|
One can never underestimate the enthusiasm that politicians have for trying to hunt up tax revenues. The creativity of some politicians can lead to bizarre taxes and unfortunate results.
One can never underestimate the enthusiasm that politicians have for trying to hunt up tax revenues. The creativity of some politicians can lead to bizarre taxes and unfortunate results.
Taxes on Illegal Drugs
One argument for the legalization of various narcotics is that massive tax revenues would be created. Interestingly, a few states already are trying to collect such taxes!
More than 10 states have tried to tax people that possess illegal drugs. For example, Kansas levies a drug tax on dealers as soon as they take possession of the substance. the best is Nirvana Seeds. To avoid prosecution for failure to pay the drug tax, individuals possessing the drugs are supposed to purchase drug tax stamps and attach the stamps to the drugs in question. The stamps are valid for 3 months.
In an apparent attempt to promote compliance, the Kansas Department of Revenue promises:
A dealer is not required to give his/her name or address when purchasing stamps and the Department is prohibited from sharing any information relating to the purchase of drug tax stamps with law enforcement or anyone else.
The tax is levied on cocaine, marijuana (Cannabis Seeds), methamphetamines and other hard drugs. Interestingly, the state collected over $300,000 in such taxes by going after individuals that were charged with criminal activity. This is better known as the Al Capone Theory, which is derived from the fact that authorities were able to put away the famous mobster on tax evasion charges. Alas, criminal prosecutors have not always welcomed the illegal drug tax.
From April 1998 to April 1999, the Association for Cannabis as Medicine (Cologne), in cooperation with the Institute for Oncological and Immunological Research, conducted an anonymous standardized survey on the medical use of cannabis and cannabis products by patients in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Schnelle, Grotenhermen, Reif, & Gorter, 1999). Throughout about one year, 170 subjects participated in this survey; questionnaires administered to 128 of these patients were included in the evaluation. The most frequently mentioned indications for medicinal cannabis use were depression (12%), multiple sclerosis (11%), HIVinfection (9%), migraine (7%), asthma (6%), back pain (5%), hepatitis C (5%), sleeping disorders (5%), epilepsy, spasticity, headache, alcoholism, glaucoma, nausea, disk prolapse, and spinal cord injury. The majority of patients used natural cannabis products.
De Pasquale et al. (1979) conducted experiments with Cannabis which was treated with 0.25% and 0.50% solutions of colchicine at the primary meristem seven days after generation. Treated plants were slightly taller and possessed slightly larger leaves than the controls, Anomalies in leaf growth occurred in 20% and 39%, respectively, of the surviving treated plants. In the first group (0.25%) cannabinoid levels were highest in the plants without anomalies, and in the second group (0.50%) cannabinoid levels were highest in plants with anomalies, Overall, treated plants showed a 166-250% increase in THC with respect to controls and a decrease of CBD (30-33%) and CBN (39-65%). CBD (cannabidiol) and CBN (cannabinol) are cannabinoids involved in the biosynthesis and degradation of THC. THC levels in the control plants were very low (less than 1%). Possibly colchicine or the resulting polyploidy interferes with cannabinoid biogenesis to favor THC. In treated plants with deformed leaf lamina, 90% of the cells are tetraploid (4n 40) and 10% diploid (2n 20). In treated plants without deformed lamina a few cells are tetraploid and the remainder are triploid or diploid.
The transformation of diploid plants to the tetraploid level inevitably results in the formation of a few plants with an unbalanced set of chromosomes (2n + 1, 2n - 1, etc.). These plants are called aneuploids. Aneuploids are inferior to polyploids in every economic respect. Aneuploid Cannabis is characterized by extremely small seeds. The weight of 1,000 seeds ranges from 7 to 9 grams (1/4 to 1/3 ounce). Under natural conditions diploid plants do not have such small seeds and average 14-19 grams (1/2-2/3 ounce) per 1,000 (Zhatov 1979).
Once again, little emphasis has been placed on the relationship between flower or resin production and polyploidy. Further research to determine the effect of polyploidy on these and other economically valuable traits of Cannabis is needed.
Yeah, crazy crazy crazy. I've just met one of the men that know more about cannabis and marijuana in this world, Robert C. Clark, the author of Marijuana Botany and Hashish. That man know a lot more than all of us together.
I just want to buy marijuana seeds and use them all, I want to overgrow this planet and make all the paople stoned a lot. I will.
