londongreennews

2010-07-13T00:53:00.001+02:00

High everyone!We are in 2009 and I am aware of the dangers that come from smoking and drinking and should be my choice if I want to drink, smoke or eat Cannabis. There for I do not want to break the low but some uneducated people who think that Cannabis Sativa is more dangerous then alcohol.This is why I want to make a big deal out of this matter. The majority of my friends and probably more then 20% of London who consume cannabis for recreational or medical purposes risk prison. Me and many others think that this is insanity I think people are do not know about this plant that much and that is why a lot of them don’t offer support or acceptance. Statistically nobody died from consuming Cannabis but alcohol make victims every day.

Synthetic cannabis mimic found in herbal incense

2009-06-25T11:05:00.004+02:00

A chemical substance first synthesized in 1995 in a university lab in the US for purely experimental purposes is now being used by young people around the world to legally achieve a marijuana-like high and is causing alarm among health officials in Europe.
The synthetic substance, JWH-018, a cannabinoid receptor agonist from the aminoalkylindole family, has been found in herbal mixtures sold legally under various 'spice' names, such as Spice Gold and Spice Yucatan Fire. The mixture is sold as incense, but is smoked to get high.

Germany's Drug Commissioner Sabine Bätzing has vowed to make the sale of Spice mixtures illegal in Germany by the end of January, by modifying the Controlled Substances Act. She says Spice can have negative side effects and be addictive. Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands have already banned Spice.

While a shepherd watched his flock by night...

2009-06-23T00:00:00.003+02:00

Medicinal purposes are one thing, but marijuana received an unexpected recreational endorsement when Italy's highest court ruled that an Italian shepherd's smoking habit could be justified because he only had sheep for company.

The 45-year-old shepherd was caught with marijuana in his car as he was setting off for an extended period with his flock in the mountains of Alto Adige, in the far north of the country. Police found 38 grams (about 1.3 ounces) in the car, and the shepherd, identified only as Giorgio D., was convicted of possession. But upholding an appeal against the verdict, the Court of Cassation ruled that the shepherd was justified in possessing this small quantity of the drug on account of "the long and solitary period" he was about to spend "in the countryside and the mountains, due to the migration of his flock of sheep".
It is not the first time that Italy's most senior judges have chosen to smile indulgently at the smoking of marijuana in unusual contexts. Last July, the court overturned the conviction of a Rastafarian, Giuseppe G., as it concluded that the drug "was a possible conveyor to a psychophysical state connected to contemplative prayer ? in the belief that the sacred herb grew on the tomb of Solomon, acquiring its potency from that wise king".

A Look At Medicinal Cannabis & Sativex UK

2009-06-18T22:28:00.000+02:00

2009-06-18T22:20:00.002+02:00

Paris Hilton loves cannabis????

2009-06-18T02:36:00.003+02:00

Sexy socialite Paris Hilton has been snapped with a bag of suspicious-looking leaves.
The heiress accidentally gave observers a glimpse of the clear plastic wallet, containing what might be mistaken for cannabis, at a Milan fashion show last week reports Daily Mail UK
Hilton's publicist Elliot Mintz insisted: "Things are not always as they appear. It would be unfair to draw any conclusions based solely on these photos."

The contents of Miss Hilton's handbag were exposed as she reached in to touch up her pink nail varnish while in the front row of a Dolce & Gabbana catwalk show.
The same month she was spotted with a roll-up at a party in Miami hosted by rap mogul P Diddy.

US Students learn to grow medical marijuana

2009-06-16T13:48:00.002+02:00

Learning how to get started in the medical marijuana business costs a lot less than an Ivy League education and takes as little as one weekend. So far, 60 students have completed two-day weekend sessions in the art and science of the medicinal herb at Oaksterdam University in Oakland, California.The school prepares students for jobs in California’s medical marijuana industry, teaching them how to cultivate cannabis, cook with it, dispense it and “protect your rights in a police encounter,” among other things. The faculty also teach “which strains are best for various medical conditions.”“My basic idea is to try to professionalize the industry and have it taken seriously as a real industry, just like beer and distilling hard alcohol.”

