The Quarter Leaf - Issue #1

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What’s in TQL issue #1 In this first issue of The Quarter Leaf we bring you a selection of articles that will hopefully enlighten you as to what is happening in UK cannabis campaigning, local and national politics and medical scientific research, along with as much cannabis culture and art as we can jam into a single helping.

You’ve also been treated to a selection of quality photography from our friends and talented artists in the community. Please check out who has contributed to this issue at the back and join us over at ukcsc.co.uk for daily updates about your favourite herb. Enjoy the read, and please, puff puff pass a copy onto your friends!

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Editorial – Welcome to TQL 420 - Why do we celebrate it ?

Higher Thoughts – Letters from our followers UK Cannabis Social Clubs – Who we are The past 12 months in cannabis politics - a quick overview Interview with North Wales PCC Arfon Jones - Why does he care?

Parents of Hope – “Give our children THC” Epilepsy research – plus a personal account from a member Bye Bye Tramadol, Hello Cannabis! – How cannabis is an exit drug Should grandma vape weed? – Is cannabis for an aging population?

Are humans designed for cannabis? – The endocannabinoid system Living for weed – The first hand account of a brain cancer survivor Paradise Seeds Medical Cannabis Grows – Things are moving in Chile…

The Longest Man Chillin’ – The Chillin’ Rooms founder Gary Youds Wear your weed – catch up with, The Hemp Trading Company at 20 years The sun is the cheapest light on the market – Cardiff Cannabis Cafe crop Are hemp batteries the future? – Eight times more powerful than lithium Strain review - Sunset Sherbert by breeder Sherbinski UK Glass Gallery – Frank Odyseed provides insight into the life of a glass artist Green Pride – The UK’s biggest annual protest outside of 420 is in Brighton Borofest – A craft art festival focussed on glass blowing Product Earth – The UK’s #1 hemp festival, expo and lifestyle show Is this a medical cannabis circus? – Who is shaping medical cannabis in the UK Meducation for the nation – Pharmaceutical/Herbal What’s the best route?

The police who want to legalise drugs – LEAP UK speak up against prohibition Green Party backs right to grow at – growing support from a political party Cannabis is as British as sugar – Britain’s largest legal cannabis grow Crossword puzzle – Chill out, you’ve earned a break!

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Editorial

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elcome to the launch edition of the UK Cannabis Social Clubs magazine, The Quarter Leaf. We’ve brought this out for you as a FREE public release on Saturday 20 April 2019! Tens of thousands of consumers and pro-cannabis activists like yourself will have made the trip to their local protest with the intention of lighting up in public, defiant of the cannabis laws that would on any other day possibly see us getting arrested or at least a fine.

way to one of the 70+ Cannabis Social Clubs in the UK! These activists and aspiring ganjapreneurs are helping to shape the way Britain sees and accepts cannabis, so it is important they know they have your support. Let them know, strike up a conversation and who knows just how involved you could be next year?

The tradition of meeting up in Hyde Park to protest for cannabis stems back to the early 1960s but recently in 2011 new life was breathed back This magazine has been produced for into the tradition. Even in the years you by the cannabis community for when the heavens opened up on us, the cannabis community in a bid to thousands still came and smoked a help connect the masses, unite the soggy spliff. tribes and build the army that is going to – once and for all – take down We have even seen fancy dress mud prohibition in the UK. wrestling theatrics played out with audiences braving the downpours. It The Quarter Leaf is being distributed sent a message that cannabis culture for the first time in Glasgow, Belfast, in Britain is pretty strong.

Durham, Leeds, Doncaster, Nottingham, Birmingham, Clackton, London, We thank our sponsors deeply and Bath, Swansea, Cardiff, Torbay and we will be raising a bud for you at Worthing, as well as finding its 4:20pm on Saturday 20 April for help 8 7

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ing us connect with the most enthusiastic cannabis consumers in the UK cannabis culture and give it the voice it needs at the time it needs it most. TQL covers some serious issues, some of Britain’s most flavoursome strains, and a look into what the latest vibes are.

If you find that anything in this magazine connects with you in a way that makes you want to do more to help make a difference towards cannabis legalisation, please get in touch with us via info@ukcsc.co.uk – we love hearing from inspired activists, and if we can connect you with a local community or help you start your own, we will only be most happy to.

Thanks for picking up a copy of TQL #1 and I hope your 420 is spectacular!

Greg de Hoedt, UKCSC Chairman & The Quarter Leaf Exectutive Editor.

Twitter: @cannabiscureuk @ukcannabisclubs Insta: @ukcannabissocialclubs @curethenation TQL#1

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Why do we celebrate April 20th?

A little history lesson into the origin of the fourtwenty life.

The UK is poised for another round of multiple-major Four Twenty celebrations this 20th of April weekend, Friday through Sunday. Find out what dates and where right here!

Four Twenty’s origins start out pretty innocently. Well… there was no intention start a global movement.

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n Marin County, California, in the year that US President Richard Nixon kicked off an “all out war on drugs”, a group of friends called The Waldos were handed a treasure map pointing to

the Point Reyes Peninsula. The teenagers had to find and harvest a patch of cannabis that was being grown by a US coast guard who was paranoid he was going to be caught. On the day they went to find the treasure they met up at 4.20pm. They never found it… but the tradition of referring to cannabis as “420 Louie” and later as just “420” stuck, and the tradition of meeting up for a smoke after extracurricular athletics classes became a thing. It’s great to hear they were healthy tokers too!

It would be simple to say “the rest is history” but it wasn’t quite like that.

When the 1960s came around the upcoming generation of the baby boomers were about to start living in and creating a world with an image and set of values that hadn’t been seen or experienced before.

A man rolled into San Fran, California.

He was on what you might call the first “trip” around the US. His vibe was setting up “Acid Tests” where he charged $1 for people to come in and take a dose of LSD. There were no questions, no rules; it was simply a test, an experiment to see what people experienced.

Ken Kesey, better known as the author of the book One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, met members of The Grateful Dead (TGD) in SF. Don’t know who The Grateful Dead are? That’s OK, you will have undoubtedly come across hundreds of things in your life that are a direct result of the

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impact TGD and its following had on the world, such as Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream! Even the song Purple Haze

by Jimi Hendrix was a reference to a batch of LSD that TGD’s sound technician Owsley had made.

TGD toured extensively. One of their crew members happened to be Dave, one of The Waldos, who, true to the passion that he had for the ritual of when to smoke it, made sure everyone who smoked weed on tour – practically everyone – also abided by the new 420 tradition.

“IT’S FOUR TWENTY!!!” someone would notify the tribe, and people in the crew and TGD touring family would begin packin’ a bowl or rolling a joint, lighting it up and passing it round.

It’s beautiful to know that in 2018 we are still doing this today, and what is more, that 4.20pm has carried over into 4/20 as the date…

People in every city around the world on the 20th of April converge, assemble and celebrate cannabis, mostly in defiance and as an act of civil disobedience but also to enjoy the finer things cannabis brings to life.

Stuart Harper the Political Director for the UK Cannabis Social Clubs and organiser of 420 London said “It’s like St Patricks Day for cannabis

consumers – only it’s safer because cannabis can’t kill you, is neuroprotective and neuro generative so you may actually be doing yourself some good by part taking in a 420 celebration this year.” with a smile on his face.

Throughout the most abominable prohibition of any plant in history, where trillions of pounds, dollars, yen, euro and every currency in the world has been utilised to stamp it out, that divine passion for four twenty culture has lived on, survived and overgrown the political ludicracy that was meant to prevent any of us from being able to connect with it in the first place.

If you are looking to get together and feel alright with some more like minded individuals check out the list of events below and fill up a car or head out on your own and meet the people in your tribe that could just set you off on your own journey like The Waldos… and who knows what great things it might lead to!

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Higher Thoughts...

Each quarter we will be publishing a magazine to keep you up to date with what is going on across the many fractals of the cannabis culture, movement, politics and well… just about all things hemp. But this would not be much of a place to hold a conversation if we weren’t listening to what you think, see, experience and hope for. By us all engaging in the conversation around cannabis we can help make it louder and most importantly, work towards creating a cannabis policy that suits the people – not just another legalisation for the sake of corporations. Cannabis has survived this long without it. People – more and more people – keep adopting it as part of a healthy and conscious lifestyle. So let’s hear what you have to say about what is going on in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

A little poem

Leave nothing but footprints, Take nothing but pictures, Kill nothing but time....

One love The Benderskum

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ed and grew, clambered ever-skyward engulfing and covering the prohibitive monolith – overgrowing and consuming its facadical and fragile authority.

Reefer madness rhetoric and sensationalist lies have governed the minutiae of our daily lives for the last time.

Seeds of change

The seeds of change cast into the fertile field of our future sown in the soil soiled by a century of prohibitionists perpetuating paranoia and propaganda.

As a new day of knowledge finally breaks and the long dark night of ignorance starts to fade away – the warmth of its light blooms, the budding flowers of hope that signify that someday we’ll cultivate our way from extinction to Eden.

Over the years these seeds germinat-

Simpa Carter

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Never give up!

Cannabis activism in the UK is at an all-time high and we at UKCSC are more pleased with how it is going every year as more new clubs start up.

Join clubs that are trying to change laws and allow you to grow, the cheapest and safest way to get your herb.

We also push for the pharmacy to be able to prescribe cannabis to anyone who needs this as we know of patients who have been impris-

oned for the simple act of staying healthy. This unfortunately includes me, sentenced to prison on Monday 6th Feb 2012 (Bob Marley’s Birthday fittingly) for 16 months.

I was raided eight times for growing cannabis at home to treat chronic pain after I had major spinal surgery in my younger days. I just wouldn’t surrender. It is my right to grow! So when I push for growing for freedom, do you get my point? I’ve stood for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance in the 2005 General Election. I believe votes will get things

Busted for three Recently my home was raided by police. They took three plants. I have had to return to pharmaceutical drugs for the first time in four years and my PTSD has come back.

I haven’t been charged yet, only my landlord has been charged with possession, but I’m scared.

I phoned the police and told them the landlord didn’t know about it.

Apparently they told my landlord that I use the meds as excuse as grow cannabis.

I tried as much as possible to contain the smell but it looks like a neighbour grassed me in. All I did is grow clean

changed. Remember when herb changed to class C? There are so many aspects to activism: turn up at protest festivals, organise your own park meets, or even share an event from your social media. So please join our Growing Revolution and start to enjoy life.

Good luck, Winston Matthews (old activist, who’d like another job). Former budtender at Quantum Leaf and Buddies, the Worthing Coffeeshops 2001-2003.

meds and helped people.

Why am I a criminal for doing it cheaper than the clinic in Manchester?

My people can’t afford £1000 a go. What kind of human would I be if I didn’t offer that help?

Ben Grout, Plymouth

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The UK Cannabis Social Clubs The UK Cannabis Social Clubs is a people powered movement campaigning for the just decriminalisation of adult cannabis consumers alongside sensible regulation. We believe creating safer access to cannabis and cannabis products and giving people the right to grow their own at home will create a much fairer and safer society to live in.

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t’s pretty hard to escape the well known fact that Amsterdam, only a 45-minute flight away from some parts of the UK, has been a destination point for many a cannabis lover for the best part of five decades.

Coffee shops such as Mellow Yellow and Barney’s Farm started springing up in an act of defiance over the harsh penalties against people found in possession or toking a bit of herb.

Over the years, this easy route to a short stay in freedom gave people a way to try out cannabis strains, buy seeds of the ones they liked and bring them back to the UK to grow.

In recent years, there has been a migration towards Spanish cities such as Barcelona when it comes to choosing a close to home tourist destination with access to all the mod cons of cannabis consumption. An evolution

of the Coffeeshop is the cannabis social club‌ they have secretly existed in Spain for around 20 years, with around 1,000 in Barcelona alone.

This got people in the UK thinking... something needed to happen here.

Founded in 2011 by ordinary people who just wanted something better for the bud lovers in Britain, the grassroots organisation of the UKCSC has now grown and spread its roots to every part of the UK and has close ties with Cannabis Social Clubs in Spain, Italy, Sicily, Belgium, Germany, Australia and Ireland.

Our arguments are pretty straightforward: implement age ID for cannabis product sales; anything containing cannabis on sale should be tested and labelled for consumers to make informed decisions; legality means people can have legitimate employTQL#1 TQL#1

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ment instead of risking criminalisation, or worse, prison; and, the one that has really pricked the ears of politicians, the benefits legalisation could deliver to our economy. Cannabis Social Clubs separate cannabis from the rest of the drug market so claims that cannabis is a gateway drug can be rejected; what we are doing is actually closing any possible gateway. We’re even helping people break free of addictions to socially acceptable drugs and pharmaceuticals.

At a national level the UKCSC works to lobby politicians, local authorities, police, charities and businesses to support us and our objectives. We create public awareness campaigns and steer the conversation into meaningful territory where new ground can be made. Currently we feel that campaigners asking for “medical cannabis” over “cannabis as a right” have lead us down a narrow and blind road and more direct action needs to be taken.

At a local level, we are private membership clubs and community groups that host social events, create awareness for our cause and help provide access to interim help for patients who have been denied a legal prescription for a serious medical condition. Oh, and we also like to have fun in the process!

You will hopefully have seen some of the clubs pushing to legalise cannabis around the UK on national TV and in mainstream newspapers. UKCSC 19 20

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chairman Greg de Hoedt has been on Newsnight and The Victoria Derbyshire Show debating politicians; Michael Fisher from the Teesside Cannabis Club has been a BBC favourite in recent times, including in a documentary with Professor Green which showed off the club members’ Tagged Plant Collective. Rob Davidson also appeared down at the other end

of the country for Brighton Cannabis Club taking one presenter to a medicated meal in a gastropub-style club set up, showing that cannabis social clubs aren’t here to follow the stereotypical smoke chambers the tabloids would have little Britain outraged about.

UK Cannabis Social Clubs are standing

in as a first line of defence and a first point of contact for many patients that have been denied a prescription – or even worse, can’t get their GP to refer them to a consultant specialist who is the only kind of doctor in the UK who can write one. Our clubs have been growing cannabis plants and turning them into oil that is then tested, labelled and given to the patients

solvents, plants may not have been flushed correctly and may contain harmful chemicals from the nutrients, or have mould or pesticides sprayed on them. None of these are OK if the product is grown for medical needs but no healthy person should be exposed to these issues caused by poor practices and carelessness.

By working to a model that looks out for people’s health and quality of life, and by creating a minimum level of self regulation, certain clubs around the UK have been able to have sensible conversations with public figures and local authorities about moving past the fear and shame based approach that prohibitive policies dictate.

Arresting cannabis consumers has not achieved much for the prohibitionists, as it has only lost respect for politicians and the police. It has made cannabis a far more risky product and gifted the largest proportion of the market to organised criminals. Since 1971 the Misuse of Drugs Act hasn’t achieved its aims of stopping the who are members and can’t afford the spread of drugs in society – if anyten times price increase of Bedrocan thing, more people use cannabis than ever before. at £1,400 for 50g!

As expensive and off-putting as it is, it can be risky and costly for patients to buy their medical cannabis oil on the black market where the seller’s first intention is to make money. Improperly made oil can contain residual

So, taking that into consideration, who would you rather operated in the cannabis market? Everyday citizens who want to run legal businesses or the current set of gangsters that are coming to the UK from all over the TQL#1 TQL#1

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a

world in order to continue profiting off prohibition? The sad truth is the UK is home to a child slavery trade that thrives off of the government criminalising you. It is their whole profit model and it is tax free!

UKCSCs have gained some worthwhile attention and acceptance by approaching this as a social justice and human rights issue. Quite simply, we want equality. We don’t want to see our friends and family members being persecuted by the authorities who are supposed to protect us. We do not want to be denied the right to drive. We do not want to pay fines just because we use cannabis. We don’t want to have to leave our country to

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work in the legal cannabis industry elsewhere and we want our country to have a head start on it so Canada and the US don’t have all the fun and economic growth without us!

With recent rulings in both South African and Mexican Supreme Courts overruling prohibition specifically on human rights grounds, we feel confident that this is the right path to continue on. We aim to secure a cannabis industry that supports the rights of small producers in much a similar way to craft brewers and distillers encouraging good business practices. Licencing should be a local arrangement with the council rather than being central to the Home Of-

fice – they seem like they have enough on their plate!

