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Posted by CN Staff on August 19, 2006 at 07:19:46 PT By Erika Niedowski, Sun Foreign Reporter Source: Baltimore Sun 
St. Petersburg, Russia -- The sign on Sergei Grigoryev's office door says "Narcobaron," or drug baron, over a faint picture of a marijuana leaf. That's his way of weathering the joshing he gets for doing nothing more than showing up for work each day. After all, Grigoryev promotes hemp.The scientist at the Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry in St. Petersburg is quick to draw a distinction between the connotations the word brings to mind - pot, weed, maryjane, hashish, ganja, herb, chronic - and the plant he calls one of the most valuable ever cultivated. He's equally swift to point out, even without being asked, that he has never used the drug himself. "I have access to marijuana," he says matter-of-factly. "I've never tried it. It's not interesting for me." His interest is in the hemp plant's lesser-known and, in his view, utterly unappreciated potential: to make fiber and produce oil. And after decades of research and experimental plant engineering, he thinks he has found a way to make those who have long rejected hemp embrace it instead: by growing a drug-free version. Grigoryev and his colleagues at the institute, where scientists have collected hemp from around the globe since 1922, produce a cannabis plant that contains only trace elements of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC - the psychoactive ingredient that gives marijuana smokers their high. Grigoryev imagines a Russia with hundreds of thousands of acres of hemp fields, as there were in the early days of the Soviet Union. He sees a Russia where more people don clothing crafted from hemp, as peasants traditionally did. He visualizes a Russia where hemp oil - rich in essential fatty acids and reputed to improve skin problems and ease inflammation from arthritis - is not just a supplement for health-conscious hippies. Unlike the United States, Russia allows the farming of so-called industrial hemp, which already contains low levels of THC. In fact, the United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn't allow it, according to Vote Hemp, an American nonprofit working to change the law. But even industrial hemp is no longer grown widely here: Russia has no more than 25,000 acres, compared with 2 million in 1925. The modern industrial crop has at times drawn unwelcome attention from Russian federal drug authorities. A few years ago, they forced farmers in the Penza and Belgorod regions to burn some of their fields, Grigoryev said, even though they weren't breaking the law. The Federal Drug Control Service insists it doesn't oppose industrial hemp. But at a recent conference, one official responded to Grigoryev's plan to expand production by suggesting the fields might become filled with marijuana - and turn into a kind of heaven for those who want a high. "We try to explain that there is a big difference," says Grigoryev, adding that he has received "indirect pressure" to stop his research (he declined to say where it came from). Other critics of industrial hemp charge that it's a cover for the effort to legalize marijuana, which is made from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant and has a higher concentration of THC. Grigoryev doesn't support legalization. On the contrary, he says, wider cultivation of industrial hemp containing no THC could ultimately drive drug hemp out of existence as pollen from the industrial variety crosses with drug hemp, effectively "diluting" it. Hemp, which is said to have originated in central Asia, has been grown in Russia since the 11th century, according to Grigoryev, who has hanging in his office a variety of hemp fiber samples that resemble horse tails. "It's twice as old as Egyptian civilization," he says. In the mid-18th century, Russia sent 32,000 tons of hemp abroad, making it one of the country's largest exports. Peasants who labored in the fields wore hemp clothing because it was amazingly durable. Hemp oil was their main source of edible fats, as beef and pork fats were a luxury. Hemp likewise was planted by British colonists in the New World. Drafts of the Declaration of Independence were said to have been written on paper made from hemp. Grigoryev quotes Thomas Jefferson, a noted agronomist, in defense of his plan to bring back industrial hemp: "The greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add a useful plant to its culture," Jefferson wrote. In a way, the case Grigoryev makes for the mass production of industrial hemp is strictly economic. In an article last year in the Journal of Industrial Hemp, Grigoryev explained that Russia imports nearly 700,000 tons of cotton fiber each year, mostly from Uzbekistan, to support its textile industry. He thinks this is foolish, when more hemp could be grown domestically and used to produce clothing fashioned from a cotton-hemp blend. This, he says, would create jobs and boost textile manufacturing. Olga Yolkina introduced hemp clothing at her Moscow store, Metelitsa, six years ago. She started with a few dozen pieces, at the urging of her teenage daughter, who thought the clothing was cool. Now, she has 5,000 items, mostly casual wear, including T-shirts, dresses, tank tops, jeans, sweat pants and suit jackets. Hemp looks much like linen. But to prove it holds up better, Yolkina sometimes wears the same hemp pants for three consecutive days to show clients how good it looks without ironing. It's comfortable, protects against the sun's ultraviolet rays and forms a kind of "protective orb" around you, she says. Yolkina has a pair of clients who used to buy imported linen apparel but now are hemp converts. She wishes the apparel were domestically produced; the brand is actually Australian and made in China. "As a Russian, I'm very upset that we're selling Australian clothing," she said. "I'd be really happy if there could be a rebirth of production in Russia. "People only see the evil side of this, forgetting history," Yolkina said. "They're forgetting about the benefits of this plant, if it is grown correctly." Note: Hemp has a bad rap for being the marijuana plant. But one Russian scientist is proposing a drug-free variety to put naysayers at ease while providing material for clothing and oil for cooking. Source: Baltimore Sun (MD) CannabisNews Hemp Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #21 posted by FoM on August 19, 2006 at 15:41:36 PT |
