2,400 YEAR OLD SOLID GOLD BONGS UNCOVERED

Two ancient solid gold ‘bongs’ have recently been unearthed in Russia.

Although they look extremely different to the modern day bongs you may be used to, these two solid gold contraptions were used as part of ceremonial rituals involving cannabis and opium.

It is thought that these bongs were used by the tribal chiefs of the Scythians, a group of nomadic warriors that held a lot of sway across the grasslands of Europe and Asia for over a thousand years, dating all the way back to the 9th Century BC. It would make these bongs over 2,400 years old – the oldest in existence. What makes this all the more impressive is the fact that they are solid gold. I don’t know about you, but we think owning a solid gold bong is pretty bad ass! (If maybe not practical).

Each bong was found with a thick layer of black residue in them, which were later determined by arachnologists to be the residue of use. The Scythians were historically known for their love of cannabis and opium, and would both smoke, and brew it into powerful concoctions before battle. This was documented by the ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, who wrote, “Scythians used a plant to produce smoke that no Grecian vapour-bath can surpass,” and that "transported by the vapour, [they] shout aloud”.

Whilst the idea of making a cannabis-opium brew may seem odd, according to Antonn Gass of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the idea “that both drugs were being used simultaneously is beyond doubt."

The bongs themselves tell an interesting story, each depicting a scene with their ornate craftsmanship. One has the image of an old bearded man slaying younger warriors. It is thought that this may portray the “bastard wars” Herodotus wrote of – in which warriors returned home to kill the secret love children of their wives. The other displays a more mystical scene, with gryphon like creatures ripping horses and stags apart. Pretty heavy subject areas to have on a bong!

The ancient bongs were uncovered by construction workers in Russia assembling power lines. The area was later combed over more thoroughly by archaeologists, who found additional gold neck rings and bowls.

These awesome examples of cannabis history are now on display at a museum in Russia, along with the other findings from the area. Seems like the Scythians knew how to get high in style!

DEA TO SHIFT FOCUS AWAY FROM CANNABIS

With a new DEA chief comes a new era of administration, and fortunately, it looks like it could be a more progressive one, if only slightly.

Following the scandal in which DEA agents were implicated in the use of drugs and cartel prostitution, long serving DEA chief Michele Leonheart has resigned. Rejoice! Despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary, Leonheart was insistent that marijuana is a dangerous drug with no medical value, and stood by the class I classification that marijuana holds on a federal level in the US.

With her ejection from the service, it opens the way up for a more progressive leader who is more in touch with public opinion. That person is Chuck Rosenberg. Described as having “proven himself as an exceptional leader, a skilled problem-solver, and a consummate public servant of unshakable integrity,” by Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Rosenberg looks like the DEA chief marijuana campaigners have all been waiting for. A former top official at the FBI, Rosenberg has claimed that under his leadership, the DEA with shift its focus away from marijuana users and sellers, instead working to “improve the DEA’s procedures on classifying, declassifying and reclassifying drugs”.

What does this mean for the US? Well, hopefully less raids, less arrests and less persecution of non-violent marijuana users; fingers crossed, it could even lead to the DEA backing the reclassification of marijuana to a lesser category, if not its legalization. As long as his intentions are true, then Rosenberg taking this leading role is likely to be celebrated by everyone in the US who opposes prohibition.

However, it is not all sunshine and rainbows, and still a gloomy outlook for those who oppose the War on Drugs as a whole. The DEA needs to get its funding somewhere, and this will likely come from it refocusing its efforts on those who use other drugs, such as psychedelics, opiates, and stimulants. The side effects and damage that the War on Drugs causes will still persist, organised crime shall still remain strong, and suffering shall still continue.

However, we are not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, and this is still good news. A more progressive and rational person in charge of the DEA is a step in the right direction to ending prohibition, so at the end of the day, it is a win!

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WHAT HAPPENS DURING DECARBOXYLATION, AND HOW TO GET IT RIGHT

Information about decarboxylation in cannabis is often sketchy at best, so we have put together some useful info to help increase understanding.

