Soft Secrets England 2022-06

BIDEN PARDONS CANNABIS CONVICTIONS.

IS THIS THE FIRST STEP TO FEDERAL REFORM?

US cannabis policy has been propelled to the forefront following President Joe Biden's blanket pardon for all American citizens federally convicted of personal possession of small amounts of the substance.

Mr Biden also nudged governors to follow suit on state offences. He has also instructed his attorney general and health secretary to review whether they should reschedule cannabis.

Federal law currently classifies cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance. This categorises it as having "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse".

To many, this classification seems unjustified as it sees cannabis as grouped in with heroin and LSD and in a higher risk category than the drugs driving America's overdose epidemic, namely fentanyl and methamphetamine.

"It makes no sense, too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It's time that we right these wrongs." -President Biden.

Supporters say the shifting is the first step to bringing a $33bn (£30bn) industry into the mainstream and delivering relief to

those impacted by a "war on drugs" that began in the 1970s. Too many advocates, the news is a welcome opportunity to open up a broader conversation about cannabis reform. However, it was still a shock to many and has understandingly sent cannabis stocks rocketing.

It must be noted that the President's pardons are still relatively limited and cover "simple possession" only. It is estimated that the number of citizens eligible for the relief is low at around 6,500 people.

Nearly 29 million Americans have been apprehended for cannabis-related offences since 1965. Most convictions for possession are recorded only at a state and local level, and the presidential pardons only concern federal charges. As it stands, nobody is currently in federal

prison exclusively based on possession alone.

Suppose the Biden-initiated review ultimately calls for re-classifying cannabis. In that case, the federal government will catch up to reforms already underway in several US states. Reform organisations call on the President to de-schedule the drug and regulate it like alcohol or tobacco.

So far, 19 states have approved the drug for recreational use, and 37 states and DC have legalised medical cannabis. This represents more than 40% of the US population.

Five more states- Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota are poised to cast ballots next month on recreational cannabis use. At least four more ballot referendums are expected in 2023 and 2024.

A Gallup poll last year showed that 68% of Americans now favour legalising cannabis. Those on the left, such as Independent candidates and Democrats, are far more likely to support loosening restrictions on cannabis use. However, the poll shows that roughly half of Republicans are also on board. This alone reflects how much the politics of cannabis reform have changed in a short period.

Mr Biden's efforts represent a U-turn on his previous political and personal track record. Biden claims to have never touched cannabis and, over his 35-year assignment in the US Senate, he has written and voted in favour of many tough-on-drug laws. (RH)

Advanced Hydroponics ofHolland since1993

By Rich Hamilton

ENERGY CRISIS HITS HOME GROWERS ACROSS EUROPE

to 40% of greenhouse growers across the sector are expected to face financial difficulties in the coming months.

Overall, quantities of greenhouse crops are predicted to decrease, food-safe production may be in danger, and we can expect to see shortages as soon as this winter. The industry will find solutions and survive, but many small companies may not.

So, what does this mean for the price of weed? It seems logical to suggest that higher production costs and less supply must mean a price rise all around! So not only can people not afford to grow their weed, but soon, they may struggle to afford to buy it! However, there may be an alternative on the horizon. In 2021 significant

outside, meaning less "greenhouse costs" are accrued from energy and equipment needed to control the environment.

Secondly, legal cannabis businesses that develop and market high THC weed strains are subject to many more regulatory tasks. These include security, safety, seed-to-sale tracking, waste disposal and expensive licenses, all of which are passed down in the price to the retailers and end consumers.

CBD weed may not be the top choice for recreational cannabis users; however, it is becoming more readily available across Europe. Despite there being no exact measure of the size of the CBD flower market at present, it is on an upward trajectory in terms of popularity.

Europe has been facing soaring bills this year as the war in Ukraine fuels an energy crisis.

Relentless inflation has ignited a costof-living emergency across Europe. For many, wages are disappearing quicker than ever as interest rates, the cost of groceries, fuel, rent, and utility bills keep climbing. In August, inflation in the eurozone soared to a record high of 9.1 per cent, driven mainly by rising energy costs.

Russia has refused to fully resume its gas supplies to Europe until the West lifts’ sanctions imposed on Moscow. As a result, Europe has been warned that it could face up to 10 brutal winters due to the standoff.

European Union member states have taken emergency measures to protect their citizens. However, most of us will still be paying more for everyday necessities than last year.

Considering current events, it's easy to see why many home growers have had no option but to switch off their lights or scale back their operations in recent

months. Many can no longer justify the running costs of their indoor garden in the current economic climate.

Growing cannabis indoors can use excessive energy. A lot of power-hungry equipment is needed to get the best yields. A small indoor grow set-up in a 1.2m square grow tent can consume as much as 13,000 kWh of electricity a year.

The solution for some has been switching from traditional HID grow lights to energy-efficient LED lights. LED lights promise all the benefits of HID and more whilst using significantly less energy and producing extremely low levels of heat. However, the initial high outlay cost of quality LED grow light fixtures has priced them out of many people's budgets.

The rise in inflation is hitting other areas of the cannabis industry just as hard. With fewer home growers doing their thing, there has been a drop in seed sales across the market. Commercial cannabis farming has not escaped either and is one of many energy-intensive greenhouse crops being battered due to spiralling energy costs. As many as 30%

demand for smokable CBD hemp flower emerged in the U.S, prompting many hemp growers to divert parts of their operations to meet the demand.

The costs involved in creating dried, trimmed hemp flower for smoking are significantly lower than those associated with growing high THC strains. The hemp it is made from is usually grown

CBD flower offers a cheaper yet effective alternative for medicinal users and those who desire the effects of the many non-psychoactive cannabinoids. For commercial cultivators, the lower production costs of CBD-rich flower may be just what they need to see their way through this economic crisis that unfortunately shows no signs of being over anytime soon.

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GROW WITH STONEY TARK

By Stoney Tark

7 TOP TIPS ON SAVING ELECTRICITY

As an indoor grower, it can be a strange time with ever rising gas and electricity prices, with most growers being put off by huge electric bills each month. Your passion for growing high grade indoors is now under threat, and with more pressure to pack it in, the thought of not having an indoor set up is the worst-case scenario. In this article, we provide 7 top tips to help you significantly reduce electric bills, nutrient use and keep your drying room full of buds.

Top Tip #1: Using LED Lights

There is already a large percentage of indoors growers who have already made the switch to LED years ago. For many others, the thought of reducing from 1000w of HPS lighting and easily matching the efficiency of the light with a 400w to 600w of LED excited many indoor gardeners.

Our top tip here is to do your research and find out which companies offer the best LED lights. Speak with their technical department and calculate which floor plan will work best also when operating in a large area.

Top Tip #2: Light Dimmers

Having control over the output of your grow light, and using dimmers, can be an excellent way to cut costs during the vegetative stage. When Cannabis plants grow from seedling, or clones into small bushy plants, they do not need full exposure from a 600-1000w light and will grow just as good under 50-75% of the original output.

Our top tip here is to provide the plants during the vegetative stage (18/6) with less power and return to 100% output for the flowering stage. Unless you are supplementing with CO2, then an intense amount of lighting during 18/6 is not required.

Top Tip #3: Reducing Lighting Hours

There has always been a golden rule when growing Cannabis indoors that plants vegetate under 18/6 and flower on 12/12. Of course, this is true and has been tried and tested forever. The reality is, you can still keep plants in a vegetative state using a 14/10 lighting schedule.

The more darkness a plant is exposed to, will determine how short the internodal spacing and growth structure will become. Using 16/8 or 14/10 will cause internodal spacing to increase further. Our top tip here is to experiment with reducing your lighting hours and see how each of your strains reacts.

Top Tip #4: Vegging with CFL or LED

For most indoor growers, the vegetative stage is usually the least exciting and most costly in terms of electricity use, nutrient use and the amount of time it takes before plants are big enough to flower. Many growers will typically work with the same grow light for 18/6 and 12/12, so will be limited to when they can flower their crop.

Our top tip here is to invest in CFL or LED lights that will keep your seedlings or clones slowly growing until you are ready to flower. This can be done in a separate room or smaller tent. Once you have harvested your last crop, you simply take small plants and flowers and place them into the flowering room.

Top Tip #5: Fast Flowering Strains

The expenses that an indoor grower faces are usually electricity costs and nutrients. Shaving off 2-4 hours every day during the vegetative stage has many benefits, and working with fast flowering strains does also. A fast flowering strain means that the plants are fully mature within 50-56 days.

Our top tip here is to find out which strains have a reputation as being quick finishers indoors and will allow you to save on electricity and nutrients, as well as reduce the risk of pathogens such as Botrytis.

Top Tip #6: Plug Dimmers

These handy devices are basically dimmers that allow a grower to reduce the amount of electricity being used by equipment. By connecting one of these plug dimmers to exhaust fans, for example, can help reduce the noise levels and also reduce the amount of power and electric being used.

Plug dimmers are best for exhaust fans and oscillating fans, and especially for silencing an indoor set up. Our top tip here is to use these dimmers when growing indoors, however they do not work for grow lights, and a dimmer for a LED or HPS will be specifically made for that model by the manufacturer.

Top Tip #7: Crop Rotation

A crop rotation simply refers to the amount of time it takes for you to rotate the flowering rooms after every harvest. The goal as an indoor grower is to keep your curing jars full and save you buying at street level. For those who are used to growing with one light, can now take peace of mind that keeping your clones or seedlings alive under a CFL or low powered LED for 7-8 weeks prior pays off massively.