One of the most fundamental things we must all realise when we are fighting for our freedom with this plant, no matter if you hold it as something sacred, fun or lifesaving, is that we all realise, and help others to realise, that this isn’t about freeing the weed, it is about freeing the people. Cannabis is not put in prison, cannabis is not the one who has its children taken away, cannabis is not criminalised and told it cannot enter another country due to sanctions against drug convicts. All of these things happen to people. We believe we are helping to change that finally. Join us to help bring about change sooner.

Sign up at ukcsc.co.uk/join

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FIND YOUR LOCAL UK CANNABIS SOCIAL CLUB

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WWW.UKCSC.CO.UK

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What if there isn’t a club near me?

Many of you will be reading this thinking, “This is all well and good but I haven’t got a club near me”; or you’ll have seen some kind of club pop up online but have not really been able to get a response from them and never see them do any events. That’s why we created a specific model, so we could work with other people and clubs that have a shared vision and aim.

Ever wanted to join a cannabis social club? What about starting one? It has to happen somehow...

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irst off, take a look at our online map which we keep up to date with the clubs that are being proactive and bringing local change to all parts of Britain. If you have not got a town within an hour of you that has a cannabis social club then you are correct, there is no club near you. But don’t let this disappoint you! This could well be the start to an amazing journey – you may have just found your calling.

No one gets it right straight off the bat but if you love the idea of being a trailblazer and making a difference to people’s lives and being on the right side of history, then you’ll quickly learn this is something you can’t stop and will keep coming back for more. One thing is for sure, cannabis activism can be more addictive than cannabis.

So, what we suggest is to start something, be the change you wish to see in the world and make new friends, connect with local businesses, make a If no one else is doing it, and you think press contact, talk to your town Mayor, the Police Crime Commissioner and it should be done, and other people agree with you... you just found some- your MP. Then get in touch with us because if you are as keen as doing all thing to do. And believe us, there’s of the above we clearly need to be in a fair amount to be done! Having an touch with someone so driven to help idea is one thing, but putting your fight for the people of cannabis. intentions into actions is another.

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The unifying power of cannabis Peace, love and harmony, it’s what this community is about. As I’ve become the community photographer I’ve seen some amazing transformations. At one of the very first meet-ups I went to I was told someone “over there” had treated their cancer with cannabis oil. It’s what keeps me going in this scene, turning up to see someone just finding out about cannabis and returning some months later to see they’ve ditched the poison from the doctor or they’ve ditched the crutches or something equally as positive since embracing cannabis as medicine. I use it as medicine to treat many of my ailments, it’s better than the chemicals the doctors used to give me, it enables me to be the person I want to be, confident, and aspiring, but it can get one better; and that’s a regulated market for me to reach for the same medicine daily that I may reach for stability, and stability is what I see cannabis bringing to my friends in the community, so how can anyone deny them that?

Cannabis Community Photographer:

Darren Rigby

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The last 12 months in UK cannabis politics

By Barnaby de Hoedt

2018 represented something of a political breakthrough for cannabis activism. As Kris Krane wrote for Forbes after a wave of states in the US brought in progressive reforms, 2018 was the year “politicians seemed to finally realise that cannabis reform is more popular than they are, and that they need to support it if they want to keep winning elections”.

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hat may not quite yet be the case in the UK, but we are getting there. In December, Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb’s bid to bring in a Bill on legalising and regulating cannabis production and consumption was narrowly defeated by 66 votes to 52, the closest such a vote has been in the House of Commons. It isn’t very long ago that only a handful of MPs would speak up against prohibition, but now the number is growing noticeably.

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to reschedule some ‘cannabis-based’ medicines so that children with epilepsy could access cannabis oil, with brave parents using the media to speak out on the fact that cannabis oil had worked wonders where pharmaceutical drugs had only brought side effects. The government’s move has made little difference for the vast majority of patients,

but it was at least forced to be seen to be doing something and that has nudged the door open to further reforms down the line. Given how culturally conservative and apathetic Britain is, this represents some kind of progress.

The UK government’s backwardness is steeped in the most flagrant corruption. In October,

Victoria Atkins MP – the drugs minister – recused herself from responding to points relating to cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids in a debate about Drug Consumption Rooms “due to the potential for a conflict of interest with my husband’s business interests”. Atkins, who opposes legalisation and decriminalisation, is married to the managing director of British Sugar, Paul Kenward. British Sugar grows cannabis seedlings for medicine in partnership with GW Pharmaceuticals. Atkins therefore benefits directly financially from keeping cannabis illegal so that her husband’s monopoly is not undermined by cheaper alternatives. What’s more, UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s husband Philip is GW’s largest investor!

Away from Westminster, Wales signalled its intention to blaze its own trail with the first Cannabis Industry multidisciplinary summit taking place at the Welsh National Assembly, an inspiring

event that was chaired by former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood.

Of course, 2018 was the year Canada became the biggest country so far to legalise recreational use, with stores running out on the day underlying the popularity of the move.

There have been negative consequences. Patients have continued to use dispensaries because of the shortages, but states have still tried to shut them down – lessons the UK movement will need to learn from.

24 months.

2019 promises to be just as important and has started with a significant development. The World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) has made recommendations to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs to reschedule cannabis so that it is no longer in the category reserved for the most dangerous substances – a step in right the direction that recognises its medicinal value, if still frustrating – while also saying that pure CBD should be removed from the scheduling of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961 altogether.

Elsewhere, Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled prohibition to be unconstitutional and South Africa’s Constitutional Court approved the private use and cultivation of canna- Visit ukcsc.co.uk for bis, telling its Parliament regular updates, blogs & to change the law within cannabis political news.

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Interview with PCC Arfon Jones Q&A with Arfon Jones, elected Police and Crime commissioner for North Wales

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rfon Jones is one of six police crime commissioners, of 48 in Britain, who has spoken out against prohibition, calling for both decriminalisation and the right to grow at home. In 2018 he visited both the Wrexham Social Cannabis Club “Bud Tank”, the Teesside Cannabis Club “Exhale” and has also been a guest on the award winning Stop And Search podcast at a club in London to openly discuss a now not so taboo topic. In January 2019 he reiterated his stance in a speech at the first Cannabis Wales Industry summit at the Welsh National Assembly alongside host Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood.

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The Quarter Leaf caught up with Arfon for a few quick questions about his career, his drug policy politics and his announcement that he is standing for reelection to the role later this year.

terms of experience.

stances like alcohol?

You previously served as a police officer for 30 years. At what point did you start to realise that there was something wrong with the way the Misuse of Drugs Act was being enforced?

How much backlash do you get for standing up for cannabis consumers’ rights? It’s not exactly normal for someone in the police to favour people breaking the law.

Why did you decide to stand for police crime commissioner in the first I served in the North Wales Police from 1978 instance? to 2008. I thought the It was basically to make a policing of cannabis was difference. I was already totally pointless because what I saw was that the a local politician and it vast majority of users was the natural were harmless progression and it was not to another a good use of role and scarce police as an exresources. Why officer. I criminalise thought people for doI had ing something somewhich causes thing to no harm to others offer the compared to role in legal sub-

I get very little publicly to be honest and polls run by local newspapers are 70/30 in favour of my stance. I am not however advocating anyone to take cannabis so neither am I encouraging people to break the law. I believe that responsible consenting adults are free to choose what they do as long as they don’t harm others and that extends to the recreational consumption of cannabis.

What’s the difference between enforcing the law when it comes to different drug user groups? Let’s say alcohol compared to cannabis?

It’s just the classification.

Alcohol is regulated so breaches in the law can be enforced. Other drugs are not regulated, they have gone underground

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and are invisible, so the law cannot be enforced.

There is only one answer and that is regulation of all drugs which will take it away from organised crime which will have positive consequence for society, like less violence associated with the supply of drugs.

Crime Commissioners are now speaking to each other about or do people and organisations like ours need to keep applying pressure?

We have a Standing Group within our Association that deals with Alcohol and Drugs, but as far as regulation is concerned I guess only about 6 of the 40 odd PCCs openly support progressive drug reform. The 20 Tory PCCs are pretty hostile plus a few Labour ones. Most of the Labour ones sit on the fence.

We’ve seen reports that synthetic cannabinoid products are still being sold on the streets even though the Psychoactive Substances Act 2017 was brought in to stamp out the trade. What’s the situation like in North Wales?

What do you think it is going to take for WestWe’ve had massive prob- minster to really start lems in Wrexham, but debating this with a serito be honest legal highs ous attitude? weren’t on my radar prior to the passage of I think progress is being this useless legislation. made with tacit approvIt is a classic example of al for Heroin Assisted prohibition making things Treatment, drug testing much worse. Had they and medicinal cannabis. regulated cannabis back Solid campaigning by in the 1970s like in the progressive drug groups Netherlands, I suspect does make a difference. we wouldn’t have New Campaigners should Psychoactive Substances lobby to include progresnow. sive drug policies in their manifestos.

Is this a topic that Police

You’ve announced that you are standing for re-election later this year, do you think that supporting cannabis reform and being seen in cannabis social clubs across the UK is going to damage your chances?

Only time will tell. I think the public value and respect honesty in politics and I think I’ve won over as many as I have lost, or I sincerely hope so anyway. I hope recreational cannabis users in North Wales will vote for me and donate to my campaign!

Keep your eye on Arfon on his Twitter account where he keenly tweets about drug policy @ ArfonJ You can also visit: www.northwales-pcc. gov.uk

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Sy Dignam, Hampshire Cannabis Community TQL#1

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Why you should write to your MP Many people feel that politicians don’t really care about this issue. They do though – you just have to learn to speak their language and make it something that is of a concern to them. You have to remember that cannabis is just one issue on a list of hundreds that MPs get contacted about every week by thousands of constituents in their area.

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will no doubt have seen his sadly that cannabis is menleaves cannabis and the tioned multiple times people that are affected a week, with new MPs by its prohibition, either standing up and speaking through being criminal- with real conviction. You can then use this to find ised or denied medical access, in a predicament. the video on Parliament The UKCSC was actually TV and watch that part of the session (or subscribe born out of a group of activists whose MPs had to our YouTube because refused to stand up and we post the clips there for you, too). be a voice for them in Parliament.

There really has never been a better time than Recently, however, we now to engage with your have seen a growing local MP. A lot is on the number of MPs vocally line for them. Do they opposing prohibition and pressing harder on really want to be on the wrong side of history? government ministers over the issue of greater Are their constituents access to medical canna- happy seeing children and vulnerable adults bis. If you follow theyworkforyou.com you suffer or with ageing 42 41

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parents being denied something to ease their pain in their final years?

Even elected Police Crime Commissioners are speaking out about this issue, introducing diversion schemes away from the criminal justice system.

Many MPs just don’t know what to do, and don’t have the time to learn. When a passionate person comes along firing off all this information at them as if they are fully clued-up it can erect brick walls in some cases.

Other MPs think their mind is made up already and “know” the “truth” about herb.

of us when you step in you to start chipping away at the iron walls of there. Play their game.

4- Take printed evidence, Whitehall. medical records and things you need to supTry: port your case.

1- Keep it to a single 5- Plan what you are gopage if you can. The ing to say; make the most longer your letter, the less chance there is of it of the time available. receiving the attention it deserves – reel them in Avoid: first and then build upon 1- Slating their party – you’re trying to get them As well as writing to your this. to like you. MPs have 2- Keep your eye on MP you can also book assistants who also check what topics your MP is a local constituency social media profiles to meeting with them for a engaging with so you short 15-minute face to have more to talk about see who is contacting face. This makes it a lot with them. This will show them. them you aren’t just in it 2- Turning up smelling of harder for them to fob ganja is not going to do you off with a standard for yourself.

3- Reply on time, turn up you any favours. response.

3- Going off topic is easy, to the meeting early if Here are some do’s and you have an appointment especially when you are nervous or want to get in and present yourself don’ts that we learned as much as you can, so well, because they see over the past decade try to stay on point. that we think might help you as representing all It can of course be disheartening to get the standard response written by the Home Office land on your doormat.

Between the members of the UKCSC and We The Undersigned we have learned a few ways to get around these initial hurdles.

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‘Give our children THC’ Parents of Hope are mothers and fathers still living in fear for their children who are having access to legal medical cannabis products blocked through Britain’s culture of fear around THC. There are currently 35 Children in the UK in urgent need of whole plant medicinal cannabis, including THC. The parents have written to the British Paediatric Neurology Association (BPNA) asking them to review or remove their guidelines. the placebo and don’t tell lescents than in adults.” me” when their child is at Why on earth are the risk of sudden death?

BPNA talking about the he BPNA guidelines The most worrying part risk of chronic exposure state that while THC to high strength THC of the BPNA report for “may have an anti-epcannabis to teenagers? ileptic effect” they are these parents being This is a report about overruling this life-saving made to walk the tight property because “animal rope of red tape is this: giving children a dose of a medicinal product data show both anticonvulsant and proconvul- “There is concern about with supervision from a sant properties of THC”. the effect of exposure to parent.

THC on the developing brain of both the young- It seems like a desperate Even though the BPNA refer to a small 20 child er child and adolescent. reach, especially coming at the end of the report, study that showed signi- There is evidence that fiant improvement, they chronic high exposure to in a final attempt to slammed it as inefficient THC during recreational convince these families, cannabis use can affect who have access to 138 due to it having no brain development, studies on cannabis and control group. You can structure and mental epilepsy, that THC is the kind of see their point, but what parent is going health. These effects are devil’s lettuce. to say “yes, give my child seen more clearly in ado-

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Take a read of the letter Parents of Hope have sent the BPNA to understand just how bad this situation is with professional bodies trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the parents, the

public and the politicians. The side effects of currently prescribed drugs that have not gone through the safety controls expected of THC are far worse than anything cannabis could cause! Is

it going to take a child on this list dying before another politician steps up to do the right thing? We can only hope it doesn’t come to that.

Lisa Quarrell mum to Cole and Karen Gray mother to Murray.

Want to get in touch with Parents of Hope? contact: parentsofhope@outlook.com and if you want to email the BPNA and tell them to give these parents what they need to save their children, who cannot speak for themselves, you can do so here: info@bpna.org.uk TQL#1

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We Weprint printbelow belowan an abridged version abridged versionofofthe the letter: letter:

them liveand with the who daily cations those side effects.

Sodium are on them live with Valporate is BANNED the daily side effects. in America yet here Sodium Valporateinisthe For it’s the first drug of Forthe theattention attentionof: of:Pro- UK BANNED in America fessor Finbar O’Callaghan choice for our children.

Professor Finbar O’Cal- yet here in the UK it’s laghan the first drug of choice Nearly single one for ourevery children comear Sirs, of the anti-epileptic Dear Sirs, mon side effects drugs Nearlybeing everyprescribed single one We write to ask that list anxiety and depresWe write to ask that of the anti-epileptic you urgently review sion as a common side you urgently review drugs being prescribed the guidelines you have effect.

It’s puzzling that the guidelines you have list anxiety and depresreleased around the medicinal cannabis dereleased around the sion as a common side prescribing a plant, with prescribingofofmedicinal medicinal rived effect.from It’s puzzling that no known side effects, cannabis.

As you are medicinal cannabis de-is cannabis. aware medicinal cannamore concerning to you.

As you are aware medic- rived from a plant, with Grayside in Edinburgh bis was made legal on 1st Murray inal cannabis was made no known effects, November 2018, howevhas been in status legal on 1st November is more concerningforto er2018, the guidelines rethree however the you. weeks. His neurolwillGray not in prescribe leased by yourselves are ogists guidelines released by Murray Edpreventing extremely sick Bedrolite because of yourselves are preinburgh has been in your guidelines.

Bedrolite children from accessing venting extremely sick status for three weeks. this medication.

1% THC which children from accessing contains His neurologists will is 0.8% more than the curthis medication. not prescribe Bedrolite Your first issue seems rent limit of 0.2%.

Surely Your first issue seems because of your guideno intelligent person can totobe around the use of be around the use of lines. Bedrolite contains THC which is somewhat believe that this is is going 1% THC which 0.8% THC which is someto be more damaging baffling to us considering what baffling to us con- more than the currentto alimit childofthan leaving that children sidering thatthroughout children 0.2%.

Surelythem no in status with no treatthe world, including the throughout the world, intelligent person can ment and nothis plan.

UK are already using including the UK are believe that is going Your second issue medications such as Bedalready using medicato be more damaging be that you rolite, Holland, and appears tions from such as Bedrolite, to a childtothan leaving blind are flourishing. from Holland, and are want themdouble in status withtrials. no

D

flourishing.

Most Mostofofthese thesechildren children have been failed have been failedby bypharmaceutical medications pharmaceutical mediand those who are on 46 45

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treatment and no plan.