If you have ever eaten raw cannabis hoping to get high, chances are you had a disappointing experience. This is because marijuana needs to go through the process known as decarboxylation before it is active.

WHAT IS DECARBOXYLATION?

In layman’s terms, decarboxylation is the process of heating up cannabis to activate the THC, CBD and other cannabinoids within it. Without heat, these compounds are unable to pass through the blood brain barrier. This is why marijuana is smoked, vaporised or cooked before it enters the body – it is pretty much required if you want the effects of the active compounds.

Looking at it a bit deeper, decarboxylation is a chemical reaction where the COOH carboxyl group of atoms are removed from the cannabis, exiting in the form of H2O and CO2, (water and carbon dioxide). As cannabis grows, it goes through a process known as photosynthesis. During this process, CO2 is absorbed, where it then combines with free hydrogen within the plant to create carboxylic acid. This is known as carboxylation. The main carboxylic acids of interest are THCA and CBDA, the precursors to THC and CBD respectively. When cannabis is growing, it is THCA and CBDA that it contains, not THC or CBD. This is why raw cannabis does not get you high in anywhere near the same capacity as decarboxylated cannabis.

The process of decarboxylation can occur naturally to some degree with time and heat, often as a process of drying cannabis, or being stored too long. But this natural decarboxylation is nowhere near as efficient or potent as human intervention, i.e. smoking, vaporising or cooking. When this occurs, the CO2 is removed from the acids, turning them into the much sought after cannabinoids.

However, there is another function at play here as well. One that recreational THC enthusiast will be keen to avoid. At around 70% decarboxylation, THC starts degrading into CBN, and it happens at a faster rate than THCA is being converted into THC, causing a rapid and significant drop in THC content. It is also worth noting that at this point, unconverted THCA is turned into CBNA, and CBNA continues to be converted into CBN, causing CBN content to rise even faster. THCA can also turn into CBNA with time and air exposure, which is partly why marijuana can lose its potency with age or improper storing.

Don’t let this scare you though. CBN has its uses, especially for medical oriented users. CBN is associated with being a sleep aid, an antioxidant, and a measure against glaucoma, amongst other things.

DECARBOXYLATING YOUR CANNABIS

As mentioned above, at around 70% decarboxylation THC begins to degrade into CBN, so depending on what you want from your cannabis will define at what temperature you do it, and how long for. Firstly, if you vaporize or smoke your cannabis ,this is pretty much a moot point, as decarboxylation happens instantly, and the only concern (with vaporization) is hitting the right temperature so that you do not destroy the cannabinoids. Manually decarboxylating your cannabis is for those who want to cook with it, or make certain extracts and oils.

Generally speaking, you want to decarboxylate your cannabis at around 106-120 degrees Celsius for between 30 min to an hour. Many people will happily decarboxylate there cannabis at 118-120 degrees Celsius for an hour, and generally see this as the standard. However using such a high temperature for this amount of time could be inadvisable (see below). A note for purists: decarboxylating your cannabis above 100 degrees Celsius straight away can cause any leftover moisture to boil and cause cellular damage to your cannabis – degrading its integrity. To avoid this, you can start by heating your cannabis at around 96 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes. This should dry out any remaining moisture, making it safe to move onto higher temperatures. This is quite a trivial matter though, and most people would never notice the difference.

The below graph from the Journal of Chromatography can give you a good insight as to how temperature and time affect peak THC content during decarboxylation. Bear in mind this was in a very controlled lab setting, using a marijuana extract “on a glass surface in an open reactor” – but it should give you a rough guide. According to its findings, you may want to cut down the heating time to around 30 minutes if you are using higher temperatures.

There you go! Whilst not really necessary to know, having a better understanding of decarboxylation can help deepen your wider knowledge of cannabis, and how its chemistry affects us – especially if you plan to make edibles. Honing your timing and temperature skills could even give you a great deal more control over the potency! Remember people, knowledge is power.