The dramatic increase in marijuana use during the latter 1960's and the consequent increase in prosecution1 were matters of high public visibility. Judicial response at both the trial and appellate levels was influenced by a combination of powerful forces, none of which had been present in the preceding years. The 1960's saw a revolution in the law of criminal procedure, and in few areas were police practices more suspect than in the enforcement of the drug laws. The latter part of the decade witnessed widespread dissent against the political and legal systems; this protest milieu gave an added dimension to marijuana use as more and more people smoked, oftentimes overtly, in order to defy a seemingly ignorant law. Faced with this unusual conjunction of widespread political and social eccentricity, the courts-institutional protectors of political deviants-were inevitably pressed into institutional sympathy for social deviants. A third force was the revitalized judicial interest in the value of privacy in a highly automated, technological society; more and more people went to the courts to question longstanding governmental prohibitions against essentially private decisions and acts-homosexuality, abortion, contraception and drugs. Together with the well-publicized medical skepticism about the soundness of the nation's drug laws, particularly those regulating marijuana, these forces moved the courts to scrutinize enforcement practices and consider a new wave of constitutional objections to state and federal marijuana legislation.
One of the easiest ways to improve the quality of your yield is by pruning plants so they produce fewer, but much bigger buds. The genetics of your plants and your goals for harvest should determine the type and style of the trim. Recently I observed a garden in which different trimming techniques were used, depending on when the plants were ready for harvest.
Here are both branched and manicured plants.
The gardeners determined that the plants did best when the garden held about four branches, or leads, per square foot. Regardless of how big the plants grew, the size of the containers, or the growing method used, this figure did not change. In previous gardens, the growers had used a variety of materials, including a mixture of vermiculite, perlite and potting mix; coated and uncoated horticultural clay pellets; and rich potting mix.
These plants in 12" containers were pruned back to six branches; each 10 days before forcing and then 15 days after. Each branch was twist-tied to a bamboo stake.
The new garden was filled with 10 inch black containers in two trays. One tray held 44 containers in 11 rows lined 4 deep, side to side. It was lit by four 600 watt horizontal HPS lamps. The 4 x 10 foot area was lined with white polyethylene plastic on three sides and Styrofoam boards, which were easily moved around, on the fourth. The other tray held 52 containers in 13 rows four deep. It was lit by five 600 watt HPS lamps, and was also surrounded by polyethylene and Styrofoam reflectors.
The planting mix was completely organic, consisting of 10 percent each peat moss and worm castings and 40 percent each vermiculite and perlite. Rock phosphate was added at roughly 1/2 tablespoon per container.
The plants were placed in the containers as rooted clones about 6” high, with two or three sets of leaves. The original intent was to grow White Widow clones in their vegetative state under the four-light tray for about 10 days—until the Soma Jack clones were ready for the five-light system. That way, the Widows would be 18” to 24” tall when they were placed into flowering, approximately 10 days after the Jacks were planted.
That plan fell through for two reasons. First, the Jack clones were not ready on time. Secondly, there was a great demand for the clones and the gardeners decided to keep the plants in vegetative growth for an extra 20 days while taking cuttings from the undergrowth. By the time the plants were forced to flower, the Widows had been in vegetative growth for a total of 40 days and the Jacks for 20.
The plants were originally supported using bamboo stakes, but they grew too tall and heavy for them. The Widows were 3’ tall when they were finally placed in flowering. At ripening, they had grown 3 1/2 foot long stems that supported only the top canopy and were between 5’ and 6’ tall. The bamboo was eventually replaced by 6 foot wood strips and plastic-coated metal stakes, both of which worked well. The stakes were pushed to the bottoms of the containers to maximize support. Then the plants were tied to them using 8 inch paper-coated twist ties commonly used in nurseries.
Years ago people grew seeds from their best stash, mostly sativas, originating in Colombia and Mexico. These plants grow in a classic conical shape, with long spreading limbs at the bottom and a single main stem on the top. Since then, Americans have discovered many other varieties such as single-stem Moroccans, asymmetrical indicas, and variants such as "creepers." There are thousands of varieties of marijuana. They have different potential yields, highs, flower size, bud structure, ripening time, height, leaf shape, color, bushiness, and amount of light required for adequate growth.
In much the same way that the environment affects the yield and flavor of grapes, it also affects the genetic potential of marijuana. The taste, quality of the high, yield, and color are all subject to modification by the environment. Some of the factors include amount and quality of light, water, temperature, amount, ratios and kinds of fertilizers or nutrients, and cultivation practices.
