Georges Desjardin-Legalt

Journaliste, peintre et musicien, Georges Desjardin-Legault est un homme curieux de toutes choses. Un penchant pour la découverte qui l'a emmené à travailler à Los Angeles et Londres. Revenu au Canada, l'oiseau à plumes bien trempées s'est posé sur la branche Zeweed en 2018. Il est aujourd'hui rédacteur en chef du site.

Study: Cannabis use does not lower IQ

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Effects of cannabis on the brain

While opponents of legalizing weed pointed to its deleterious effect on IQ, this argument was unsubstantiated: while previous research had not established a link between lower IQ and marijuana use , a study published in Brain and Behavior confirms that weed does not lower the IQ of its aficionados.

Analyzing a sample of 5,162 men in early adulthood through their late fifties, researchers determined that participants with a history of cannabis use experienced
“significantly less cognitive decline”
over the course of their lives than non-cannabis users.

These results confirm those of previous studies.

Among cannabis users, neither age of initiation nor frequency of use was associated with negative effects on cognition.
In their press release, the authors of this longitudinal study state that
“these results are consistent with most existing studies”.
.
In fact, other longitudinal studies, such as the one by John Hopkins University in Baltimore, published as early as 1999 in the
American Journal of Epidemiology,
or the one published earlier this year in the
JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)
by researchers affiliated with Harvard Medical School and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), both converge on the same conclusion, despite different protocols.

In the latter, researchers collected structural and functional brain imaging (fMRI) data from a cohort of patients newly licensed to use medical cannabis at the start of the study and one year later. Similar data were also collected from healthy controls (non-cannabis users). Result: ” no
no association between changes in frequency of cannabis use and brain activation
 “.

Alcohol and benzodiazepines, available over the counter in all Western countries, have a proven and marked effect on IQ, with a reduction of up to 30% for heavy alcoholics.

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In Morocco, legal medical cannabis is increasingly attracting farmers

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In the north of the Kingdom, more and more growers are leaving the underground to join the legal medical and industrial cannabis industry. But red tape, low prices and the lure of the black market are still holding back momentum.

BAB BERRED, Morocco – Under a sweltering summer sun, Abderrahman Talbi observes the neat rows of cannabis plants thriving in his fields. Since joining Morocco’s legal cannabis industry two years ago, his life has taken a radical turn.
Like many farmers in the Rif mountains, long accustomed to growing the plant illegally, Talbi says he’s relieved to no longer fear police raids and seizures. “I can now say I’m a cannabis grower without fear,” he confides. “Peace of mind is priceless.”This change illustrates what Morocco hoped to achieve by legalizing cannabis cultivation for medical and industrial purposes in 2022, while maintaining the ban for recreational use. By regulating the sector, the government hoped to boost the economy of the Rif, one of the country’s poorest regions, and capture new tax revenues.

A pioneer on the African continent

This change of direction has made Morocco a pioneer among the world’s major producers, and the very first country in the Arab world to join the global movement led by Canada, Germany and Uruguay, which have legalized the production and use of cannabis.
The aim was also to divert farmers away from the black market, long tolerated in the Rif in the name of social peace. A region where tensions remain high: Al Hoceïma, one of the main towns in the area, was the scene of the country’s biggest demonstrations between 2016 and 2017.
The momentum seems to be there: according to the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities (ANRAC), some 5,000 farmers entered the legal system this year, compared with just 430 in 2023. Supervised production has also risen sharply, reaching almost 4,200 tonnes last year – fourteen times more than the first harvest.

Black market and green gold

But in reality, the black market remains dominant and extremely profitable. Driven by strong recreational demand in Europe and Africa, it threatens to short-circuit regulatory efforts.
Morocco currently has 5,800 hectares of legal cultivation, according to ANRAC. This figure is still very low compared to the 27,100 hectares of illegal cultivation recorded by the Ministry of the Interior. The latter reports that 249 tonnes of cannabis resin were seized by the end of September 2024 – an increase of 48% on the whole of the previous year.
Mohammed Azzouzi, 52, knows all about the dangers of going underground. Convicted of cannabis-related offences, he spent three years on the run before being pardoned last year, along with over 4,800 other people. Today, he is preparing for his first legal harvest and hopes to surpass the 10,000 dirhams (around $1,100) he used to earn each year in the underground economy.

Administrative delays

Since recreational cannabis is still banned, and each link in the chain requires a specific license issued by ANRAC, the bureaucracy weighs heavily. Many farmers are still reluctant to take the plunge.
To grow legally, you need to join an approved cooperative, which takes charge of buying back the harvest to transform it into medical derivatives or resell the resin to authorized manufacturers. This is the case for Biocannat, Talbi’s cooperative, located near Bab Berred, some 300 km north of Rabat. By 2023, it had bought some 200 tonnes of cannabis from around 200 farmers, before processing it into resin, dietary supplements, capsules, oils and powders for medical or cosmetic use.
In Issaguen, the main production area some 60 km away, enthusiasm has waned. Farmer Mohamed El Mourabit had welcomed the 2021 law with hope. Today, he is disillusioned: “The process is too complicated”, he sighs.

What about recreational cannabis?

Administrative delays aside, money is the key to the war. While cooperatives sometimes take months to pay growers around 50 dirhams per kilo of raw plant, the black market offers up to 2,500 dirhams per kilo of processed resin. A differential that continues to weigh heavily on farmers’ decisions.
Some people are calling for legalization to be extended to recreational use, which they see as the only way of really curbing the illegal market. But to date, this hypothesis remains unlikely.
Mohamed Guerrouj, Director of ANRAC, has made it clear that recreational use will only be considered in a medical context. “The aim is to develop the Moroccan pharmaceutical industry, not coffee shops”, he says.

Zeweed with Reuters

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In US states and countries that have legalized cannabis, consumption of tobacco, alcohol and hard drugs is declining

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THC, CBD, Health

A wide-ranging international study confirms what many public health players have been predicting: the legalization of medical cannabis is not only disrupting markets, it is also profoundly changing consumer behavior. Tobacco, amphetamines and alcohol are seeing their use decline, while cannabidiol (CBD) and THC-infused beverages are increasingly appealing to younger generations. At a time when France continues to ignore this debate, these data provide food for thought worldwide on the place of cannabis in health policies and the economy.

