KOHINOOR
OF HERBS
VIJAYA | CANNABIS | BHANG
GANJA
INDEX
Page No.
Topic.
1
Overview
4
Varieties
7
Medicianal Cannabis in world
religions
15
Benefits of Cannabis & Specific
Cannaboids
16
Different Cannabis strains have
different effects
18
Different parts of the plants and its
uses
22
Industrial applications
31
Cannabis and Indian climate /
Geography
34
Future of Medicinal Cannabis and
Industrial Hemp in India
38
Famous Indian Cannabis Users
39
References
1
THE OVERVIEW
The holy plant also known as our beloved God- Shiva’s prasad has been an
inhabitant of our planet before humans existed. Cannabis is a plant which
grows out of Mother Earth (Can’t believe this is something we have to stress
on. It is a “plant” not a “drug”)
In 2017 over 14 countries legalized this plant on the basis of its medicinal
properties. India, however is a land which has been known to use the plant
from the beginning of its civilization (VEDAS - Ayurveda) and also offer it
to their gods. Sadly, the plant was prohibited because of a proven psychopath in world history- NIXON, A US President infamous for many of his
actions which affected the entire world. The prohibition of something that
existed even before we were placed on this planet itself is a joke on various
levels.
It’s sad to see mankind (pharmaceuticals/ MNC’s/Corporations) is so busy
minting money by selling and injecting us with slow poison that anything
that harms their existence needs to be seized and label as hazardous where in
reality, it’s the other way round.
For ages they have mixed toxic chemicals and drugs in our food, water,
clothes and every other material and yet they say this one simple plant a
threat to humanity? The truth is it’s the only plant that can save the planet
Earth and its inhabitants from being destroyed and becoming extinct.
Now let’s talk about our beautiful homeland where Ganja is used by lacs of
sadhu’s, sages and holy men. This technically makes them all CRIMINALS.
Yes, you heard me right! The people most Indians highly respect and are
scared to rub them the wrong way as they are said to be ‘catalysts of higher
energies’ as per the law are labeled criminals because this holy plant falls
under schedule 1 drug even till TODAY. To make it clear- Schedule 1 drug
basically stands for substances which have no medicinal values and only
damages your system.
Yes. Have a good laugh and then continue reading this book.
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Before the prohibition which started in the US, Cannabis was used as one
of the primary medicines for curing everything from fever, labour pains to
surgery.
Coming back to 2017, we have enough data, researches and patients from
around the world who were & are suffering from various diseases like cancer, seizures, epilepsy, tuberculosis, leprosy to name a few and have not just
benefited but have also been cured in thousands and lakhs of cases.
Being diagnosed with one of the above a few years back, I got a firsthand
experience of what these pharmaceuticals are exactly doing to us.
1.month of failed Allopathy, immense pain and unable to move my neck
due to the particles being in my lymph nodes (swelling increasing a bit every week INSPITE OF MY MEDICATIONS) I gave up thinking if they
couldn’t treat me/ heal me I was definitely going to die.
This made me go back to a habit I had controlled for sometime of smoking
cannabis for recreational purposes. I vaguely remembered how it used to
ease my body pain during smoking sessions before I was diagnosed with
anything, mainly during my menstrual cycle or for random body aches as
it used to relax my muscles and ease the pain out. Though honestly, I never
researched about it back then. As it is, my allopathic medication was not
doing anything either so I decided to go back to cannabis.
To my amazement, within a week of smoking it, I saw a visible reduction in
my pain and a slight movement in my neck. I continued my medication for
another 2 weeks along with cannabis smoking and I could see the difference
already! But I also noticed I was still dull, slow and still unable to have a
proper conversation without stammering and forgetting (something which
had started post my medication and not the disease.)
As an experiment on myself I stopped my medications completely and
switched to cannabis for a month, smoking 3-5 joints a day to see what it
does without the medication inside my system.
That was the last time I had those horrible medications( it was suppose to
be a year long course!) Within a few days my swelling started to reduce and
my body started to feel normal again. I was able to not just move my neck
but also felt better, ate, and finally could process conversations unlike earlier
when I wasn’t able to process even half of it!
3
2 years later and I’m healthier than ever and I owe it all to the food of our
Gods.
Due to financial difficulties I could not afford flying to a country where the
oil was legal and unfortunately in our country I didn’t have access to people
who could help me here let me remind you again - because it is prohibited.)
Now as per my own observation I could have died of something which was
easily curable by this plant but I had no access to it because the government
has still not updated their research logs.
I am just a single drop of water in the ocean of the treated & healed patients
of this magical plant but let me tell you this plant can do a lot more than
just saving lives as medicine. Cannabis is also the best alternate for plastic,
gasoline, cement, cotton and is a super nutritious food (in a country where
kids are dying every hour due to malnutrition), fibre (to make cloth and
cover the bodies of us mortals), cement (hemp cement is more strong and
leaves no carbon footprints), WAIT FOR THE BEST ONE - Bio fuel !
With every passing day the prices of fuel are going higher and it’s emission
into our atmosphere is making the entire planet not just sick but also leading us towards global warming which would finally mean the end of us all.
It’s not yet late to turn to our scriptures for answers which have mentioned
the powers of this “herb”.
India is known to be a country of multiple climate zones, and guess what?
It is also apt to grow different strains of cannabis from Kashmir to Kozikode
and Nagaland to Maharashtra.
The “Kohinoor of herbs” will not only save the patients and decrease their
suffering but will also revamp the country’s economy giving it the much
needed boost and upper hand in creating its own hemp industry and generating employment for the unemployed, increasing the hospitality tourism
(Today most people prefer cannabis treatment over allopathy for diseases
due to the benefits. THEY KNOW!) lesser to no carbon footprints, our very
own self sufficient bio-fuel industry and a conscious effort of leaving the
planet better and greener for generations ahead.
Regards, Priya M
4
THE VARIETIES
THERE ARE 2 VARIETIES OF THE PLANT
Industrial Hemp
Medical Cannabis
INDUSTRIAL HEMP
There are many different varieties of the cannabis plant. Hemp — also
called industrial hemp refers to the non-psychoactive (less than 1% THC)
varieties of Cannabis sativa. Both hemp and Cannabis come from the same
cannabis species but are genetically distinct and are further distinguished by
use, chemical makeup, and cultivation methods.
Hemp can be grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be
incorporated into thousands of products including food, clothes, cement,
bio-fuel, etc. Its seeds and flowers are used in health foods, organic body care
products and other Nutraceuticals.
MEDICAL CANNABIS
The Cannabis plant has a history of medicinal use dating back thousands
of years across many cultures
ANCIENT
Cannabis, called má (meaning “hemp; cannabis; numbness”) or dàmá
(with “big; great”) in Chinese, was used in Taiwan for fiber starting about
10,000 years ago. The botanist Hui-lin Li wrote that in China, “The use of
Cannabis in medicine was probably a very early development. Since ancient
humans used hemp seed as food, it was quite natural for them to also discover the medicinal properties of the plant.” Emperor Shen-Nung, who was
also a pharmacologist, wrote a book on treatment methods in 2737 BCE
that included the medical benefits of cannabis. He recommended the substance for many ailments, including constipation, gout, rheumatism, and
absent-mindedness.
