Steven, auteur sur ZEWEED

Uruguay, the new Eldorado for rare cannabis seed hunters

Published on 27 July 202527 August 2025

Society

Whether you grow three plants in your closet or own a legal farm of several hectares, chances are that the weed you’re growing is the fruit of a seed from Spain or the Netherlands.
A handful of Uruguayan breeders are challenging this monopoly with varieties that are as explosive as they are exotic.
Our correspondent Steve investigated.

It’s 4:30 pm on a heavy, gray day in Buenos Aires.
I dutifully crumble a beautiful head of dark green Ganja with lovely purple highlights.
As I light my spliff and swallow my first taf, a soft, thick smoke fills the room while a delicious sensation rises inside me.
I’m enjoying a Blueberry Automatique that a friend grew last summer, on his terrace and under the Argentine Sun to be exact.
The seeds, much to my surprise, came from Del Plata Genetics, a Uruguayan seed bank.

Star seed

In 2013, the small Latin American nation became the first country to fully legalize cannabis. If you’re a Uruguayan resident, you can buy weed from a pharmacy, a cannabis club or even grow your own.
You can also grill up wherever it’s legal to smoke a cigarette, and you can even take the pleasure of this emancipation a step further by asking a policeman for a light.
But since legalization, the growth of Uruguay’s cannabis industry has been slow. Very slow. Very slow.
An image: if the American cannabis business were a five-storey mall, Uruguay’s weed industry (insofar as it can be called an industry) would be a convenience store.
Faced with this gap in the green sector, the country decided (at its own pace) to take matters into its own hands by creating Uruguay’s first seed banks.

Alberto Huergo’s 25 awards and trophies. Image Silver River Seeds

Silver River Seeds, based in Montevideo, offers a rather impressive catalog of over 20 different feminized and automatic strains, with names as funky and tropical as Despink, Sourflash, River Haze, or Apple Cookies.
Varieties that are the work of Alberto Huergo, a mysterious grower and author of a growing bible: Sativa: Cultivo Interior available here in V.O.
With 30 years of cannabic experience and two decades spent growing weed, Alberto is nothing short of a luminary in South American breeder circles.
He’s the man behind Dutch Passion’s Desfran, winner of the 2011 Copa Del Mar in Argentina and the 2012 Copa De Rio in Brazil… among others. (see photo above)
His book, published in 2008, is a 600-page encyclopedia covering everything there is to know about indoor weed cultivation, photoperiodic cycles, how to identify and treat deficiencies and parasites, the art of trimming, curing… non-exhaustive list.
Alberto is also the editor of Haze, a magazine on marijuana cultivation published in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.

Bankable seeds

Alas, after eagerly awaiting a response from Silver River Seeds for an interview with Alberto for this article, I receive this message:
“Thank you Steve for your interest and proposal. We prefer to keep flying low to avoid being detected by radar. It’s legal to grow in Uruguay, own a Cannabis Club, produce your own seeds but it’s not clear if it’s legal to advertise and sell them. If I knew it was legal, I’d go on TV and give you several interviews. But unfortunately, we’re in a gray area, and even the IRCA [Uruguayan Institute of Cannabis Regulation and Control] wouldn’t know what to tell you. [on the legality of marketing and selling seeds NDLR].. ”
This lack of precise regulation is a recurring problem for Uruguay and its approach to cannabis cultivation.

Uruguay’s laws are such that they continue to feed a black market in weed for tourists, who cannot legally buy cannabis in the country. A black market whose supply is encouraged by poorly controlled borders, which facilitate smuggling from neighbouring countries.
The northern town of Rivera, for example, shares a street with the Brazilian town of Santana do Livramento.
Going from Uruguay to Brazil is literally a question of crossing the street, which, in the 3 days I spent in Rivera in 2019, was never watched by either the Uruguayan or Brazilian authorities.

Grey-green areas.

Unfortunately, this lack of regulation doesn’t just benefit the parallel economy. It also affects local cannabis entrepreneurs.
People like Alberto who strive to turn their experience and passion for weed into a livelihood.
For all that, and despite its many shortcomings, Uruguay remains well ahead in social terms.
After all, it was the first country to legalize the use and cultivation of cannabis.
And for anyone living in a country that still criminalizes weed consumption, it’s worth all the gold in the world…
With any luck, and as the weed market and industry develop in Uruguay, the visibility and contours of these gray-green areas (like the seed trade) will become clearer.
Giving innovators like Alberto the chance to expand the roots and branches of their green businesses.

How CBD saved my cat

Published on 21 May 202510 July 2025

Culture

A growing number of pet owners are giving CBD to their furry companions, as the cannabinoid is an excellent ally in combating pain, anxiety and epilepsy. Testimonial.

“I didn’t have many friends when I was 8. My family and I had just moved to Australia from Switzerland and, before settling in Melbourne, we spent 6 months crossing the Australian desert in a 4×4 camper van.
We didn’t speak English, understand the culture or have a stable enough life for me to make real friends.

Black-and-white memories gone Technicolor The day my sister came to visit us in October 2000 for my birthday, she gave me a little cat… in black and white. My father took one look at the two-tone animal, gazed into its big yellow-green eyes and decided it would be called “Moses”. If, at the feline christening, he had declared himself godfather, I was the father and legal guardian. With this great responsibility came the likelihood of great trouble, as I was now responsible for any accidents or breakages that Moses might cause.
This sudden empowerment immediately brought me closer to Moses, who was to become my companion and the witness of my life to this day. Here I am, 19 years later, writing this article from my apartment in Buenos Aires.

