
Himalayan villages that grow cannabis - Jasamba
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160201-indian-himalayan-cannabis-farm-photos/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fbp20160202news-cannabis&utm_campaign=Content&sf20180097=1
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monkmartinez
Incredible story. I often wonder what it would be like in my state if Cannabis
was declared legal. You see, I go to 911 calls. I can count on my hand the
number of times I've been called for an emergency that was _directly_ related
to Cannabis.

Alcohol, is another story entirely. Depending on the area, there are days that
I would run out of fingers and toes counting the number of calls that are a
_direct_ consequence of alcohol. That is, I've never been on a call where
someone smokes sooo much cannabis that the thought to stab 3 or 4 people
becomes an idea worth executing. Or, more simply, someone that decides to
smoke sooo much cannabis that they can no longer control their bowels... in
public. Perhaps we should discuss the people that decide to smoke sooo much
cannabis where driving into stationary objects like people's homes,
bars/restaurants and non-stationary objects like pedestrians and other cars is
rather common. Obviously, I don't see this happening with Cannabis, but with
alcohol...

Then we get to the people that can't afford beer and whiskey so they start
drinking listerine or anything with alcohol and need expensive medical
treatment. They can't afford medical treatment either, so taxpayers pay for
the listerine and then pay for the treatment.

The list goes on and on... spice is really fun. When a new batch like "King
Kong Purple" hits the streets, we all warn our families that we will be coming
home exhausted from being up all night as the overdoses roll in every 20
minutes. Trying to get a spice OD on the gurney is a treat no EMS person
should miss... They are biting, spitting, often uncontrollably vomiting,
smashing their heads against anything (Concrete, pavement, ems personnel,
sharp objects), kicking, screaming and are more often that not completely nude
and covered in mystery fluids. It's a real treat.

We should really legalize Cannabis. My hope is that everyone just uses that
instead of the other stuff that is legal. I know that is naive, but I can
hope.

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Jtsummers
> Perhaps we should discuss the people that decide to smoke sooo much cannabis
> where driving into stationary objects like people's homes, bars/restaurants
> and non-stationary objects like pedestrians and other cars is rather common.

I agree with all your points but this one. I think this may become common if
Cannabis were legal in your area. I think it's only uncommon right now because
people are using Cannabis in their own homes or someone else's home, for the
most part.

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fatlasp
(anecdote) I live in Colorado where cannabis has been legal for quite some
time. People driving in to stationary objects while high on mj definitely
hasn't become any more of a problem than it was previous to legalization
(read: its not a problem.)

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Silfen
(even more anecdata and speculation) I live in Washington, and it is
absolutely not a problem here. The main difference, to my mind, is that
alcohol induces higher risk behavior, while cannabis produces risk aversion.
Prohibition has been an abject failure. That said, I don't think it's very
good for your brain. Worth avoiding or at least moderating your intake.

~~~
tejtm
I'm in Oregon, pot is legal here too, far more likely the stationary object
hit is someone on weed that thinks they are driving too fast.

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neosat
I'm from one of such Himalayan villages, though I only seldom go back there
now.

One important aspect to consider here is people don't necessarily think of it
as illegal or a drug. There isn't really 'police' enforcing anything for the
local. The local police station has like 1-2 people who pretty much just hang
out and are friends with the locals.

Everyone in the village knows each other (sort of) and it is only the adult
(males) that will have access to and make it. Teens and children don't really
do it because someone or the other will find out and then they are in trouble,
so the system corrects itself pretty quickly. I've never heard of a single
case ever of overdose or anything like, though it has ruined the productivity
and general health of a very large number of people.

~~~
blablablksheep
Agree, i have observed the same thing in another part, same country.

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saiya-jin
ah, the places like Manali and Malana bring back fond memories from few years
back, a month spent in the area. this stuff grows everywhere wild, I mean
EVERYWHERE - even in central park in the middle of biggest provincial city.
banning this on state level didn't affect consumption, just gave corrupt
police a way to extort some proper cash on those poor tourists that got
caught. it seemed that within certain altitude band (say 2000-3300m), this
flower was at home (seen it also in abundance in nepal on annapurna circuit).

going to India as backpacker for at least several weeks, ideally months is
experience out of this world. so intense, so complex, so different and exotic.
After 2 months there, memories of my life back in europe seemed no more than
memories of a distant surreal dream. it's a harsh and beautiful place full of
amazing people. cannot recommend enough.

as for strength, cannot really compare since the stuff is uber-powerful. but
so is moroccan and all other.

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edge17
I know next to nothing about this sort of stuff, but when I was in Nepal even
the best stuff was incredibly low quality compared to Californian stuff. I
think in California, we spend a lot of time cultivating and perfecting
cannabis.

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peter303
Cannabis was a roadside weed in Peking. I was an exchange student there in
1979 and some of the European students gathered bags full of it. Leaves are
not very potent by modern standards, but it worked.

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tempodox
The idea of police raiding for ganja in the Himalayas feels so braindead. They
should have better things to do.

~~~
anpat
Specially the Indian police. There are so fucking many problems in the country
to take care of. PS: Knowing them, most probably they raid these fields only
when they want villagers to pay up.

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deweerdt
some context: [https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-
mind/201106...](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-
mind/201106/history-cannabis-in-india)

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Carrok
The way they produce 'charas' looks... less than sanitary. Mmmm.... skin
cells.

~~~
pjlegato
Er. Do you imagine farmers and chefs all wear gloves and hazmat suits while
handling the produce that you eat every day?

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. If the idea of a few skin cells
disturbs you, you'd better not look too closely into how food handling
actually works in the real world.

~~~
Carrok
Yes. I work in a legal cannabis facility in Colorado. We wear full gear before
coming in contact with any plants.

~~~
pjlegato
Food processing doesn't happen that way. There are, for example, FDA
guidelines for acceptable levels of hair, rodent feces, larvae, and "insect
fragments" in food. And you eat it all every day!

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Food_Defect_Action_Levels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Food_Defect_Action_Levels)

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pansinghkoder
that's me home state :)

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justplay
i know i will get lot of downvotes but still let me say it anyway.

Everytime i see cannabis thread in HN frontpage, i was quite cynical. It is
illegal (in most of the places) and consumption of it cause cancer. It is as
harmful as tobacco (or might even more).

Still, i see that the way HN user show interest towards cannabis. Why ? Isn't
it harmful ? Am i missing something.

Please enlighten me.

~~~
klibertp
> Isn't it harmful?

No, it isn't.

Next question?

~~~
justplay
Why it is illegal than ?

~~~
sv123
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes,
Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing,
result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual
relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others." \- Harry J. Anslinger,
first US drug czar.

~~~
oliv__
wow

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DiabloD3
I wonder what effects the mountain climate has on the production and growth of
cannabis.

~~~
thatcat
reduced atmospheric pressure increases transpiration and sturdiness but limits
growth due to secondary effects.

[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11538810](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11538810)

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aakarpost
Wow! Interesting Story!