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Cannabis is one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. The ancient Egyptians used hemp (cannabis) in suppositories for relieving the pain of hemorrhoids.
Surviving texts from ancient India confirm that cannabis’ psychoactive properties were recognized and doctors used it for treating a variety of illnesses
and ailments including insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, and
pain, (including during childbirth.)
The Ancient Greeks used cannabis to dress wounds and sores on their horses. In humans, dried leaves of cannabis were used to treat nose bleeds and
cannabis seeds were used to expel tapeworms. In the medieval Islamic world,
Arabic physicians made use of the diuretic, antiemetic, antiepileptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties of Cannabis sativa and
used it extensively as medication from the 8th to 18th centuries.
AYURVEDA SAYS- EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS
CAN BE MEDICINE .
Cannabis is no exception. It is considered the least problematic of the ‘intoxicant’ substances; a poison which can be used to great benefit by humans.
It is in the tradition of the great texts of Ayurveda to approach complex and
appealing substances first with pages of glowing praise followed by so many
warnings and restrictions that only the most intrepid would not be daunted.
This is the pattern I will follow in this book.
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VIJAYA: THE CONQUEROR
Sanskrit synonyms for cannabis imply its potency for transformation:
•
•
•
•
Soother of grief
The sky flyer
The poor man’s heaven
Vijaya or victory in conquest, and a dozen other glowing euphemisms.
Cannabis Sativa is indigenous to India; the earliest known cultivation
dated 900BC.
The positive qualities of Cannabis facilitate conversation, encourage social
relationships, support physical awareness, highlight a deep enjoyment of
life and elevate social contact, art, and pleasure above other (perhaps less
important) pursuits. These characteristics allow cannabis to be very effective where depression and isolation are primary concerns. As is testified
to by the prevalence of cannabis in poorer communities all over the world,
cannabis proffers grace to living in adverse circumstances.
Today in India cannabis is used in spiritual practice and rituals, taken as a
sacrament on specific holidays, for use on an ascetic path, as a training aid
to wrestlers and until the last century, quite broadly used medically and recreationally by various levels of society.
Cannabis is found in over 80 traditional Ayurvedic formulas several of
which are available in pharmacies in India today.
It is effective for:
• Pain
• Digestive disorders
• Dysentery
• Sexual prowess, and a dozen other medical uses known to ancient
Ayurveda.
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MEDICINAL CANNABIS IN
WORLD RELIGIONS
SANATAN DHARMA / HINDUISM
During the Indian and Nepalese festival of Holi, people consume Bhang
which contains cannabis flowers. According to one description, when the
amrita (elixir of life) was produced from the churning of the ocean by the
devas and the asuras, Shiva created cannabis from his own body to purify
the elixir (whence, for cannabis, the epithet angaja or “body-born”). Another
account suggests that the cannabis plant sprang up when a drop of the elixir
dropped on the ground. Thus, cannabis is used by sages due to association
with elixir and Shiva. Wise drinking of bhang, according to religious rites is
believed to cleanse sins, unite one with Shiva and avoid the miseries of hell
in the future life. It is also believed to have medicinal benefits. In contrast,
foolish drinking of bhang without rites is considered a sin. Although cannabis is regarded as an illegal drug, many Nepalese people consume it during
festivals (like Shivaratri) which the government tolerates to some extent and
also for their personal uses and recreational purposes. Further in Nepal its
seeds are also used in making pickles “bhang ko achar”. The dried seeds are
ground and then mixed with aalo (potato).
ISLAM
The Quran does not directly forbid cannabis; however, cannabis is deemed
to be khamr (an intoxicant) by many religious scholars and therefore generally believed to be haraam (forbidden). A hadith by the prophet Mohammed states: “If much intoxicates, then even a little is haraam.” Despite these
prohibitions, cannabis is consumed in many parts of the Islamic world, even
some- times in a religious context particularly within the Sufi mystic movement.
8
In 1378 Soudoun Sheikouni, the Emir of the Joneima in Arabia, prohibited
cannabis, considered one of the world’s first-attested cannabis bans.
The Sufi tradition attributes the discovery of cannabis to Jafar Sharazi
(Sheikh Haydar), a Sufi leader in the 12th century. Other Sufis attribute its
origin to the apocryphal Khidr (“Green Man”).
Some modern Islamic leaders state that medicinal cannabis, not recreational, is permissible in Islam. Imam Mohammad Elahi in Dearborn Heights,
United States, declared: “Obviously, smoking Cannabis for fun is wrong. It
should be permissible only if that is the only option in a medical condition
prescribed by medical experts.”
JUDAISM
Though the argument has not been accepted by mainstream scholars,
some writers have theorized that cannabis may have been used ritually in
early Judaism, though these claims have been widely dismissed as erroneous.
Sula Benet (1967) claimed that the plant kaneh bosm mentioned five times in
the Hebrew Bible, and used in the holy anointing oil of the Book of Exodus,
was in fact cannabis, although lexicons of Hebrew and dictionaries of plants
of the Bible such as by Michael Zohary (1985), Hans Arne Jensen (2004) and
James A. Duke (2010) and others identify the plant in question as either
Acorus calamus or Cymbopogon citratus.
In the modern era, Orthodox rabbi Moshe Feinstein stated in 1973 that
can-nabis was not permitted under Jewish law, due to its harmful effects.
However Orthodox rabbis Efraim Zalmanovich (2013) and Chaim Kanievsky
(2016) stated that medical but not recreational cannabis is kosher.
SIKHISM
Early Sikh military history was dominated by the Nihang, who are known
for their victories where they were heavily outnumbered.
Some Nihang groups consume cannabis or bhang to help in meditation.
Sukhnidhaan or Sukha parsad, “peace-giver”,is the term Nihang use to refer
to it.
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At Tathkhand Shri Hazoor Sahib, (one of the five seats of power in the
Sikh Panth) the ‘Sukhnidhaan’ is offered as a holy food.
There is description of ‘Sukhnidhaan’ on many pages of the book ‘Sooraj
Prakaash’. Generally, ‘Bhang’ (from Cannabis plant) is called ‘Sukhnidhaan,
but seeing condemnation of ‘Bhaang’ in the Gurbaani and in the Panthic
‘Sikh Rehat Maryada’, those in favour for the consumption of Bhaang have
named it ‘Sukhnidhaan’, instead of ‘Bhaang’.
In his book ‘Sri Hazoori Maryada Prabodh’, Singh Sahib Bhai Joginder Singh
Ji, then the “chief priest” of Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazoor Sahib, has expressed his views about ‘Bhaang’ under the heading of ‘Sukhnidhaan De
Bhog Baare’ (page 257 to 264).