Jesus 'healed using cannabis'

2009-06-14T12:26:00.004+02:00

Jesus was almost certainly a cannabis user and an early proponent of the medicinal properties of the drug, according to a study of scriptural texts published. The study suggests that Jesus and his disciples used the drug to carry out miraculous healings.
The anointing oil used by Jesus and his disciples contained an ingredient called kaneh-bosem which has since been identified as cannabis extract, according to an article by Chris Bennett in the drugs magazine, High Times, entitled Was Jesus a Stoner? The incense used by Jesus in ceremonies also contained a cannabis extract, suggests Mr Bennett, who quotes scholars to back his claims.
"There can be little doubt about a role for cannabis in Judaic religion," Carl Ruck, professor of classical mythology at Boston University said.
Referring to the existence of cannabis in anointing oils used in ceremonies, he added: "Obviously the easy availability and long-established tradition of cannabis in early Judaism _ would inevitably have included it in the [Christian] mixtures."
Mr Bennett suggests those anointed with the oils used by Jesus were "literally drenched in this potent mixture _ Although most modern people choose to smoke or eat pot, when its active ingredients are transferred into an oil-based carrier, it can also be absorbed through the skin".
Quoting the New Testament, Mr Bennett argues that Jesus anointed his disciples with the oil and encouraged them to do the same with other followers. This could have been responsible for healing eye and skin diseases referred to in the Gospels.
"If cannabis was one of the main ingredients of the ancient anointing oil and receiving this oil is what made Jesus the Christ and his followers Christians, then persecuting those who use cannabis could be considered anti-Christ," Mr Bennett concludes.

Dutch cannabis cafes to become private members' clubs

2009-06-11T21:27:00.001+02:00

ABOUT 30 cannabis-vending coffee shops in the south of the Netherlands are to become private members' clubs at the start of next year to keep out foreign drug tourists.
"We will transform the coffee shops from open establishments, accessible by all to closed establishments of which clients need to be members," Maastricht's Mayor Gerd Leers said.In the latest move away from the traditionally liberal Dutch approach to such issues as soft drugs and prostitution, coffee shops in the province of Limburg said they would start issuing membership cards. The application procedure would take several days, in effect preventing short-term tourists from buying marijuana. The move is backed by the Government and is seen as a pilot project for possible expansion to other areas. Some four million foreigners travel to Limburg every year to buy cannabis, according to a municipal official. The measure, to be applied uniformly by all coffee shops in the province which borders Belgium and Germany, would seek to "discourage the majority of drug tourists," said Mr Leers.

Dutch marijuana fields cannot hide from canna chopper

2009-06-10T15:17:00.004+02:00

The Netherlands (and their capital city of Amsterdamn) have garnished a well known reputation for their loose laws on the cannabis plant and marijuana, but most people don’t realize that the drug is NOT completely legal in the nation. According to some reports, only as much as 10% of the Marijuana grown in the nation is sold and grown legally.
In an effort to crack down on illegal marijuana growing, Dutch authorities developed the “Canna Chopper.” The unmanned helicopter craft is equipped with odor sensors that can “smell marijuana” and also uses video detection technology. In it’s first trial run in the field, it was successfull in discovering a marijuana farm that lead to the arrest of seven individuals.
While technology like this is unfortunate for the outdoor Marijuana growers of the world, it is unlikely that it will affect all of the many indoor grow operations and legal coffee shop outlets that we have all grown to know and love.

Revealed: Government helpline tells children 'cannabis is safer than alcohol'

2009-06-09T01:10:00.003+02:00

Children calling the Government's drugs helpline are being told that cannabis is safer than alcohol and that ecstasy will not damage their health, an investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has found.

Advisers manning the “Frank” helpline are informing callers they believed to be children as young as 13 that alcohol is a “much more powerful drug than cannabis” and that using the illegal drug recreationally is not harmful because it “doesn’t get you that high”.
Callers are also being told that taking ecstasy will not lead to long-term damage and that if they are in doubt, to “just take half a pill and if you are handling that OK, you can take the other half.”

They are even being told that they would be able to smoke a cannabis joint, on top of ecstasy, with no ill-effects.

Romania-European parliament unusual candidates

2009-06-06T18:39:00.001+02:00

This April 3, 2009 file photo shows Elena Basescu, youngest daughter of Romania’s President Traian Basescu during a news conference in Bucharest, Romania. President Basescu endorsed his youngest daughter’s run for the European Parliament in what has become the most talked about political event of the year with the words ”she’s smarter than you think.” Basescu is trying to transform her image from a perceived spoiled party-going girl about town, into a serious young politician in touch with Romania’s youth. In a televised interview Basescu said she personally supported legalizing cannabis which sparked days of front page stories, non-stop television comment, and criticism from politicians in conservative Romania.