Our tip here is to try and change to a setup that ensures your flowering room is always full, and as soon as the dry room is empty, another crop can be rotated. To make this adjustment, all you require are 2 grow tents or separate rooms. The easiest way is to use a bigger tent for flowering, and a smaller tent to house the CFL or LED for the vegging room.

This grower switched to a 600w LED and saved 400w of electricity use.

By Rich Hamilton

Stoned in SPACE

BIOharvest, an Israeli biotech company, has grown cannabis trichomes inside a bioreactor that are 12 times stronger than those produced naturally.

The invention is being hailed as a breakthrough that could reduce the price of medicinal cannabis and make it more sustainable in water and fertiliser use. The plant itself is not grown; instead, cells from the plant are farmed inside massive bioreactors in a lab at.

"We grow them in huge bioreactors in just three weeks. Our tech can significantly increase the levels of active ingredients, as a per cent of the weight, versus what is found normally in the plant."- BioHarvest CEO Ilan Sobel.

Adjusting the specific conditions, the cells are exposed to creates varied compositions of active ingredients. This makes it possible to dial the cannabinoids up and down. In other words, the THC produced can be super strength.

The trichomes do not require any genetic modification and perfectly replicate the CBD, THC, and minor cannabinoids found in naturally grown weed. According to BioHarvest's calculations, it only needs one gallon of water to produce the same amount of material that it'd take 54 gallons to grow in plant form and 90 per cent less space.

BioHarvest claims its substance can be smoked, taken in pill or drop form, or used in edibles. However, that does not guarantee that consumers will embrace the new option.

BioHarvest plans to test its products in outer space after partnering with retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield who has recently joined their board of advisors. With the dawn of space tourism on the horizon and the falling costs of launching travellers into

orbit, the idea of a recreational space station is starting to sound more like a reality.

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield flew on NASA's Space Shuttle and spent time on the Russian space station Mir and the International Space Station. He's also popular on social media sensation posting videos and photos of life on the ISS, even releasing a collection of guitar songs recorded up there. And regarding recreational activities, off-world tourism raises the possibility of doing drugs in space.

Now, Hadfield says, any inebriation in space would be too risky. "On the space station, if there's an emergency, you are the fire department, you can't be intoxicated or inebriated because if something goes wrong, you will die."

But he isn't looking forward to when space travel becomes more regular, and people start looking for recreational activities. "Once the population gets large enough, and the situation is stable enough, people are going to wanna drink; people are going to want some pot.

BioHarvests announcement that it had succeeded in creating stable cannabis trichomes by growing them in bioreactors like lab-grown meat could potentially revolutionise the production of cannabis.

Rather than relying on and overusing resources such as water, pesticides, fertiliser and energy, bioreactors may allow future astronauts to cut out the actual growing part of the process and enable them access to valuable cannabinoids much quicker.

Hadfield did point out that while there is a worthwhile case to be made for the recreational use of cannabis in space, this was not the original design objective of BioHarvest's tech.

"The unique compositions of full-spectrum cannabis could have crucial value in providing better treatment solutions for many palliative diseases.

For now, the emphasis is still very much on medical applications. Conditions, where current pharma synthesised compounds, are not delivering adequate solutions," BioHarvest CEO Ilan Sobel.

When cannabis finally becomes federally legal across the USA, BioHarvest's cannabinoid-growing process may present a real breakthrough from a biological viewpoint. Who knows?

A microgravity environment such as space may be the perfect environment to produce medical-grade cannabinoids of a quality the world has never seen.

Orange Sherbert

A record-breaking fruit bomb

Sherbert beans in his test station. Off the ground after about 2.5 germination days, the two seedlings were ready to enter into the 3.5 weeks veg stage.

Both of them ramified early and stood stately 37 and 41 cm tall already upon receipt of the flowering signal from Mr. Knolle through a switch from 18/6 to 12/12. Heights which at that point came as quite a surprise in view of their 80% indica nature. They displayed a nicely branched shape though – “a good solid branch scaffolding for the flowering stage”, approved Mr. Knolle.

The flowering stage: Bulky head buds, beautiful colours and intensely citrusy resin galore

A solid scaffold from which plenty of budding sites were growing up before long. After heavy branch extension growth during the first four weeks of blooming, the two plants had almost tripled in height (which was likewise unusual for a strain with such a strong indica lean), but

not failed to simultaneously bring forth a lot of dense flower clusters along their branches. Which soon exhibited a fairly high calyx-to-leaf ratio and developed into well-proportioned buds that started early to fire up their resin pumps, soon running at full blast.

Crystals galore came to light and submerged the buds deep and deeper into a frosty polar sea of trichomes. Near the end of flowering, a plethora of side buds gathered around an impressively long and bulky head bud of about 50 cm length, as if they were forming a guard of honour. All the top buds produced charming violet flower leaves in their upper parts. Mr. Knolle’s senses were not only visually bewitched by these resin-dripping colourful flowers, but also olfactorily: the heavenly odour they were exuding was as sweet and wonderfully orange-like as described – “not only for me as a lover of real orange fruits this is something to drool over!”, he said full of delectation. After 64 and 67 days, the Orange Sherbert flowering show had glamorously ended, leaving the plants at final heights of 102 and 117 cm.

With Mimosa Evo, the first-ever Barney’s Farm strain of Mr. Knolle’s gardener career, having emerged as one breathtaking spectacle, he naturally was keen to experience more strain adventures based on the work of this heavily popular Dutch seed company. One of the Barney’s varieties particularly appealing to him was Orange Sherbert. No wonder – whose cannabis afficionado’s neurones wouldn’t fire wildly when reading the fine pedigree of this 80% indica dominant plant: Orange Cream x Purple Urkle x Cherry Pie – a truly promising US all-star cast!

Just like many other Barney’s cultivars, Orange Sherbert is able to wow growers with a high-yield performance – up to 650 grams dry they can pull off one square metre. As regards flowering, a little more patience than average might be needed until growers can harvest the orangy fruits of their work as the arrival of maturation can take up to 70 days, while 60 are possible as well though. Plants are growing to medium height, producing heavy

large-sized buds on their lateral branches that may need to get supported. Living up to the strain name, these abundantly trichome-soaked flowers, also capable of putting a violet livery on, are exuding a deep sweet orange scent the bouquet of which fully translates into a taste of the same kind. Effect-wise, in accordance with its genetics, there’s a lot of indica on the agenda, with Orange Sherbert serving a super-chilled relaxation stone – in happy peaceful tranquility lies the strength of this variety. Outside Orange Sherbert cuts a fine figure, too, proving to be a very fast finisher with crop maturity setting in by the third to fourth week of September. Cultivators get recompensed with up to 700 grams a plant for their efforts if everything is going according to plan.

A surprising growth behaviour

To start the race, Mr. Knolle successfully germinated two feminised Orange

Words & Pics: Green Born Identity – G.B.I.

A

new

yield record for Mr. Knolle!

Being that heavily laden with big tight buds, it wasn’t too surprising for Mr. Knolle that with 115 grams dry, one of the plants bestowed a new personal yield record to him, while the second (98 grams) almost scored a three-digit amount also. Through careful drying and slight fermentation that sweet orange terpene profile was further refined and together with countless orange pistils in the dried Orange Sherbert buds did the strain name credit.

Smoking it: An orangesoaked flavour and chilled grinning happiness

When Mr. Knolle had rolled his first Orange Sherbert test joint, it appeared to him like one “fruit stalk” – already when he dry smoked it, i.e. took a draft unlit, he was hit by a strong orange flavour. But also smoked then in combination with the small amount of tobacco Mr. Knolle had put in, this taste was unmistakable, a sheer exquisite citrus sensation.

Even on his lips sweet and fruity aroma layers accumulated as he noticed when licking over them. With two deep hits his

down his lungs, he felt a warming indica swell surge inside him which a few tokes later flooded his body and mind with a deeply chilled grinning happiness lasting about two hours. That he had forgotten to take his 2-Euro coin out of his trolley after shopping? Never mind!

That today at work his boss had paid compliments only to his new colleague again? It’s okay, good new employees must be given positive feedback. That the tenants below had listened to music with the volume turned up again? Well, live and let live. Everything that had bugged him during the day he now could look at with a good deal of stoicism.

Conclusion: A straight A by school marks

„This Barney’s Farm strain release is simply ACE! Orange Sherbert has conquered the top position in my yield record list and delivered both a highly remarkable orange flavour and a delightful super relaxing indica effect. By school marks, I give it a straight A!”, Mr. Knolle passionately concluded. Green Born Identity – G.B.I.

Cultivation

By Stoney Tark

REDUCING LIGHTING HOURS INDOORS

When it comes to saving money on rising electric bills, any help is a bonus to a home grower. The vegetative stage indoors can often be the most expensive in terms of running your lights for 18-20 hours per day. In this article, we provide a few different options that will allow you to reduce the lighting hours, whilst keeping plants in veg. We break down the different types of lights and explain the different possible lighting schedules and the benefits associated.

hours, whilst keeping the plants in a vegetative state and producing new leaves, internodes and growth sites.

Lighting Hours Explained

Some growers will swear that 24 hours of light until you flower plants, is the way to go, then again others will argue that plants need darkness to store sugars for the roots. Of course, blasting your HID lights for 24 hours a day is certainly out of the question, when saving money is the aim of the game.

The more darkness a Cannabis plant receives whilst in a vegetative state, will determine how tall the plants will grow, and the spacing between the internodes. Not all strains will react the same, with sativa dominant hybrids expressing internodal stretching the most. The opposite of this can often be seen when providing a Cannabis plant with zero hours of darkness. As the plants that are produced will be short and stocky.