When medical cannabis replaces tobacco and amphetamines

The study, carried out by German and Lebanese researchers, is based on figures from twenty countries. It establishes a strong correlation between the opening of a legal medical cannabis market and a decline in certain risky forms of consumption. Tobacco first and foremost: the data show that cigarette use is down where medical cannabis is freely available. The same applies to amphetamines, stimulants whose use is considered particularly worrying. In other words, medical cannabis doesn’t just add to the arsenal of psychoactive products, it replaces some of them. The authors speak of a significant “substitution effect”. This conclusion, though measured – the study insists that these are population correlations, not individual evidence of causality – nevertheless suggests that legalization can be a remarkable lever for risk reduction.

A booming market

These beneficial effects are not limited to protecting the mental health of hyper-anxious patients. They also have significant economic side-effects.   Following legalization, sales of medical cannabis rose by an average of 26% in the countries concerned. Of course, the United States, considered a “special case” due to the size of its market, is pulling the figures up. But even excluding them, the trend remains solid: over 20 tonnes more every year. For the researchers, this demonstrates that a well-regulated market can generate sustainable economic benefits. The key, they insist, lies in clear legal frameworks, demanding production standards and simplified access for patients. Removing administrative barriers and investing in consumer education/information appear to be essential conditions for the sustainability of the industry. In a context where many governments are seeking to diversify and increase their tax revenues, this argument carries considerable weight.

CBD to treat alcoholism

The study is part of a growing body of scientific research. In the United States, a study this year showed that cannabidiol, a non-psychotropic molecule derived from cannabis, could reduce voluntary alcohol consumption. The researchers observed a significant reduction in the desire to drink and in withdrawal symptoms in the subjects studied. Another publication, in the journal Nature, highlights the potential of CBD to treat alcohol addiction, reducing the risk of relapse and protecting the brain from the neurotoxic effects of alcohol abuse. This work holds out the promise of a therapeutic revolution in the field of addictology.

At the same time, social habits are changing rapidly in the United States. A survey of young professionals shows that a third of workers from generations Y and Z now prefer THC drinks to traditional alcoholic beverages at afterwork parties. The phenomenon illustrates a cultural mutation in which conviviality no longer necessarily involves alcohol, but rather alternatives perceived as more modern and, for some, less harmful.

When will we open up to the old continent?

Taken together, these signals converge on one idea: medical cannabis and CBD are not just a new market, but also a tool for transforming behavior. By reducing the place of tobacco, amphetamines and alcohol, these substances could profoundly reshape consumption habits. This is yet another argument in support of the idea that the legalization of cannabis, whether for therapeutic or recreational use, represents a major health and social opportunity. Some countries, like France, with its record deficit and worrying alcoholism problem, should embrace this opportunity rather than wage a costly war against it, both for the state and its citizens.  

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Youth, saliva tests, rising consumption: what science really says about cannabis

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Cannabis, Science, study

As the legalization debate heats up in the run-up to Donald Trump’s reclassification of cannabis, an eminent American researcher is shattering a number of preconceptions. During a webinar organized by the federal agency SAMHSA, Johns Hopkins University professor Ryan Vandrey defended a finer, more scientific regulation of cannabinoids, while denouncing the shortcomings of public policies in terms of prevention, road testing and product analysis.

ZEWEED with Marijuana Moments

Legalization does not increase consumption among young people

Ryan Vandrey, an experimental psychologist and behavioral pharmacology researcher at Johns Hopkins, opened his talk with a reminder that cannabis remains the most widely consumed illicit substance in the United States. Yet, contrary to common fears, consumption among young people does not follow that of adults.
“ Consumption among minors is one of the most sensitive subjects linked to legalization “, he explains, ” but the figures show stability, and even a drop in some cases.” Drawing on data from California since 1996, Vandrey asserts that rates of use among 8th, 10th and 12th graders have not budged, and have even been trending downward in recent years.

Delta-8, CBG, HHC: cannabinoids outdo science

For the researcher, one of the main challenges lies in the poor understanding of cannabis-based products. ” The industry is innovating faster than research,” laments the practitioner. Instead of focusing on the simple delta-9 THC content, which legally distinguishes hemp from cannabis in the USA, Vandrey advocates an approach based on the cognitive and behavioral effects of the products.
In particular, he highlights the differences between the dominant cannabinoids: THC and its derivatives (such as delta-8) can cause addiction, withdrawal or cognitive disorders. CBD, on the other hand, shows no signs of addiction or problematic use, even when combined with low doses of THC. CBG, another cannabinoid studied, seems to act in a similar way to CBD.
But delta-8, though psychoactive, remains poorly regulated: ” A double dosage of delta-8 produces the same effects as a standard dosage of delta-9 “, explains Vandrey, while pointing out the regulatory aberration: the former is freely accessible if extracted from hemp, the latter is still classified as a controlled substance.

Saliva tests, blood thresholds: unsuitable tools

Another stumbling block: tests to assess driving ability. Vandrey and his team found that the standard sobriety tests used by police often fail to detect cannabis-induced motor impairment.
Subjects who ingested 25 mg of THC showed clear psychomotor deficits… yet had THC blood levels below the legal thresholds in several states. The reason: oral consumption produces significant effects, but low plasma levels. Conversely, some people who tested positive on a urine screening test had only taken CBD, whose low residual THC content was sufficient to cause a positive result.

Terpenes: real effects or overmarketing?

Long ignored by research, terpenes – the aromatic compounds found in cannabis – are now being promoted by brands for their supposed effects. He cites a study conducted with researcher Ethan Russo, in which the addition of the terpene D-limonene to pure THC reduced anxiety, paranoia and racing heart… without altering the cognitive or physical effects of THC. Conversely, alpha-pinene, often touted as an antidote to forgetfulness or anxiety, showed no significant effect in the trials.

Schizophrenia, THC levels, labelling: avenues to explore

The talk also addressed the controversial links between cannabis and schizophrenia. Despite the doubling of annual consumption in the United States, cases of schizophrenia remain stable. Vandrey acknowledges a correlation between heavy use and early or severe symptoms of psychosis, but causality remains uncertain.
He also highlights gender differences in problematic cannabis use: women become dependent more quickly, have more withdrawal symptoms and respond less well to treatment.
Another crucial point: product potency is not synonymous with impact. “It’ s the dose that counts, not the concentration,” says Vandrey, describing the phenomenon of self-titration. Experienced users will naturally adjust their intake, whatever the THC content. Diet also influences absorption, especially by the oral route: a fatty meal clearly increases the bioavailability of cannabis, unlike most drugs.
Beyond these observations, the researcher calls for a reform of cannabis regulation, based on objective criteria: formulation, route of administration, real effects, dosage. He also calls for better supervision of retail products, and more resources for research.
” We need to move away from a global regulation of cannabis and think in terms of the type of product: THC-rich cannabis, CBD-rich cannabis, or something else. Otherwise, we’ll miss the real issues. “insists the psychologist.

