Thoughts from the void

Monday, 17 September 2018

Of Freedom and Captivity

There is a woman. She grew up blissfully in the beauty of nature. She contains and reflects all the aspects of nature, its strength, poise, serenity, as well as its spontaneous moods and changes. When she was growing up, people around her noticed her serenity. Soon she became known in all the lands of this earth. Her images were a part of nearly every household and people considered her a manifestation of divinity on earth. Invoking her was considered auspicious and good, whenever an activity had to be performed or even when there was none. She became a part of every ritual and action that was known to man. The hunter invoked her before proceeding on his hunt, the plowman thought of her as he tilled the land and sowed the seeds, the blacksmith brought her to mind as he shaped, in the furnaces, the metals dug up from the earth. Everywhere her presence brought calmness and serenity to all who accepted her. Many illnesses, bad tempers, misunderstandings and conflicts were calmed down and removed the moment she entered the picture. Over time her fame had become so widespread that people everywhere were mostly content to live in harmony with nature and with what they had. They crafted beautiful things and felt at one with the great universe.

However, as the light can never put out the darkness forever, there were people in whose minds the light of this divine being had not entered. They were the slaves and lovers of money, for whom nothing mattered more than amassing and hoarding wealth, because they loved the taste of illusory power that came with the money they made. The craving for money and its associated power was so great that they did not hesitate to destroy nature and all the beings within it, if this could further their purposes. They chained and enslaved humans, animals, birds and nature, in their pursuit of that insatiable thirst. They formed alliances and combined strength to achieve their goals. It was essential for their existence that more and more persons should think like them, so that they could become more powerful. The more powerful among them constantly seduced and lured the weak and made them a part of the machinery that rolled forward, like a juggernaut, towards the destruction of the world.

These people, through their shrewdness and cunning, realized that the serene woman was a hurdle to their goals, since in her company people seemed to be immune to the craving for money and power. They could not be recruited for the armies of the lovers of money. So they devised a plan to take her by force and guile, and use her instead to further their goals. The powerful and the cunning ones among them located her and brought her to the citadels of their kingdom. She was pure, innocent and naive to the guile of the manipulators. They locked her up in a prison. Her natural attraction and power was so strong that whoever came in contact with her became intoxicated by her. Her light shone in the dreary darkness of their lives and lit it up for those few moments. They started to exploit her and use her discretely. They visited her in secrecy under the cloak of darkness, experienced her powers and enjoyed her nature.

In the meantime, the money addicts started to slowly spread the propaganda that they had discovered that the woman was evil. She had the power to enter people's minds and cause madness. She turned people into vile beings, suddenly possessed, capable of rape, murder and all kinds of other evil things, without warning or remorse. As time went by, in the absence of the serene woman, and through the incessant and widespread propaganda against her, more and more people started to believe the words of the power seekers. Stories were planted, and skillfully crafted, in many places where persons sympathetic to the money lovers reported the evils that they had faced or seen due to the association with the serene woman. People who loved her and were associated with her were beaten up, killed, or locked up in prisons and mental institutions. Since most of her followers were not wealthy or materially powerful, but lived humbly, they were suppressed through the might of money power and violence.The few who continued to love her, invoked her in secrecy, out of fear of discovery and punishment. Slowly people all over the world started to forget the woman and became part of the money makers' machinery. The addiction with the drugs of money and power made the world more and more deadly, poisonous and terrible. These effects were visible, in not just nature but, in the minds of people everywhere. The paradise like existence in nature of some time ago was forgotten. Killing millions of humans, plants and animals, and the gradual transformation of the green earth into a vast rotting sewage filled graveyard, started becoming a reality, and for many it was the only reality they knew, such was the addiction to money and power, and its illusory rewards. Things had now reversed. The darkness in the corners of the minds of the lovers of money had projected all over the world. It was now filled with darkness.

But, just as the light can never put out the darkness forever, neither can the darkness put out the light forever. Today, the serene lady continuous to live in imprisonment, access to her is limited to a few, mostly persons who are associates of the lovers of money and power. These persons continue to benefit from her powers, and continue to spread the word about her evil nature. They visit her stealthily, sneaking to be with her under the cover of darkness, while publicly they speak of her evil nature and how terrible she is. A few of her closest associates still invoke her, and establish in their minds and their immediate surroundings, for a short while, the blissfulness and serenity that was once a pervasive reality, the true nature of the eternal spirit. Through the power of connectivity, they try every day to counter the effects of the vast propaganda against her, and to remind people who she was, and still is.

It is possible that you may have heard of her, may have known her ,and may have even loved her once. It is possible that now you have completely forgotten her. It is very much possible that you now firmly believe in her being evil, and better left locked up. It is also possible that you have given up your mind and body to the seeking and fulfilling of the insatiable cravings for money and power at the cost of everything else.The serene woman, meanwhile, exists in her serenity and true eternal nature, locked up up in the darkness, which still cannot put out the light of her nature. You may have heard her name, her name is Ganja.

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Saturday, 21 July 2018

Some Reasons to Legalize Cannabis

When I was younger, I never imagined that a plant created by nature through millions of years of evolution could be criminalized and access to the same denied for humans by our governments and policy makers. The cannabis plant is that plant (one among a handful) and humans have done the unimaginable, effectively labeling nature and all associated with the plant as criminals. Pouring through the top scientific journals and select media publications over the last few months I have tried to compile reasons cited in these publications for decriminalizing and legalizing the plant. Literature itself related to the plant has been strangely limited and difficult to access until recent times. Reasons that I have listed for legalization of the plant are broadly across agricultural, medical, social, legal, political, research, recreational, business, economic and environmental areas. Some reasons may sound repetitive but I think we cannot ever overemphasize the importance of legalization. The list and the areas covered are not exhaustive.

Agricultural reasons

Farmers will have an additional crop to grow with legalization
Diverse indigenous varieties of the plant can be grown,supported, protected and developed
Farmers can sell the plant at competitive prices in markets as against currently operating in fear and catering to the demands of unscrupulous criminal middlemen
Farmers can adopt organic farming techniques to ensure healthy produce rather than the current scenario where information regarding usage of pesticides in illegal cultivation is not available
The plant can be a valuable addition in the horticultural field and home gardens
Cultivation of the plant will be a viable and sustainable economic activity for indigenous forest and native communities
Quality control can be applied to the plant so that produce adulterated with pesticides and dangerous additives during illegal farming does not reach the consumer
Illegal farming of the plant can be restricted through incentives, support and encouragement for legalized farming
The plant and its indigenous varieties can become a key export commodity for worldwide trade along the lines of the country's legendary spices
Healthy competition can be created between states through agriculture of the plant and related activities including trade shows,promotions, fairs, etc

For more information, please refer to Cannabis as an Agricultural Crop - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/cannabis-as-agricultural-crop.html

