Cannabis Cultuurprijs (cannabis culture award)

The Cannabis Cultuurprijs 2009, now in its sixth year, is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions towards the acceptance of cannabis in all its forms and to the reintegration of marihuana and hemp culture into modern society.

At a time when ‘zero tolerance’ is replacing the ‘tolerance policy’ it is more important than ever to acknowledge those who have made a genuine difference to the perception and use of this unfairly maligned plant.

Though other prizes exist in the sphere of cannabis and hemp, only the Cannabis Cultuurprijs celebrates improvements to quality of life and knowledge in quite this way.

The prize itself promotes the achievements of the winner: a unique exhibit dedicated to each one is created for public viewing. Displays honoring previous winners Jack Herer and Ed Rosenthal are on show in the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum. Last year’s winner, the late Simon Vinkenoog, is represented in the Hemp Gallery.

A monetary award of €3000 is also presented. The prize is annually awarded in November. It is independently funded and therefore free from political influence.

Houses made of hemp could help combat climate change!

We have recently come across this very interesting press release from Professor Peter Walker at the University of Bath (U.K) who is leading the research into the use of hemp-lime in construction.  Buildings and other infrastructure currently accounts for almost 20% of the UK’s eco-footprint.  This is another example of how this wonderful plant can help save reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  Recently we brought you the news that Hanes – one of the worlds biggest consumer brands – has been investing in a new hemp technology called Crailar which requires only a fraction of the water needed to make cotton; and we are very happy to announce that it is the subject of another of our articles, a Dutch company called Hempflax who has won the contract to supply the raw materials to Hanes – i.e. the HEMP!

Here’s the press release:

Houses made of hemp, timber or straw could help combat climate change by reducing the carbon footprint of building construction, according to researchers at the University of Bath.

Currently the construction industry is a major contributor of environmental pollutants, with buildings and other build infrastructure contributing to around 19% of the UK’s eco-footprint.  Researchers at the BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials are researching low carbon alternatives to building materials currently used by the construction industry.  Although timber is used as a building material in many parts of the world, historically it is used less in the UK than in other countries. Researchers at the Centre are developing new ways of using timber and other crop-based materials such as hemp, natural fibre composites and straw bales. Their work using straw bales as a building material has already been featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs series.

Professor Peter Walker, Director of the Centre, is leading the research. He said: “The environmental impact of the construction industry is huge. For example, it is estimated that worldwide the manufacture of cement contributes up to ten per cent of all industrial carbon dioxide emissions.  “We are looking at a variety of low carbon building materials including crop-based materials, innovative uses of traditional materials and developing low carbon cements and concretes to reduce impact of new infrastructure. As well as reducing the environmental footprint, many low carbon building materials offer other benefits, including healthier living through higher levels of thermal insulation and regulation of humidity levels.”

Their research is being presented at the Sustainable Energy & the Environment showcase at the University of Bath.  The exhibition will be opened by David Willetts MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities & Skills, and will be attended by industrialists, research councils, local and national government representatives and other key stakeholders from across the South West.  The exhibition coincides with the launch of the Institute for Sustainable Energy & the Environment (I-SEE) at the University of Bath, which will bring together experts from diverse fields of science, engineering, social policy and economics to tackle the problems of climate change.

The 10 Biggest Mistakes Growers Make

Just thought we’d share some helpful tips on what NOT to do when growing cannabis:

• 1. Don´t Over water – Over watering kills weed plants. Water once the top few inches of the soil dry out.  Hydroponics is harder to over water because rockwool has such excellent drainage properties. As long as the rockwool cubes are not sitting in liquid it is virtually impossible to over water a hydroponic setup. A hydroponic setup could either be watered constantly as the drip method, or once to three times a day as in the flood and drain method.

• 2. Don´t Tell People – Why? They will only be jealous. People love to feel important and that is why they will tell other people; because others will listen to them. – Keep it to yourself.

