2008年4月30日 星期三

Ozonators

How do I control odor with ozonators?
如何用臭氧產生器控制氣味(臭味)##CONTINUE##

Ozonators can make the smell of even SMELLY strains like Mikado and Romulan practically unnoticeable, unless resin glands are broken by your movements within the grow area. Place the ozonator units in the exhaust line or area or within the grow area itself, above an air circulation or intake/exhaust duct or fan. Purchase a timer to run continuously, except for 30 minutes before and during your scheduled maintenance times. Ozone has a half life of 30 minutes.
臭氧產生器可以讓以氣味重聞名的品種像是Mikado和Romulan等的臭味幾乎不被察覺, 除非是你在生長區內的動作太大把分泌大麻酯的腺體弄破了(會道會更重更難消除)
在抽風管線內或抽風扇附近或直接在種植區裡的空氣環境路線或進出風口的風扇上方放置一台臭氧產生器
買一個計時器來讓臭氧產生器持續地運作, 除了有人要進入種植區前的30分鐘和有人在裡面做事的期間, 因為臭氧的半衰期為30分鐘

You may notice a hospital type smell, if ozone levels get higher. Nothing dangerous, but reduced by the use of a timer in the aforementioned fashion. For true stealth, additional ozonators placed in the exhaust line or outside the grow area will take care of any escaping terpenes that have not been oxidized within the garden itself.
如果種植區室內臭氧濃度過高, 你會聞到一股像醫院一樣的味道, 沒什麼危險而且前述的計時器設定會降低它的濃度
要達到真正的隱密, 多加幾個臭氧產生器在出風口或在種植區外可以把少量沒被種植區內的臭氧產生器消臭的少少氣味處理掉

Larger output inline corona ozonators are preferable for larger vented areas. There are many different sizes for different space requirements, buy the rappropriate size for your area! Air Tiger up to 5000 cubic feet Uvonair Junior up to 1000 cubic feet Uvonair(standard) up to 3000 cubic feet Uvonair Plus up to 5000 cubic feet They use UV light to produce ozone and require simple monthly cleaning to keep them in top working condition.They are designed to be safe commercial, office and residential use. They come with an ozone detection card to verify maximum ozone levels and your safety.
上面這段介紹的是國外的幾個大型臭氧產生器和它們能處理的空間大小有興趣的自己翻吧

UV type ozonator maintenance
紫外線類的臭氧產生器的保養

The UV bulb gets coated with dust, which reduces the amount of light emitted and therefore the amount of ozone produced. The bulb should be cleaned at least monthly to maintain peak performance. If you have never cleaned your bulb, you are diminishing the unit's effectiveness and will be surprised with the improvement in odor control afterwards.
紫外線燈管被灰塵所覆蓋會減少紫外光的產生, 也會因此而影響到臭氧的生產量
燈管最少要每個月清理以維持極致效能
如果你從未清理燈管表示你在拉低機效的效率而且將會被清理過後對氣味控制的效能改善

Nietzsche Notes A note about UV Ozone Generators If you must treat the air inside the grow room due to room leaks/smell seepage it is preferable to use a UV ozone generator. UV ozonators using a frequency of 185nm (approx) do not produce nitric acid as a by-product like corona discharge ozonators do. Thus corona discharge ozone generators should only be used in the exhaust system. If using a UV ozone generator to treat the air inside the room this could damage your plants if the concentration is too high. I also suggest putting it in the air intake so to allow some time for the Ozone to mix with the air and also not to creat a hot spot right next to the ozone machine.
如果要像處理流出去的氣味一樣地處理種植區內的空氣, 最好是用紫外線類型的臭氧產生器
紫外線臭氧產生器是用大約185mn的頻率不會像電暈放電臭氧產生器一樣產生硝酸
所以電暉放電臭氧產生器只能用在抽風系統
如果在種植區內使用紫外線臭氧產生器而造成臭氧濃度過高的話會傷害大麻
同時建議把種植區內用的臭氧產生器放置在進風口或進風風扇附近
讓產生出的臭氧有時間和室內空氣混合而不致於造成產生器附近的濃度過高形成臭氣熱點

以下是截至網路相關的說明文章

何謂臭氧臭氧層是分佈在離地面20~30km的大氣層中,它最大的功能是吸收紫外線,保護曝露在紫外線照射下的人類與動植物。空氣中的臭氧量為 0.01~0.04ppm,因臭氧具有極強淨化殺菌之作用,使得自然界中的細菌黴菌,無法異常繁殖因而保持平衡狀態.。臭氧分解速度會因熱、光、水份、PH值而不同,也會因金屬氧化物與其他觸媒等作用,而加快分解速度。當活躍的菌碰上臭氧時,臭氧的致死濃度會使它立刻失去活力,臭氧在分解的時候產生的自由基過程,是一連串的反應動作,一個反應產物又可接連另一個反應產物,且不一定有固定的反應式相當複雜。
(1)臭氧在大氣中(常溫)之半衰期為三十分鐘,會隨溫度不同而有所改變。 臭氧在空氣中的安全濃度 FDA規範室內醫療設備臭氧輸出濃度不得高於0.05 ppm。OSHA 規定勞工在作業場所8小時所暴露的平均臭氧濃度不可高於0.10 ppm。NIOSH建議臭氧的濃度在任何時候都不應超過0.10 ppm。環保署 (EPA)之週界空氣品質國家標準規定戶外臭氧8小時的平均濃度最大為0.08 ppm。
(2)臭氧在水中之半衰期為二十分鍾,當水中PH值高時分解速度變快,PH值低時較緩慢。
(3)臭氧溶解於水中會因受水分子作用,急速分解具有極強氧化力,殺菌、脫臭、漂白等作用。
(4)臭氧水中分解前,或分解後都能與附著物發生反應。
(5)臭氧分解反應後,最重要的分離產物是氫氧離子﹝HO-﹞。
(6)氫氧離子的氧化能量為-2.8V,氧化能力比臭氧本身氧化能量還高。
(7)臭氧在酸性溶液中有-2.7V,在鹼性溶液中有-1.24V。
(8)臭氧與有害物質分解後,會還原成氧氣,不會再造成二次公害。

水能載舟 亦能覆舟 使用時請於通風處 勿在密閉空間使用

2008年4月29日 星期二

Harvesting small buds

Should all a plant's buds be picked at the same time? Can I harvest just the large center buds that have already matured? Will the smaller side buds continue to mature with 12/12 lights, or should I harvest the entire plant at once?
整株的花都應該同時間採收嗎? 我可不可以只採收中間那個己經成熟的大主花? 剩下那些旁邊的小花會在12/12光照下繼續成熟嗎? 還是我得要一次採收整株?##CONTINUE##

Harvest no bud before it's ripe. Yes, you can harvest the buds that are ripe, leaving the ripening buds more time and probably more light. Once the top buds are removed, the plant puts more energy into the remaining buds and they ripen sooner than they would if the top buds remained on the plant. Removing the buds before they are ripe is a waste of a whole season's effort for the impatience of a few days. To put matters in perspective, it will take the immature buds seven to ten days to ripen. However, there are circumstances that might cause you to harvest early.
不要收割還沒成熟的花
是的你可以收割己經成熟的花, 留給未成熟的花更多的時間甚至更多的光
一旦上面的主花被移開, 大麻會將更多的能量注入留下來的花中讓它們比主花還在時更快成熟
沒耐心多等幾天而在花未成熟前收割對整季的辛勞付出來說是種浪費
剩下的花在7~10天內就會成熟, 然而, 有幾種情況可能會造成你提前收割

The Weather: if it's going to be cold or inclement for some time, it may not be wise to leave the buds out to rot.
天氣:如果氣候將要轉冷或變險惡, 把花留在戶外讓它爛掉是不明智的

The Wrong People: if overheaders or on-ground hunters or uniforms are coming too close or have shown an interest in the area or the plants, its time to leave with the buds, ready or not. Immature buds are much more potent and worthwhile than no buds at all.
不對的人:如果空中偵查小組或地面偵察員或制服警察要來詢訪附近或對這個區域或種植有興趣就是收割走人的時機
未成熟的花的味道絕對要比沒花只能吸空氣要來得好很多

Indoors, you don't have those problems to worry about, just buds vs time. If there are only a few buds left, is it worth tying up space for them to mature? That's a question only you can answer.
室內種植者不需要顧慮上述兩點, 只需面對花和時間的拉距
如果只剩一點點小花, 要不要花多餘的時間和電力, 精神等等
等一點點小花成熟
這個問題只有你自己才能回答

Purple seedling stem

Why are my seedling's stems purple?
為什麼我剛發芽的嫩莖呈現紫色##CONTINUE##

DO NOT PANIC. A seedlings purple stem doesn’t necessarily indicate an unhealthy plant. Please take the following possibilities into consideration:
別緊張, 紫色的莖不代表大麻作物不健康
請依照下列個可能性考慮

1 - Purple Stems could be a result of that wonderful thing we call genetics, if this is the reason, you are to expect a purple stem throughout the life of the plant. It must be noted that purple stems aren’t a dominant trait, and are rarely genetically induced.
1. 紫色的莖可能是我們所謂的遺傳所造成的, 如果真是遺傳, 你將可以期待一株從小到大都是紫色莖的大麻
請注意, 紫色莖的大麻並不是什麼具有優勢的品種, 而且很少被發現

2 - A baby sprout with a purple stem is almost always 100% natural. Young seedlings are still adjusting to their environment and may be slightly lacking in a Nutrient. If this is the case, healthy plants will regain their green/greenish-brown color within a few days to a week or two.
剛發的嫩芽呈現紫色幾乎100%正常, 因為他們還在調整, 適應環境, 而且有可能小小地缺少營養
如果是這樣, 健康的大麻會在幾天到一兩週內很快恢復綠到咖啡色

3 - If you have ruled out the possibilities of genetics and the seedlings adjustments to life, you should begin looking for a nutrient deficiency. Purple stems are commonly caused by a Phosphorous (P) or Magnesium deficiency, if there is a P deficiency you may also notice symptoms such as brittle leaves or greyish spots. To assist the uptake of Phosphorous (as well as most other nutes) you should ensure the pH is slightly acidic-- 6.0 will suffice.
如果前兩個可能性都排除, 那你可能需要檢視營養液成分
過多的磷會造成莖部發紫, 而且通常會伴隨而來的是葉子顏色變淡和灰色的點點

按﹕通常發生在生長期間施以開花肥會造成磷(P)含量過高, 要非常小心注意
生長期間, 過高的磷會殺死你的大麻! 切記!!

大麻-美國歷史

Part 1
##CONTINUE##

Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5 ShotGun真正的由來


Part 6


Part 7


Part 8

Homemade CO2

Stickydank’s basic CO2 method
基本的二氧化碳製作方法##CONTINUE##

* 10lb. white sugar
* 5 gallon clean bucket W/lid
* 4 1/2 gallons of water
* A piece of toast browned and hard
* A table spoon of dry active yeast (for baking bread)
材料
10磅白糖(1磅約454公克, 10磅約4540公克)
5加崙的乾淨桶子(連蓋子)
4加崙半的水
一塊烤得焦黃且硬的土司
一湯匙酵母(做麵包用的那種)

First boil the water, (this will ensure clean water) remove from the heat and add the sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Let cool until water is room temperature (if you don't let it cool down it won't work). After the sugar water has cooled, float the piece of toast on top of the water. Now, empty the tablespoon of yeast over the toast. After a few days, the yeast will take over the toast and start making bubbles (CO2) in the bucket.
首先要把水煮開(確保水質乾淨)
煮開後關火加糖攪拌到糖完全溶解
把糖水放涼到室溫(如果不放涼就沒用)
等水涼了以後
把土司放在水面上讓它淨著
然後把湯匙上的酵母放在土司上面
幾天後酵就會取代土司然後開始在桶子裡釋放出二氧化碳的氣泡

After a week, the amount of bubbling (CO2) will increase. Keep the lid airtight on the bucket. CO2 travels up the dispersion tubing, and due to it being heavier than air, falls directly onto your plants. Timing your exhaust, is essential in maintaining an effective level of CO2.
過一週後二氧化碳氣泡的量會增加
蓋上蓋子留個通路讓二氧化碳釋出
因為CO2比空氣重所以會往下跑(把桶子放在植物的上方二氧化碳就會往下落在植物上)
定時釋出就可以控制空氣中CO2含量在一個有效率的濃度

Editors Note: Unfortunately the author of this contribution has not been able to test the CO2 levels produced using his method. Personally, I would use a CO2 analysis kit to help manage (exhaust timing etc), and maintain, an optimum level of around 1500PPM.
按:不幸地本文作者無法測出這個方法所產生的CO2濃度
個人會用CO2測試儀器來幫忙管理CO2釋出時機
以保持CO2濃度在1500PPM左右

美國丹佛通過法案


##CONTINUE##
美國丹佛投票超過54%,凡年滿21歲成人每人可合法持有一盎司大麻.

丹佛投票同意大麻持有, 大麻合法專家表示大麻使用上是遠比 酒精

菸草安全及對於改進社會治安.

此法案雖已通過 但丹佛市大麻合法專家與市議員對此法案通過有兩種不同看法,

針對於合法持有與合法在公共場合使用議題做深入討論.

議員認為人民目前還是不可在公開場合使用大麻, 但大麻合法專家表示此法案

的通過代表丹佛全體民意. 政府應開放公開使用之權力等...