The Benefits Associated

18/6 - This has always been the comfort zone for home growers, and is the universal lighting schedule for mother plants and clones. Pre flowers will usually take around 6 weeks before revealing themselves using 18/6.

• Using 18-24 hours of light can be the most expensive option

14/10 - Not only does giving the plants 14 hours of light make them grow much taller and quicker, you will find they are producing lots of pre-flowers and will produce buds much quicker once flowering starts.

• This shift to 14/10 will save you 28 hours per week (if currently running 18/6).

• This shift to 14/10 will save you 112 hours per month (if currently running 18/6).

The Different Types of Lighting

For those who prefer a much cheaper option than running their 600 or 1000w HPS or MH for vegging plants, there are cheaper alternatives that are far less taxing on the electricity.

The lights below may not be as effective as high intensity lighting (600-1000w), however will provide you with the options of creating a second room dedicated to vegetating seedlings or clones. If you prefer to keep everything in one tent or room, then you have a cheaper option.

125w - 250w Compact Fluorescent Lamps

These plants were harvested a week earlier with 14/10.

What Is the Vegetative Stage?

Somehow, through the hands of time, 18 hours of light has become the norm for indoor growers across the world. There are some growers who prefer to use 20 hours all the way up to 24 hours of light for the vegetative period.

The vegetative period basically refers to the stage after seedlings, when the plants will focus their energy on pro -

ducing a deep and robust root mass, and above the soil will grow stems and leaves. The main goal of the Cannabis plant during this stage is to become as well established and bushy as possible, in preparation for bud production once flowering is triggered with 12 hours of darkness (12/12).

On the basis that darkness period does not increase to 12 hours, then it is possible to reduce the amount of lighting

16/8 - By increasing the darkness period to 8 hours, you will see that your plants are now growing taller than before. Pre flowers will reveal themselves around week 5 using this lighting schedule.

• This shift to 16/8 will save you 14 hours per week (if currently running 18/6).

• This shift to 16/8 will save you 56 hours per month (if currently running 18/6).

CFL’s were once all the craze when they first arrived on the scene, and still serve their purpose. For flowering they are not suitable for Cannabis, however provide soft light during the growth period. T5 strip lights are cheap, easy to set up, and use very little power or produce much heat.

Growth will be much slower using these lights, and are ideal for clones and seedlings.

Low Powered L.E.D Lights

LED lights have paved the way in recent years, and are well known for their incredible output, for such a low amount of power. A low powered, but high-quality LED light will work wonders

in a vegging tent and save you plenty of electricity at the same time.

250w Metal Halide

If you prefer the option of HID lighting, then you can always use a 250w metal halide light. These will provide plenty of PAR and luminance for your plants, and help save on the bills.

Dimmers Work Great

Many lighting companies now offer dimmer controllers with their lights, to allow the grower more freedom in terms of how intense the lights become. There are actually many benefits to increasing the light intensity once flowering starts, and will also help you take those 1000w units right down, without losing out as far as the rate of growth is concerned. There are also digital ballasts that provide an option to reduce the power output, which are also a lifesaver during current times.

By Rich Hamilton

PLANET POOP

Rich Hamilton shares

an extract from his "bud diaries" with us. This month we have the uniquely named "Planet Poop".

STRAIN:

Planet Poop is a new kid on the block; as such, it still holds its potency cards close to its chest. By its impressive parentage, however, it is safe to say that it is more of an Indica-leaning hybrid with a higherthan-average THC content. Read on to learn more about this best-kept secret of a strain.

Fresh from Award Winning breeder Mosca Negra or "MOSCA" you are promised that Planet Poop "delivers the dankness. Unlike any other cultivar on the market," and I, for one, believe them. MOSCA is known for producing HighQuality Seeds from Skunk and Indica strains from only the finest cannabis genetics.

Their legacy speaks for itself. MOSCA has been awarded Multiple Cannabis Cups in Europe, several 1st Place Cups in Amsterdam, and most recently, a silver in the 2019 4/20 High Times Cup in Sacramento.

GENETICS:

Planet Poop is described by its creators as "Serious fire power". This hybrid strain is a cross between Unicorn Poop x Planet Hulk. MOSCA partnered with Oregonbased Stardust Cultivation to select the perfect "Unicorn Poop" Mother and achieve a new level of dankness.

Parent number one, Unicorn Poop, is a hybrid weed strain made from a reported cross of GMO Cookies and Sophisticated Lady that reportedly

comes from breeder Thug Pug. Unicorn Poop is an evenly balanced hybrid of 50% indica/50% sativa. Unicorn Poop packs a super sweet yet sour citrusy fruit taste.

Parent number two, Planet Hulk, is an incredibly rare indica-dominant hybrid strain (75% indica/25% sativa) created through a cross of Bruce Banner and Indiana Bubblegum strains. Planet Hulk is a bit more heavy-handed than you would expect. It's powerfully relaxing and delivers a massive dose of THC: Nearly 29% in some tests. Sweet, with potent notes of bubble gum and savoury strawberry.

Together you can imagine that these two would make an impressive lovechild in the form of Planet Poop.

GROW INFO:

Planet Poop- is a versatile variety that is as happy indoors as outdoors or in a greenhouse. With a Flowering time of 63-65 days, these babies are available in

feminised form from MOSCA's website and can reach a respectable height of 4.5-5.5 feet in the right conditions.

FLOWER:

Planet Poop may sound like a joke but let me tell you, there is nothing funny looking about it. Nothing to see here but long elegant leaves and tight colourpopping colas that show potential for excellent resin production. In early Flower, Planet Poop reveals itself with flecks of vivid bright purple. Over time, however, this turns to a darker plum which I love against the darker forest green, all covered in a closely packed, dense frosting. I've never had a strain of this colour before and watching it develop fascinated me. It looks almost regal, which suits the rich and decadent effects it delivers.

ODOUR

Despite its name, it smells anything but! So don't let that put you off. You

have some contradictory scents in here. Its fruity citrus sweet tones could well knock you out, and we have its Hulk-like tendencies to thank for that. The Unicorn Poop genetics bring something else to the table (no, not that!). Sour, crisp diesel, skunky, grape and blueberry tone with very light cheese notes. Together it is perfection.

CONSUMED:

Smoked in ultra-thin kingsize hemp rolling papers with hand rolled card roachs’ and lit with a hemp wick. Enjoyed whilst sitting in front of a mesmerizing open fire, drinking hot chocolate, and eating marshmallows with loved ones. These times in life are special, so to have this great strain from a great breeder to enhance, share and enjoy the evening made it perfect.

TASTE:

It tastes a lot sweeter than it smells, that's for sure. I found the flavour profile changed on this one with each toke—a mixed bag with a bit of everything for everyone. It's still fruity but more strawberry bubblegum than citrus. To follow there is a pleasant contrast of floral undertones and a hint of that diesel indica background.

STONE:

Planet Poop hits you heavily as an excellent classic Indica should. It does not take long from the first toke to feel your body begin to relax. The hybrid nature of the strain keeps it from being too heavy. Although chilled and relieved of any worries, I could still think straight and converse.

Planet Poop is an excellent strain for daytime discomfort and anxiety relief, offering potent comfort for chronic pain patients. Unless you require a high level of relief, I would say to keep Planet Poop as a nighttime or chill strain, as its relaxing body effects can cause couch lock toward the end of the high.

CANADA DESTROYED 468

TONS OF WEED LAST YEAR AS LEGAL MARKET STRUGGLES

According to data from Health Canada, Canadian federally licensed cannabis producers destroyed a record 425 million grams/468 tons of unsold dried cannabis flower last year. This may sound shocking, but it is nothing new; licensed producers have seen a growing amount of waste yearly since legalisation in 2018.

Sales of dried cannabis and pre-rolls in the four key provinces, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, amounted to 293 million grams last year, much less than the 425 million grams destroyed. 279 million grams of dried cannabis was destroyed in 2020, and in 2019 licensed producers obliterated 155 million grams. On top of the destruction of unpackaged dried cannabis, more than 7 million packaged cannabis products were destroyed in 2021, according to Health Canada data. This included;

3,576,232 packs of dried cannabis. 1,118,148 packs of extracts, including vapes.

2,421,823 packs of edibles, including beverages. 15,359 packs of topicals

The increasing oversupply appears to have occurred due to the large commercial cultivators overestimating the size of demand and building out facilities on too large a scale. Canadian producers had sold less than 20% of their production between the introduction of legalisation in 2018 and the end of 2020. The cannabis industry was considered promising in the months leading up to the legalisation. In 2017, the share values of three of Canada's largest weed cultivators rose by more than 200 per cent. Investors were making their money based on hype and the potential for huge sales. However, companies miscalculated the level of demand and flooded the market with an oversupply of cannabis.

The low quality of products and the slow process by which the provinces allowed for licensed stores in the years following legalisation are also being blamed for the stockpiles.

Almost 900 million grams of unpackaged dried cannabis have been destroyed since 2018 because of overproduction and quality issues. That figure would easily pass the one-billion-gram mark when destroyed packaged cannabis is also included.

The quantity of packaged cannabis products in inventories continues to

exceed the amount sold. This imbalance suggests that high levels of destroyed products could continue for some time.

For example, 14 million packs of extracts were still stockpiled in inventories of producers, wholesalers, and retailers in December. In contrast, total sales amounted to less than 3 million in the same month. Similarly, 36 million packs of dried cannabis were held in inventory that month, but sales only amassed to 9.6 million.

