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Quick Hits (page 5)Training Course for UK Coffee Shopkeepers to BeBy: Nol van Schaik
The 5 day workshop will be given from March 25 to March 29, in Haarlem, the Netherlands. The workshop is initiated and constructed by Wernard Bruining and Nol van Schaik, both experienced cannabis promoters. The coordinator and host of this project is Alan Mason, a British cannabis activist and grower. Cannabizness Workshop. Included classes: History of the Dutch Coffee shops and the forming of a policy. History class has never been so exciting, taking you back to the days it all began in Holland, comparable with the situation in England, where cannabis shops are just getting started. The history of the first coffee shop: The political and social circumstances, with the coinciding hippie vibe. The history of Nederweed: basic growing techniques, Sinsemilla, indoor and outdoor cultivation, Old Ed and the Sinsemilla Guerrilla. The first grow shop, Positronics, and the developments of the Growbranche in Holland. The moral aspects of cannabis: What is addiction in fact, physically and mentally. Weed as an entheogenic drug, practical use to enhance the state of life, use for pleasure and possible abuse. The medical use of cannabis. A short training session in table soccer, the most prominent game in most coffee shops. By Wernard Bruining, founder of the first transparent coffee shop in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1972, the Mellow Yellow. Wernard was also the founder of the first grow shop in Holland, Positronics, and the initiator of the Mediweed system, besides many other initiatives for the cannabis culture. The Dutch policy, in figures and regulations, the current AHOJG-rules, the Haarlem model and how it works in practice. Ins and outs of how this system can be applied in the UK cannabis shops. Dutch and English experience with cannabis laws. By Nol van Schaik, founder of three Willie Wortel Cannabis shops, Sinsemilla, Sativa and Indica, and the Global Hempmuseum, all in Haarlem. Co-founder of the Dutch Experience coffee shop in Stockport, UK. Mediweed supplier and promoter. The Cannabizness, how to judge the offered cannabis, what to pay for it, price/quality valuation, product recognition, quality maintenance and product testing. Product evaluation, by sight, smell and inhaling. By Maruska de Blaauw, initiator of the bar system for the Willie Wortel cannabis shops, involved in coffee bar management since 1991. Bar management, a tested system, how to run a coffee bar, how to keep it to the standard hygienic code, cleaning rotation system, stock control, customer service and etiquette, social hygiene tips, etc. Harm reduction, how to use cannabis, how not to use cannabis. We promote the responsible use of cannabis, be it resin or buds, the large scale use of cannabis in the UK, relying on a polluted market, IS. Cannabis does not cause a real threat to the physical state, if not smoked, but can influence some people's mental condition, when in distress or in state of depression. The clear and understandable separation between soft drugs and hard drugs will be the focus. The print material on this subject will be made available for the active cannabis outlets in the UK, in English. By Frank van Someren, former experience expert for the Brijder foundation, an institute that guides and helps problematic drug users and alcohol addicts. Franks knows enough about the dangers of drugs, he has been there and came back from the deep, to try and prevent others from going there. Bar work, the coffee bar in practice, all participants will be thrown in the deep, and get to serve liberated cannabis consumers their drinks and munchies, expresso machine explanation, product explanation, etc. Guided and assisted by the well educated staff of one of the Willie Wortel Cannabis shops. Cannabis sales, selling hash and weed, weighed on demand of the customers, how to cut hash, advise about the cannabis, two hours of cannabis sales in practice, guided and assisted by the soft drug salespeople of the Willie Wortel Cannabis shops, most of them in this business for over a decade. Coffee shop evaluation, a trip through the Big Bud, Amsterdam, the place where it all began, on a mission to visit a number of coffee shops, looking through the eyes of a cannabizness person, with a connected test on this day. By Wernard Bruining, Maruska de Blaauw and Nol van Schaik. Safety and security, how to try and keep your staff and customers protected from criminal behavior and influences, how to handle unwanted visitors, camera observation tips, building security and more detailed information. By Martino de Lepper, security manager of Haarlems Student Society and Club and the Willie Wortel Cannabis shops. Mr. De Lepper is well experienced in training and educating teams and crews of bars, coffee shops and dance clubs. He is a certified security trainer. Hemp Awareness, a well explained tour through the Global Hemp museum, to be informed about the multi-purpose appliances of the resource full hemp plant, supplying basic material for fiber, food, fuel and pharmaceuticals. Hemp, from paper to Adidas tennis shoes, skin care products, pastas and much more. A clear explanation about the separate way of cultivating, resulting in the different crops, long and seeded plants for industrial purposes, and/or pre-sexed, female plants for the production of herbal cannabis and the resin derivates, hash. By Maruska de Blaauw, Co-founder and Curator of the Global Hempmuseum, a true hemp person. The course will take 5 full days and one evening bar shift for each trainee, to be able to give every attending participant the practice time in the two sales areas of the involved cannabis shops. The last day is meant for the tests, with a questionaire about the experiences and classes of the