He wrote that all the ‘Maryada’, which is being followed at Takht Sahib, is
‘Puraatan’ (old) tradition.
Supporting the arguments of Sukhnidhaan in the book, the high priest
wrote about the following details:
According to the ‘Janamsakhi Bhai Bala’, the Mughul King ‘Babur’ offered
‘Bhang’ to Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Delighted on this, it is claimed that Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji granted him the
boon to have the kingdom for seven generations. Guru Ji recited a ‘Shabad’
(divine hymn) on this occasion, in which it is argued he did not condemn
‘Bhaang’. On the other hand, when Yogi Jhangar Naath offered a cup of
wine to Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Ji recited a ‘Shabad’, in which drinking
wine and alcohol was condemned.
TAOISM
Beginning around the 4th century, Taoist texts mentioned using cannabis
in censers. Needham cited the (ca. 570 AD) Taoist encyclopedia Wushang
Biyao (“Supreme Secret Essentials”) that cannabis was added into ritual incense burners and suggested the ancient Taoists experimented systematically
with “hallucinogenic smokes”. The Yuanshi shangzhen zhongxian ji (“Records of the Assemblies of the Perfected Immortals”), which is attributed to
Ge Hong (283-343), says:
For those who begin practicing the Tao it is not necessary to go into
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the mountains. Some with purifying incense and sprinkling and sweeping
are also able to call down the Perfected Immortals. The followers of the Lady
Wei and of Hsu are of this kind.
Lady Wei Huacun (252-334) and Xu Mi (303-376) founded the
Taoist Shangqing School. The Shangqing scriptures were supposedly dictated to Yang Xi (330-386 AD) in nightly revelations from immortals, and
Needham proposed Yang was “aided almost certainly by cannabis”. The
Mingyi bielu (“Supplementary Records of Famous Physicians”), written by
the Taoist pharmacologist Tao Hongjing (456-536), who also wrote the first
commentaries to the Shangqing canon, says, “Hemp-seeds are very little
used in medicine, but the magician-technicians (shujia ) say that if one consumes them with ginseng it will give one preternatural knowledge of events
in the future.” A 6th-century AD Taoist medical work, the Wuzangjing
(“Five Viscera Classic”) says, “If you wish to command demonic apparitions
to present themselves you should constantly eat the inflorescences of the
hemp plant.” Joseph Needham connected myths about Magu, “the Hemp
Damsel”, with early Daoist religious usages of cannabis, pointing out that
Magu was goddess of Shandong’s sacred Mount Tai, where cannabis “was
supposed to be gathered on the seventh day of the seventh month, a day of
séance banquets in the Taoist communities.
BUDDHISM
In Buddhism, the Fifth Precept is frequently interpreted to mean “refrain
from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to heedlessness”, although
in some direct translations, the Fifth Precept refers specifically to alcohol.
Cannabis and some other psychoactive plants are specifically prescribed in
the Mahā kā la Tantra for medicinal purposes.
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MODERN
Smoking Cannabis was once viewed as an act of political dissidence against
the Vietnam War, and looking back at the history of what President Nixon
was doing at the time, one can rightfully conclude that one of the reasons
Cannabis was so heavily targeted was to get rid of the hippies.
Cannabis became the fulcrum in the social battle of the day, and the U.S.
government sought a means to take certain types of individuals out of
society,and what better way than to arrest them and put them in jail? As
noted by Gedde
“[Cannabis has] been vilified all along. For what reasons? Maybe it does too
much. It does have the psychoactivity, so people can change how they think and
question things. When we look at cannabis overall, Cannabis and hemp
combined ... all the different cannabinoids in there, we know that it’s excellent
medicine.
We know that it’s popular recreationally, which of course competes with the alcohol industry. Hemp also provides excellent biofuel. It actually competes with
the petroleum industry. It provides excellent fiber for clothing. It competes with
lumber, which is one of the reasons apparently why hemp was restricted earlier
in the 20th century ...
Medicine, recreation, food, fuel and fiber. What else can do all those things? It’s
excellent food. Hemp oil has essential fatty acids. It’s high-quality oil and it
has high-quality protein. You can actually live on hemp seeds.”
On Entering the Medical Cannabis System Gedde was trained in the idea
that molecular biology will provide us with all the answers we need. By understanding the details of how cells work, we’ll be
able to design a cure for every disease. However, once she found herself actually working inside the pharmaceutical industry, seeing how decisions were
made, she came to realize the flaws of the system.
The fact of the matter is, drug companies have the legal mandate to turn a
handsome profit. This in and of itself can create situations where profits are
placed ahead of actual medical benefits. Moreover, when a company selects a
product to develop, that product is not necessarily what is most needed. It’s
the thing that will make the most money.
“I realized there are non-pharmaceutical, non-patentable, more holistic and
12
supportive options, such as ... nutritional support, hormone balancing and
neurotransmitter support. Instead of taking Prozac, how about some 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)? Those are things that naturopathic and alternative physicians are so familiar with and work with. That was not at all part of conventional medical practice.
Certainly not the way I was trained. It was an epiphany. It was kind of a turning point in my career. It was a big thing to leave the pharmaceutical industry
and open my first alternative practice,” Gedde says
She opened her medical practice in 2004, but it wasn’t until 2009 that she
began realizing the usefulness of cannabis. Initially, she learned from patients who were using it. They would tell her about how it helped heal their
various ailments. Eventually she began researching it on her own, discovering the human endocannabinoid system in the process — a biological
system not touched upon in medical school.
“When I started hearing the results patients were getting, I realized that the
reason why [Cannabis] could do so many different things in the body without
being toxic is because it is acting through this natural endocannabinoid system
in our bodies. That’s when I said ‘Wow. This is huge. There’s nothing like this in
medicine. There’s nothing that I can prescribe that comes close to what this can
do for people.”
In 2010, she made the decision to focus on medical cannabis full-time — a
decision she ascribes to careful deliberation of what actually helps patients
the most.
THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM
The human endocannabinoid system — endo meaning “within” — strong-
ly suggests the human organism is actually designed to make good use of the
cannabis plant. In other words, the Cannabis plant triggers something that’s
been inside us since the dawn of mankind. The endocannabinoid system
exists in other mammals as well, suggesting it is a truly an ancient biological
system.
The cannabis plant makes cannabinoids, also known as phytocannabinoids
or plant cannabinoids. This encompasses both CBD and THC, the latter
of which is the psychoactive ingredient. In all, there are about 60 different
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cannabinoids in the cannabis plant and medicinally, several of them are
used. You also make cannabinoids inside your own body. So far, two major
ones have been identified and studied since the early ‘90s.
The endocannabinoid system was first described in a science article in “The
Journal of Science” in 1992. The primary role of the endocannabinoid
system —which releases human cannabinoids that interact with receptors
found in virtually all tissues in the body — is to bring balance (homeostasis)
to tissues and biological systems.
