Happy Birthday Bob
Feb 6th
Light up a spliff for Bob Marley.. Today is his birthday. He was a true inspiration for so many people .
(6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981)
Bob Marley Interview in New Zealand Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry Bob Marley – Jammin Bob Marley – Redemption Song
What If Cannabis Cured Cancer? Press Release and Interview
Feb 5th
Again, I urge you to watch “What If Cannabis Cured Cancer?” By Len Richmond. He has been so kind as to send me a press release, which I have posted below:
“WHAT IF CANNABIS CURED CANCER” wins 2010 Stony Award from High Times Magazine (featured in January 2011 issue).
FROM THE HUFFINGTON POST “I recommend an excellent documentary film, ”What if Cannabis Cured Cancer,” by Len Richmond, which summarizes the remarkable research findings of recent years about the cancer-protective effects of novel compounds in marijuana. Most medical doctors are not aware of this information and its implications for cancer prevention and treatment. The film presents compelling evidence that our current policy on cannabis is counterproductive.”- ANDREW WEIL, M.D.
“A Hugely Important Film”– JULIE HOLLAND, M.D. NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
“A Must See Film”– MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Using original and archival footage, the 60 minute documentary presents highly convincing evidence that this forbidden herb has healing properties beyond any other plant on the planet— interacting as it does with the body’s own “endocannabinoid system” to keep us fit and disease-free. “What if Cannabis Cured Cancer” explains how we are all born with a form of marijuana already in our bodies, and when pot is consumed, the “endocannabinoids” inside More >
BBC3 – Cannabis: What’s the Harm? Part 2 Critique
Feb 4th
Well I have to say, I was very disappointed in the second part of Cannabis: What’s the Harm? Presented by ex-eastender James Alexandrou. I had to wait until today to write this post, mainly because I was angry last night and would not have written as rationally as I am now.
I had, pardon the pun, ‘high hopes’ after the first episode last Thursday, where, bar Alexandrou’s negative commentary cannabis was actually shown in rather a positive light. Cannabis seemed to be getting a fair portrayal, and I was happy for it.
However last night it appeared that the BBC3 felt like it had risen too far above its own values surrounding cannabis and had to ‘set it right’ so to speak. What followed was an hour of negative viewpoints on cannabis, completely missing the point that the reason they all existed in the first place was because of prohibition.
When the poor young 14 year old who was ‘addicted’ to cannabis was interviewed, he admitted that he had committed burglary more than once for weed. But can you really blame him, in light of his circumstances? In my view he is attempting to self-medicate by smoking cannabis because of psychological issues probably caused More >
What Can Be Done For The Cannabis Campaign in 2011?
Feb 2nd
The success so far of ISMOKE Magazine has made me wonder just how far we can push the fight against cannabis prohibition in the UK this year. I will keep working on new issues, hopefully reaching the masses more and more as the magazine grows in popularity.
But its not enough.. We need to raise the bar in the cannabis campaign. We need to reach people who don’t bother..or don’t want to know about cannabis.
One big smoke last year was a failure. We need to put together a successful protest and show the country that we won’t take this wrongful ban on one of Earth’s most benevolent substances. As Peter Reynolds said, in the future Britain will look back on these days and feel ashamed that they persecuted people for using cannabis, both medically and recreationally.
The LCA has reformed. We need to back it with all of our might and further the fight for cannabis legalisation. If you have any ideas as to how we can further the campaign please contact me – ismokemag@gmail.com
I, for one will not stand this any longer. The law needs to change, and it needs to happen soon.
