Cannabis sativa, L.
By
Ivor Hughes
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The graceful and precise Botanic Art shown on the left is from K?hlers Medicinal Plants. The image is that of the male plant.
Before we proceed to more serious matters. The folk term ‘Skunk Weed’ is now common parlance for Cannabis, I feel that it should also be incorporated into monographs, as a folk name, and ranked with ‘Dracunalis’, also known as skunk weed. Cannabis in all its many preparations are being consumed in large quantities from peasants, to people in high places, in every part of the globe. As a black economy it packs a hefty clout. New Zealanders have a wry way of seeing the world, e,g, Cannabis is said to be, the Province of Northlands major export. Most certainly the revenue it generates is considerable. To this economic activity we must allow the negative of the sheer cost in man power and enforcement measures must run into the millions of dollars.
The very act of enforcement drives up the street price because of the risks involved. Someone is always prepared to take the risk if the price is right. In that respect enforcement is no more than an escalating problem for the authorities. We do not have to travel the whole road of American Prohibition, and the machine guns to understand what will happen.
The demonising of cannabis or ‘tea’ began with the lifting of the American Prohibition. The control of the alcohol profits, were wrested by the government, from the hands of the bootleggers, and given back to allowable commerce. Then came the notorious propaganda posters shouting ‘Reefer Madness’ So the Government caved into the liquor industry and the people were deprived of legitimate right to choose to either self medicate, abuse or use cannabis as a recreational drug. As a medicinal plant it is invaluable.
The spurious concern about the safety of the plant is quickly dispelled by studying the monographs on cannabis as they appeared in USD 21st Edition 1926 and Martindales 24th. And which appear below.
The plant has been allocated to the Mulberry family (Moraceae) The growers have carried out many experiments with the plants …. not the least was the grafting of a young cannabis root on to a young hop shoot with some apparently interesting results. If the crop is legalised the growers will bring considerable expertise and knowledge into the mainstream.
The Botanic Monograph is taken from :