Medical reasons

The plant can be a valuable addition to the pharmacopeia of the country which is plagued by many illnesses for which the plant can be a source of affordable treatment
The burden of health on our existing healthcare system can be reduced through the inclusion of the plant as affordable medicine
The plant can become cheap and accessible medicine for millions of persons
Introduction of the plant into our medical system will result in the reduction of the current dangerous cocktails of prescription drugs to a more simple and manageable medical diet for a patient
The plant can become a key part of the pain reduction strategy replacing dangerous opioid painkillers.Opioid painkillers have turned into a medical epidemic across the world with many reported and unreported deaths due to it
The plant can be used for treatment of PTSD, depression and various other psychological disorders
The plant can be used to increase appetite and reduce side effects of strong medications in the treatment of cancer and HIV
The plant can be used for treatment of inflammation in persons involved in physical activity including sports-persons
Medical cannabis should be looked at as universal and affordable healthcare approach in both urban and rural settings
The plant can be used for reducing suffering due to strong side effects of chemotherapy and radio-chemotherapy in cancer patients
The plant can be used for reducing neurotoxic effect and protection against neuronal damage in methamphetamine users
The plant can be greatly beneficial to the older population in terms of slowing down brain ageing, reducing anxiety and cost of medical treatment
Better understanding of the human endocannabinoid system can be achieved through the study of the interaction of the human body and the plant's constituents
The plant is a versatile medicine known to be used for the treatment of epilepsy, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, Tourette syndrome, diabetes, blood pressure, non-alcoholic fatty liver, endometrial cancer, glioblastoma, sleep disorders, childhood seizure disorders, malignant brain tumors, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's disease, neuropathic pain, movement disorders, ADHD, chronic pain, migraine, arthritis, lesion-induced inter-vertebral disorders, PTSD, quadriplegia and other spastic disorders, severe pruritus, depression, mania, bipolar disorder, asthma, dystonia, scleroderma, Crohn’s disease, diabetic gastroparesis, and terminal illness. The list is not exhaustive.
The plant can be used as a natural and alternative health treatment option in line with Ayurveda for individuals who do not want to engage the expensive allopathy based system of doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical drugs
More and more medical patients are self medicating with the plant instead of using pharmaceutical drugs
The plant can be used for control of metabolic syndrome
The plant is one of the very few drugs that have been seen to be beneficial for the brain.
The plant became known in the modern western world through the exposure to it by Victorian physicians who observed its use in India where it had been widely used for recreation and medication for thousands of years
Industrial hemp oil is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, skin regenerative, and cardio-protective properties.
In 1955, the Tuberculosis, Nutrition Study in Czechoslovakia declared that industrial hemp seed was the only food that could cure tuberculosis. After 30 years of research, they discovered that a high protein diet was necessary for successfully treating TB.
Legalization will greatly benefit medical research into the nature of the plant and its potential uses across areas
Legalization will enable physicians to prescribe the plant for various medical conditions that the plant has been found to be suitable for.
Physicians prescribing the plant will enable patients to access affordable medication, avoid self medication and use of expensive prescription drugs
More and more elderly persons (persons above 65) are rejecting prescription medicine and self medicating with the plant
The plant should be a key part of palliative care for end stage cancer patients
There is no known case of a lethal overdose; on the basis of animal models, the ratio of lethal to effective dose is estimated as 40,000 to 1. By comparison, the ratio is 3-50 to 1 for secobarbital and 4-10 to 1 for alcohol.
According to research published in the Journal of Natural Products, the five most common cannabinoid compounds in the plant—tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabinol and cannabichromene—can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Think MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), which claimed more lives than AIDS in 2007 or, more recently, extensively drug-resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis (XDR-TB.)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that marijuana is a relatively safe drug that causes no significant health issues

For more information, please refer to
Cannabis as Medicine - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/cannabis-as-medicine.html
No medicinal value? - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2019/02/no-medicinal-value.html

