUBLISHING.COM

Cannabidiol oil manufacturing is intended to remove any negative aspects of smoking, vaporizing or eating Cannabis flowers. Cannabinoids are only found within the trichomes or resin glands, located almost exclusively on the female flowers of weed plants. Trichomes, referred to colloquially as THC crystals, act as defence mechanisms and plant protectors, trap-

extraction, but open gas flames can ignite the alcohol fumes

41 Finally, one distinct advantage of CBD oil over THC oil – besides the fact that a completely opposite effect is experienced from consumption of each product

of extraction, this is also the cleanest. More scientific and careful than other methods, super- or sub-critical extraction employs extremely high or low tempera-

large financial investment, as well as the investment of much time and trial-anderror experimentation, until a perfected process is achieved.

brings about the potential for explosions. Secondly, it is difficult – if not impossible – to completely remove any and all traces of the solvent from the end product, reducing the safety of the substance

GET ORGANIZED – PREPARE YOUR SPACE, ARRANGE YOUR NECESSARY EQUIPMENT, FIND A LEVEL WORK AREA AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS CLEAN AND SET UP BEFORE STARTING – is that hemp plants are very high in CBD and are legal throughout much of the world. Hemp plants are employed in

Bubbles in the alcohol and weed solution mean that the alcohol is evaporating away [Credit: Cureyourowncancer.org]

tures to provide a protective environment in which the cannabinoids are preserved and isolated. Due to the highly-controlled aspects of this process, the integrity of the cannabinoids (and thus, the purity of the oil) is maintained. In addition, the green chlorophyll is removed from the end product, leading to an extremely cleantasting product. This particular approach may not present the best alternative for many smallscale producers, especially those who are making CBD oil in order to save

Additionally, the major drawback of the super-critical method is that heat can damage the delicate terpenes – the elements responsible for the flavour and scent of each strain, as well as therapeutic benefits – during the decarboxylation process. ◊ Solvent Extraction: The solvent method is the approach most commonly taken by small-scale CBD and THC oil producers, primarily due to its relatively low cost, easily-obtainable required equipment and simple process; unfortunately, this is also the most dangerous technique.

the production of tens of thousands of industrial products and their high CBD content means that hemp waste from the production of such goods can be recycled to make CBD oil.

Since the main point of using CBD oil is to remove any non-active components of the plant, the most effective approach to producing CBD-rich oil is to use high-CBD plant matter as a raw ingredient. Once the perfect strain has been select- The Eden Labs HI-FLO Super-Critical CO extraction unit, perfectly suited 2 ed, a manufacturing method should be for large-scale, commercial production of CBD oil chosen. The Cannabis industry is rife with varying extraction methods; each has its advantages and disadvantages. Those seeking the purest, cleaned CBD oil possible will likely employ a different method than commercial producers. The cost, relative safety and potency of the product is directly controlled via method of extraction.

Methods of CBD Oil Extraction ◊ Carrier Oil Extraction: The procedure of manufacturing CBD oil products via oilbased extraction is rapidly gaining in popularity. The safest method in terms of not making anything (or anyone) explode, oil extractions also provide a dose of healthy Omega acids if hemp seed oil is employed as the carrier; olive oil is also a commonlyused carrier oil. Since the oil-filled trichomes are fat- or solvent-soluble, natural plant oils are an effective way to extract the cannabinoid-laden resin. An added benefit is the lack of potentially harmful chemical residue that is deposited in the These days, many websites assist CBD oil by other extraction methods. people in procuring or producing One major downside of oil-based CBD Cannabis oil for medicinal or recreational extractions is that most carrier oils have a limited shelf life. This means that smaller purposes [Credit: Cureyourowncancer.org]

◊ Super- or Sub-Critical CO2 Extraction: Generally considered the safest method

Solvent-based extraction processes do not produce as clean of a product as CO2 extraction, for example. Since some chlorophyll is also extracted via solvent use, the end product may not impart the same taste that results from CO2 extraction.