One plant, a thousand molecules: science continues to unravel the mysteries of cannabis

The last point raised is the rapid evolution of research into the chemical composition of cannabis. Recent studies have highlighted new compounds, such as cannabielsoxa, and novel aromatic profiles linked to genetics, cultivation or drying.
A May 2025 study identified 33 genetic markers strongly influencing cannabinoid production, including a massive set of genes associated with THC-rich varieties.
These advances pave the way for precision genetic breeding programs to develop varieties with targeted therapeutic profiles.
But one doubt hangs in the air: federal policy, especially under the Trump administration, could put the brakes on this momentum. The word “marijuana” is now one of a score of topics deemed “sensitive” by the National Cancer Institute, requiring prior hierarchical validation before publication.
At a time when cannabis is gaining ground in American legislation, science is struggling to keep pace with the industrialization of the sector. Vandrey’s plea is a reminder of the urgent need for more detailed, data-driven regulation, and for research capable of sorting out placebo effects, marketing and therapeutic potential.

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Agnès b. Fashion, ecology, legalization: the ultimate interview

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Ethical fashion ahead of its time, enlightened art, the fight against climate change, assertive joints… Agnès Troublé -AKAAgnès b- has always been a step ahead of the world and fashion. Between two collections, she welcomed us to her Parisian HQ on rue Dieu.

Paris, Thursday, February 27, 3 p.m., a stone’s throw from the Canal Saint-Martin. Flanked by Alé de Basseville, a multi-talented artist and professional photographer since 1985 (when he started working with Andy Warhol at the age of fifteen), we arrive at the reception desk at 17, rue Dieu, where a vast 1900 building houses the six-storey offices of the family-owned multinational Agnès b. Jean Guillaume, who oversees communications for the timeless designer, greets us with a big smile before offering us a coffee and a quick tour of the premises. For the occasion, I’ve put on a pair of polished dress shoes, topped off by a pair of darted pants into which an impeccably ironed shirt fits. Alé is, as usual, dressed in a kilt. As we wander from floor to floor, I realize that I’m seriously out of place. On the fifth floor, just as we’re taking a vapour break on a balcony overlooking the courtyard, a window opens on the sixth floor: ” Come on, come on, you’ll catch a cold in here,” says Agnès, inviting us, arms outstretched, to join her. A few steps up, we enter her office: a vast, luminous living room, like our host, who promptly invites us to be on first-name terms. In the background, Bob Marley’s music, to which Agnès sketches a few dance steps. Alé takes out his camera, I get out my mini-magneto and, as I catch myself swaying to the rhythm of Reggae King’s “Get Up, Stand Up”, I think to myself, eyes sparkling, that God’s street is doing things right. Interview in the sixth heaven.

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ZEWEED: Timeless clothing, made to last and designed with sustainable development in mind – that’s the Agnès b trademark. Today, the big groups seem to be discovering the virtues of the short circuit, or at least putting forward this argument. That’s got to make you laugh…
Agnès b : Yes, it makes me laugh when I hear the bosses of the luxury goods industry, Pinault and Arnault to name but two, suddenly talking about manufacturing in France. In fact, they’re taking away workshops that we’ve kept alive for a very long time. They’re stealing them outright because they can, and that’s happened several times. There’s something ugly about the process, because you give yourself a nice image with a French workshop… and then, afterwards, you manufacture elsewhere. Let’s just say that it amuses me as much as it saddens me, because I find it so morally questionable.
I’ve always gone 100% local whenever possible. When materials are produced abroad, we make as much as possible locally. For example, in Peru, where llama wool is harvested and spun, we also make our men’s sweaters. Short circuit and local jobs. It’s the same in Mongolia, where all our cashmeres are made. They are the ones who produce the yarn and benefit from the added value in the manufacture of all our cashmere sweaters.

“My job is really to make good cuts in things that aren’t too fashion-forward and that we keep for a very long time.”

Beyond the ecological aspect, what makes your clothes so successful is the quality of the materials used.
Yes, that’s what makes Agnès b so successful. I obviously work a lot on the cut, but above all, the materials must all be of the highest quality. I’m uncompromising on this point. I always say to young designers: “You can never make a beautiful garment with a mediocre fabric, a fabric that will become ugly and won’t last.” My job is really to make good cuts in things that aren’t too fashionable and that you can keep for a very long time. What’s important is that the clothes speak for themselves. And I have to take responsibility for each product. If it’s on sale, it’s because I agree with everything.

“My customers are people who don’t want to be fooled by fashion. “

Your typical customer?
My typical customers are people who don’t want to be fooled by fashion, and who know that if they come here, they’ll have a garment they’ll keep for a very long time. We have a loyal clientele. Now it’s the children of our customers from twenty years ago who come to us. The girls even wear their mother’s dresses from twenty years ago. In my closet, there are pieces I’ve been wearing for forty years.

For almost thirty years now, you’ve been deeply involved in ecological issues and the fight against climate change, notably through the Tara Foundation and its figurehead, the magnificent sailing ship of the same name.
Yes, Tara, this boat that I adore and that I bought with my son, is truly a symbol of ecology. She is currently in Cherbourg and is about to set off into the ice of the North Pole for five hundred days to analyze, with a drifting module, climate change and all that it implies. It’s a magnificent project, now a foundation, that I’ve been supporting for a long time. It’s a vision, a philosophy.

“I always tell young designers: you’ll never make a beautiful garment out of a mediocre fabric.”

You’re also the most committed of all fashion designers to art and philanthropy. Where does this passion for art come from?
It all started when I was very young, because my drawing teacher at the Cours Buffet in Versailles told my parents, “She’s got to go to the Beaux-Arts, she draws well.” That’s how I ended up doing nine hours of drawing a week at the Beaux-Arts de Versailles. Afterwards, I wanted to go to the Louvre, but I got married at seventeen to Christian Bourgois, so I didn’t go to the Louvre. It may not have been the best idea I ever had. I wanted to remain pure. I was tired of being groped. You know, young girls are often prey. The only time I didn’t complain was when one of my first artistic encounters, Picasso, kissed me.

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“Picasso kissed me, that must have brought me luck.”

