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Unquestionably, Cannabis is the most fascinating plant in the world. Its thousands of years of history, thousands of different uses, great medicinal properties, and wonderfully mystical effects have made it an object of veneration in every age.
And what is even more incredible is that every day new studies manage to find in this plant new applications, new uses benefits, as if after more than ten thousand years of use it still has a thousand secrets to tell.
And yet despite its many virtues Cannabis is considered illegal in much of the planet (but the road to its legalization appears closer every day) because its euphoric and psychoactive effects cause it to be classified as a drug.
Nowadays, fortunately, there is also its legal variant(CBD), devoid of the psychotropic active ingredient, which is freely marketed and cultivated even in Italy.
What is Cannabis ?
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Cannabis, the suggestive name we have always associated precisely with "canes," is nothing more than the scientific term for Hemp. A plant in the Cannabaceae family that is truly miraculous, as it is used in so many areas: plastics, combustible biomass, cosmetics, textiles, paper, construction mixtures and much more are made from it.
The aspects of Cannabis that we are most interested in are the medical one, where it proves to be a portentous remedy for innumerable chronic ailments and pains, and the recreational one, which is usually obtained by smoking or ingesting it.
History of Cannabis
The history of this plant is very old, as is its use by humans. Certainly it has always been used even in very distant times for its main purpose namely the production of ropes and textiles.
But the origins of its pharmacological aspect are also lost in the millennia, known as a remedy to cure anxiety, sadness, insomnia but also rheumatism, gout and many other ailments. We find its earliest traces documented in Chinese culture and Indian culture, but as early as several centuries before Christ Cannabis was also widespread in Europe and generally throughout the Mediterranean and beyond.
Today when we speak about Cannabis predominantly focus on the psychotropic effectsgiven by this plant, particularly its derivatives: marijuana and hashish.
Marijuana is a mixture of flowers, leaves, seeds, and other parts of the plant, which is dried so that it can eventually be smoked inside cartridges, pipes or bongs. hashish, on the other hand, is made from the resin produced from the flowers, sifted, heated, and pressed, again in order to be smoked.
What are the main varieties of cannabis
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The major varieties of Cannabis are three, of which two are well known and a third is little known even to enthusiasts of this plant. Besides having different physical conformation, these varieties also differ in the effects they produce in those who take them.
Cannabis Indica
Already from its name we can imagine the Indian subcontinent, but also Afghanistan, Hindu Kush, Morocco. The Indica variety shows stockier-looking plants than Sativa: low and full, richly branched, with wide leaves.
Even its psychoactive effects hark back to those Eastern cultures, as it instills a deep peace, inner serenity, mysticism and a desire to get in touch with a deeper dimension.
His level of THC (the active psychotropic ingredient) is very high and thus its effects are particularly strong and intense
Cannabis Sativa
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Here, on the other hand, we have to think of South America: Colombia, Mexico, but also Thailand and Southeast Asian countries. These plants are distinguished by their tall height, with narrow and long leaves and less crowded branching. Compared to Indica here the scorching sun of the countries of origin makes its heat felt in the form of euphoria, disruptive creativity, cheerfulness and greater capacity for pleasure in those who take it.
However, its THC concentration is considerably lower than that found in Indica varieties.
Cannabis Ruderalis
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Not everyone is familiar with it, but the Ruderalis is spread over a territory as immense as Russia, adjoining Central Europe and Asia. Certainly less noble than its other two better-known sisters, it is a particularly leathery and weedy self-flowering variety capable of withstanding the most extreme weather conditions.
Her narcotic effectsare much less than those of Indica and Sativa, but its hardiness and self-flowering ability make it excellent for making resistant crosses of even the highest quality
Highly prized marijuana varieties
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It would be impossible to list all the many weed varieties created by dint of skillful crosses between different Cannabis plants, but we can point out a few of the best-known ones just to give you an initial orientation into the world of marijuana.
Lemon Haze
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A strain with powerful and high energy effects made possible by the very high concentration of THC present. With the Lemon the journey starts off on a high, full of energy and creative stimulation, only to land you in a sea of cosmic peace and serenity.
Super Skunk
A celebrated name among all pot smokers on the planet, especially among those who frequented the Coffee Shops of Amsterdam in their heyday. The characteristic of this exceptional variety of marijuana is to make those who smoke it experience a powerful and highly euphoric state of sensory alteration.
Amnesia Haze
Resinous and highly fragrant, this hash-smelling haze is exceptional for the creative stimulation it offers and the strong psychedelic yet relaxing sensations.
The Cheese
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We could call it the herb of good cheer, because its effects include cheerfulness, relaxation, and feelings of pleasantness. Its sweet and intense scent is unmistakable to those who know it.
Neville's Haze
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The notable presence of THC makes it perfect for a night of merriment with friends. Euphoria, socializing and good humor here are accompanied by highly aromatic floral scents
What are the effects and use of cannabis?
Effects of Cannabis
The effects of Cannabis can be of various types, depending on the type of quality, the person taking it, the situation, and the mood at that time. Basically, perhaps the best known effect is that of a strong>strong mental lightness, resulting infreezing of stress, anxiety, moodiness.