Easy Grain Alcohol Cannabis Oil Extraction Method

How Is CBD Oil Produced?

batches should be produced for personal use and proper storage should be a concern. Also, this product is best eaten or applied topically, rather than being smoked.

and essentially removing the justification of using CBD oil over simply smoking pot. This can negate any positive aspect of choosing to medicate with Cannabis oil, potentially worsening existing medical conditions or leading to new ones. A third reason for avoiding solvents is that this method can actually destroy some of the therapeutic plant waxes, decreasing the overall medicinal value and recreational quality of the oil.

money. Expensive, technically-complicated equipment is required, the operation of which usually takes a while to perfect. Although the quality produced is potentially the highest, in addition to potency, this method usually requires a

This process yields about two to four grams of extremely potent, medicinalgrade CBD oil that is suitable for ingestion. After a few practice runs, the entire process for small-batch edible oil production should take about an hour, including around thirty minutes of cooking time. Grain alcohol is the solvent that is least likely to leave impurities or residue in the final product.

Supplies Needed: t 0OF PVODF PG ESJFE HSPVOE VQ CVE material or two to three ounces of ground, dried trim/shake t 0OF HBMMPO PG TPMWFOU (SBJO BMDPIPM PS other high-proof alcohol; never use rubbing alcohol) t .FEJVN TJ[FE NJYJOH CPXM (MBTT JT CFTU or ceramic) t 4USBJOFS " DIFFTFDMPUI TUBJOMFTT TUFFM kitchen sieve combo, or muslin bags, grain-steeping bags or even clean stockings/nylons) t $BUDINFOU DPOUBJOFS t %PVCMF CPJMFS t ,JUDIFO VUFOTJMT -BSHF XPPEFO TQPPO silicon spatula, plastic syringe for dosage and dispensing of oil, funnel)

Procedure:

The solvents most typically employed are butane, grain alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, hexane or ethanol. There are several reasons to avoid this method. Firstly, the use of solvents always

t (FU PSHBOJ[FE o 1SFQBSF ZPVS TQBDF arrange your necessary equipment, find a level work area and make sure that it is clean and set up before starting t 1MBDF UIF HSPVOE VQ $BOOBCJT NBUFrial into the mixing bowl, making sure to leave some space for the solvent. Find a larger bowl before proceeding further, if necessary. t $PNQMFUFMZ DPWFS UIF QMBOU NBUFSJBM XJUI the alcohol, adding about an extra inch of solvent above the top level of plant matter. t 6TJOH UIF XPPEFO TQPPO BHJUBUF UIF Cannabis material within the solvent for about three minutes. This enables the

42 resin glands to dissolve into the solvent. Make sure that the plant matter is thoroughly saturated and has had a chance to expel its resin content.

Note: The mixture should continue bubbling throughout the evaporation process. As the alcohol level decreases, so will the amount of bubbles. It helps to occasionally

If high-CBD oil is desired, then a CBD-rich Cannabis variety must be used from which to extract the oil

ONE MAJOR DOWNSIDE OF OIL-BASED CBD EXTRACTIONS IS THAT MOST CARRIER OILS HAVE A LIMITED SHELF LIFE. t 1MBDF TUSBJOJOH CBH PS TJFWF JOUP UIF DBUDIment container. Pour the dark green liquid from the mixing bowl into the bag or sieve; allow the liquid to be filtered completely and pour into the container. Gently massage the bag in order to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Note: At this point, many people repeat the previous four steps in order to extract as much resin as possible into the solvent. This second wash should remove most of the remaining resin. t 1PVS UIF TUSBJOFE MJRVJE JOUP UIF EPVCMF boiler. Fill the bottom of the double boiler with an appropriate amount of water. If your alcohol-resin solution does not all fit in the top of the double boiler, you can keep refilling the pot as you boil down the CBD oil, eventually processing all of the rinse liquid. t 1MBDF UIF EPVCMF CPJMFS PO IJHI IFBU until the liquid begins to bubble, which is actually the alcohol evaporating. When it reaches the bubbling stage, turn off the burner – the residual heat contained in the water bath will continue heating the mixture, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. t *G UIF NJYUVSF TUPQT CVCCMJOH JU NBZ CF necessary to turn the heat back on, once or twice more. The evaporation step usually takes between fifteen and twentyfive minutes to complete.