Essentially, the endocannabinoid system plays a key regulatory role in the
human body. For example, there are endocannabinoid receptors in the nervous system, where cannabinoids are made locally on demand. What this
means is that, in your nervous system, you have sending nerve cells and receiving nerve cells, and the endocannabinoid system works with those cells
to maintain balance.
For example, if the receiving nerve cell becomes too excited, you end up
with a seizure. Seizures are due to uncontrolled electrical activity in the neurons. It’s an over stimulated state. The endocannabinoid receptor detects this
overstimulation and, on demand, makes human cannabinoids to dial down
the sending impulses, thereby balancing the system.
Cannabinoids benefits your entire body by bringing tissues back into balance, cannabinoids can reduce pain, nerve stimulation causing seizures, and
muscle spasm. They also help you relax and improve sleep.
“[The endocannabinoid system] is a very key system. It totally makes sense why
Cannabis can do so many different things. It affects the mind. It affects
the emotions. It affects the body on multiple levels. That’s the THC. CBD does
that as well. CBD has multiple targets in the body. The system seems very complex. There are multiple receptors.
It’s not known how CBD acts. It acts in a different way from THC. There’s much
to research. But this is a very rich system, and it’s very involved in our
other body systems.
Those who write about this and report on it in the scientific literature frequently
said that if this were being looked at for the first time, it would be in
all the headlines. ‘Hail. There’s an incredible boon to mankind.’ Because it can
actually work through this natural system and do so many things without being
toxic. So many pain medications are damaging to the stomach, to the gut. The
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cannabis doesn’t hurt the gut. It helps heal the gut. People are so relieved ...
There’s nothing else that does that. It won’t hurt the organs. It won’t hurt the
liver. It won’t hurt the kidneys. Ibuprofen ... people can’t stay on that for months
and years. They can stay on cannabis. As we know as well, there is no known
lethal dose for cannabis, whether it’s THC or CBD. A person couldn’t die from
it even if they were trying really, really hard. There’s nothing you can say that
about. It offers so much to people on a medical level.”
CANNABIS HAS SELF-LIMITING EFFECTS
Too high a dose of THC will trigger anxiety. It can also cause nausea, con-
fusion and/or disorientation. In severe cases, you might not know where or
who you are. Temporary psychosis can also occur on high doses of THC.
However, these effects are temporary and will resolve once the drug wears
off. Such side effects are actually helpful in that they cause cannabis use to
become self-limiting. People don’t want to feel terrible, so excessive doses
are automatically discouraged by creating adverse reactions. Opiates, on the
other hand, has no such feedback mechanism. People who take too high a
dose simply die in a very relaxed state.
“With opiates, there’s no point at which a person says, ‘This is terrible. I don’t
want to do this.’ There always needs to be more. With cannabis, it does
have that self-limiting effect,” Gedde says.
“We work closely with patients on the dosing. Less works; you want to start with
lower. Because it is an oily medication and it does interact with the body
in a different way, the cannabis can build up in the fatty tissues over time. We
get this build-up effect that’s very beneficial ...
We explain this to patients to say, ‘You could start at a certain dose. As you take
that same dose day after day, it’s going to build up for three to four
weeks, so you could wait and see where the build-up effect gets you before you
go to the next level.’ That’s, again, so that they’re not using more than they need,
not having extra side effects ... The biggest thing we warn about is too-high doses
of THC that would cause impairment and a very uncomfortable or unhappy
experience.”
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BENEFITS OF CANNABIS AND SPECIFIC
CANNABINOIDS
As mentioned, CBD has no psychoactive activity, and has a long list of
medicinal uses. It’s an excellent muscle relaxer, easing spasms and pain. For
this use, it can be applied topically, although edible versions tend to provide
the deepest and most long-lasting relaxation and pain relief.
THC is famous for settling nausea associated with chemotherapy. According to Gedde, there’s really nothing a doctor can prescribe that’s as effective as THC for nausea. It also helps improve digestive function. For this
reason, THC is particularly valuable for digestive disorders such as colitis
and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Cannabis has been shown to help
glaucoma by reducing the intraocular pressure. It also helps normalize blood
pressure, although that’s not a valid medical indication for medical cannabis
use in Colorado. As noted by Gedde:
“When you combine the body relaxation and the mental shifts — people talk
about just being able to relax, it brings the stress down — this probably is part of
how it helps blood pressure ... But it does help normalize blood pressure so people
are able to reduce their pills. That’s actually one of the real cautions I do tell
people about. If they’re on blood pressure medication and they add the cannabis,
their blood pressure can actually go too low. I alert them to peel back the blood
pressure medications ...”
Seizures are a classic indication of use, but you need to be very careful with
the dosing when treating seizures. Gedde has found that CBD tends to be
more difficult to use for seizures than THC, as too much CBD will exacerbate the seizures. HIV and cancer are other indications for use, as cannabis
helps with sleep, nausea, pain and immune support, and has anti-tumor
activity.
“The ones that aren’t on the qualifying conditions list in Colorado would include
the more psychological diagnosis. THC can induce anxiety if the dose is wrong or
the strain is not compatible with that person. [Still], many use THC to relieve
anxiety. Because we have hundreds of different strains of Cannabis and cannabis, each of which is slightly different, there is a huge potential to customize [the
drug] for each person.”
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DIFFERENT CANNABIS
STRAINS HAVE
DIFFERENT EFFECTS
INDICA
Indica grows short and bushy. This variety of plant has a highly relaxing
and sleepy effect
SATIVA
Sativa grows lean and tall. This Strain of cannabis has an energetic effect.
In addition to cannabinoids, there’s a whole other set of compounds in cannabis called terpenes — the same compounds found in essential oils. Terpenes are what give each Cannabis strain its unique color and smell. Some
strains smell like lemon. Other strains are purple and smell like lavender. In
fact, the same terpene found in lavender, linalool, which gives lavender its
calming, relaxing potential, is also found in many Cannabis strains.
There’s a whole range of Cannabis strains known for their calming, sleep-inducing, relaxing properties, collectively known as “indicas.” Indicas strains
will not induce anxiety. They’re relaxing and stress-reducing. The sativas are
more stimulating and energizing, and resemble caffeine in this regard.
While helpful for anxiety and depression, sativas could produce paranoia
and put you on edge, especially those with post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). When addressing the psychological spectrum, strain selection is
very important.
“Post-traumatic stress is so difficult to treat. PTSD patients, the veterans,
are a huge population we see. We’re in Colorado Springs. There are military bases
here. We see a lot of the veterans who had been overseas. Not only do they have all
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the physical injuries, but they have those psychological injuries. [They can benefit
greatly] from choosing the correct strains and be able to actually get the benefit of
that well-known property of THC where it causes forgetting.
