9 ms·

Himalayan villages that grow cannabis

97 points by Jasamba 11y ago

DiabloD3 11y ago
I wonder what effects the mountain climate has on the production and growth of cannabis.
- thatcat 11y ago
  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
deweerdt 11y ago
some context: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/201106/history-cannabis-in-india https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/201106...
saiya-jin 11y ago
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.
- edge17 11y ago
  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.
monkmartinez 11y ago
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.
- saiya-jin 11y ago
  very insightful comment from "the streets", thank you for it! I presume we all should accept that majority of population has sometimes the urge to let a bit of steam off (or just get wasted), and rather than fighting the flow, those in power should steer it to as-little-harm-as-possible-to-society scenarios.
- Jtsummers 11y ago
  > 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.
aakarpost 11y ago
Wow! Interesting Story!
justplay 11y ago
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.
- feld 11y ago
  > consumption of it cause cancer. It is as harmful as tobacco (or might even more). This is very strongly debated. There has not yet been enough study to prove or disprove this, partially due to the fact that it's a Schedule I drug in the USA It will also depend on how you consume it. Smoking is likely to be what puts you at risk the most. edit: you deserve to be upvoted so people can actually participate in a discussion you seem to genuinely want to have
- saiya-jin 11y ago
  eating a cake or two from time to time will not increase your cancer risk in any possible measurable way. burning any plant (or anything for that matter) and inhaling the smoke will put a lot of carcinogens right in your lungs/bloodstream. bam! enlightened
- monkmartinez 11y ago
  Being alive is a known cause of cancer. Having a prostate and living long enough is almost like having a contract for cancer. I could go on, but you get the point. You can't live scared. Just live. Have an upvote.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- klibertp 11y ago
  > Isn't it harmful? No, it isn't. Next question?
  - justplay 11y ago
neosat 11y ago
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 11y ago
  Agree, i have observed the same thing in another part, same country.
- whatsoever 11y ago
  >ruined the productivity and general health of a very large number of people. Please, can you elaborate on this?
tempodox 11y ago
The idea of police raiding for ganja in the Himalayas feels so braindead. They should have better things to do.
- anpat 11y ago
  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.
Carrok 11y ago
The way they produce 'charas' looks... less than sanitary. Mmmm.... skin cells.
- Jasamba 11y ago
  Agreed, I'm not sure I can look at charas the same way again. It's definitely not hygienic, but still better than tobacco imo.
  - 13of40 11y ago
    I knew an old guy in Northern California when I was a kid who said he'd made hashish by dressing up in biker leathers and walking through a pot field, then scraping off whatever stuck. (Clever, until you realize they probably weren't using brand new leathers for that...)
- pjlegato 11y ago
  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 11y ago
    Yes. I work in a legal cannabis facility in Colorado. We wear full gear before coming in contact with any plants.
    - pjlegato 11y ago
      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
- 11y ago
pansinghkoder 11y ago
that's me home state :)
peter303 11y ago
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.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

97 points by Jasamba 11y ago

DiabloD3 11y ago

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

thatcat 11y ago
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

deweerdt 11y ago

some context: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/201106/history-cannabis-in-india https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-mind/201106...

saiya-jin 11y ago

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.

edge17 11y ago
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.

monkmartinez 11y ago

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.

saiya-jin 11y ago
very insightful comment from "the streets", thank you for it! I presume we all should accept that majority of population has sometimes the urge to let a bit of steam off (or just get wasted), and rather than fighting the flow, those in power should steer it to as-little-harm-as-possible-to-society scenarios.
Jtsummers 11y ago
> 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.

aakarpost 11y ago

Wow! Interesting Story!

justplay 11y ago

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.

feld 11y ago
> consumption of it cause cancer. It is as harmful as tobacco (or might even more). This is very strongly debated. There has not yet been enough study to prove or disprove this, partially due to the fact that it's a Schedule I drug in the USA It will also depend on how you consume it. Smoking is likely to be what puts you at risk the most. edit: you deserve to be upvoted so people can actually participate in a discussion you seem to genuinely want to have
saiya-jin 11y ago
eating a cake or two from time to time will not increase your cancer risk in any possible measurable way. burning any plant (or anything for that matter) and inhaling the smoke will put a lot of carcinogens right in your lungs/bloodstream. bam! enlightened
monkmartinez 11y ago
Being alive is a known cause of cancer. Having a prostate and living long enough is almost like having a contract for cancer. I could go on, but you get the point. You can't live scared. Just live. Have an upvote.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
klibertp 11y ago
> Isn't it harmful? No, it isn't. Next question?
- justplay 11y ago

neosat 11y ago

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 11y ago
Agree, i have observed the same thing in another part, same country.
whatsoever 11y ago
>ruined the productivity and general health of a very large number of people. Please, can you elaborate on this?

tempodox 11y ago

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

anpat 11y ago
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.

Carrok 11y ago

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

Jasamba 11y ago
Agreed, I'm not sure I can look at charas the same way again. It's definitely not hygienic, but still better than tobacco imo.
- 13of40 11y ago
  I knew an old guy in Northern California when I was a kid who said he'd made hashish by dressing up in biker leathers and walking through a pot field, then scraping off whatever stuck. (Clever, until you realize they probably weren't using brand new leathers for that...)
pjlegato 11y ago
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 11y ago
  Yes. I work in a legal cannabis facility in Colorado. We wear full gear before coming in contact with any plants.
  - pjlegato 11y ago
    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
11y ago

pansinghkoder 11y ago

that's me home state :)

peter303 11y ago

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.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]