Flood duration

How long should I flood the tray? (flood duration)
充水一次應該維持多久時間(針對部分水耕系統如ebb & flow system而言)##CONTINUE##

Flood duration should never exceed thirty minutes total, from the start of the flood until the tray has drained back to the reservoir.
從開始充水到所有水流回主水箱為止
整個過從絕對不應該到30分鐘這麼久

Often times, the companies that manufacture ready made systems like hydrofarm, furnish those half hour increment "pull up" tripper type timers, simply because they're the cheapest item to furnish and not necessarily because they are the right thing for the best results with ebb & flow.
市面上製造套件系統的公司像是hydrofarm常常提供那種只能精確到半小時的計時器
只因為那是能提供的最便直的而不是因為對ebb & flow系統而言是能得到最好的結果的

It is best to purchase an inexpensive digital timer to handle the floods, since they allow you to program better flood times. The optimum flood is just long enough to allow the flood to reach the correct flood depth, plus a few minutes to allow the nutrients to wash thru the planters, carrying away accumulated salts from the planters.
最好是去買一個不貴的數位式計時器來控制充水時間的長短
因為數位式計時器可以設定較佳的充水時間
最佳的充水時間是剛剛好達到滿水位之後再多個幾分鐘讓營養營液可以沖洗過整個盛水器
把累積的鹽帶走

Try to have the total time not exceed twenty minutes if possible, and never allow it to exceed thirty minutes total time. With the megagarden for example: The system reaches desired flood depth in less than four minutes and drains away in about five minutes, so a ten minute flood allows pleanty of time and finishes the task in roughly fifteen minutes total.
可能的話試著讓整個過程不要達到20分鐘
而且絕對不要達到30分鐘
以megagarden系統來說
水位達到標準需要4分鐘流回水箱需要5分鐘
所以10分鐘的充水過程絕對足以讓整個過程在15分鐘內完成

FIM pruning technique

What is the FIM pruning technique?
什麼是FIM修剪技術##CONTINUE##

To increase yeilds and maximize space, many farmers "top" their plants-snip off the top bud. Tradionally, topping your plant causes two shoots to grow back in place on the one pruned off, thus increasing the number of top/main buds.
為了要增加收成量和最大化利用空間, 許多自耕農會修剪頂端的花
傳統上, 修剪頂端會造成在原來的地方生出兩個分枝造成雙頂端的主花

Well thanks to a loyal reader, we've topped that. This tip came to me by snail mail from South Carolina, With a diagram and a name for this technique. The letter says, "I discovered by accident a pruning technique that all growers should know about". As I read his letter, I remembered that the same thing had happened to me many times and I never took notice. I too occasionally got up to five or six new shoots growing from what I thought was a sloppy topping attempt.
一位忠實的讀者來信告知這個技術並且替它取名
信上說"我意外發現一個所有自耕農都應該知道的修剪技術"
當我讀到這裡我記起來同樣的情形也發生在我身上好幾次但我從沒特別注意
我也偶爾因為粗心的嚐試修剪而從修剪的地方長出5~6個新枝

Diagram A shows the tradional method of topping: cutting the whole node off cleanly, to induce the stalk to split into two. But diagram B indicates to make the cut below the center of the node, leaving about 10% intact. This is the key, because the vegetation left behind has cells that are rapidly dividing in many different directions. This can lead to as many as EIGHT tops from a single pruning.
傳統方法是把整個node乾乾淨淨地剪掉以誘使莖一分為二
新的方法是剪node的中間往下一點留下10%不去動它
這是關鍵
因為留下來的部分保有可以快速分裂成許多不同方向的細胞
單單一處修剪最多可以分裂成8個新的分枝

Metal helide for flowering

Can I use my MH lamps successfully from start to finish? Will the crop be worth the smoke? Why is the HPS lamp better?
可不可以從頭到尾都用複金屬燈(MH)
抽起來會比較差嗎
高壓鈉燈(HPS)為什麼比較好##CONTINUE##

Metal halide (MH) lamps can be used for flowering, but there are two problems that they have when compared with high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. The first is that they don't emit as much total light. HPS lamps emit more than 20% more light, so MH lamps are not as intense when covering the same area. Second, they do not emit as much orange and red light as HPS lamps. These spectrums seem to promote flowering.
複金屬燈可以用在花期
但是和高壓鈉燈比起來它們有兩個問題
一是發出的光比較少, 高壓鈉燈的光量比複金屬燈多20%
二是發出的橘光和紅光沒有高壓鈉燈多
這兩種光譜似乎是花期所需

However, MH lamps do have several advantages over HPS. First, they are less expensive to purchase. Second, the light does not have a really weird telltale spectrum. It looks white, not pink or amber. Third, the lamps emit more UVB light than HPS lamps, although still in very small amounts. The amount of UVB light plants receive is directly related to the quality of the buds. The more UVB, the higher the quality. Buds grown under MH light will not be as big as buds grown using HPS lighting. However their quality will be as good or better.
然而複金屬燈和高壓鈉燈比起來的確有幾個優點
首先, 它們買起來比較便宜
其二, 它的光看起來不奇怪, 它的光是白色的, 不是粉紅色也不是琥珀色的
第三, MH發出較多的UVB紫外線, 雖然只多一點點
大麻吸收的UVB量直接關係到花的品質, 紫外線越多花的品質越好
花期照MH的花不會像照HPS的花那麼大
但是品質卻是一樣甚至更好一點

Humidity & temperature levels

What range should I maintain for my growroom humidity and temperature?
我應該把花室內的溫濕度維持在什麼範圍內##CONTINUE##

A humidity and temperature gauge are essential in any growroom. Daytime conditions should be 70-80 degrees without co2, 80-90 degrees with co2 until the last two weeks when daytime temps should be kept between 70-80 and co2 can be reduced to adjust for the lower metabolism.
溫濕度計是必需的
白天(開燈)的溫度範圍應該在華氏70~80度之間(不加CO2)
加CO2的話應該維持在80~90度之間直到最後兩週
最後兩週溫度應該在70~80度之間
不加CO2以降低新陳代謝

Night temperatures should be kept above 60 degrees to prevent stress. It is preferrable during flowering to have a night temperature drop of 10-20 degrees to stimulate flowering hormones and reduce stem elongation.
夜間(關燈)溫度應該保持在華氏60度以上
在開花期間的夜晚和白天溫度差個10~20度可以刺激開花的荷爾蒙和減少莖的伸長

I find that low humidity causes stress on plants. I recommend 50-60% humidity until the final 2 weeks of flowering. At this point, the humidity should be lowered as much as possible to encourage the plant to seal and protect itself with additional resin. (I am able to get the humidity to go as low as 31%)
濕度太低會對植物造成壓力
直到最後兩週前都建議維持在50~60%
最後兩週的濕度要儘可能降低
這樣大麻會多產生一些大麻酯來保護和封住自己
(原作者可以把濕度降到31%)

I have been able to frost things up considerably this way. The higher humidity levels prior to final ripening reduce salt levels within the plant tissue and encourage healthy, more lush growth.

2008年4月26日 星期六

Making rooting hormone

How do I make my own Rooting hormone?
如何自製根部荷爾蒙(發根劑)##CONTINUE##

Cut some willow branches (All willow species produce this natural rooting hormone), into 2" or 4" long pieces (enough pieces to fill a bowl).
把一些柳枝(所有品種的柳會產生這種天然的發根荷爾蒙)剪成2英吋到4英吋的長度(量要足夠填滿一個鍋子)

Put the willow cuttings into a big kettle (or pot) on the stove, fill with water (all cuttings should be are covered by water). Turn on minimum heat setting, cover with a lid, and leave on low (but do not boil) for 2 hours. Then turn off heat and leave kettle covered for 12 hours.
把剪好的柳枝放進一個大水壺裡加水淹過所有柳枝
把水壺蓋上蓋子放到爐火上用最小的火慢慢加熱但不能煮到水滾
持續維持高溫但不能滾的狀態2個小時
然後把水壺放著12個小時

After the mixture has cooled for 12 hours, the water should be a dark brown. Strain out the water, and discard the branches. Pour the mixture into a container with a plastic top with holes pre-made, and just drop your cuttings in. Let the clones sit in the hormone for 12 to 24 hours (thus allowing the cuttings to fully absorb the rooting hormones), then plant into your medium.
放涼12小時後水應該呈現深咖啡色
把柳枝丟掉水倒進一個蓋子有小洞的容器裡
把要clone的大麻分枝插進小洞裡讓切口處可以泡到荷爾蒙溶液
泡個12~24小時(讓分枝能充分吸收發根劑)
然後就可以插進生長介質(土壤或岩綿等)

Use as much rooting hormone as you require, then discard the used portion. The unused hormone can be stored in the ice box for years.
想用多少發根劑就用多少
用過後就倒掉
沒用完的可以放在冰箱裡保存一年以上

去公園找柳枝時要小心

Growroom at night

How can I safely work in the growroom at night?
我要如何安全地在夜間進入花室工作##CONTINUE##

Our plants need an uninterrupted dark period to trigger/continue the flowering response. Even a split-second of strong enough light can 'reset' the cycle of a less-stable strain (cultivar) which makes the plants see a dark period of less than 12 hours and could cause them to think they should be vegging instead. If you need to enter the growroom during the "night" or dark period, to spray or to do something else that requires the lights off, here is the safest way to do it without stressing the plants or making them think it's veg time, which, in some cases can make them turn hermaphrodite. Solution: Wire up a light socket near the door (so you can easily reach the switch in the dark) with a green light bulb. Find these at most home-marts for under a few dollars. Going back to grade 10 physics we remember that plants don't "see" (absorb) green light, therefore it can be safely used at night.
大麻在開花期間需要不間斷的12小時黑暗來觸發/延續花期
即使是很短時間的足夠亮度的光都會重設花期(重開機)
讓大麻誤以為又該回到生長期了
如果你一定要在晚上或熄燈後進入花室工作
建議你去買一個綠光的燈泡
當你需要在黑暗期進入花室時
換上綠光燈泡就可以放心地工作了
因為大麻看不到綠色的光
所以綠光燈泡可以放心地在黑暗週期裡使用

Faster germination (scarification)

Is there a faster way to germinate seeds? (Scarification)
有比較快的催芽方法嗎##CONTINUE##

Equipment needed :
設備需求:

1. seeds ( of course )
種子 (廢話)
2. paper towels
紙巾
3. air-tight plastic container
氣密的塑膠容器
4. pocketknife or sandpaper
小刀或砂紙
5. water


I have found that I always get reliable germination results using the following technique :
用下列的技術我總是得到較可靠的發芽
Method :
方法:
1. LIGHTLY chip/scarify outer seed coat in one place. I stress lightly because if you do it too roughly it will ruin a good seed.
輕柔地把種子的外殼去掉
我強調輕柔是因為如果太用力會毀了一個好的種子
2. Dampen paper towels and place seeds on it. Either fold or roll it up so that its pressing against the seeds.
把種子放在沾濕的紙巾上然後摺起來或捲起來
3. Put paper towels with seeds inside into an air-tight plastic container.
把包有種子的紙巾放進一個不透氣的塑膠容器裡
4. Place in a warm location like on top of a TV set, VCR, or refridgerator.
把容器放在一個溫暖的地方像是傳統CRT電視機上面
5. Open every 12 hours to allow oxgen into the container and check on the seeds. Most should germinate in about 24 hours, but there may be a few that need a bit longer.
每隔12小時打開容器讓氧氣進入容器裡同時檢查種子
大多數的種子會在24小時內發芽
但也有些會花較久的時間

不建議用這個方法
因為去殼這個動作很危險
一個不小心就...

2008年4月25日 星期五

Feeding seedlings

When should I fertilize my seedlings?
什麼時候該開始施肥呢##CONTINUE##

Mixes composed of perlite, vermiculite, and rockwool and other inert media should be treated with a mild application, 300-400ppm, of fertilizer prior to seed introduction to provide available nutrients and buffer the pH. Adding Hormex, Superthrive or some other auxin/vitamin based supplement will accelerate early plant development.
It is not beneficial to apply additional fertilizer to seedlings in rockwool or other inert media until the first set of true leaves appear, at which point a 1/4 to 1/2 strength application is made. Excessively rich organic soil mixes are best avoided until the tender, young plants are well established. As such it is possible to feed young seedlings in soil with a 1/4 to 1/2 strength solution of fetiliser after two to three weeks or after the first set of true leaves appear but only if the soil is not super hot in terms of nutrients.
在台灣應該是用一般現成的培養土或靚土
這些現成的培養土裡都己經有含養分了
所以剛開始的前2~3週基本上都不用施肥
過了再施肥即可

Soil & Soilless

What do you mean by soilless mix: what is it? A soilless mix is a mixture of components in which it is possible to grow a plant but which does not contain soil in the traditional sense, that is, no garden soil or compost.
無土混合物是什麼﹖
無土混合物是可以用來種植植物的幾種物質的混合但裡面不含傳統的土壤##CONTINUE##

Here is a simple example of a Soilless mix: 50% Perlite 50% Vermiculite
這裡有一個簡單的無土混合的範例:50%的珍珠岩和50%的蛭石

Here's another: 40% Castings (Worm i presume although the author does not specify) 30% Vermiculite 30% Perlite
另一個範例是40%的Castings和30%的蛭石和30%的珍珠岩

Here however is a warning on Soilless mixes which it is important to note.
關於無土混合物有一個需要注意的地方

IF you happen to miss a couple of waterings the plant can dry out quick because the mix will not hold much moisture. Soil is much easier and will provide nutrients throughout the grow, lessening the need for ferts. contributed by glass joe >> Soilless mediums can contain peat moss (like pro-mix)as an ingredient along with worm castings, perlite, etc
如果你不小心忘記澆幾次水
你的作物可能會很快乾枯
因為無土混合物的保水性比較沒那麼好

靚土或其它培養土都是屬於無土混合物
而且都有事先加肥料在裡面了
所以開始種植的第1~2個星期可以不用施肥

Seed germination

What is an idiot proof way to germinate seeds?
有沒有白痴都不會做錯的種子發芽法?##CONTINUE##

Get a jar about 500 ml and some distilled water. Fill jar with the distilled water and add a drop of Superthrive and a few drops of rooting hormone. Shake jar vigorously for 5 mins to mix and aerate solution. Insert your seeds, all will float for the first 1-3 hours and then they will start to sink. If some seeds keep floating shake jar slightly to cause them to sink and keep the jar in a warm a place 78F-86F. Check seeds every 3-6 hours. When the seeds crack open and small taproot is visible plant the cracked seeds in preferred moisten medium 1/8"-1/4" deep. Place the containers with the seeds into a plastic bag to keep the humidity levels up keep in a warm area 78 F - 86 F. When sprouts break surface of soil remove from bag place under main growing light.
拿一個500 ml的容器和一些蒸餾水
把容器裡裝滿蒸餾水然後滴一滴肥料和幾滴發根劑
搖晃容器5分鐘讓肥料和發根劑完全溶解
丟幾顆種子進去‧剛開始1~3小時全部的種子都會浮在水面上
慢慢地會開始沈進水裡‧如果有些種子一直浮在水面上就晃動容器讓它們沈入水中
把容器放在溫暖的地方‧溫度保持在華氏78到86度(攝氏25~30度)
每3~6小時檢查容器裡的種子‧當有種子裂開且露出小小的根就把它放到濕的介質裡大約1/8英吋到1/4英吋深
把裝種子的盆子放進一個塑膠袋裡保持濕度且保持溫度在攝氏25~30度之間
當芽破土而出就可以把它移出塑膠袋放進生長室裡

How to cook with marijuana

原文轉自(From):GrowKind.com
All items below are prepared from marijuana milk or marijuana butter made from the leaves (or bud) of your plant. Leaves are an excellent source of THC when used in this manner.
下面所有的材料都是為了由你的麻草或麻花做成大麻牛奶或大麻奶油而準備的
麻草是用在煮食的絕佳THC來源##CONTINUE##

準備:一盎司的草或3.5克的花
溶進:大約950ml牛奶或半杯奶油(120ml)
結果:10~30 does

Marijuana milk (a.k.a. bhang) 大麻牛奶做法:
牛奶:1 quart(大約950ml)
麻草:看你在950ml的牛奶裡能塞多少就塞多少
做法:煮開牛奶轉小火續滾1小時然後濾掉草渣
口味會因為所使用的草的品質和量而變
一般喝法是1/4杯大麻牛奶和3/4杯巧克力牛奶混合
這樣口感比較好
而且這個方法比大麻奶油好用
感覺更快上來
大麻牛奶還可以做成布丁、奶昔、煎餅