I moved with Moses to the Argentinian capital 5 years ago, after my poor cat endured a 10-hour flight in the hold of a Boeing 747. As I type his words, he begins his nap next to me on the couch, just after devouring half a can of tuna … To CBD oil.
I started giving Moses CBD a little over a year ago. He had become apathetic, hiding, no longer moving while keeping his eyes open, as if panicked. He ate very little, had the greatest difficulty jumping on the sofa, and the bed and seemed to have pain in his hips and back.

More worrying : Moses was showing signs of dementia ( he would let out heart-rending howls at night, regularly returning to his bowl after eating, staring blankly, then leaving again. It was almost as if he had Alzheimer’s… ). To top it all off, he had fallen from the balcony of my apartment: I live on the 4th floor of a building with vast spaces between floors. My vet couldn’t believe that Moses had not only survived the fall, but also escaped with a fractured jaw. I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that CBD is the sole reason for my beloved cat’s salvation. But that the molecule has dramatically improved Moses’ quality of life since he started taking the alkaloid in question, yes.

The endocannabinoid system, common to all mammals

The reason? Just like humans; cats, dogs and other mammals have an endocannabinoid system that helps regulate a plethora of bodily functions. This system comprises 3 main components (endocannabinoids, receptor cells and enzymes that synthesize, transport and metabolize cannabinoids). In mammals, the endocannabinoid system has been shown to regulate: -pain -stress -the nervous system (anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant) -the lymphatic circuit (anti-inflammatory) -sleep.

And while there’s a given lack on how CBD affects pets, most cannabis research conducted on laboratory rats suggests the idea of a positive CBD interaction. Empirically, trials conducted by handlers and veterinarians support this idea.

In fact, the entire cannabiniol industry for pets (a market estimated to reach nearly $2 billion by 2023) is based on the theory that, by stimulating their endocannabinoid system, CBD can help pets by: relieving pain and inflammation, reducing anxiety, stimulating appetite, improving sleep and digestive problems.

Not all CBD oils are created equal

Alas, finding reliable, good quality CBD oil in Argentina (or any other country where cannabis remains illegal and unregulated) is quite difficult. Personally, I was able to find a seller on Mercado Libre (a South American version of eBay) with a limited stock of 125 mg CBD tincture for pets (Hemp Bomb).

And even though I knew the brand had its limitations, I trusted it a lot more than the unmarked homemade tinctures I sometimes found from people selling on Facebook.
Unfortunately, if, like me, you live in a country where weed is still illegal, you’ll probably run into similar problems trying to find a CBD supplement for your pet.

But, in my opinion and experience, it’s worth the hassle to find a good CBD oil, as the results are so convincing, and the happiness of seeing your little furry ball of love happy is a pleasure that will give you more emotions than the best Ganja.”

Disclaimer: Steven is neither a doctor nor a veterinarian. None of the information contained in this article should be construed as medical or veterinary advice.

Translation : Zeweed

Cinema: Tommy Chong smokes the big screen one last time.

Published on 11 May 202522 July 2025

Culture

After half a century of spreading the smoke of a hilarious counter-culture, stoner-comedy pioneer Tommy Chong takes his cinematic bow with Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie (in cinemas May 21), a final nostalgic and still politically incorrect trip. Zeweed caught up with him to discuss spirituality, religion, health and ganja.

When you land an interview with Tommy Chong, you expect to talk about a lot of things, but not necessarily God and eternal existence.
It all started with a simple question about his battle with the two cancers that afflicted him, and the beneficial effects of cannabis on his health.
“ I have my own theory about grass. Either the observation of a layman’s, yes, but also a connoisseur‘s,” Tommy tells me knowingly.
” Our immune system is the key to all healing. And our immune system can’t function properly when it’s on constant alert. That’s why rest is so important, and why, when we’re ill conventional medicine’s approach is to isolate ourselves on a hospital bed, far from any stress or negative distractions. ”

“Grass helped me beat my cancer”.

What Tommy calls “ a layman’s observation ” is in fact a proven medical postulate.
“When we’re stressed, our bodies become more susceptible to infection and disease. This is because the stress hormone cortisol triggers an ancestral fight-or-flight response in us, and consequently reduces the number of lymphocytes ( or white blood cells NDLR) in our bloodstream. As a result, our bodies become less effective at fighting off external aggressors.
What cannabis does is place you in a state of rest. As a result, your immune system, which is not solicited to fight exogenous aggressions, can concentrate on the body and ensure its harmonious functioning. . ” continues Tommy.
“But true healing isn’t physical: the ultimate cure is spiritual. I’m convinced that weed helped me beat my cancer “.

“And my contact with God allowed my body to believe it.”

For Tommy Chong, the spiritual remedy lies in a deep, personal connection with God.
“I know that God loves me. And when people ask me how I know that, I tell them, “Have you seen my wife? “laughs the comedian (married to the sublime Shelby Chong), accompanying his joke with a deep, throaty laugh.
“When you have that close connection with God, you can conquer anything,” he tells me as his tone returned to serious. “And my contact with God allowed my body to believe it.”