However, if you consultYour second issue ed with the experts both appears to be that you in the UK and abroad you want double blind trials. would understand why

this is not ifgoing work.

However, you to consult-

ed with the experts both

The reasons double blind in the UK and abroad trials won’t work are: you would understand Cannabis a family why this isis not going to of medicines not one work. medicine.

Each condition The reasons double will respond not to one blind trials won’t work strain but to different are: strains.

Take some Cannabis is apain: family of respond to High CBD, medicines not one medsome high THC and icine. to Each condition some to a balanced will respond not to one strain.

If say there are 5 strain but to different strains onepain: producer strains.by Take some broadly each person has respond to High CBD, about a 20% chance of some to high THC and response one strain. If some to ato balanced that strain underwent strain. If say there are a5 placebo-controlled trial strains by one producer then it will only showhas a broadly each person good response in 20% about a 20% chance of of peopleto which is likely response one strain. to be not statistically If that strain underwent significant compared trito a placebo-controlled placebo.

If the trial in al then it will only show some could include a goodway response in 20% the response to all 5 of people which is likely strains, then that would to be not statistically certainly statistically significantbecompared to significant.

Nearly 100% placebo. If the trial in of people show a some way would could include response to one of the response to all 5the 5 strains. strains, then that would

certainly be statistically

It’s also puzzling that you significant.

Nearly 100% would insist on these of people would show a trials when response to drugs one oflike the 5 Chloryl Hydrate and i strains. ntravenous steroids

haven’t been through of knowledge, scaremonthese trials yet are widely gering neurologists into used. fearing for their jobs if they do help, that you do the proper research Parents are having to sleep with their children and review or remove for fear that they won’t the guidelines you have be there in the morning released. due to SUDEP, as well as worrying about the risks Parents are desperate to associated with drop at- help their children and tacks. We are not asking we should be able to rely anyone to do anything to on their Doctors to help us do this. Instead that is illegal, we are simply asking that rather we are met by barriers than dismissing medicinal and threats of children’s cannabis based on lack services. This is not ac-

ceptable. You are ignoring the law change and refusing to allow Doctors to help our children. Furthermore, you appear to be ignoring the advice of Dame Sally Davis the UK CMO who recommended that it should be made available when asked by the home secretary!

Where is the duty of care?

Rachel Pinnell (top left) and Lynn Cameron (bottom left), Lisa Quarrell and her sons Cole & Dylan, Karen and Murray Gray, Emma and Reuben Fitzharris, and Mary, Struan and Max Robertson

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Cannabis and Epilepsy: The research UK specialists are refusing to prescribe cannabis for children with epilepsy because they are either sceptical or scared of the outcomes, claiming there is not enough clinical evidence to prove that it is effective and safe. More and better research is certainly needed, but there are at least 138 studies into cannabis and epilepsy, many showing that cannabis does safely mitigate the symptoms of epilepsy and other forms of seizure disorder.

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e recently compiled a list of all the studies we could find on the internet and published it on our website.

Epidiolex, of course, billed as pure CBD, has been legalised in the US after a study showed that it reduced Dravet Syndrome seizure frequencies by “17% to 23% compared with placebo as adjunctive therapy to standard antiepileptic drugs in patients 2 years of age and older�

(Chen et al). Another study (Warren et al), for example, found that CBD either reduced the frequency or intensity of seizures in brain tumour47 48

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related epilepsy.

We encourage you to take a read of the introductions and conclusions of some of the studies.

This can give patients a foot up when talking to neurologists about looking at cannabinoid treatment options.

Over 500,000 people have been diagnosed with epilepsy in the UK. The side effects of pharmaceutical anti-epilepsy drugs include drowsiness, fatigue, agitation, headaches, uncontrollable shaking (tremor), hair loss or unwanted hair growth, swollen gums, sickness and rashes.

Cannabis oil is a natural plant extract whose main active ingredient com-

pounds are THC (delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).

Individuals with different forms of epilepsy find that the ratios needed vary from patient to patient and there is no one size fits all cannabis medicine. It requires a level of self titration and this is an area most patients or parents treating a child have concerns over.

Some of our members find that cannabis extracts have reduced the intensity and frequency of seizures greatly, and others have found that they have kept them in remission for a number of years.

‘It keeps me out of A&E’

By Dyl J, Bud Tank

I

have a diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy. I do not have convulsions (hopefully not ever) but I have what is called simple partial seizures. I have intense de ja vue, nausea, on busy brain days my memory is nearly

none existent, my moods change and I can go days and days with feeling like I haven’t slept and unsure of myself and my surroundings. Life gets weird and hard. My family, friends and loved ones have all been effected, seeing me depressed and anxious because I don’t know what is going and have no control, hearing me crying because I just want it to stop so I can enjoy a moment or two, not knowing if I’m going to be able to communicate much today, it’s all stress but they have stuck by me and my choice of treatment.

My triggers are unknown but stress , lack of sleep and alcohol are the ones I have identified from having multiple seizures over the last few years.

It is something I have lived with all my life but not until I started having clusters of seizures I realised there was something going on much deeper than urine infections (this was the conclusion of doctors when I was taken to A and E as a child on TQL#1 TQL#1

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several occasions). When I went to see a neurologist I was prescribed carbarmazepine, stripped of my license, and handed a leaflet. I sat in the pharmacy staring at a prescription thinking this isn’t the life I planned out.

I used cannabis recreationally but not as often as I used alcohol , I believed in the medicinal benefits and was against the prohibition of it as it can help more than harm. I started to speak to people with the same illness, to reassure myself I wasn’t crazy and to find people who were having success with treatment, but I didn’t find any. I started to research cannabis and epilepsy, looking for people who were having success, guess what , I found a lot.

I learnt that THC has been found to protect neurons, help with sleep, and help with mood. My biggest worry as a temporal lobe epilepsy patient is losing my memory to the point I can no longer look after myself, I had to change my approach to cannabis as not the social ‘drug’ that is to be enjoyed in groups on special occasions, but a medicine, I needed my life back I used to only use cannabis when I could (at night time) and break the law part time, I couldn’t see why I was struggling so much with seizure activity on bad days, usually when I was in work. Now I break the law all day every day, I’ve not been completely seizure free but now I 50 49

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have energy, I can sleep better, and I can stop hiding my illness with sick days. Once I started using cannabis as part of a diet, I stopped getting the negative side effects I used to experience, anxiety, the feeling of ‘needing’ to medicate, all that stress of wondering if it’s going to happen today, that’s gone for the most part.

I work full time, help run a club, take care of those around me now that I can take care of myself. I Smoke, vape, eat, dab pure cannabis, However I can administer it, I will. Just for the record, I consume high THC, street cannabis, all day every day, mixed with whatever cbd oil I can afford, I have been a victim of that nasty super skunk for 6 years now, and life hasn’t been better.

The way I see it if I constantly have Cannabis in my system I am one step ahead of my illness, and the proof is in the pudding, I’m happy, I have my license back, I see my neurologist once or twice a year, and I don’t pick up my prescription for carbarmazepine. The only thing that would make me feel valued as a human, is for the misuse of drugs act to be squashed, and for me to be allowed to grow my own. I’m not doing any harm to anyone.

For a full list of studies on cannabis and epilepsy visit ukcsc.co.uk

Darren Rigby TQL#1

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Bye Bye Tramadol...

Hello Cannabis!

By Dom Turns, Brighton Cannabis Club

Have you tried or thought about coming off pharmaceutical prescription drugs in place of cannabis? Read the personal account of a Brighton Cannabis Club member who has managed to come off of all pharmaceutical medications including prescribed opiates to treat the pain associated with scoliosis and fibromyalgia.

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o you’ve got MS, or Arthritis, or may be Osteo Perosis, Fibromyalgia, Necrosis, Chronic fatigue with chronic pain every day. Me…I have always had Scoliosis, and lower lumber spinal damage. I also went onto contract Fibromyalgia and Costochondritis of the ribs, severe migraines with very dangerous Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome I suffered for many years and it melted away my four front teeth and caused a partial stroke which still makes my right

eye close slightly. So with the burning fire all over my skin from Fibromyalgia flaring up, exhausted by chronic fatigue and finding it hard to breath without chronic rib pain, I went to the doctor. He put me on Codeine Phosphate which is the strongest form of Codiene and it did nothing. He went onto prescribe Tramadol Hydrochloride, dodgy anti spasmodics, and worse anti depressants. After a few months of relief you think “maybe this is the best way to treat my condition”, TQL#1 TQL#1

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BRIGHTON J U LY 20TH

P R E STO N PA R K

7PM 1P M

A DAY OF CANNABIS CELEBRATION STALLS

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MUSIC

INFO

CLUBS

FOOD

CBD

W W W. G R E E N P R I D E B T N . C O .U K

but like most pharmaceuticals there’s a honeymoon effect in that for a few weeks or months your daily dose is great, but then starts to have less and less effect, and so your doctor says “well, you can take as required”.

After a while you realise that you have two problems, your existing condition and now a pain killer addiction.

You now wake up with not just your existing conditions of pain but also pain killer withdrawal pain on top. combat this at first, I had to set up a 6 hourly timer, 6am, 12pm, 6pm, 12am, if I missed these times it was pain times ten on top of my Fibromyalgia.

with love and make their medical and therapeutic products with care – purposefully for people in situations like myself. The compassionate nature and good will of the community has been instrumental in helping me transition from a full time pharma zombie to a productive and proactive member of the reform movement in the South East.

So how did I beat pharma addiction?

First I had to cut out all inflammatory foods like Palm Oil, MonoSodium Glutamate now rebranded Yeast Extract, and anything with “modified” in the ingredients as they were triggering certain aspects of my conditions for the worse. I now go for organic foods So after a while, I looked further into as much as possible. When it came cannabis oil and found that it’s a con- to weaning myself off the prescribed centrated extract and strong enough medication, I had to reduce my to knock out pain killer withdrawal dosage of opiates slowly using tiny symptoms and at the same time ease ball bearings worth of cannabis oil my Fibromyalgia symptoms. I investat a time, similar to a large pin head, ed in an oil vaping product called the dropped on the Maud dib to help Maud Dib as it was portable and I through inhaling the vapors. Then could set it up next to my bed for night came the time to finally bite the time and emergency use. Medically, it bullet and cut them out completely! was risky for me coming off Tramadol I knew I was in for a rough ride, the after 10 years on those things, but I withdrawal can be worse than coming was determined to get off them some off heroin. From day one the unconhow. It was really effecting my quality trollable shakes, pain, and sweats of life. kicked in, that night it stopping me from sleeping.

Becoming a member of my local Cannabis Social Club, Brighton, has I remember having six dabs on the allowed me to have a greater access Maud Dib in a row, it worked. It was to a larger selection of good quality still painful, but it was just enough medicines, made by people that grow with all my other pain treatments like TQL#1 TQL#1

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Epsom Salts baths, cannabalms, and Devils Claw Gel to get off that Tramadol rubbish.

It was cannabis oil that really got the job done for the chronic deep muscle pain I still get now. I thank mother nature for her healing herbs. I have grown to respect and use cannabis as a medicine mostly by ingesting minimal 100mg cannacap dosages and 400mg for very bad pain days. I do not use tobacco and drink very rarely and minimally. We have been lied to about this miracle herb. My doctor is fully supportive of my use of cannabis and says

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my dosages are so low he won’t even note them down. So when the odd person critisizes my use of cannabis I have to educate them as they know very little about cannabis and how to use it orally as a medicine.

I now regularly attend protests at Parliamenyt and am part of the Green Pride protestival team in Brighton, all thanks to cannabis and the community.

Follow Dom @CannafamUK

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Should Grandma be vaping weed?

The majority of cannabis news stories that cover its medical advantages and discoveries have mostly gained attention from how much of an impact it has had on children. If we take a brief look at the scientific cannabis research concerning those family members at the other end of the human lifespan we start to see the media are only just starting to scratch the surface.

Glaucoma

The endocannabinoid system has been identified throughout the cells of the retina and cornea. The application of both endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids have demonstrated therapeutic potential in intraocular pressure and may serve as an exciting topical therapeutic with further research.

Given the novelty of this research, medical professionals cannot support its use (Tomida, Pertwee and Azuara-Blanco, 2004).

Alzheimer’s

A variety of cell and animal studies have demonstrated the ability of cannabinoids to reduce oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which are key hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (Ahmed et al., 2015). Levels of the cannabinoid receptor 2 are observedly increased in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers. This receptor has been targeted with synthetic cannabinoids successfully to reduce the neuroinflammation associated with the disease, avoiding psychoactivity (Aso and Ferrer, 2016).

Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritic joints express a variety of cannabinoid receptors which can ease joint pain and inflammation when treated with endocannabinoids or phytocannabinoids.

Cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 are over-expressed in these joints, thought to be a response to a loss of natural endocannabinoids (McDougall, 2006).

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Palliative Care

In an Israeli study 279 cancer patients were observed during their end of life care. Of the 54% alive after six months, 70% renewed their medical cannabis prescription. Of the 113 patients who were alive a month later, 69 responded to a detailed questionnaire. This questionnaire feedback demonstrated significant patient improvements in pain (70%), general well-being (70%), appetite (60%), and nausea (50%). Side effects were mild and consisted mostly of fatigue and dizziness (Waissengrin et al, 2015).

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Parkinson’s Disease

In Parkinsons’s disease patients have an elevated expression of CB2 receptors within the substantia negra, a structure of the midbrain which plays an important role in reward and movement. Mice, with artificially induced Parkinson’s disease, demonstrated a similar increase in CB2 receptors. In these mice, inactivation of the CB2 receptor led to an increase in neuroinflammation. Activation of these receptors with a selective CB2 agonist resulted in a reduction in pro-inflammatory responses, suggesting similar strategies may be beneficial in Human Parkinson’s disease. sciencedirect.com/ science/article/pii/ S0278584615000664

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Is the human body designed for cannabis?

By Christopher Tasker, MA We humans are machines. A tightly coordinated biological machine comprising trillions of cells. Each of these cells is in a constant state of communication with its immediate neighbours as well as with the central controlling system that is the brain.

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hese communications are tightly regulated and balanced by the body. We are now realising that in disease, this tightly coordinated communication is often compromised and dysregulated in some way. The identification of the cannabis-based cannabinoid or phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) ultimately led to the discovery of the system that is responsible for this delicate balancing act, the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).

signalling when cells become overstimulated, and increasing signalling when stimulation is needed. Proteins called enzymes are responsible for synthesizing and degrading the internal signalling molecules known as endocannabinoids.

These endocannabinoids are rapidly exchanged between cells where they bind to specific cannabinoid receptors to regulate the strength of cellular communication. The binding endocannabinoids to these receptors Since its initial discovery in the late triggers a series of further messages 1990s, our knowledge of the ECS has that regulate the overall strength of advanced at a startling pace. We now the signal being sent. The proportions know the ECS to be involved in tackof these endocannabinoid molecules, ling almost all diseases. This provides enzymes and receptors is in a state of researchers with the unique opportu- constant dynamic change, alternating nity to begin re-analysing methods of the various proportions of each of treating a variety of diseases. This is the three elements to maintain the particularly exciting for conditions for overall balance of communications. which no treatments currently exist.

Medical professionals are beginning The ECS is comprised of three eleto appreciate the therapeutic potenments that provide a feedback loop for tial of manipulating this system to all cellular communication, reducing treat disease.

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Patients suffering from inflammatory diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis stand to benefit greatly from the discovery of the ECS. Few treatments currently exist for arthritis and as a result there are roughly 400,000 people in the UK suffering daily with this debilitating condition. As a result, large numbers of arthritis patients have taken to the internet in pursuit of some form of symptom relief.

This has led numerous patients to explore the potential of cannabis oils to alleviate their pain.

The pain these patients experience stems from the irritation of sensory neurons and damage to the sensory circuitry connected to the body’s joints (McDougall, 2006).

In healthy tissue these

nervous cells are

only stimulated dur ing injury, but in

arthritic joints there

is a sustained uncon trolled inflamma

tory response

which leads to

painful, hy per-sensitive

joints which

falsely stimu late pain

when per

forming day

to day movements. This

joint inflammation is

a falsely triggered natural

immune response which

has misidentified

non-harmful stimuli.

The ECS provides a unique mechanism by which we can manipulate the falsely triggered inflammation and sensory pain.

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inhibiting the heightened pain detecThis method offers an exciting potential treatment strategy for thousands tion. This increase in cannabinoid reof people which has gathered support ceptors is believed to be the response through the use of animal studies. to a reduction in the overall production of endocannabinoids within the We have identified that the elements of the ECS exhibit a variety of imbalnervous system of joints.