Butter 大麻奶油做法:
奶油:兩條沒加鹽的
麻草:一鍋大約要3盎司(如果用花就少點)
把奶油加到2~3杯水裡煮滾
盡可能地加入葉子
持續滾上1小時並不停攪伴以確保所有的THC都溶到奶油裡
用細紗布濾掉葉渣
把溶液放進冰箱裡
等奶油凝固後把水倒掉
剩下的奶油需要保存在冰箱裡
不過最好的保存方法是做成食物吃掉它吧

Re-flowering

I have a female plant that went through the flowering cycle. I left a lot of flower material on the plant. I forced her back into a vegetative cycle. How many days should I keep her in vegetative before forcing her back into flower cycle again? How many times can I do this?
我有一株母的大麻己經開過花了
我留了很多開花的材料
我強迫它回到生長期
我需要讓它停在生長期多久
才能再次讓它開花
我可以這樣做幾次##CONTINUE##

The plant can be forced to flower as soon as it has developed large enough new leads to support large buds. You may have to prune the plant, too, since revegetated plants have lots of branching. The plant can continue to switch cycles for a long time as long as it is not attacked by bacteria or a virus. One garden I know of was using the same plants for two years.
只要它長夠多能夠開花的分枝就可以強迫開花
同時它也需要適度地修剪
因為重回生長期會留有許多無用的分枝
大麻可以這樣重覆生長期和花期很久
只要它沒有受到破壞或病毒感染
我所認識的一個種植場用這樣的方法保留了一株大麻兩年以上的時間

Best time to harvest

What's the right time of day for plucking buds? When is the best time to harvest buds on a mature plant, morning or evening?
一天之中午麼時間摘花最好
早上還是晚上摘花最好##CONTINUE##

The best time to harvest is in the morning just before the light comes on. In the 1970's experiments were conducted at the University of Mississippi that showed there was a 24-hour cycle of rising and falling levels of THC. In the late '90s Dr. Mahlberg of the University of Indiana showed that THC is produced at the outer surface of the glands. This makes sense, since the THC would be degraded during the day and then restored in the evening on site.
最好的摘花間是日出之前的凌晨
密西西比大學在1970年代發表THC的含量在一天24小時之中有循環變化
90年代末期
印地安娜大學的Mahlberg教授提出THC是附在花最外的晶狀物質
這說明了在白天時THC含量會逐漸減少
到了夜晚再慢慢恢復

Feeding clone mother

What should I feed my mothers prior to cloning?
我該怎麼餵我的clone母株##CONTINUE##

While the stock plant is in the active vegetative growth stage, feed it with a good quality, all-purpose or high Nitrogen fertilizer. One week before taking a cutting feed the stock plants with a low nitrogen, high Phosphorus flowering fertilizer. The flowering fertilizer will lower the amount of stored nitrogen in the plant and increase the amount of stored carbohydrates necessary for the production of roots. Spraying the foliage with water daily will accelerate this process.
當母株在植物生長期時就照一般的方法施以好的全效肥
在要clone之前的一個禮拜再改用低氮(N)高磷(P)的開花肥
開花肥可以降低植物內含的氮並增加發根所需的醣分
每天在葉面上噴灑水分可以加速這個過程

Sea of green size

What's the best pot size for a small closet? I am starting a Sea Of Green and wondering what is the optimal pot size? I will be using a 400W HPS to flower approximately 20 plants in a 2 foot x 2.4 foot x 5 foot closet.
在一個小衣櫃的空間裡
最好的花盆尺寸是多大
我正嚐試綠海(Sea of Green)(SoG for short)
想要瞭解最佳的花盆尺寸
我將會使用一個400瓦的高壓鈉燈
並打算在一個寬2英呎x高5英呎x深2.4英呎的衣櫃裡種大約20株##CONTINUE##

You are planning to grow 20 plants in about five square feet, so each plant will have a canopy space of about 6 inches x 6 inches. The best containers for you to use would be 6 inch square containers that are about 8 inches tall. This will provide enough space for each plant to grow a single large bud.
計畫在大約5平方英呎的空間裡種20株
這表示每一株的空間大約是6英吋x6英吋
最好的花盆是6英吋的方形花盆
而且花盆要高8英吋
這樣才能提供足夠的空間讓根部伸展
及讓每株長出單一的大花

2008年4月24日 星期四

Square feet per plant

How much room does a plant need? In a closet situation, how many square feet does each plant need?
一株需要多大空間? 在衣櫃裡每一株需要幾平方英呎空間?##CONTINUE##

Marijuana plants can be forced to flower any time by placing them on a 12/12 light/dark regimen. They can be flowered when they are small and have six inch spacing, four per square foot, or when they are larger with one plant in a 3 foot circle. The smaller plants spend much less time in vegetative stage than the larger ones.
大麻可以用光照12小時黑暗12小時一天的方法強制開花
只要有6英吋的空間他們可以在很小的時候就開花
一平方英呎就可以種到4株
也可以等大一點到一株佔方圓3英呎再開花
不過生長期的時間就差很多了

福爾摩斯原來是個大毒蟲

2008.04.21自由時報副刊
一百一十一年前的冬天,倫敦一份名為《畢頓耶誕年刊》(Beeton’s Christmas Annual)的刊物登出一則名為《血字研究》(A Study in Scarlet)的長篇偵探推理小說,投稿的作家是一名年輕的眼科醫師,名字叫做亞瑟.柯南.道爾(Arthur Conan Doyle)。

這位年輕醫師原本在醫學界的發展相當不順利,好不容易在倫敦市區開設的眼科診所經常門可羅雀,失意之餘,這位醫師利用冷清的看診時間從事寫作,原本只想要打發時間,沒有想到寫著寫著,竟然完成了篇幅不算短的偵探小說。這本小說讓這位失意的年輕醫師頓時找尋到生命的出口,小說中的主角名為夏洛克.福爾摩斯(Sherlock Holmes),這個虛擬的角色也迅速成為全英國讀者為之瘋狂的偵探英雄,故事中個性鮮明、外型搶眼的偵探,在醫師作家精心安排的劇情下,不但具有敏銳觀察與縝密推理的能力,並且上知天文下通地理,同時具有拳擊手的矯健身手,而且懷著濟老扶弱的豪情氣概。福爾摩斯頓時成為全英國大名鼎鼎的偵探英雄,而醫師作家亞瑟.柯南.道爾也享受到由失意醫師轉身成為暢銷作家的甜美滋味。##CONTINUE##

福爾摩斯躍身為偵探英雄

享受到初步的成功滋味之後,亞瑟.柯南.道爾繼續從事寫作,三年後,他出版以福爾摩斯為主角的第二本長篇偵探小說《四簽名》(The Sign of Four),他筆下的偵探英雄繼續受到英國讀者的喜愛,也讓柯南.道爾的知名度水漲船高。隔年,柯南.道爾接受《河濱雜誌》(The Strand Magazine)的邀請,這份雜誌當時剛創刊不久,在前兩部小說成功的激勵下,年輕的柯南.道爾開始以短篇小說的形式大量連載福爾摩斯的故事。而福爾摩斯與 華生醫師的冒險故事,也在改成短篇連載的形式發表之後,受到讀者更為熱烈地喜愛,《河濱雜誌》每當輪到刊載福爾摩斯故事的時候每每銷售量倍增,而柯南.道爾的稿費也跟著水漲船高,出版社與作家雙方互蒙其利,也讓福爾摩斯的偵探冒險故事頓時成為全英國最受喜愛的青少年讀物。

成名之後,在插畫家席尼.派吉(Sidney Paget)無心插柳的合作之下,福爾摩斯被賦予鮮活的面貌,在《河濱雜誌》的連載中,福爾摩斯開始有了具體的臉孔,除了消瘦高身兆的身形、矯健敏捷的身手,福爾摩斯被刻畫成具有鷹勾鼻、頭戴獵鹿帽、身披格子外套並且菸斗與放大鏡不離身的偵探英雄。至此,福爾摩斯成為無人不知、無人不曉的偵探英雄,不但老師鼓勵學童閱讀,家長也喜愛孩子以福爾摩斯為學習榜樣,甚至在羅伯.包登─鮑爾(Robert Baden-Powell)著作的《童軍守則》(Scouting for Boys)中,福爾摩斯也成為童子軍必讀的刊物。福爾摩斯所呈現的英雄氣魄與推理技能,成為全英國青少年爭相效法的行為典範。

揭露偶像沾毒之祕

一百一十一年前,福爾摩斯讓柯南.道爾嘗到一夕爆紅的滋味,也讓全英國的讀者心醉神迷,夏洛克.福爾摩斯的冒險推理故事成為所有人琅琅上口的話題,福爾摩斯的名號成為英雄的同義詞,有關福爾摩斯的種種事蹟,也成為眾多讀者追求探索的對象,例如,談到福爾摩斯的嗜好,諸如小提琴、抽菸斗、或是化學實驗等等,都留給讀者相當深刻的印象。

很多讀者都知道福爾摩斯抽菸斗、拉小提琴、做化學試驗、閱讀報紙的嗜好,可是說到福爾摩斯另一項罕為人知的嗜好,可能會讓很多喜愛福爾摩斯的讀者為之錯愕:根據小說中福爾摩斯自己的說法以及 華生 醫師的描述,福爾摩斯閒來無事之時經常喜歡給自己來上一針毒品!是的,福爾摩斯是個偵探英雄,可是,他也是個不折不扣的毒蟲!

更精確一點地說,福爾摩斯不但是個毒蟲,他所慣用的毒品,都是今日列管為一級毒品的古柯鹼與嗎啡。而且福爾摩斯吸毒的習慣已經有段時日,他不但會熟練地為自己施打毒品,根據 華生 醫師的描述,他的手臂上還「布滿了數不清的針孔」!

在福爾摩斯多達五十六部短篇小說以及四本長篇小說的著作中,第一則提到他使用毒品習慣的,是第二本出版的長篇小說《四簽名》。在這本小說的開場, 華生 醫師就仔細描繪了福爾摩斯使用毒品的過程,這段詳盡的描述相當駭人聽聞,對於習於接受福爾摩斯英勇形象的當代讀者來說,可能會是一段偶像幻滅的閱讀經歷:

福爾摩斯從壁爐上的角落拿了一個瓶子,又從他精緻的摩洛哥木盒中取出皮下注射器,他削長蒼白的手指頭為針筒裝上針頭,接著捲起左手的袖子。他的眼神注視著他健壯的前臂與手腕,那上頭布滿了數不清的針孔。終於,他將針頭刺了下去,壓下了推管,最後滿足地臥在絨面的扶手椅上,發出一聲長長的歎息。

驚悚的情節還沒結束, 華生 醫師盡責地繼續描述他對福爾摩斯使用毒品的觀察,「幾個月來,我看著他做著同樣的這一件事,一天三次。」 華生醫師一方面敬畏福爾摩斯高超的能力與出眾的智慧,但卻又對於他使用毒品的習慣無法漠視,終於, 華生醫師按捺不住性子脫口而出:「今天又是什麼了?是嗎啡還是古柯鹼?」至此,我們知道,福爾摩斯不但會施打一級毒品,而且是混用兩種一級毒品。

在華生醫師的追問下,福爾摩斯好整以暇地回應,「是古柯鹼,百分之七的液劑。」福爾摩斯的回覆不負偵探美名,連使用毒品都得要務求精確。福爾摩斯接著也為自己辯駁,他強調施打毒品絕對不是追求快感,而是因為施打毒品對於神智有極大的刺激與清明作用,也為了在沒有案子可辦的情況下,持續刺激自己的腦袋運作。

隱晦的脆弱性格

兩年後,福爾摩斯的偵探冒險故事開始在《河濱雜誌》連載,福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣卻沒有因此消失。1892年,《河濱雜誌》將一系列連載的福爾摩斯故事集結出版,這是第一本收錄連載短篇的福爾摩斯探案故事,書名為《福爾摩斯歷險記》(Adventures of Sherlock Holmes),在這本短篇小說選集中有兩篇故事出現了福爾摩斯使用毒品的描述。在第一篇短篇連載作品〈波宮祕聞〉(A Scandal in Bohemia)中, 華生 醫師提到,「他埋首於書堆中,生活在古柯鹼的昏沉以及他天生敏銳與旺盛精力之間。」 華生 醫師對於福爾摩斯使用藥品的習慣還是滿懷焦慮:「他又在工作了,他已經從藥物所創造的夢中攢出來,開始熱衷探案。」同一本小說選集中的第六篇故事〈歪嘴男子〉(The Man with the Twisted Lip),福爾摩斯更是為了辦案的需要,進了鴉片館埋伏,並且佯裝跟著抽鴉片菸。

之後於1893年出版的第二本短篇小說選集《福爾摩斯回憶錄》(Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes),在當中的〈黃色臉孔〉(The Yellow Face)故事中, 華生 醫師再度談到福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣,此刻的 華生醫師已經將使用毒品的習慣明確等同於負面的人格特質,他描述福爾摩斯不尋常的體能與精進的拳擊技術,並且將福爾摩斯使用古柯鹼的習慣視為他唯一的缺憾:「除了偶爾使用古柯鹼之外,他倒沒有別的惡習。」

在所有的福爾摩斯探案故事中,最後一次提到福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣是出版於1905年的短篇故事選集《福爾摩斯歸來記》(The Return of Sherlock Holmes),當中的一則短篇故事〈失蹤的中後衛〉(The Missing Three-Quarter)提到福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣,此 時華生 醫師的描述似乎籠罩在毒品的陰影中,福爾摩斯對於毒品的使用似乎開始呈現他性格中前所未見的脆弱面,如華生所說:

他對於毒品的熱愛差點斷送了他的事業,過去幾年來我也慢慢使他戒絕毒品,但我知道這樣的執迷沒有完全死去,只是暫時歇息罷了,而且這個歇息很淺,只要一段無聊的日子,他就會復發。我可以看到那時福爾摩斯宛如苦行僧陰沉的面孔,他深陷不可測的眼神充滿憂慮。

華生醫師對於好友的關懷溢於言表, 從華生醫師的敘述中,我們得知儘管福爾摩斯有著過人的體能與意志力,他似乎已經在長期使用毒品的肆虐下開始出現毒品倚賴的徵兆:面孔陰沉、眼窩深陷外加時而復發的癮頭,當代讀者很容易從文字描述中感受到福爾摩斯幾乎已經達到藥物成癮的狀態。

或許是柯南.道爾感受到使用毒品的習慣已經危及他筆下角色的英雄形象,或許是匆促連載未及構思角色前後一致的塑造,或許是他急於收拾這個棘手的角色嗜好,福爾摩斯使用毒品的描述突然間銷聲匿跡。福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣在1890年出版的《四簽名》第一次曝光,在1892年出版的《福爾摩斯歷險記》出現兩次,其中一次還是辦案所需才抽了鴉片。之後到了1893年出版的《福爾摩斯回憶錄》提到一次,當時的語氣中還帶有一絲樂觀,最後到1905年《福爾摩斯歸來記》當中的〈失蹤的中後衛〉之後就再也沒有出現。從1890年 華生醫師揭發福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣,一直到1905年最後一次提及(當中還因柯南.道爾厭惡繼續寫作福爾摩斯而將之賜死,因此也中斷了十年的時間)。柯南.道爾在重新創作福爾摩斯之後,一路還寫了長篇的《恐懼之谷》(The Valley of Fear,1915),短篇小說的連載也持續不輟,並且出版了兩本短篇小說選集:《福爾摩斯退場記》(His Last Bow,1917)、《福爾摩斯檔案》(The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes,1927)。但是,很詭異的是,從1905年最後一次提到福爾摩斯使用毒品,到了1927年最後一本福爾摩斯探案的出版,這當中的二十二年間,福爾摩斯的偵探歷險故事中再也沒有出現提及使用毒品的習慣,福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣,就此神祕消失。

鮮明缺憾倏忽消失

柯南.道爾為何突然間終止福爾摩斯使用毒品的習慣?為何後來沒有交代福爾摩斯是否在 華生醫師的協助下成功戒除毒癮?在可查證的資料中,柯南.道爾並沒有對這樣的角色轉變多做說明,彷彿這樣的角色嗜好就此在空氣中蒸發。別說當時的讀者無法得知真正的原因,在打擊毒品已經成為全民共識的當代,讀者可能更難以猜測作者如此安排的動機。何以如此巨大的角色轉換沒有多做說明?何以作者沒有交代在當代讀者眼中看來如此鮮明的人格缺憾?