Social reasons

The plant can serve as a key harm reduction strategy reducing the intake and addiction to potentially more dangerous drugs like alcohol, tobacco, heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates and the hundreds of pharmaceutical drug combinations that are emerging as novel psychoactive substances
There is a vast amount of misinformation regarding the plant that has been created and spread by entities who vastly benefit from the criminalization of the plant E.g. tobacco, alcohol, pharma, prison systems, etc. Legalization will help media to spread the right information regarding the plant
Various eminent persons across multidisciplinary fields like science, medicine, literature, the arts, sociology, policy, etc have advocated for the legalization and benefits of the plant based on long periods of personal usage
Our recorded knowledge is filled with the usage of the plant as a medicine and recreational herb for thousands of years in man's history. This is not just local usage but across the globe
Persons across all age groups, genders, religions, races, economic backgrounds, social backgrounds, political leanings are supporters of the plant
The right to freedom of an individual implies that an individual is free to decide what one puts into one's body for one's well being.
We live currently in a bizarre situation where a natural plant is being called illegal. By calling a plant that has emerged out of billions of years of evolution illegal and criminal are we saying that nature has committed a crime and should be punished?
The plant is a part of the spiritual tradition in this country and is used by vast numbers of spiritual adepts and seekers. Legalization will ensure that these persons get access to good quality produce and do not inadvertently fuel the criminal illegal trade by purchasing the plant from unscrupulous sources. The plant has also been part of the spiritual tradition in many places including the Caribbean islands, Africa and Asia for millennia
Legalization will reduce discrimination against the economically backward who are most likely to resort to growing and selling the plant and are also more likely to end up in jail because they are easy targets for law enforcement agencies
Legalization will drive formulation of effective drug related policies for youth and adolescents once adults are open to talk about the benefits and harms and there is increased level of plant related conversations in society
Legalization will clear the misconception in the minds of the vast majority who look at the plant with fear, discrimination and mistrust
Legalization will provide a foundation for the right messages through media and advertising regarding the plant so that people have increased awareness as currently with tobacco and alcohol instead of the misinformation they hear from their peers and ill-informed persons
Legalization will reduce harassment of users of the plant and subjection to criminal procedure or forced mental treatment
Legalization will enable development of vocational skills, farming, etc related to the plant in underdeveloped areas to bring about community development and raise economic status of underprivileged farming communities
Legalization can enable persons to come out of more serious and deadly addictions like alcohol, tobacco, opioids, sex, prescription drugs, gambling, internet and smartphone, etc
Legalization can enable realistic monitoring of quantities and patterns of consumption of the plant
Legalization can enable laying down of consumption guidelines for the public to ensure safe usage as is the current scenario with alcohol
Legalization can enable elimination of sexualization of the plant and sexual harassment of women because of their association with the plant
Legalization can result in the creation of recreational spaces for people to consume the plant in a safe and comfortable setting and not be forced to use places where more intolerant members of society looks at their activities as a menace and nuisance
Legalization will result in the reduction of physical and sexual assaults due to abuse of opioids and non-medical use of prescription drugs
Legalization will result in the reduction in consumption of tobacco and its related health problems
Legalization will result in the reduction in consumption of alcohol and its related health problems
Legalization will result in the reduction in consumption of pharmaceutical drugs and its related health problems
Legalization will result in the reduction in consumption of opioids and its related health problems
Legalization will result in the reduction in consumption of novel psychoactive substances and synthetic drugs and its related health problems
The plant is the safest and most affordable recreational drug that is consumed by the poorest of the poor and also the rich and all in between, a truly universal intoxicant created by nature
The plant is one of the very few plants whose growth and access is criminalized for the human population while people have free access to the most toxic man made substances.e.g. plastic and pesticides.
Restricting human access to a plant that grows in nature can be said to be against the natural order of creation
The plant is one of the most ancient recreational drugs time tested for benefits and harmlessness across global cultures for thousands of years hence its popularity
The plant is a relaxant used by many persons to unwind after a hard day's work
Only persons who develop a liking for the plant will use it. It will not turn the whole of the human population into addicts. Currently even in places where the plant is legalized for recreational purposes, less than 10% of the population use the plant. On an average 4-6% of the global population use it. Among users as well, maybe 5-10% can be considered as excessive users.
The current language of media that the plant is immoral and harmful, possibly because of political and legal pressure, needs to change in line with growing informed perspectives across the world. Legalization will help to bring about this change in language in the media
Addictive and compulsive behaviour is a human trait present in many persons. Addictions can vary from sex, drugs, internet, alcohol, coffee, gambling, tobacco, interactive games, etc. The same treatment methods can be applied to the the plant's addicts as for other addictions, the % of whom is not going to be significantly higher than those for other addictions
With legalization informed conversations can happen between parents and children highlighting the plant's uses and limits rather than the current hypocritical and vague messages from parents which only increases the curiosity of the child towards the prohibited plant
Community development of backward communities from the taxes earned through legalization has been significant in places where the plant has been legalized
The plant has been legal through out human history in this country except since 1984 after its inclusion in the NDPS which was based on American arm-twisting. The thousands of years of legal availability has had no adverse impact on our history, society, health and culture. Instead it may have had a significant contribution to the richness of the same
Possibly no other plant has been looked at and studied as closely as this plant in order to find major harms associated with its usage. On the contrary the hundreds of studies have only brought to light more and more of the plant's benefits and relative harmlessness
Politicians and lawmakers should not be telling a doctor what to give his patient and a free human being what he should consume or not consume
Like sex and other drugs, children and youth are going to be more curious because the plant is prohibited. They are at higher risk of being manipulated and exploited by unscrupulous persons who they come in contact with when they try to procure the plant from illegal sources
The plant has been called names like tainted, notorious, dangerous and so on because it makes a person feel high. This is the equivalent of calling barley malt, coconut and sugarcane crops names like tainted or notorious because whisky, toddy and rum which are intoxicants are made from them.
With the plant legalized a lot of myths surrounding it such as it being a cause for mental illness, aggression, etc can be clearly investigated, the possible actual root causes for these disorders identified and patients can given the correct treatment
Legalization of the plant could help take people out of the current epidemic of smartphone and internet addiction so that they focus more of their time on the natural world and other healthy pursuits
Drug rehabilitation institutions that operate unscrupulously to make financial profits in the name of curing addicts target and harass users of the plant by holding them within their institutions against their will

For more information, please refer to The Social Usage of Cannabis - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-social-usage-of-cannabis.html

Legal reasons

Legalization will bring about reduction in the illegal trade of opium and its dangerous products
The amount of money and resources spent on law and order enforcement due to criminalization can be vastly reduced
The judicial system can be freed up from focus on the huge number of plant related cases and trials so that it can focus on many other high priority criminal cases that are stalled due to sheer volumes of cases within the system
Currently a large number of persons are held in our prisons because of their association with the plant. Legalization can free up a huge amount of space in our prison system so that more dangerous criminals can be incarcerated.
Legalization can help to restrict the usage of the plant by underage persons through stricter enforcement and elimination of the sources of illegal sales
Young people can be better protected from drug peddlers who often try to use the plant as a means of hooking the youth and then selling them more costly and dangerous chemical drugs from which the profit margins for the sellers are much higher
Funding for criminal and terrorist activities through the illegal drug business can be curbed through legal sales that is taxed and accounted
The criminalization of the plant was done through external pressure from other countries and threats of international sanctions
The very countries that pressurized the criminalization are now taking active steps to legalize it
Worldwide legalization and decriminalization is growing based on increased medical information
Drop in crime rates has been reported in places where the plant has been legalized
Law enforcement can focus and crack down on illegal activities. Legalization can release law and order resources to address more serious crimes in society like violent crimes, theft, gun trade, crimes against women, the old and weak, etc
Legalization will result in the reduction of usage of internet and darknet based illegal trade and purchase of all kinds of drugs, new and traditional
With legalization age limits of 21 and above can be enforced as it currently happens with alcohol
With legalization retailers and sellers can restrict sales for persons below 21 years as is currently done for alcohol sales
Legalization will result in reduction in the growing number of human rights issues against consumers of the plant
With legalization the millions of persons worldwide who have been imprisoned wrongly due to their association with the plant can be freed and their fundamental rights as individuals restored.
In the US, marijuana possession means relinquishing arms and weapons possession licenses. So usage will indirectly bring about gun control.The same could happen worldwide

For more information, please refer to The Legality of Cannabis - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-legality-of-cannabis.html

Political reasons

Political entities supporting the plant's legalization will be looked at in the future as pioneers and reformers by the voting population
Governments or politicians should not be dictating what a doctor thinks is right medication for a patient
A lot of decisions that have been made by policy makers criminalizing the plant are not based on rational or logical reasons but on a large amount of misinformation.
When the UN including the plant in its list of dangerous drugs in the 1940s and 1950s, the present level of information regarding the endocannabinoid system, the plant's constituents and the plants benefits were unknown
Lawmakers across political parties in the US, Uruguay and Canada came together to push forward legalization of the plant because they recognized it as a genuine need and concern of a significant portion of the people in these countries
Prohibition of the plant is more a result of draconian laws similar to homosexuality, abortion, adultery, etc. rather than laws of a modern democracy
Legalization is an opportunity for framing of national and state level legalization policies to provide optimum synergy in plant related matters within India's federal structure
Other countries where the plant is wrongly criminalized can follow the steps of the growing number of countries that are legalizing once they see how it is brought about and the effects of legalization
There is huge business, recreational and healthcare potential in a vast country like India through legalization of the plant
All countries across the world are currently using the plant for medicinal or recreational purposes clandestinely. Let us use the plant openly as it will benefit all. As mature nations there is no need to hide and use the plant
The plant does not deserve the ill-treatment that it has been subjected to and it be freed so that it takes its rightful place among the herbs of the world.
Places where the plant has been legalized are seeing many benefits in social, economic and legal areas without the terrible outcomes of doom that were predicted by the plant's detractors in their arguments to keep it illegal
Big pharma, health insurance, doctors and hospitals lobby against the legalization of the plant because they fear universal affordable healthcare resulting in possible reduced profits for the medical industry
The tobacco and alcohol industries lobby against the legalization of the plant because they fear vastly reduced profits for their industries even though this may mean improved health for all.
Cross-border crimes between nations due to the illegal smuggling of the plant can be completely eliminated through legalization
If the amount of concern for human health shown by governments when it comes to legalizing the plant was applied to the control of the arms and weapons industry and disarmament, the world would be a much more peaceful and less dangerous place today. There is a chance that this can still happen for our future generations if we start taking the steps now