Tommy pauses for a moment, thinking back to his penniless childhood and the little shanty at the end of Alberta, Canada, where he spent his childhood and adolescence.
“ It was the cheapest house, the only one my father could afford. He bought it on a stroke of luck for something like $500. ”

Today, Tommy takes my call from his home nestled in the heights of Pacific Palisades, one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Los Angeles, between Malibu and Santa-Monica.
A few days ago, the house of one of his neighbors was sold for $50 million. “ I can’t believe I live in a place where a house costs literally 10,000 times more than the one I grew up in. Even though, fundamentally, I don’t care. My wife and family take care of all that. I just sit here and stay in touch with God. “laughs Chong, smiling peacefully.

“I can’t believe I live in a place where a house literally costs 10,000 times more than the one I grew up in. Even though, fundamentally, I don’t care.”

For him, connecting with God, or his ” higher power ” (sic) as he sometimes calls it, is a simple practice: “.We are all of God. You, me, the whole world. All of us. The good, the bad, every living creature on earth. We are all eternal beings, whether you want to believe it or not. “.
The other half of the famous duo Cheech and Chong remembers reading in a newspaper recently that every drop of water that was on earth in the beginning is still there today, in one form or another.

“We’re 90% water”. At Tommy Chong, the remaining 10% is plant-based.

“As humans, we are 90% water. So it’s scientifically proven that 90% of our particles have always been here, in one form or another. So why not the other 10%? We are eternal beings. Nothing disappears. We simply reappear in another form. This is also physical karma “.
As eternal beings, Tommy believes we exist in two worlds: one that is physical and one that is spiritual.
“In the physical world, there is constant conflict. There are opposites. In the physical world, you can’t have highs without lows, you can’t have just without unjust, you can’t have Joe Biden without Donald Trump “.

And just as there’s the possibility of doing good, or ” staying on track ” as Tommy puts it, there’s also the possibility of doing bad.
“In the history of our existence, we’ve seen how brutal life can be,” he recalls of his incarceration. “But only up to a certain point, then you leave, you enter the spiritual world. And in the spiritual world, there’s nothing but love “.

“I want to believe that good is always one step ahead of evil. Otherwise, we’re in trouble.”

Tommy sees our passage through the physical world as an opportunity to grow, to rise. He compares it to school: take the opportunity to do good, and you’ll rise. Choose the opposite, and you’ll regress.

“As human beings, we have a duty: to help each other. Because we all come from something, from a universal web. No, we don’t appear by magic, even if the Catholic Church would have us believe that there is such a thing as immaculate conception! “. Tommy lets out a big, hearty laugh.
” When you enter the physical world, you have to be physical, and that’s what we do. And there have to be opposites, so there will always be naysayers and opposites. And if you look at the percentages, they’re almost equal. I want to believe that good is always one step ahead of evil. At least that’s how I see it. Otherwise… we’re in trouble “.

A few clarifications on the indica-sativa distinction

Published on 22 January 202527 August 2025

Culture

We’ve all heard the famous “sativa is cerebral, indica is physical”, and relied on it for years. Problem: this binary classification isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, according to green expert Steven Voser.

A brief history of Ganja

To better understand what the terms sativa and indica mean in terms of the effects you can expect from your weed, we need to take a brief look at the history of cannabis studies and research. Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus first classified cannabis in 1753.

Linnaeus worked on imported plants that he grew in Europe. On the strain he studied, he observed that the plants were broad and tall, with fine, dark-green leaves. He also noticed that the cycle from seed to harvest took around 3 months. Botanists will also note that this variety grows particularly well in warm, tropical climates close to the equator. Linnaeus classified this species as “Cannabis Sativa L”.

Some 30 years later, French biologist Jean Baptiste Lamarck would study other cannabis samples brought back to him from India. During his observations, Lamarck noted that his plants displayed different characteristics from those noted by his colleague Linnaeus. Indian cannabis doesn’t grow much taller than 1.50 metres, has a much denser, bushier appearance with large leaves and flowers very quickly (usually in less than 2 months). Lamarck classified this species as “Cannabis Indica Lam”.

In the 1920s, a third cannabis species was identified in southeastern Russia. This variety, now known as Cannabis Ruderalis, is much smaller than the sativa and indica varieties, and flowers automatically according to maturity rather than changes in its light cycle.

What the Indica-Sativa classification teaches us

Carl Linnaeus and Jean Baptiste Lamarck used the words sativa and indica to describe two varieties of cannabis with distinctive characteristics.

Today, this classification is still relevant, especially when buying seeds for a small home-growing project (see our article).
Growth times and sunlight levels are among the data that must be taken into account. In this respect, the Indica-Sativa classifications are most relevant, with the following characteristics: Sativas can reach great heights, easily topping 2 metres, and tend to stretch vigorously as they begin to flower, producing large, airy buds.

These plants are native to warm tropical regions such as Vietnam, Mexico, Colombia and even parts of Africa. They probably developed their unique physical structure to cope with the long, hot, humid summers in these regions, and to protect themselves from the molds and pests that also thrive in these conditions.

Indicas, on the other hand, are native to the mountainous regions of Nepal, India and Afghanistan, where summers are naturally short and cold. The plants are smaller, with shorter internodal spacing (between two branches) and feature broad leaves and dense flowers. Indica varieties also produce thick resin and can be ready to harvest after just 6-8 weeks of flowering. Like sativas, they have probably developed these unique traits to cope with the harsh climates of their origins.

What the indica/sativa classification doesn’t tell you

Let’s look at the effects. What affects the effect of a variety is of course its chemical composition, but also your own body chemistry and your tolerance/sensitivity to the products you consume.