previous four days. The last part of the workshop will be an evaluation session, followed by awarding the graduating participants with a certificate that indicates the trainee is able to run a cannabis shop with high quality standards. A small celebration will be held. We are currently working on constructing the workshop in a logical timetable, to be able to get everybody the attention he/she needs, required to qualify for the included test after the classes and practice sessions. Some of the classes can be attended by all 24 trainees, the most specific parts, like the product evaluation, will be done in groups of 8 trainees, in a revolving system. The Cannabizness Workshop includes a print version of the classes, devices that will be useful for the trade, cannabis samples, and a information package about harm reduction, from official Dutch organizations, recognized by the Dutch Government. Also included are the 5 daily group lunches and the after dinner. The minimum age for participating in the Cannabizness Workshop is 18 years. The charge for the workshop is 910.- Euro (575.- GBP), without accommodation. Accommodation, in various price classes, can be obtained through Alan Mason. Registering can be done by Email or fax, payments must be made to : Stichting Global Hempmuseum, The workshop starts on Monday, March 25, 9.30 AM, and will conclude on Friday, March 29, the time for the exact end will be determined later. The workshop will be attended by international press, bear in mind, you and the initiators of this project can only benefit from publicity, the truth will be revealed. Only 24 people can attend, we want to make sure the participants get the best possible education, so make sure you register for this workshop as soon as possible, the first ones to sign up, will be in on the first workshop. If demand shows us we are on the right way with this project, we will continue the workshop, every last week of each month. Fill your mind, the rest will follow. For more info: |
Growin' Our Own (page 5)Colombian GoldBy: Ron in Santa Cruz, CA
When I Worked for the Italian Boss On my first trip I was a pilot for an Italian guy. He was really connected and when he got busted it was for 14 tons. He wasn't caught with the 14 tons, but the investigation and AUSA estimated it was 14 tons smuggled over a long period of time. He was tried in the U.S. District Court. He had his young crew fly loads all the way into Oregon. Since I heard he had over $7 million cash and the talk from his teenage crew, I would say the indictment for only 14 tons was a gift. He even had his son and 15 year old nephew flying in loads. From Fernando in Mexico, they went to San Francisco, Vegas, all around California, and up into Oregon. Somehow it was so loose he could sell all the tons of grass. His indictment came down in about 1969. There was no DEA, and no asset forfeiture, only the IRS. With a good guy letter from the local congressman on congressional stationery, the guy only did 14 months federal time. By the way, the federal building is now named after that dead congressman. The Italian rented and sold planes and had mechanics that could turn back the hour clock on any plane. He wanted young guys with no pilot license for the runs. I was one of those guys. It's tough to check out somebody who doesn't have a license, as the cops don't think they can fly without one, and they don't exist! One guy working for the Italian was flying his first trip. He refueled in the air by pouring cans of gas into a hose placed into the wing. He complained about spilling gas, smelling it, and all the other problems he had. He was a chain smoker and because he was afraid to light up a cigarette in all the gas fumes, he had an acute nicotine fit all the way back from Mexico. His major problem was landing the plane at night back home. He was told to land between the lights on a dirt road running beside a ditch bank. When he flew in he saw the light on the left and one on the right and he came down. However he went back up as he hit the ditch bank. He left the area and landed at his grandmother's farm about 35 miles away. His problem was that he didn't pay attention to landing instructions, smelled too many gas fumes, or else just forgot. He was to land over the one light and before the second light. If he had done this from either direction he was down. He came in 180 degrees off where he was supposed to be, and slightly bent the prop on the ditch bank. The Italian was after him thinking he had stolen the load. He was pissed as he had to pay a $1,500 deductible on the plane damage because it was his fault. Anyway, he unloaded at the ranch and called the Italian who came over and got the load of bricks. I ran into him years later and he was really crippled up. He told me he got disabled when he was checking on an electrical problem in the courthouse. He said he fell through the suspended ceiling and onto a judge's desk. He told me that the judge was fondling his clerk who was sitting on the judge's lap with her bra off. He said if he wasn't so messed up he would have laughed as the judge and his squeeze were covered in white plaster and shattered ceiling tile. Anyway, he fell on the court papers, pens, picture frames, paperweights, knicknacks, and he was really messed up for life. He's a certified medical marijuana smoker today. I think he was just accident prone, but even this guy never got caught. My First Flight to Mexico and Back On my first run I landed in the Mexican desert at dusk. I was met by Fernando and the dark blue uniformed Federal Mexican Police, acting under the Procuraduria General de la Republica, and with the army. I thought I was busted and I was scared shitless! Nobody told me I would be meeting the cops and army. Fernando asked me for the cash and I handed him the case. It was counted by him and 3 uniformed men. I