For more information, please refer to The Politics of Cannabis - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-politics-of-cannabis.html

Research reasons

With legalization research into the plant, its characteristics, benefits and potential uses can be carried out with increased access to the plant for researchers
With legalization research into the various strains of the plant that exist in each country can be carried out
Legalization will make available a treasure chest of new compounds contained in the plant including hundreds of cannabinoids and terpenes. This can be used to develop vast arrays of drugs for pharmaceutical companies that address a wide range of diseases
Legalization will result in opening up of vast areas of research based on studies of the plant's characteristics and interactions in areas such as plant and animal biology, biomaterials, psychology, physiology, neuroscience, pharmacology, social sciences, policy, law, literature, creative arts, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and so on
Research on the industrial properties of hemp are curbed due to the restrictions on growing the plant and related research. Legalization will provide increased access to the plant

For more information, please refer to Cannabis and Research - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/cannabis-and-research.html

Recreational reasons

With legalization consumers will get healthy organic produce of many local Indian varieties to try out
With legalization there is opportunity for the lovers of the plant to taste and try out global and international strains of the plant as well that can be made accessible through international trade
Usage of the plant results in increase in visual, olfactory and auditory perceptions for the user
The plant has been known to be an aid for creative and innovative thinking among artists, musicians, scientists, entrepreneurs for a long time. Legalization will boost creative thinking in our society across areas
The suppression of the plant has seen the rise of much deadlier opium based drugs, synthetic drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco that users have been forced to consume as alternatives due to inaccessibility of the plant
The plant is no longer a pursuit of solely the younger generation as it has been made out to be but is widely embraced by the middle aged and older populations worldwide because of the perceived benefits that these older age populations see in the plant
With legalization the common man can have greatly increased access to the plant which can be sold in retail outlets, pharmacies, etc rather than having to interact with unscrupulous elements
Legalization can bring about increased knowledge among users of the plant's benefits and drawbacks so that they can make proper informed decisions regarding usage of the plant and its products
Legalization can enable consumers to know the dosage and potency of the plant's various ingredients through proper testing and labeling for plant derived products
With legalization plant strains that are being consumed by the public will also be the same ones available to test labs so that they can test compositions of the plant and be in sync with producers and consumers
Some people are physiologically and genetically more adapted to use the plant than others. They should not be discriminated against through third party policing tactics by persons who find the plant unsuitable for themselves.
With legalization product quality can be greatly improved through testing by food regulation authorities

For more information, please refer to Cannabis for Recreational Purposes - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/cannabis-for-recreational-purposes.html

Business reasons

With legalization plant related industries can develop including farming, food and beverages, packaging, marketing, distribution, retail, consulting, regulation bodies, testing labs, research, industries, accessories, tourism, banking and financing, data management and so on
Job creation through legalization of the plant can be in the scale of millions of persons through the above mentioned industries
Numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors with legalization as we are witnessing in the US and Canada
Development of the plant based industry is possible with legalization along the lines of the beer and wine industries
Innovations in food, nutrition, beverages through the inclusion of the plant once legalized will revolutionize the food and beverage industry creating a shift in emphasis to natural and wholesome food preparation. This will result in the reduction in focus on unhealthy food and beverage practices including junk food and sugar based drinks
Implementing of appropriate workplace related policies regarding safe usage of the plant across various industries will be possible with legalization
Information Technology development around business processes related to the plant can be a big area for the country's IT industry with legalization
Legalization will result in entrepreneurial opportunities for small and medium business in growing, distribution and retail areas
Plant related tourism to our country which sees tourists from all over the world currently engaging in illegal consumption can be regularized through legalization. This tourism can be turned into a revenue generating industry rather than the money going into the pockets of criminals as it currently happens. The safety of tourists can also be better ensured.
Some uses of hemp - fibre, fabrics, oils, biofilm resistance, car bodies, paper, building material, cosmetics, health foods, cooking oil, animal feed, fuels, carbon nanosheets, plastics, 3D printer filaments, oil absorbent materials, capacitors, etc. The list is not exhaustive
The flavors and aromas associated with the many varieties of the plant can spawn multiple industries along the lines of wine, coffee, beer and tea.
Industrial hemp is known to be rich in fats that boost brain and cardiovascular health, a complete protein source for vegetarians , with anti-fatigue and immune-boosting properties, packed with fiber and an excellent source of iron, magnesium and zinc
Plant based lounges and shops can boost tourism and the food and beverage industries massively
The cannabis industry in the US is forecast to hit $75 billion in sales by 2030, reported Bloomberg, citing a research note from financial strategy firm Cowen & Co.
In November 2017, the Fancy Food Show’s parent, the Specialty Food Association (SPA), ranked cannabis number eight of the top-10 food trends to watch in 2018.
Development of cultural and tourist hubs like Dutch coffee shops, Denmark's Christiania as well as Colorado

For more information, please refer to The Business of Cannabis - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-business-of-cannabis.html

Economic reasons

Revenue earned from the plant can be taxed to fund important government initiatives rather than money going into the pockets of the drug mafia and other criminals and the government resorting to higher taxation and borrowing
With legalization market based pricing of the plant and its products will be possible so that all involved get a fair deal economically
Huge revenue forecasts from the plant's sales have been projected in places where it has been legalized.
In places with legalization, actual revenues have exceeded projections in some cases.
Revenues have already been in excess of alcohol based revenues in some places where the plant has been legalized
Projections of revenues from the plant to exceed aerated drinks within the next 15 years
The consumption of the plant will bring down a person's prescription drug, alcohol and tobacco bills down significantly.
Potential income from licensing and regulation of plant based retail sales is comparable to or potentially exceeding the alcohol industry
Projection of 1 million jobs to be created in the US alone by 2025 through legalization

For more information, please refer to The Economics of Cannabis - https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-economics-of-cannabis.html