Strains containing high levels of mycenes, for example, are more likely to produce the relaxing, bodily “high” often associated with indicas. However, no study has been able to show that indica strains produce more mycenes than sativas.
Here’s a complicating factor… the deal. All the more so as the terpenes and citrus notes typically associated with Sativas and a “cerebral” effect are also present in certain Indica strains, which therefore provide a…cerebral effect.

When buying cannabis, the terms indica and sativa are valuable and reliable to give you an idea of the genetic lineage and physical properties of a particular strain. But to anticipate its effects, on the other hand, look for lab reports that analyze the chemical profile of that specific strain… Or simply smell the ganja in question if you can, since it’s the terpenes, the weed’s natural aromas, that will define the nature of your cannabic journey.

And if you can’t check the smell or specify the variety, you’ll just have to buy blind…or change supplier.

Steven Mike Voser for Zeweed

BHO: the THC extract of all excesses

Published on 26 November 202427 August 2025

Health

While most countries are still hesitating to legalize weed in its simplest form, in the United States, the cannabis industry is outbidding its competitors with increasingly potent products that are dangerous to consumers’ health. Among them is BHO, a concentrate with a THC content of up to 80%. Zeweed reports on this extreme (and hardly recommended) extract.

BHO (Butane Hash Oil) is a cannabis flower extraction that first appeared in the 70s with The Brotherhood Of Eternal Love, the Orange County hippie mafia in the USA. This brotherhood of drug lovers produced its oil in Afghanistan and sold it in California. This highly lucrative operation was short-lived, as their plant exploded. It was only in the 90s that the technique really began to emerge, notably in Canada, South Africa and the Netherlands. From then on, BHO became a must, giving rise to other derivatives such as Shatter, Crumble and, more recently, Diamond Sauce.

Developed by the merry men of the Brotherhood of Eternal Love in the 70’s, BHO continues to blow up clandestine laboratories and the synapses of its regular consumers.

Butane Hash Oil is a Cannabis extract obtained using butane (liquefied gas or liquid solvent), with THC content sometimes reaching 80%! To obtain such a concentrate, it is essential to have good quality flowers and leaves. This plant material is then packed into a hermetically sealed tube with a valve at either end.
When butane is introduced into the tube, pressure builds up until the lower valve opens, releasing a liquid gas containing all the plant’s trichomes: flavonoids, terpenes and cannabinoids. On contact with heat, the gas evaporates, leaving a paste which is then vacuum-pumped to remove all gaseous residues. This last stage is decisive for the quality of the resulting product: the BHO.

Over time, this technique has evolved and been perfected, giving rise to other variations known as Shatter, Crumble or Diamond sauce. The principle is the same, it’s the material used that differs, or the way in which the finished product is cured.

Variants: Shatter, Crumble and Diamond Sauce

Shatter is the most popular extraction, but quality varies widely. This product quickly became popular in the United States for its therapeutic use, as it contains no vegetable matter and can be consumed by spraying. Dry manicure leaves are used to produce a handy, not very sticky, amber-colored paste containing between 70 and 80% THC.

Unlike Shatter, Crumble is made with fresh-frozen plant matter, meaning the THC is still in the form of THCA. Extraction is much less sticky, more crumbly, and much more concentrated in terpenes. When the plant is fresh, there is no oxidation, so the color is much lighter, tending towards yellow or white. THC concentration is the same as for Shatter, but its terpene profile is more complete.

100€ per gram

Diamond Sauce (Jar Tech) is the ultimate high-end gas extraction. This technique appeared less than 10 years ago. The principle is the same, except that once the product has been extracted, it is not purged with a vacuum pump, but placed in a closed glass jar in a cool place for a few days. This ensures constant pressure in the jar, as evaporation is controlled. THCA crystallizes and separates from the rest of the solution, hence the name diamond. The terpenes, flavonoids and other cannabinoids remain liquid, which is what we call the sauce. Once heated, THCA is transformed into THCB, which is active and therefore very strong, but tasteless. Terp Sauce, on the other hand, has a lot of taste but few psychoactive effects. It’s the most technical and expensive extraction on the market: over €100 a gram.

Hospitality guaranteed for budding cooks.

As cannabis cultivation is still illegal in many parts of the world, extraction sites are clandestine, often set up in enclosed, poorly ventilated areas (hotel rooms, garages, caravans). A large quantity of gas is needed to extract the oil, leading to many accidents, sometimes fatal, due to explosions.

A single spark of static electricity can cause serious injury. The accident that occurred in a Toulouse hotel in January 2020 illustrates just how dangerous this type of operation can be. Professionals, on the other hand, use high-performance machines that operate in closed circuits (very little gas evaporation) in appropriate infrastructures (large spaces, ventilation systems), which minimizes the risks.

The BHO craze is not without its dangers, so it’s best to avoid embarking on a project that can be highly explosive, as these videos demonstrate.

How CBD and THC affect sleep.

Published on 25 November 202418 March 2025

Health

Of the 120 active ingredients (cannabinoids) found in cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are unquestionably the best-known and best-understood. What the two molecules have in common is their sedative powers. But while CBD and THC come from the same plant, they have very different effects on our cortex, and therefore on our sleep. Zeweed explains how.

Before deciding whether to choose CBD or THC for reconciliation with the pillow, it’s crucial to understand how the two cannabinoids affect sleep. For while CBD and THC are highly effective aids to falling into the arms of Morpheus, the way they operate on our brains is radically different.

HOW DOES THC AFFECT SLEEP?