The significance of this is that THC and ances in inflammatory diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis. Specifically, other such phytocannabinoids can be used in a variety of diseases where the these animal studies have observed an increased number of ECS receptors ECS exhibits signs of imbalance. This binding of THC to CB1 is what provides in the tissue of arthritic joints.

More specifically, the tissue of arthrit- this therapeutically in a variety of diseases. Though this may be a generic joints contains a higher proportion alisation, the effects of cannabinoids of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1) and depend wholly on the characteristics the Cannabinoid Receptor 2 (CB2) of each person’s ECS. (Barrie and Manolios, 2017).

For instance, It is thought that HOW THC & CBD BIND AT THE CB1 the distribution the increase in RECEPTOR of cannabinoid receptor expresreceptors across sion is the body’s the various bodily natural response to tissues will vary, a decrease in the and this underlyavailability of endoing “abnormality” cannabinoids that will vary, case by would usually bind case, depending to these receptors. specifically on The phytowhich elements of the ECS are lackcannabinoids found in cannabis oil share unique chemical properties ing or overabundant. And so for this reason it is imperative that we discuss with endocannabinoids that allows the ECS in greater detail when discussthem to bind to these cannabinoid receptors within the body. Specifically, ing medical cannabis. The ECS offers some truly revolutionary therapeutic THC mimics the chemical effects of options to researchers. The unrefined the endocannabinoid Anandamide, nature of medical cannabis is one of which is naturally produced in the the key reasons it has been so ethically body, and usually activates the CB1 receptor. This binding has a calming challenging for NHS medical profeseffect on the irritated neurons and sionals to informedly prescribe cannareduces pain by reducing the firing bis-based therapeutics. rate of nerve fibres, 64 63

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Lemon Pie

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Our archaic affirmation that cannabis had no medical value means that we are decades behind in our medical understanding of cannabis medicines.

Clearly there is a tremendous space for medical advancement in ECS therapies. this is currently overshadowed by misinformation and stigma surrounding the public perception of Ultimately, we may move away from cannabis-based medicines. By raising these crude cannabis treatments and awareness for the endocannabinoid use a variety of more streamlined system you may be able to contribpharmaceutical methods to manage ute in your own way to the national diseases. We already have the capaci- appreciation of ECS therapies and ty to manufacture cannabinoids using cannabis-based medicines. bacteria and yeast, yielding cannabinoids at a far more profitable ration than classical farmed methods.

These endocannabinoids are currently in the process of being refined to provide more therapeutic accuracy than their natural counterparts. Given the complications and controversies of cannabis currently, one would expect that we shall eventually move away from unrefined cannabis products in medicine. We are years away from receiving refined ECS therapies through the NHS, and as a result we are limiting early treatment access to a not significant number of patients across the UK. The reluctance of British medicine to incorporate cannabinoids is driving desperate patients to alleviate their suffering by self-administering these crude ancient methods of cannabinoid therapy. This regularly places patients in a position where they are forced to break the law in order to alleviate their suffering.

Resources Barrie, N. and Manolios, N. (2017) ‘The endocannabinoid system in pain and inflammation: Its relevance to rheumatic disease.’, European journal of rheumatology. AVES, 4(3), pp. 210–218. doi: 10.5152/eurjrheum.2017.17025.

McDougall, J. J. (2006) ‘Arthritis and Pain. Neurogenic origin of joint pain’, Arthritis Research & Therapy 2006 8:6. BioMed Central, 8(6), p. 220. doi: 10.1186/AR2069.

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Living for weed

By Philip James, Wrexham Social Cannabis Club

Since 2016 I have been on a survival mission from brain cancer that was only possible because of the UK cannabis community.

In many ways it’s been a journey of eating humble pie considering my attitude to the world before my diagnosis.

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I had always been taught to fear cannabis. I was also misguided in thinking that “Project Cameron” was the solution to the neoliberal politics that had seen the UK fight in illegal wars and allowed bankers to profit from crashing the economy.

I felt ashamed, but also developed a deep appreciation and love for the people in the cannabis community.

They had taken care of me with open arms after my first clear scan was shown on the cannabis documentary “Dying for Weed”. They had shown me generosity like I had never experiMy keen interest in current events and enced before from such a large group politics drove me to study the history of people. I also understood fairly of the Conservative Party in ‘geekish’ early on why they are so smart and detail in my early 20s. What makes me politically progressive. now feel that this was a sad waste of time is that I was learning with a bias These are the type of people who to accept their version of events. This could be trusted to become a mulprevented me from seeing their actual ti-planet species and explore the uniunsustainable interest in money over verse because their agenda could only people’s lives. be to fill it with love and compassion. I was also blown away by a deep innate It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with spiritual energy I felt from these peocancer that I saw that I had been ple that I had only ever experienced wrong. Suddenly I was put in a situbefore in old religious buildings. ation where David Cameron’s government was leaving me with a 4% Cannabis for me turned out to be a chance of surviving beyond two years, spiritual guide on how to do the right as he carried on with cutting the fund- things and be a better person. The ing to researching brain cancer (the revelations I experienced during 2016, biggest cancer killer of the under-40s). after using illegal THC cannabis during The aftermath of the initial diagnosis radiotherapy helped me to achieve phase – which involved a six-hour remission, were all coming to a point… major brain surgery to debulk a 6cm tumour in my brain – was a crash This point would be that I owe course in how I had been so wrong. everything to the hundreds of thouThe more I buried myself in research sands of people who make sure there on how cannabis could give me a is a regulated market whether the chance of remission, the more I came lawmakers, enforcers or the criminals to the realisation that if it wasn’t for like it or not. the culture around recreational cannabis, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

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Valley Not Cali Collective growing Ethos Genetics Mandarin Cookies TQL#1

I am now a Labour member supporting Momentum candidates, who are much more open to listening to what our community has to say, and what we have had to do in order to get the public on our side. It has had to be done the hard way thanks to the dominance corporations have in mainstream media. This is why we are living for weed. It’s not just an amazing plant for what it can do, but also what it means to human evolution and what that means about why we evolved to be the master species among all life on Earth.

Follow Phil on Twitter at @Phil10186 and www.patreon.com/Phil86

BRAIN CANCER It’s the biggest killer of people under 40.

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The Pure Collective A Holistic Healing Opportunity: Mentored by Mother Nature and Cannabis Sativa, solidified by Science.

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Paradise Seeds Medical Cannabis Programme Grows!

Are you a medical cannabis user who grows the plant for your own use? If so, then you could benefit from the special discount for members of the Paradise Seeds Medical Programme. diseases and conditions including epilepsy and cancer. Through workatients in Chile shops and courses, the Chilean charity informs people of how cannabis can have become the latest beneficiaries be cultivated to help them treat their of a unique Paradise Seeds medical programme which aims to help home illnesses. growers and grow club networks gain Ana MarĂ­a Gazmuri, Executive Diaccess to medical cannabis. Paradise Seeds has provided seeds for the Daya rector of the Daya Foundation, said: Foundation to distribute to a network “We greatly appreciate this donation from Paradise Seeds. Our patients will of patients suffering from a range of

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be able to carry out their first crops, alleviate their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Home growing is the main access route for our patients and we hope that many more can continue their own growing.”

La Piantiamo Social Club who provide cannabis to over 300 of their disabled members.

As Paradise Seeds founder Luc Krol says: “When we launched Paradise Seeds 24 years ago, we soon became The Chilean donation is just one exaware that patients suffering from a ample from the Medical Programme range of medical conditions were using we launched at the beginning of 2019 cannabis to relieve their symptoms. to assist those in most need. This Cannabis brings relief for many thouprogramme is ongoing, and is availa- sands of medical cannabis users and ble to any patient who can prove they yet many patients still struggle to find a have a medical condition for which reliable supply of high quality cannabis. cannabis can provide some relief.

They are forced to buy from the street, paying high prices for cannabis that Medical cannabis patients, growing is often poor quality, non-organic and for their own personal treatment, containing harmful additives. receive a 50% discount on all of our Paradise Seeds “It is time this changed. Growing medvarieties (although this offer is only ical cannabis for personal use should available in countries with no seed be a human right. This discount is a import restrictions). token of our belief and we hope this programme will be of help to those Paradise Seeds Medical patients who need it the most. As a Cannabis Programme medical cannabis user, growing your The programme is free to join for own is the only way to ensure quality any medical user who can provide us and consistency.” with relevant medical documentation (such as prescription, medical card or A medical cannabis doctor’s recommendation) along with user’s experience ID for proof of identity.

Juan, 43, is a medical cannabis user from Spain who has suffered from musSince launching the Medical Procle spasms since he picked up an injury gramme, we have been overwhelmed in his job as a construction worker. He by the response from medical users uses the Wappa strain to make his own who have been sharing their stories cannabis tinctures and also vapes to of how it has helped them, from treat his condition. individual users to growers groups “I picked up a musculoskeletal disorder such as the dedicated members of the doctors said resulted from repetTQL#1 TQL#1

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itive lifting over the years. I suffer from muscle spasms in my lower back which can be really painful and basically incapacitate me. I was on strong painkillers but I didn’t like what they were doing to my body.

“About five years ago my girlfriend suggested I look into cannabis. I had never used it before, but I researched it and found out that cannabis reduces inflammation. I got hold of some, borrowed a vape (I don’t smoke), and was amazed at the results. All I know is that it relaxes me and as a result my muscle spasms become more controllable.

“I have grown a number of strains over the years but Wappa has become my strain of choice. When I heard about the Paradise medical programme I signed up. All I can say is thank you Paradise for subsidising what I see as essential medicine!”

Top Paradise Seeds strains for medical treatment Paradise Seeds has over 30 strains to choose from and while medical users tend to like different strains based on their preferences, here are some good general medical varieties to try: 76 75

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Autoflowers are popular thanks to their compact size, which makes them an easy fit into a garden or on a balcony and avoids the attention of neighbours.

Best medical performers with good pain relief qualities are the Pandora and Vertigo strains.

Our dedicated medical varieties have a higher CBD content, bringing relaxation without the heady effects that come with THC. These include Durga Mata ll CBD and Nebula ll CBD. For more information and applications please email: medical@paradise-seeds.com

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ucked away on a half empty street, behind some easily missed black metal gates, in what they themselves refer to as the part of the city where all the heroin, crack, and prostitution goes down, where the students live and fly tipping is the norm, The Chilin’ Rooms has its home in Kensington.

The longest man chillin’

Opened in 2002, the coffeeshop-cum-cannabis social club has seen its fair share of good and bad days, and so has its founder, Gary Youds. Small but mighty, almost always holding a spliff and always asking if there’s anything he can do to make sure your stay is the most pleasant it could be, Gary has dedicated the best part of the past two decades fighting on the front line of the war against cannabis consumers.

Liverpool, the city of culture, home of The Beatles – and The Chillin’ Rooms, Britain’s oldest and longest running cannabis social club, which is now coming out of the shadows.

He also calls the club “Liverpool’s number one underground music venue”. His members and the musicians who play

By Greg de Hoedt

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there every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night pretty much agree. They told us how important it had been to them in their music careers; some of them have been signed to major labels and are now recording with some of the nation’s favourite artists.

As we arrive on Friday night the joint is already almost full. A thick fog in the air is illuminated by a multicoloured light show firing off down the far end of the cavernous venue that is The Chillin’ Rooms. Quite appropriately, the seating for the more than 70 visitors comprises repurposed church pews set either side of the room with marble tables, lit up with

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candles and spotlights which catch the streams of smoke, creating the perfect film noir atmospherics akin to something out of Blade Runner, where weed was probably legal.

and I dive into catching up.

Our conversation is peppered with members walking past and saying a quick hi to Gary, hoping to get a word or even just a smile back which means a lot to them. Gary has It didn’t take long for provided them with a Gary to come and welspace to unwind in a city come us, eager to give that has made them fearus the usual treatment. ful of living life as honest“Everyone’s a VIP when ly and openly as they they come through those doors. We’ve been would like to. “It means a lot to me for you to be oppressed out there, in here you are my friend so up here, because like, it’s everyone gets the same special this place.” treatment.”

Before long Gary’s We are taken to probably instinctive hospitality kicked in and he asked if the last two available seats and, like clockwork, we wanted a soft drink and something to smoke: given a rolling tray with “I’ll bring you the menu.” two skins, two roach cards and a grinder. Gary A glass frame with writing

that lights up neon when Cannabis Social Clubs it’s given to you displays thanks to Gary bringthe top shelf of the night. ing the journalist along to our AGM, which we held just over the water We told him why we in Wirral’s very own 27 were up there, that we were starting a magazine. Club.

“I read everything, I really follow ya, I think it’s dead “I don’t want to be right what you do.” I then underground anymore,” says Gary. “I can’t afford broke the news to him to be. The members are that he was going to be depending on it. Not the first feature in the first issue. “Oh, Ok, that’s when everyone is preperfect,” he says with an pared to talk about this amazed grin on his face. and be public, and PCC Arfon Jones is visiting other cannabis social “Have you seen Bido clubs.

Lito?” he asked. This March the local artist and beatnik magazine popu- “This is the model. This lar among the museums is what we’ve been doing and music scene featured here for fifteen years an article on the Chillin’ – but we’re being persecuted for it and chased Rooms which also happened to give some good down and it’s got to end. column space to the UK I’ve been to prison five

times for this. My twin brother won’t even talk to me, won’t look at me in the face anymore.

“They tried to take the family business away on the Proceeds of Crime Act. They have torn apart my family. But no one sees what we cannabis consumers have to go through. I’m not hurting anyone, I’m helping them.

“I come from a property developing family. I have had the new Mercedes, the seven bedroom house, I’ve had all of that and I don’t want it, I want this. This is real. I’d rather be coming here and be chillin’ with you, right.

“These are my friends and we just want to have a good time. Every day we are giving back to the community while everyday the community is being persecuted. We are made to live like second class citizens.”

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a targeted operation impacting many more lives who rely on that driver in their homes and families and for work.

“All you have to do is follow the money. Solicitors fees, court fees, judges fees, fines, raised insurance premiums quadruple the price when you can get insurance again after being banned for two or three years.”

Six members told us they had recently lost their licences in just one afternoon and were now having to pay for busses and taxis. “They’re taxing us because we like herb,” one told us.

Gary is one of the recent road redaction victims.

“It’s OK because they have freed me now, I have my bus pass, I have

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my back pack. Thirty years of a clean driving licence, not one red light and then four times in as many months… you tell me.

“They kidnapped me from here the other week. They knocked on the back door and I went out thinking it was our neighbor with Alzheimer’s but as soon as I opened the door they grabbed me and dragged me away. Everyone had to run out to escape. I was in the cells overnight.

It was all for an unpaid fine from the previous arrest. I’ve got court again this week, don’t let me forget or they’ll come arrest me again.“ There was no shortage of members to speak to. There was a forever

changing scene of them coming and going, keeping the staff busy pretty much at all times, and everyone was incredibly friendly and happy to speak to us, willing to give us an insight of what it is to be a toker in Merseyside.

Lee, a fortysomething former soldier, is a regular member of five years now. You wouldn’t have a clue if you met him but he tells us, and his wife confirms it, that he was a recluse for over ten years unable to leave the home due to severe PTSD. Lee developed his disorder after what he calls systematic flaws in the way the army teach you to deal with grief and any kind of mental health problem or crisis.

“They tell you to drink.

drinking alcohol you then fear and triggers of a rowdy pub. Lee is the Meet end up with an alcohol & Greeter for the club, problem.” meaning that he is the first person people speak After speaking to Lee it became clear that he was to when they arrive. You can really tell how much utterly grateful for the it means to him to be opportunity that Gary had given him to become involved in trying to make that same difference to a human being again.

“In the army you are After being introduced to other people’s lives. trained to recognise cannabis by a friend in a threats. When you start bid to get him off of alco- One of the music proto see these threats hol he eventually built up moters who asked not in everyday life on the the capacity to be taken to be named because his management do not outside you can’t help to The Chillin’ Rooms. but react to them and it For the first time in years want him to be associated with cannabis (despite starts to happen all the this gave him a chance time. But because you’ve to meet new people and working in the club being his day job) gave us some also been trained to deal start building a new life local perspective. “You with your problems by without so much of the Got a problem, have a drink, Mum dies, oh dear have a drink. Mate’s been shot, have a drink.

Feeling depressed, have a drink. After 17 years of that, which is the average time it takes, you end up developing PTSD.