| Very good idea. I know that alcohol based extracts of medicinal herbs (higher concentration of herb) can do better then just taking the herb. I know because when I started using herbs instead of medicine I needed higher does to get any effect but now I don't need to take the same herbs even every day. It seems to work the opposite of many prescription pills. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #20 posted by whig on August 19, 2006 at 15:38:57 PT |
| I seem to do better on strains that are more sativa, I think, but everything I think I've ever had was some degree of hybrid. I think I should try a couple pure strains sometime. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #19 posted by whig on August 19, 2006 at 15:36:06 PT |
| I'm starting to work on a series of articles for my blog that I want to have properly researched and cited to appropriate authorities, with the focus on the benefits of higher dose cannabis ingestion on certain kinds of progressive illness and general health issues. The fact that cannabis is functionally non-toxic at any reasonable dose means that it can be an alternative or preferred treatment for a wide range of conditions that presently are treated with pharmaceutical poison. Even if the psychoactive effects at a particular dose are uncomfortably high for some individuals, that is manageable with some talking therapy or patient support services. It's not just AIDS. It's also cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, among other possibilities. I'm sure there are plenty of patients who already can anecdotally confirm what I'm hypothesizing, that even much higher amounts of cannabis are effective and well tolerated. The studies just need to start confirming this. I would like to see someone try to refute this. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #18 posted by BGreen on August 19, 2006 at 15:31:45 PT |
| You'll find some strains that work better than others for your medical condition once you're able to sample a variety due to the differing cannabinoid profiles. There could be some strains that work better for cancer or pain or HIV, but we can't depend on the scientists to do the studies for us. The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #17 posted by FoM on August 19, 2006 at 15:22:24 PT |
| I am not very smart when it comes to medical articles. Thank Mrs. Whig for me though. I post articles about Aids but I never pay any attention to any Aids issues anymore. I gave it up when my son passed away. I think many people who are in the same position as me feel the same way. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #16 posted by whig on August 19, 2006 at 15:12:34 PT |
| "Marijuana and cannabinoid use did not produce a drop in CD4+ or CD8+ cell counts. In fact, compared with placebo use, treatment with these agents was actually associated with a slight increase in cell counts." I checked with my wife to be sure that this means that the study proved a statistically significant improvement in CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts. That is to say, although the improvement is small, slight is significant. What this means is that it is a realistic possibility, though unproven at this point, that cannabis can effectively treat acquired immunodeficiency (AIDS) as monotherapy. The beautiful thing is that cannabis can be taken at any dosage necessary for effectiveness without toxicity. Let me see if I can make this a little clearer. If the study showed a slight improvement in people who were using cannabis in this study, it may be that a higher dose of cannabis would provide increasing improvement. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #15 posted by global_warming on August 19, 2006 at 15:08:44 PT |
| the prisons are full and this US world of drug prohibition is filled with power and damnation The real poison is "power" The health and well being of this world Is hijacked by human beings whose only objective is domination, power, with such greed, that even the flowers of the garden of Eden cry for our Eternity. Change is good for some people, Eternity is where my soul can rest, with comfort, knowing that I, that Spark that was given to my eyes, so that I might witness, Eternity. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #14 posted by global_warming on August 19, 2006 at 14:56:58 PT |
| That applies to every LEO who captures a human being who uses Cannabis. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #13 posted by FoM on August 19, 2006 at 14:51:33 PT |
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Thanks Hope. I couldn't remember the guys name. I won't follow those types of news stories. Same with Jon Benet. They are very sad but I don't need to know the deep dark secrets of every murderer. They give us that type news to avoid really important news like about Iraq. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #12 posted by global_warming on August 19, 2006 at 14:49:19 PT |
| There is a war on the people in this USA Have some decency Where is your soul [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #11 posted by BGreen on August 19, 2006 at 14:48:48 PT |
| I think that's who Kris was talking about. More news shows focused on that case than on the lies leading us into the Iraq war, which has killed thousands more women and babies. The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #10 posted by FoM on August 19, 2006 at 14:44:56 PT |