Picasso?
Yes, Picasso! I was going to marry Christian Bourgois, I was seventeen. We were coming up from the town hall, and Picasso was descending the stairs of the Grimaldi Palace, where he had his studio. Halfway down, between two steps, he stopped and said, “You’re very pretty. Then he kissed me gently and left. I’ll always remember that! He had his white T-shirt tucked into his shorts, with a little hole there [she shows the top of his bust, left side], sandals… It was Picasso! Picasso kissed me, which must have brought me luck…

You’ve opened a place called La Fab, where you show pieces from your own collection and those of many other artists. I believe there’s currently a very fine exhibition by Hamony Korine at Galerie du Jour, which is now part of the Fab….
 I love the Fab! What’s more, the press supports us because it’s a different place, unlike other cultural venues. It’s in the 13ᵉ, an arrondissement I really like, very lively, full of students. It’s a new Paris for me, different from the Marais or the 16ᵉ; a young, dynamic Paris. Harmony Korine and I have a long and beautiful history. We get along wonderfully on everything. And I think I’m her biggest fan; at least, the one with the biggest collection of her work. I love collecting, yes, but above all I love passing on my passion, trying to introduce the public to the artists who move me.

Harmony Korine and Agnès, Gaspar Noë credits
Harmony Korine and Agnès. Credits: Gaspar Noë

“At my level of wealth, which is not that of Arnault or Pinault, I share as much as I can.”

In this transmission, there’s the notion of sharing…
In art, yes, but in all fields, ultimately. I absolutely want the rich to share. At my level of wealth, which is not that of Arnault or Pinault, I share as much as I can. I think it’s normal to share. It’s been a long time since I’ve sent a medical claim form to the Social Security, and I think that at a certain income level, we should give it up.

How do you see the government’s war on cannabis?
They mix everything up, they don’t know what it is. I’ve never switched from weed or teuch to cocaine. It’s always disgusted me. I’ve seen the bullshit of cocaine, people at full tilt talking garbage until 9 in the morning. I figured out the bullshit of coke a long time ago! But I like smoking a joint. It gives me a buzz. It’s like having a drink or a Zubrowka. Some people it puts to sleep, but for me it’s the opposite. It energizes me, gives me energy. Incidentally, I don’t smoke in the evening, but during the day. I don’t hide the fact. I don’t like to hide it, to smoke joints.

“I like not hiding from it, smoking joints.”

What would you say to them to convince them to legalize?
I don’t know about them. I don’t think they want to hear anything, not even open up the debate. To the others, I’d say get together. There’s Éric Piolle who’s for that. For example, this mayor of Grenoble [EÉLV], I wanted to send him a little message to say bravo, because it’s the only thing to do. We need to be informed about all this. Once again, they mix everything up because they don’t know. It’s important to defend the idea that just because you smoke weed doesn’t mean you’ll end up using cocaine. We’ve got to eradicate cocaine and all that crap, just like certain drugs that kill! But that’s more complicated, because there’s a lot of money involved. But it’s ridiculous to insist on banning weed and teuch. I want people to say it!

And we’ll even write it! On this subject, you speak from experience…
I’ve been smoking for forty years. On the other hand, I still can’t roll a firecracker [laughs]. I’ve always been around people who smoke, so it’s never been a problem. But the funny thing is that every time I went to a concert, people would ask me if I had any leaves… And I can’t roll! I guess I’ve got a head for smoking joints [Agnès laughs]. “I’ve heard that so many times… In fact, I sometimes carry them with me. And above all, I have friends who roll around me.

“It’s important to defend this idea that just because you smoke weed doesn’t mean you’re going to fall into cocaine.”

But legalization would have to be supervised and responsible…
 Obviously, we need to regulate this, prohibit it for minors, and have a policy of prevention, especially on the roads. You get behind the wheel, you’ve had too much to drink: you’re messing around. You get behind the wheel and you’ ve smoked firecrackers: that’s no good either. You’ve got to say it… I don’t, anyway. But when you’re driving, it’s not good. It’s the same as alcohol. That said, economically, it’s also very interesting for the state. It is in the United States and Canada, where it is legalized. Commercially, there are also great things to be done with the King of Morocco! They make incredible hashish!

Really?
Ah yes! I went to Ketama, I saw how it was done and it’s incredible. I found myself in a little house with a group of farmers, there was a big metal box spring, they’d put all the flowers on it, they were tapping with chopsticks like on a drum, and underneath there was a cloth that picked up the stuff. It couldn’t have been more natural! I also remember a time when there was a stamp from the King of Morocco on an ecru cotton veil that wrapped the hash soap. That was under Hassan II. We’ll have to make arrangements with the King of Morocco to get him to export us quality hashish!

 

Interview by Alexis Lemoine

 

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Under the cobblestones of the Canebière… (hemp) fibre

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Marseille, Canebière.

Before it became the impromptu catwalk for backfiring scooters and perfumed knock-offs, the Canebière was Europe’s hemp HQ. Not for rolling joints, but for hoisting the sails of the Empire. Here’s a brief historical tour of the boulevard of all voyages.

The Canebière has seen it all: CRS, boulistes, rap stars and Vél’ supporters. But before it became the vibrant artery of Marseilles postcards, this good old boulevard was a giant field of hemp – the real stuff, the good stuff, the stuff that made sailing ships sail. “ It comes from the word Canabiera in Occitan Provençal,” says Alexis Chanebeau, a historian of hemp cultivation, “ which means ‘hemp field’; in other words, the place where hemp is grown.

Before IAM and OM, Marseille was Europe’s hemp capital. In the Middle Ages, and right up to the 19th century, the city’s spinning and weaving workshops enabled Her Majesty’s ships to sail seven oceans. Sails, ropes, nets, shrouds: everything came from here. And all made from strong, supple, local raw materials: “ At the beginning of the 18th century, there were nearly four hundred hemp tailors and spinners in the town,” recounts Alexis Chanebeau. With its large, active port and trade links throughout the Mediterranean basin, Marseille was a major crossroads for this industry.

With its large, active port and commercial links throughout the Mediterranean basin, Marseille was a major crossroads for this industry.

Hemp arrived in bales from the Rhone Valley, Vaucluse, Drôme and Ardèche, and fed a complete ecosystem, almost hippie before its time: craftsmen, weavers, packers, carters, but also traders and lovers of the magic fiber.
But, as is often the case in the great stories of the South, modernity came to play the spoilsport. From the 19th century onwards, it was all doom and gloom: the arrival of cheaper, exotic sisal and jute, steam power that relegated sailing to a museum, and machines that crushed weavers’ know-how. As a result, rope factories closed and hemp fields went up in smoke. Game over for the beautiful plant and its home.