要了解這個問題,首先我們可能要將福爾摩斯出版的時間與當時的歷史背景作個簡單的比對,福爾摩斯是相當長壽的連載人物,從1887年第一次現身,到1927年最後一次出版,連載出版的時間長達四十年。英國社會在這段相當長的時間產生了很大的變化,而這段時間同時也是人類歷史上變化最為劇烈的年代之一:大英帝國在這段期間國力達到鼎盛,卻也在這段期間迅速消退;工業革命對於人類社會的影響也在這段期間達到最高點,鐵路運輸的普及、機械化工廠的大量運作、倫敦興建地下鐵。而最重要的,人類在醫學的進展也在這段期間有了爆炸性的成長:解剖醫學的發達、外科醫療的精進、藥物的開發與運用、公共衛生的進步、微物醫學的誕生,在在改變了人類生活與思考的樣貌。也因此,要將長達四十年的長壽出版品壓縮在同一個斷代頁面下觀看,自然很容易錯估時代背景所具有的重要意涵。

簡單的說,福爾摩斯的角色設定與故事背景在長達四十年的連載期間並沒有太大的改變,但是讀者所處的時代卻有相當劇烈的變化。出現在福爾摩斯故事中的馬車與煤氣燈,在連載初期可能還是閱讀者生活中四處可見的生活必需品,但是對於連載後期的讀者來說,卻已經是父執輩的老骨董。在連載初期曾經出現的福爾摩斯搭乘地鐵的情節,對當時的讀者來說可能是相當新奇的感受;但是對於連載晚期的讀者來說,這些故事情節與場景布置,卻可能帶有懷舊復古的鄉愁。

同樣的,單就讀者對於毒品的理解,這四十年間,隨著藥物醫學的發展,人們對於毒品與藥物的認知也產生了相當大的差異。而這段不算短的時間落差,或許就可以解釋為什麼毒品在福爾摩斯故事中呈現的意涵,或許也可以解釋何以連載初期對於毒品的描述總帶有一絲樂觀與自信,也可能說明何以在出版中期福爾摩斯毒癮突然地消失,以及為何到了出版晚期仍無法對於福爾摩斯使用毒品的行為有合理的解釋與劇情交代。

風靡一時的古柯鹼

由這個角度來看,我們或許先要了解一下,當代醫療行為與社會規範中的毒品,在柯南.道爾創作初期的年代,或許對許多人來說並沒有被冠上今日大家避之唯恐不及的意涵;我們或許要先釐清,當代定義下的毒品,在福爾摩斯連載初期,或許並不被認為是毒品。這些藥品之所以被認定有「毒」,或許是這段時間之內產生的認知落差。

首先,我們先討論施打毒品的器材,皮下注射器(hypodermic syringes)。今日在醫療行為中四處可見的皮下注射,也就是俗稱的打針,約莫是1850年代發明的產物,但是西方社會一直到了1870年代才開始普遍在醫療診治過程中使用,當時的皮下注射器不若當代工業化大量生產的橡膠製品廉價,當時的皮下注射器是昂貴進步的醫療設備,就連平時擺置注射器的盒子也都常都會使用做工精緻的木工盒子。對於誕生於1887年的福爾摩斯來說,皮下注射器依舊是個時髦的玩意,這個精緻的醫療器材,代表的是使用者的財富與品味,也代表了走在現代化先端的知識與力量。

另外,福爾摩斯慣用的藥──古柯鹼──在當時也是時髦而先進的藥品。而且,重要的是,當時的醫界人士並未普遍將之視為「毒」品,反而有 許多醫師與藥師著迷於古柯鹼的強大藥效,並視為醫治百病、提神補氣的萬靈丹。古柯鹼一直到了1860年代才由德國的化學家從葉子中萃取精煉而成,在1870年代,古柯鹼甚至被部分醫師熱烈推薦使用,認為具有提升身體力量與耐力的功效。精神分析大師佛洛伊德(Sigmund Freud)當時還是名不見經傳的小醫師,但是他也在1884年發表了一篇古柯鹼有助於治療憂鬱與消化不良的學術論文。古柯鹼在此時被認為有醫療精神方面疾病、治療花粉熱、以及消解癌症病痛的強大功效。一直到了1890年代,西方醫界始終把古柯鹼當為藥物使用。

儘管當時醫界對於古柯鹼的藥用功效一直有所存疑,但是醫界的辯證似乎沒有影響到廣大民眾的認知。當時的英國民眾不但可以在藥房購買到含有古柯鹼的液劑,甚至有大藥廠將稀釋的古柯鹼液劑加上酒精以及咖啡因的成分,提煉製成提神飲料販售。當時以此形象暢銷一時的提神飲料馬力安妮酒(Vin Mariani)就是稀釋調味的古柯鹼液劑。想像一下現在電視上播放的提神飲料廣告,把廣告裡的飲料抽換成馬力安妮酒,加上適合闔家飲用、老人小孩都愛用的品質保證,就跟當時古柯鹼飲品盛極一時的風光相差無幾了。

絕口不提的無解「毒」謎

在英國,將古柯鹼稀釋與調味液劑做為娛樂或提神飲料使用的情況一直延續到192O年代,一直到了政府頒布〈危險藥品法案〉(the Dangerous Drugs Act)之後才逐漸消失。而閱讀福爾摩斯的讀者,也約莫到了這個時候才很明確得知,原來福爾摩斯早期施打的藥品,原來是對人體有害的「毒」品。而柯南.道爾最後一次在故事中提及福爾摩斯的藥癮,已經是1905年的陳年往事了。

可是,如何解釋 華生 醫師質疑福爾摩斯同時施打兩種毒品呢?當 華生 醫師不耐煩地質問福爾摩斯,「今天又是什麼了?是嗎啡還是古柯鹼?」以柯南.道爾本身的醫療背景以及 華生 醫師的角色設定,這一句台詞又代表了什麼意涵呢?我們很有理由認為,以醫師作家本身具有的醫療專業知識,這樣的台詞安排或許並非簡單的巧合。

根據醫療史的記載,嗎啡的發現比古柯鹼略晚。儘管臨床實驗都證明這種藥物可能產生藥物倚賴的副作用,但是在19世紀末期民眾的認知中,同時施用這兩種藥物,卻可以中和兩種藥物的效用,使得施打者得以享受藥物帶來的樂趣,卻不致受到藥物倚賴的拖累。

另外就藥物使用的時機來看,嗎啡在臨床使用中比起古柯鹼多帶有幾分陰性的負面氣質。在當時民眾的聯想中,嗎啡經常被用來治療梅毒,也經常出現在治療諸如月經困難以及陰道痙攣等婦女疾病的處方中。無論是治療性病或是婦女病,嗎啡在當時的文化想像中與女性身體有相當緊密的連結與想像空間,相對於古柯鹼於民眾心中具有提神補氣的認知功效,自然具有一陰一陽、一副一正的文化想像空間。對於能夠肩負代表維多利亞時期男子氣概的福爾摩斯來說,自是無法接受過於陰柔的女性聯想。

根據福爾摩斯迷的推斷,小說中的福爾摩斯誕生於1854年的 1月6日,這是作者設定的角色生日。但是以作品產生的時代背景來說,福爾摩斯誕生的年代應該是1887年,也就是距今一百一十一年前的冬季。這個年代對於探討福爾摩斯作品中的文化意涵,或許更有實際的意義。而對於當代的讀者來說,比對不同時空背景下對於醫藥的認知感受,或許也可以解釋,在不同的年代、不同的科學背景下,閱讀福爾摩斯所產生的樂趣或許也大為迥異。

亞瑟.柯南.道爾因為創作福爾摩斯而名利雙收,也因此成為英國社會備受敬重的公眾人物。他在最後一次出版福爾摩斯的三年後因心臟引發的疾病過世,結束他精采而不凡的一生,享年七十一歲。在他生前,他從來沒有揭開福爾摩斯使用毒品而後斷然絕口不提的真正原因,或許,柯南.道爾也無須親自解開這個謎:或許,這個問題就是柯南.道爾刻意留下的謎題,留待他身後不同世代的福爾摩斯迷來嘗試破解。

香煙與大麻--邁向藥解放

最近香煙與大麻在美國的法律定位上彼此越來越相像了。

美國總統柯林頓上周提議要更嚴厲的管制香煙的購買,也就是實質上把香煙當作藥品來對待。其實,今天在美國有些地區,抽煙已經算是犯罪行為,如果有人在某些公共場所抽煙,甚至會被投入監牢拘留。##CONTINUE##

另方面,爭取大麻合法化的趨勢則漸入佳境。在美國有些地區,愛滋病人與癌症病人可以公開領取大麻,也有些健康的人去這些地方購買大麻,等於變相的合法化。兩週前在舊金山,由於警察取締,引起了規模不小的遊行抗議,並得到教會等主流道德人士的聲援,亦有神父親自發放大麻以表示不服取締。

當然,大麻合法化的關鍵是在於許多美國人── 上至白宮官員,下至升斗小民── 都有使用大麻的經驗。美國的藥品管制當局(DEA )曾統計,在一九九○ 年,有七千五百萬年齡十二歲以上的美國人使用過大麻,這些人口的親身經歷是對各種抹黑大麻的成見之最佳反駁。

由此可以想像,在未來,香煙有可能被當成像大麻一樣的「毒品」,而大麻則可能像過去的香煙一樣,被當作一種個人的嗜好或休閒。

當然,香煙和大麻也有很不一樣的地方。那就是,香煙有害人體健康,而比起香煙與酒,大麻幾乎是全然無害的。

就像一位美國藥品管制官員所說,「每年都有人死於菸酒,但卻沒有人死於吸食大麻」。大麻沒有危險的副作用,不會損害肝、腎、大腦或染色體(胎兒),即使長期大量使用也不會對身體造成永久性的損害。研究大麻的科學家們發現,大麻最多會造成短暫的口乾眼澀,此外也可能在使用當時造成短暫的記憶欠佳,但是卻不像酒那樣會造成長期的記憶力衰退,也不會像酒那樣造成宿醉。總之大麻不會損害人的神經或認知功能。

不過,一般反對大麻的理由,並不是因為大麻的生理作用,而是其心理效果。由於大麻會帶來快意或愉悅,但卻又沒有身體的不適(不像酒後會造成嘔吐之類的不適),而且大麻不會因為長期使用而藥效遞減,因此有人懷疑大麻是否容易變成人民的「鴉片煙」。

可是,科學家的研究顯示,大麻不是有癮性的,而且使用大麻的人並不會意志消沈或不求進取。研究顯示,即使大量使用大麻也不會稍減人們賺錢工作的動機。基本上,使用大麻者的心理或成就動機和一般人無異。此外,從某個角度來說,電視、檳榔、性、搖滾樂、購物、菸酒、電腦網路、垃圾食物… 都可能是當代的「鴉片煙」,但是一個尊重個人自由的多元社會不應當干涉人民在生活方式上的選擇,此理甚明。

更為人忽略的是,大麻不但無害身心,不會上癮,還有極大的醫療價值。例如,大麻對氣喘、青光眼、癲癇症、風濕、食慾不振等有療效,而且是對付因為化學療法所引起的噁心的最佳藥物,因此今天許多接受化學療法的癌症或愛滋病人都在使用大麻。(當然也有少數人因為特殊的身體狀況而對大麻有藥物過敏的情形。)

大麻原產於中國大陸,自古就是很有用的作物,可用於造紙、製繩(麻繩)、衣服(麻布)、纖維、帆布、建材、燃油、(無毒的)油漆、(極具營養的)食物油等等。直到上個世紀末,大麻都還是美國的最大經濟作物,有一度,英國農夫如果不願種植大麻,還會被處予罰鍰。如今禁止種植大麻,同時也損失了可觀的經濟利益。很多人認為,如果開放大麻,在造紙方面就不會砍掉那麼多森林,尚可以扭轉溫室效應。美國的農業部曾注意到,一畝的大麻可以造出和四畝的二十年大樹同等質與量的紙,而且大麻造紙無須氯漂白,不造成戴奧辛污染。此外,因為大麻可以用作燃料,節省對石油煤炭類能源的需求,也就是減少污染。事實上科學家指出,如果美國百分之六的土地用於種植大麻,美國將可以達到能源的自給自足。

大麻這個被公認為最安全的藥物,在本世紀普遍被禁,有其很複雜的多重政治原因,但是如果有朝一日大麻得以解禁,它帶來的將是讓人們開始擺脫對所謂「毒品」的慣性思考,因而面對「藥解放」的可能性。

所謂「藥解放」就是個人對影響身心的藥物享有不受歧視迫害、而且自主的選擇使用權,它是身體自主權的延伸,同時也是對製藥工業的生產控制權。[註]大麻的合法化則將是藥解放的前驅。
[註]「藥解放」也應同時是個社會主義的運動,亦即,人民或消費者對藥的生產(而非僅僅是消費、流通等)有控制權--生產什麼、為誰生產、滿足什麼需要、生產多少等等。而這種將製藥工業的資本逐漸公有化的過程,也是充分實現「自主選擇」的過程,在這些鬥爭過程中,很多辯論會促進有關藥的化學、歷史和社會影響的認識,因用藥而形成的階層以及藥的迷思抹黑可以被打破。

2008年4月22日 星期二

The Cannabis Grow Bible

PREFACE

This book has been written under adverse conditions. In most countries it is illegal to own seeds, grow cannabis or use cannabis. Maybe it will change for you one day if you make the effort to have your voice heard. Until that day comes it is recommended that you consult your local authorities to see what is your countries legal status with regards to growing cannabis. This book does not want you to break the law nor is it here for that purpose. This book is about cannabis and how it is grown around the world. Even though the contents of this book may show you how to acquire seeds and grow very potent plants, you are responsible for your own actions. We would like to see you grow cannabis however we would not like to see you break the law.