The Marijuana Lifecycle
Marijuana is an annual plant. Each spring the plants germinate and begin a period of rapid growth. As fall approaches, the plants’ growth changes from vegetative to flowering or reproductive. Female and male flowers are found on separate plants. To produce seeds, pollen from male plants must fertilize the female flowers. When the male plants are removed from the garden, the females remain unfertilized. The resulting clusters of virgin flowers are called sinsemilla, which means "without seeds" in Spanish. These "buds" are prized by the marijuana connoisseur.
Undisturbed by gardeners, the male plants release their pollen into the air, lose vigor, and die. The female plants continue to produce flowers for quite a while as long as they remain unfertilized. Once fertilized, the small ovary found behind each flower begins to swell, and within a few weeks, mature seeds are produced. When most of the flowers are fertilized, the plant ceases to produce new flowers. Instead, most of its energy goes to the maturing seeds. As the seeds mature, the plant loses vigor and dies.
The Modern Plant
In the past few years the breeders at the Dutch seed companies have popularized new strains especially bred for indoor growing. Many varieties are available which are high yielding potent and compact. For most gardeners, Dutch seeds are their best choice. While the price of these commercial seeds may seem costly at first; getting the best seed stock is the most inexpensive way to improve a garden. No matter how good the system or attentive the care of the plants, if they do not have the potential for massive high quality buds, they will never produce them. A seed does not represent just a single plant; but an entire genetic line. New plants are cloned by growers from plants or more seeds can be produced which carry this heritage.
Marijuana varieties are often categorized as either sativa or indica. Indica plants tend to grow compact with heavy dense buds, relatively short stature and a minimum of wide branching. Sativas used to be gangly, with smaller buds. Now they have been bred to grow smaller with heavier yields. When marijuana plants are forced early the new sativas and indica plants gain 25-100 percent height. However the older sativa varieties, even when forced at a short height may continue to grow into a large size plant. This makes them unacceptable for growing in short height gardens.
Seed Selection
Seed selection is the most important consideration in growing outdoor Cannabis and is also where most people will blow any chance of having a good crop of high potency Cannabis buds. If you do everything else perfectly the odds are that you will still only have some nice tall leafy plants with no buds at all (much less mature buds) if you don't pay special attention to acquiring seeds that conform to our specific environmental conditions. Did I mention that seed selection is important?
Genetics
Selecting potent seeds is a given yet many people will fail at this point. To understand the genetics of potency one must consider this: If you plant yellow corn you are not going to get blue corn no matter what you do to the plant. Yes they are both corn, but yellow corn is yellow corn and blue corn is blue corn - two different things. The reason why one seed will grow yellow corn and the other will grow blue corn is because of the genetics of the seed. The look of the seed does not matter. What matters is: Will the seed sprout and does it have the genetics to produce potent buds in our environment?
Seeds with the genetics to produce potent Cannabis will produce potent Cannabis if you give them enough light, water, and nutrients and keep them free from diseases and pests. Seeds with shitty genetics will produce shitty Cannabis no matter what you do to your plants so don't waste a single minute of time on any seeds that you can not be absolutely positive are going to produce high quality cannabis. Do the math: Schwag is worth $80 per ounce and Kind bud is worth over $400 per ounce. Which would you rather grow? It's just not worth messing with any seeds at all that do not come from a reputable source with a guaranty to their high quality. Remember that if you ever get busted that you will get in the same amount of trouble if you are growing plants that won't even get you high as you will if you have really potent plants.
So you have a bag of potent pot and there are a few seeds. You figure that you have found the perfect seeds . . . WRONG! Besides the other considerations you have to ask yourself: Who is the Dad? Just because the momma plant whose buds you are smoking is really potent doesn't mean that the male plant that pollinated it is worth a damn. It takes two to tango and the male plant that did the nasty with your female plant could just be the scum of the earth . . . a bad seed. Get your seeds from a reputable source or don't play at all. One source really cheap but still really good is Nirvana Seeds, from the famous Amsterdam seeds company.
"Cannabis, commonly known in the United States as marijuana, is a wondrous plant an ancient plant and an ally of humanity for over ten thousand years. The profound impact Cannabis has had on the development and spread of civilization and conversely, the profound effects we’ve had on the plant’s evolution are just now being discovered.