It has been warned that overproduction will make life difficult for new entrants to the market. Those attempting to get into this industry now have poor odds of success. Even if you have a great set-up, experience and sound financial backing behind you, the numbers are not good for anyone. These oversupply issues mean legal cannabis is still struggling to find its true price point.

Avoiding overproduction requires cultivators to understand what customers want to buy and why. Quality is becoming the determining factor in sales. Weed is an agricultural product, so people will not tolerate something six months to two years old. Canada's government is eager to help the cannabis industry by cracking down on the thriving black market, which is also negatively impacting legal retail sales. A public consultation was launched in 2021. It sought to tighten rules for individuals permitted to grow their own medicinal cannabis to clamp down on weed making its way onto the black market.

Data highlighting police raids and arrests at illicit production sites show how people use licenses to cover up and sustain largescale illegal production and sale. Currently, illegal producers sell more annually than hundreds of licensed cultivators. According to official data, in 2020, households spent more than $2.45billion buying non-medical weed from unlawful sources versus $2.31billion in legal purchases.

In one month alone, Ontario Police seized over 180,000 cannabis plants, vehicles and firearms when raiding illegal cultivation facilities, many of which were exploiting Canada's medical weed cultivation licenses.

Personal cultivators, those with a license to grow for their own medicinal needs, are allowed to grow, on average, as much as 36 grams per day, compared with the 2 grams authorised for daily purchases from retail stores. In 2018 Weed was set to be

Canada's next multi-billion-dollar industry. However, four years after legalisation, stocks have dived, production levels are way off, and the illegal market is thriving

more than ever. When it comes to Canada's legal cannabis market, it was easier to sell people the dream than the reality.

White Widow x Space Cookies

GROW WITH STONEY TARK

By Stoney Tark

SWITCHING TO HYDROPONICS

If you have ever grown Cannabis using soil and strictly organic nutrients or a plain water diet, you may wonder why your plants never pack on the pounds, as seen in most IG videos. Working with organics can be rewarding when it comes to taste and terpenes for many people, however, hydroponics when done right can also produce top shelf buds with large yields. Genetics always plays a big role in the outcome of a crop, but in this article, we explain all about hydroponics and the benefits associated, and how switching to hydro can help increase yields and save time.

WHAT IS HYDROPONICS?

Basically, it means to grow with a soilless medium, and for the roots to grow amongst an inert medium. Unlike traditional organic growing that heavily depends on a healthy soil food web and mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria, hydroponic grown plants are administered liquid nutrients that are designed for plants to uptake differently to organic nutrients. A pH, E.C pen and thermometer are required to regulate the nutrient solution.

Hydroponic systems will use a reservoir tank or tub that will store the nutrients, which are then delivered to the plants roots in various ways, depending on the growing medium as well as the system being used. A pump or air stone is required to keep the nutrient solution well oxygenated and to circulate the nutrient solution back to the reservoir.

THE DIFFERENT HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS

One of the greatest things about hydroponics is how diverse the applications can be, allowing for various methods and systems to be created according to grow space, skill level and experience.

DRIPPER SYSTEMS

It seems many growers in Europe have now adapted the old school dripper

Here is a perfect example of an organically grown Cannabis plant.

system method, heavily influenced by the US grow scene. Dripper systems are simple to set up, not expensive to buy and allows you to customize your tubing, drip lines and volume of water the dripper heads or stakes will emit per hour.

NFT SYSTEMS

A hydroponic system that is still used by many old school home growers, who love NFT systems to bits. Basically, a reservoir and table that sits rock wool cubes on a rooting mat. There is a constant flow of nutrient solution washing over the roots, meaning the plants are in contact with nutrient solution for their entire life cycle. These systems are excellent for small spaces and a high volume of smaller sized plants, or growing monsters.

DEEP WATER CULTURE

For the more experienced grower, is the DWC set up which combines an air stone, bucket and inert medium. The roots of a Cannabis plant will freely hang down and submerge into an oxygen, nutrient rich solution that is changed every 5-7 days depending

on the life cycle of the plants. Growing indoors with DWC can be very rewarding as they often produce the most buds in comparison with the other systems mentioned above.

AEROPONICS

Aeroponics is another more advanced system that is similar to a deep water culture bucket system, however uses a pump and spray nozzle instead of submerging the hanging roots into water. As roots are suspended in the air and misted with nutrient solution and then exposed to oxygen, aeroponic systems can allow plants to become big in a short time. It is worth noting that high pressure aeroponic systems use a fine mist that may spray the roots as fluently as every 60-90 seconds, and low pressure aeroponics uses store bought spray nozzles and basic pumps that operate on a 15 minute timer.

FLOOD AND DRAIN

These systems work off a table that basically allows the tray where the rock wool cubes sit to become flooded and then drain off multiple times per day. Flood and drain table have been used

for decades, however are the least popular system amongst indoor growers these days. They simply require a pump and flood table.

WHAT ABOUT THE GROWING MEDIUMS?

• Coco is a very popular growing medium, usually teamed up with Canna or any other good hydroponic brand. Coco has no nutrient value and is a simple and highly effective method for plants to grow while being fed hydroponic nutrients.

• Hydroton are the orange small balls that you often see in a dripper system or DWC chamber. Another inert substrate that when used for dripper systems, flood and drain, DWC and aeroponics works incredibly well.

• Rock wool cubes are also very common when growing with hydroponics, and have amazing water holding capacity. These yellow cubes are very common amongst commercial scale farmers throughout the world.

THE BENEFITS OF MAKING THE SWITCH TO HYDROPONICS

1. Vegetative time is reduced down to 10-14 days, before flowering when growing with hydroponic systems. This reduction from a standard 4-8 weeks will save time, nutrients and electric cost running on 18/6.

2. Yields will generally be increased by 200-400% more than when growing with organics. At the end of the day, if you are growing commercially or for personal use, the more flowers you can harvest after each grow will pay off in the long term.

3. There is no need to manually hand water every single pot on a daily basis. Simply fill up the reservoir and allow the timers and drippers to do the rest.

4. It is possible to feed plants 2-3 times per day during 18/6 and 3-5 times per day during the flowering period when using dripper systems with hydroton.

AQUABELLA: MICROBIAL SOLUTIONS AT THE SERVICE OF NATURE

It all begins in the mid 1970s, when a Buddhist Vietnamese scientist sought to help his people overcome the sterilizing effects of Agent Orange on their country's soil and water. For this reason he created a microbial product that remediated the soil and enabled the growth of crops in affected areas. Almost 40 years after, in 2008, AquaBella Organic Solutions was founded and took over manufacture of the formula, as scientists from the US and Israel took the process to the next level.

A few years later, through an unintentional step in the process of making the formula, they discovered a combination of coexisting microbes that produced higher yields and healthier crops in areas that had been once difficult or even impossible to cultivate.

Today we talk about this incredible trajectory with Jonathan Szarvas, Founder, CEO & Chairman of Aquabella Organics and Unleash Organics two companies that provide the farming community with environmentally responsible farming solutions.

SSUK: What is it about AquaBella products that make them unique in the market?

AquaBella uses the power of naturally-occurring bacteria in all of our products. Our several monthslong fermentation (manufacturing) process allows for a wide variety of bacteria to thrive in all of our products, promoting soil fertility, water quality and clear irrigation systems in a wide variety of conditions. These products include Unleash Root Inoculant that restores the rhizosphere of plants to maximize nutrient uptake and plant health. Secondly, Biofilm Buster Pro that maintains irrigation systems and clears and prevents clog formation without harming plants or soil. Thirdly,

AquaBella Bioenzyme which restores water quality by removing nitrates and ammonium, reducing phosphate levels, breaking down sludge and reducing biochemical oxygen demand in contaminated water bodies.

SSUK: What role do your microbebased products provide in providing nutrients to plants?

While the use of fertilizers allows cropland to be continuously farmed, many of these fertilizer nutrients are absorbed by the soil or migrate into the water table, making them unavailable for uptake into the plant. Unleash contains a concentrated mixture of rhizosphere microbes that have several beneficial activities, including: mobilization/release of nutrients from soil and fertilizer, prevention of root burn and other plant stress damage, promotion of root colonization by mycorrhizae and alteration of soil. Morevoer with hydroponic and soilless growth media it maximizes nutrient availability and plant health.

SSUK: What relationship is established between the microbes of your fertilizers and the development of mycorrhizae? What benefits do the roots of plants find from this synergy?

One common problem we have heard from many of our customers before using our products is that while they regularly use mycorrhizae-containing products, often these products work inconsistently at best.

One little-known fact about mycorrhizae is that before they can grow and colonize plant roots, sufficient nutrients to support this growth must to be present, as well as the absence of other microbes competing for these nutrients. Unleash bacteria not only don't compete for nutrients with mycorrhizae - which keeps the rhizosphere niche available

to mycorrhizae, Unleash bacteria also provide nutrients to mycorrhizae. Taken together, this greatly improves the consistency of mycorrhizal root colonization, with the added benefit of the mycorrhizae helping to prevent the growth of pathogenic fungi in the root zone.

SSUK: Before you stated that Biofilm Buster Pro has some specific advantages over other irrigation line cleaners. Can you tell us what this is about?

Cannabis needs a lot of fertilizers throughout the grow for high-quality harvests. The use of these fertilizersespecially organic fertilizers - results in biofilm-based clogs forming in irrigation systems if not consistently maintained. Biofilms have a thick and sludgy consistency, making them resistant to chemical treatments as these chemicals cannot penetrate past the biofilm surface.