Well, almost. For, in the Marseilles landscape, there are a few names that stand out in a blink of an eye. Let’s mention the Corderie district, near the Old Port,” concludes the historian. Boulevard de la Corderie, in the 7th arrondissement… I’m also thinking of the names of the valley, path or beach known as des Canebiers – canebe is the Provencal name for hemp. And of course, our famous Canebière!  “Like a last tafe of memory.

Today, the Canebière no longer smells of raw fiber, but rather of reheated kebabs and the iodine of the Old Port. It has lost its boats but kept its gouaille. If, between two terraces, a Marseillais says to you: ”  Oh fan de chichoune, viens donc prendre un pastaga! “, don’t be surprised. That’s the spirit of hemp – pastis version, Provence version, smoky version, of course, but always with good humor.

 

 

Alexis Chanebeau,
Hemp, from dream to thousand uses
Ed.Goldensong
292 pp
22€

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When hemp foams beer

Researchers in Poland and Slovakia have turned their attention to an old idea that’s making a comeback: enriching beer with

Joey Starr: the four-star interview

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Joey Starr, Interview, CBD, Rhum,

More than three decades after the release of Authentik, NTM’s first album, Joey Starr continues to amaze and astound. Whether on stage, in his distillery or in the kitchen with top chefs, Joey leaps with disconcerting ease from one passion to another. Olivier Cachin managed to catch up with the“Jaguarrr ” to ask him a few questions.

“What’s the name of your magazine? Zeweed? Beatnick drugs I quit a long time ago!” When JoeyStarr arrives, it’s always punchline time. An artist for some forty years, the man his mom calls Didier has grown up in the public eye, moving from the role of French rap barbarian to that of small-screen star, with 11 million viewers for the soap opera Le Remplaçant, which he originated. The former NTM rapper is now a documentary filmmaker, actor on stage and screen, theater director and author of a moving autobiography, Le petit Didier, about his early years. In addition to all this, he eats and drinks with chefs, and has even turned it into a magazine. For Zeweed, he tells us all about it, and more…   

Zeweed : Hello Didier. The other day I saw Zoxea from Les Sages Poètes de la Rue, who was touched by the fact that Kool Shen had stopped writing. What about you?
Joey Starr:I still write, but not like I used to. I don’t write songs any more, but social documentaries that also focus on memory. Netflix I’m in the process of writing a graphic novel with them, five stories revolving around drunkenness, ethylism and distillation. When I feel like doing some music, it’s Tuco who writes for me (ex-Nathy, with whom Joey formed the duo Caribbean Dandee, editor’s note). If we do another Caribbean Dandee, I’ll scratch again, but I’ve put that aside for now. My writing style is completely different when it comes to theater or fiction. And I did Le Petit Didier.

Is solo rap over?
I do Sound Systems and Food Systems, so there’s always music. I sometimes do improvisation, I host a lot, like an ambience artist, and I cover old standards.  

Do you feel you’ve become a mainstream star?
I don’t care about that. Over time, I’ve come to understand that I have an artistic streak that goes beyond just writing rap. I hang out with some very calm people, with whom we talk a lot about writing. But I feel I’m following in the footsteps of what I’ve done with these documentaries and the two magazines I’ve released ( Five Starr and Le Guide Bistronomiqueare alibis for talking about legacies, memorials and social issues. Five Starr I spend a lot of time at the table with chefs, and the guys always have the craziest stories about the products, but they also tell you human stories. Most French dishes are of mixed origin. If we take sauerkraut as an example, cabbage comes from China, and it was the sailors who brought it back to fight scurvy… Me and the people I work with like to tell these little-known stories of France that live in the bays. Yesterday I went to see the Sarah Bernhardt exhibition. She was a sculptor, theater producer, actress and painter. As for being an artist for the general public, even when I had the original idea for the SubstituteI didn’t even think TF1 would come back to me! So it went like that, tac tac, and I took it in the mouth like the mother of my children calling me to say “Didier, you’ve made eleven million! Wow. In fact, if she hadn’t called me, I think I would have heard about it a week later. I’m in my element. This business of staging That little music no one hearsClarisse Fontaine came to see me. I liked her text, and it clicked for me just as it had the first time I went to readings. I wanted to be part of it.  

“What’s the name of your magazine? Zeweed? Beatnick drugs I quit a long time ago!”

Gone is the barbarian image of the early days?
As a father, I also have a stratum of normality. I have the feeling that I’m part of a continuity. need to existI was – and still am – under construction. I was-and still am-under construction, and things would happen to me or I’d provoke things I wasn’t in control of. I was a beautiful free electron, and I still am, but I’m a tribal leader, and that changes things a lot. I don’t refuse to be a mainstream artist, but I don’t really give a damn. I don’t think about my image, I do things for me. I don’t live in other people’s eyes. I ended up doing an absinthe tasting on Sunday, my hair still sticks out, I love it. I like the moustache. I’m very Chartreuse absinthe at the moment. Herbs, eh!

It’s better than chasing the dragon…
It’s another sport. But I’ve signed up for something else. We’re making rum, I’m looking for financiers for magazines…

Do you make rum?
We’re starting a brand called Carnival Sun JuiceAlways a bit of yélélé. We bring in molasses from Belize, Barbados and Jamaica, we have stuff that’s aged in Cape Verde, molasses from Africa that we’re going to get, we blend it, we age it, it’s a travel diary. As for the music, I’m still stuck with DJ Naughty J and Cut Killer for the sound systems. Cut I put on the scoring for That little music nobody hearshe did all the background music, and is also on the score for Replacement. I didn’t go off like the other guy to play poker and greet everyone. I still have this need for live performance, which I find in theater. Because it’s all very well to scratch, but I must admit that there are times when I go round in circles, and I’m glad to have Food Systems. The other day I went out to play with two chefs and Naughty J. I hosted from 5 p.m. to midnight, while cooking something. I’m still in that kind of hyperactivity, actually.  

Credits: Ralph Wenig/Zeweed

Have you tried CBD?
. I had a buddy who was at boarding school in Clamart, so I must have been thirteen or fourteen,
and this guy I met up with not long ago. He saw that I was hooked up in the kitchen and told me that he’d met a tribal chief whose members were using something he’d brought back to France. It was CBD. He explains that it has many properties, that this and that, tac tac. That’s how I discovered it, actually. I consume it because, you know, my body pulls and sends me signals, since I don’t exercise, so it does have some interesting therapeutic properties. Otherwise, I’ve given up beatnik drugs, I don’t smoke anymore; well, just my little cigarettes – it’s my little pleasure. I don’t smoke CBD; on the other hand, I use it for my back, my shoulder… So long live CBD!