5 REASONS WHY CANNABIS IS SAFER THAN ALCOHOL

There is a growing trend of scientific research all finding the same thing: that alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana.

Whilst cannabis prohibition persists, there is one widely available intoxicant that is doing more damage to our society than marijuana ever could. This is alcohol. Fortunately, the idea that alcohol is more dangerous for you than cannabis is beginning to be widely accepted, but it is slow going. To help push the message forwards, here are five reasons that cannabis is safer than alcohol.

1. CANNABIS CAN’T KILL YOU

Everything is toxic if consumed in large enough amounts, even drinking too much water too quickly can send the body into shock and cause organs to shut down. However, the lethal dose of cannabis is so high that it is not practically possible for a human to consume the amount required fast enough for it to become toxic. It is estimated that you would need to use roughly 680kg of cannabis within 15 minutes to stand a change of overdosing on it. It cannot kill.

The same cannot be said for alcohol. It is very easy to die as a result of alcohol use, and it is one of the most toxic substances we readily consume. Generally speaking, it is thought that consuming 10 times the amount of alcohol required to get drunk/tipsy can cause an overdose, and it leads to an insane amount of deaths each year. The World Health Organization attributed 3.3 million deaths to alcohol in 2012 alone.

2. ALCOHOL DAMAGES THE BRAIN, MARIJUANA COULD PROTECT IT.

There is a common myth that marijuana use damages the brain and kills off cells. However, these claims were largely unsupported by science, and simply constructed to demonise cannabis. Recent studies are showing, that if anything, marijuana actually has neuroprotective and neurogenesis qualities, meaning it protects brain cells, and even stimulates the creation of new ones.

Once again, the same cannot be said for alcohol, which is well documentedby science as causing brain cell death.

3. ALCOHOL CAUSES CANCER, MARIJUANA FIGHTS IT

The cancer fighting effects of cannabis have been the focus of much research recently, and both scientific and anecdotal reports are now singing praise for the potential cannabis holds. Even smokers of cannabis have been found to have lower incidences of cancer than those who don’t use cannabis - in one of the largest controlled studies into the matter ever conducted.

When it comes to alcohol and cancer, it has them all. Alcohol use is associated with the development of lung, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, colon, liver, and prostate cancer. It is quite the repertoire.

4. MARIJUANA ADDICTION IS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY, THE SAME CAN’T BE SAID FOR ALCOHOL

All scientific research into marijuana addiction indicates the risk of actually becoming addicted is negligible, if existent at all. This dates all the way back to 1999, where a US congress commissioned study found that “marijuana dependence was rare, and when it did happen, it was much less severe than in those who suffer from alcohol or nicotine addiction.” This is because cannabis is not physiologically addictive, but in rare cases, can cause the development of a psychological dependence.

Alcohol on the other hand causes severe physiological and psychological addiction. This is further perpetuated by the build-up of tolerance to alcohol, causing addicts to require more each time.

5. ALCOHOL CAUSES VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR, MARIJUANA CAUSES RELAXATION

It is not secret that those who use marijuana tend to be peaceful, fun loving people, especially whilst actively high. A stoner is more likely to come down with a case of the munchies, or the urge to hug someone than they are to cause a fight.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the worlds most loved intoxicant. Alcohol use frequently (but not always, and not with everyone), causes violent behaviour – especially when used in excess. Research published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that 36 percent of all hospitalising assaults, and 21 percent of all injury was down to alcohol use by the injured person. Quite a significant figure, and a huge drain on health services.

It just goes to show, whilst governments are happy to wage a war and a fairly harmless substance, they will endorse something that is by far more dangerous, yet readily available. Time to end the hypocrisy and madness.

THIS IS PORTUGAL 14 YEARS AFTER DECRIMINALISATION

In 2001, Portugal did something that shocked the world, and had many leaders shaking their heads in disbelief. Portugal decriminalized drugs – all of them.