All those with some experience of cannabis are unanimous on one point: THC is an excellent sedative. This property is due to its action on the endocannabinoid system via CB1 and CB2 receptors, and its pharmacodynamics are beginning to become clearer.

Empirically speaking, everyone recognizes the soporific power of CBD like THC, studies comparing the plant’s two alkaloids, on the other hand, are few and far between.
A gap that Canadian researchers at Laval University (located in Quebec) set out to fill by examining the effects of the two cannabinoids on sleep. The results were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Among other things, they discovered that 15 mg of THC is enough to shorten the latency to sleep and induce drowsiness, whatever the time of day. The counterpart to THC’s radical effectiveness: impaired short-term memory, a tendency to drowsiness after waking up, and more frequent mood swings.

THC is therefore reserved for severe cases. Even with these clinically observed side effects, tetrahydrocannabinol remains a much healthier alternative to hynotic sleeping pills (Stillnox, Imovane, Noctamide…) and benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Tranxene…).

While many insomniacs in most countries resort to the “evening firecracker” as a way of nodding off, the editorial team strongly advises you to respect the laws of the country where you’ve set up your bed, if only to get a good night’s sleep.

HOW DOES CBD AFFECT SLEEP?

A second study shows that CBD reduces the latency of stage 3 sleep (the period between light and deep sleep), but without the adverse effects inherent in a high dose of THC. Thanks to its soothing and analgesic properties, CBD is also an effective aid in treating symptoms associated with pathologies that may interfere with the ability to fall asleep (inflammatory pain, anxiety, spasmodic pain).

Among the study’s conclusions, the researchers were able to demonstrate that ” CBD modulates wakefulness via activation of neurons in the hypothalamus and DRD“. (The two brain areas responsible, among other things, for vigilance, a major obstacle to sleep).
In other words, CBD actually makes you more alert. This may seem like a counterproductive attribute for a sleep aid, but its ability to prevent excessive sleepiness makes cannabidiol an excellent tool for anyone who needs to sleep less, or those trying to switch to a healthier sleep schedule.

UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOACTIVE EFFECTS

While THC’s effects on sleep are far more pronounced than those of CBD, THC is a psychoactive compound that makes you feel “stoned” and high. And that means there will always be a risk associated with the use of THC-rich drugs, not least of overdosing. A THC overdose may not be life-threatening, but it will make for a difficult tomorrow, with more frequent feelings of anxiety and even a tendency towards paranoia. These side effects won’t make it any easier to fall asleep the next day… unless you take more THC.

On the other hand, CBD has no noticeable psychoactive effect, which means it has no perceptible impact on our perception and judgment. This is why it is authorized in Europe and not considered a narcotic.

CBD OR THC: HOW TO CHOOSE?

There’s no simple, standard answer to this question. Whether you opt for CBD or THC-based medication really depends on your condition. The absence of psychoactive effects makes CBD a reliable option with no side effects. But if you need medication to fall asleep and/or are confident you can manage the psychoactive effect of THC, the latter remains the better option.
Finally, while THC consumption has been legalized in Canada since 2018, the molecule remains prohibited in many countries. Find out about the legislation in force in the country where you live and wish to get a good night’s sleep, and consult your doctor before starting any new THC treatment.

Will weed keep the planet rolling?

Published on 9 November 202418 March 2025

Ecology/Society

In addition to producing a beautiful fiber, swallowing tons of CO2 and feeding animals and humans, hemp can be transformed into 2 types of fuel: biodiesel and ethanol. Will weed power the cars of tomorrow? Could ganja be the docile energy source that will replace fossil fuels? Some answers.

Hemp can provide 2 types of fuel; biodiesel, made from pressed hemp seed oil, and ethanol, made from fermented hemp stalks. And it turns out that the beautiful plant could well be the planet’s greenest fuel source. Crude oil and natural gas are the two materials that provide almost 70% of the world’s energy consumption.
Two products that come from reservoirs thousands of meters underground. Both are fossil fuels formed over millions of years by the decomposition of dead organisms. Their production is expensive and has a huge impact on the environment.

Hemp, on the other hand, is a plant that can be grown almost anywhere, producing high biomass yields for fuel production in just a few months.
And while hemp fuels are around 50% less efficient than gasoline, the environmental benefits of growing hemp for fuel far outweigh those of seeking out crude oil or natural gas (which are themselves most negative). Here again, finding an environmentally-friendly alternative to crude oil or natural gas is not really difficult.

Hemp, a solid base for alternative fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol?

Biodiesel is made by blending vegetable or animal fats with ethanol. Today, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), over 50% of biodiesel is made from soybean oil. Ethanol, on the other hand, is generally produced from corn or sugar cane.

As a crop, cannabis offers many advantages over soy, corn and sugarcane. The plant density per hectare for corn, sugarcane and soya, for example, is 44,000, 50,000 and 200,000 kilos respectively. Hemp, meanwhile, can be grown at a density of up to 2,400,000 kg/hectare, according to Manitoba Agriculture.

Hemp also triumphs over soya, corn and sugar cane on several crucial issues: it can be grown in almost any climate, can be ready for harvest in just 4 months, and is particularly resistant to pests and disease. It can even help extract heavy metals and other contaminants from polluted soils, which is more than we can say for soya (which kills biodiversity and contributes to soil erosion).