• 3. Touch/kill Germinating Seeds – Please have some patience. It sometimes takes 10 days for a seed to sprout. The paper towel method is recommended but be careful  because you must handle the seeds when transferring them from the paper towel to your growing medium. This must be done with extreme care!

• 4. Grow seeds from seeded weed – One of the greatest disappointments known to the growing man.

90% of what the final product will be is in the seed´s genetics and has little to do with the environment the plant is grown in.

Many get their hands on the seed and think they have a gold mine. They will probably grow something like this: hermaphrodites, tall late flowering females coupled with early flowering males. This is because the only pollen that could have produced the seed was from a hermaphrodite or a very stunted and late flowering male the grower did not notice. Unless you are prepared for possible disappointment don´t use “unknown”  cannabis seeds. This is why people buy seeds from seedbanks such as Sensi Seeds, White Label Seeds, Weed Seed Shop or Flying Dutchmen.

• 5. Don´t Over fertilize -Fertilize after first 2 spiked leaves appear follow the label. DON´T FERTILIZE EVERY TIME YOU WATER!!! Start with 25% and work your way up!  Leach the plants with lots of pure water every 2-4 weeks.  If the leaves suddenly twist or fold under, Leach and Spray with pure water for several days!

• 6. Don´t Under fertilize – Under fertilizing is less common but it happens. If you are one of those people that likes to give the plant just enough nutrients make sure you use a organic soil mixture with blood meal and bone meal or some slow release fertilizer with micro nutrients.

• 7. Don´t Start Too Early Outdoors – For several reasons! If you are starting outdoors June 1 is perfect. But if I start earlier I will get bigger buds right? Probably Wrong! Its strange but usually true: Plants started in early spring will get big but they will take significantly longer to start flowering. This is because at the peak vegetative period they sense the light cycles getting longer and longer, until June 21. But they don´t realize that its time to flower yet. Finally in the middle of August the plant says “HEY” “time to flower already” and it produces buds in August and September or later they will be tall as trees but thinner buds due to the fact that the sun is not as strong in September. Now if the ganja plants were put out later, as soon as they get a foot off the ground they say “what´s going on” I am just in early veggie and the light hours aren´t getting longer in fact SHORTER” Then the plants go crazy and since the sun is so bright in July and August you get amazing 6 foot trees that are heavier than the plants started in April!!! in addition to finishing earlier the late started plants are not nearly as noticeable.

Indoors is the same for different reasons. The light cannot penetrate more than a foot or two. So flower when plants are a foot tall. If you wait longer because you want bigger yields, you will get smaller yields and wait longer for them.

• 8. Don´t Start too Late Outdoors – Plants need atleast a few weeks growing time before flowering starts as the summer days get shorter.  Starting too late in the summer will lead to small and/or immature plants by the time the season ends (harvest time)

• 9. Don´t Provide A Bad Environment – Always provide air circulation and fresh air even during the night cycle is fine. All the air indoors should be replaced every 5-10 minutes.  Humidity between 30-70% temp aim for around 75-85´ Even seedlings need a gentle fan to strengthen the stems.

• 10. Don´t Harvest Too Early – We know its hard. You see the buds and resin forming at a rapid rate. The buds are potent and you feel tempted to chop em down! The only problem is that another 25% of the weight will form in 2 more weeks. Wait until the plants have totally stopped growing and the white pistils are at least 50-75% brown.

*NOTE: Outdoors if security is a factor make your own call on when to sacrifice the fields. Also take buds continuously in case of thieves.*

Cannabis Patents – Cannabinoid Patch

United States Patent US6113940:
Cannabinoid patch and method for cannabis transdermal delivery.

We  found this patent application in the U.S for a cannabis patch similar to the nicotine patch which has been commercially available for years. Several companies (and even the U.S government – see our previous article “U.S Government Patents Cannabis“) have recently started to take notice of the medicinal properties of cannabis and have started a rush to patent any possible application of this wonderful natural herb. Part of this trend could be linked to the legalization movement which has successfully highlighted several medical advantages to cannabis over traditional pharmaceuticals, particularly the lack of significant negative side-effects when treating serious illness.