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know when the pubs died out and there was this good community spirit before, I think a lot of communities would benefit from having a cannabis social club like this. It would bring the local community together again; it helps the local music scene; the amount of taxis that come to this place is unreal.

“You know, there will be a blue plaque outside this place one day, I’ll make sure of it, ‘Britain’s First Coffeeshop’,” at which point Darren, TQL photographer, leaned in and said, “No, it won’t be blue…” followed by a round of laughter. Some things have just got to be kept green.

“We are starting to see the end of the tunnel now, like, you know, of prohibition,” says Chillin’ 84 83

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Rooms nameless but soon to be famous music promoter.

“It’s a tug of war though, we need more people on our side willing to open up places like this,” I reply.

“We need to get through to the Metro Mayor of Liverpool,” says Gary.

On our drives getting around town, Gary pointed out just how many pubs there were now closed in the area.

“I haven’t got anything to prove. We haven’t got anything else to do.

We have built it, it is here, we just need some acceptance and agreement that what we are doing isn’t wrong. I turn up here every day, every day I do the same thing which is just what needs

to be done.”

The Chillin’ Rooms crew run a tight ship and in hand with the members’ respect for the procedure at the end of the night the place is cleaned and ready for lock down at 11.05pm. “You don’t get that in a pub, you get everyone trying to hang on for another round, or people getting rowdy. You don’t even see a cigarette butt on the floor in here, not once in fifteen years.”

Shelley, a mother of three who is a new member, didn’t take long before she started helping out some days. As she worked through a giant stack of rolling trays being prepared, we learned about her experience running a local bar in the city. She told us about how people would constantly be trying to do

cocaine in the toilets and were always trying to find a problem with something. “You don’t get any of that in here, people are just a lot more chill.”

The Chillin’ Rooms has a local ethos and goes so far as making sure 100% of the herb that the members get is grown locally by the members and doesn’t get given to any other members unless it meets the community standards. There’s no animosity; if you don’t like someone’s bud you can go and tell them and have a chat about it so that improvements can be made, which is what the clubs should be doing for the people of cannabis and their members.

The alternative is a taste of what Canadians are going through right now, commercial cannabis produced for profit that has skipped several parts of the cultivation process – most notably the labour of love.

usually six, and the resulting product only gets handed out to members who have been verified by age ID and introduced by an already existing member. The nights we were there they had 13 strains which grew to 15 on the menu by the day we left.

During our visit we thought it would be good to go and chat to people outside of the club, so we went to the heart of the city, the shopping centre at Liverpool One and The Albert Docks. We met a young guy in his early 20s called Liam who told us about the nightlife.

“Yeah there’s quite a lot to do, there’s the pubs, there’s the clubs…”, “but it all involves alcohol”, we replied, the sentence finishing itself.

“Yeah... yeah it does.”

Asked about cannabis, he says: “Yeah I smoke it, my friends smoke it a lot more, it’s easy to get hold of.” He gets The growers don’t go it mainly from street above 1.5m square, they dealers. “You have to go stick to under nine plants, and find someone on

a street corner and they usually have something.”

We extended an invite to Liam to come and check out The Chillin’ Rooms, so hopefully he can avoid the dodgy street dealers from now on. He was pretty stoked.

Back at the club that night we were again serenaded with the wonderful live music of local artists. Reggie Roy, in his mid-20s, believes that Gary has given him the best opportunity of his life. He was brought along to the club by a friend one night and after being given the chance to perform he quickly found his home there. Reggie writes and sings his own songs, inspired by what he sees around him in Liverpool. Twentyseven Chemicals is a song about cannabis, drugs and the hypocrisy of prohibition.

It is very catchy in its slinky, harmonic jazz indy chord progressions. He follows it with It’s Nice To Be Nice, which struck us as appropriate, fitting with Gary’s personality.

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That night we were in for a special treat as we had live performances from musicians from all over the world. That’s just how things roll at Liverpool’s number one underground music venue; you just don’t know who is going to be in the house that night. A double act from Ecuador played a few songs followed by another guitarist who then turned into a trio live-jamming songs that had never been played before. Acoustic, bongos, an electric guitar and even a harmonica kicking

out the good times.

“Chillin, at The Chillin’ Rooms...” our Ecuadorian at the mic starts singing.

“I don’t want to go to jail, I have a 14-year old son who needs his father,” says Gary. “His mother is an alcoholic which is why he is with just me now. I need to look after him but they want to put me away – for this.”

The day after we returned home, Gary had his next court appear-

ance from his previous bail. He was given an electronic tag and curfewed to be at home between 7pm and 7am clearly in an attempt to hinder his club activity.

But the team is strong and the dream lives on.

“27 days to go,” he texts me the very next day.

One thing Gary and the members of the Chillin’ Rooms can be sure of in Liverpool, now we all know about it, is they will never walk alone.

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A week after we spent a number of days at The Chillin’ Rooms they were raided by Merseyside Police. Gary and another member of the team were arrested, detained and questioned. Gary was kept in longer for several days as this raid meant he had broken his tag restrictions.

In a statement to the press, which was reported in the Liverpool Echo and the BBC, a police spokesperson said: “This property has been subject of concern from law-abiding members of the community. False information exists about these types of locations, but I want to make it very clear that there is nowhere you are able to smoke cannabis legally in Merseyside.”

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Gary Youds now asks for your support as he takes on the biggest fight of his life.

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Wear your weed

By Barnaby de Hoedt The Hemp Trading Company are celebrating 20 years of ethical clothing success in Britain and it just happens to be taking place at the same time that the hemp lifestyle is making an emphatic comeback. We caught up with Ashwin and Gav at their West London HQ. The 45% hemp t-shirts at THTC are noticeably softer than the organic cotton tees. And yet they are more durable, somewhat reducing the inbuilt obsolescence we associate with most modern-day products. “Get rich... or try sharing” reads the slogan on one of the tees. It’s appropriate for the ethos behind the enthusiasm for hempbased produce. The hemp pants, for both males and females, and hemp cargo trousers, tough yet stretchy, are also great. Ash is evidently delighted with the cargos he wears to work, brimming with a genuine enthusiasm simply as the person wearing them, never for a second sounding like he’s giving a well-rehearsed sales pitch.

But as well as personal preferences for wearing hemp, there are environmental reasons. While it takes 1,000

pounds of water to make a pound of cotton, it takes only three pounds of water to make a pound of hemp.

Hemp provides around 115% more fibre than cotton and, because it grows tightly-packed, does not require pesticides, around 50% of which throughout the world are currently used for growing cotton.

Hemp even grows well in poor soil while enriching it thanks to its deep, aerating root system. Through a process called remediation, hemp removes heavy metals and even radioactive waste from soil while adding back valuable nutrients, making previously unusable dirt rich and fertile.

Then there is the microplastics problem to think about. Synthetic clothes shed about 700,000 microplastic fibres (less than 5mm in size) per domestic wash (detergent can be made from hemp, too, by the way) that end up in the waterways. Of the eight million metric tonnes of plastic which end up in the ocean annually, 236,000 tonnes are microplastics.

Microplastics pollute every lake and river in Britain. They have been found in the stomachs of the deepest marine organisms known to exist.

These microplastics make their way into our food and drinking water (both tap and bottled). Every participant in a Europe-wide study last year was found to have nine different types of plastic in their faeces. The smallest microplastic particles are capable of entering the bloodstream, TQL#1

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lymphatic system and even reach liver.

It’s a shocking state of affairs.

This is just with relevance to the clothes industry. There are of course hundreds of environmental reasons for switching to a predominantly hemp-based system of production (see page 100). But whole books could be written about that.

Anyway, the point is, there’s two reasons to feel good – intellectually and physically – about wearing hemp. And fighting prohibition on every front is important, so we should all support hemp based businesses where we can. Growing hemp in Britain remains illegal without a licence, and even then farmers still have to destroy the flower and the leaves, the most productive parts of the plant. If we can change the law we can revive British farming, make more hemp products here and reduce import costs. Hemp farming was finally fully legalised again in the US in 2018 for these reasons. If there’s anything Britain should follow the US on, it’s this.

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It’s clear that a lot of love goes into running THTC. We love their hemp clothes just as much.

But back to THTC. They have recently produced merchandise from cultural classics UB40 to Lowkey, who has recently dropped a new album, Soundtrack to the Struggle 2, which has been getting all the right attention.

Gav tells us that in just a few weeks they will be heading to the printers to lay down the ink for some new designs on a new batch of hemp tees that have just landed. We are lucky enough to be some of the first to get our hands on them for some exclusive TQL tees coming out between now and issue#2.

You can check out the full collection of hemp garments from The Hemp Trading Company at shop.thtc.co.uk Follow @thtcclothing

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The sun is the cheapest light on the market In 2018 greenfinger fever spread right across the UK. With ever-more awareness about the medicinal benefits of cannabis, a growing number of our members have been taking the decision to become self-sufficient and plant a seed to help overgrow prohibition. Let’s take a look at what some of Cardiff Cannabis Cafe’s members grew in a greenhouse!

Well... they can be!

Fortunately for us any people earthlings, we have are put off from growing been gifted the greatest because of the potential of nature’s technology costs. There’s all this when it comes to picking equipment to buy and which light to grow so much marketing to under. That’s because cut through that it can the sun is the best and be overwhelming for a cheapest light you could beginner. ask for.

M

some vegetation time in before the days shorten, which is what pushes the plants into flowering with a 12-hour on/off light cycle that growers try to replicate indoors with tents and timers.

As you can see from our pictures it doesn’t take all that much effort! This Then there’s the electric- Most members of the garden was grown with ity bills to think about. community go by the seaweed, molasses and Many people wish things rule of planting seeds in water. Oh, and a sprinkle were a lot simpler.

April-May in order to get of love, too!

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The hemp battery that could replace lithium

By Barnaby de Hoedt Henry Ford’s Model T was famously built out of hemp plastic that was 10 times stronger than steel and powered by hemp biofuel, which is more than two-thirds cleaner (and therefore two-thirds less carcinogenic) than fossil fuel based petroleum. Now, with battery-powered cars starting to replace petrol and diesel engines, it has been found that hemp batteries perform eight times better than lithium-ion. Is there anything that this criminally-underused miracle plant can’t do? underneath the hemp cell was a value of 31 while that of the lithium cell had a value of just 4. Alhe comparison though he does not claim to have has only been proven on a very proven anything, he said that the small scale. (You weren’t expecting results of his experiment showed a Silicon Valley conglomerate to do that the performance of the hemp something genuinely groundbreak- cell was “significantly better” than ing were you? They just commerthe lithium cell. cialise stuff that’s been invented or at least funded by the state.) But It comes as no real surprise, which the results are extremely promising. is presumably why he conducted the experiment. In 2014 scienThe experiment was conducted by tists in the US found that waste Robert Murray Smith – who has fibres from hemp crops can be built up quite a following on his transformed into “ultrafast” YouTube channel – of FWG Ltd in superconductors that are “better Kent. He observed a Volts by Amps than graphene”. Graphene is a curve of both the hemp and lithium synthetic carbon material lighter batteries and found that the power than foil yet bulletproof, but it is

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prohibitively expensive to make. interesting things with bio-waste”.

The hemp-version isn’t just better, it With banana peels, for example, costs one-thousandth of the price! “you can turn them into a dense block of carbon – we call it pseuThe scientists “cooked” leftover do-graphite – and that’s great for bast fibre – the inner bark of the sodium ion batteries. But if you plant that usually ends up in landlook at hemp fibre its structure fill – into carbon nanosheets in a is the opposite – it makes sheets process called hydrothermal synwith high surface area – and that’s thesis. “People ask me: why hemp? very conducive to supercapaciI say, why not?” said Dr David Mitlin tors.” of Clarkson University, New York, in an interview with the BBC. “We’re Once the bark has been cooked, making graphene-like materials for “you dissolve the lignin and the a thousandth of the price – and semicellulose, and it leaves these we’re doing it with waste.” carbon nanosheets – a pseudo-graphene structure”. By fabriDr Mitlin’s team recycled the fibres cating these sheets into electrodes into supercapacitors, energy storand adding an ionic liquid as the age devices which are transforming electrolyte, his team made suthe way electronics are powered. percapacitors which operate at a While conventional batteries store broad range of temperatures and large reservoirs of energy and drip- a high energy density. feed it slowly, supercapacitors can rapidly discharge their entire load. Mitlin’s peer-reviewed journal paper ranks the device “on par This makes them ideal in machines with or better than commercial that require sharp bursts of power. graphene-based devices”.

In electric cars, for example, supercapacitors are used for regenerative “They work down to 0°C and disbraking. Releasing this torrent replay some of the best power-enquires electrodes with high surface ergy combinations reported in the area, one of graphene’s many phe- literature for any carbon,” he adds. nomenal properties.

“For example, at a very high power density of 20 kW/kg (kilowatt per Mitlin says that “you can do really kilo) and temperatures of 20, 60, TQL#1 TQL#1

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Educate. Lobby. Connect.

Membership application and supporter’s registration available online: www.britishhempassociation.co.uk Follow us on Instagram: @BritishHemp

Upcoming Events: Hemp History Week: 3-9th June 2019

We’re hosting the UK’s first edition of the popular grassroots campaign from the States... currently in its 10th year! www.hemphistoryweek.com

Join us in the Hemp-Zone at Product Earth Expo-Fest: 23-25th August 2019

PEX is the leading UK showcase for this exciting and rapidly evolving industry. Working in partnership with PEX, the British Hemp Association will be highlighting the complete business eco-system of this amazing plant, its many varieties, derivatives and uses. www.productearthexpo.com

Watch out for upcoming regional events early this summer!

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and 100C, the energy densities are 19, 34, and 40 Wh/kg (watt-hours per kilo) respectively.� Fully assembled, their energy density is 12 Wh/ kg – which can be achieved at a charge time less than six seconds.

At the end of 2018, Texas-based electric motorcycle company Alternet announced that it was working with Mitlin to power motorbikes for its ReVolt Electric Motorbikes subsidiary.

So there you have it. If we already knew that there is no need to use the fossil fuels that are destroying the planet’s climate, because hemp biofuel provides a better alternative, we now know that there is no need to destroy the environment by mining for the materials that are used in batteries. We can literally grow technology. Hemp can save and power the world.

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Committed to regenerative agriculture, creating low-impact and non-toxic products

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Sunset Sherbert TQL Strain Review #1 Each issue we will dive into the world of cannabis and review some of the fine herbs that homegrowers are cultivating in the United Kingdom.

For our maiden issue we have been everso lucky to have a large jar of Sunset Sherbert to fuel us through the work of this magazine. We will be looking at the cultivar from a medical, recreational and grower’s perspective in order to give you a good idea of what this weed is really like. We only wish you could smell it too!

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he quality keeps rising here in the UK and this Sunset Sherbert is no exception. What we have here is some grade A stanking dank. The second the jar was unscrewed the powerful and wafting aroma of skunk seeped out of the space between the glass and the lid and went straight for the nostrils. “Phwoar” really has been the word of the office every time someone went out to have a quick vape or bong break.

Sunset Sherbert is a creation of breeder Sherbinski whose genetics have risen to vast popularity across the US and has become a sought out flavour house for Brits hoping to get a taste of legally produced cannabis. This complexly delicious strain was created using the now infamous Girl Scout Cookies (from OG Kush, Cherry Pie and Durban Poison lineage now known as GSC so that the kids don’t get confused) and Sherbinski’s own Pink Panties.

Its aroma is very bright and very loud and really does have that original skunk smell that many growers hope will come through in a pack of seeds. The smell gets deeper than skunk though, it has a soft sandal woodiness hiding out in the mid ranges but there’s also a distinctive gassy tone that isn’t your usual kind of OG, but it has some remnants of the original. There’s elements of anise that come through which are usually there in good old school varieties. There’s some fruit to it too, a 112 111

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slight edge of grapefruit with the body of plumb.

You certainly get some transference of the GSC when you stick some in the vape. We’re testing out the Arizer Solo II along with the Extreme Q Tower, which have given us a good range of experiences at temperatures and different types of heating chambers.

When smoking a joint you get more sandalwood and hitting the bong seems to bring out the fruit more.

It just goes to show how many ways there are to really enjoy all of what cannabis has to offer.

Whoever selected this keeper certainly found a winner. They also took a lot of care and attention during the growing stages and clearly made the effort to trim each nug like it was going on the front cover of a magazine… ahem.

Large, well intact trichomes that are predominantly cloudy with a few edging into the gold and amber hues and tell a gardener their job is complete and the medicine is ready. It is dried well, has no taste of chlorophyll and grinds up a treat without turning to dust. That 62% humidity level in the jar is so important.