THC is known to slow the mind down. You can’t quite think about the things
maybe that you were going to. For a lot of people, in a lot of settings, that would
be an unwelcomed side effect. But when you have post-traumatic stress and you
have intrusive thoughts, to have the mind slow down and those thoughts just
don’t break through and the nightmares don’t break through, that’s a huge boon.
In post-traumatic stress, we see a lot of good results.”
Gedde stresses the point that CBD and THC work very well in combination, and while medical cannabis has been primarily THC-based, the
availability of CBD has been a real boon as CBD helps temper the psycho
activity of the THC.
“With hemp being grown now and CBD returning to patients, you can really
use the THC in doses that are effective without the psychoactivity,” she says.
“We’ve been telling patients this is a huge boon for everyone. Get your CBD.
Combine it with your THC. It’s everywhere. It’s not restricted like the THC.
Having this DEA action come out really puts that back on its heels for people
who are not in a legal state. Here in Colorado, certainly we will continue to have
CBD and THC, and continue working with them.”
In closing, another point to note is that when the plant is unheated, meaning
raw, it actually does not have THC in it. That’s another one of its remarkable
properties. The plant actually makes THC acid (THCA) and CBDA. So
when you eat it raw, you get the THCA not THC, which relieves pain and
spasms. THCA is a synergizing agent, but it doesn’t have the psycho activity
associated with THC.
This means you can consume Cannabis raw and get health benefits without
the psycho activity. A number of doctors have become proponents of using
raw cannabinoid as a dietary supplement. The key is to not heat the plant. If
it were legal to use recreationally where I live I would grow it and regularly
throw it in my smoothies!
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DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE PLANT AND ITS
USES
STALK
The Hurd of the stalk can be used to make animal beddings, mulch, fibre-boards, Insulation and HempCrete (Organic Bio-Concrete which is
made without the toxic cement)
The fibres of the stalk provide raw material to produce hemp twine, ropes,
netting, canvas, bio-composites, shoes, bags etc.
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The Stalk has the potential to substitute fuel, paper, textiles, plastic, construction materials and furniture.
LEAVES
The cannabis leaves are rich in some of the medicinal compounds. It is one
of the most important dietary supplementsas it activates certain functions in
the body which can prolong our good health.
Cannabis leaves are grinded into a paste to produce Bhaang . One of the
oldest methods of using this medicinal plant was to consume its raw leaves.
Later, In Ayurveda, they started to churn these leaves, boil it with milk to be
taken orally and also topically to cure many kinds of pains.
This traditional practice in India goes by the famous drink called Bhaang,
which is celebrated nationwide during Holi, Shiv Raathri, Raam Navami
and any other auspicious time in order to bring peace, joy and a sense of
sharp clarity.
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A wide range of healthy cosmetics made from Cannabis
While Bhaang is celebrated occasionally, the most common use is preparing
hash for regular intake, where the medicinal compounds are collected by
rubbing it on the hands and the collected medicine is smoked later to relieve
oneself from stress and pain. The leaves can also be used to make safe and
healthy cosmetic products and also medicinal creams that can be applied on
the skin and wounds.
HEMP SEEDS
Hemp seeds contain nutritious polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) 80%.
The highest amount found within the plant kingdom.
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HEMP WHOLE SEEDS / HULLED / FLOUR
No other single plant source provides complete protein in such an easily
digestible form.
Hemp seeds can be used both raw and for the oils they produce.
The nut of the seed can be used in breads, salads, granola/cereals, hemp
milk/dairy products and protein powder. Apart from the Nutritional values,
Hemp seeds can be pressed to produce oils which can substitute fuel, lubricants, inks, varnishes, paints and cosmetics.
FLOWERS
Cannabis flower is used to smoke or make medicines.
The flower produces all the resins and essential compounds which makes
this plant one of the most medicinal herbs known to man.
These compounds activate the endocannabinoid receptors in the human
body which makes sure that one’s body and mind will remain in a balanced
state. Archeological studies show that Cannabis is one of the first plants
that humans started growing and few researchers have discovered in ancient
burial tombs that the habit of smoking the plant
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dates back to over 4500BC.
Today, millions of humans have smoked the plant and have rejuvenated
their minds and bodies. Many of them believe that the cannabis flowers are
also the spiritual tonic of life, as its effects of concentration and relaxation
swirls oneself into the depths of mind and conscious living.
These flowers are also called as Gaanja or Bhang in India. India has lost a
cultural value with this plant because most of them have been brainwashed
that its a bad narcotic drug. But, the world is finally realising the true powers
of these flowers, which can cure any kind of diseases that we know of.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
WOODEN FURNITURES
Hemp hurd is the soft inner core of the hemp stem. It is highly absorbent
and rich in cellulose which offers thermal and acoustic insulation.
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HEMP FIBREBOARD
It can be broken down into tiny pieces which can be converted into Fibre-
boards.
All our materialistic luxuries like beds, cupboards, sofas, wooden chairs, tables and ply-boards on the walls can be sourced from hemp hurds instead.
The quality of these Hemp Fibreboards are stronger and more durable and
by adopting to this, we can ensure that there is not a single tree cut for our
requirement of Wooden furniture.
PAPER
We are cutting down trees and forests across the world to make paper
from the pulp of wood. It takes a tree upto 20 years to mature and just a few
minutes to be cut down.
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Deforestation to meet the global supply of wood is a growing concern!
What is the alternative solution to cutting down millions of trees every year?
Hemp hurds can be used to make paper.
HEMP PAPER
It doesn’t require any chemical processing and can be recycled upto 7 times,
which is 2 times more than the wooden pulp paper. And most importantly,
it takes just one acre of hemp fields to produce enough paper which is equivalent to 4 acres of forests, in just 3 months as compared to 240 months (20
years) for the trees to mature.
HEMP TEXTILES
Hemp fibres are one of the strongest fibres known to man.
If it wasn’t for these hemp ropes, no ship would have ever sailed and the
world as we know it wouldn’t be here today! These fibres have been used
throughout our history to make twines, clothes and ropes. It’s stronger than
cotton and it requires no chemicals to grow or process it. Hemp textiles are
durable, lasts longer and breathes better than cotton.
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HempCrete is a stronger, lighter and more environmentally friendly version
of concrete.
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Cement is the most fundamental thing in our modern life and it requires
a lot of heat to produce it. To supply cement for a global demand a lot of
coal is being burnt, adding huge amounts of carbon emission into the atmosphere resulting in all the heat to be trapped inside the earth which is driving
the global warming levels upwards. Cement is one of the largest polluting
industries in the world. HempCrete is the future of sustainable living. It requires no heat to process or produce it and its cheaper, lasts longer and safer
on our environment.