UK teenagers are worst in Europe for Cannabis abuse

2009-06-05T15:54:00.003+02:00

Almost half of 15 and 16-year-olds admit to using cannabis, according to a United Nations (UN) report.
Up to a third of adults in the UK have also admitted taking cannabis, and critics say the decision to move the drug to class C in 2004 is to blame.
The Government announced that cannabis would return to class B last year, but some have raised concerns that penalties are still too soft.
According to the UN report, 44 per cent of UK youngsters aged 15 and 16 have used cannabis. This is up from 38 per in 2003 and puts the UK at the top of the league in Europe.

Cannabis users will not be arrested until they have been caught three times – a softer approach than is usually taken with other class B drugs. The first offence will result in a warning, and the second will incur an £80 fine, called a Penalty Notice of Disorder.
Days after the change in law, it emerged that teenagers in the North East of England had been given a booklet entitled Know Cannabis which tells readers that the drug can make music “sound better” and explains how to roll a joint.

Gang jailed for attempt to smuggle £36m of cannabis into Britain

2009-06-05T15:13:00.003+02:00

Members of an international gang, including Israeli organised criminals, were jailed today after they attempted to flood Britain with £36 million worth of cannabis.
Over several months the men, including British criminals from Leicester and members of a Serbian gang, were kept under surveillance by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) as they planned the huge operation involving 12.5 tonnes of the drug.
Israeli law enforcement intercepted calls while Leicestershire police also helped keep track of some of the men as they arranged to bring a boat into Southampton loaded with cannabis.
Investigators in seven other countries were also involved in the huge operation.

Cannabis compound can help cells

2009-06-04T13:55:00.003+02:00

Cannabis has been used recreationally and for medicinal purposes for centuries, yet its 60 plus active components are only partly understood. Now scientists have discovered how a compound in cannabis can help cells to function in our bodies, and aid recovery after a damaging event.

In a paper published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers report on their studies into cannabidiol – a naturally occurring molecule found in cannabis.
Also known as CBD, it is not the constituent that gives the high – that compound is called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC – and so may be more acceptable as a drug treatment.
Both compounds are currently used in a pharmaceutical medicine to help patients relieve pain and other symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.
Now researchers have discovered how CBD actually works within brain cells. By interacting with mitochondria - which are the power generators of all cells - it can help maintain normal levels of calcium allowing cells to function properly and providing a greater resistance to damage.
Disturbance of calcium levels has long been associated with a number of brain disorders. So the finding could have implications for the development of new treatments for disorders related to malfunctioning mitochondria.
Dr Bettina Platt, from the University's School of Medical Sciences, said: "Scientists have known for a long time that cannabidiol can help with pain relief but we never really knew how it worked.
"However we have discovered what it actually does at the cellular level.
"We are hoping that our findings can instruct the development of cannabidiol based treatments for disorders related to mitochondrial dysfunction such as Parkinson's disease or Huntington's disease." Nevertheless, Dr Platt warned that smoking cannabis would not necessarily have the same effect.
"There are different strains of cannabis out there and many no longer contain cannabidiol. In fact, these have been deliberately bred out to enhance the THC content," she said.

Cannabis news

2009-06-04T13:28:00.002+02:00

Newspapers continue in their outdated sensationalist reporting on cannabis, sprouting the usual, ‘what about the children’ and ‘mental illness’ tag-lines and wheeling out government ‘message’ after ‘message’ in a vain hope of selling more newspapers. Hacks are falling over themselves to present their yellow propaganda to please their despotic editors.

They pontificate and fluster in righteous indignation, often presenting a simple cannabis grower as a hardened criminal or as a foreigner! Their jingoism overflowing in such news reporting as ‘Vietnamise or Chinese Gang Running Cannabis Factory’, like a foreigner’s ethnicity and homeland do not matter to the white british readership, just their foreign-ness and the fact they are running a DRUG factory.

There is no doubt that the government have put pressure on media to present cannabis in a negative way while not reporting on the beneficial side, but not all forms of media are towing the party line. Recently we had the Horizon program on cannabis, which although did not blow the trumpet for legalisation, at least gave out some truth and a more adult and realistic message than the Home Secretary is capable of.