heard a shout and hand signal was given to a small group of army guards holding machine guns at a nearby army truck. The green truck pulled alongside the plane and the sacks of bricks were loaded into the stripped out plane. I never got out to take a pee or anything and I was surrounded by flour sacks full of bricks. The passenger seats were back in California where they would be re-installed when I returned. I left Mexico breathless and made a successful landing back home. I made over 30 runs in my career, and gave it up after I brought in a big load of Colombian Gold. Our Financing Plan One time while on a run from near Sinaloa, Mexico, we took the sweepings from the floor of the grass packaging room. These sweepings were stems and seeds which were usually thrown away. We had a couple hundred pounds of seeds and put them in burlap sacks. We flew these seeds down to Michoacan to a farming village where we had met some friends. Our landing strip at the village was a cow pasture. We paid $1,000 to the farmers to grow our seeds and left to pick up the load waiting near Sinaloa. I went back to the Michoacan village 2 months later to check on our crop. The farmers showed me many rows of our grass which they had planted in between rows of their corn. I showed the farmers the male plants and told the farmers to pull them out, we didn't want the male plants. Later, I went back to the village again and supervised the harvest and packaging. We had our crop cut and processed the way we wanted and it was our grass from start to finish. I paid the local farmers another $9,000 and flew in 6 loads from our Mexican farm. By doing our own farming operation we paid less for the 6 loads than what we had been paying for one load. With the rest of the crop we let some of our friends know where we had it stored. Their crews flew in and bought it from us cheap at the village. Colombian Gold When we had all this cash, we heard about a load of Colombian Gold in Florida, from a hippie love group in Laguna. With most of our cash we went to Florida to meet with the group's contact. For only $12,000 we bought a bigger plane at an auction in Florida under a fake name. We loaded it with one ton of Colombian Gold that came in on a ship with a Cuban crew. With no markings on the plane we flew it cross county through Texas and into California. We sold the pounds of gold, which we bought for $100 a lb., for $400 a lb. If you had Gold in California around 1973, it probably came from our ton. We sold most of it in the Bay Area. I retired after that trip and I won't take the risk anymore. Sometimes I hear people talking about varieties of grass from different Mexican states as if they are different local species. Some probably are and I know that some aren't. I transplanted some to the state of Michoacan. |
Pipeline (page 5)Why Marijuana Will not be LegalizedBy: John Smith
There are exactly four reasons for this banner of gloom. Those reasons are, in this order: money, money, money and money. Different colors or shades of money. Therefore, different reasons. Those different colors or shades of money translate into different interests. The distilled beverages industry, pharmaceutical industry, law enforcement political associations - political action committees, and the excise taxes paid to local, state and the federal government. Notice how the marijuana smoker, or citizen if you will, is not part of the equation? Neither, for that matter, are the various 'legalize marijuana' groups. The simple reason for that is neither the smoker/citizen or the legalize pot groups can compete financially with the others. Not even close. First of all, the distilled beverages industry - purveyors of beer, wine and whiskey - do not want any competition. If you wish to party legally, you buy your favorite bottle of liquid poison and proceed to drink yourself into oblivion, destroying your liver and brain cells in the process. Further, consider all the employees of the alcohol industry. From executives to distributors to Joe the beer truck driver to Susie the bar maid at your local watering hole. Each of them earns a salary and in Susie's case, tips as well. More importantly each spends money, pays taxes and is not a burden to society, i.e., not on welfare, food stamps or unemployment. Now consider the pharmaceutical companies. Producers of chemical poisons which we love to ingest on a daily basis. Like the alcohol industry, the pill rollers do not like competition. Not in the least. Look at all the synthetic medicines they produce and charge you an arm and a leg for. These companies are currently attempting to produce a synthetic marijuana. The only high is the price, and it would be sold for medicinal purposes. Pharmaceutical companies look at the consumer as a big fat dairy bovine needing to be milked. The price for drugs outside of the United States is approximately 50 percent less than within the U.S. Yep, they are milking us every single day and laughing about it all the way to the bank. And, like the alcohol industry, the legal drug pushing industry has lots of employees. Lots of money paid in salaries. Lots of money spent by those employees. Lots of money paid in taxes. Lots of money spent on research and development for new drugs. So, don't expect the pharmaceutical industry to be sympathetic to the cause of legalizing marijuana. It just isn't going to happen. By the way, it was the chemical giant Beyer, now Beyer-Meyers, which introduced and marketed to the world a pharmaceutical of immense value starting in the late 1890's. We call it heroin. This brings us to law enforcement. I don't care what flavor you choose. Each has a political association to back its play, whether it is a county sheriffs' association, state prison guard association or a federal law enforcement association. These associations, also known as political action