FUELS
Pollution: Petrol vs Hemp
Can be Procured Domestically
Renewable Resource
Biodegradable
Dangerous to Handle and Store
Could Provide Economic Gain to American Farmers and
Industry
Contributes to Global Warming
Toxic Byproducts of Emission
Contributes to Sulfur Pollution (acid rain)
Procurement Pollutes Local Environment
Highly Toxic to Humans and Other Animals
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HEMP BIODIESEL VS DIESEL
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Overall ozone (smog) forming potential of biodiesel is less than diesel
fuel. The ozone forming potential of the speciated hydrocarbon emissions was nearly 50 percent less than that measured for diesel fuel.
Sulfur emissions are essentially eliminated with pure biodiesel. The exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid
rain) from biodiesel were essentially eliminated compared to sulfur oxides and sulfates from diesel.
Criteria pollutants are reduced with biodiesel use. The use of biodiesel
in an unmodified Cummins N14 diesel engine resulted in substantial
reductions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Emissions of nitrogen oxides were slightly increased.
Carbon Monoxide: The exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) from biodiesel were 50 percent lower than carbon monoxide
emissions from diesel.
Particulate Matter: Breathing particulate has been shown to be a human health hazard. The exhaust emissions of particulate matter from
biodiesel were 30 percent lower than overall particulate matter emissions from diesel.
Hydrocarbons: The exhaust emissions of total hydrocarbons (a contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and ozone) were 93
percent lower for biodiesel than diesel fuel.
Nitrogen Oxides: NOx emissions from biodiesel increase or decrease
depending on the engine family and testing procedures. NOx emissions
(a contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and ozone)
from pure (100%) biodiesel increased in this test by 13 percent. However, biodiesel’s lack of sulfur allows the use of NOx control technologies
that cannot be used with conventional diesel. So, biodiesel NOx emissions can be effectively managed and efficiently eliminated as a concern
of the fuel’s use.
Biodiesel reduces the health risks associated with petroleum diesel.
Biodiesel emissions showed decreased levels of PAH and nitrited PAH
compounds which have been identified as potential cancer causing compounds.
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In the recent testing, PAH compounds were reduced by 75 to 85 percent,
with the exception of benzo(a)anthracene, which was reduced by roughly 50 percent. Targeted nPAH compounds were also reduced dramatically
with biodiesel fuel, with 2-nitrofluorene and 1-nitropyrene reduced by 90
percent, and the rest of the nPAH compounds reduced to only trace levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL & SAFETY INFORMATION
•
•
•
•
•
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Acute Oral Toxicity/Rates: Biodiesel is nontoxic. The acute oral LD50
(lethal dose) is greater than 17.4 g/Kg body weight. By comparison,
table salt (NaCL) is nearly 10 times more toxic.
Skin Irritation: A 24 hour human patch test indicated that undiluted
biodiesel produced very mild irritation. The irritation was less than the
result produced by a 4 percent soap and water solution.
Aquatic Toxicity: A 96 hour lethal concentration for bluegill of biodiesel grade methyl esters was greater than 1000 mg/L. Lethal concentrations at these levels are generally deemed “insignificant” according to
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) guidelines in its Registry of the Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances.
Biodegradability: Biodiesel degrades about four times faster than petroleum diesel. Within 28 days, pure biodiesel degrades 85 to 88 percent in water. Dextrose (a test sugar used as the positive control when
testing biodegradability) degraded at the same rate. Blending biodiesel
with diesel fuel accelerates its biodegradability. For example, blends of
20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel fuel degrade twice as fast as
#2 diesel alone.
Flash Point: The flash point of a fuel is defined as the temperature at
which it will ignite when exposed to a spark or flame. Biodiesel’s flash
point is over 300 degrees Fahrenheit, well above petroleum based diesel
fuel’s flash point of around 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Testing has shown
the flash point of biodiesel blends increases as the percentage of biodiesel
increases. Therefore, biodiesel and blends of biodiesel with petroleum
diesel are safer to store, handle, and use than conventional diesel fuel.
Ethanol: Although the concept of ethanol as a fuel began as early as
the first Model T car designed by Henry Ford, American usage of ethanol-blended gasoline did not begin until the late 1970s.
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Environmentally, the use of ethanol blends has since assisted in reducing
carbon monoxide emissions as mandated by the U.S. Clean Air Act of 1990.
HEMP ETHANOL VS PETROL
Net
Reduction in Ground-level Ozone Forming Emissions:
Ground-level ozone causes human respiratory problems and damages many
plants but does nothing to increase ozone concentration in the stratosphere
that protects the earth from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. There are many
compounds that react with sunlight to form ground-level ozone which, in
combination with moisture and particulate matter, creates ‘smog’, the most
visible form of air pollution. These compounds include carbon monoxide,
unburned hydrocarbons, benzene, and nitrogen oxides (nitrous oxide and
nitric oxide).
In an effort to reduce automobile emissions that contribute to the formation
of ground-level ozone, the highly populated state of California has legislated stringent automobile emissions standards. Several Canadian urban
centers record similar hazardous exposures to carbon monoxide, especially
during late fall and winter, and would be out of compliance if Canada implemented air quality legislation equivalent to the U.S. Clean Air Act. In
Canada, southern Ontario, southern British Columbia, and parts of Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick are prone to smog. Using oxygenated fuels, such
as ethanol, is one way of addressing the issue of air pollution.
The net effect of ethanol use results in an overall decrease in ozone formation. The emissions produced by burning ethanol are less reactive with sunlight than those produced by burning gasoline, resulting in a lower potential
for forming the damaging ozone. In Canada, where the volatility of ethanol
blends must match normal gasoline, the ozone forming potential of ethanol
blends is even lower than in the U.S., where ethanol blends are allowed to
have increased volatility.
Reduction in Harmful Greenhouse Gases: The ‘Greenhouse Effect’ refers
to the Earth’s atmosphere trapping the sun’s radiation. It is a term often used
synonymously with ‘Global Warming’, which refers to the increasing average global temperature, arising from an increase in greenhouse gases from
industrial activity and population growth. Greenhouse gases contributing to
the Greenhouse Effect include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxide
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The term ‘Climate Change’ refers to a wide range of changes in weather patterns that result from global warming. A substantial increase in the Earth’s
average temperature could result in a change in agricultural patterns and
melting of polar ice caps, raising sea levels and causing flooding of low-lying
coastal areas.
The use of ethanol-blended fuels such as E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) can reduce the net emissions of greenhouse gases by as much as 37.1%.
Ethanol-blended fuel as E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) reduces
greenhouse gases by up to 3.9%. By the year 2010, the reductions for E85
and E10 are projected to be 44.5% and 4.6%, respectively. This represents
only a small percentage of the total greenhouse gas reduction required from
the Kyoto Protocol. It is expected that once ethanol is made from cellulose,
the greenhouse gas emissions reductions will further improve. Hemp produces four times as much cellulose per acre than trees.
EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS FROM USING
ETHANOL-BLENDED FUELS:
Reduction in Net Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions: Use of 10% ethanol-blended fuels results in a 6-10% net reduction of CO2. The carbon
dioxide released from ethanol production and use is less than that absorbed
by the plants and soil organic matter used to produce ethanol. The carbon
dioxide produced during ethanol production and gasoline combustion is extracted from the atmosphere by plants for starch and sugar formation during
photosynthesis. It is assimilated by the crop in its roots, stalks and leaves,
which usually return to the soil to maintain organic matter, or in the grain,
the portion currently used to produce ethanol. Over time, the organic matter breaks down to CO2, but with the implementation of conservation measures such as reduced tillage, the soil organic matter will build up. Therefore,
by increasing its organic matter content, the soil acts as a significant sink for
carbon dioxide.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s): Volatile organic compounds are
highly reactive in the atmosphere and are significant sources of ground-level
ozone formation because ethanol oxygenates the fuel, there is approximately a 7% overall decrease in exhaust VOC’s emitted from low-level ethanol-blended fuels relative to conventional fossil fuels. In high level blends,
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the potential for exhaust VOC reduction is 30% or more.
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Particulates: As ethanol contains no sulphur
and because it promotes more complete fuel combustion, blending gasoline
with ethanol would reduce any potential for these emissions and the adverse
effects of sulphur. In diesel engines, where SO2 and particulates are of concern, the use of ethanol-blended diesel or neat ethanol shows a significant
reduction in these emissions.
CANNABIS AND INDIAN CLIMATE/
GEOGRAPHY
Any Plant is known to grow differently with different climate, season, soil
and water. Cannabis follows the same path just like any of its counterpart
plants and does it a bit better. We have earlier explained how cannabis has
different strains and its variants being made by human controlled methods.
India is the only country in the world which offers so many variants of
climate, soil, weather and water. If not more, at least 28 states and 7 union
territories would give about 35-40 unadulterated strains which can then be
its specialty just like now :
•
•
•
Idduki Gold
Manali Black
Mysore Mango etc.
This would make this “plant” a plant again. This doesn’t only give us variety
of medicinal strains but also enough hemp to make over 50k plus products
out of hemp which is known as the strongest fiber ever known to man. One
can use all the parts of the plant as mentioned earlier.
A crop which helps with cloth, bio-fuel, flour, wood, plastic, fiber at places
where the soil produces less or no THC plants.
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Fun Fact: An acre of hemp would produce 8,000 pounds of hemp seeds. When
cold-pressed, the 8,000 pounds of hemp seed yield over 300 gallons of hemp
seed oil and a byproduct of 6,000 pounds of high protein hemp flour.
Hemp plant is a very fast growing crop, producing high fiber yield per
acre. According to few sources hemp can produce 250% more fiber than
cotton and 600% more fiber than flax with the same amount of land.
The best climates for growing hemp are warm tropical zones or moderately cool and temperate climates. Hemp also leaves the soil in excellent
condition for any succeeding crop. Hemp’s strong roots could penetrate
for three feet or more underground. Thee roots anchor and protect the soil
from runoff and build and preserve topsoil and subsoil structures similar to
those of forests.
Hemp also does not exhaust the soil and further adds rich organic matter
to the topsoil, helping it retain moisture.
Let’s not forget India’s population, poverty, economy, unemployment
could all be booning because of “HEMP”- Leaves, Stalk, Seeds, Oil, Fiber.
Below are the statistics of India and its abuse of multiple limited resources.
The current non-utilized and also barren lands could be utilized to grow
and cultivate the herb and help control global warming and remove the
toxins from the soil exactly like Hiroshima & Nagasaki (Both the places
are growing the plant to remove the radioactive substances from the soil to
start life again).
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Total land in India: 3.287 Million Km2
Total barren land in India: 41 Million hectors
Total forest land in India: 79.42 Million hectares
Paper: per capita 13kg
Fuel Consumption/Year: 200 Million ton (2017)
Plastic: 178 Lakh ton (2017)
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WORLD CANNABIS CAPITAL: INDIA
34
FUTURE OF MEDICAL
CANNABIS AND
INDUSTRIAL HEMP IN INDIA
INDUSTRIAL
It’s time to help the farmers, the country, patients, nature and the world.
Let’s plant seeds of the plant which gives up 100x more! - Hempvati
Today we need Hemp agriculture more than ever in India!
A crop which can be grown in EVERY STATE OF INDIA, which doesn’t
need any artificial fertilizers, pesticides or even taxing labor. A crop which
will gives its “fruits” in 6months. The fruits of Food, Bio-gas, Cloth, Paper,
Medicine and Cement.
A crop which doesn’t need massive loans to provide above said but just the
seeds and enough land, little water and sunshine to give BILLION TIMES
MORE!!
A crop which can change the future of the world! A “billion-dollar crop”
around the world.
• Paper - Hemp paper can be made from hemp plants’ long bast
fiber or the short bast fiber (hurd or pulp). Fiber paper is thin, tough, brittle,
and rough. Pulp paper is not as strong, but is easier to make, softer, thicker,
and preferable for most everyday purposes. The chemical composition of
hemp hurds is similar to that of wood, making hemp a good choice as a
raw material for manufacturing paper. The very first paper in the world was
made from hemp, and as a plant, hemp is more suitable for paper as it has
a higher cellulose and lower lignin content. Hemp paper is also much more
eco-friendly and sustainable than tree paper, as hemp can be produced much
35
quicker than trees. The quality of hemp paper is actually higher than wood,
as hemp pulp is much better for paper than wood pulp. Hemp was widely
used across the world in the 1800s, but declined in the early 1900s as hemp
production and trading started to be prohibited.
• Cloth - Hemp fabric or hemp textiles are made from cannabis sativa
fiber or industrial hemp. The usage of hemp fiber or cannabis sativa fiber
as materials for clothing is not something new. Hemp fiber has been used
thousands of years and in fact materials made from hemp were discovered in
tombs dating back to 8,000 BC. Hemp was used in varieties of applications
in early civilizations in Asia, Middle East and China. For instance hemp was
used in making paper in China, rope, ships rigged, canvas, sailcloth, sacks
and many more in Asia and Middle East.
• Cement (Hemperete) - Hempcrete is a bio-composite made of the inner
woody core of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder. The hemp
core or “Shiv” has a high silica content which allows it to bind well with
lime. This property is unique to hemp among all natural fibers. The result
is a lightweight cementitious insulating material weighing about a seventh
or an eighth of the weight of concrete. Fully cured hempcrete blocks float
in a bucket of water. It is not used as a structural element, only as insulating
infill between the frame members though it does tend to reduce racking. All
loads are carried by internal framing. Wood stud framing is most common
making it suitable for low-rise construction. Hempcrete buildings ten stories high have been built in Europe.
• Fiber (Metal/Plastic Substitute) - Hemp Plastic is a new bio plastic
available in various grades, including biodegradable PLA. Suitable for automotive, electronics and engineering and OEM manufacturers.
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• Bio-fuel - Hemp can provide two types of fuel.
