re: #82 allegro

“I think your concerns are quite unfounded since I believe the marijuana sold in shops now is grown mostly hydroponically - and in the US probably locally - to ensure quality. There is no need to go kill anyone for this easily grown plant.”

Your ignorance is noted. It is an easily grown plant. If you are growing it for hemp used in rope. If you are growing it to use as a drug it has very specific nutrition requirements and needs warmth, very bright light and a lot of air movement (as in fans on high or a windy area). I think it was alternet that did several pieces on how deadly growing cannabis for getting high is in the U.S. The growers clear land in National or State parks/forests and are quite willing to shoot anyone who comes near their growing area, even if it is someone who finds the grow area by accident. The growers hire mostly immigrants to pick and carry the harvest out of the growing area. There was even an article on how to identify the growing areas on google maps to make sure your hiking trip doesn’t get you killed.

The only way ‘to ensure quality’ is to test for the amount of chemicals . Growing anything hydroponically is not inexpensive or easy. A lot of electricity for the fans, lights, heating and pumps. As well as checking the system several times a day, replacing the nutrient solution at least every few days. Even in areas of bright sunlight the lighting must be augmented to ensure short growth and high chemical content. I was taught hydroponics and light gardening over 30 years ago by someone who grew tomatoes and cucumbers hydroponically (and a few cannabis plants for himself). The lighting options have changed over time and the price of electricity is much higher now. I have a light garden in my living room every winter. (9’ bay tree, 8’ myrtus communis, assorted rosemary bushes, too many jasmine plants. 1 large fan, florescent lights, 3 timers.)

Sorry I didn’t read though this partly sorry lot of comments before posting. The bullying of allegro, jaunte, HappyWarrior, blueraven and probably other of SteveMcGazi is the self-righteous crap I expect to see on alternet. You were all probably too stoned to realize how ignorant you look. Production costs-electricity, chemicals, growing materials are different in the U.S. from Holland. Prohibiting anything will have some people using it just because they shouldn’t. There isn’t a realistic straight comparison of alcohol, tobacco, herbs and pharmaceutical drugs. You don’t know how its grown, where it comes from, what makes it a drug. You assume because you get it from someone you know who doesn’t look like they would hurt anyone that your pot is benign. It isn’t.

Cannabis, even in very small amounts has always given me at the very least a screaming head ache. Between my neighborhood dealers, who retaliate against anyone who doesn’t buy from them, and the stoner brigade on this thread I’ve gone from legalize it to make it a pharmaceutical and ban it from home use.