Portugal’s move to decriminalize all drugs was a bold one, there is no doubt about this. The move made it the first country in the world to do so, and plunged it into uncharted waters. However, at the time in 2001, many felt there was little alternative. Back in 1974, Portugal underwent a bloodless military coup that ended nearly 50 years of dictatorship, and led the way for democracy. However, this transition exposed a once sheltered and isolated nation to the many narcotics of the world. The desire to use hard drugs amongst the populace became so profound, that the country deemed it a crisis.

To try and curb the enthusiasm for drug abuse, Portugal adopted a hard-line, US style position on drug abuse, vilifying and incarcerating those that abused them. However, this conservative stance did little to halt the rising amount of drug abuse, and resulted in Portugal having the highest amount of drug-related AIDs deaths in the whole EU by the year 1999. It was also estimated that at this time, roughly 1% of the entire nation was addicted to heroin – a horrifying figure.

By 2001, the government of Portugal decided enough was enough. The war on drugs was not working, and their people were suffering as a result. They decided to take radical action, and the results have been revolutionary. Not only has decriminalizing all drugs caused drug use to plummet, it has made it plummet so far that Portugal is now a country with some of the lowest drug abuse figures in the world!

14 YEARS LATER: THE STATS

The positive change to Portugal’s drug problem is unprecedented. To give you a better idea of just how well the country is now doing, here is a handy breakdown:

(Source of graphs and stats: Transform Drug Policy Foundation)

LIFETIME PREVALENCE

The first graph to look at is lifetime prevalence. This shows how many people have used drugs at least once in their lifetime, once within the last year, and once within the last month – for each year. The general trend is a lowering in use, flying right into the face of those who thought decriminalization would increase use. The chart does show a slight increase for 2007, although this was the trend across the globe. It is also worth noting that past-year prevalence and past-month prevalence are seen as the most accurate current indicators of drug abuse within a country.

Adolescent Lifetime Prevalence

Since the decriminalization of all drugs in 2001, the amount of 15-24 year olds using illicit substances has dropped dramatically. For many concerned about drug misuse, it is this age category that worries the most, as it is seen as being at the highest risk. This should put a lot of minds to rest, showing that decriminalization doesn’t make drugs more accessible for kids, and in fact, reduces their use. The graph pretty much mimics the previous graph, showing that on the whole, drug abuse has significantly fallen since decriminalization.

CONTINUED DRUG USE

This trend of reduced use has also translated to the populace of the entire country, with rates of continued use dropping from 45% all the way down to the 28%. It’s a gigantic drop in use, saving both lives and money.

DRUG-INDUCED DEATH

Although the prevalence of drug use is the most looked at stat, it is also a good idea to look at drug induced deaths. This shows how the reduced use translates, and also how the shift to a health focused system instead of a justice one saves lives. Straight away you can see a huge preservation in life, thanks to the enactment of decriminalization policy. This has then stayed low, fluctuating, but never getting anywhere near as bad as things were.

DIAGNOSES OF HIV AND AIDS AMONGST DRUG USERS

Lastly, it would also appear that new cases of both HIV and AIDS have taken a tumble with the decriminalization of drugs. It means less needles are being shared, and just generally, less people are using things like heroin and harder substances – the health focused system is doing its job. It is great news, and once again shows success.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

There is no doubt that decriminalization has helped this country bring drug abuse under control. By keeping users out of prison and ensuring they have access to help, the people of Portugal have become better educated, and more accepting of the pitfalls and pleasures of drugs. Decriminalization has by no means fixed everything, but it has definitely been a benefit.

Of course, it is not simply implementing a policy of decriminalization that reduces hard drug use, death and disease. It has to go hand in hand with other factors. For example, at the same time as decriminalizing all drugs, Portugal implemented a robust health system, expanded its welfare system, and guaranteed people a minimum income. It is factors like these -- which ensure those who are lost within society are helped instead of punished – that allow decriminalization to change a country for the better. Either way, Portugal has shown the world that decriminalisation not only works, it is superior to any other system currently being used. They are 14 years going strong, and it doesn’t look like they are going to stop!