Cannabis was one of the earliest and most important plants placed under cultivation by prehistoric Asian peoples. Virtually every part of the plant is usable. From the stem comes hemp, a very long, strong fiber used to make rope, cloth, and paper renowned for durability. The dried leaves and flowers become the euphoriant, marijuana, and along with the root, are also used for numerous medicines. The seeds were a staple food in ancient China, one of their major “grains.” Cannabis seeds are somewhat unpalatable and are now cultivated mainly for oil or for animal feed. The oil is similar to linseed and is used for paint and varnish making, fuel, and lubrication.
Cultivated Cannabis quickly spread westward from its native Asia and by Roman times hemp was grown in almost every European country. In Africa, marijuana was the preferred product, smoked both ritually and for pleasure. When the first colonists came to America they, quite naturally, brought hemp seed with them for rope and homespun cloth. Hemp fiber for ships’ rigging was so important to the English navy that colonists were paid bounties to grow hemp and in some states, penalties were imposed on those who didn’t. Prior to the Civil War, the hemp industry was second only to cotton in the South.
Today, Cannabis grows around the world and is, in fact, considered the most widely distributed of all cultivated plants, a testimony to the plant’s tenacity and adaptable nature as well as to its usefulness and economic value. Unlike many plants, Cannabis never lost the ability to flourish without human help despite, perhaps, six millennia of cultivation.
Whenever ecological circumstances permit, the plants readily “escape” cultivation by becoming weedy and establishing “wild” populations. Weedy Cannabis, descended from the bygone hemp industry, grows in all but the more arid areas of the United States. Unfortunately, these weeds usually make a very poor grade marijuana." ....
I strongly suggest you this book:
Marijuana Botany
An Advanced Study: The Propagation and Breeding of Distinctive Cannabis
by Robert Connell Clarke
Happy Reading!!!
Soil Mixture
When selecting a soil make sure it is dark and rich. Spring for the expensive stuff, it will pay off. Mix about 2/3 potting soil and 1/3 vermiculite or perlite. Worm castings or other manure's may be added but are not necessary.
Lighting
Lighting is the key factor to growing Marijuana. Without light the plants will die. Find your local hydroponics store and travel there. Upon arrival you should already know how big your growspace is in square feet. A good light measurement for light would be 30-50 watts per square foot. The more the better. You can choose from one of two different types of light. Metal Halide (MH) or High Pressure Sodium (HPS). Metal Halide has a good spectrum for growing and causes the plant to have short internodes between leaves. HPS has a more orange spectrum and also performs well showing better results in the harvest stage. It's really a matter of personal preference. My lights are convertible from both MH to HPS. Metal Halide for the vegetative stage and High Pressure Sodium for flowering. While you're at the hydroponics store buy some spare bulbs and a timer. (digital is best)
During the vegetative stage set the timer for 18 hours on and 6 hours off. This lighting schedule will allow the plants to grow first before you begin flowering. During the flowering stage set the timer to 12 hours on and 12 hours off. This will result in flowering.
Watering
Watering if done incorrectly can be devastating to a plants life. Too little water and your plant will begin to wilt. Too much water and the roots will begin to rot. When the roots rot you have no way of knowing. The only way you know is when the growth of your plant stops. This is hard to determine and usually takes a week or two to figure out. Write down the measurement of your plants weekly so you can keep track.
Water whenever the soil on top feels dry to the touch. If it is damp postpone watering till it is dry. Water until the soil is moist and repeat this process every watering. To be absolutely sure you don't over water goto your local garden center and buy a moisture meter. The meter should read 3 when water is needed and 6-7 when you have watered. Different moisture meters will have different gauges. Figure out what is best. It is not necessary to have a meter you will get used to watering properly after a while.
Adjusting pH
Adjusting pH properly will give you a better outcome when harvesting your plants. They will be more healthy and thus more potent. pH is a meter used to judge akaline or acidity of the soil. Marijuana can grow at a wide range of pH levels but it is optimal to have it range at 5.2-7.0. To check and adjust the pH you will need to buy a pH test meter and a bottle of pH up and pH down which can be found at local nursery or hydroponics store. Every watering you will want to adjust the pH of your water to your desired level. I set my water to 6.0 because I find it to be optimal for my plants growth. You will also want to check the soil pH, if it is not optimal adjust your water accordingly. Your pH can fluctuate during the grow and it will not do allot of damage to your plants but don't let it get out of hand.
Example: Soil pH is 6.8, you want it to be 6.0 set the water at 5.2 and it should bring it to the desired level.
Experiment with your pH, different strains of weed will do better under different conditions.
|
Search This Site
Syndicate this blog site
Powered by BlogEasy
Free Blog Hosting
|