Cannabis and Cancer References
Feb 1st
I just came across this rather-large list of cannabis cancer sources on the Hemp Embassy medical cannabis forums. I’m sure within this lies plenty of proof of the cannabis plant’s benevolence, please let me know if you have read any of these and your thoughts, I will certainly be working my way through them in my quest to free cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
The List is 605 sources, cited below can be found at http://bit.ly/eT88QW
1. Hsu, E. S. A review of granisetron, 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptor antagonists, and other antiemetics. Am J Ther 17, 476-486 (2010). 2. Jordan, K. et al. Antiemetics in children receiving chemotherapy. MASCC/ESMO guideline update 2009. Support Care Cancer (2010). 3. Liu, W. M., Fowler, D. W. & Dalgleish, A. G. Cannabis-Derived Substances in Cancer Therapy – an Emerging Anti-Inflammatory Role for the Cannabinoids. Curr Clin Pharmacol (2010). 4. Larrinaga, G. et al. Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Is Down-regulated in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. J Histochem Cytochem (2010). 5. Lam, P. M., Marczylo, T. H. & Konje, J. C. Simultaneous measurement of three N- acylethanolamides in human bio-matrices using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem (2010). 6. Thapa, D. et al. Novel More >
ISMOKE Magazine Issue 1 PDF Free Download
Feb 1st
As promised, here is the link to download ISMOKE Magazine Issue 1 if you can’t view it online (approx 68mb): http://www.filedropper.com/ismokeissue1fordownload
Having your own copy makes it even easier to spread the love and share ISMOKE Magazine – I want as many people to see it as possible so make sure you show your stoner friends! (But if you can, view online before you download as then I can record readership numbers at www.ismokemag.co.uk )
Together we can be strong and can fight the wrongful prohibition of cannabis.
Issue 2 Coming Soon .. get in touch if you’d like to write for it at ismokemag@gmail.com
Keep Toking,
Nuff Said.
ISMOKE Magazine: Issue 1 is now Online
Feb 1st
That’s right, head over to www.ismokemag.co.uk to view the all-new ISMOKE Magazine! Please leave feedback and let me know what you think, and thank you to all of the writers and people who contributed to help make this possible in such a short space of time!
Together we can further the cannabis campaign in the UK, and raise awareness to end its prohibition!
Keep Toking,
Nuff Said.
What If Cannabis Cured Cancer?
Jan 31st
I recently watched this documentary, and was astounded at how beneficial cannabis actually is. Below is the description from imdb (source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1638943/)
StorylineCould the chemicals found in marijuana prevent and even heal several deadly cancers? Could the tumor regulating properties of cannabinoids someday replace the debilitating drugs, chemotherapy, and radiation that harms as often as it heals? Discover the truth about this ancient medicine as world renowned scientists in the field of cannabinoid research explain and illustrate their truly mind-blowing discoveries. QUOTES: “What If Cannabis Cured Cancer summarizes the remarkable research findings of recent years about the cancer-protective effects of novel compounds in marijuana. Most medical doctors are not aware of this information and its implications for prevention and treatment. If we need more evidence that our current policy on cannabis is counterproductive and foolish, here it is.” -Andrew Weil, M.D. “A hugely important film” – Julie Holland, M.D. NYU School of Medicine
The documentary takes a scientific approach to cannabis and its medicinal benefits, explaining how different known Cannabinoids interact with our Endocannabinoid system to, amongst other things encourage cancerous cells to die. And backed up by several studies it states that cannabis-smokers actually have a lower chance of several major types of cancer, More >
LCA Vote to Re-register as a Political Party
Jan 30th
Source: http://lca-uk.org/lcaforum/viewtopic.php?f=98&t=18126 LCA Members Vote on Party Registration and leadership by Alun » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:28 pm
The result of the vote amongst LCA Members was to re-register and to elect a party leader
LCA Admin team will set about this in the next week
Two New Features on ISMOKEHERB.CO.UK
Jan 28th
Today I have added two new things to www.ismoke.tk – two picture galleries where you can upload your own cannabis-related pictures and be a part of ISMOKE, and a stoner music section with quick-access videos to songs perfect to smoke to. Let me know what you think of the new features!
Nuff Said
BBC 3 – Cannabis, What’s The Harm? (A Critique)
Jan 28th
Part of BBC3′s “Dangerous Pleasures” season, Cannabis, Whats the Harm? sees James ex-EastEnders actor James Alexandrou going on a quest to find out about cannabis and its use.
My first impressions of the programme was that it was just what the cannabis community needs. Questions are being asked – thought provoking questions which have the potential to open the cannabis debate to a more mainstream audience. The Programme focuses on several cannabis users in the UK, using both for recreational and medical purposes (For example my good friend HomeGrownOutlaw as a medicinal cannabis user talks to James about how he needs cannabis and how it is wrong that the government consider people like him common criminals). James also goes across the Atlantic to California, where he seems baffled that cannabis has become an accepted part of every day life for ‘medical’ patients (everybody he meets).