Here are the links to both the Patent outline and the Application in .pdf form

Jack Herer suffers heart attack!

News has reached us that the world-renowned author, activist and marijuana anti-prohibitionist Jack Herer suffered a heart attack this weekend.  Emergency crews were called in as he collapsed in his chair after delivering a fiery speech at the Portland Hempstalk Event at Kelly Point Park. After spending a lengthy amount of time stabilizing Jack at the scene, he was transported to the Emanuel Trauma Center in Portland in critical condition with his son at his side. Soon after that, his family were told that he was the victim of a heart attack, a result of arterial blockage.

Jack is arguably the best-known person in the world on the subject of marijuana; he is an icon of popular culture and his book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” is the largest and first account of the real story of marijuana and the techniques used by big money corporations to demonize and criminalize it.

Jack suffered a stroke a few years ago that had left him somewhat challenged in terms of speaking, but those who heard him speak at the rally on Saturday afternoon noted that his speech was much clearer than it had been in many years.

In an ironic twist, an interview recorded 2 hours before the heart attack with friend Dr. Phillip Leveque of Salem-News.com, hears Jack explaining how he has been feeling better recently, stating: “I’m healthier than I’ve been in ages… in 10 years!”

Last night the doctors put him in an induced coma and lowered his body temperature with ice. They are keeping him this way for 48 more hours. His heart is doing well for now so they think he will be ok soon. Early reports that he underwent angioplasty are unfounded.

There are no equals to Jack Herer; he is a massive inspiration to us all – we have a huge amount of respect for his dedication to the cause; he is an inspirational figure and a genuine trailblazer. We wish Jack all the best and we hope that he makes a full and complete recovery. At this time, our thoughts go out to his son and wonderful wife Jeannie Herer.

Source: www.Salem-News.com

UPDATE (17/09/09): Jack has been taken off of the medications that were keeping him in a state of induced coma. He is not awake yet and the doctors are saying that it may be a few days before …he comes out of the coma. Jack swallowed some fluid into his lung’s during the heart – attack and this caused a minor infection. He is considered stable at this time just in a comatose state.  Good luck Jack – we’re all rooting for you friend!

Hanes invests in Hemp!

After a decade trying to prove that hemp could be soft as cotton, one American company is starting to draw the attention to its product from some of the world’s biggest consumer brands.

Based in Portland, Oregon – Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. – has developed an enzyme treatment which makes organic fibres (principally hemp and flax) suitable for producing clothes and other uses.  This treatment is known as “Crailar Fiber Technology”.  Here’s the information that Naturally Advanced provides about Crailar on their website:

“CRAILAR employs a simple, efficient 100% organic, enzyme bath and scales easily to leverage the global industrial hemp industry. In addition, CRAILAR Organic Fiber will be cost-comparable to organic cotton. Therefore, CRAILAR enables the transformation of hemp into a better sustainable alternative to organic cotton. “

Cooking with Cannabis

As you might know next to smoking weed you can also eat it. Eating weed can get you even more stoned then by smoking it and it is presumably more healthy for you. We are not talking about the standard hash brownies and the like as these are probably not that healthy (but they sure do taste good :) and they are a bit standard.

What you might not know is that weed seeds (hemp seeds) are very, very healthy for you and will not get you stoned. Be sure to buy hemp seeds if you want to cook with them, because they are way cheaper then proper cannabis seeds.

This site has a few delicious recipes for cooking with hemp seeds. We’ve selected two of them that look really nice and healthy.