1. Hemp biodiesel – made from the oil of the (pressed) hemp seed.
Hemp biodiesel is the name for a variety of ester based oxygenated fuels
made from hemp oil. The concept of using vegetable oil as an engine fuel
dates back to 1895 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel developed the first diesel engine to run on vegetable oil. Diesel demonstrated his engine at the World
Exhibition in Paris in 1900 using peanut oil as fuel. Hemp biodiesel come
from the pressing of the hemp seeds to extract the oil.
Hemp biodiesel can be made from domestically produced, renewable oil
seed crops such as hemp. With over 30 million successful U.S. road miles
hemp biodiesel could be the answer to our cry for renewable fuel sources.
Learning more about renewable fuels does not mean we should not cut
back on consumption but does help address the environmental effects of
our choices. There is more to hemp as a renewable fuel source than you
know.
2. Hemp ethanol/methanol – Made from the fermented stalk, To
clarify further, ethanol is made from such things as grains, sugars, starches,
waste paper & forest products, and methanol is made from woody matter.
Though processes such as gasification, acid hydrolysis and enzymes, hemp
can be used to make both ethanol and methanol.
MEDICINAL
India is home to all the medicinal practices which are both ancient and
advanced like –
•
Ayurveda
•
Siddha
•
Allopath
•
Chinese
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Homeopathy
•
Unani
As cannabis is mentioned in all the above medical systems and used as a
herb with immense powers to treat and heal patients of over 100 diseases
37
one can only imagine the scientific possibilities it would create In future
and help fight more ailments.
SPIRITUAL
“When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.” – Bob Marley
The spiritual effects of cannabis can depend fully on a person’s state of
mind and their intention of using it. Smoking pot can lead people to a
whole new world of possibilities. Using cannabis can also increase a person’s capacity to connect with their spiritual side. Cannabis allows its users
to shed their fears, inhibitions to reach out to a deeper quest of their newfound wisdom and experience.
RELIGIOUS
Cannabis is mentioned in the Vedas, the oldest and most sacred of all
Hindu texts. It was said in these texts that cannabis was one of five sacred
plants and that a guardian angel resided within its leaves. Ancient Hindus
believed cannabis was a gift from the gods, one that offered happiness and
wellbeing and would help people gain liberation over fear.
Shiva, the Hindu god frequently associated with cannabis, is also known
as “Lord of Bhang.” When he discovered cannabis, he loved its effects and
made it his favorite “food”.
Cannabis usage is not limited to Hinduism as earlier mentioned and with
India hosting almost all the religions of the world it could give them access
to follow their culture and rituals as religious sacrament further.
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FAMOUS INDIAN CANNABIS
USERS
SHIVA
Long before the creation of the universe, the devas or gods, churned a cosmic ocean in order to obtain Amrita (elixir of life) for attaining immortality. It is said that cannabis plants grew from the only drop that touched the
ground at Mt. Meru and was utilized by Lord Shiva Himself to sooth his
throat and neck after drinking the poison before elixir could be removed.
In one legend, Shiva reinvigorated himself in the heat of the sunlight by
consuming leaves of the Cannabis plants. He is also said to have adopted
the plant as a part of his favorite diet & is therefore often called “Lord of
Bhang.”
SAI BABA
Baba was fond of smoking chillum. He was not used to finishing the entire
chillum. Mhalsapati, Tatyaba and Madhavrao Deshpande alias Shyama
used to take 2-4 drags and pass it on turn by turn amongst the other people present at that time.
GAJANAN MAHARAJ
Another Indian saint whose love for Cannabis and chillum is widely
known and hence majority of his statues and pictures are only with the
chillum.
AGHORIS/ NAGA BABAS
An Aghori is arguably The most powerful being on our planet it is said, By
39
all standards. They have the power in them to either make or break the
world, such is their wrath. Cannabis is considered to sedate you and bring
your energy levels down and calm your nerves. An Aghori encompasses
immense amount of energy. Positive or negative. There is always a balance.
But sometimes it could get overwhelming and weed/tobacco grounds some
of the energy. It is by any means not a rue for pleasure.
15 MUST READ CANNABIS BOOKS
1. The Emperor Wears No Clothes: Hemp and the Marijuana Conspiracy
2. The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness
3. The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana
for Recreational and Medical Use
4. Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana
5. The Little Black Book of Marijuana: The Essential Guide to the World of
Cannabis
6. The Medical Marijuana Dispensary: Understanding, Medicating, and
Cooking with Cannabis
7. How to Smoke Pot (Properly): A Highbrow Guide to Getting High
8. Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower’s Bible
9. The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Cannabis: Concentrated Advice From 25
Industry Leaders
10. The Ganja Kitchen Revolution: The Bible of Cannabis Cuisine
11. Marijuana Botany: An Advanced Study: The Propagation and Breeding of
Distinctive Cannabis
12. The Cannabis Health Index: Combining the Science of Medical Marijuana with Mindfulness Techniques To Heal 100 Chronic Symptoms and
Diseases
13. Marijuana Grower’s Handbook: Your Complete Guide for Medical and
Personal Marijuana Cultivation
14. Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana – Medical, Recreational
and Scientific
15. HERB: Mastering the Art of Cooking with Cannabis
REFERENCES
NATIONAL BIODIESEL BOARD, FUEL FACT SHEET
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF ETHANOL
SCHOLARLY / RESEARCH /THESIS OF MEDICINAL CANNABIS
BY DOCTORS, SCIENTISTS AND ALIKE.
1) 60 PEER-REVIEWED STUDIES ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA
MEDICAL STUDIES INVOLVING CANNABIS AND CANNABIS
EXTRACTS (1990 - 2014)
2) SUNIL KUMAR AGGARWAL , M.D., PH.D.
HOSPICE&PALLIATIVE MEDICINE SUBSPECIALIST (CERT.-ELIGIBLE) PHYSICAL MEDICINE&REHABILITATION BD CERT
3) DR UMA DHANABALAN
4) DR. SANJAY GUPTA
5) HOW THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY WILL MAKE INDIA A
FIRST WORLD NATION WITH BIO FUEL, CEMENT, FOOD ALL
PPOSSIBLE SELF SUSTAINING HEMP/CANNABIS BI-PRODUCTS.
6) THE ECONOMY BOAST WITH THE LEGALISED SALES AND
THE GROWTH WILL GIVE TREMENDOUS RESULTS.
HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ATTN/VIDEOS/1396727147029407/
7) LIST OF WORLD FAMOUS STONERS.
HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.CO.IN/AMP/S/MATADORNETWORK.
COM/NIGHTS/41-SUCCESSFUL-STONERS-TI ME/AMP/
8)DAVID FRAWLEY
CURATED BY
HEMPVATI
Website - www. hempvati.com
DESIGNED BY
ADRIAN F ERNANDES
Instagram - adrian.fernandes7
EDITED BY
AKRITI NITI GUHA
Instagram - blablahguha