• Cannabis production must be weeded out and put in safer hands

2009-06-04T12:39:00.004+02:00

A large number of decent and otherwise law-abiding Scottish citizens consume cannabis. Lots more would do so if it were not illegal. It seems illogical that so much police time and legal system resources should be devoted to its prohibition. It seems illogical that the provision of this popular recreational drug should be left to people perceived as criminals Demand could be met on a safe, controlled and legal basis. I am sure the big pharmaceutical companies are just itching to expand from pills and potions and into the hashish business. The drinks and tobacco giants, who have much experience in selling addictive substances, would love to add dope to their portfolio of products. It makes financial sense. The tax revenue from cannabis would be welcomed by our straitened Treasury. It could fund any number of MPs' second homes, shopping trips, clean moats and dwellings for ducks.
Cannabis has been in use since the dawn of time. Hindus and various other religious sects use it as an aid to devotion.

Legaly smoking

2009-06-03T16:49:00.003+02:00

Our government are allowing people who come from other UK countries to smoke cannabis in bud form on our streets under the EU laws of the Schengen agreement. This cannabis has been prescribed by drs in Holland etc and used legally in the UK. We all visitors to smoke cannabis in our country and we lock up our own citizens. Where’s the justice in that. Crazy government, crazy law.

Contaminated Cannabis

2009-06-03T16:25:00.003+02:00

Most of the cannabis we get in the uk is contaminated, with engine oils, diesel, plastics, ketamin(horse tranquiliser), and many other carcinogenic materials. This stuff should be regulated and bad toxins added banned from the eu. Unless the government take actions on this contaminated cannabis, peoples health will suffer and mental illnesses will continue to increase due to the toxins people are forced to use. Its not the cannabis causing psychosis it the toxins from low grade cannabis which people are smoking which is causing harm!

Cannabis Cafes in London? Brixton Discusses Amsterdam-Style Coffee Houses

2009-06-03T14:46:00.000+02:00

With the London borough of Lambeth's experiment with marijuana decriminalization now well underway -- police in the borough no longer arrest cannabis possessors, but merely snatch their stashes and issue warnings -- Lambeth activists are looking to the future, and they see the borough's predominantly Caribbean section of Brixton taking on something of the aspect of Amsterdam. In the first of a series of projected community meetings organized by Cannabis Action London, the cannabis coffee house approach pioneered by the Dutch garnered loud and boisterous support.
The debate, held last week at the Juice Bar in Brixton, showed that at least some segments of the community felt the decriminalization experiment did not go far enough. According to the London Evening Standard, a majority at the debate felt that with cannabis having been widely available in Brixton for decades, the logical next step would be cannabis cafes.
"The opening up of places where people come to smoke releases huge amounts of local government and central government revenue," said Brixton resident and Lambeth schools worker Michael Morris.
Lambeth Green Party drug policy spokesman Shane Collins also called for the cafes. "There should be licensed coffee shops for cannabis," he told the crowd. "We are not going to be given coffee shops by those people in suits. If we are going to have them, we have got to take them and set them up."
Drug reformers were not the only ones speaking up for coffee shops. "Entrepreneurs should seize the moment," said pub owner Martyn Cannan. "If a cafe is licensed and registered in a safe and correct manner, you will know what you buying. Those people who do not want anything to do with cannabis will know where not to go."
Others at the meeting expressed anger at the prevalence of hard drug dealers in the neighborhood and suggested that opening coffee houses would free the police to deal with them, the newspaper reported.
Lambeth councilor Johanna Sherrington, of the ruling Labor Party, however, had words of warning for coffee house enthusiasts. "This is not a decision for Lambeth alone," she said. "The police have the ultimate say about these issues. We have got neighbors. We can't act in isolation. We haven't blocked [the decriminalization experiment], but that doesn't mean we are pro-legalization," she added.
While telling the crowd she had an "open mind" on the issue and that the council's position was to "wait and see," Sherrington also hastened to remind her audience: "Let's not forget that cannabis is illegal."
Cannabis Action London activist Alastair Williams differed with Sherrington, calling the coffee house idea "a socially responsible" approach. "It is within the power of the police authority to have pilot schemes and alternative ways of policing drugs in society," he argued.
Lambeth police have so far not commented on the coffee house idea.

2009-06-02T19:30:00.001+02:00

Ganja Meaning and Definition

The dried hemp plant, used in India for smoking. It is extremely narcotic and intoxicating.

2009-06-01T14:19:00.002+02:00

I beleave man made bear....and God made weed .....I beleave in God...