At harvest time, hemp produces a LOT of biomass. According to Manitoba Agriculture, industrial hemp grown for fiber can produce up to 6 tons per hectare, while cereal plants (grown for seed) produce around 1000 kg per hectare.
So why can’t Shell or BP make cannabis gasoline?
With so many benefits to growing hemp for fuel (in addition to its countless other uses), it seems hard to understand why we’re still not reaping the rewards of this miracle plant.

What’s stopping the world from going hemp?

Above all, turning the world over to hemp biodiesel would require huge amounts of farmland. According to Medium, half the United States would have to be covered in hemp just to meet the country’s demand. Not to mention that hemp biodiesel would cost around 13 times more than regular diesel. Hemp ethanol, on the other hand, could be produced for less than $2 a gallon. Now that’s interesting.

Unfortunately, hemp is still held back by the fact that it’s still a crop in the making, and reaches its highest prices when grown for the food, cosmetics and CBD industries. And also the fact that Standard Oil, Gulf Oil and DuPont were linked to cannabis prohibition in the 1930s might also have something to do with why we don’t fill our cars with hemp.

But that’s another story.

Cannabis to the rescue of the US Marines

Published on 6 June 202427 August 2025

Society

As we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings, ZEWEED looks at a condition that affects 20% of combat veterans: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While soldiers suffering from this pathology have long been prescribed conventional drugs fraught with side effects, many are now turning to cannabis, whose therapeutic virtues they praise. The Battle’s Brother Foundation is one of the American associations campaigning for the use of cannabis as a treatment for PTSD. Meet its co-founder, Bryan Buckley.

For 9 years, Bryan Buckley was a good little soldier. A US Marine Corp to be precise. His first deployment was to Fallujah, Iraq. Then it was on to Africa and Southeast Asia.
“I joined the army just after 9/11,” recalls the Medal of Honor-winning soldier.
After being appointed unit commander with the Marine Raiders (the US Marines’ special operations force), Bryan will also have served in Afghanistan, in the Helmand Valley.
“Senior officers have told me that the summer of 2012, when we were in Afghanistan, was one of the bloodiest for the U.S. military since Vietnam,” Sergeant Bryan confesses to me as he recalls Operation Enduring Freedom (Enduring Freedom, the name given by the U.S. military to its global war on terror).
“And I came out of the army 100% disabled and with 100% post-traumatic stress“.

“It’s once the war is over that the real problems arise”.

I swallow before drawing out my next question, which concerns his injuries.
“In 2012, we were fighting in Helmand province. During a reconnaissance mission, I heard a whistle over my head. It was a rocket. The grenade exploded right next to me. I took shrapnel to my leg, back and face. Two of my team-mates were also wounded. One lost part of his triceps and the other took shrapnel in his stomach. “.
Bryan nearly lost his left leg as a result of the injuries he sustained that day.
A few months later, Bryan would fall 5 meters from a helicopter, dislocating his ankle and fracturing his spine.
“War is madness,” the former US Marine tells me.

Credits: Helmand Valley Growers Company.

Bryan’s wounds healed very quickly. Barely a week after undergoing surgery to save his leg from grenade shrapnel, he was up and ready to take on the enemy.
It wasn’t until Bryan was released from the Grande Muette that he realized his traumas weren’t just physical.
” In the army, you must always stay focused on the mission, even when you’re deploying casualties. The only watchword is to focus on the enemy until it’s eradicated. The slightest question or doubt is unthinkable. “.

Every day, 22 American Vets end their lives

“It’s only when the war is over and the chaos behind it that problems arise that no one expects“.
After returning from the war, Bryan’s PTSD began to manifest itself. He suffered from insomnia, depression and anxiety.
He often found himself reliving battle scenes while awake.
Unexpectedly, this distress increased with the arrival of his children.
” The enemy often used women and children as human shields. We see abominable things “.

During his PTSD-related crises, Bryan feels he has no use, no purpose, no reason to be.
“I couldn’t watch the news for years because they were talking about the actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I’d feel guilty for not being there,” he recalls.
It’s this lack of purpose that leaves many veterans idle, struggling with depression and addictions.
It’s the same ache in the soul that leads nearly 22 American “Vets” (war veterans) to commit suicide every day.

“I swapped my bottle of Jack Daniel’s for a joint “.

Bryan will find his balance thanks to two friends who are former fighters: Andy Miears and Matt Curran.
Together, they set up the Helmand Valley Growers Company (HVGC), an association campaigning for Vets to have access to cannabis.
Alongside HVGC, Bryan, Andy and Matt will also found the Battle Brothers Foundation: a non-profit NGO dedicated to helping American veterans with their psychological, family and professional needs.

The HVGC adventure began in 2016, when Bryan noticed that his garrison buddy Andy was looking better than usual.
“He didn’t have that usual lethargic look, that look of a guy who’s had too much to drink“.
Buckley confesses to me that alcohol consumption is one of the most common ways for veterans to cope with the symptoms that strike once service to country has been rendered.
“When I asked Andy how he found the strength to smile he said, ‘I swapped my bottle of Jack Daniel’s for a joint ‘.
In addition to using weed to alleviate his PTSD symptoms, Andy was in the process of setting up a therapeutic (and legal) cannabis growing operation.

“Cannabis is not the cure for all soldiers“.

“One day, Andy told me that cannabis had enabled him to go from being a warrior to a gardener“.
After seeing the positive effect of cannabis on his friend in the trenches, Brian gives this alternative medicine a try.
“It was incredible. I slept better, woke up refreshed, without anxiety or depressive symptoms. Today, cannabis is part of my daily routine. “.