mix the solution with the silicon spatula, scraping the sides of the pan as you mix. Do not let the mixture get too hot, as this will damage the cannabinoids and compromise potency and flavour When the mixture is still runny but has stopped bubbling, turn the heat back on ‘low’, encouraging the mixture to begin bubbling again, then turn off the heat. Continue stirring, which will allow even more alcohol to evaporate away. t 5IF PJM JT EPOF XIFO JU IBT SFBDIFE B thick, tar-like consistency and no longer bubbles. Since it continues to thicken as it cools, it is important to transfer the oil into storage or dosage containers at this point. t 4MPXMZ ESBX UIF $#% PJM JOUP UIF QMBTUJD syringes. As you reach the bottom of the pan, this will become more difficult, which is normal. Transfer any remaining amounts into small, air-tight containers. Aside from squeezing out small doses from the syringe, a toothpick can also be used to portion off dosages. Note: If a topical application is preferred, simply combine the CBD oil with olive or coconut oil while it is still warm. This also decreases the potency, stretching out the dosages for cash-strapped or less experienced users.

Carbon dioxide-extracted Cannabis oil [Credit: Hummingbird Brand]

Safety Tips: Į .HHS D ILUH H[ WLQJXLVK Į %H VXU HU KDQ H WR W G\ KRURXJK area; f O \ YHQWLO umes c DWH WK an buil WR H[SOR H d up a VLRQV RU nd lead KHDOWK LQ DV OD KD]DU UJH DQ GV :RUN DUHD D all win V SRVVLE dows a OH 2SHQ nd run WR GLVSH oscillat UVH JDV ing fan HV 'R PDNLQJ s QRW VPR &%' NH ZKLO RLO Į 6DIHW\ H JODVVHV R U Į JRJJOHV 0DNH DUH VXJ VXUH WK JHVWHG D W \RX VR FORVH GR QRW WR WKH VWDQG GRXEOH EHJLQ WR ERLOHU LQKDOH W K DW \RX DOFRKR DUH GD O IXPHV QJHURXV ZKLFK Į (OHFWULF VWRYH WRSV SU KHDW VR HVHQW D XUFH WK VDIHU DQ JDV DOFRKRO U DQJHV N SURGXFW HHS DOO V IDU D IODPHV ZD\ IUR DV JDV P RSHQ VWRYHV F KRO IXP DQ LJQLW HV 3RUW H DOFRDEOH HO RU KRWS HFWULF ODWHV F EXUQHUV DQ DOVR EH XVH G

MEDICAL MARIHUANA

World’s Favorite Drug

Hemp has been considered a medicinal plant in every region of the world where it can be found. Sebastian Daniel

it can be found. The evidence for its use in ancient medicine is extensive: literary, folkloric, historical, and archaeological. Dr Raphael Mechoulam, discoverer of THC and a Prof. of Medicinal Chemistry at Hebrew University states that cannabis, the most widely used illicit drug in the world, has been used for thousands of years: every piece of evidence about drugs in any language mentions it. The earliest reference to the therapeutic value of cannabis can be found in a Chinese treatise on pharmacology attributed to the legendary emperor Shen Nung (2737 BC). He named hemp in his pharmacopoeia “liberator of sin”

and taught its cultivation. At that time, soldiers’ battle wounds were bandaged with hemp leaves. Later Chinese surgeons would boil hemp in wine to produce an anesthetic. Cannabis is one of the fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine and is prescribed to treat diverse conditions. Hemp was known as a medicine in ancient India, Egypt, and Greece. Historian Diodorus Siculus reported that the women of ancient Egypt used Cannabis as a medicine to relieve sorrow and bad moods. The Ayurvedic medical system of India has long used Cannabis to treat dozens of diseases and medical problems.