The medical and therapeutic effects of this are very welcome. It’s instantly relaxing with particular focus being on the back and shoulders. While it is clearly leaning on the indica side it seems to have the beneficial trait passed on from the Cookies whereby

you can consume a fair amount of this and still manage to focus or not crash out from couchlock or give you any short term memory loss… like forgetting where you put your lighter last. This gives a little bit of the classic cottonmouth too so make sure you have a drink handy. Pretty good appetite stimulation but not one that makes you want to gorge. Recreationally it has a very good balance between body and head, making it quite a creative strain to work with. It hasn’t seemed to hinder our progress; if anything, we can’t imagine making this issue without it.

We highly rate this connoisseur grown cannabis and hope that our jar doesn’t run out too soon.

8/10

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MELLOW GLASS ADVERT Welcome to Borofield Glass Studio, the UK‘s first functional glass studio providing: ▪ Glassblowing lessons (Taster, Introduction and Intermediate classes available) ▪ Classes from world class artists ▪ Open studio sessions each month. Come see what we do, everybody welcome.

mail web

@borofieldsglassstudio borofieldglassstudio@gmail.com TQL#1 115 www.borofieldglasss.co.uk

UK Glass Gallery

By Frank Odyseed

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first bought my torch in 2012, inspired by US glass artists, mostly bong makers at the time and the fact that I had so much trouble trying to buy dabbing rigs from a couple of US companies. I thought why not give this a try myself!

At the time most of the glass in UK headshops was of Chinese or Indian origin and mostly copies of US bongs.

If you wanted something with a bit of quality you’d probably go for something German like a ROOR or maybe a nice piece from Ehle in the Netherlands. Across the pond in the states things are quite different. Smoke shops sell glass from thousands of artists, with glass pipes beyond the imagination ranging in price from $10 up to and over $10,000.

Moving forward a few years to 2015 and already things were looking very different for UK glass. I’d discovered a whole bunch of other glass blowers that started making pipes around the same time as me or were inspired by what others were making. The second European flame off was in Spain, which was attended and won by UK artists, and we’d held our first official 116 115

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get together of UK pipe makers where a five way collab was made.

It’s now 2019 and things have really moved on. Multiple headshops in the UK are selling our work, glass galleries are selling Heady glass from the US with UK pieces being sold alongside and even rivalling some of the work, with UK names becoming quite well known among collectors.

Last summer we saw Borofest really bloom for its second year with a great turnout. Then to top it off the fifth European Functional Flame Off was held in London for the first time with multiple places taken by UK artists again, proving that the UK has a lot to offer the glass scene as a whole.

Things can only get bigger and better for UK GLASS! Take a look at the talent within the UK Glass scene here. You can join in the auctions for functional glass art at facebook.com/groups/ukglass and Frank @HiveGlass on IG

UK GLASS GALLERY

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Green Pride Britain has become a hotspot in Europe for cannabis activism and the movement has been built by taking a by-any-means-necessary approach.

This has expressed itself in the form of local social public gatherings as small acts of civil disobedience. With coverage in the the local press and mainstream media culminating after the good old work of word of mouth, many of these events have grown into a small revolution. Here we take a look at Green Pride, the UK’s largest cannabis protestival outside of 420 Hyde Park, London.

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incredible 1,000 members. Their HQ, headshop and private members vape lounge for nine months stood as a meeting place for some of the most motivated stoners in the South East.

Patients feel like they have a place to socialise and the after-work chill space has been a breath of fresh herbal air for many a Brightonian.

he grass was golden, dry from the heat and lack of the usual flow of rain that comes off of the South Downs, but it was only 9am, before excited, dedicated cannabis enthusiasts and activists started arriving, asking what they could do to help the Brighton day crew.

The first point of contact role that the clubs have come to play in society These of course were familiar faces today is something to be proud of. who have been pushing the cannabis Not only are they putting themselves mission in their own respective areas out there as cannabis consumers but for many years, just trying to do their they are making sure others have a part for the day. Community spirit had better understanding and eventual exrisen in recent months with so much perience with the herb for medical or media traction, and it was nice to see recreational use; if some harm can be people pouring the energy they had prevented a good day has been had. taken from that back into an event that means so much to the cause.

But back in 2018 on the day of the fifth annual appearance of the event, Vendors were arriving, assembling by 3.30pm the arena setting that had their marquees and gazebos, dressing been created by a ring of over 70 ventheir booths with their products in dors, from headshops to homemade preparation for an estimated 5,000 hemp boutiques, was packing out the attendees. People from Hampshire, space amid a hazy atmosphere.

Cardiff, Dumfries, Hitchin, Peterborough and ever further afield made Tyler Green from iSmoke Magazine the journey down, spreading cannabis was bouncing around the booths awareness and greeting people who soaking up the enjoyment of the day, looked like they needed someone to looking like he was having a thoroughchat to about the wider understanding ly good time. With his Borofest-purof cannabis. chased Mellow Glass oil rig in the Private Members area backstage at Green Pride is the South East’s largest Green Pride, we managed to catch a independent cannabis protest and few moments with him: “It’s amazing gathering, hosted by Brighton Canwhat they have done, BCC should be nabis Club, which now boasts an proud of themselves,” he said.

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At 4.20pm UKCSC chairman Greg de Hoedt took to the stage to say a few words to the over 4,000 attendees about why everyone was really there.

Speaking about his personal experience of overcoming a death prognosis from severe Crohn’s Disease, he told people that they were the future of

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the cannabis movement and urged them to support their local clubs in order to see more events like this happen around the UK. A lot of people stood up and applauded with hands in the air and clapped as he proclaimed, “You are the people who are making this real!”

Speaking to Greg after he came off stage, he said: “The turnout today is phenomenal and it only goes to show what desire there is for change in the UK. The medical debate has been raging, people feel like there is a bit of magic in the air and they want to make something of that in their own parts of the country.

“While we know Green Pride isn’t going to change the law it is going to help empower more people to become cannabis activists and entrepreneurs in the emerging legal avenues of the cannabis industry in Britain. But let’s be under no illusions, there has been an illegal industry for decades. Things are about to change.

It’s whether the government let us be part of it or not that is the big question.”

it is a new generation of enlightened consumers that are paving the way for legalisation. He encourages more people to pitch in on the effort for reform.

“Many of us may still be young, but that just goes to show you that we aren’t going away any time soon!

Please come and join us and celebrate cannabis, pride and unity as we go into our sixth year.

“If vendors are looking to get involved this year now is the time to get in touch with us. We had over 70 businesses and clubs selling their products, from hemp and CBD to the ultimate munchies of the day. It’s a great way to connect with everything the cannabis community has been working towards across the UK.”

This year’s event takes place at the usual location of Preston Park, which For 2019, the team behind Green is located on the left of the A23 as Pride wants to take things up another you head in to Brighton. It is not a notch. Rob Davidson, Brighton Canna- long walk or taxi drive from the main bis Club chairman said: “Green Pride Brighton rail station and there is anis a free-to-attend grassroots protes- other station at Preston Park that is a tival uniting the local and national bit closer. Please only bring what you community to show the demand for are going to consume on the day, rereform of cannabis laws. From five member this is a protest and cannabis years ago we have grown from 100 to is still a controlled substance (pffft).

5,000 people coming to display civil And dress appropriately – Brighton is disobedience against a law they find closer to the equator. unjust.”

Rob, an IT technician who has worked for some very well known high street brands and in the NHS, believes that

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Borofest Glass and cannabis have shared a fairly inter-related history going back over the decades but in recent years UK glass fanatics have taken up the torch and started giving the molten glow a blow.

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t’s been an inspirational half a decade, with so much optimism that legalisation will eventually happen.

It’s influenced a number of grassroots community gatherings around the UK. One of those such gatherings is Borofest, a UK glass festival hosted

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back to nature to see what inspiration can be found.

Now with two years under its belt, the fledgling summer fest this year will be hosted in Oxfordshire on the 6th and 7th of July with its signature feelgood family vibe.

Why is it called Borofest?

Well, let us take you on a journey… Borosilicate is the glass used to make

the Pyrex dish you use at home, Pyrex being the brand name. It’s used for the glassware in scientific laboratories because of its hardy nature and strong resistance to pretty high temperatures. It is extra hard because it contains silica and boron trioxide as the main constituents – but it is completely inert, so it is safe. Now you see where the name comes from.

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Borosilicate glass bongs started appearing in the 1990s with ground joints used for laboratory glassware. No surprise to find some stoners playing with science equipment!

And then in 1995 German company Roor came on the scene and started transforming the way the average consumer thought about consuming cannabis. American hip hop icon Cypress Hill became internationally famous with the by no means one hit wonder “Hits From the Bong” and it became almost a status symbol and a subculture within cannabis itself to own one.

thrust the idea of being a functional glass artist and bong designer into the mainstream to a generation that was just winning the vote to access medical marijuana.

to even more artists than last year with international guests who confirm in the run up to the event.

Live music will be serenaded upon those there to chill for the weekend Owning a glass bong and there will be a good has become a bit of a selection of plant-based cannabis cultural norm, foods available. In but owning a piece of previous years we have collectable functional seen hemp burgers from glass art over a produc- Hempen go down a treat! tion piece is still a bit of Campers are able to bring a status symbol, just like a BBQ so those who want collecting any art, and to tuck into the tradiwe have to say, it’s got tional camping feast are super heady here in the encouraged to.

UK; we are glad there are some exceedingly As well as what you talented award-winning would expect at a small artists producing some scale festival, organiser life-saving killer rigs and Jim Rogers has brought in Famous cannabis film vaporiser attachments on super oldschool actividirector Tommy Chong, our little island. ties… we aren’t talking of the Cheech and Chong about arcade games; no, comedy duo, famously Now, back to Borofest… we are talking archery went to prison in the Britain and Europe’s and axe throwing! Anothlate 2000s for shipping favourite flame monkeys, er much loved member custom art merchandise including Borofest found- of the community is bongs to a state where er Established Glass Art, someone who gets much there was a parapherwith friends Hive Glass, higher than the rest of nalia law prohibiting Dok, Mellow, Hell Hound, us, Harley. He gets all the that kind of package.

Cut Throat, Sam Pedro, attention from the guys In a sting called OperJam Solo, Burtango, and the girls and even ation Pipe Dreams he and Haze Glass, will be has a pet dog called Fred. was busted. It was a returning, too, all with Harley is if course not bit of a faux pas for the new tricks to show off. a human but a Harrier authorities though as it 2019 will be playing host Hawk, which is like an TQL#1 TQL#1

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American buzzard. He is the talent front of house for Beaks and Talons lead by zoologist Katie Darlington, who brings him each year to demonstrate his flight and great sense of character.

with a table of colour glass rods and watching them collaborate on a 29 artist contribution piece is like watching history in the making. Each year new artists join the ranks and this helps upcoming artists learn more and share the skills of the trade, helping to build an important sector to the cannabis market. Of course, it would not be a complete arts and crafts festival without visitors being able to get their hands on the torch for some beginner’s lessons – a sure way to gain more respect for the artists who have mastered the melt.

Last year was for sure a year to get your hands in the mix, with some collective painting, for example, or you may very well have ended up making the guest appearance in the middle of the flame-throwing demonstration! Depending on what you have been toking you might suddenly think you have actually become a piece of glass and are being turned into The collaboration piece a bong yourself... was the grand prize It’s an exciting weekend. in the everso eagerly awaited raffle and after To see artists starting

a huge climax the winner was drawn and called out: “Robo Linders!”

With tears in his eyes and huge cheers all round Robo was wheeled up in his chair to collect the masterpiece “The Sherlock”, assembled and expertly shaped by Dok with a little bit of everyone’s style melted on for the most psychedelic sherlock you could wish to see.

It doesn’t take long after 4/20 has come and gone that the countdown to Borofest begins. Head over to Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with which artists are going to be blazing their way to a field in Oxfordshire this July. We can’t wait. www.borofest.co.uk

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Product Earth: The UK’s #1 Hempfest Festival goers rejoice! Camping is Back! The UK’s homegrown hemp and alternative lifestyle festival is rising up once again finding a new home at the National Agricultural & Exhibition Centre, Warwickshire. This year the Product Earth Expo organisers have teamed up with the British Hemp Association (BHA) with a growing focus on the evolving hemp industry Britain is starting to see flourish.

hat’s right, this year Product Earth are pushing out the Triple H! – no not the pro wrestler… Head shops, Hydro & Hemp! – hoping to unite the industry under one roof for a full on weekend of educational seminars, exhibitions of fashion and technology, as well as all the favourite seed companies and cultural niceties a fourtwenty lover would want to see. This year Product Earth returns on 23rd25th of August 2019.

stores from head shops to traditional and high street health food stores.

This has encouraged a wave of entrepreneurship to the UK cannabis movement as it starts to mature into a respected industry alongside other products and businesses you see in towns and cities. Product Earth provides a perfect setting for these well established and fledgling companies to create a direct relationship with the consumers that have supported the emergence of CBD products.

There’s no secret about CBD any more. Cannabidiol based products are booming in many retail

Headshops have been the backbone of this industry for the last 30+ years and without them

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it’s safe to say the stoner life would have been a lot harder! You will have no doubt, thanks to social media, come across the likes of Dr Chronic and Ali Bongo’s posts, and as expected these guys usually make quite an appearance at Product Earth. It’s great to be able to speak to the people behind the brands to see it’s not all smoke and mirrors, we genuinely have a great community of companies around us!

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“But in the appeal court judgment, published last week, Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice, ruled that the offences of conspiracy to aid and Product Earth have abet and counsel the sought legal advice to production of cannabis look into the possibility were “unknown to law” of this in the UK and and had to be quashed. believe it or not, there’s “There can be no connot anything in law that viction for aiding and states hydro shops can’t abetting, counselling sell cannabis seeds… yet or procuring, unless for years, this has been the offence is shown to the dogma! It’smazing what you find out when have occurred,” he said. you dig! So as all good ac- “It is not an offence tivists do, when they find to attempt to aid and out the truth they push abet, counsel or proit and we are pleased to cure the commission of an offence.” say that is exactly what Product Earth are doing, as it should be with a The Guardian, reputation as pioneers in 13 July 2008 this scene. there are hydro companies alongside the head shops and pro cannabis organisations representing on the day.

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James Walton, Managing Director behind Product Earth Expo said: “We feel it is time the UK industry pushed forward as the rest of Europe has, building a strong and vibrant industry that is supporting people in legitimate jobs and whose companies all contribute to their nations’ taxes and national insurance.

“The UK has a growing market of hemp, head and hydro companies and with a growing awareness of political change this year’s Product Earth provides us with the opportunity to help build the bridges that create those stronger bonds needed to achieve the great things that could be coming.”

For those who have been tinkering on the edge of the cannabis scene and industry wondering if it is time to start a cannabis-related business that is legal, Product Earth is where you need to head.

You’ll not only get a first hand look into the who, what and where things are happening but also get to speak to retailers and distributors, to be able to get the real low-down and hopefully make the connections you need to become part of the explosive growth in fourtwenty businesses rising up to help overgrow prohibition in the UK.

UK Cannabis Social Clubs have always played a big part in Product Earth and this year we will be there as usual, this time focussing on meeting many of you and looking to record some interviews with people who have amazing stories to tell about their experience with cannabis. If you have one to tell, please come and find us in the Head Shop Zone near the main entrance.

with dozens of hemp-focussed businesses to find out about and probably try a few samples of their product lines.

Previously we have managed the seminar zone but this year we are handing over the reigns to new on the scene BHA. This will be a perfect chance for you to come and hear about the many aspects of the hemp plant in the BHA Seminar Zone and Hemp Market,

Camping will be making a return much to the delight of many community members. Product Earth were sorry to have to let this aspect slide when they made their appearence in Birmingham two years ago but due to popular demand, tents Go get your tickets at will be making a return. productearthexpo.com

We have heard talks of live hempcrete construction taking place on site as well as some pretty cool hemp history that is going to be on display‌ this is of course the perfect setting at the national agriculture exhibition centre!

and we will see you there!

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Ethos Genetics Purple Roze - Valley Not Cali

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The 5th international conference on

psychedelic consciousness.

16 - 18 Aug, 2019.

One hundred and thirty expert speakers on the science & culture of psychedelics, plus twenty interactive workshops, a psychedelic comedy special, film festival, a visionary art gallery, evening entertainments, performance art & an installation fair. Limited tickets remain.

University of Greenwich, London.