A Food System is gastronomy plus a Sound System?
The chefs I hang out with are bon vivants. We eat and drink, and I’m fine with that. Some people ask me why I do it, but I just enjoy myself! Do they think it’s body restraint? The guys are my buddies, they teach me things, they’re good company. The interesting thing about Food Systems is that we play in front of people after we’ve made them eat, and they’re not used to what we’re going to do. Sometimes the heads of the people in front of us are camping, and we manage to throw them off with electro and trap music, which is magnificent. It reminds me of theater, where the audience is completely different from what I’ve experienced in music. There are lots of people I’ve won over with that and who come back, and above all I have a part of my audience who, when they see a poster with JoeyStarr written on it, say to themselves: “We thought you were going to sing!”turtle heads like that. The idea behind the Food System is to get them to eat, digest and then maybe calibrate their turds after digestion! It’s days spent eating with chefs, there’s music, Naughty J is there too, and all of a sudden you say to yourself “We can offer this to the public.. I’ve done parties in the South-West of France with a small alternative bar, Éric Ospital cooking on a plancha, the guys are on MDMA, we manage to get them to eat on MD! The other guy cooks right under their noses! If we can do that, we can go even further. I’ve got this fibre entertainer which is very strong.

“I spend a lot of time at the table with chefs, the guys always have the craziest stories. 

Your first fictional role was in 1990 in the “Taggers” episode of the series The Lyonnais.
Yeah, something like that. I didn’t understand what the hell I was doing there or even what I was talking about, but I was with my mates, so I was fine with it. I can’t hide the fact that my first real sensation at the cinema was The Actresses’ Ball with Maïwenn. Where I’m in total improvisation, she took me on at the last minute, she went off to write for me, she felt I had a fairly easy flow for bullshit, she said to herself “I’m going to put him in there, in his role”.. It was quite jubilant. After that I found myself learning texts, well Polisse It wasn’t completely written either, I surprised myself again. Even for Elephant ManI thought I was going to have a hard time fitting it all in. When I started reading, wow… But I learned along the way that I loved acting, and I realized that theater gave me a lot. It’s a special feeling to find yourself there after 25 years with the same people in our microcosm. When David Bobée suggested Elephant ManI said “Three hours, you’re an idiot, I’ll never make it! And he tells me that if I trust him, we’ll make it. You see what Bobée does, when he wants you you can’t say no. And in fact I didn’t know that existed. And in fact I didn’t know that existed, but he gave me a repetiteur with whom we got on really well, and laughed a lot. He made me do stupid things, mnemonic exercises, and it worked like a charm! Above all, I thought that with what I’d put into my brain, I’d be a bit impaired in that respect, but in fact I wasn’t. When the mood strikes, it’s a real pleasure. When the mood strikes, the body follows. Of course there are after-effects, you can’t be both protagonist and spectator, but that’s not for me to talk about.  

Are you a bit of a hypochondriac?
I’m 55, bro! I’ve done some rolling before, nanana, but I really want to see my sons grow up because I’m very proud of them, all three in their own way, they delight me so I want to be there. If I were in a downward phase, I don’t know what I’d be like, but that’s not the case at all. Besides, I don’t do the same thing every day: right now I’m doing an interview with you, promoting the play This little music that nobody hears which will play for a month at the Festival d’Avignon, where I’m eagerly awaited because, given my track record and the story the play tells, well…

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Your last trip?
I went to Mallorca to do Ayahuasca ceremonies. With real Amazonians, not bicycle pushers. I had to leave ten days beforehand to go on a no-alcohol, no-meat, no-drug, no-salt, no-sugar, no-lactose diet. There’s still vegetables and fish, but no salt, man, you’ve got rabies. I got fat from an actress friend. At first I was interested in doing a doc, but then I thought I’d donate my body to science, and off I went. Ten days without drugs or alcohol went very well indeed. Then we did the ceremonies for four or five days, and they kept me three days later for the re-acclimatization. I was curious, it was something I wanted to talk about.  

When are we going to see you on screen again?
We’re back for a full season of ReplacementWe’re going to shoot six episodes in the Bordeaux region, which will do me good. I met a guy I really like, Michaël Abiteboul, with whom I shot Machinea series coming to Arte in which I play an old Marxist. It’s a fictional story about the difference between trade unionism, Marxism and capitalism, all set against a kung-fu backdrop and starring a petite blonde, Margot Bancilhon. She did it: she took down seven big Koreans, even though she must have weighed 50 kilos! (He stands up) OK, is that good enough for you? Then I’m off to new adventures!

 

Interview by Olivier Cachin

Orlus@orlus.fr

 

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Jean Lassalle, pre

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Jean Lassalle, interview, cannabis

Jean Lassalle, ex-deputy and a cappella star of the hemicycle, came down to town to talk hemp with ZEWEED. A plant he ardently defends, whether for its fiber or its wellness virtues. Although France’s most popular shepherd has never smoked a joint in his life, he takes a pragmatic, educational approach to the issue, far removed from the dogmatic, out-of-touch approach of the moment. An encounter with the sixth common sense.

If he remains in our memories and hearts, it’s because of the song he sang in the middle of the Assemblée Nationale, in June 2003, in front of a stunned Nicolas Sarkozy and a President of the Assembly (Jean-Louis Debré, RIP) who hesitated to burst out laughing. His Béarnais song (“Aqueros Mountagnos”) was aimed at calling for more gendarmes at the Somport tunnel, and was heard. The gendarmerie did not close and increased its numbers. Three years later, he went on hunger strike to protest against the relocation of the Toyal Europe factory, which employs 150 people in the Aspe valley. In five weeks, he lost 21 kilos and was rushed to hospital. At Jacques Chirac’s instigation, Toyal finally abandoned its plans for a new site. This was another victory for Lassalle, a shepherd who has moved from one media summit to another.

Is there anyone in Lassalle? There certainly is. A whole hinterland even, for this Pyrenean rooted like no other in this immaculate Béarn. Ready to embark on his third presidential campaign, he reacts for ZEWEED to Minister Retailleau’s recent remarks that, contrary to all modern policies on marijuana, seek to penalize, even criminalize consumers by explaining, without biting his tongue, that “to smoke a joint is to have blood on your hands”. Knowing that hemp is one of the star products in his mountains, “Jeannot” couldn’t let these remarks go unpunished. Contacted by telephone, he began to sing and wondered whether this interview would create a buzz, if not a hit, given that he is a non-smoker. So here he is as an advocate of controlled legalization, following in the footsteps of MPs Antoine Léaument (LFI) and Ludovic Mendes (EPR), who tried to rekindle the debate before Retailleau, the new superstar of the hard right, like a shrunken Fillon in the wash, turned it into yet another damp squib to keep France consolidating its backwardness.