I would also like to say that many countries have permitted medical users to grow cannabis in their home. If they have in your country then this book will be of massive benefit to you and your health.

The Cannabis Grow Bible is part of a foundation series and is a developing project. We listen to and talk with 100's of growers every single year. It is with their advice that we can offer you the latest updates on growing techniques and strains.

The Cannabis Grow Bible is an information system. We hope that you stick with us and learn more about how to grow BIGGER BUD!
##CONTINUE##
CONTENTS

PREFACE

FOREWORD

Chapter 1: THE CANNABIS PLANT
A BRIEF HISTORY OF CANNABIS AND THE BASICS OF USING CANNABIS.
HOW CANNABIS IS USED
SPECIES
THC
ZERO ZERO
RESIN
THE HIGH
Chapter 2: SEEDS
SEEDS
HOW TO GET SEEDS
CHOOSING A SEED-BANK
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN CHOOSING SEEDS
GROWING FACTORS
THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE MARIJUANA PLANT
FLOWERING NON-POLLINATED FEMALES (SINSEMILLA CROP)
CYCLE TIMES
Chapter 3: PROPAGATION
WAYS TO GERMINATE YOUR SEEDS
DANGERS WHEN PROPAGATING SEEDS
TRANSPLANTING
GERMINATION SOIL
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR GROWING
GENERAL INDOOR GROWING
GENERAL OUTDOOR GROWING AND GUERRILLA FARMING
GARDENING TOOLS
MALE POTENCY
SCUFFING SEEDS
Chapter 4: SECURITY
SECURITY
INDOOR SECURITY
OUTDOOR SECURITY
GUERRILLA GROWING SECURITY
Chapter 5: THE INDOOR GROWING OF CANNABIS
LIGHTS
LIGHT BANDS
POOR LIGHTING SYSTEMS
AVERAGE LIGHTING SYSTEMS
BEST LIGHTING SYSTEMS
HORTICULTURAL LIGHTS -HID
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A LIGHT
WATTAGE AND LUMENS
LUMENS AND MARIJUANA GROWING
LIGHTING FACTORS AND HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR LIGHT
SOIL
pH
NUTRIENTS
SOME COMMON SOIL TYPES
POTS
CONTINUING YOUR INDOOR SOIL GROW
INDOOR VEGETATIVE GROWTH
WATERING
ADJUSTING YOUR LIGHTS
Chapter 6: THE BASICS OF INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
SOIL CONTROL
ph CONTROL
SOIL FLUSHING
NUTRIENT CONTROL
FEEDING
AIR
HUMIDITY
TEMPERATURE
FANS
Chapter 7: PRE-FLOWERING AND FLOWERING
THE END OF VEGETATIVE GROWTH
PRE-FLOWERING
EARLY SEXING METHODS
WHEN TO FLOWER
THE ALL IMPORTANT 12/12
PROBLEMS WITH 12/12
HOW TO SEX YOUR PLANTS
HERMAPHRODITES
FLOWERING
Chapter 8: ADVANCED INDOOR SOIL BASED GROW METHODS
SOG
ScrOG
CABINET GROWING
ADVANCED SET-UPS
PERPETUAL GROW CYCLE
Chapter 9: BASIC HYDROPONICS
THE GROWER AND THE GROWING MEDIUM
HYDROPONICS SET-UPS
HYDROPONICS NUTRIENTS
HYDROPONICS GROWING MEDIUMS
CANNABIS AND HYDROPONICS
THE BUBBLER
Chapter 10: OUTDOOR GROWING
THE GROWER AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
CARING FOR OUTDOOR PLANTS
Chapter 11: THE BASICS OF PLANT CARE
THINNING
LIGHT BENDING
PRUNING
BUSHES
TRAINING
INCREASING YIELD
Chapter 12: PREDATORS AND PESTS
INDEX OF PESTS
CLEANING THE GROW ROOM
Chapter 13: PROBLEM SOLVER
PLANT PROBLEMS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM
POT-BOUND AND ROOT-BOUND
LOCKOUT
BAD GENETICS
Chapter 14: HARVESTING AND CURING YOUR BUD
INDICA HARVEST
SATIVA HARVEST
FAN LEAVES, LEAVES AND TRIM
CURING
Chapter 15: BREEDING
MAKING SEEDS
POLLEN
SIMPLE BREEDING
HOW TO CONTINUE A STRAIN THROUGH SEED
HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE HYBRID
AN INTRODUCTION INTO BASIC GENETICS
GENE PAIRS
DOMINANT AND RECESSIVE
MODIFYING GENES
PARTIAL DOMINANCE
HARDY-WEINBERG EQUILIBRIUM
THE TEST CROSS
HARDY-WEINBERG EQUILIBRIUM PART 2
HOW TO TRUE BREED A STRAIN
CUBING AND BACKCROSSING
SELFING
Chapter 16: STRAIN INDEX

Chapter 17: HOW TO MAKE HASH
HOW TO GATHER THE STALKED CAPITATE TRICHOMES
SKUFF
BASICS OF SCREENING
PROPER SCREENING METHODS
HOW TO PRESS SKUFF INTO HASH GLOSSARY OF TERMS INDEX
FOREWORD

The book is a grow bible. There is still much work that needs to be done to provide something that is truly of bible size, but that will come in time. The reason why I know this is because cannabis suppression has suspended cannabis information gathering over the past 60 years. I can safely say that you can find books on Roses that are 10 times thicker than this book with heaps more information. Roses are not illegal in most countries, so scientists are free to explore the Rose. Sadly the same can not be said for cannabis... until now.

The Cannabis Grow Bible (CGB for short) is new. New, in that the book is one of a kind. Those who are willing to take serious risks in getting you this information have discovered most of what you will read and learn here. It is fine and easy for me to compile the book and write it. I am not at risk by printing this book, but those who grew out hundreds of plants in their basement to provide me with raw data on this subject matter are at risk. It is with their help that they have been able to help me parse what is real and what is not in the world of growing cannabis. They have helped take facts and figures and use these to put together a book that would truly help someone grow bigger buds. The results have been outstanding and I am very thankful for what they have done.

In this book you will learn a number of things. Probably too many to remember all in one go if this is your first time growing. That is why I have broken the book into easy step by step portions. The book runs from start to finish just like a growing plant would. So you can imagine the life cycle of the cannabis plant being the foundation for the style and layout of this book. This is what makes the book work. It is part essay / part science. Too many books do not cover the science very well and others do not cover the practical side very well. Here you will meet both worlds as one.

There are some simple things you need to grow a cannabis plant and this book will explain all those things to you, but there are other things you need to know to grow a super cannabis plant and this is where the book helps too, but it does not cross the two elements over which can sometimes confuse the reader. The book will clearly define what you can or can not do, but most of the time this has nothing to do with your growing experience. It has more to do with how much money you are willing to spend, what cannabis strains you have, and where you are growing.

A grower is not limited by their growing experience. A grower is limited by law, space, money, information and good genetics. We can not help you with money, space and the law, but we can help you with growing information and we can tell you where to obtain good genetics.

Don't ever let bad results hamper your new hobby. That is part of the process of learning. However, this book will point out some mistakes that people have made so you don't have to repeat them and learn the hard way.

Glance over this book and flick through the chapters. Get an air of what is going on. Then read it all from start to finish. By the time you turn the last page you will probably have a bit of your own home grown bud in a pipe. If you can do that then tell people about this book. It is our goal to get everyone participating in growing the great herb.

This is not the final book on the subject either. This book has been designed in such a way that the book will grow on a yearly basis. We will be adding new chapters, new pictures, new methods and new theories every year. That is why the cannabis grow bible has become the growers handbook of choice.

We hope that you stick with us and we hope that this book will help you to get where you want to go. Happy growing and most of all remember to...

...HAVE FUN!
Greg Green.

The Cannabis Grow Bible
By Greg Green
"Since it's inception marijuana is natural, given by God for all living creatures to use. Let peace and sanity prevail. Let the herb grow free. There is no finer hobby on this planet than tending to a garden that gives such delightful rewards." - Greg Green.

All you need is a closet.

All you Need is a Closet.
網路文章,出處、作者不詳(Author unknown)
To start you need a small space - a closet roughly 60x150x200 cm (that's 2x5x6 ft. for the archaic). Cover the walls, floors, ceiling and doors with aluminized mylar (if you can find it) or aluminum foil, shiny side out. This saves light for the plants, ideally, the only light absorber in the room is plant. (Mirror tiles are an option for the really rich). Actually, flat white paint works almost as well as these high-tech methods. Use something cheap: put your money into things like lights that are really important.
##CONTINUE##
The next step is to put lights in the room. Fluorescents are the cheapest and most readily available. Not to mention the coolest. This is the real advantage of fluorescents for the closet grower. For the professional, expensive metal halide and high-pressure sodium lights give more light for less electricity. But these lights are overkill, and too damn hot, for the amateur closet grower.

Water the plants twice a day during this time [vegetative growth]. About 12 hours apart is best but a few hours either way is ok. Feed the plants once a week with a 15-10-10 plant food or a standard "Miracle-gro" product from any local discount store. Again, to do better, get a book. You probably don't need to water quite this often, and you can probably get away with feeding more often than once a week. I water once a day or once every other day, feeding with every or every other watering. The key is to use a high-nitrogen plant food during vegetative growth, and a low-nitrogen plant food during flowering.

when the plants are about 60 cm (2 ft) high you can go into the flowering stage. To do this set a timer for 12 hours of light and 12 of dark. If you've left the door open for ventilation, close it during the dark period. The darker the plants are the better. After a few weeks the plants will begin to differentiate. The males produce "balls" with pollen and the females produce feelers at nodal points (stems and branches). The plants will stop lengthening almost entirely shortly after you shorten the light cycle (within a week or two), so my advice is not to cut the lights until the plants are just about as tall as you want them to get.

It's hard for the beginner to tell male and female pre-flowers apart at first. The "feelers" discussed above look like two tiny white hairs. Note that things should be dark through the entire dark cycle. Turning on the lights even for a moment can prove to be too much of an interruption. (I don't know this from personal experience, but I've seen in repeated in enough books/articles on the subject to consider it good advice). For the best sinsemilla you want to cut out the males before they release pollen. If you want more seeds this is not necessary. Most of the time, marijuana separates into male plants and female plants. Sometimes, though, you end up with hermaphrodites.

Most growers seem to have an antagonistic relationship with hermaphrodites, but not me. I think they're wonderful. Here's why. When I have a hermaphrodite female, and it pollenates itself, all of the seeds from that pollenation are guaranteed to be female. A batch of female seeds is the best thing you can ask for as a grower. The entire cycle takes about 4 months. Usually 4 to 6 weeks in vegetative stage, 2 weeks to differentiate and another 8 weeks to flower.

Harvest when the large sun leaves begin to yellow and drop off. Vegetative growth will be longer if you grow your plants larger than two feet tall. The large sun leaves may start to yellow and drop off even before you start to flower the plant, so this isn't the best indication. When the hairs on the female plants are mostly dried up (with wet white or red hairs distinctly in the minority) it's about time to harvest. You don't want to harvest too early, or you'll miss out on the most flower growth and most THC production. But enough of this... Go buy a book. "Marijuana Growers Insiders Guide" is very good, and available from many mail- order outlets (see High Times) and even bookstores.

2008年4月21日 星期一

反毒戰爭大哉問

原文轉自(From):黃孫權【破報137號】

第一問:為何有「非法藥品」?

兩個全球禁毒的政策隨著「和平」的夢想施展,是今日各國高舉反毒的重要原因。一是在1967年5月8日,73個國家在聯合國的世界衛生組織大會將大麻視為非法的危險藥物,而各國將允諾盡力配合聯合國的掃毒政策;其二是1988年6月26日,據聯合國麻醉品委員會統計:全球吸毒人口約有5,000萬人,毒品走私每年超過5,000億美元,是故該組織在紐約隆重舉行「國際反毒紀念日」並宣佈1991~2000年為「聯合國禁毒年」。
##CONTINUE##
然而,各國因著國情而有不同的反毒說法,但總體而言,反毒的方法論卻大同小異。簡言之,利用污名化過程。然後在此過程中,訴諸的不是人民身體自主權,而是認為吸食毒品者對其他國民具有傷害或危險性威脅,同時認為這會導致國家經濟衰退,生產力減低等等理由。將全民的正確知識引導成「保衛自己身體財產權」的方向,使得在輿論上或的正當性。

以美國為例,美國第一條反毒條例出現在1875年的三藩市。條例中公告,在鴉片館吸菸為非法。這條法令通過的原因是因為政府害中國男子引誘白人女子到鴉片館,進而使之墮落。當此條款通過之後,接二連三的出現了類似的法律,如聯邦法禁止與任何有中國血統的商人從事鴉片買賣,禁止進口吸食用之鴉片等等。但這些法律並不禁止鴉片以鴉片町,或任何藥劑的形式入口。簡而言之,這些法律只針對中國人。立法者一般認為吸食鴉片為中國特有風俗,因鴉片而敗壞、墮落,也只發生在中國人身上。

古柯鹼被視為非法的原因,在於當時社會迷信及食大量古柯鹼之後的黑人男子,會做出強暴白人女子之類的性犯罪舉動。1900年代初期,報紙上甚至出現了「黑人古柯鹼狂魔」(Negro Cocaine Fiends)或「古柯鹼化的黑人」(Cocainized Niggers)等詞彙來描述白人因心中害怕所幻想、勾勒出的這一型黑人。事實上,吸食古柯鹼之後的黑人與犯罪動機之間的必然關係一直未被證實。少數犯罪者在當時是惟一死罪。聯邦政府所具有的資料中顯示,在1905年代存在105個將黑人處私刑的相關案例。在此同時,美國國內警察將其配帶的手槍由點32口徑換成點38口徑,因為一般相信,只有大槍才能制伏黑人古柯鹼狂魔。

哈里森條款(The Harrison Act)雖然將數種藥品定為違藥,但基本上是一種執照法。條款中規定,販售古柯鹼、鴉片劑,或含鴉片成分之各項麻醉劑之前,須先獲得執照。條款中甚至規定,沒有任何法律可以禁止醫生以處方劑形成使用這些藥品。因此,哈理森條款並不視為禁止藥品條款。事實上,即使是1937年撰寫哈里森條款及大麻稅捐條例 (Marijuana Tax Act)的組成分子亦同意,禁止個人使用某種藥物是一種違反憲法維護個人自由基本立意的舉動。這些過程與爭議與禁止酒類的歷史一樣錯綜複雜。同為酒類,憲法上並沒有足夠的權力說明為何一種酒類非法,而另一種卻合法。

1937年,大麻在美國成為非法藥品,原因有二:其一,美國政府欲藉此為手段對在經濟大恐時期不計其數越過邊境尋找工作的墨西哥人施壓;其二,社會上迷信,大麻對於墮落的種族具有鼓動暴力行為的影響。在當時,美國醫藥學會(American Medical Association,簡稱AMM)反對這項立法,但立法依然通過,之後也不曾撤銷或修改。同一時期,美國的報界、媒體在全國各界散在藥物使得少數有色人種墮落、敗壞,並因其影響而侵犯白人女性及無辜白人男性的可怖故事。事後的調查研究顯示,這些故事對立法的正當性並無補強作用。而至今日為止,學術界仍想不出任何證據說明這些藥品法律對公眾安全及健康有必然、正向的功勞。

台灣的反毒歷史缺乏較深刻的分析,我們很難從政策的分析上看出國家反毒的道德與策略,但污名化的過程同樣明顯,因為毒品是不好的,所以人們就不用追究了,總之國家會保護你們。在台灣,只有兩條法律規定毒品,一條是蕭清煙毒條例,一條是麻醉藥品管理條例,有許多先進的毒品,其實是無法可管的。

第二問:台灣目前有多少人使用藥品?其他國家呢?

