Cannabis Chronicles

In an earlier posting here at the Cannabis Chronicles called Roundup Woes, we detailed a bit of the economic problem agrochemicals giant Monsanto is having with the production of it’s leading herbicide. While further researching Fusarium fungus for our recent series of journal entries called Fusarium Attack, we discovered another significant problem with the [...]

As we mentioned in our last journal entry, as a scientist trained specifically in the field of fungus species like Fusarium, Jeremy Bigwood is uniquely qualified to speak against the ill considered development and use of biological herbicides in the War on Drugs. Here’s an article he penned for In These Times just two [...]

The earlier articles in our series on the use of Fusarium as a bio-herbicide in the drug war focused on the debate as it happened circa 1999-2002. This entry helps to bring the story more up to date, it comes from a website called the Narco News Bulletin which we discovered while researching “Plan [...]

The following take on the escalation of the drug war through the use of biological herbicides comes from CounterPunch, a bi-weekly muckraking newsletter with a radical attitude who advertises that: “Nothing makes us happier than when CounterPunch readers write in to say how useful they’ve found our newsletter in their battles against the war machine, [...]

The Cannabis Chronicles ongoing archive of stories documenting the history of efforts to use Fusarium as a bio-herbicide weapon in the drug war now continues with another entry that originated in the New York Times . . .

Drug War Awaits Attack of Killer Fungus
By JIM ROBBINS

July 18, 2000
Dr. David C. Sands holds out a [...]

As was detailed in the previous entry here at the Cannabis Chronicles, a movement was started in the late 1990’s to use Fusarium fungus as a bio-herbicide to exterminate both Cannabis and Coca. Our archival coverage continues with another article from 1999, this one from a magazine called the New Scientist.

Operation Eradicate
* 11 September [...]

This journal entry begins a series we are calling “Fusarium Attack”, which will detail some of the history behind wrong headed efforts to employ the Fusarium fungus as a bio-control agent in the war on drugs.
The first article in this series that we’ll add to the Cannabis Chronicles archive is from the New York Times [...]

It’s being reported (at least in some of the alternative media we read) that Roundup herbicide faces some serious hurdles due to the dramatic rise in energy costs. The following comes from a June 2008 edition of a trade magazine for organic farmers . . .
Glyphosate Woes 1
Monsanto developed glyphosate (better known by it’s [...]

Last fall we included a journal entry about hashmaking in Lebanon here at the Cannabis Chronicles, More Buds Again in Bekaa, which was basically an entry derived from a Christian Science Monitor article.
As we pointed out in that previous entry, Foggy has fond memories of smoking “Lebanese Blonde” hash and “Lebanese Red” hashish back [...]

As is our normal practice when reviewing or suggesting a book, we usually try to include a decent excerpt with a book review (or recommendation), and today is no exception. Since one of the interesting facets of Lester Brown’s book is the prediction of the effects that climate and social change will have on [...]

As most anyone who has known us or read our blog over the last year might know, we are avid readers here at the bird’s nest, so it’s only natural that we’d want to point folks towards a good read from time to time. We’d also be the first to admit that we sometimes [...]

We found this story as a part of a long term project we’ve been working on to describe the way fertilizers are made and the impact their production has on our planet’s environment.
It’s a great human interest story that demonstrates some of the conflicts inherent in mankind’s never ending global hunger for fertilizer, and how [...]

ACETONE (cologne, dishwashing liquid and detergent, nail enamel remover) — On EPA, RCRA, CERCLA Hazardous Waste lists. “Inhalation can cause dryness of the mouth and throat; dizziness, nausea, lack of coordination, slurred speech, drowsiness, and, in severe exposures, coma.” “Acts primarily as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant.” [ ACETONE (Immediately Dangerous To Life [...]

Chemical toxicity comes in many seemingly innocent disguises.
One such toxic substance, not readily known by the general public, is the candlewick. In 1973 the EPA Administrator urged a mandatory ban on all candles with lead-containing wicks. As a result, a voluntary ban was approved and then not complied with or even monitored. An EPA study [...]