ZEWEED: What do you think of the current Minister of the Interior’s line about consumers who, by smoking a joint, have “blood on their hands”?
Jean Lassalle : Mr. Retailleau had a scathing repartee, but what solution does he offer? Anything excessive is derisory, and his reaction is, to say the least, excessive, designed to strike at the spirits, or rather what’s left of them, on certain 24-hour news channels… We’re facing a change of world, and I salute here the two parliamentarians for their courage in freeing themselves from their own channels, held by the staffs of their respective parties. On this subject, I took a similar initiative, in 2021, with the Liot group (Libertés, indépendants, outre-mer et territoires, working on the recognition of the blank vote, the RIC…). The political class as a whole took it upon themselves to cover this initiative in ashes. It’s been a long time since France organized sex-education courses, but that doesn’t mean they’re designed to create potential rapists… On the contrary, they’re designed to teach an essential part of life from the earliest age! And what do we know about soft drugs? Nothing. We only see this problem through the small end of the spyglass, in the end, through repression. Retailleau puts everything in the same basket: consumers, producers, sellers… And if I condemn the networks as much as he does, is it with this kind of chin-wagging policy that we’re going to get at them? It’s better to have an educated, cultured popular force on our side than to let young people discover everything in secret… Which generates a lot of fantasies in the process! We lack foresight. Look, when the General came to power, he increased the research budget by a factor of 10, at all levels, to find out how society was evolving… We need to do that again, to update the system, because, frankly, Retailleau has stuck to Windows 1… Instead of hypocritically hiding everything, by amplifying use through a taste for the forbidden, let’s explain, let’s warn that this culture is no longer a fantasy but a reality that is anchored and therefore controlled in our territories.

“That this culture is no longer a fantasy but a reality anchored and therefore mastered in our territories.”

These areas are also developing with the cultivation of hemp, which does not necessarily have recreational cannabinoid outlets, but can be used to insulate houses, in textiles…
Absolutely, hemp has a plethora of possible uses and it’s legal to grow it, provided you’ve first obtained a farmer’s license and preferably a clean criminal record. ! France is the second largest producer of hemp, after China, and in my region of Béarn, hemp is growing everywhere, fuelling numerous initiatives in Momas and Gelos with Pyrénées Chanvre. a project led by Émilie Abadie and Pauline Lacaze, for use in insulation and textiles. This industrial hemp uses very little water and requires little or no inputs – a godsend for sustainable agriculture! If it’s successful in our region, it can be successful elsewhere. It’s also used to make oils, herbal teas and paper, not to mention therapeutic uses such as stress relief.

No wonder CBD was legalized a year after confinement…
Yes, we need to think in terms of the times and the bigger picture; first of all, consider the benefits of this plant, and then think of the mass of peaceful soldiers who would push these well-understood initiatives, instead of darkening a sky of death… The State needs to invest in the training of dealers, give them a second chance, help them get back on their feet in the legal field by supporting them, with useful and interesting activities like when we had the Portalet fort in the Aspe valley rebuilt by young people in difficulty. It’s time for man to be man again. Otherwise, we’ll continue with increasingly dangerous and armed traffickers, when all we need is a lot of intelligence and a little money to train enough professionals. As far as agriculture is concerned, this could be a source of new income: young people from disadvantaged areas would join the game, not to swell the ranks of criminals but, on the contrary, to fight them.

“It’s better to have an educated, cultured popular force on our side than to let young people discover everything in secret.”

Will you be fighting these battles in the next presidential election?
Listen, I’m on my fourth heart operation, following a nice vaccine against Covid labeled Johnson & Johnson… And to think I used to have a magnificent heart like Eddy Merckx’s! But this perfectly legal and even compulsory vaccine made me perfectly ill. For the time being, I’m going to try and keep the Resistons movement alive; there are lots of projects underway; I’m still President of the World Mountain People Association (WMPA), which brings together over 98 countries… I’m also writing a book, but it’s always the most difficult start – I stop after ten lines [laughs]. After that, as far as my candidacy is concerned, I prefer not to say anything, because everyone talks too much… And nobody listens to each other.

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Study: THC improves memory in aged rats!

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Study, rats, cannabis

As cannabis use increases among the elderly, researchers are taking a closer look at its effects on cognitive function as we age. A recent study published in the journal Psychopharmacology suggests that cannabis, and more specifically its main psychoactive ingredient THC, may improve certain types of memory in elderly rats.

The researchers found that acute exposure to cannabis smoke improved working memory in aged male rats, but impaired it in aged females. Conversely, chronic oral administration of THC improved working memory in elderly rats of both sexes, without affecting their spatial memory or having any impact on younger rats.
Cannabis use is becoming increasingly common among senior citizens. In the United States, between 2015 and 2023, the percentage of people over 65 who have used cannabis in the past year almost tripled. Many consume it regularly, often to relieve chronic pain, anxiety or sleep disorders. Yet while cannabis is known to impair memory and attention in young adults, its effects on the aging brain, which is more vulnerable to cognitive decline, remain little studied.

Mouse stones…

Previous research on elderly mice had suggested that low doses of THC could improve cognitive function, a surprising finding that raised the possibility that cannabis could alleviate some age-related amnesic disorders under specific conditions.
This new study, led by Jennifer L. Bizon, aimed to explore these hypotheses in more detail. The aim was to understand how cannabis affects two types of memory: working memory, dependent on the prefrontal cortex, and spatial memory, linked to the hippocampus. The methods of administration used (smoking and oral ingestion) reflect typical human consumption.
Barry Setlow, co-author of the study, explains that their interest initially stems from a preclinical research program into the effects of cannabis smoke on cognition and behavior, aiming for greater translational relevance to human models.
Three experiments were carried out on young adult (6-9 months) and aged (24-28 months) rats. The first involved exposure to cannabis smoke and assessment via memory tasks using a touch screen. The second evaluated the impact of chronic oral THC consumption over three weeks, while the third analyzed THC metabolism.