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Is this a medicinal cannabis circus?

By Greg de Hoedt, TQL Executive Editor

Drugs policy is under fire. At the forefront of the need to end prohibition is the fact that cannabis is Britain’s most loved illicit substance. Only a small section of the herb loving demographic will benefit from medicinal progress where much of the debate is being fought. But need it be this way?

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annabis’ recent transition into the medical institution, albeit as the unicorn of the NHS medicines stash, has thrust the conversation further centrefield, where we are seeing a rise in MPs willing to back constituents’ medical cannabis pleas.

But we’re still not there and there seems to be a strong desire to legalise medical cannabis separately before legalising cannabis for adult use as a whole.

This has involved a game of rebranding of what cannabis actually is in order to make it more palatable to conservative mindsets. We are therefore told that medical cannabis does not contain THC. This is simply just not true. Journalists at the most respected newspapers and websites are falling into the trap of trusting what they 150 149

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are being told in order to get a scoop.

They are leading the public to believe that medical cannabis is CBD-only, which means it won’t make patients high, stoned or, true to the mainstream media… psychotic.

It only takes a quick internet search to see what medical cannabis really is. All the marketing material from the companies who are importing their medical cannabis products to the UK via private prescription are high in THC – in fact, they are effectively “skunk” by the Home Office’s own definition.

GW Pharmaceuticals were published in New Scientist magazine confirming the use of Dave Watson’s (aka Sam Skunkman) Skunk #1 in their preparation for Sativex. Bedrocan flowers (street name Jack Herer, £180 an ounce) imported from the Nether-

lands by private prescription, costing £700 an ounce, test at 22% THC and less than 1% CBD. It’s on the label and their website. Pink Kush from Tilray – which hasn’t got a pharmaceutical name because there isn’t a culture of fear and the need to put lipstick on a pig in Canada where it is produced – tests at 25% THC.

bis to help others in similar situations to get one too, by building a safe alternative to the black market.

Despite medical cannabis technically being made legal for specialists to prescribe, I have been denied a prescription. My gastroenterologist told me: “While it clearly improves your quality of life, I found studies saying By their very nature, down to the that it works no better than a placeorigin of the genetics, the scientific bo.” Six months earlier I had given him profile of the strains and the way they a pile of nine studies printed off that were produced makes them “skunk”. showed reduction in inflammation as High THC, low CBD, grown under high well as high rates of remission. I’ve intensity lighting. Only now the Govnow met some of the clinical reernment is earning tax on it. searchers who conducted the studies in person and they are fairly insulted But who am I to say? that their work is not only being dismissed but not being used to help the My name is Greg de Hoedt. I am patients they want their work to benchairman of the UK Cannabis Social efit. They certainly aren’t being as well Clubs and the Executive Editor of The paid as the doctors that are denying Quarter Leaf, which has been distributed to 40,000 people for free. I have been leading the campaign for sensible adult regulation with the right to grow at home for eight years in the UK and have previously worked in the US across four states with Medical Marijuana laws.

I am a Crohn’s Disease patient for which cannabis has been the only effective treatment. After being on 16 pills a day and told by doctors that I would die within two to five years back in 2010, I can happily say I have outlived their prognosis and used the second chance given to me by cannaTQL#1

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people like me a prescription.

Why is all of this important? Illicitly available cannabis detailed in the “Street Lottery” report, published by think tank Volte Face (founded by Steve Moore, formerly the managing director of David Cameron’s The Big Society Foundation and orchestrator of the Billy Caldwell campaign) coincided with a reignition of public fears over the strength of THC in street cannabis across Britain, which the document

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suggests has an average of 14% THC. Regulation is of course needed but is this the way to go about it?

Some of GW Pharmaceuticals’ board members were part of the study, such as Pr Roger Pertwee, who also happens to be the Emeritus Professor at the University of Aberdeen with an MA (in biochemistry), D.Phil. (in pharmacology) and D.Sc. (in physiological sciences). From a business perspective, GW presum-

ably do not want products that have not gone through all the same trial stages reaching the market any time soon, which includes flowers from Canada and the Netherlands. It is in their interest to be the only cannabis medicine provider in the UK. GW have just released a non THC medicine, Epidiolex for children with epilepsy.

in an unregulated market you don’t know what you are buying really – dealers call their stuff anything to sell it to people who haven’t tried any of these modern strain names, like Gorilla Glue and Dosidos. What happened to Purple Haze? Not much, it’s just marketing and flavours at that point.

But garden to garden, the same batch Cannabis samples from India collected of seeds will produce a different end in 1897 test at 12% CBN – a degraded result based on the competence of cannabinoid of THC (Harvey, 1999). the grower. And there’s a lot of growThere were also small amounts of ers out there. Scientists should know THCa present, considered to be very better though, and they have the unstable, which breaks down to THC equipment to test the product. Why under heat and light exposure. That’s aren’t they asking patients to provide not much difference in THC to modern samples of the cannabis that gave street weed. So why all the fear-mon- them the psychotic episode? gering?

There are also studies that show Parents of children are still trying tobacco use can increase the risk of to gain access but being denied by a psychotic episode by three times neurologists because of this culture in young people by the age of 30 of fear and repeated bashing of high (Mustonen et al, 2018). Yet tobacco THC skunk. They come to us because which is smoked mixed in herbal canthey have reached their limit with the nabis joints by most people in the UK political quagmire that has made it im- never gets mentioned. Why is this? possible to legally help their children.

Parents want legal cannabis for their We have seen suspect cannabis children because speaking to an illegal samples brought into our clubs that grower could get them jailed and their people believe are laced with synthetchild taken away from them. ic cannabinoids. A member joined us from Derbyshire because they Recent scare stories around THC in bought one such bag of horror and the press over psychosis were shockended up being hospitalised, sufferingly unscientific (Di Forti, 2019). They ing serotonin syndrome because the predicted the strength of the cannabis synthetic cannabinoids potentiated based on the name of the strain the a serotonin-based medication he patients think they were using. But was taking at that time. Through our TQL#1

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trusted community of growers we managed to provide the right strains to help him recover after a significant mental health crisis. He has told us that had he not had the support which was provided to him through the cannabis social clubs he would have been sectioned or killed himself, it had got that bad. How many people out there don’t have the right people around them? His hospital records just made reference to it being cannabis though, not a synthetic manmade version that is the focus of many stories in the media referring to “spice zombies”, dehumanising victims.

ally 20,000 to one (Keale, 2009).

By far, more people use cannabis in the UK than go to Sunday service.

The Church of England recorded around 750,000 churchgoers in 2018, while the Home Offices says there are five million regular cannabis consumers, a conservative estimate based on crime figures and surveys.

At a time when all of this misinformation is being proliferated, unchallenged by people who have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are, citizens like us The fears around THC are largely artifiare going to continue to suffer at cial. Some people do have short-term the hands of the police operating adverse effects but which could be under prohibition orders. Or we addressed with public education – prescan be extorted to pay £250 for ently almost impossible because it is considered “encouragement” or “accept- an appointment with new private ance”. But this shouldn’t tarnish cannabis clinics for a £600-£700 a month prescription, with importers and as a whole or everyone else that finds it enjoyable or pleasent. The link between middlemen hiking the prices. Don’t cannabis and a case of psychosis is actu- get me wrong, I think it’s great that 154 153

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cannabis is in some way available, I just know how many people will be unable to access it.

And it seems strange that all of the companies lining up to take a slice of the pie are in a working relationship with the publishers of the studies amplifying fear over THC – a hugely medicinal compound.

For any avoidance of doubt, I am on first name and face to face speaking terms with the team at Volte Face and all of those with working relationships with them. We WhatsApp regularly and keep each other informed of our campaigns.

At the end of March I sat in Parliament with multiple organisations, the majority of whom use VF as their base. Opposite to me was End Our Pain. We were discussing how to advance medical cannabis to the next stages and provide greater access. I suggested decriminalisation for patients should be the number one demand. And I said that we had to be loudly honest about THC to de-stigmatise it, to expose the fact that GW Pharma do indeed grow skunk when the Health Secretary says “medical cannabis isn’t skunk”, which gets broadcast across Parliament TV worldwide.

Support for this was lacking. Unfortunately these organisations are limiting themselves by not pushing

for greater scope on cannabis as outright medicine. The health authorities want more trials but in the short term this only benefits private companies.

The studies take years but it increases potential market share for the big players and keeps their prices high when products do come to market.

Desperate people pay more. Aren’t we legalising this to stop people being at the mercy of unscrupulous business tactics?

If 90% of the cannabis market is recreational, surely there would be enough profit and taxes in legal recreational use to conduct the research that is needed to see what areas of medicine it really works in. The majority of the market wants high THC flowers, which is why there is such a thriving illegal market. People will keep finding a way to get it or grow it or provide it.

CBD flowers are available in high street shops but late in March we saw a crackdown commence on such businesses. Why? Because the 15% CBD cannabis also has 0.2% THC in it (inactive at these ratios). These are the people and small independently-run businesses providing access where the NHS has failed. When you look at who is influencing medical cannabis policy like we have above you can see that some people who know the truth aren’t quite letting everybody know.

We need to be doing more to gain the right to grow. Now you know, it’s time to overgrow.

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Meducation for the Nation

By Magic Trichs, Cardiff Cannabis Cafe Before you read this article, is it vital that we all understand the importance of shared understanding. It’s why we use dictionaries. I’ve blogged previously about the importance of language in the debate, you can read it here: https://cannabiscafecardiff.wordpress.com/2017/09/06/

the-importance-of-language-in-the-debate/

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n this article, I’ll be exploring and challenging the flawed rationale for treating cannabis as a pharmaceutical. The accepted definition of a pharmaceutical is: Noun: A compound manufactured for use as a medicinal drug.

Back in October I put a tweet out to warn the cannabis consuming community that they will need to have their wits about them as the UK starts its slow, arthritic movement towards the regulation of cannabis. I described the situation as ‘peak prohibition’, forecasting that the worst was yet to come.

Roundly derided as I often am (I accept I can be far too direct) it would appear that my (and others’) cynicism has been vindicated. Here we are, a full six months on since the UK supposedly 158 157

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made cannabis available on prescription and it was ‘job done’ as campaigners and PR men slapped themselves collectively on the back. So let’s just have a look where we are now: • An estimated five million people are still at risk of being criminalised • Less than 10 prescriptions have been issued on the NHS • A private prescription will cost you in the order of £1,400 for a 50g supply • Largely unproven claims about the link between the direct relationship between cannabis and psychosis are being ramped up • The cannabis consuming community has been divided into medical (worthy) and recreational (not worthy) Patients are still forced into black market channels to obtain their preferred medicine

• There are hundreds of millions of pounds sloshing about London as Big Canna and government insiders decide how best to carve up the industry for themselves.

UK that cannabis is treated as if it is radioactively toxic and that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have to put it through the same process as gabapentin or fentanyl, then I’m sure you’ll allow us a little bit of collective eye rolling.

When we examine more closely how this is all being handled, the gross levels of incompetence at hand becomes clear, from government to reformers We have to demystify this mess. themselves. We realise just how poorly understood cannabis is, and how the cult of CBD is actually holding wider reform back.

A very British idiosyncrasy is the arrogance with which we dismiss anything foreign when it comes to evidence.

You see, after hundreds and thousands of years of documented use, and more recently under an intense degree of scientific scrutiny, the evidence is in. It’s all been done.

California has remained the fifth largest economy in the world despite having had a medical cannabis programme for decades. It hasn’t turned into a free for all, a wasteland of civil breakdown and pandemic levels of psychosis.

Neither has Colorado, or, closer to home, Spain, Portugal or most famous of all, the Netherlands. So when we see in the

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The MHRA regulates medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion in the UK. Effectively they are there as a safety net so that compounds manufactured for use as medicinal drugs are safe, have been tested before being used on humans, have trials for efficacy and so on. They are there so that novel drugs never before exposed to human biology don’t kills us when doctors prescribe them. A good thing.

So before we go any further we need to determine if cannabis is a medicine, or whether is it simply an annual plant with medicinal properties. Like, say, lesser celandine, the roots of which you can brew into a tea to ease discomfort from hemorrhoids; or elderberries, which make a great cold soother and also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Given that cannabis has been around for a lot longer than the MHRA, and certainly all of the other modern compounds manufactured for use as medicines, maybe we are going about this in the wrong way. We are applying a pharmaceutical regulatory procedure to a plant.

isolating and commercialising individual cannabinoids, and you can start to see how long all this is going to take.

It’s wrong to segment cannabis into ‘types’. It’s all the same cannabis. Pink Kush from Tilray racks in at a very respectable 25% THC and 0% CBD. Similar to well-grown Haze. This is despite the UK obsessing about, and some notable voices wrongly asserting, that cannabis without CBD content is not medicinal.

Medicinal cannabis and recreational cannabis are the same cannabis irrespective of their cannabinoid or terpene profile. Bedrocan uses Sensi Seeds as a supplier of seed stock.

Sensi Seeds (and their offshoot White Label Seeds) are responsible for some legendary strains – Super Skunk was one of theirs and today they claim to be the world’s largest seed bank with over 500 strains under their banner.

Bedrocan grow Jack Herer, yes, that knock-out old school favourite Sativa dominant hybrid. And it’s the same for every medicinal cannabis producer on the planet. To develop new strains they sow hundreds of seeds and then over time select and clone and cross Is it any wonder the whole thing is particular phenotypes which they roll gnarled up in misinformation, misin- out under a trademarked name. But terpretation and misunderstanding? it’s no more medicinal cannabis as it is Layer on to this attempt to regulate, recreational cannabis; they aren’t dothe unproven and unfounded myth of ing anything different from you and I in cannabis-induced psychosis, the cult our grow rooms and gardens. It’s just of CBD and this new obsession with cannabis. In fact, Bedrocan’s version of 160 159

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Jack Herer is a Haze, crossed with Shiva medical establishment is ignorant Skunk (NL #5 x Skunk #1), and Northern about cannabis. Institutions such as the Royal Society of Psychiatry who Lights #5. know nothing about cannabis, or have never used or grown it themSo now that’s out of the way, we can selves, are now leading organisations agree that medicinal cannabis is no different from good quality street can- running training programme for clinicians without understanding any nabis. And badly grown poor quality medicinal cannabis (yes, there is such a of what has just been described. thing), is no different from badly grown, As a result they do not understand poor quality street cannabis. But the the endocannabinoid system in the messaging from some wings of the reform movement won’t share this in- same way that they understand formation or they flat out want to shut other human biological systems.

Cannabis consumers do however. down this inconvenient aspect of the debate. In the UK, they often maintain We know that the endocannabinoid system is highly personalised. We that THC causes psychosis and only their medicinal cannabis contains CBD know this because of the variance in effect from person to person from (which they also wrongly describe as being the good cannabinoid to counter- the same source – ever been in a act the bad cannabinoid, THC). They are group with everyone using the same weed? The range and variance of doing themselves a mischief. effect from person to person can be considerable, but not dangerous.

Now, because of prohibition, our

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It’s down to individual cannabinoid receptor morphology. It is further the case that what one person finds pleasant, another may not. Or one strain for patient A may not be effective for patient B even though they have the same condition. Patient B may require less CBD and more THC, or a different terpene profile because they don’t get on with Myrcene dominant strains.

icines to regulate a plant that is grown and has flowers, leaves and roots and everything that’s about as non pharmaceutical as you can get. It won’t work because the plant is too complex at a molecular level. It’s not a compound manufactured, it’s grown. And it’s a plant with (incredible) medicinal properties, not a pharmaceutical.

Clever old cannabis.

There are not many pharmaceutical drugs that are comparable to cannabis because they generally don’t contain over 400 active ingredients. They generally only have one active ingredient. And the fact that we are seeing an obsession over THC vs CBD demonstrates the complete collective lack of knowledge or willingness to accept that this needs a different approach.

People are foolishly waging a war over which is the most important single active ingredient.

So what to do? While we watch epileptic kids have life-threatening seizures day after day, or provide counsel to friends and loved ones who are being criminalised simply for undertaking non-damaging life enhancing activities, the cohort of insanity rumbles on.

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The government could – and tomorrow in order to clean up this car crash – do the following: • Most urgent is the immediate decriminalisation of personal possession and removal of all sanctions from UK citizens wishing to grow their own

and cannabinoid profile that would be right for that individual and their • Reschedule all cannabis and deriva- condition and WOULD enable flowers tives to schedule 4 – where Sativex is and concentrates to be approved in a already situated! (I know, I know!) For safe, proportionate way to the level of those of you who don’t know, Sativex risk versus benefit we are talking about here. is a full plant extract adjusted to a ratio of 1:1 THC:CBD – which is why many MS sufferers find it ineffective; it • The NHS should partner with the is too low in THC, although it does get current recreational ‘underclass’ – they have the knowledge and the grow how. you high.