Environmental reasons

Hemp based eco-friendly industries can develop with legalization
Currently the pharma industry is one of the key polluters of the environment through the manufacture of pharmaceutical drugs. The burden on the environment can be greatly reduced by the addition of the plant to the pharmaceutical mix of drugs as this will bring down the amount of prescription drugs consumed
Cleaning up of the contamination to our sewage systems and water bodies that is a result of the wide spread usage of opioids, pharmaceutical drugs and synthetic drugs can be achieved by reverting back to the eco-friendly plant. It has minimal impact on environment as compared to the former drugs which remains in the eco-system for long periods of time
Elimination of illegal grow areas of the plant in eco-sensitive zones like forests and wildlife parks will be possible as farmers are able to legally cultivate in the open
Illegal growth is uncontrolled and the use of petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides pose danger to man, animals and the environment. Legalization will enable more sustainable and eco-friendly growing practices
Petrochemical industries that pushed for the prohibition of cannabis have created petrochemical based plastics instead of biodegradable cannabis based plastics. Petrochemical based plastics are now one of the world's leading forms of pollution.
Hemp based paper was phased out to provide the way for wood based paper. Hemp can be cultivated as a crop and hence is a renewable source of energy. Instead of using it for paper we used trees that took hundreds of years to grow for paper based industries
On an acre of land, industrial hemp crop will generate 2 to 3 times more fibre than a crop of cotton. Hemp fibre is stronger and softer as compared to cotton and will last much longer. Cotton requires a moderate climate and lots of water to grow, on the other hand, hemp can even endure frost and would flourish with only moderate amounts of water. Moreover, the hemp crop needs no pesticides or herbicides, it can sustain well with a moderate amount of fertilizer
Indigenous communities the world over have been harassed and discriminated against for their cultivation and usage of the plant which they have been doing for thousands of years.This is due to the misinformation and bias of the so-called developed world. Legalization will provide sustainable livelihood for these communities
Cultivation of natural varieties with stable compositions of constituents can be promoted with legalization and the artificial and sometimes unhealthy practice of raising some constituent proportions over others can be controlled with legalization
Cannabis contains monoterpenes and can also act as a larvicide against mosquito and other insect larvae

Monday, 28 May 2018

Reforming Politics

Bhaiyon, behenon and mitron..the political process in this country, quite similar to political processes in many other parts of the world, is one of the most mindless activities that human society indulges in. It has a lot of people voting for the wrong reasons or without reason, electing persons who do not know what reason is or what they are expected to do but who only want to be elected by any means. It is essentially a game of various political parties with whom we, as individuals, form affiliations based on religion, language, culture and all the other wrong reasons. The outcome is a contest of various teams with the only objective being whose team wins the elections rather than looking at what the responsibilities of the elected representatives are, what the state of the nation is and what is good for the nation and the world at large. The election process results in vast amounts of money and resources being wasted and the lives of the entire nation being disrupted. All this for superficial benefits while the most critical areas are neglected. The process is repeated once again after short periods of time without any kind of assessment as to what progress has been made overall. This has been happening for decades now and we continue to embrace this process without questioning. Vast organizational entities and processes have been created to keep this chaos alive. Each of us, as individuals, absolve ourselves of all responsibility by getting a purple mark on the index finger and standing up when the national anthem is played at the start of our favorite Marvel superhero movies - job done. Three-quarters of the national expenditure is spent on keeping this system alive.

One of the main reasons for all this is that we, as a nation, do not have a clear universal vision of who we are and who we want to be. The clearer and more universal the national vision the more efficiently the nation gets to where it should be. The constitution was created at the time of creation of the Indian national identity to serve as a vision document. It suitably enshrines the rights and freedoms of the individual making that part worthy of inclusion in the national vision. It also adequately encapsulates the key areas worthy of a national vision in the Directive Principles and Fundamental duties though it can definitely be improved. It however loses its worth as a vision document once it starts getting into the micro-details of how administration should be structured. Everything from Part V of the constitution according to me is part of an operational or governance document and should detached from the vision. The vision must be a guide and roadmap, translatable into real world action, with the nation's progress measurable against its charter and goals and relevant always to the here and now. The operational part must not be rigid but fluid and dynamic enough to adapt to the needs of achieving the vision.

As a result of the lack of coherence and focus on a national vision, we have an administrative structure, in the form of elected governments, that lacks coherence and focus on what needs to be achieved. A newly elected government currently has either no vision or its own selfish vision, if any at all, which in no way connects or aligns to the constitution or universal development goals for the well being of the individual, society, the nation and the world we live in. There are no target outcomes and measures for accountability of each government vis a vis its own vision, which is itself an ever changing goalpost. Each subsequent government starts afresh with its own new vision each time. Each newly elected government promptly forms its own portfolios and ministries with no focus on its own vision, let alone what is required for the nation, and focuses more on accommodating its elected representatives and their wants. The newly elected government dismantles the structure created by and work done by the previous governments. As governments go along, they change their goals, measures, actions and structure to suit what is best for them at the given moment. This results in erosion of progress achieved in the past and lack of continuity. We, the people, of course have no idea what the vision of the past government was, what the vision of the present government is and what we the nation want the ideal vision to be. This chaos happens at the national level, at the state level, at the constituency level and at the ward level. The disconnect between the government, people and ground realities is thus more or less complete at all points of time.

I suggest a reform of the entire political process so that there is more meaning to it, it is more efficient and it is based on outcomes and results. The reforms are suggested considering the nation as an organization which is how politicians would like us to think they look at it with themselves in the CEO role and we as the employees. The suggested reforms are:

1) Creating a universal vision of what we want the nation to be. A lot of thinking and participation needs to go into creating the vision as this is the most crucial part of the process. A vision for our nation should be based on a)the first four parts of the constitution, b)sustainable and desirable goals including the UN development goals and c) any other goals that make up an ideal society or nation. It should not be a competitive, aggressive or selfish vision that says we want to be the world's number one economy, superpower, etc or in terms of posturing or ego. Rather it should based on peace, sustainability and the highest evolutionary principles of human society.It should be in terms of what is most vital for the planet and its inhabitants of which our nation is but one entity. Key areas are of course health, education, environment, water, food, sustainability, etc. One of the most vital aspects to remember while defining the vision should be that the above defined vision should then be equally applicable to all administrative levels of the nation i.e. state, constituency, ward, sub-ward and the individual otherwise it is a vision that has no connection with ground reality i.e. it is a delusion or illusion not a vision. Key areas should be defined as necessities for the people of the nation such as energy rather than as a specific industry such as coal. The means of providing this energy should meet the constraints of the other areas in the vision such as sustainability. It is also most important from an achievement perspective to keep the vision as simple as possible, hence the needs of each individual, NOT the wants, should translate into the vision of the nation.

2) Defining target outcomes for each of the focus areas defined in the vision that will help us realize our vision. Target outcomes should be in terms of meaningful, measurable, quantifiable and qualitative goals that include all the key focus areas vital for the nation's development. Desired outcomes should be of a universal nature so that it applies to the entire nation and hence its states, constituencies, wards and sub-wards uniformly. These target outcomes must be such that on achieving them we realize our vision. Working towards achieving them moves us closer to realizing our vision.