The Indian scripture of the Atharva Veda considers cannabis use to “preserve one from disease . . . and prolong the years we have to live.” Arab doctors also considered it to be a powerful medicine. Throughout history wounds, skin diseases, or rheumatism were treated (and in many places still are) with hemp extracts, leaves, or flowers placed on the skin or joints. In European folk medicine, hemp was still used to treat alcoholics in the 1930s. Considering the fact that local hemp lacked then (and still lacks) strong psychoactive and medicinal properties of today’s marijuana, such treatment holds great promise for the future.

The Wonder Drug? “There’s a tendency to discount claims when something appears to be good for everything, but there’s a reason this is the case. The endogenous cannabinoid system acts as a modulator in fine-tuning a lot of these systems, and if something is deranged biochemically in a person’s body, it may well be that a cannabinoid system can bring things back into balance”, explains Dr. Ethan Russo, a Senior Medical Advisor at the Cannabinoid Research Institute and GW Pharmaceuticals, a British drug company behind a marijuana mouth spray known as Sativex. We have endogenous cannabinoids in our bodies that turn out to be very effective at regulating many functions, from nerve to bone. Shen Nung, often called the “Father of Chinese Medicine” wrote of cannabis: “Ta Ma is one of the super elixirs for health”.

Cannabis has been used to treat a wide variety of ailments throughout recorded history. It is esteemed as a safe, effective and non-addictive medicine. Our ancestors knew the effects of hemp from birth (pain-killer during child birth) till death (incense burnt close to a bed of a seriously ill person or oils with hemp extract applied to the skin). The greatest physicians of their day recommended its use. Until it was declared illegal in 1937, the drug had been successfully used by generations of doctors, as well in Europe and America, for relief of cough, rheumatism, asthma, migraine, chronic alcoholism, depression, epilepsy, menstrual discomfort, and many more conditions. In fact, cannabis was listed by the United States Pharmacopeia (the organization which sets quality standards for approved drugs in the United States) until the 1940s. Cannabis is finally being considered an effective medicament with multiple applications. It can be used against epilepsy, asthma, loss of appetite caused by chemotherapy, glaucoma (often it is the only effective remedy) which, untreated, may result in blindness; certain forms of paralysis; rheumatism; arthritis; pain; depression; and anxiety. Cannabis has been found to relieve symptoms of spinal cord injuries. Clinical trials provide evidence that THC reduces the motor and vocal tics of Tourette syndrome and related behavioral problems such as obsessive– compulsive disorders. Studies have also shown cannabis or cannabinoids may be useful in treating alcohol or opiates abuse, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), atherosclerosis, digestive diseases, hepatitis C, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, multi-drug resistant bacterial infections, leukemia, skin tumors, and various types of cancer. Testing of cannabis or cannabinoids has also begun on type 1 diabetes, stroke, epilepsy, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Cannabis can help people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies of people with PTSD show that THC improves sleep and stops nightmares. In Great Britain, painkillers derived from the cannabis plant are to be introduced into the market. Research suggests that they are effective in up to 80% of cases; often, total regression of pain can be observed. Medical marijuana advocate Claudia Jensen, M.D. says that about a large majority of the painkillers found in drugstores could be easily replaced by cannabis. It does not damage the liver or kidneys, nor does it cause ulcers and other harmful side effects like many over-thecounter drugs do. Over 200 medical conditions respond favorably to cannabis. No other substance on the market today can provide as many medical benefits. Many scientists are deeply concerned why this major resource remains unutilized. They are worried that they cannot explore the vast potential of the new powerful strains of this ancient multi-purpose medicinal plant.