In fact, we often notice that someone has smoked marijuana or hashish just by looking at his or her smiles, seemingly nonsensical laughter, the calm attitude of someone who feels carefree.
But Cannabis is not just that: it increases creativity, the ability to conduct abstract and philosophical reasoning, to enjoy many visual, auditory, tactile and taste stimuli to which we usually pay no attention.
In general, it gives us that harmony with the world around us and that somewhat mystical longing for peace that in everyday life we too often fail to listen to.
There are those who erroneously compare its effects to those of alcohol, but those who have smoked marijuana even once in their lives know well the differences.
Alcohol, besides ravaging the body and bringing terrible addiction, can make us aggressive, harassing, depressed. How much further from the description of the typical weed user, a substance that moreover brings no physical dependence.
Medical Use of Cannabis
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But let us not underestimate its beneficial and curative use, as the ancients certainly did not err in treating it as a universal remedy. Today, the medical scientific field agrees in extolling the virtues of Cannabis in treating chronic pain and providing relief even to those suffering from serious illnesses.
It also promotes sleep, stimulates appetite and helps relax the body and mind.
Where is cannabis grown?
Today it is possible to grow Cannabis in its legal variant almost everywhere, both because even in Italy the law finally allows it (read the section on Cannabis Light below), and because technology makes it possible to create successful crops even indoors. Even at home it is possible to grow Cannabis, with the purchase of a simple starter kit specifically for this purpose.
Growing Cannabis indoors
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It is no longer a problem to start your own Cannabis plantation in the city, because on the market you can find everything you need to cultivate indoors. By equipping yourself with artificial lights, Cannabis fertilizers, systems to promote air recirculation, your cultivation will have nothing to envy those outdoors.
The big advantage is not being a slave to outside interference such as climate, pest infestation, pollution.
Growing Cannabis Outdoors
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This is where it all stems from, after all, we are talking about agriculture. Planting Cannabis in pots can bear excellent fruit, but surely the soil of a field and the light of a warm natural sun are the ideal environment for growing tall, lush, and loaded plants.
Of course, you need to have excellent soil, favorable climatic conditions, good year-round light, and an area free from pollution and pests.
Growing Cannabis in a greenhouse
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One way to benefit from sunlight while creating a controlled ecosystem is to build a greenhouse.
With its transparent walls it will be able to protect plants from wind, rain, and cold, and we can aritificially improve the crop by implanting air and water systems and artificial lights if we want to exploit the evening and night hours intensively to grow our crop as well.
Hydroponic growing
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Avery popular Cannabis cultivation technique is also hydroponics, where no potting soil is used but a special substrate suspended on water that accommodates the roots of the plants. Growing in waterpromotes rapid growth and zeroes out the danger of soil pests, but to realize a good harvest requires painstaking care and a great deal of attention about every aspect of the ecosystem we are going to create.
What are the components of cannabis?
Although the cannabinoids in hemp are many, the two components of cannabis that are useful to know well in order to understand the distinction between illegal hemp and legal hemp are two.
THC
This cannabinoid is responsible for the plant's psychotropic effect, and its name is a simplification of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Its use is currently considered illegal in Italy because it is considered the same as a drug. Precisely, if the percentage of THC present in Cannabis is more than 0.6% its cultivation and sale are prohibited by law.
CBD
We refer to cannabidiol by this term. It is not a psychoactive substance, and it is one of the major therapeutic components of Cannabis. Our body assimilates it very rapidly, and its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory actions and effectiveness against chronic disabling pain are well established.
For the past few years, CBD has been legal in Italy, so much so that it is known as Cannabis Light or legal hemp. Products called CBD contain a THC percentage of no more than 0.6 percent, and therefore it is possible to produce and trade them freely in growshops or cannabis shops physically and online.
Difference between cannabis and cannabis light
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Fans of "traditional" cannabis, i.e., THC-rich cannabis, appreciate its strong psychotropic effects and the altered state it can give to those who smoke or ingest it. But let's remember that we are talking about an illegal product in our country, and therefore its cultivation and sale can lead to major criminal consequences.
The CBD has less overpowering effects (that's why it's called Cannabis Light) but it is increasingly appreciated by Cannabis consumers because while it does not bring about the euphoric high typical of THC it improves mood, calms pain, promotes relaxation and conciliates restful sleep and a good appetite.
Surely true lovers of this plant would prefer to be able to walk into a growshop in broad daylight, choose the varieties they love, chat with staff and other patrons to receive and give opinions, rather than venture into a drug store with the risk of being stopped by the police or buying very low-level weed and hashish.
Or they can buy CBD online choosing from hundreds of different qualities and receiving their package containing perfectly legal hemp conveniently at home.
In addition, CBD lovers who wish to have their own personal plantation can buy seeds and freely start their own crops at home by purchasing all the necessary equipment to improve the harvest: thanks to CBD gone are the days where those who cultivated marijuana were forced to operate in constant fear of being discovered.