3) Defining measures to validate actual progress against target outcomes to see where we stand currently as against desired outcomes that will help us reach our vision. The measures should be always current and up to date to give a real time view. The same measures should be applicable at the state, constituency, ward and sub-ward level. The measures should be true and factual.

4) Creating organizational entities that are dedicated to achieving these outcomes. There should essentially be a portfolio or organizational entity that realizes the universal vision for each focus area in the vision and its desired outcome and measures and reports progress against it. We have over the past years since our freedom done this exercise repeatedly and haphazardly forming portfolios and ministries each time a new government is formed. These portfolios change every time there is a need to accommodate a rebel politician who has joined the ruling party and have almost no meaning in the real world. There is so much overlap and ambiguity between these portfolios that chaos and confusion is the order of the day. Currently the Minister of Environment is also the Minister of Industry, two areas at cross purposes with each other. A fixed set of portfolios, for say the next 25 years, aimed at achieving the vision through the desired outcomes and measures should enable us as a nation to have long term focus. The organizational entities or portfolios making up the governance structure should extend from the national level to the state, constituency, ward and sub-ward levels for the operational achievement of the vision and for making it a truly universal ground reality. This should be a key constraint ensuring efficient, effective and minimum governance that will help realize the national vision at the earliest and with least wastage of precious limited resources.

5) Electing representatives for a portfolio at the lowest level The person who stands for election for a particular portfolio at the lowest level, say the sub-ward level, should be a person who has vast experience, qualifications and expertise in the area of the portfolio. The elected person should be the best possible match for that role from among the available options. E.g. the elected representative for the Water Resources portfolio at the sub-ward level should be a person who has worked in the area and has the necessary qualifications, skills and integrity to be considered the best person to represent Water Resources from the sub ward. Electing of representatives should be purely merit based i.e based on performance in terms of outcomes accomplished against target set in order to achieve the vision. Persons should not be elected based on gender, religion, language or ideology. It is crucial that the right candidates are selected right at the sub-ward level across the nation because the quality of our elected representatives and their ability to do the job and realize our national vision depends on this. Candidates standing for elections at the sub-ward level for a particular portfolio should provide their qualifications, skills, achievements, etc to justify why they should be elected for that particular portfolio. The responsibility for ensuring that the best persons without bias occupy these roles is up to us as the people of the nation. It is our primary focus in this ongoing focus. We should be better placed and informed to elect these persons given that they are from the localities and community that we live in rather than being far removed from us, projecting an illusory image of their skills and capabilities through the skills of their spin doctors and the tools and money that they possess.

6) Electing the representatives above lowest level that will head each of these portfolios at the various higher levels, i.e ward, constituency, state and national levels, and who will be responsible for achieving the target outcomes at these higher levels. The election of representatives to a portfolio at a particular level should essentially be done by all the representatives who hold the portfolio at the next lower level. This is so that the process is a ground up approach from the grass roots level involving the will of the people. As stated in the point 4 above, only if a portfolio exists at the lowest levels it justifies its existence at a higher level else it should be done away with. Also the persons elected in point 5 above should be the ones now involved in the subsequent aggregation of representatives at the various levels. E.g. Election of the representative for the Education portfolio at the ward level should be done by all the persons from all the sub-wards in the ward holding the Education portfolio at the sub-ward level who have been elected as per point 5 above. Election of the representative for the Education portfolio at the constituency level should be done by all the persons from all the wards in the constituency holding the Education portfolio at the ward level. Election of the representative for the Education portfolio at the state level should be done by all the persons from all the constituencies in the state holding the Education portfolio at the constituency level in the state. Election of the representative to head say the Education portfolio at the national level should be done by all the persons from all the states in the nation holding the Education portfolio at the state level. Constraints and oversight needs to be put in place by us the people to ensure that all these subsequent elections are carried out without bias and in an equitable fashion.

Currently, there is the path of the education system, especially in key areas (that should tie in with a coherent, powerful, sustainable vision for the nation and the planet) where a person is trained rigorously and builds experience in administration, law, governance and policy making, through exposure to real life situations. Yes, there are biases and corruption in this system where inequity favors some over others and poor quality institutions exist but these are issues that can be addressed with the necessary focus. On another path is a person who uses corruption, deceit, force and other forms of crime to get elected to be a representative of the people. This person, with no suitable skills, experience or merit whatsoever, assumes the role of boss over the one trained through the education system. This person then negates everything that the educated person tries to do and actively works to repay the benefactors who got him to his position of power and consolidate his own and his supporters position ultimately tearing society apart. A minimum criteria for governance in society should be that the person has the highest education, competence, experience and merit.

7) We, the people, in this proposed political scenario would be voting for who we think should represent the sub-ward for each of the specific portfolios so that the national universal vision is met at our sub-ward level at the earliest and in the best possible way. We would not be voting for any political party or any general candidate.

8) We, the people, should be voting for representatives of each portfolio at the sub-ward level not for fixed time intervals such as once every 5 years as it happens now but whenever there is a trigger to vote. A trigger to vote could be that a candidate has failed to meet expected target outcomes continuously for an agreed period of time such as say 6 months or a year. Or a trigger could be the retirement or non-availability of a candidate due to illness or death. On the other hand a candidate performing excellently in a particular portfolio could be retained for as long as the members of the sub-ward think it is worthwhile. A candidate elected at this sub-ward level can be based on proportionate representation so that the person with the most votes is the first choice and the next most votes is the second choice, etc.

9) Other times that we, the people, should vote is when we feel that there should be a change in the universal vision in terms of adding or removing areas of focus or its target outcomes and measures keeping in mind the changes in the nation and the larger world. Such a vote should be a national activity aimed not at electing representatives but at modifying and aligning our vision to the best needs of the nation at the given point in time. Such activities should be limited and only exercised when absolutely necessary since it involves a national level consensus of all the people.

10) At the moment I cannot think of any focus areas in the vision at the national level which would not be applicable at the sub-ward level. If there is a vision for external affairs in relation to other nations at the national level with its respective target outcomes and measures then the same vision for external affairs and its associated target outcomes and measures should be applicable at the sub-ward level in relation to other sub-wards.

11) The elected representatives for all the portfolios at the national level and state level continue to work as lawmakers in terms of floating, voting and passing bills, laws and statutes as is done in the current assemblies. All such activities are done with the universal vision and its achievement in mind. You could say that the sub-ward, ward and constituency levels are concerned with execution while the state and national levels are concerned with policy making.