THE ONLINE CANNABIS ENCYCLOPEDIA

SHOP/ INDEX OF ADS / COLOFON

Indica Headshop Bradford

Indica Headshop in Bradford, West Yorkshire is a friendly, well stocked and extremely knowledgeable ‘smart shop’, the owners of which have over 15 years of international experience in supplying quality marijuana related products and a close personal relationship with Howard Marks (aka Mr Nice), so you can be assured that the staff know their stuff and are always happy to help! The owners of Indica Headshop are extremely passionate about the industry and that’s reflected in the diverse range of products they offer, including a huge variety of souvenir cannabis seeds, vaporisers (from handheld to Volcano’s), bubble bags, bongs and pipes and a large choice of research chemicals. They’re also the only licensed importer of Headshop Candles in Europe. Headshop Candles burn for up to 150 hours, are virtually soot free and I can personally confirm that they smell amazing! Pictured: Blueberry Kush 16oz jar candle.

Indica are flexible with both their products and their opening hours, and while their core opening times are 9:30am to 5pm, they’ll be happy to accommodate if you need something out of hours (within reason!). You can find Indica Headshop at:

419 Tong Street Bradford West Yorkshire BD4 6LX Contact them on 01274 456 854 or at indicaheadshop@gmail.com. Get a quote for seeds at www.indicaheadshop.co.uk or visit www.headshopcandles.uk!

Index of ads Name 00 Seeds Bank 8 Ball Hydroponics Advanced Seeds Amsterdam Seed Center Atami Bio Green Bright Green UK Bristol Genuine Seedbank Brit Crops Buddha’s Tree Clever Green Dinafem Seeds Dr. Blooms Hydroponics Dutch Passion Ed Rosenthal Emerald Imports Emporium Hydroponics Head 2 Head Hedzup Hesi Humboldt Seed Organization Hygrow Hy-pro Indica Head Shop Jorge Cervantes Kroon de Mama Editions Money Tree Hydroponics Mycologics Near Dark NPK Technology Paradise Seeds Paradise Seeds Plagron Procare Red Eye Headshop Senua Hydroponics Smoketower.com Smokin Vinyl Southern Hydro Centre Stanford Hydroponics Sweet Seeds UK GroWorks UK Skunkworks Vision Seeds Wheatley Hydroponics

Colofon Page 11 1 18 43 48 31 45 39 9 28 1 35 1 7 22 8 39 39 45 2 27 1 39 45 32 45 40 33 43 45 44 1 17 4 43 13 36 36 43 45 1 47 14 14 45 43

Due to the fact that a coco mix is usually made up of a variety of textures, it makes the ideal under soil. The rougher chunks of coco make sure that the coco mix remains well aerated (and so takes over the function of perlite), thanks to which there is always more than enough oxygen getting to the roots. The rougher chunks of coco also ensure good drainage, especially when you make sure that the lower-most layer in the (flower) pot is made up of it. The large bits of coco husk actually take on the function of hydro granules. The fine particles of coco (including the fibres and the grit) on the other hand work more like a sort of sponge and thereby hold on to their moisture for longer, thanks to which the plants always have access to enough water for their needs (provided we water the coco regularly, once every two days).

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: info@softsecrets.nl Editor: Cliff Cremer Contributors: Little Lebowski, Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Dr. John Dee, The Professor, Sativa Diva, Ganjah Selecta, Tony, Stoney Tark, Steve M., Sean and others Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: ssuk@softsecrets.nl Advertisements: E-mail: info@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. The publisher has endeavored to reach all copyright holders of photos and/or images. Those who still believe they are entitled to these rights may contact the publisher.

Next issue out: February 27 2015

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SWEET SEEDS DOES NOT SELL BULK OR LOOSE SEEDS TO GROW SHOPS. THE ONLY ORIGINAL AND GUARANTEED SEEDS ARE THOSE SOLD IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch nº36-38 · 46015 · Valencia · España · +34 963 890 403 / +34 628 593 887 · WHOLESALERS: +34 963 473 730 / +34 963 404 289 · Fax +34 961 939 618 · info@sweetseeds.es 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.

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