| I am really impressed with how detailed LWW Today has become. All the songs, articles and videos. I am amazed actually about the whole thing. I guess Neil must have stepped over a line and decided he has to speak his mind now with no more time to waste. I check LWW a number of times a day now. http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/ [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by Hope on August 19, 2006 at 14:44:02 PT |
| Yes, FoM. I thought he was talking about the hideous Peterson case out in California. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by BGreen on August 19, 2006 at 14:43:40 PT |
| This story points out how implausible it would be to whip up a batch of TATP explosives on a plane using liquids carried aboard. You'd need a quantity of ice, several trips to the lavatory to carry all of the necessary equipment without attracting suspicion, several hours for the adequate amount of TATP explosive to form and an hour or two for the TATP to dry. This is assuming nobody smells the acetone/highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide/sulfuric acid mixture during the several-hour manufacturing process. The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by global_warming on August 19, 2006 at 14:33:05 PT |
| Not on my ground, Spit is not enough Bombs and the news Convince me 'We have to change this way Starting with Cannabis The balm of the 21st Century, Let Us Begin [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by FoM on August 19, 2006 at 14:32:59 PT |
| I have tried more then a couple times to get that song to play on Neil's web site but it never worked. This you posted worked. Thank you. Another song that made me cry. I don't understand the beginning though. Who sunk in the water. Was he talking about the man who killed his wife around Christmas a few years back? That's the only thing I can think that it could be. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by BGreen on August 19, 2006 at 14:18:16 PT |
| It's called "In The News" and it's "Featured on Neil Young's Living With War Today." I'm so proud of Kris, Neil and all of the other musicians and artists of all genres who are speaking out. The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by global_warming on August 19, 2006 at 13:53:44 PT |
| The only way I think this could happen is for sincere free people to "hire" some pharmaceutical company to do the research. Since the government is rabidly against any honest research and the large corporate interests are not served to do same research, it falls upon the people to finance such a large scale study. Maybe those good folks at mpp or norml could start the ball rolling, something like those public tv shows that put on a show (streaming event), some good rock, new age, classical music, passionate sick people, leo even mooky the singing dog can appeal for the need of money to start this discovery of the efficacy of smoked herbal cannabis. Once the efficacy of cannabis is proven to the world of science, then can the tribunals begin, and may God Have Mercy on their wretched souls. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 19, 2006 at 13:20:16 PT |
| Sunday 20th August, 2006 ISLAMABAD: Short-term cannabis use does not seem to adversely affect CD4+ cell counts or viral loads in HIV -infected patients, according to a report published in the August 19th issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. In HIV-infected patients, marijuana has been used as an appetite stimulant and as a treatment for the nausea associated with some antiretroviral agents. However, concern has been raised that such therapy could have a harmful effect on disease status, because in theory, cannabinoid use could increase HIV levels by impairing the immune response or by interfering with the activity of protease inhibitors. Previously it was shown that short-term marijuana use did not influence nelfinavir metabolism. Although marijuana use did produce a drop in indinavir levels, this fall was small and unlikely to be clinically meaningful. However, it still remained unclear whether cannabinoid use had an effect on viral load or CD+ cell counts. To investigate, Dr. Donald I. Abrams, from the University of California at San Francisco, and colleagues assessed the outcomes of 67 HIV-infected patients who were randomly assigned to use marijuana cigarettes, cannabinoid capsules, or sugar pills (placebo) three times daily for 21 days. All of the patients had been receiving the same antiretroviral regimen, which included indinavir or nelfinavir, for at least 8 weeks before the study began. More than half of the subjects in each group had undetectable viral loads throughout the study, the researchers note. Although not statistically significant, marijuana and cannabinoid use were actually associated with a slight drop in viral load compared with placebo use. Marijuana and cannabinoid use did not produce a drop in CD4+ or CD8+ cell counts. In fact, compared with placebo use, treatment with these agents was actually associated with a slight increase in cell counts. The results suggest that short-term cannabinoid use is not unsafe for patients with HIV infection, the authors note. "Further studies investigating the therapeutic potential of marijuana and other cannabinoids in patients with HIV infection and other populations are ongoing and should provide additional safety information over longer exposure periods," they write. Copyright: 2006, Online - International News Network http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=101232 [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Toker00 on August 19, 2006 at 13:14:48 PT |
| Thanks, Ddc. http://www.loompanics.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/Articles/TribunalofUSDrug.html?E+scstore How do you get something like this going? Toke. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by global_warming on August 19, 2006 at 08:51:07 PT |
| by Fred Gardner, good as usual http://www.counterpunch.org/gardner08192006.html [ Post Comment ] |
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