據法務部的統計資料顯示,台灣自民國87年五月至88年五月的統計,因為煙毒被起訴者共有49,000人。以一般估計吸毒人口與入罪比例而言,吸毒與販毒者全國約有25萬人以上。其中有45%是累犯,換句話書,每年以13萬人的新吸毒人口在台灣成長。

相對於這種刑法上的統計數字,我們可以看看其他國家的統計方法,美國聯邦政府主導的家庭藥物濫用調查報告(Household Survey on Drug Abuse)為最常引用的調查報告。這份每年一次的調查報告中顯示,最近一年有3,000至4,000萬人使用非法藥品,單個月中有1,270萬人用過非法藥品,於其中,1,000萬為偶爾使用者,其餘270萬為藥物依賴者。

但這些數據背後仍存在一些問題,因為此調查書的作業方式為調查人員以隨機電話抽樣的方式進行,這種調查方法所可能產生的問題如:侷限於有電話的用藥者,而且限於接電話的用藥者,並且假設每位受訪者皆誠實作答。作業人員打電話給受調查住戶時通常只問:家中是否有人用藥?在這個用藥罰金越來越高、用藥隱私越來越不保的時代,期待受訪者以完全誠實的態度回答問暊似乎十分不合邏輯。尤其是那些才用完藥不久、心虛的人,及知道使用非法藥物後果嚴重性的人們,更不可能誠實作答。因此這份報告顯示的並非用藥群眾數目,而是笨得誠實回答問題的群眾數目。

其餘一些調查報告所顯示的數字往往二倍於聯邦政府主導的這份報告。種種統計數字上的不相稱只顯示了一個問題:因為藥物是不合法的,所有有關藥物的正確消息便難以獲得。

在荷蘭這個毒品政策聰明地幾乎不可理解的國家,在將近1,500萬人口裡,嚴重的毒癮者大約是15,000人到20,000之間。其次,大約有6,200人集中在阿姆斯特丹,而大約30%的毒癮者,集中在鹿特丹、海牙與烏特勒克(Utrecht),幾個大城市裡。而其他的,則是散佈在其他60個城鎮裡。不過,在阿姆斯特丹市裡,關於毒癮的問題,是和其他都市不太一樣的。例如,這些海洛英的毒癮者裡,大約有1,500人,是來自於蘇利南(Suriname,南美圭亞那的一個共和國,本來是荷蘭的殖民地),或是北非的摩洛哥。而大約2,500人,是來自歐陸的其他國家,主要是德國和義大利。

你有發現有何不對嗎?沒錯,你一定沒發現。在荷蘭這個毒品的天堂裡,所謂的「吸毒犯」遠低於向毒品宣戰的台灣。

第三問:有多少真正慘死在藥物之下?

對不起,台灣似乎沒有明確的資料,若以美國為例,以下數據來源於NIDA專題調查論文(NDIA Research monographs)在典型中的一年中:

菸草:大約39萬人。酒精:大約8萬人。二手菸:大約5萬人。古柯鹼:大約2,200人。海洛因:大約2,000人。阿斯匹靈:大約2,000人。大麻:。在美國歷史上亦找不出因大麻過量使用(OD(Over Does))直接致死的例子。其餘非法藥物:一年約四千五百餘起,總數約在酒精及吸菸致死總數量10%上下。

以上數據顯示,每年吸菸致死人數高於過去一世紀中,所有非法藥物致死人口數總和。

第四問:何種非法藥物造成最大醫藥負擔?

菸草及酒精無疑為最大醫藥負擔之首。一些權威學者估計美國境內醫藥費用中至少有40%使用於酒精及相關事物上。

第五問:何種樂物最容易上癮?

這個問題的答案因藥品及使用者不同有差異。美國國家藥物濫用學會(National Institute on Drug Abuse)的傑克.海寧菲爾德博士(Dr. Jack E. Henningfield) 及三藩市的尼爾,班諾維茲(Dr. Neal J. Benouitz)就藥物上癮定義以心理活動的情況概分為五類:
  • 退化性(Withdrawal):停止使用藥物後產生退縮癥狀的嚴重程度。
  • 強迫性(Reinforcement):藥物使用者產生一再用藥的慾望強烈與。
  • 耐藥力(Tolerance):為產生相同藥效,用藥者須每次增加用量多寡。
  • 依賴度(Dependence):戒除此藥之難易度及因用此藥上癮人數多寡。
  • 迷幻度(Intoxication):某藥物在典型用量時所產生的迷幻程度強烈與否。
下表依五類程度弱評斷每種藥物,程度分為六級。第一級為最具易上癮性毒品,上癮性隨級數增加而遞減,兩表相較之下可發現結果大同小異。
班諾維茲評估表
藥品 退化性 強迫性 耐藥力 依賴度 迷幻度
尼古丁 3 4 4 1 6
海洛因 2 2 2 2 2
古柯鹼 3 1 1 3 3
酒精 1 3 4 4 1
咖啡因 4 5 3 5 5
大麻 5 6 5 6 4

海明威爾德評估表
藥品 退化性 強迫性 耐藥力 依賴度 迷幻度
尼古丁 3 4 2 1 5
海洛因 2 2 1 2 2
古柯鹼 4 1 4 3 3
酒精 1 3 3 4 1
咖啡因 5 6 5 5 6
大麻 6 5 6 6 4

第六問:非法藥品是否易引起暴力犯罪?

大多數研究此問題的權威學者們一致認為,絕大多數與藥物有關的犯罪肇因於藥物的禁止或管制,而非藥物本身。它與酒精解禁前後的情況類似,酒精解禁前暴力犯罪及其組織有增加趨勢,在酒精解禁的同一年,暴力犯罪率下降了65%。

每年美國有25,000位殺人犯。在紐約市針對殺人犯吸食快克(crack)後作行為研究之結果發現,414人中有3人(低於1%)因藥物影響出現殺人慾望,且3人中有2人並不具主動攻擊性,也就是說,當有人侵犯這位陶醉在快克中的殺人犯時,才可能遭其反制致死。

另外,傑夫瑞洛斯在其書「影響心理藥物及犯罪」(Psychoactive Substances and Violence)中提供的三點看法,可作為回答此問題之參考。

在所有藥物中,只有酒精一類的使用量與攻擊性之間的正比關係獲得證實。在大量使用安非他命、古柯鹼、LSD或PCP後,某些用藥者可能經歷暴力式的發洩過程,但這與用藥前的心理不正常狀態可能有關。快克因藥效直入腦部,醫藥上的反應尚待進一步研究。

酒精與暴力間的關係並非純粹的藥物影響行為,而是透過某些預期,如某些場合下大量喝酒使產生暴力舉動,或青少年狂歡飲宴之後滋事打架等行為模式產生。

非法藥品與暴力之間的關係多存在於市場及買賣糾紛上。如:敵對零售商之間的爭議,買賣雙方的爭吵,搶劫,為提高毒品價錢之不法手段,及非法藥品市場與其周圍社區、團體之社會及經濟上的互動等等。

第七問:以現行方式,這場反毒大戰有無獲勝希望?

如果以下幾點得以實現,戰爭的勝利便指日可待:

能夠制止所有國家製造毒品,在1992年12月28日,ABC電視新聞網記者彼得.傑寧斯(Peter Jennins)對美國在玻利維亞的反毒作戰作了一個名為「古柯鹼戰後,玻利維受挫記」(The Cocaine War, Lost in Bolivia)的特別報導。之前,布希內閣曾表示這是一場在南美洲最有希望凱旋而歸的戰役。但記者在電視上斬釘截鐵地陳述,這場戰役已徹底失敗。根據聯邦政府的估計,美國境內非法藥品作物中有1%來自世界其他地區。在最好的情況下,美國與其他國家政府合作,才斷定這1%的來源,卻讓其他99%在美國市場上有更大、更自由的流動空間。即使美國真的使南美洲停止種植非法作物,大多數的南美國家將因此面臨嚴重的經濟崩潰。因此禁止其他國家生產非法藥品作物根本不可能。

完全阻止邊境交易。以目前已有各項統計數字及1990年為美國聯合會計部門(The General Accounting Office)所主導的一項調查整體來看,禁止邊境貿易是一個昂貴的錯誤,不但浪費錢,而且即使投入再多的金錢,也不能使情況更好。

1988年美國紐約聯邦檢查官史特林.強森(Stirling Johnson)估計,即使目前非法作物生產總量不增加,美國至少必須增加警方人手至1,400%才能在目前的毒品市場引起衝擊。目前聯邦政府握有的各項資料都顯示,阻止他國種植非法藥品作物、杜絕邊境走私,甚至減少透過邊境流入美國市場的非法藥品數量皆不可能。。

美國能停止非法藥品交易。美國境內有多少非法藥品零售商?答案為所有的用藥者皆是。根據美國法律,不論獲得利潤與否,只要將非法藥品傳到一下個用藥者手中,便是非法藥品交易。因此,只要你在演唱會上將一支大麻菸傳到下一個人手中,你就是毒品零售商。依以嚴格定義,總數約1,300萬到4,000萬之間。

若只以獲得利潤及有長期販賣非法藥品經驗等特點來估計,總數也在1,000萬以上。這個數量對美國目前已人滿為患的監獄而言,幾乎不可能承擔。聯邦政府已因監獄爆滿下令24個州釋放犯人。

在非法藥品零售商不增加的假設下,若強行逮捕這些零售商,監獄中每個單位至少須增加5個床位。

1992年9月,洛杉磯郡郡長雪爾門.布拉克(Sherman Block)宣佈釋放4,000多名犯人,原因就在於監獄中沒有空間收留犯人,也沒有餘錢再建新獄。以目前情況而言,只要有一人入獄,即有一人被釋放。雖然目前毒品的政策已盡其可能的嚴格,但未必解決任何問題,反而,雷厲風行的嚴刑峻法損失了一大筆錢,甚至比放任非法藥品自生自滅花費更多。

第九問:逮捕一位毒販,併入獄,需多少錢?

依美國的統計,大約估計45萬美元,使用方式如下:逮捕到起訴、定罪,15萬美元,每位犯人額外的床位因轄區不同須花費5萬至15萬美元;犯人所住寢室每年花費3萬元,判刑5年以下每年增加15萬美元。同樣,45萬美元可使200位國民獲得治療式接受教育。除此之外,一人入獄相關福利消極性花費消耗15美元,但若用於治療及教育上則可積極性地節省5美元。

第十問:目前毒品政府為黑人社區帶來的影響為何?

目前全美4分之1的黑人青少年不是在獄中,就是在假釋中。這些青少年大多數以非暴力性與毒品有關罪名逮捕,從早期的雷根政權、到布希,甚至快要下台一鞠躬的柯林頓的「零度容忍」的反毒政策等,都是主要原因。

在華盛頓特區,所謂布希的行政模範市中,有一半以上的黑人在獄中或假釋中,90%以上的黑人有被捕紀錄。在其他地區如巴爾的摩、紐約、新紐澤西、佛羅里達等情形亦同。

3分之2中學教育程度之黑人男性在30歲前會面臨死亡、殘廢、或入獄等事件。其中大多數入獄皆因涉嫌違反毒品法律。3分之1大專程度以上之黑人男性有入獄紀錄。

長此以往到公元2000年時,全美將有一半黑人因涉及與毒品有關非暴力性犯罪入獄。大多數入獄的黑人在數年後重獲自由,但入獄紀錄將使這些黑人籠罩在終生失業的陰影中。

第十一問:台灣毒品政策與其他國家政策之比較

我國對待毒品比中國大陸的文攻武嚇強硬許多,基本上是追隨者聯合國政策與美國雷根時代的「向毒品問不」的政策,如政府公告一般,在僅在的兩條法律之下,以刑法作為施行準則,然後在緝毒、拒毒、戒毒、等方面擬定紙上作業,所有的相關研究如《近年來煙毒犯罪實況之研究》、《青少年濫用藥物問題之研究》、《煙毒犯人格特質、非理性信念與吸打品動機對其輔導策略影響之研究》、《少年濫用安非他命之研究》,在這些報告裡,我們缺乏社會學家、醫藥學家、衛生專家對毒品真正的「危險」作評估,而是單就已定之犯罪事實作表面觀察綜合整裡。

由於歐洲大聯盟成立之故,歐洲地區已開始形成共同一致的管理法藥品政策。大多數國家採用法蘭克福協定(Frankfort Auord)中以去犯罪化(decriminalization)為基本概念的政策。這套方法先施行於荷蘭,後使用於英國,目前在二個國家內,成效卓著。我們可將毒品去罪化國家與為去罪化者的兩個嚴重非法藥品問題的城市成比較:

美國紐約
  • 藥癮者面臨較大醫療問題
  • 藥癮者=失業
  • 藥癮者=罪犯
  • 藥癮者的後代通常被帶離家庭,生活狀況堪憐
  • 每年上千名嬰兒因母親用藥而遭長久性傷害
  • 60%以靜脈注射方式使用藥品者患AIDS,這群人亦成為散佈AIDS之最大傳染源。
  • 每年因使用非法藥品死亡人數約4,000餘人,目前仍有60萬人因與藥品相關罪名遭警察逮捕入獄中。
英國利物浦
  • 藥癮者仍有工作能力、工作職位且具納稅能力
  • 藥癮者與罪犯間關連性甚弱
  • 藥癮者仍與家人同在,後代多在小康穩定的環境中成長
  • 無因母親用藥而傷及嬰兒之報告
  • 1%以同樣方式用藥者感染AIDS,這群人並非最大傳染源
  • 警方並不逮捕用藥者。由健康工作人員找出用藥者,提供免費諮詢、醫療、及教育。對於堅持用藥者,工作人員儘量將劑量控制在安全範圍內。
除此之外,民間組織對於反毒戰爭的影響非常大,上期破週報副刊號第136期所報導的荷蘭安全屋計畫是明顯的例子。舉加拿大的例子好了,長期以來,在加拿大從事藥物政策與法令之改革的團體與專業人士,咸有感於在現存的專業組織中,即使是宣稱最為「中立」的團體,都和政府機構太過貼近了,因此,加拿大實需要有一個獨立的機構,能夠有倡議藥物政策議題的討論與改革。並且,能夠提供一個場域,讓有志於藥物政策改革者,進行對話。同時,這樣的團體與機構,應該要成為一個使得不同觀點可以彼此分享,並且能夠與政府部門、社會大眾、其他社團組織與媒體,進行重要的藥物政策議題討論的有效機制。此外,最重要的是,在有需要的時候,應該要能夠對加拿大的藥物法令與政策,提出建議,使其更有效率與人性化。

為了達成上述的目的,一個由一群在加拿大藥物政策方面,居於領導地位之專家,所創立的「加拿大藥物政策基金會」,在1993年成立了。這個基金會是一個非營利性的組織,創始的成員包括了心理學家、藥物學家、律師、衛生政策倡議者與公共政策研究者等等。該基金會的經費完全來自於會員,以及林得史密斯中心 (Lindsmith Center)的慷慨捐助。

第十二問:毒品天堂的荷蘭呢?