This is especially a problem for hard-totarget areas that are the easiest to clog, such as emitters and nozzles. Biofilm Buster Pro’s active bio-enzyme mixture breaks down and “digests” the organic solid materials in the biofilm clog and is particularly powerful at clearing these hard-to-reach areas. An additional advantage is that unlike acid/peroxide or other chemical treatments, Biofilm

Buster Pro will not damage plants or soil and can be used throughout the growing season.

SSUK: Your three products, Unleash, BioFilm Booster Pro and Aquabella Bioenzyme work like the three musketeers to provide plants with all the protection and energy deserved. Why do you think British growers will also appreciate your products?

Our products provide a wide spectrum of activities that result in healthy plants and consistently high crop yield and quality regardless of the country in which they are used. To bring this discussion back to a point that was made in the first question, part of the resilience of our products - the ability to work in a wide variety of soil types, pH conditions, etc - lies in how they are manufactured.

We use a very slow fermentation process which allows for a wide variety of bacteria to stably exist in a single product, resulting in active bacteria able to thrive regardless of the conditions encountered. This allows Unleash Root Inoculant to maximize soil fertility, Biofilm Buster Pro to keep irrigation systems clean, and AquaBella Bio-enzyme to improve water quality under the many different conditions encountered by growers.

GROW WITH STONEY TARK

By Stoney Tark

GROWING INDOORS WITH SOG EXPLAINED

There are various styles of growing Cannabis indoors, ranging from large sized plants that require long vegetative times, to a high volume of smaller sized plants grown closely together. Sea of green setups are advantageous when working with limited growing space, and allow for an indoor grower to maximize their space and yield potential. In this article, we break down all you need to know about SOG, the pot size to use, which strains work best as well as 5 top tips.

How Does It Work?

As the name suggests, the goal is to end up with a space that is full of buds, creating a wave of uniform sized plants. So basically, where you would normally grow for example 4-6 large sized plants inside a 1.2 meter grow tent, when incorporating the SOG method, you would instead plant 12-16 smaller sized plants. These would produce the same amount of dry weight as the larger sized plants that would have been grown under 18/6 for around 6-8 weeks.

Short Vegetative Times

Due to the high volume of plants that are being grown, you will want to limit the growing phase to around 7-14 days before switching the timers to a 12/12 setting. Depending on if you are using seedlings or clones, it is best to not let the plants become too big, as when flowered they will grow too wide or tall.

Which Pot Size is Best?

The ideal pot size that can be used is 7.5 litres as these will be perfect for seedlings and clones, and ensure that the final plant height remains around 90-120 cm tall. You should also consider that pots any larger than 10 litres will only take up more space than is required and may also be a waste of growing medium.

What Strain Should I Use?

You may have noticed, when reading about different strains from various seed banks, that some are better suited for Sea of Green than others. When you see this remark about a strain, this simply means the characteristics will be a medium-sized, indica dominant plant that will produce one main central cola with uniform side branching.

Avoid sativa dominant strains and anything that has a tendency to stretch aggressively once flowering is induced. Kush strains are also an excellent candidate for SOG and growers who have limited grow space.

Leave Space to Work

Now, before you get overexcited and fill your spare room from wall to wall, you should consider the importance of space to work. This means that you should be able to walk around all sides of the plants, without being restricted to access. Make sure that plants are not too close to the walls, and that you

have calculated the amount of space between each plant pot, to avoid overcrowding.

Hand Water or Irrigation?

The answer to this question is down to which is more practical for you. Hand watering each pot can take time and effort, whilst drip irritation using a pump and timer can save a lot of time and energy, especially when working with a large commercial scale SOG set up.

You may have also opted for a hydroponic style of growing that allows you to feed the plants multiple times a day, with short amounts of nutrient solution.

The Long-Term Benefits of Sea of Green

• An indoor grower can rotate their crop every 7-9 weeks with SOG.

• Small grow spaces can be filled

from wall to wall and maximize space.

• Vegetative times are cut down to 7-14 days, saving on electricity costs.

• Nutrient use is also significantly reduced with a short vegetative phase.

• Growers with limited height will find SOG specific strains ideal for them.

• Commercial scale growers will often choose to work with SOG and drip lines.

5 Top Tips for SOG

Top Tip #1 -

It is always a good idea to sketch out a floor plan according to the final height and width of the plants. Avoid overcrowding as this will only cause issues with air flow and taking 20-30 minutes to work out the requirements is well worth it.

Top Tip #2 -

Make sure that you leave enough room for you to walk through, without having to constantly be brushing past plants, or moving pots around. It is always well advised to make one aisle between the rows that you can walk down whenever you need to.

Top Tip #3 -

Do not keep your clones or seedlings growing for longer than they need to be, otherwise the final canopy will be overcrowded and not the uniform field of green that you desire. This defeats the goal of SOG and will only cause an untidy garden.

Top Tip #4 -

Be vigilant during the final 2-3 weeks of the flowering period, when growing a high volume of plants, as pathogens such as mold or mildew can set in. Ensure your air flow and extraction is on point and there are no stagnant air pockets.

Top Tip #5 -

Avoid using large sized pots as once you have changed the timers to 12/12, Cannabis plants will focus on flower production, instead of root mass. This is one reason why using clones for SOG works really well, as the plants do not need much more time before they can be flowered thanks to their root ball.

Following the footsteps of Gorilla Sherbet F1 Fast Version®, from Sweet Seeds®

originate, but which, due to the work of the Sweet Seeds® R & D department, significantly shorten their flowering. There’s an important difference between harvesting before the end of summer and doing it already in the autumn and its sudden rains, which can bring so much displeasure after a hard work. We are talking about Gorilla Sherbet F1 Fast Version® (SWS98) from Sweet Seeds® [Sunset Sherbet x Gorilla Girl XL Auto® (SWS82)].

Growing days, vegetative stage

I’m going to talk about my experience indoors with Gorilla Sherbet F1 Fast

Version® , with LED lights (220W). The substrate I used was coco coir, improved with some worm humus (10%) and some perlite. In addition, the fertilization has been done with organic products, which are of great help when it comes to maintain the rich aromas and enhance the excellent flavor of each strain.

After germination of 100% of the seeds (4) I used small yogurt pots. I used a BIO fertilizer for growth, in half doses. It is not convenient to use a lot of fertilizer now, as they do not need a lot of nutrients.

Every 4 days I added root stimulator so, in a matter of 12 days, the seedlings have been growing at a good pace and without

Nowadays, the cannabis world is highly influenced by the North American market and its excellent cannabis strains. Sweet Seeds® has always gone a little further, in order to preserve and improve its genetic collection.

When we choose the strains that they make available year after year, we can always enjoy cannabis buds from the highest quality.

I’m going to write about the very wellknown and appreciated Sunset Sherbet (Girl Scout Cookies x Pink Panties), in feminized and photoperiod-dependent version, but with a very fast flowering stage. This strain is about two weeks faster compared to its twin, as is usually the case with all of the F1 Fast Version® family, a group of strains famous for maintaining the same qualities as the genetics from which they

Text and photos: Jaypp

at the end. Having the wonderful Gorilla Girl XL Auto® (SWS82) [Gorilla Girl® x Sweet Gelato Auto® (SWS74 x SWS76)] as a parent, it could not be otherwise. This cross also ensures high production and great power.

The harvest time was approaching and on day 42 I stopped feeding after an intense wash with a flush product. Even when using organic nutrients it is advisable to flush because it helps a lot to improve the flavor and achieve a whitish ash in your joint.

At this point, the plants were beginning to oxidize their pistils, an unmistakable sign

hard, long and super sticky. The smell they emanated was very appetizing: a sweet, citric mixture with hints of freshly sawn wood. Now it was time to dry and cure these wonderful flowers and enjoy them to the fullest.

Finally, I can guarantee that growing Gorilla Sherbet F1 Fast Version® was very simple, as with almost all Sweet Seeds® strains, so I encourage you to germinate a packet and discover for yourself the benefits of this great variety. If you grow outdoors, you will be assured of a high quality harvest and most importantly, in record time. Growing F1 Fast Version®

any stress. It was time to move on to the next pot, the 1 litre pot.

The transplant was done with Azzos and Mikos, to enhance life in the substrate. It is important to always maintain a slight movement of the plants with a fan (or two, one in front of the other) so that pockets of stale air are not created but also to strengthen the stems and prevent them from stretching too much.

If in your case they keep stretching and fall, because the stem does not support them, you can help them by making a pile of substrate around it, leaving the cotyledons about 1 cm above.

After 25 days from germination, the plants were perfect and ready for the final pot. I used four 10L Airpot containers. With that I got a good coverage of the whole square meter since the plants branched enough and I was also shaping them with LST. After transplanting I gave them an intense watering with a maximum dose of growth fertilizer, root stimulator and CAL MAG. Already on day 30, I decided to make the change and switched them to flowering by setting the cycle to 12/12.

The plants achieve the flowering stage with outstanding health. They show great vigor, with their big leaves and robust stems making very good use of all the food. I kept using CAL MAG and growth fertilizer until the first pistils appeared. That’s when I changed the feeding, keeping the CAL MAG, but adding flower fertilizer and eliminating the growth fertilizer. I also used a flower stimulator in maximum doses in each watering and enzymes every 2 irrigations. This was a constant until almost the end of their life cycle.

Something that you can always find in Sweet Seeds® is an incredible vigor and in the case of Gorilla Sherbet F1 Fast Version® it could not be otherwise. It seems incredible that, with so little time, you can create flowers of such caliber.

On the 30th day of flowering, the room was already filled with very sweet and citric aromas, while the panoramic view of the closet was really encouraging. You could see long branches and beautiful shoots with very short internodal distance and a multitude of pistils.