12) It is tempting to suggest that there should be portfolios in this structure that are business specific. My thinking is that such a move will erode and dilute the universal national vision and its effective implementation which we acknowledge as the most critical areas of focus for the nation. Where there is a need to set up business focus areas, the same should be done outside the political process through the establishment of private guilds and lobbies that have no government involvement or support. Once a business policy is formulated, it should be whetted against the national vision to ensure that it is not disruptive to the vision especially key aspects such as environmental sustainability. If there are areas of conflict the same must be corrected at the business level rather than causing disruptions to the political structure. Only if this criteria is met should a particular business be permitted at the lowest level which is the sub-ward or community or locality level. If such business focus areas grow into a national need then the same can be reviewed in terms of inclusion into the national vision. Once the proposal to include the same in the national vision along with its target outcomes and measures is brought up at the level of national representatives it can be put through a nationwide vote based on which it can be adopted or rejected. If adopted the same needs to be implemented ground up from the grass roots to the top i.e ward level to the national level. Till such time business and government need to have a clear separation.

These are some of the thoughts I have in terms of political reform. The benefits I see are immense including vast improvements in efficiency, cost and time saving, streamlining of structures and achievement of goals. Most importantly I see it as an opportunity for stating of a coherent, meaningful, relevant, sustainable, long term and universal national vision and a way forward to achieving the same collectively as a nation..

Related articles:
The Politician
https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-politician.html

Vision of a new India
https://ravingkoshy.blogspot.com/2012/03/vision-of-new-india.html

Monday, 22 January 2018

I am...so are you

I am Shiva. Before anyone starts gathering flowers or sitting on their trishuls, let me elaborate. The chant Aum Namah Shivayah and Aum Shantihi Aum essentially means I Am Shiva and I Am Peace. This very simple and profound statement of one's own divinity has now been buried under so many layers of complicated interpretations and linguistic changes that it has now gone beyond the understanding of most people.

When I say that I am Shiva, it also infers that I am Jehovah, Allah and Jove. This is because these names are the linguistic transformations of the same word according to the language and culture of the people who used these names and the places where they lived in the past. I am Brahma, Vishnu, Ra, Osiris, Zeus, Buddha, Dionysus, the gods of the Mayans and Aztecs, and the gods of all the other religions and cultures of the world. Now this may get a lot of people all over the world picking up their guns, battle axes, swords, bows and arrows, spears, trucks, etc and spitting blood. Wait a bit...

If you are getting worked up then you are possibly a believer in god and not an atheist. If so, then you will understand that there was and will be numerous periods of time when only the creator exists, in a formless state, as it was at the beginning and it will be at the end of the life cycle of this universe. If you acknowledge this, then you will probably understand that for the creator to create he has to do so from a part of himself . Creation is made by the creator from the creator's own self i.e. creation and creator are one and the same. Now if you think that creation is not made from a part of the creator's self, rather it is from some material external to the creator, then you have created a duality, eroding the infinite, all pervasive, nature of the creator. The question that then arises will be - who or what is the unifying common factor between this creator and the external material that makes up his creation? It implies that you need to move to another level of abstraction, and keep doing so, until you find the common ground from where both creator and creation emerges, the unity, and give it the label of god. As you can see, an approach where creator and creation are not made of the same material is ultimately untenable.Whenever you find the common ground then it will be clear to you again that I am the creator and I am his creation. Yes, that makes me the destroyer too and all that comes in between creation and destruction.

Now, all of the above hairsplitting in masculine terms might start to get the female principle of the universe offended. Well, I am female as well as male. I am Shakti, Devi, Venus, Isis, etc, in addition to being all of the above masculine entities. My father and my mother molded my physical body and mind through their equal contributions making me what I am i.e. both male and female. Looking beyond the reproduction system within my body, the unifying nature of who I am goes beyond the duality of male and female. The basic essence that I am made of, the universal spirit, is androgynous Ardhanareshwara. Yin and yang...

Well, to speak like this I must surely be evil. Yes, I am the devil that you see through the duality of your mind. The term 'devil' is used to denote a negative force that is a hurdle to what one desires to achieve. It has been called Saturn or Shani and other names to denote malevolent energy. This has then conveniently morphed in the cultural mind over time in some places to become Satan with, what else - the trident, tail and forked tongue (equated with Shiva in various instances and the basis of some of the dread that certain cultures hold of him). The evil force has been called the Serpent, Dragon, Goat, etc. To a given culture the divine forms of another culture are often viewed as evil. Hence the serpent, dragon and Shiva representing divine energy in the East is viewed as evil in the West. The underlying fear and animosity towards these images could be because the cultures, to which these imagery belonged, represented a hurdle or threat to the growth and prosperity of the culture with the negative view. This relative view of good and bad again draws from the narrow minded and short term memory perspectives of people, who see only their own cultures as valid and superior. So my culture's god became your culture's devil and vice versa. I am however all the gods and all the devils of all cultures since the underlying ultimate source from which all cultures, gods and demons emerged is one, the world of ideas, the universal mind, and it is the same source from which I came.

I am the Great Spirit of the native Americans, the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost or Ruha of the various religions. The soul or prana, embodied as me, is my spirit form, the same universal, eternal spirit into which my soul merges when I give up the body. This spirit form is the same formless unity from which all forms in the visible universe have emerged and into which all forms will dissolve..and rise again...and fall..and so on.

I am Jesus, Guru Nanak, Sai Baba, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, Rama... The one factor uniting all these entities was that they all understood their divinity and the unity of all things. The truth they espoused was that the body is the temple of the divine and that you are the divine. Krishna spoke in the first person as the supreme spirit in the dialogues of the Bhagwad Gita. The audience has however mostly failed to understand that what Krishna spoke was the universal truth which applied to all and could be uttered by anyone. All one needed to do was to recognize the divinity within oneself. Many of us have, instead, put these awakened individuals up on pedestals, mummified them into statues, creating an illusory class of beings who are something unattainable. We have conveniently forgotten or misread their key messages, and distanced ourselves and our behaviors from them. We have created a near insurmountable separation between us and them in our minds and continue to behave like half wits, absolving ourselves of all our actions, in the name of devotion to their names and their power to absolve us of all our misdeeds.

Yes Communists, evolutionary biologists, physicists, scientists, cultists, rationalists and atheists, I am Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Che Guevara as well. Oh yes and Jim Morrison and Bob Marley and all other humans that there was, is and will be (and therefore our ancestors the chimpanzees and apes as well). I am all animals (including the snake), all plants (including the ganja plant, my personal favorite), all insects, birds, bacteria, viruses, etc i.e. I am all life. Scientifically my evolutionary path can be traced back in time from where I am now to the first life form. Being that common source, and by evolving through the branching out of these paths, I am all the paths. Examine me closely and you will find everything within me. I am all inorganic things i.e the elements, sun, moon, stars, forces of nature, space, time, galaxies, black holes, quasars, quarks, gravity, Higg's Boson particle, dark energy, carbon, the first element hydrogen, everything. If you are a believer in the Big Bang then you know that I must have been a part of the singularity before the Big Bang and therefore I am a part of everything that subsequently followed and everything is a part of me.