FALAFEL GOODFORYA

* 2 Cups fresh ground hempseeds
* 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
* 1 Tbsp minced garlic
* 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
* 1/4 cup good olive oil
* 1 beaten egg (optional)
* water (1-3 Tbsp)
* flour, salt, pepper
* Louisiana Hot Sauce
* oil for frying

Mix hemp seeds with peppers, onion, garlic, parsley and toss in olive oil. Add hot sauce to taste. Add egg and/or water until mixture is wet enough to shape into balls. Squeeze together. The egg may keep mixture together better but is not necessary. Roll in flour with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Gently brown hempseed balls on all sides for 8 to ten minutes. Serve alone with dip, or in pita pockets with garlic yogurt sauce and a little sliced onion, cucumber, lettuce.

SILVIA’S HEMP SEED TREATS

* 2 tbsp sucanat (organic cane sugar)
* 1 tbsp water
* 1/8 cup maple syrup
* 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
* 1 cup hemp seeds
* 1 cup sesame seeds
* 1 cup sunflower seeds
* 1/4 cup chopped cashew nuts

Use a double boiler. In top pot mix first three ingredients until sucanat has dissolved Add brown rice syrup, seeds and nuts Mix well until seeds are coated with sweetener Pour into baking pan and press flat Refrigerate overnight Cut into squares before serving.

Have a look at some of the other recipes for cooking with weed or hemp seeds on this website:

www.cannabisrecipe.com

Top 10 Cannabis Movies

We have compiled  a list of our top 10 Marijuana related movies. Hopefully you will enjoy these movies as much as we did.

1. Blow (2001)

George Jung is the son of a struggling small business owner. Seeing his family struggle to make ends meet and failing, George vows never to share a similar fate. Moving to California, he starts his own pot pushing operation in which he finds both success and imprisonment. In prison, he meets a cellmate who introduces him into a partnership to the lucrative new market in cocaine.

2. Up in smoke (1978)

Cheech and Chong meet up by chance on the highway somewhere in California. They go in search of some dope and are accidentally deported to Mexico where in their desperation to get home they agree to drive a van back to the States so they can get back in time for a gig they are due to play. Unaware of the properties from which the van is constructed they make their way back having aquired a couple of female hitch-hikers whilst all the time avoiding the cops whom they are not even aware are following them.

3. Grass (1999)

This film explores the history of the American government’s official policy on marijuana in the 20th century. Rising with nativist xenophobia with Mexican immigration and their taste for smoking marijuana, we see the establishment of a wrong headed federal drug policy as a crime issue as oppposed to a public health approach. Fuelled by prejudice, hysterical propaganda and political opportunism undeterred by voices of reason on the subject, we follow the story of a costly and futile crusade against a substance with questionable ill effects that has damaged basic civil liberites.

4. Hemp for Victory (1943)

An informational film produced to encourage farmers to grow hemp for the war effort during WW2. The film details the many industrial uses of hemp, including cloth and cordage, as well as a detailed history of the plant’s use.

5. Easy rider (1969)

The partners and friends Wyatt and Billy buy drugs in Mexico and deal in Los Angeles, raising money to travel to the Mardi Grass in New Orleans in their bikes. They cross their country disclosing a period of counterculture and intolerance through spectacular landscapes.

6. Bill & Ted’s Excellent adventure (1989)

When best friends Bill S. Preston and Ted “Theodore” Logan are in danger of being seperated and having their band, Wyld Stalyns broken up because they’re failing history, a time traveler from the future gives them a telephone booth so they can travel through time and ace their history report.

7. Half baked (1998)

After Kenny accidentaly kills a cop’s diabetic horse by feeding it the food he purchased from a munchie run, he is put in jail and is given a 1 million dollar bail. The rest of the group must bail Kenny out before Nasty Nate gets to him. The group decides to sell marijuana that Thurgood gets through his job as a janitor at a pharmaceutical lab.

8. Harold and Kumar – Go to white castle ( 2004)

Harold Lee and Kumar Patel are two stoners who end up getting the munchies. What they crave the most after seeing a TV advertisement, is a trip to White Castle. So from here, follows a journey for the burgers they require. On their way they will encounter many obstacles including a raccoon, a racist officer, and a horny Neil Patrick Harris.