And it wasn’t long before Brian realized that cannabis might just be the purpose in life he’d been missing since the end of the war.
From the outset, one of Battle Brothers’ main goals was to change the American medical landscape by making cannabis a legal and accessible treatment option for Vets.
Whether for pain relief, better sleep or any other medical condition.
“Cannabis isn’t every soldier’s cure,” Bryan balances in a firm voice.
“But it should be in our survival kit“.

“But it should be in our survival kit.”

As such, the Battle Brothers Foundation is well on its way to fulfilling its mission: the association has just received approval from a review board to conduct an observational study that will evaluate the efficacy of cannabis in the treatment of PTSD.
“In 2016, we approached Congress about what it would take to make cannabis available to veterans. They told us to collect reliable data alongside American doctors and build a case to present to the VA. That’s what we’re doing. . ”

The study is due to be launched in July and will involve 60 Californian Vets with PTSD.
Participants will purchase and dose cannabis products at their own discretion for 90 days and report back to a team from NiaMedic (an Israeli clinical trials company).
Confident that the study will bring conclusive results, Bryan sees this research as the foundation needed to develop a cannabis treatment policy for PTSD-prone Vets.
And there are many.
“These men and women swear an oath to their country and sign a blank check payable with their lives. And when they’re back here in America, they may be healthy physically, but not spiritually or mentally. At Helmand Valley Growers Company, we want to ensure that those who have fought for peace can finally find it. “. That’s all the good we wish them.

Report: therapeutic cannabis for horses?

Published on 21 May 202427 August 2025

Society

Cannabis pellets for racehorses and competition horses? This is the adventure embarked upon by start-up Medicinal Organic Cannabis Australia, in partnership with Sarda Sementi, one of Europe’s leading feed producers.

“We’ve just finished harvesting,” Alessandro tells me with a smile in front of the camera, “We’re all pitching in, it’s important.”
Alessandro Sorbello is CEO of Medicinal Organic Cannabis Australia (MOCA), the first organic medical cannabis company in the land of the kangaroos.
He took my video call from his new organic cannabis operation of some 18,000 m2 of greenhouses nestled in an agricultural region of Sardinia.
“Our land and the land around it are organic and have been for years ,” Alessandro explainsto me .

“I just knew it was a plant, something you’d buy in a little plastic bag from a guy in a pub.”

A few months after the Australian Parliament legalized medical cannabis, he and Emanuela Ispani founded MOCA.
It’s 2017 and both of them are novices at this.
“I just knew it was a plant, something you’d buy in a little plastic bag from a guy in a pub,” he laughs today.
For 11 years, Alessandro was Cultural Attaché at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, helping to establish business links between Australia and Italy.
Emanuela, a robotics engineering graduate, was working with the Queensland State Government’s Department of Science, Computing and Technology.
“It was time for a change,” continues Alessandro. “When cannabis came along, it became very interesting very quickly.”
As soon as legislation changed in Australia, Alessandro and Emanuela began taking the necessary steps to obtain a license allowing them to grow cannabis in Australia.
In the meantime, the couple will have traveled to countries where cannabis is already legal and met with experts such as Raphael Mechoulam and Arno Hazekamp to learn more about the beautiful plant and its business.

“We didn’t want to produce a high-end drug accessible only to those who could afford it “.

“When we learned and understood how the endocannabinoid system really worked, it all clicked. We realized that this was a product that everyone could benefit from, and one that would grow exponentially. “.
Unfortunately, the two entrepreneurs would soon learn that growing cannabis in Australia is not as simple as the idea seemed easy, largely due to strict legislation and high production costs.
“From the outset, we have strived to reduce the cost of medical cannabis and make it more accessible. We didn’t want to produce a high-end drug accessible only to those who could afford it. ” .
That’s when Alessandro and Emanuela had the idea of turning to their home country.
“In Italy, cannabis is treated pretty much like any other agricultural product. Italy was also the second largest producer of hemp in Europe until the 1940s… And even though several generations have passed since then, there’s still a strong link with hemp here.”

MOCA greenhouses, with plenty of air and space

When they moved to Sardinia, Alessandro and Emanuela hired local farmers to grow a top-of-the-range product that met their exacting standards .
“Organic is at the heart of our business. All the chemicals, dust and other toxic compounds that come into contact with the cannabis flower end up in the final product, the medicine. “.
“We believe that there is no place for chemicals (from pollution or pesticides) in herbal medicine. Given the importance of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to health, if you inject toxic compounds into the body via the ECS there will be a high risk of doing more harm than good”.

Interior view of Alessandro’s greenhouse.

Today, MOCA offers a range of over 20 products approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration.
The company has also just completed its first crowdfunding campaign to help kick-start manufacturing and, to top it all off, is celebrating a new partnership with Sarda Sementi, one of Europe’s leading livestock feed producers.
Together, Sarda Sementi and MOCA have developed a brand new range of cannabinoid-rich feeds for high-value horses.
“We’ve been working with animals for 12 months and have seen remarkable results,” enthuses the Italian-Australian.
And with good reason: in one of the MOCA trials, a participant administered CBD oil to her 18-year-old dog, who suffered from heart tremors and epilepsy.
After a few days, she and her vet witnessed a complete remission of the canine’s heart irregularities and epileptic seizures.

“We’re extremely optimistic about the results of other research on CBD and animals. Studies have shown, for example, that cannabis is a highly effective appetite stimulant. We think this could well revolutionize the livestock industry, offering farmers a natural alternative to steroids and hormones to help their animals grow faster. ” .