They should be employed to teach the • Use the Herbal Medicines Subcom- NHS how to grow its own raw material. mittee of the MHRA to approve prod- This would bring the price of intensive extraction down massively and enable ucts for prescription which should significantly improved clinical outbe dispensed separately from pharmacies, in specialist dispensaries a la comes and access for patients, providCalifornia, Colorado or Canada – this ing jobs and significantly reducing costs means tailored advice and a person- and harms across the board. ally tailored dispensation of the strain cannabis.

Keep up to date with the musings of Magic Trich’s on Twitter @c_cannabiscafe and https://cannabiscafecardiff.wordpress.com

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The Police that want to legalise drugs

By Jason Reed, Law Enforcement Action Partnership UK Once you’re able to explain the reasons behind cannabis law reform, well, you’re hard pushed to find anyone who can make a decent argument against it. The evidence, the facts, the logic, it all points towards a nuanced regulatory system. But we all know this, don’t we? Don’t just agree with us. Use us and share us. over competing shows of I currently find myself such calibre as BBC Blue in. Just like music, it’s no good just liking the have had Planet. tune, you have to make many titles and roles over the past ten years, all of I only give you my CV to sure your audience is at which have been within indicate that I am boring! the very least tapping If you have a conversation their foot, or preferably, the arena of trying to with me about cannabis getting them up off their ensure that we reform seat to take rhythmic our drug laws. I’ve been or drug policy then I’ll action. Arguably my most involved in theatrically re- be using words such as prestigious role in drug leased films, such as The ‘marketing’ and ‘public policy reform is that of Culture High which also relations’. my current one. I am had a long run on Netflix, and also Grassroots: Yes, we absolutely need the Executive Director of LEAP UK – Law EnforceThe Cannabis Revolution, to base our words and ment Action Partnership. actions on hard eviwhich can be seen on Amazon Prime. I’ve writ- dence, this is key, but ten for most of the usual we also need to think in This is a UN accredited, terms of how to get the global organisation of law suspects, such as Vice, enforcement from across last bum off the seat.

The Independent, Huffthe whole spectrum; ington Post, and even the My background is in from Police Constables British Medical Journal, music and promotion, to Chief Constables, from and I’m privileged to host and oddly enough this MI5 to undercover drug a nationally award-win- previous realm is not a ning podcast called Stop million miles away from detectives, and from the political world which military officers who and Search, which won

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Be a seed of change.

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Big things come from small beginnings.

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have to keep in mind that decades of manipulation means changing opinions takes time. The presentation of the debate is absolutely crucial.

There’s little point in actually turning this into an actual ‘debate’ as this often leads to a butting policed the international This is actually one of ‘war on drugs’ to EU drug LEAP UK’s main campaign of heads and a simple commissioners (or ‘drug arms: we must reinstate enforcement of already held beliefs. This is where tsars’ as they are fondly the lost relationship LEAP UK’s work comes termed). LEAP UK has between the police and in… You see, we’re here the whole gamut, all of communities. The ‘drug to be used. When enwhom have a very parwar’ is directly accountticular angle on why we able for the disharmony gaged on social media, or even a real-life converurgently need to change between certain demosation, we all need to be our approach to drugs graphics, such as drug mindful of harnessing the and those who consume consumers and the them. This, undeniably, is state. With sensible and points which make our a powerful voice. health-based drug policy opposite ranks stop and reforms, we can perhaps think. This, in essence, is Over the years workbegin to rebuild lost trust. marketing. ing with LEAP UK, I’ve Imagine someone (who kept my ear close to the As much as we want to ground and collected work with everyone who’s you may well already feedback. There are interested in reform, I’m know) who just does not agree with drug policy those who view LEAP UK keen to point out that with a sense of suspicion, we’re first and foremost reform. Then imagine their reaction when you and this is quite underaimed at those who do show them that a whole standable. When so many not yet agree with us. spectrum of law enforcepeople who have them We’ve all been there, selves been subject to we’ve all had those chats ment figures seek urgent arrest or harassment due- whereby the person op- change. Be honest, can you think of a more to current drug laws, the posite subscribes to our erosion of trust is more current laws and policies impacting statement?

Can you conceive a more than obvious. without having really even thought about it. We challenging position?

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LEAP UK can change per- fought in Afghanistan, ceptions and get people policing the poppy fields, to question ‘why?’ and now they say why we need international reThe work which I’ve forms, this is eye-opening produced in the past, and and needs to be shared. the work which LEAP UK now produces, is not here The team at LEAP UK to preach to the convert- produce sharable content ed; we don’t want you so that you can use it. to agree with us, but we We want you to distribneed you to share us. All ute it and use us to start too often we see social conversations. LEAP UK’s media awash with negChairperson Neil Woods ative news, or the latest has written two books, headlines around canGood Cop, Bad War and nabis’ association with Drug Wars, both of which mental health; these are are easy to lend to somethe stories which have an one who may not agree extended range due to with you on reform. outrage-shares.

The podcast we produce, We have to change this Stop and Search, is full culture. If we’re to think of guests ranging from realistically about reform policy experts, to scienand its marketing, then tists, to celebrities; it’s a we need to change the chat show for the drug way we talk about this policy reform generation, and amend the way we and again, it’s purposely share content on our easy to share and engage social media. As I state, with. We produce a range don’t just agree with us, of engaging blogs on our share us. When you have website, all written so as an undercover drugs cop to challenge someone’s making comments in the perception. press about the harms they’ve caused and why LEAP UK is often in the we need reform, this is media, either with our making a case. When own writing or through you have an officer who making comment. We 168 167

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do so to amplify the argument and make a thought-provoking case.

So please share on your social media and start a conversation. Don’t just watch a film on drugs or cannabis reform – have a film night, make a recommendation, or lend a copy to someone. It’s only through dissemination that we’ll win the information battle.

The next time you encounter someone who’s not convinced by your argument, please do refer them our way and ask them: “Did you know law enforcement want to reform our drug laws? Go and ask them why.”

Read, listen and watch more from LEAP UK at www.ukleap.org & don’t forget to subscribe to the Stop And Search podcast!

SO MUCH MORE THAN A GARDENING SHOW

23-25 AUG 2019 23 AUG TRADE DAY 23-25 AUG PUBLIC DAYS

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Green Party back the right to grow your own

By Julyan Levy

Most people know what the Green Party of England and Wales stands for: protecting the environment and creating a fair and just society where all can participate in a green future. However, since 1990 we have also been the party which has consistently adopted a radical, evidence-based drug policy.

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are not alone in calling for drug policy reform. So why is the Green Party’s position any different from MPs in other parties who also support reform?

Unlike the neoliberalism of other pro-reform agents, the Green Party seeks to make the production, supply and consumption of cannabis unprofitable for the corporate sector.

fter voting Green in 2010 I joined the following year to help make the party’s drug policy more prominent.

I questioned why the Greens were not making reform around the human-cannabis relationship a campaign priority.

With the already large body of evidence clearly showing its therapeutic How could this be achieved? Well, essentialbenefits, it seemed a ly by developing a framemissed opportunity. work for the production, supply and consumption Of course, the Greens 170 169

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of cannabis from the grassroots up (excuse the pun) and putting the resources of the emerging Green Rush into the hands of the many and not the few. Three important words spring to mind – Grow. Your. Own. The Green Party favours the social club model primarily because it aligns itself with the ethics of the party. It is community based and not for profit.

These two principles are both socially and environmentally sustainable.

police, and experts from drug reform organisations. We are now in the process of updating the policy and believe that Cannabis Social Clubs are an essential element to the regulation of the human-cannabis relationship. If cannabis was regulated this way then In Autumn a motion was Corporate Canna™ would passed to form a working find it very difficult to get a substantial foothold in group to re-write the the market. drug policy to reflect and align ourselves with If you agree with us and want the #right2grow current global trends. then why not join us now Alex Armitage and ZoÍ and get involved.

Garbett were elected Secondly, environmental: co-convenors of the new register.greenparty.org. put simply, local produc- working group made up uk facebook.com/ tion for local consump- of party members, acation means less of a car- demics, members of the GreenPartyDU bon footprint. Cannabis Social Clubs would also fit into a wider mixed economic framework that includes the staterun NHS (producing its own medicine and selling the excess in the global market), hemp-based Firstly, social: cultivating a community approach protects young people, keeps individuals from being alienated, cuts the cost of the whole process (e.g. energy costs, costs of seeds and equipment), allows medical and recreational users the ability to choose which strains work best for them, and provides a local educational space.

Not for profit means there is no-one getting super rich and cannabis remains affordable to all.

worker co-ops (producing raw materials for the building, beauty, textile industry etc.), social enterprises (e.g. food based CBD business), and regulation around the individual/household (e.g. number of plants allowed).

The Green Party’s Caroline Lucas takes on prohibitionist Peter Hitchens.

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Cannabis is as British as sugar

By Greg de Hoedt It might shock you to find this out, but the sugar you just stirred into the tea you’ve brewed to have with your spliff was probably made at the UK’s largest weed facility.

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turning a root vegetable into a bag of sugar creates a lot of carbon dioxide ucked away waste which, as you can imagine, isn’t in the rural countryside of Wissingdon, particularly good for the planet. The Norfolk, chuffs away the industrial sacrifices we force on Mother Earth processing factory belonging to British for our chemical vices... But thanks to Sugar. The company whose slogan is a bit of green thinking, some bright “a home grown British success story” spark realised that if they built a claims to be responsible for producgreenhouse they could pipe the CO2 ing 50% of the sugar consumed in the into it to provide extra warmth and UK – 1.4 million tonnes of it. To say boost the yield (which all good growthey understand agricultural scale is an ers should know). understatement.

Originally they were growing tomaThe irony of their cheeky catchphrase toes, but due to the rising economic whereby they claim to work with 3,000 interest in the cannabidiol (CBD) British farmers has inspired cannabis market and its potential as a drug for activists to visit the front of the facility pediatric epilepsy, it seemed much to have their pictures taken, often with more profitable to switch over to a particular two-fingered salute… but growing a monocrop of a strain high why are they bothering? What is so in CBD. significant about British Sugar to tokers in the UK? The CBD crop is grown in a 46-acre glass greenhouse supplemented with Well... in 2016 the aforementioned LED lighting. That’s the equivalent of company that makes the main ingre23 Premier League football pitches. dient for children’s sweets by appoint- Looks like British Sugar really hit the ment of the Queen, signed a contract back of the net when they scored this with British biopharmaceutical comwinning goal! pany GW Pharmaceuticals to produce the cannabis for their new product The CBD from the plants that are Epidiolex, which is specifically for grown in Norfolk are dried out and children with rare forms of epilepsy. It then turned into an oil and then furmight seem a bit strange but when you ther processed to purify the CBD into understand the scale of British Sugar’s crystalline isolate form. This is then business, it starts to make sense. mixed with a carrier oil and strawberry flavouring – just like standard kids They have been making the pure white medicines. Some parents have found stuff out of sugar beets for nearly 100 this has been effective, like Sam in years but a huge part of the process of California access who appeared on

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the TV show Steph & Dom recently.

But UK patients Alfie Dingley and Murray Gray are in need of a cannabis-based medicinal product that contains small amounts of THC. The science behind that is called the Entourage Effect, which you can read about in our endocannabinoid article on page 62.

parents have been able to get their specialist neurologist to prescribe Epidiolex. There are an estimated 200 children in the UK who are fighting for access to this one drug for just one condition.

While the fact that so much cannabis is being grown in the UK might seem like an incredible story, patients and activists are tired of the hypocrisy. We speak to patients every week who are GW Pharmaceuticals have already released one medicine onto the global still being raided despite the public being given the impression that medmarket back in 2010 – Sativex, the ical cannabis is now legal. The truth mouth spray for MS patients that is that patients are still fighting on have terrible tremors and spasticity. the frontline and many feel they have THC and CBD combined have a really strong effect in stopping these symp- been left behind. toms and are much safer than other It got worse when Magic Trichs of Carconventional prescription drugs like diff Cannabis Cafe (@c_cannabiscafe Gabapentin and Amitriptyline, which on Twitter) discovered and revealed can cause people to feel suicidal. that the drugs minister Victoria Atkins MP was married to the CEO of British Scandalously, not many patients can Sugar, Paul Kenward. While she did access Sativex in the UK. You pretty much have to live in Wales to get an declare this conflict of interest, she is NHS prescription for it. Since Novem- able to keep a straight face while declaring that, in her words, “there is no ber, when cannabis medicines were accepted benefit to medical cannalegalised, only a couple of children’s 174 173

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bis”. British Sugar under her husband’s control grew more cannabis in one crop – for profit – than the whole of the UKCSC put together in a year!

Just to top things off, Prime Minister Theresa May’s husband, Philip, is an investment relations manager for the Capitol Group, who just happen to be the largest shareholders in GW Pharmaceuticals. To say that the public would want to know if Theresa May knew about all this is an understatement. The now PM was formerly the Home Secretary, the longest ever serving, so it is likely that this issue would have come up. It seems quite well tied up.

All the while Theresa May was refusing to allow Alfie, Billy, Murray, Cole, Jorgia and other children safe access and forcing their parents to travel abroad to spend thousands as medical cannabis migrants. This kept GW Pharmaceuticals as the only company providing

cannabis medicines to UK patients.

Of course she wasn’t going to open up the door to allow Canadian, Australian, Israeli and other international companies to come in and take a piece of the pie.

When the Liberal Democrats were in coalition with the Conservatives in 2010-2015, May notoriously tried to alter Nick Clegg’s drug policy report because she did not like the findings, which suggested decriminalisation.

Need more be said?

As it stands, the public can’t get hold of British Sugar’s CBD Skunk flowers, but there are a growing number of shops serving a similar product and possibly in a town near you.

Let us know if you try some and what you think of it by sending us an email or tagging us in a post on Instagram @ukcannabissocialclubs

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Now where did I hide my weed...?

Relax...unwind, here’s some words to find.

D O S A S

I D O S G K X Y L A C

L M A E N R B W A R B A

N U G W B C V P O U O B U N K

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R D Q E L S R O F K

D T F K U S H J M R U

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S A T

I

I

N

V A

S W E G E X Z S D B

E B C L K Y M L N C E N Q I M Y X O G S P

I

O N T U P M G T

S T I

H O M E O S T A S C X S

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L W N

H W T R O I

S O V

I

P Z G Y O Y M T J A D

I B R V H S H Q E X O D U S R E C E P T O R D K N F P T T N E H J

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Kush Hemp Dank Cannabinoid Trichome Nug Dosidos Stone Homeostasis Exodus Sativa Endo Roots

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E N D O Kilo Bun Og Terp

Sensi Calyx Dab Receptor

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C O L L E C T O R S

F I R S T

I S S U E

was brought to you by...

Greg de Hoedt - Executive Editor & Cheif Design Darren Rigby - Director of Photography & Digital Art Barnaby de Hoedt -Writer, Editor & Proofing Chris Tasker - Science Editor

Issue #1 Additional Contributors Dom Turns, CannafamUK Podcast Phil James, Wrexham Social Cannabis Club Magic Trichs, Cardiff Cannabis Cafe Frank Odyseed, Hive Glass Jason Reed, LEAP UK Marwan Elgamal (@thehighclublondon) Julyan Levy, Green Party Drugs Group With thanks to our sponsors... seedsman.com barneysfarm.com arizer.com riverside-hydroponics.co.uk aztechsmokeshop.co.uk cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk bsbgenetics.com paradise-seeds.com elementpapers.com kannabia.com @blingyourbud @truecannabliss

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Photography & Art Darren Rigby @dazzlin451 Dom Turns @cannafamuk Andrew Wiz Greg de Hoedt @curethenation Sales Alexandra Lea Ace Sumner Special thank you to Croft House Studios James Walton @thegrinduk & Nigel Burt, Product Earth Expo @hemp_n_ireland @handsonprinting Find us online instagram.com/the_quarterleaf facebook.com/thequarterleaf ukcsc.co.uk/thequarterleaf reddit.com/ukcannabissocialclubs

Purple Kush

Black Domina x Purple x OG Kush

www.kannabia.com info@kannabia.com

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Alcohol... it’s not for everyone.

JOIN UKCSC TO HELP END PROHIBITION 2.0 180

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