阿姆斯特丹,就像其他的大都會一樣,有著城市景象的黑暗面,例如,在這裡,人們也面臨著所有藥物濫用所帶來的問題:犯罪率、偏差行為,以及藥物濫用所帶來的愛滋感染,對於公共衛生的威脅。

阿姆斯特丹市政府的藥物政策,除了要減少藥物的販賣、對抗販毒所帶來的犯罪行為之外,以遏止藥物濫用問題的繼續惡化。透過更生計畫,以協助有毒癮的人,能夠不再嗑藥。即使一時難以收效,至少必須減低毒癮對於這些人,在心理與身體上的傷害,當然,減少愛滋病的感染,則是另一項重點工作項目。

對於荷蘭人、特別是阿姆斯特丹人的觀點來說,並不想要像其他國家或城市一樣,採取強硬、武力遏止的手段,因為他們認為這樣並不能解決問題。因此,他們傾向於採取「第三條路」:既不是全副武力地面對毒癮問題,也不可能讓阿姆斯特丹變成吸毒者的天堂,而是要全方位地嘁少毒品,對於這個社會與吸毒者,所帶來的傷害。而隨著吸毒者的逐漸減少、愛滋感染的問題也沒有逐漸惡化來看,至少,問題已經在控制中了。

在阿姆斯特丹的藥物政策裡,可以分成兩個方向來說,一方面是對於毒品販賣犯罪行為的立法規範與執行,另一方面,則是採取預防性的、公共衛生與社會措施方面的執行。政策的出發點,主要有三個:

一、在地方與區域的尺度,應該有對於吸毒者相關醫藥與社會設施的網路。
二、對於這類援助,應該具有高度的可及性。
三、持續加強對於毒癮者戒毒、更生計畫的推行。

事實上,一直到80年代早期,阿姆斯特丹政府,對於吸毒者,基本上來說,是採取較寬貸的態度。1984年,在高度的政治共識情況下,出現了新的藥物政策。這個政策方向,主要有下述的特性。

一、警方、社會工作,和公共衛生機構,與社區中心,必須彼此整合、形成一個總體性之藥物政策。而市政府應該負責這個整合性的工作。

二、藥物濫用必須有預防性的措施,例如不讓國外的毒癮者進入荷蘭(特別是阿姆斯特丹市),並且主動出擊,以抑止販毒、以及其他有關的犯罪行為。

三、在城市的特定地點中,因為毒癮者的犯罪非法行為,而形成的危險地區,應該被逐漸控制減少。甚至,應該限制這些人在特定的時間裡,不能繼續出沒、聚集在這些特定的地點。

四、為了要能夠有效地、更為廣泛地掌握毒癮者的情況,並且建立一個通報管制的體系,因此,必須對海洛英問題的特質與各個層面有全盤性的總攬。

五、不管這些吸毒者,是自己不願意、或者是難以停止嗑藥的習慣,為了要減少這些吸毒者,社會與醫藥衛生機構必須要協助這些毒癮者。

六、誘發、鼓勵這些毒癮者戒除毒癮,並且接受戒毒的更生計畫,並且,致力於使他們能夠再次地回歸社會的正軌。

七、從1984年以來,另一股重要的協助力量,則是對於愛滋病感染感染的篩檢。也就是說,所有的藥物政策,都必須包含這項工作。在這些政策工作中,以美沙酮(methadone)治療海洛英毒癮,以及對於愛滋病毒的篩檢,是藥物政策的核心。

那麼,究竟荷蘭的藥物政策,究竟發揮作用到什麼程度?一些數字可能可以給我們一些答案。在阿姆斯特丹,社會工作者,與公共衛生機構,限85%的毒癮者,保持聯繫。而毒癮的HIV呈陽性反應,與B型肝炎的感染率,要比歐洲和北美的其他城市低得多。而和許多其他城市與國家相比,許多嚴重的犯罪,並不是由吸毒者所帶來的。特別是這幾年來,停止嗑藥、接受治療的人越來越多,吸毒者比例更是越來越多。不過,換句話說,現有的毒癮,也有年齡逐漸高層化的趨勢,而這群人可能是既有社會工作與公共衛生機構,較難以掌握的一群人。

第十三問:如何處理目前的藥物問題?

目前只有破週報傾向於支持前所述的「去犯罪行為」的處理方式,可能提供另外一條出路。

第十四問:合法化須更多費用,亦或能節省經費?

台灣實在很難回答這個問題。在此仍以美國為例,根據最新一份聯邦政府所做的調查分析顯示,將目前非法藥品合法化將每年至少可得淨利370億美元,這份數字仍屬保守估計。以下將列出此調查報告。此報告由西塞多爾‧維利斯主導(Theodore R. Vallance),此人為國家心靈建康計畫機構(The Branch Of the National Institutes of Mental Health)之前主席,這份報告在他的主導下已進行多年,後在1995年7月10日國家評論(National Review)中發表。

以下以百萬為單位
  • 節省預防研究及服務保守估計3,572
  • 節省治療研究及服務保守估計2,802
  • 小計22,000
  • 藥物稅15,000
  • 37,000
項目 原法預算 減至 省下
直接:法律執行 13,230 3,300 9,903
禁止交易花費 2,200 0 2,200
毒品犯罪相關警力 399 40 359
政府委託民間
反毒機構花費
69 17 52

項目 原法預算 減至 省下
間接:犯罪受害者 842 210 632
監禁 4434 887 3547
犯罪事業 13,976 2,679 11,297
小計 18,374

第十五問:你還在猶豫嗎?

唯一的選擇,可以上網去看看反毒戰爭的網站。然後自己做個判斷。妳可以選擇自己的腦袋,使用自己的身體,可是不要再追隨別人使用愚蠢的手勢,逕唱反毒的調了。

放心藥解放

原文轉自(From):國際邊緣‧藥平等/藥物政治與科學:放心藥解放


這本書的主題在台灣常被泛稱為「搖頭文化」,所涉及的「瑞舞」(Rave)與「搖頭丸」是世紀之交在中、港、台華人地區流行的社會爭議,爭議的核心則是所謂的「毒品」與「吸毒」。
##CONTINUE##
雖然有人認為毒品文化是西方傳來的,不過,在西方的語言裡並沒有「毒」這種明顯負面價值判斷的說法。單從字面意義來說,「毒」對身體的影響似乎就是不證自明的,然而在西方,這些毒品大多被歸屬於「藥物」的範疇,有些是植物的提煉,有些是化學的合成,其對身體的影響也還有理性認識與辯論的空間。華人所謂的「吸毒」事實上包含的是西方的「濫用藥物」和「服用禁藥」。作為理性思辨,我們應該拋棄「毒品」和「吸毒」的說法,改從「藥物」的角度來審視本書所提及的這些會影響或變異心理狀態(altered states)的藥物。

「毒品」的說法和現代華人深層心理有著另一個密切的連結:近代中國民族主義的重要建構之一,就是在帝國主義壓迫的歷史際會中(即鴉片戰爭),將鴉片建構為帝國主義掠奪中國經濟的侵略工具的象徵,同時也是毒化中華民族健康、使中國人成為沒有生產力的東亞病夫的象徵。這個雙重象徵的建構造成了至少兩種後果:

第一、吸食鴉片原來不是一個下層階級的偏差行為或犯罪,中國社會的上層階級一向就吸食鴉片,鴉片也並沒有現在「毒品」的意義。但是鴉片戰爭之後,鴉片以及之後的類似藥物都蒙上了「毒品」的污名,而且被嚴重的妖魔化,吸毒與販毒者都被視為犯罪與偏差者。

第二、「毒品」扣合上民族主義的意識,使得毒品問題成為民族主義與國家權力的工具。現代以來,國家以「人口」(國民身體健康、生殖與性、平均壽命)為權力掌管的目標,不斷深入規訓人民身體,也得以擴大自己權力的範圍、深度與細密度,進而深入滲透社會網絡、細緻地管理個體。這種權力技術被傅柯(Michel Foucault)稱為「生命政治」(bio-politics)。「毒品」則為國家的「生命政治」或「治理」(govern mentality)提供了一個最佳的正當化論述。事實上,中華國族(主義)的建構就正建立在「反毒救民族存亡」(以鴉片戰爭為象徵)這套論述以及民國以來的生命政治之上。從「毒品/吸毒」這樣的語言與背後意識之沿襲來看,台灣與其他華人地區一樣,仍然深陷於中國民族主義意識對於毒品的文化建構之中。

為了保持一個理性中立的討論態度,我們將本書所討論的這些大麻、LSD、安非它命、MDMA 等家族藥物統稱為「放心藥」(psychedelic drugs)。之所以將psychedelic翻譯為「放心」,乃是因為這些會造成心靈意識變化的藥物符合了「放」的七個意思:

1. 縱之使去(例:放肆)。「放心」──縱心,讓心自由、狂野。
2. 逐、棄(例:放黜)。「放心」──棄心,將自己的心放逐。
3. 置(例:安放)。「放心」──心非固定,可以被置放他處、可以離身等。
4. 至(例:放乎四海)。「放心」──直指心、直到心、直見心。
5. 依(例:放於利而行)。「放心」──依照心、順從心、與心翱翔。
6. 散(例:放款、放糧)。「放心」──心沒有統一原則,可以多重分散。
7. 擴而大之(例:放寬)。「放心」──心延伸到全人、全宇宙(心人天合一)。

我們之所以將psychedelic drugs稱為「放心藥」,而非「迷幻藥」,乃是因為:第一、放心藥雖然有時也會造成「迷幻」的感覺或狀態,但是同時也會造成其他感覺或狀態(例如狂喜、心暖、離身);易言之,放心不只是迷幻而已(像鎮靜劑、安眠藥也可以造成非迷幻的放心狀態),而「放心」一詞的七種解釋比較寬廣,可以涵蓋服用放心藥後的各種可能意識狀態。第二、「迷」與「幻」都有某種負面的含意,「迷」暗示當事人喪失自主,「幻」則否定放心藥可能造成實際的轉變,這兩點都不是事實。放心藥的迷幻狀態乃是自主的放心,是真實的心靈改造,就像讀書、聽音樂、坐禪、體驗等各類活動一樣真實。

為了營造一個理性的討論氛圍,我們不應再把這些藥物稱為「毒品」,因為它們沒有「毒」。讓我們正名它們為「放心藥」。

許多以非理性的恐嚇為手段之主流團體說:放心藥物會對身體產生不良的副作用,所以要稱它們為毒品。但是主流團體所依賴的「科學研究」常常是道聽途說的,因為正如本書所顯示的,放心藥的科學研究或證據本身就是政治問題。同時,放心藥的副作用之說並沒有指出:這些副作用是在什麼樣的條件下出現,多長期的使用才會有副作用?(由於長期追蹤的困難與副作用因人而異的特色,這些問題其實是所有藥物的副作用研究所共有的基本難題,不限於放心藥。)眾所周知,所有的藥物都有副作用,所謂藥物的「副作用」其實根本就是一種「作用」,只是看我們服藥的目的為何來定義什麼算是副作用而已。俗話說:「是藥三分毒」,既然所有的藥都有毒,那麼何以單單抹黑放心藥為「毒品」呢?再說,MDMA(快樂丸或搖頭丸或E)或大麻的副作用,一般均認為比起許多其他「正當」藥物要小得多。即使 MDMA 有可能讓人上癮,但是和酒精的「上癮性」、「傷害腦細胞」相比,後者顯然沒有被當成毒品來禁絕,反而成為國家的重要稅收來源。更有甚者,改變身體化學的藥物(即大多數藥物)往往比改變心理化學的藥物(即放心藥)更「毒」,但是國家與社會主流卻總是選擇嚴厲地管制放心藥物。

這個選擇性的管制還可以更進一步來觀察。

首先,不只放心藥可以造成「放心」狀態,還有很多作為也可以造成放心狀態。如果我們只討論心靈或意識的迷幻狀態或知覺轉換(altered states of mind or consciousness)這種放心現象,那麼,除了服用放心藥物可以造成這種迷幻狀態之外,剝奪睡眠、重複的身體動作、靜坐或禁食修行、失戀、太空漫遊、過度羞恥、劇烈的調整日常例行習慣、聽音樂、跳舞、性、唸咒或誦經、飲酒、催眠、高速飛馳、視覺光影的奇異變化、嗅覺的不尋常刺激、集體狂熱地重複動作或口號、前衛的多媒體藝術、吸強力膠……等等舉不完的例子都同樣地可以造成迷幻的效果。很明顯的,如果國家法律禁止放心藥,是為了禁止放心狀態的存在,那麼也應該同時禁止其他導致放心的作為。

其次,放心或迷幻心靈的狀態不是個罪惡現象,反而是值得追求的狀態,是自古以來人類一直希望達到的目標。從古至今,人類就不斷利用許多不同手段(如宗教修行、儀式、重複身體動作、魔音狂舞的狂喜等)來變異心靈狀態以達成「放心」,有些更藉助放心藥物來和深層內心、社群、神祉以及宇宙溝通。在發明化學合成的放心藥之前,過去的人類主要藉助自然的放心藥飲食,例如菸草、酒精、咖啡、茶、某些特殊植物(菰蕈類、大麻等),以及提煉的放心藥物(如古柯鹼、鴉片)。而這些自然的放心藥也都曾在歷史不同的社會與時期中被查禁(禁菸、禁酒、禁咖啡、禁茶等),也都(曾)被視為「毒品」。

一九六○年代到七○年代不但是新放心藥物(如LSD)大放異彩的年代,也是放心藥的政治首次被自覺地引入社會批判、以及反抗主流的次文化(或稱「反文化」)的年代。一部被湮沒的放心(藥與人)歷史傳統在世人眼前豁然開朗;放心藥、音樂(舞)與性解放在那個年代結合(sex, drugs, rock and roll),也大大地豐富了反文化的基進(radical)深度。反文化的英雄們提倡利用放心藥來探索內心與宇宙的奧祕,視放心藥為航向心靈銀河的太空船。放心藥對於意識的變異作用則被視為人類心靈進化的契機,因為放心藥能開發心靈潛力或甚至集體潛意識等等過去人類無法觸及的奧祕,幫助人們更容易的獲取宇宙宗教經驗,人類的進化因此可以藉著科技(放心藥)而邁向一個新的跳躍。1980年英國導演肯羅素拍攝的與本書同名的電影Altered States(台譯「變形博士」)大體上表達了這樣的一種科幻的期望與探險。

一九六○年代 反文化(counter culture)的放心藥政治,其核心要求至今仍然有效:人類有權利『利用』放心藥向心靈拓荒、開發心理經驗,進而得到快樂愉悅、精神昇華、自我認同、社會團結(與他人打成一片)、形塑生活風格(「玩耍藥」作為一種生活方式)。「放心」是人權、是身心自主權。我們有權利「放心」,也有權利使用放心藥!