Resin was very present in all the leaves surrounding the buds and also splashing its larger leaves. This strain is a great producer of crystals and was more visible

of maturity. All the top buds were in great production, but still lacked the final fattening, which occurs when their calyxes swell. The aromas in the room were already a delicacy of the gods.

Sharpening scissors and preparing the drying racks

There is nothing more pleasant than harvesting your own plants and ensuring medicine for those days that we need it so much. A flowering stage of 54 days was more than enough to harvest mature plants with a great yield. The buds were all

strains is synonymous of quality, quantity and speed, so you can't go wrong with this one. Let's germinate it!

The buds arrive and the party begins

How to Hit the VITAL “Shift”

Introducing the Advanced Nutrients Sensi Professional Series — the ONLY water-soluble powders to Hit the Shift and meet your cannabis’s phase-dependent nutritional needs.

If you want to increase your crops’ valuable compounds, enjoy heavier harvests, and secure your reputation as a go-to master grower, then you MUST Hit the Shift between the grow phase and the bloom phase.

And the great news is: The Sensi Professional Series does ALL the hard work for you. Backed by 22 years of plant-specific science, it’s the ONLY water-soluble powder line that leverages the dramatic shift in the macro, secondary, and micronutrients your plants needs between both phases to reach the absolute peak of its true genetic potential.

Hitting the Shift is essential to getting the most from your crops. Contact a sales representative to discover more about the Sensi Professional Series.

AdvancedNutrients.com/HitTheShift

and see an immediate spike in potency, yields and reputation.

MARIGOLD (CALENDULA)

The flowers of the marigold are associated with the first days of spring in our regions. This plant belongs to the Asteraceae, a family that also includes chamomile, dandelion, daisy, thistle, French marigold, lettuce and arnica…

Its scientific name Calendula comes from the Latin kălendae or calenda (first day of each month in Roman times), because in the absence of frosts and in a suitable climate, this plant can flower all year round.

Like its cousin the sunflower, in Latin solsequia, meaning "that follows the sun", the marigold follows the path of the sun.

This characteristic, known as phototropism, allows it to optimise its exposure time, which enables it to benefit from photosynthesis for longer each day.

This flower is of great interest for our gardens, but also has many gastronomic and medicinal qualities.

Marigold, a dye plant and a food plant

Once known as "poor man's saffron" for its colouring properties, its use has since spread to other uses.

First of all, as a textile dye, because the marigold contains various active ingredients such as carotenoids.

This fat-soluble plant pigment has the ability to fix orange, beige, yellow, green or brown tones on the desired textiles.

Cooks also use marigold as a food colouring agent; its pigments can be extracted to produce a yellow colouring, which is very useful for darkening butter and certain cheeses.

What is more, its petals can be lightly

fried, simply added to a salad, or even on rice, which will benefit from its colouring.

Its many medicinal properties The medicinal properties of marigold are well known: its curative and soothing effects contribute to its wide use in phytotherapy.

The reason is simple: it contains many beneficial active ingredients such as carotene, flavonoids, saponins, etc.

Its triterpene compounds, found in many plants such as clove (Syzygium aromaticum) or cannabis, have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.

Its saponins, other triterpene molecules, also help lower cholesterol levels in mammals.

The faradiol contained in its flowers contributes to the flavour of plants and also has antifungal and antioedematous effects.

Numerous studies have also demonstrated the presence of bioactive molecules: oleanolic, vanillic and caffeic acids, which are useful not only for their aromatic qualities, but also for their antibacterial and anticarcinogenic effects.

Mother tinctures, creams and other preparations have moisturising and healing effects for irritated skin, and also relieve many ailments when used internally.

Sow marigold to avoid troubles: Once settled in a biotope, the marigold presents yellow or orange flowers as soon as spring arrives, and then reseeds itself from year to year.

An interesting fact for gardeners is that, through its long flowering period, the marigold provides a refuge for a large number of crop protection agents.

Among insects that are particularly fond of this plant is the hoverfly (Syrphidae) a dipteran (from the Greek

di-pteron - with two wings) 7 to 15 mm long. It looks vaguely like a small bee with its yellow and black stripes, but is easily distinguished by its hovering flight and lack of a sting.

The adult hoverfly can feed on pollen and nectar, which is why it easily finds refuge in marigold flowers where it can lay its eggs.

The larva of this pollinator, which can range in colour from white to fluorescent green, is aphidiphagous, i.e., it feeds on aphids. It is therefore recommended not to disturb these strange larvae that you may observe around the populations of these sapsucking insects.

The Macrolophus of the Miridae family also benefits from the cultivation of marigolds.

This small green bug, 3 to 5 mm long, is polyphagous, otherwise said it knows how to adapt its diet according to the situation.

Very mobile, this predatory insect is capable of feeding on about fifty whitefly larvae or eggs per day. It devours any mite, leafminer or thrips that it can get its claws on.

Once its target has disappeared, the Macrolophus is also able to feed in a diversified way on the marigold. Indeed, these small Heteroptera can collect sap by biting the stems of the marigold, and at the same time feed on the pollen of its flowers.

The availability of host plants such as marigolds therefore reinforces the effectiveness of the pest control agents in pest management.

Marigold is therefore not only aesthetically interesting; it is also an ideal complement in the fight against pests.

Very easy to plant and maintain in any ecosystem, its many uses make it an ideal plant for flower gardens!

A flower of Calendula Officinalis, the best-known species of the genus.

HOW TO SAVE ENERGY DURING INDOOR GROWING

Electricity consumption has always been one of the first considerations for indoor growers. Now, when energy prices are going through the roof, literally everyone is trying to find ways to reduce energy costs. In this article I will give you some useful tips on how to tackle this area while maintaining high quality standards of your production.

Setting and maintaining the proper climatic environment is energy intensive, but the quality and quantity of harvest depend on it. Lights and the systems to maintain the optimal temperature and humidity are the largest parts of electricity bills. So let's have a look at these two aspects first, because they offer the most room for potential savings.

LIGHTING

No matter if you grow in your bedroom or run a large commercial grow-op, in both cases you need artificial lighting – provided you want to grow indoors. And obviously one can immediately point out that the more light, the better the crop. However, this is true under optimal growing conditions. For the plants to be able to make use of the high light intensity, they need to receive sufficient nutrients as well, plus CO2. And the whole environment needs to have optimal temperature and humidity. Even if all these conditions are met, it is not worth overdoing it with the intensity. I said that the more light the better the harvest, but this only applies to a certain extent. To be more precise, I need to use PPFD units, which is the density of photosynthetically active photons falling on a certain area, as many

Soft Secrets readers already know. This is given in μmol/m2s and the recommended value for indoor growing is between 250–1500 μmol/m2s depending on what stage of the life cycle the plants are in. One more thing I would mention for illustration – on a clear summer day it is about 2 000 μmol/m2s.

Many experiments have shown that the higher the PPFD, the higher the absolute yield per growing area. Now we are talking about efficiency, however, which you will get to if you calculate how much energy it takes to grow one gram of dry plant material. In this case, the curve peaks between 700 and 1 000 μmol/m2s and then the efficiency starts to decrease. In other words, a higher yield per growing area can be achieved by increasing the intensity of the lighting, but only to certain extent. At some point it stops paying off in terms of the efficient use of the electricity consumed.

I will give you a practical example: When testing new LED lighting, we had a PPFD intensity of 900 μmol/m2s and an installed power of 490 W per m2. The yield was 850 g/m2, which means 1.73 g/W. In total, the light was on for 1 158 hours and we spent €113.48 for lighting energy, which is €0.141/g. The second group of plants received a PPFD dose of only 750 μmol/ m2s with a lighting power of 420 W per m2. The yield was 780 grams, which is 70 grams less than in the first case, but the efficiency was higher, because we achieved 1.85 g/W and the cost of electricity used for lighting dropped to €97.27. This makes it €0.124/g. The difference in costs is almost 14%, and that is not a negligible number. A growing cycle per square metre cost €16.24 less, and this was when one kWh cost €0.25, today the absolute saving is of course much higher. This means that if you want to increase efficiency as well as reduce costs, and don't mind a lower dry matter yield from your growing area, reduce the lighting intensity to around 750 μmol/m2s. This seems to be the most favourable cost/yield ratio.

The basic prerequisite for efficient cultivation is, of course, the use of high-

High-tech climate control and a quality light source help reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency.

As light intensity increases, absolute yield increases, but the overall efficiency peaks and then declines.

quality light sources, whether LED or high-intensity discharge (sodium or metal halide). If you don't have any use for the heat emitted from your light source, go for LED. For example, when growing in a small 1m2 grow room, you will clearly get a better result with LED lighting of around 400W than with a sodium lamp of the same power.

VENTILATION, HEATING AND AIR COOLING

Maintaining optimal temperature and relative humidity is another moneyconsuming task because of electricity consumption. Many indoor growers have issues with high temperatures during the day and low temperatures at night.

Logically, if we want to save money on energy, we should therefore think about how to store the heat we need to get rid of during the day and ideally use it to heat the grow room at night. There are ways of achieving this, but it usually makes sense in larger commercial operations. With professional HVAC system distributors, such solutions are commonplace. But how to reduce air conditioning costs in small home grows? The simplest solution is to use the heat from the grow room to heat parts of your house or apartment. I assume that most growers just let the warm air from the grow room leave the premises. Using it to heat your place is obviously not a direct saving, but it can save you some money on home heating. Of course, this applies only in the winter months.