9. Reefer Madness (1936)

This movie was never intended to be funny, but more then 70 years after it was made it looks more like a slapstick then a serious movie. This old propaganda film relates the story, as told by high school principal Dr. Carroll to parents at a PTA meeting, of the scourge of marijuana. The lives of all who are involved with this menace are inevitably shattered. One man becomes so addicted to the killer weed that the guilt over framing a teen for murder causes a judge to order him to be committed for life to a mental hospital!

10. Popeye – Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939)

Popeye is one of the world’s most well-known and beloved animated characters. Since his creation, the pipe-puffing Popeye has become a global phenomenon, with millions of kids heartily munching on spinach in the hopes that it will make them as strong as the legendary sailor-man. Yet is the spinach which gives Popeye his super-strength really a metaphor for another magical herb? Have children around the world been adoring a hero who is really a heavy consumer of the forbidden weed ?

Hemp Based speakers

The people from Hemphop.com sell Hemp based speakers systems, not only because of the environmental benefits, but because they believe Hemp is superior to any other other materials. This is what they have to say:

“We developed Hempcone technology for our speaker cones after finding hemp to be the lightest, strongest and most durable material available.  Hemp’s frequency response, dynamics and tonal balance are unmatched by any other material – natural or synthetic.  The fact that hemp is a sustainable green resource is an added benefit.“

Visit hemphop.com for more information

Cannabis College 10th Anniversary

THE NETHERLANDS COLOURED GREEN
Sunday 23rd of November until Tuesday 2nd of December 2008

The Cannabis College has been open for ten years. Together with the Hash Marijuana Hemp Museum they are organising some unique festivities that should not be missed!

Sunday 23rd November 2008
Hemp Festival 12.00 – 20.00 pm OZ Achterburgwal 124, 130 en 148, Amsterdam
Street musicians and open air demonstrations displaying the environmentally friendly uses of Industrial Hemp. 17th century farmers demonstrating traditional Hemp trades and handicrafts.
Join In! Sit behind a spinning wheel and make your own Hemp wristband.
Sample! Try some tasty Hemp food and drinks.

Special Guest 3.00 – 4.00 pm OZ Achterburgwal 124, Amsterdam
Saint Nicholas Prem and his helper Seed-Pete will sail down the canal handing out bags of cannabis seeds to all, until they’ve gone.

Cannabis Cultuurprijs 5.00 – 6.00 pm. OZ Achterburgwal 124, Amsterdam
The Cannabis Culture Prize 2008 (initiated by the Hash Marijuana Hemp Museum) will be presented to the poet Simon Vinkenoog, for his ode to Cannabis.

Hemp Gallery Grand Opening 6.00 – 8.00 pm OZ Achterburgwal 130, Amsterdam
This special gallery has a unique collection of Hemp related antiques and art works. Original works from artists including; Mondriaan, Van Ostade, David Teniers and Adriaan Brouwer.

Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th November 2008
War on Drugs Film Festival 1.00 – 10.30 pm Barndesteeg 6/B, Amsterdam
A premier for Amsterdam with spectacular international films.

Hemp Gallery 10.00 am – 10.00 pm Barndesteeg 6/B, Amsterdam
Demonstrations of old handicrafts from 10.00am till 4.00pm. Delicious Hemp food and drinks.

Tuesday 25th November 2008
Cannabis College Birthday Party 6.00 – 9.00 pm OZ Achterburgwal 124, Amsterdam
A celebration to give thanks to all those who have helped the Cannabis College through the years. Music, laughter and lots of smoke!

Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd December 2008
Cannabis Tribunal 9.00 am – 5.30 pm Nieuwspoort, Lange Poten 10, Den Haag
Finally legalize or ban Cannabis completely? The Cannabis Tribunal will try to answer this question in six ‘hearings’. Information at: www.cannabistribunaal.nl

OZ Achterburgwal 124
1012 DT Amsterdam
(020) 423 44 20
www.cannabiscollege.com
www.myspace.com/cannabiscollege