Beyond cannabis’ unique potential as medicine, supplement and food, Alessandro is motivated by something much more personal.
His father suffered severe head trauma at a young age due to a motorcycle accident that left him in a coma for a week.
“If you had met my father, you would never have imagined that he had been in an accident,” he points out.
As he grew older, however, the damage caused by the accident became much more visible.
“After seeing the damage to my father’s brain with a brain scan, I asked his specialist what we could do. He replied, “Just enjoy him.
Years after his father’s death, Alessandro learned that the U.S. government had patented the use of cannabinoids as neuroprotectors.
“It’s very sad to see someone lose their mental acuity, and I would have liked to see if cannabis could have helped my father. Because I think it could have “.
Without focusing too much on the future, Alessandro considers himself lucky to be in a position to change the way we view and consume cannabis.
“We’re proud to be part of the change that’s making cannabis more affordable and accessible. Because we believe that cannabis could be for everyone and that it has the potential to heal people, animals through the plant .”

A short guide to the different types of hash and their concentrates.

Published on 25 March 202422 July 2025

Health

In North America, hashish has long been considered a product for THC gourmets. In Europe, the situation is a little different, since hashish – mainly Moroccan or Afghan – was the only cannabic material available on the old continent until the 90’s, when the surge of indoor-grown weed buried the big, stubborn pot. Over the last few decades, extraction methods such as Bubble Hasch, Shatter, Wax and Crumble have appeared on the market, much to the delight of taga enthusiasts and the curious who would like an alternative to ganja. We take a closer look at these 2.0 hashes, with effects as varied as they are powerful.

First of all, to better understand hash and its new derivatives, we need to understand how a ganja plant works.

Weed, Trichomes, Ganja, Cannabis, Pot — Hash is made using only the trichomes of cannabis buds and trimmings.

Female cannabis plants produce flowers which, if not polonized by male plants, produce a thick, sticky resin. This resin is made up of trichomes; tiny structures that look like crystals to the naked eye and like tiny glass mushrooms under the microscope.

Hash is made using only the trichomes of cannabis buds and trimmings. (illustration). It is the trichomes in question that supply the alkaloids (cannabinoids), terpenes and flavonoids that give cannabis its unique effects, aromas and flavors. Hashish is made by separating these trichomes from the cannabis buds and trim and concentrating them into a powerful extract.

Handmade hash

In India and Nepal, people make hash by rubbing live cannabis buds between their hands.

In India and Nepal, hash (or Charas, as the locals call it) is made by rubbing fresh cannabis buds between the hands for hours on end. With friction, the plant’s trichomes form a thick, dark resin which is scraped into balls or sticks, presenting a creamy texture reminiscent of chocolate truffles.

Dry Hift Hash – Afghan black, Lebanese red, Pakistani, Turkish brick and Moroccan pollen

Hashish by “dry sifting” is obtained by gently sifting dried cannabis buds and cutting them through fine-mesh sieves. This gentle friction helps separate the trichomes into a fine powder called kief. This kief is then pressed into blocks using different techniques, depending on the area of production.

**Dry sieving is done by pressing and heating the kief.**

In Afghanistan, for example, hash (known locally as Chars) is made by mixing kief with small quantities of tea to form a kind of paste that is kneaded over a low heat until it takes on a deep black color and a thick, smooth consistency similar to soft caramel.

Moroccan hash, on the other hand, is made by pressing the kief repeatedly, using only pressure and heat. Pakistani hash is made using a similar technique. For folklore’s sake, some Pakistanis refine their hash in a dried sheepskin or goatskin to enhance its flavor, a method as cash as it is un-vegan.

Rosin

Making rosin is simple: dried cannabis buds are pressed with a lot of pressure and heat. The result is a clear, golden extract, free of contaminants and rich in flavor and potency.

Bubble Hash

Bubble Hash (sometimes called Ice-O-Lator hash) is very different from “classic” types of hashish.

It’s made by mixing frozen cannabis buds with water and ice, shaking the mixture to help separate the trichomes from the plant material, and finally running the water through mesh sieves of various sizes. The result is a crumbly hash with a consistency similar to crystallized honey.

Bubble Hash is generally as aromatic as it is flavorful, qualities that we owe to its low-temperature extraction method, which helps preserve certain fragile terpenes and flavonoids that disappear if heat-treated.

BHO: Shatter, Wax, Crumble and Budder, or the butane, propane and CO2 extraction revolution

Hash has never been the same since the discovery of extraction using solvents such as butane, propane and CO2.

420, 710, bho — Shatter, Wax, Crumbs and Budder are all names for solvent extracts based on butane, propane or CO2 , also known as BHO.

Today, these types of extracts, often sold under names such as Shatter, Wax and Budder, are a big hit in Canada and the US, to the point of equaling weed sales in some dispensaries, a trend particularly clear in California. Hashish extracted with butane, propane or CO2 is not something you can do at home. It really isn’t. Accidents are legion (cases of severe burns number in the hundreds in Los Angeles), as the chemicals used in the extraction process are as flammable, toxic as they are volatile. In short, not a good way to get laid.

However, these new extraction methods (we recommend you go and buy your Shatter from professionals) are capable of producing some of the most potent hash on the globe. Some of the BHO sold in American dispensaries, for example, contains over 70% THC.

Steve Voser for Zeweed (Zeweed translation)

Steven

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