… Who regain their memory

Notable results: in aged male rats, cannabis smoke significantly improved working memory, especially in the most challenging situations, while it degraded performance in aged females. Chronic oral ingestion of THC improved working memory in both aged sexes, with no noticeable effect on the young. No significant change was observed for spatial memory in either group.
These results intrigue researchers, not least because THC appeared to benefit only working memory (prefrontal) and not that involving the hippocampus. Differences in THC metabolism according to age and sex do not seem sufficient to fully explain these cognitive effects.
Several hypotheses have been put forward: the reduction of excessive inhibition of the aging prefrontal cortex by activation of cannabinoid receptors, and the anti-inflammatory effects of THC, known to reduce age-related cerebral inflammation.
With regard to the deterioration observed in aged females, the difference in initial performance between males and females could explain why THC benefits those with lower initial performance (aged males) and harms females, already performing well.

Results concordant with those of a Danish study

However, the authors point out certain limitations: obvious biological differences between rats and humans, limited number of cognitive tasks evaluated, low doses of THC used, and non-exhaustive modes of administration.
These results are nevertheless in line with a long-term Danish study showing that cannabis users suffered less cognitive decline over 44 years.
The researchers recommend studying the effects of other cannabis compounds, such as CBD, as well as longer-term research to assess the persistence of THC’s beneficial effects and better understand the biological mechanisms explaining age- and gender-related differences.
According to Setlow, the long-term goal remains to expand research to determine precisely how cannabis and cannabinoids influence cognitive performance in aging, paving the way for potential treatments for age-related cognitive decline.

ZEWEED with 420 Intel

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Interview: Mila Jansen, 60 years in the hash arena

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From the UK to Nepal, from Amsterdam to Kathmandu, via Morocco and Goa, Mila Jansen, aka “The Queen of hash”, has lived a thousand lives without ever losing her legendary smile and the joint that goes with it. Interview with the queen of all travels.

ZEWEED: How did you learn to make hash?
Mila Jansen: I learned the theory in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and then, in 1968, still in India, I started making charas. I’d learned the art of hash making by years of watching growers rub and sift the flowers. When I came back to Amsterdam in 1988, I started making charas again, managing 13plantations with friends. In 1988, I was still sifting my flowers, until one day, while watching my tumble dryer running, I invented the Pollinator*.  
Back then, the concept of cannabinoids and terpenes was unknown – to us anyway. Which meant a lot of practical experimentation before I got the balance right [laughs]. I loved this period of fine-tuning. And above all, I wanted to offer Amsterdam a good hash, as I thought the one sold in coffee shops was mediocre. After twenty years in India, where you could find Afghani, Nepalese and Kashmiri, and still produce our own, I became demanding!

ZW: It’s quite a feat to succeed in such a dangerous, male-dominated environment…
MJ. : It was intelligence and a good idea that gave me the opportunity to break through, by first creating a machine that did all the manual work, which had been reserved for men! This innovation enabled growers to make their hash in an incredibly short time. When I set up my business, because I had to feed my four children, I wasn’t worried about competing with men because I wasn’t competing with them. Yes, I was entering a world reserved for men, but my business didn’t interfere with the classic activities of production, seeds, lamps or fertilizers, which are in the hands of the male gender. I’m sure that if I’d set up a seed bank, for example, their attitude would have been very different.

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ZW: You’re a feminist icon. Was activism in your blood or did it happen without you thinking about it?
MJ. : A few days ago, I came across a quote from Shakespeare: “Some are born great, others rise to greatness, still others are clothed with it.” [Troilus and Cressida, 1609 NDLR] I definitely belong to the latter category, because I never set out to become any kind of icon. I was a single mother until I started my own business. I was a feminist and an activist, yes, but only in the little free time I had, far too busy taking care of my family.

ZW: You lived in Goa in 1968, in the early days of what was to become a hippie counter-culture mecca. What was it like there?
MJ. Goa in 1968 was the paradise we were looking for, nestled between palm trees and a warm ocean. There were only 11backpackers that year. The following year, there were 200! There was no electricity, music came from a silver flute and a few tables, always with the sound of the sea in the background. We hitchhiked in a buffalo cart to the weekly market, overflowing with fresh fruit, fish and vegetables, picked that very morning by the market women. An explosion of color and sunshine. On the beach, we could buy a dozen fresh fish for two American cents! And, in exchange for a helping hand to lift the nets, the fish was free. We would spend the whole night around a huge candle, to the sound of the flute, sometimes the tablas, but most of the time just the sound of the waves crashing on the sand. And sunsets on LSD… Coming out of the ocean as if we were the first people to set foot on this Earth…

ZW: You’ve experienced the underground market. How do you feel about legalization?
MJ. : I hope legalization comes as soon as possible, although I note that it seems to come with a hell of a lot of permits, paperwork, costs and so on. There are too many rules and constraints, which is far from ideal. Just because the government legalizes doesn’t mean it can stick its nose in everywhere. Either way, it seems to play into the hands of big business, while the small, dedicated farmer is sidelined and ultimately doomed to disappear. With a little hindsight, legalization doesn’t really seem to make anyone I know any happier.

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ZW: What’s the best hash you’ve ever smoked?
MJ. : It was in the Himalayas, above Kullu, above the tree line, that I found the best hash. We were with local sadhus (Indian holy men who smoke chillums) looking for cannabis plants that had survived the winter under the snow; we rubbed them and scooped the hash out of our hands. We put it in a chillum and smoked it right away. It was more of an acid trip: the sounds of the babbling brook, the colors of the wildflowers, the space and freedom in our brains, the joy! The snow-capped mountains surrounding us, the endless forests and the sadhus themselves – a magical experience!

ZW: Your relationship with the police? There must have been a few in my sixty-year career…
MJ. Yes... In 1965, I opened a boutique, Kink 22, where we sold the first mini-skirts. Later, in early 1968, we turned it into a tea room. It was the time of Timothy Leary, and abandoning this company was where it was at. The tea room attracted people returning from the East, bringing hash and sometimes reaffected American stocks from the Vietnam War – these guys were bringing back LSD! Regularly, there’d be a police raid: the tea room would be searched and I’d spend a night at the Leidseplein police station. Then the police station closed and was replaced by the Bull Dog, a coffee shop. In 2013, we were celebrating my seventieth birthday, very festively at the Bull Dog, and all of a sudden, I had a flash: it was there that I had spent the night in police custody!

ZW: Did you really grow grass next to a fire station?
MJ. Yes, it’s true. It was 1993-1994 and I was growing a lot of grass at the time. As it happened, there was a nice spot right next to a big fire station. And we weren’t spending money on ventilation systems with anti-odour filters… It smelled frankly of grass, but it wasn’t a known odour at the time. We never had any problems with our neighbors, the firefighters.

 

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The return of natural ganja

In reaction to genetically modified weeds with dizzying THC levels and hazardous effects, a growing number of cannabis aficionados are

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