But there is an effective and relatively simple way to eliminate the cost of cooling or heating a grow room, especially when growing at home: try to use more cooler air from outside. Closed-circuit grow rooms have their advantages, but they are more expensive to operate. You have to add more CO2 and use a lot of energy for cooling. In much of Europe it is cold

enough most of the year to comfortably cool a grow room with atmospheric air. Just don't forget to filter the intake so you don't get unwanted visit in the form of pests in your grow room. In areas where daytime temperatures are higher, having your lights on during night could be a viable option because it is colder during nighttime. However if you live in a place that's really warm, we can assume there's a lot of sunshine, too. If that assumption is correct, then it is ideal to install a photovoltaic power station. With it you can happily cool and use lights without any costs even on warm sunny days. Having your own power source is naturally a huge advantage – no matter if you are home or commercial grower. It's just a matter of calculating how long it will take before the investment pays off. Yet for commercial operations, covering at least part of the consumption with your own energy is and will be a necessity. Energy self-sufficiency is the only way to tackle the impact of external influences on the price of production.

Growing autoflowering strains

Autoflowering varieties also offer ways to save electricity for lighting. Yes, at first sight it may seem that autoflowers require more light and therefore more electricity, but the truth is that they don't need such a powerful light source compared to classic photoperiod strains. This also makes it easier to maintain the desired temperature in the grow room. The key aspect is the total amount of photosynthetically active photons the plants receive.

This is referred to as DLI (Day Light Integral). For cannabis, the optimal DLI is roughly between 30 and 45. A stronger light source can deliver the DLI to the plants in a shorter time, a weaker one takes a little longer. And since autoflowering (or, more precisely, photoperiod-neutral) strains are typically recommended to receive between 18 and 20 hours of light per day throughout the whole growing cycle, you also have more time to achieve the necessary DLI, and therefore don't need such a strong source of light.

It means that when you grow autoflowers, you can reduce electricity costs for light and air conditioning. Yet I need to add that even in this case it is a kind of compromise. It is all about being as efficient as possible and lowering the expenses of your production. If you provide autoflowering strains with more light, and therefore a higher DLI, the absolute yield per given growing area will be higher, but the production cost per gram will also be higher, as I mentioned above. Autoflowering varieties are not really suited for commercial purposes, so this last tip is mainly for home growers. Whether you are small or large, I wish you all only success in your cultivation efforts, especially during such difficult times.

Growing autoflowering strains can help save energy. Purple Punch Auto by Seedstockers.

GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES

Jorge Cervantes jorge@marijuanagrowing.com

LIGHT!

Typically, hobby growers spend $100$500 for a single grow light fixture that covers a 90 x 90 cm or a 120 x 120 cm area. Mounting heights vary from 30-90 cmdepending upon the design of the LED fixture.

The fixture must supply adequate amounts of useablelight for cannabis growth over the entire garden canopy. Start with the highest rated PPFD (μmols/m2/second) LED light fixture you can afford. Look for μmols/m2/ second above 2.0 for best results.

Measuring usable light for cannabis growth can become complex and confusing.

To simplify a few complex measurements, I have condensed

this information so that it is easy to understand. You will need to know the active growing area of your grow room, the height of the grow light fixture, the efficiency of the fixture and the hours the light is on.

Area - (m2) of grow room - length x width, light footprint - the physical area covered by light

Height of fixture - 30, 60, 90 cm

Watts of electricity – LEDs use 40% less electricity than HID, CFL, etc. Grow light efficiency – measured in PAR, PPFD of 2-2.7 µmol/J for your grow

Hours of light – Photoperiod 18/6 veg, 12/12, 13.5/10.5 flower, Autoflower 20/4 veg & flower

Many manufacturers, like MIGRO provide all the information you need – area, mounting height, useable light for plant growth and wattage of grow light fixture. The manufacturer will provide the correct mounting height for the area covered to illuminate the area with the optimum amount of light for plant growth. The information below summarizes the main points you need to know.

Area – Measure the square feet or m2 (length x width = m2) of the

garden is bright, but the footprint fairly small. As the mounting height increases, light coverage (footprint) increases and light intensity decreases.

Grow light fixture efficiency –measures how much useable light for cannabis growth a grow light fixture produces per watt of electricity.

The fixture must throw an even footprint of intense light over the entire garden area. Useable light for plant growth emitted from individual

active garden area to be illuminated by grow lights. This is the area to be illuminated by the grow lights. Light that does not fall on plant foliage –walls and floor – is wasted.

Height of fixture – Hobby LED grow light fixtures are usually designed to be mounted at 30, 60, 90 cm above the garden. When mounted at 30 cm, light reaching the canopy of the

LEDs, HIDs, CFLs, etc. is expressed as “Photosynthetic Active Radiation” (PAR) watts.

Light emitted by the entire grow light fixture that actually reaches the canopy of the actively growing garden is expressed as photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD).

Fluence LEDs illuminate this super productive indoor cannabis garden at Shango Farms in Portland, Oregon. Casey Rivero and head grower, Josh ¿¿, are leading the tour.

Big healthy flowers are the product of the perfect combination of light, air (CO2), water, nutrients and substrate.

Smartphone apps for IOS and Android are accurate to a range of about 10% at measuring PAR/PPFD. Inexpensive lux and footcandle meters can also be used with a conversion factor. You can find the conversion factor charts at www.migrolight.com.

Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) is the amount of PAR (number of

measures the total photons emitted from a lamp.

Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) is the PPF incident upon a square meter (m2) with units of μmol•m-2∙s-1 or μmol/m2-s. The PPF and PPFD are often used interchangeably and debate continues

The best way to ensure cannabis plants receive enough useable light for growth is to measure it. A quantum sensor (AKA PAR meter) accurately measures Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR). Quantum sensors cost a minimum of $300. A quantum sensor measures individual photons in the PAR range at a single point. The measurement is recorded as Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD).

photons between 400 and 700 nm) emitted from a lamp per second. The unit is micromoles (μmol) per second (s), abbreviated μmol•s-1 or μmol/s. This value is usually measured in a lab with an integrated sphere, which

among plant scientists and engineers about which term is “correct.”

To avoid ambiguity, concentrate on the unit; if m2 is included, then the value refers to the intensity of PAR at

a surface, which is usually measured at the top of a plant canopy. If m2 is not included, then that refers to the total amount of light emitted from a lamp (the PPF) and not the intensity at a particular location (the PPFD).

Hours of light – Photoperiod cannabis plants require 12-13.5 hours of light to induce and maintain flowering. You must use more intense grow light so supply all of the necessary light for rapid growth.

Auto-flower cannabis can be given 20 hours of light during flowering.

You can give auto-flowering cannabis less intense light for more hours to fulfill the Daily Light Integral (DLI) so

that big fat flowers form. More hours of light pro.

Watts of electricity – High quality LED grow light fixtures produce almost twice as much light as High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights for the same amount of electricity consumed.

Once PPFD is determined wattsper-meter2 (Wm2) are useful unit of measurement.

If your grow space is not a standard size you can calculate the area and the corresponding wattage to provide the PAR intensity with the table in the section ‘grow light wattage guide’.

This article was excerpted from the new FREE 100-page digital We Grow Cannabis by Jorge Cervantes. The new digital edition will be available as autumn, 2022. Jorge is very excited about the new digital edition that will help hundreds of thousands of growers grow more and better cannabis! © 2022. Download your FREE copy of the new FREE 100-page We Grow Cannabis! Here: https://marijuanagrowing.com

The Fluence LED lights help make this Shango Gardens grow room in Portland, Oregon, USA super productive.

By Betty Green

SAUSAGE AND MASH WITH INFUSED RED ONION GRAVY

METHOD:

Put a large saucepan of water to boil with 1/2 tsp salt for the potatoes.

Peel and chop the sweet and white potatoes into 2cm chunks, add to water when boiling and cook until you can easily slip a knife through, 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C, put sausages on a baking tray and roast on the middle shelf for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally.

Sausage and mash are a staple meal for many of us. However, there are many ways to "pimp" it up, from using different varieties of sausages to spicing up your mash and gravy.

I am using honey and mustard sausages in this recipe, but you can swap them out for anything you like or use a veggie or vegan option. I will add sweet potato to the mash, but again there are many other ways to pimp your mash, including adding mustard, cheese, garlic etc. You can even infuse your mash with cannabutter if you like.

However, this recipe's main character will be the gravy. There is a special place in the condiment hall of fame for gravy. It seems plain and unassuming, but many meals wouldn't be complete without it. Roast dinners for one and.., sausage and mash, of course!

The gravy that I will show you how to make today is a rich, tasty red onion gravy that is full of flavour and infused with cannabinoids. If there is one way to make comfort food MORE comforting, it's by infusing it with a bit of THC for a nice bit of TLC.

Think more about micro dosing than getting couch-locked—just a nice gentle buzz to settle you in for the night and relax you.

Here is the recipe for my infused red onion gravy that you can use on everyday meals such as sausage, mash, roast dinners, and anything else that calls for it.

BETTY’S RED ONION GRAVY

until caramelised, 1-2 minutes more.

Add the water and red wine stock paste, boil, lower the heat and simmer until reduced, 5-6 minutes.

At this point, add your cannabutter and stir in well.

Once thickened to the desired level, take your gravy off the heat.

Now to put the gravy together with the main event, Honey and mustard sausages with sweet potato mash and tender stem broccoli.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil on high heat with 1/ tsp salt for the broccoli.

When boiling, add the broccoli and cook until just tender, 3-5 minutes, then drain in the colander.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and pop back into the pan off the heat.

Add a knob of butter (canna if you like) and a splash of milk and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid to keep warm.