You may ask if that is all I have to say? If I leave it here, then I would have spoken only half of what needs to be said and half truths are the root of all ignorance and delusion in this world. If you read only this much and understand only this much then it is like understanding a half-truth. You are likely to have feelings of wanting to impale, crucify, shoot or burn me at the stake, dissect me or do something similar to yourself and to anyone or everyone you can lay your hands on while the urge lasts. But then, remember, climbing up to the top of the mountain is only half the journey. Coming back to the bottom is the other half of the journey, as the mountain man says..

What is the other half of the above stated truth which makes it complete? This other half is the absolute fact that all that I have said above applies as much to you and every other aspect of reality as it applies to me. THAT is the complete truth. Aham brahmasmi...tat tvam asi. I am all that I have stated above and, equally importantly, not more, not less, YOU are all that which is stated above too. This most important other half of the story has been omitted in many circumstances, even if the first half has been said, which is itself rare. In some cases, the second half has been stated but has not registered or it has been forgotten. The seeds are cast everywhere. Some fall on fallow ground and fail to germinate. Others fall on hard surfaces and are eaten up by the birds and other animals. Only a few seeds fall on fertile soil and germinate to become the plant of eternal life..

This half or fractional view of the truth is the chief cause for the subdivisions, blood boiling, blood curdling, blood excreting and blood spilling that we have been seeing over the years and are still seeing these days. Through not seeing the whole truth we have:

seen ourselves as separate from divinity and forgotten the divine within ourselves i.e. we have created a world of separation between god and man
seen ourselves as separate from others and forgotten the divinity within each of them i.e we have created a world of us and them
seen the world in various fragmented ways and associated ourselves with certain fragments believing that only our fragments are relevant..my team versus your team
opened ourselves up to be exploited by all kinds of forces in the name of ideologies, leaders and gurus who leverage our half knowledge to control us

The result of this is that we take a form or affiliation and associate with that form or affiliation, thinking it is eternal, only to find that it is true, if at all, only for a finite amount of time. After that time passes, clinging to it only results in rigidity and stagnation of the mind and its subsequent disease and death. For an optimum functioning and to experience the richness, diversity and beauty of this great mystery called existence, and to be in union at all times with the eternal spirit, called yoga by some, the holy communion by others, nirvana by still others, it is important to inclusively expand our consciousness as we go along, recognizing the places where we create the boundaries of me and you, within and outside ourselves, and to dissolve the boundaries as we come across them. I think this is best done with love, peace and compassion rather than with hate, anger, jealousy or violence. The ultimate rock solid foundation of the balanced and centered state of mind is the clear understanding and recognition of the unity of all aspects of reality..

Yes I am death and so are you...aham brahmasmi..tat tvam asi..i am..so are you...

Sunday, 7 January 2018

Personal Ganja Consumption 2017 Review

Personal ganja consumption for the year 2017 was at more or less similar levels as the previous two years. The primary and preferred mode of intake was ganja in smoked form rolled into spliffs with a few rare (and pleasurable) occasions of vaping, chilluming, herbal tea, fruit punch and cake infused with the herb. The intake of ganja as hashish was a very rare and limited treat last year as against a relatively better availability of the same in the previous two years.

The smoked herb was as a mixture with tobacco, the ratio of the two ranging from 60:40 when there is abundant availability of ganja to as less as 20:80 when the availability of ganja was scarce.

Ganja was smoked over a period of about 5 months in the year at the average rate of a single joint a day and average mixture ratio of 50:50 in terms of ganja and tobacco. The smoking months were primarily Jan-Apr followed by intermittent phases of around 2-3 weeks spread out through the rest of the year.

The total quantity smoked was in the range of 100-150 grams (definitely not exceeding 150 grams) of what I would call good quality organic herb. The total money spent on procurement did not exceed Rs 5000 in the year.

Looking at the patterns of consumption of the big three i.e. ganja, tobacco and alcohol, I saw a decreased urge to drink alcohol and preferred it only on social occasions in spite of having access to good quality alcohol. Given a choice between ganja and alcohol, I saw a preference in myself for ganja over alcohol. I see this as a behavioral change that will likely last for the future. Maybe the availability of good toddy once again might tilt the balance a little more towards alcohol but am not optimistic that toddy will make a comeback again given the powerful Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) lobby and our society's penchant for pseudo sophistication. The usage of tobacco was more or less similar to the last few years. For me this is a matter of concern as my aim is to reduce this to a minimum, so this is an area to focus on. Smoking beedis and handmade cigarettes with good quality tobacco is a strategy to minimize damage from tobacco. Increased availability of ganja and focus on physical fitness will also hopefully help to manage tobacco better. Maybe the shamanic route of ingesting tobacco juice might need to be invoked at some point.

Looking back at the year 2017, I would say it was a fairly contented year in terms of relationship with ganja. The herb served to explore and process repressed thoughts and feelings and to help me come to better terms with them. The sublime states of mind and body achieved through the herb were almost always periods of sat-chit-anandam i.e. being-consciousness-bliss and deeper meditative/contemplative states in harmony with nature, barring the few occasional feelings of self-consciousness and rebelliousness that I attribute to the prohibitive climate against the herb that still exists in this country and society today. With the removal of these biased and prejudiced external barriers to free thinking and with a more conducive socio-cultural environment, am sure much more beautiful states of physio-psychological well being, spread over longer periods, is possible.

Retrospection on the previous year's personal consumption patterns got me into contemplation about some what if scenarios. What would be the change in my consumption patterns if the herb was legalized and freely available through various outlets? I foresee the following possible changes in my consumption patterns:

increase in ganja smoking to an average of 2 joints a day and a maximum of 3 joints on average
an increase in the ganja content of the ganja-tobacco mixture to 70:30 on average as the intent is always to reduce tobacco intake and keep it to a minimum and to move towards the personal ideal of maximum ganja minimum tobacco
an increase in the smoking months of the year to around 7-8 months of the year interspersed with periods of abstinence to keep the relationship with the herb fresh
an increase in the quantity consumed to 300-500 grams a year with a maximum of 500 grams from the current 100-150 grams
with a maximum cap of 500 grams in the year at a hopefully average pricing of not more than Rs 3000 for 100 grams of good quality herb, I aim to have a ceiling of Rs 15000 on ganja related annual expenses. Of course with legalization and healthy competition among the producers and sellers I am hopeful that the free market price will become much lesser than the above stated price
certain special occasions may warrant binge smoking i.e. more than 7-8 joints in the day. This however I do not see happening too often as the potency of the cannabis high plateaus out after the first 2-3 joints. Then smoking any more is just trying to get too much out of a good thing hence resulting potentially in a subsequent distaste for the said good thing
consumption of the herb in forms other than smoking as ganja i.e.as hashish, beverages, confectionery and food, of course, would be an added bonus when available

Let's see what the year 2018 has in store for the lover of the herb. Does the herb become more or less accessible or will the current status quo be maintained?

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