committees (PAC's), are in place to protect the jobs of the law enforcement personnel. These PAC's also have cash. Lots of it. With cash comes the ability to dictate legislative agendas. We all know that politicians are up for sale to the highest bidder on a continuous basis. Another election is just around the corner and these politicians need campaign money. Enough said about politicians. If pot were to become legal, quite a few jobs would evaporate. There would be far fewer drug busts, hence, far fewer smokers in state and federal prisons. Additionally, law enforcement budgets would take a nose dive because there would not be nearly as many asset forfeitures. Law enforcement people know this and are willing to spend the money to prevent any change in the law or its enforcement. A perfect example of this kind of chicanery is California's medicinal marijuana law. Passed in 1996 by the voters of the state, the law allows sick people to grow, possess and use pot. It also allows physicians to prescribe marijuana to those in need. Has this law prevented law enforcement from arresting people who are using the drug legally? Not on your life. Just ask Steve Kubby. Just ask Santa Cruz Attorney Kate Wells. Just ask the owners of the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Club. Hell, just ask DEA administrator Asa Hutchinson. Too many jobs are at stake. Too much revenue to be lost. Too much unemployment insurance to be paid out. Get the point? Which brings us to the last color of money. Excise taxes. Governments, local, state or federal, thrive on money. While government does not generate any of the money it spends, it does have a collection apparatus that is second to none. Just look at the excise taxes collected on alcohol, tobacco and the telecommunications industries. In fiscal year 1998 the take was $7.2 billion from alcohol, $5.6 billion from tobacco and $4.9 billion from the telecommunications industry. That is a lot of greenbacks. If government needs more money, and when don't they, just pass an increase to an existing excise tax. While we the taxpayers are not paying the tax directly, go buy a bottle of hootch and guess what? You just got saddled with the new and improved sin tax. If marijuana was legalized, regulated and taxed, like the legalize marijuana groups want, the government could - initially - reap a windfall. This, however, would also have a debilitating effect on the sale of alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceuticals. These same industries know this and would do everything in their power, which is considerable, to prevent such a legalization. They have been quite successful to date ... haven't they? There is another reason, one that is over 200 years old. Whiskey. The making of your own whiskey is and has been since 1794 - illegal. You can not make your own whiskey without violating federal law. There is a tax on whiskey. Why do you think the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms exists? They were originally revenue agents (Revenooers) for the Treasury Department. Busting up stills in the hills because moon-shiners were not paying the tax. But what about those who grow their own pot? Would they be immune to a tax? Would home growers even be allowed to grow their own? It is illegal to cook your own whiskey, so why should pot be treated any differently? Since marijuana is so easy to grow, given time the government would start losing millions and then billions of dollars in tax revenue. Now, do you really think, even for a second, that government is going to allow people to get away with that without turning their law enforcement dogs loose on us? Not in this life time. No money ... no honey GI. It revolves around the almighty dollar. When it comes to cash in the bank and playing the money game, the legalize marijuana for lunch bunch groups do not have the coin to buy a seat in the nose bleed section just to watch the game, let alone buy a seat at the table to play. Legalize marijuana? Sure, you bet. And if pigs had wings, we'd all be eating chicken fried pork chops. Dakota Joseph Arts KeNa Productions. For all your website needs. Emphasizing fast load times, usability, browser compatibility, standards compliance and high quality graphics. The Whipping Post. Not for the politically correct. Riveting commentary to engage, enrage, enlighten and inflame. |
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The Global Hemp Museum, in cooperation with Willie Wortel's Cannabis Shops are about to launch the first ever complete training course for future 'coffee shop owners', the first one being focused on the UK.
I was a small independent smuggler in the 60s and 70s, flying loads of grass into California, in a Cessna 185. Everybody knew the plane routes including the law. The hardest part was coming up with financing for the load. Hired teenagers could be trained and paid with about $5,000 in retail grass to make a run, but we never risked hiring one as they bragged too much. The grass cost us $30 to $50 cash for a brick in Mexico. If you didn't have the cash you couldn't buy the load. A small load could cost about $12,000 and a large one could cost about $30,000. It depended on the quality of the grass, too. With plans, advance travel, planes, pilots, dry runs, fuel trucks, and the crew on our side, this was a tough financing plan to figure out. We had to refuel in river bottoms, dry lake beds, or where ever we could land where there were no people. We could only double our money at best on a trip. So I'll tell you how we solved our financing problems and put ourselves into retirement with a load of Colombian Gold.
Like it or not, that is the way it is. Or, should I say, that is the way it is going to stay. Pot will remain illegal for the foreseeable future. There is no percentage in legalizing it - at least not for those who matter.