When everything is ready, serve the sausages on top of a large helping of sweet potato mash, spoon over the red onion gravy and serve the broccoli alongside.

Any leftover gravy can be frozen for up to 3 months.

With Christmas only around the corner, this delicious, infused gravy would be a great way to make your dinner on the big day more memorable.

SAUSAGE AND MASH

INGREDIENTS: 4 Honey and Mustard Sausages 1 Sweet Potato 1 Baking Potato

Tender stem Broccoli

It's wintertime again, so our attention turns to warm, filling comfort food.

By Rich Hamilton

SEAN "DIDDY" COMBS BUYS INTO WEED WITH $185 MILLION DEAL

Business mogul and hip hop icon Sean "Diddy" Combs has agreed to buy cannabis production and retail assets owned by Columbia Care and Cresco Labs for $185 million in a bid to create the largest minority-owned U.S.-based weed company. Combs is purchasing three production facilities and nine retail stores in New York, Illinois and Massachusetts as part of the deal. His ultimate goal is to increase Black presence in the cannabis industry following decades of inequality within the sector.

While an excellent investment for the businessman, it is also a significant social justice movement. Combs is working hard to secure the economic inclusion of underrepresented groups in cannabis. He has said that he will work alongside state regulators, politicians, and cannabis executives to provide diversity and equity in the legal industry.

He hopes to create "generational wealth through Black opportunities and employment."

The sale brings Columbia Care and Cresco a step closer to completing their merger in a $2 billion deal announced in March.

Cresco Labs agreed to purchase rival Columbia Care in a plan that would make Cresco the top U.S. cannabis producer. The arrangement required Cresco however, to divest assets in limited-license markets such as New York. The deal with Diddy will be finalised if Cresco's purchase of Columbia Care is successful.

The agreement will allow Combs to grow and manufacture his cannabis products. He will also be able to wholesale and distribute branded products to licensed retailers in Boston, Chicago and New York City and operate retail stores in all three states. Combs recently told The Wall Street Journal of his disappointment in the shortage of minority representation in the cannabis industry.

"It's diabolical; how do you lock up communities of people, break down their family structure, their futures, and then legalise it and make sure that those same people don't get a chance to benefit or resurrect their lives from it?"

A new report from MJBizDaily titled "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Cannabis is Industry," shows that only 12.1% of executives in the U.S. cannabis industry are from racial minorities. This is down from 13.1% in 2021. These statistics are below the average for all other U.S. businesses. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that approximately 20.1% of all C.E.O.s nationwide are from racial minorities.

The deal also coincides with New York preparing to launch its new adult-use market that is predicted to become one of the biggest in the country.

New York retailers are projected to generate between $1 billion-$1.2 billion in sales in 2023, growing to between 2.2 billion-$2.7 billion by 2026.

"For an industry in need of greater diversity of leadership and perspective, the substantial presence of a minorityowned operator in some of the most influential markets in the country is led by one of the most prolific and impactful

entrepreneurs of our time is momentous and incredibly exciting. We're thrilled to welcome Sean and his team to the industry."- Charles Bachtell, C.E.O. of Cresco Labs.

Last week, Combs, the chair and C.E.O. of his own "Combs Enterprises", was named a billionaire and the second-richest hiphop artist in the U.S.A. Diddys' portfolio already includes brands such as DeLeón tequila and Cîroc vodka.

He owns the Oscar-winning film and television company "Revolt" and the infamous clothing brand Sean John. However, Diddy is probably best known for his oldest business venture, Bad Boy Entertainment.

Bad Boy released some of the biggest hiphop tracks of the 1990s by artists including the Notorious B.I.G. and Ma$e.

Shawn Carter, or Jay-Z as he is better known, was named the wealthiest hip-hop artist in the U.S.A. He has already entered the legal cannabis industry with his

Monogram brand, which launched in 2020. In 2021, Carter was also hired to promote equity and inclusion for the cannabis brand Caliva.

Berner, the founder of cannabis super brand "Cookies", is fourth on the list of the U.S.A.'s wealthiest hip-hop stars. He may not be the first billionaire musician to invest in cannabis. Still, Combs will be the first Black owner of a multistate, vertically integrated cannabis operator.

"My mission has always been to create opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in industries where we've traditionally been denied access, and this acquisition provides the immediate scale and impact needed to create a more equitable future in cannabis,"

"Owning the entire process – from growing and manufacturing to marketing, retail, and wholesale distribution – is a historic win for the culture. It will allow us to empower diverse leaders throughout the ecosystem and be bold advocates for inclusion." - Sean

"Diddy"

Combs.

By Rich Hamilton

SOFT SECRETS MEDIA

HERE IS SOFT SECRETS RUN DOWN OF WHAT TO WATCH, CREATE AND READ THIS MONTH.

WATCHANCIENT APOCALYPSE - NETFLIX

Stoned and pondering all of life's big questions?? Then Ancient Apocalypse, on Netflix, could be the show for you. Infamous host, journalist and pseudoarchaeologist Graham Hancock takes us on a journey exploring his theories on ancient civilisations.

Brit Hancock has a well-known strong contempt for professionals in the archaeological field he has worked in for 30 years. He has already published twelve books on his revised theories about ancient history.

Ancient Apocalypse is split into eight episodes. Hancocks' theories are centred around the Belief that advanced ancient civilisations existed in Egypt, Mesoamerica, and Mesopotamia. This would be long before the established and academically accepted timeline of the Earth and during a time when historians have assumed that all people were merely hunter-gatherers.

Throughout the series, Hancock travels between Turkey, Malta, Indonesia, and the Bahamas to prove his case and pinpoint where exactly this "lost civilisation" may have been based. While Hancock's ideas sound very convincing and factual, there is a lack of hard evidence. However, this won't stop you from enjoying it if you love a good conspiracy theory.

One of the most impressive parts of Ancient Apocalypse is its cinematography. We are treated to beautiful close-up shots of the various ancient sites that Hancock visits. The perfect Friday night

binge-watch whilst having a sesh with your mates that you can be in awe of and dissect together over a few joints.

LISTENLEX FRIDMAN PODCAST-SPOTIFY

Lex

of Technology (MIT). To many, Fridman is more well-known for his podcast and YouTube series. He has interviewed various guests, including Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Magnus Carlsen, Jack Dorsey, Ray Dalio and Mark Zuckerberg.

Started in 2018, the Lex Fridman Podcast is an excellent mix of science, technology, philosophy, history and the nature of intelligence, consciousness, power, and love. Fridman currently has over 2.2 million subscribers on YouTube and over 280 million views.

Lex covers so many interesting topics. I highly recommend anyone checking it out to listen to one and see how it feeds your curious mind and keeps your brain busy, pondering how you feel about the topic under discussion, maybe even changing your mind.

Fridmans interviewing skills are unmatched. Considered one of the best in his field, you may not always agree with him but there is no denying his approach of challenging opinions with empathy and patience. You may not always like the guests he brings on, but his genuine attempt to understand and connect makes this podcast great.

Viceland. In 2017, he released his first book, based on his travel show of the same name, a recipe book called Fuck, That's Delicious. Renowned chefs such as Mario Batali, Andrew Zimmer and Daniel Boulud, amongst others, have all been guests on his television series.

Bronson's latest book Stoned Beyond Belief is somewhat of a love letter to weed, the drug that Bronson says changed his life. It is full of recipes, research, comics, and meditations. All centred around the bud—a very personal tribute to a lifechanging, horizon-expanding conduit for happiness.

Stoned Beyond Belief is a great lighthearted read that touches upon nearly every part of weed culture. It explores every junction of the pot galaxy, from scientific botanical analyses and the medicinal benefits of weed to exploring the crazy world of weed paraphernalia.

READSTONED BEYOND BELIEF- ACTION BRONSON

Action Bronson is an American rapper, chef, television presenter and allaround weed superhero, being both its champion and dedicated consumer. Bronson is probably best known for his travel program Fuck, That's Delicious on

Expect 100 eclectic entries, including recipes, unique illustrations, and beautiful photography, all packed into this raucous book adventure. As always, expect Bronson's unparalleled humour to waft over every sentence. Stoned Beyond Belief is a trippy, munchie-filled experience and an entertainingly valuable resource for weed enthusiasts that would make a great Xmas present for any stoner.

Fridman is a Russian–American computer scientist, artificial intelligence researcher, and podcast host who teaches at the Massachusetts Institute

COLOFON

Soft Secrets is published by Discover Publisher BV

Galvaniweg 11, 5482 TN Schijndel, Netherlands

Telephone: +31-(0)73-5498112 E-mail: info@softsecrets.nl Web: www.softsecrets.com

Editor: Cliff Cremer

Contributors: Jorge Cervantes, Stoney Tark, Rich Hamilton, Mr. José, Green

Born Identity (G.B.I.), Betty Green, TricomaTeam, Tommy L. Gomez, Fabrizio Dentini, Boisterix and others.

Photography: iStock

Editorial adress: readers@softsecrets.nl

Advertisements: E-mail: info@softsecrets.nl

A word from the publisher:

Soft Secrets is a bi-monthly free magazine which is published in The Netherlands (called Highlife), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Poland, Czech Republic and Chile.

World wide there is a process going on of relative liberalisation towards the use of cannabis, be it for medicinal or recreational purposes. Several countries legalised cannabis as a way of separating soft and hard drugs, as it has proven to

do in Holland. Other countries legalised the use of medicinal cannabis, including the right to grow cannabis plants for one’s own use.

The publisher wants to highlight the process of normalisation of cannabis use. 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 and/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 editor takes no responsibility for unsollicited 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.

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