The main criticism I have for this programme is that the commentary seems biased – James cannot seem to get his head around parents enjoying cannabis with their son, for instance, at the beginning of the episode, or the many people he meets in California who have Medicate cards allowing them to smoke cannabis. The way the section on growing is presented More >
Sativex – still a forbidden medicine (UKCIA)
Jan 27th
I just came across this excellent blog post in the UKCIA blog:
Posted in January 23rd, 2011 by UKCIA (http://ukcia.org/wordpress/?p=622)
The legal situation with respect to SATIVEX continues to be a mess. SATIVEX is a cannabis medicine developed by GW Pharmaceuticals which has been approved as a prescription medicine for the treatment of plasticity caused by Multiple Sclerosis, its a subject this blog has covered back in October. Just to recap an important point: SATIVEX is cannabis, it is not a pure chemical extracted from the plant, it is all of the active ingredients obtained from the blending of two specific strains of cannabis. There has been an extraction process which has removed all of the vegetable matter, but pharmacologically SAYIVEX is cannabis.
This is a very important point to make because if the flowering heads from a blend of the plants used to make SATIVEX were rolled into a tobacco filled joint and smoked, the same cannabis chemicals would be inhaled (albeit along with all the other stuff in the smoke from the burned vegetation and of course the tobacco) as SATIVEX delivers in its spray, the point being the preparation and delivery method is irrelevant to the cannabis content of the drug. This is More >
BBC 3 – Cannabis, What’s The Harm? – Tonight 9pm
Jan 27th
Cannabis: What’s The Harm? is presented by ex-EastEnders actor James Alexandrou. With access to the Avon and Somerset police force’s drug squads and the Borders Agency, this two-part series looks at both the dealers and users and talks to the UK’s top doctors and psychologists about the effects of cannabis.
Ex-EastEnders star James Alexandrou was caught smoking cannabis by the tabloids when he left the soap. Now he wants to find out the truth about the most popular illegal drug in Britain, see the lengths people will go to get it and discover exactly where it comes from.
In the first of two programmes, James looks at the effects of the drug on the streets of Britain, meeting a 17-year-old who smokes weed with his parents and a mum-of-three who uses cannabis to keep her emotions in check. He meets people who are growing cannabis illegally for themselves and goes out on patrol with a police drug squad as they clamp down on large-scale cannabis growers. He also travels to California, the first state in America to license cannabis for medicinal use.
I’ll definitely be tuning in tonight at 9pm on BBC 3.
(Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00y37cn)
My Letter to The Daily Mail, Subject: Cannabis
Jan 24th
Below is my letter to the Daily Mail in response to stories involving a biased view on cannabis. Please write to them at letters@dailymail.co.uk to share your views on the subject.
Dear Daily Mail,
I find it hard to describe some of the approaches that you take when it comes to stories involving cannabis, for example http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1347546/Arizona-shooting-Jared-Loughners-smile-says-fear-little-packets-madness.html – where a serious event is blamed on on the fact that a crazed man happened to be a cannabis smoker – ignoring key other factors which are much more likely to be the cause of his actions.
Cannabis is not ‘the little packets of madness’ that you suggest it is, on the contrary it is, if anything, a safer alternative to alcohol. As a daily smoker, I find my self in better health that people who choose to drink – cannabis does not stop me partaking in any activity which I would otherwise have participated in if I was not ‘stoned’. I, like many regular smokers, find that it actually enhances my life, creating inspiration (see my blog) and making boring little things in life seem better.
I have also done my research, and know for a fact that cannabis is nowhere near as bad as More >
A Sneak Preview of ISMOKE Magazine – “Cannabis in Cartoons” Article
Jan 23rd
Well you might have noticed that my blog is not getting updated that regularly at the moment. I would like to assure you that I am hard at work on my quest for cannabis awareness, and for proof I have posted a sneak preview of my upcoming article for the magazine; “Cannabis in Cartoons”.
Cannabis and cartoons are undoubtedly two of my favourite guilty pleasures in life. And they mix so well. There is little I enjoy more than sitting comfortably and watching an episode of South Park while toking on a joint of an evening. Increasingly cartoons have begun to touch on deep political messages intertwined into their storylines in a quasi-original manner, often with similar events happening to the characters that we know and love.
The media today is a vast unequivocal free-for-all, filled with every different viewpoint imaginable. Cartoon writers sometimes seem to be a voice of reason in this madness. The social commentary of episodes of adult-themed cartoons can be highlighted, often providing meaningful insights into topical political issues around the time that they air, much as each cartoon described below has taken a viewpoint on the cannabis campaign around the time of its creation.
Due to the steady rise of the More >
1 
28 
1610