不過從一九六○年代之後至今,反文化運動結束,但餘緒猷存;新的消費文化和新的壓迫-反抗形式,造就了新的放心藥文化──這是我們在今日思考放心藥政治時必須面對的,這也是本書的重要價值所在。

這本書的<前言>首先清楚地點出了新放心藥政治的企圖與能量,接下來的第一章對於MDMA這種放心藥與電子樂舞在美國反文化與次文化中的發展回顧,也為本書後來的歷史敘述(主要是英國社會的放心藥文化)鋪陳了足夠的政治線索。這個敘事有其特殊的意義:雖然新的放心藥文化也有過去反文化的鬼影,但是較為奪目的乃是商業利潤、享樂主義、消費文化、黑道暴力、危險與幻滅等等,這些現象則使許多「左派批判家」把放心藥文化當成去政治化的甚至反動的證據。這類左派從反文化時期開始,就沒有真正接受像性、藥、年齡世代之類的新興社會對抗(antagonisms),他們把這些新形態的政治都當作波希米亞式的放縱,或者小資產階級的幻滅情緒與空虛態度。在很大的程度上,這本書可以說駁斥了這類左派與社會批評家對於放心藥文化的去政治化解讀。

就放心藥的當代文化面貌而言,本書顯示新的放心藥文化更緊密地結合了科技、音樂與跳舞,但是又不僅止於「DJ利用新科技來生產新音樂」這個簡單事實。音樂本身必須和服用放心藥(亦即MDMA)後的效果緊密結合;跳舞也不僅止於身體的動作,舞客的裝扮(奶嘴、白手套、墨鏡等),以至於舞會的燈光、裝潢、佈景或佈置、花樣噱頭等等也有帶出放心藥氣氛的作用。總之,新的放心藥文化離不開跳舞派對,但是同樣地也離不開警察的取締與黑道的干預,這些都構成了放心藥舞會場景的內在元素。例如,因為逃避警察取締,舞會舉辦者和參加者必須利用新通訊科技管道來聯絡與動員,舉辦場地也趨向荒僻的鄉間山邊或廢棄空屋。

就好像同性戀與黑人在放心藥文化中曾經扮演要角,但又不僅止於他們而擴散到不同的階級與族群,放心藥文化的發展也包含了很多不同或矛盾的成份。有昂貴的舞會門票與商業化收編,但是也有免費舞會與延續60年代反文化的嘗試。放心藥舞會在都會延燒,但是也在郊區。放心藥文化的夜生活娛樂出現在商業都市,但是也在工業城鎮生根。本書顯示英國的放心藥文化發展乃是一個有多重因素與多種人物、多樣行動和反動,此起彼落,既銜接又斷裂,既分岔又匯流而成的結果,構成了一個很複雜的故事。

雖然放心藥文化是複雜的,但是進步社會運動仍須從中追索政治的可能性,串連或建構出之中的各類社會對抗,以開展壓迫/解放的辯證;而不是嘲諷放心藥文化中看似幼稚的口號(如PLUR,但嘲諷者忽略了這口號也是嗑E後的感覺經驗),更不能否定放心藥文化對批判文化與主體的可能貢獻,如此才能釋放出存在於社會邊緣的能量。至少,對於放心藥所遭到的抹黑污名、對於沒有受害人的嗑藥卻被指為犯罪、對於國家以掃毒來製造道德恐慌、對於查禁放心藥而引來黑道的暴力與暴利…這些基本的簡單事實,進步社會運動不能視而不見。

作為一本快樂丸文化歷史的記錄,本書自然沒有觸及許多其他相關主題,而這些主題對放心藥政治則是極為重要的。例如:放心藥合法化的論證;放心藥運動(例如大麻合法化)的進展與影響;不限於放心藥的當代藥物革命與藥物新文化(百憂解、柔沛、威而鋼、荷爾蒙藥物、β受體阻滯劑等等不計其數的新藥與新用藥文化)。當藥物使用與藥物濫用的區分隨著用藥者知識增長(因而能夠抗拒醫療體系的指示並且自行挪用與調整)而日趨模糊時,當大麻合法化時,當(例如)β受體阻滯劑成為人人出席重要活動前的必備良藥時,查禁放心藥的理由又焉能站的住腳呢?(註:β受體阻滯劑有治療心臟病等效果,但是同時此藥可以產生非迷幻的「放心」狀態,有些音樂演奏家在表演前服用,以保持演奏時的心情放鬆與精神一致)。

另外,這本書雖然觸及了休閒消費文化、夜間娛樂工業、身體文化,但是還不夠深入;未來,進步社會運動也同樣地須要辯證地看待放心藥文化的商業化,認識其中的積極抵抗成份與政治可能。台灣本世紀初開始的週休二日已經創造出夜間娛樂工業與夜間休閒文化的成長可能,越來越多上班族正在加入無業者的夜間活動(都會大型購物中心的夜間延長營業更增長此一趨勢)。夜間作為社會邊緣性的衍生時間,雖然因此出現更多商業化與主流化的趨勢,但是也構成了邊緣性擴大影響力的場域。性、藥、與許多邊緣「偏差」都在夜間蔓延,故而國家對於夜間活動(特別是對舞場等性與藥的場所)的監視與干預必然加強,不過,由於夜間商業未必能配合──甚至某種程度的排除──國家這種監視與干預,夜間商業與國家的矛盾也將有助於邊緣空間的政治化。

讀了本書後,我們發現英國警方對於放心藥舞會場景的取締,瑞舞舞會舉辦者與警方捉迷藏、和黑道周旋、設計新的舞會舉辦策略等等現象,也已經在台灣出現;甚至主流假借瑞舞派對之名而進行收編之舉,也同樣發生在台灣。但是略微不同的可能是,台灣的E文化有更多年齡世代的政治牽涉其中,這使得台灣的放心藥爭議似乎無可避免的會有世代鬥爭的成份。

至於放心藥政治在台灣,我們預測「掃毒」將成為「掃黃」之外的另一個尖銳社會對抗;國家與新主流對「毒化青少年」道德恐慌的建構將進一步擴張與鞏固新主流的權力。

那麼誰是這一波的新社會主流?我們現在已經看到的是,許多比傳統民族國家還要靈活能動並有正當性的NGO,正以打造「新的公民社會」為目標,以民間自發來替代政府功能。然而,這些向上提升的「新公民」與民間社會也同時針對「不具公民資格」的青少年與外勞、以及「公民資格存疑」的偏差邊緣,進行著比國家更有效的排它(exclusive)規訓與監視。事實上,透過排擠醜化邊緣,來打造自身的道德文化優勢,正是這些新主流的權力基礎與身份認同。我們同時也觀察到,新主流(包括了昔日的社會運動與社會批判者)往往以過去左派的社會批判論述來抗拒新藥物、新科技、新身體的出現。不過,令人感到樂觀的是,對於台灣這種新形勢的抵抗也一直存在著,許多年輕世代很自覺地集結為放心藥文化政治團體(例如Studio E),積極進行更深入的抵抗部署,這自然使得國家與新主流的掃毒論述或甚至整個霸權計畫出現變數。這本書在此時的出現也是一個重要的抵抗跡象。

2008年4月20日 星期日

10. Glossary

Glossary

18/6: Time normally associated with the vegetative stage of growth i.e. 18 hours of light to 6 of darkness.
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12/12: Timing used to initiate the flowering stage of the plant i.e. 12 hours light to 12 hours darkness.

Abiotic stress: Non-living environmental factors such as frost, drought, excessive heat, etc. that can have harmful effects on plants.

Abscisic acid: Mediates stress tolerance responses in higher plants, is a key signal compound that regulates stomatal aperture and, in concert with other plant signaling compounds, is implicated in mediating responses to pathogens and wounding.

In seeds, ABA promotes seed development, embryo maturation, synthesis of storage products (proteins and lipids), desiccation tolerance, is involved in maintenance of dormancy (inhibition of germination), and apoptosis. As well, ABA affects plant architecture, including root growth and morphology, and root-to-shoot ratios.

Aeroponics: is the growing of plants in a container in which the roots are suspended in a nutrient mist rather than in a solution. The most popular container for aeroponics is an enclosed A-frame constructed of styrofoam boards. The plants are placed in holes along the sloped sides of the frame. The nutrient mist is delivered to the roots by a vaporizer or by special attachments available with drip irrigation kits. The mist clings to the roots. Any excess runs down the inside of the frame, is collected at the bottom, and is recycled back to the nutrient reservoir.

Alternating leaf: As the plant grows, in the beginning, every leaf(that is not damaged) will have another leaf growing from exactly 180 degrees on around the stem. they grow in pairs. when the plants mature, the leaves will grow one at a time. that is a leaf will pop out on one side, then, up the stem/ branch, another will grow. i.e. alternating.

Auxins: are plant hormones governing many biological processes in higher plants such as cell enlargement and division, differentiation of vascular tissue, apical dominance, root initiation and signaling.

Ballast: Provides current and power to the light. Here it mostly refers to the above for H.I.D. (high intensity discharge) lighting.

Blood Meal: This organic fertilizer is very high in nitrogen and is very soluble in water (unlike most other dry organic fertilizers). It also contains plant growth regulators. All this together means that its effect is strong and quick, but its power will only last a short while, especially in wet weather. When applying blood meal, take care, as it will easily burn a plant's leaves.

Buds: The reason this website exists! -The part of the flowering female plant that contains high concentrations of THC and other psychoactive ingredients.

Bud Leaves: The small leaves that grow in the buds of the plant, usually covered in trichomes when harvested.

Calyxes: "The usually green outer whorl of a flower consisting of sepals" - Merriam-Webster I was looking for a diagram to illustrate, but I haven't come across a real good one yet.

Canopy: The top branches of a plant, usually shading the lower branches, except when branch training methods are used. (See LST, SCROG, and SOG).

CBD/CBN: Byproducts of the main psychoactive ingredient in pot, THC. these byproducts are created when the THC degrades, due to over exposure to heat/oxygen(some THC will naturally do this while the flowers ripen). it is believed that they are responsible for the stony part of the high, and known to have a direct effect on the psychoactive effect THC has on the "user". it is only needed in minimal amounts, in comparison to THC.

CFM - Cubic Feet per Minute. This describes the volume of air that is displaced in 1 minute (see ventilation).

Chlorophyll: The green pigment in leaves. Chlorophyll pigment is produced in the chloroplasts of leaf, stem and flower cells. Chlorophyll pigment dominates all other pigments present including the xanthophylls and carotenes. Chlorophyll captures the sun's energy which is used to manufacture sugar from carbon dioxide and water. Chlorophylls are constantly being "used up" and thus are continually manufacture by the plant, provided the environmental conditions are appropriate.

Cloning: The process of replicating female plants. Cloning Guide, with pics.

Colas: "The female flowers develop tightly together to form dense clusters (racemes) or buds, cones, or colas"- Mel Frank Marijuana Grower's Guide This is the dank shiznit you are going to be smokin' friend.

Composting: The process by which organic materials mixed together in specific conditions create a nutrient-rich medium.

Curing: Process of placing the dried harvest in tightly sealed, sterile, jar, which should be stored in a dry, dark, cool place. Then according to preference open the jar for a certain amount of time everyday to release co2 and moisture and this slowly dries the crop, thus improving taste and over all quality.

Cotyledons: Small round leaves that are the first to appear on a small seedling, they are not considered 'true leaves? and often fall off of the plant early in the growth stage.

Cuttings: Sometimes the easiest (and fastest) way to grow a new plant is not from seed, but asexually from cuttings. Cuttings are taken from roots, stems, or leaves and encouraged to regenerate by providing ideal growing conditions and (oftentimes) applying rooting hormones. Unlike plants started from seed, a plant grown from a cutting will have exactly the same characteristics of the parent plant (See Also - Cloning)

Decarboxylation: This occurs after buds are harvested and during the curing process. The THC loses a CO2 molecule, which then makes the THC psychoactive. This process is why drying and curing buds after harvest is crucial to the high that the bud produces.

Fish emulsion: This is a liquid organic fertilizer with a NPK ratio of about 4-1-1 to 7-2-2. It is water soluble and thus immediately available to plants. It is valued for its high nitrogen content.

FIM: Acronym for "Fuck I Missed!? A variant of the topping technique, where only a portion of the growth tip is removed, causing an increase in resulting cola sites. (See also topping).

Flo, Flouro, Floro's: Fluorescents come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. There are compacts, twist bulbs and circle bulbs. They all work the same way. They have a starter and ballast which help provide a steady and regulated amount of electricity to the light.

FLIR: Acronym for Forward-Looking Infrared, it is a thermal imaging process whereby differences in heat emission are measured and reflected on a videotape. Heat concentration is indicated on a videotape on a spectrum of light to dark, with bright white showing intense heat. Increasingly, law enforcement personnel are using FLIR thermal imaging to detect indoor marijuana growing operations. However, the Supreme Court in the U.S. has recently banned the use of FLIR to find these operations.

Flush: The act of cleansing a plant's roots of nutrients and contaminants by giving the plant large amounts of water (usually equal to 3 times the volume of soil the plant is in).

Foliar Feeding: The act of giving water and/or nutrients to the plant through the leaves instead of through the roots.

Force Flowering: Giving a female plant a photoperiod of 12/12 to force the plant into producing buds.

Garlic: (Apologies to any vamps out there) Planted in the same pot/area as your plants will act as a natural systemic insecticide to greenfly and black fly the plants absorb it from the growing garlic it DOES NOT affect the plants scent or taste, can also be used for same reason with other plants.

Germinate: To begin to sprout or grow.

Gibberellic Acid: A hormone used to promote plant growth, especially that of seedlings, and obtained from the fungus Gibberella fujikoroi (GA) is used to reduce flowering and fruiting which maximizes growth and minimizes pollen transmitted. GA is also used in mature plants to increase the fruiting capacity by stimulating the development of lateral shoots and spurs.

Harvesting: The act or process of gathering a crop Harvest & Drying 101

Herbs: Aromatic plants used for seasoning, medicinal purposes, or garnishes. Aromatic herbs are the ones that have fragrant or smelly leaves or flowers.

HID: High Intensity Discharge (lighting) .

HPS: The best light available today for growing Marijuana. High Pressure Sodium lights are very bright and very efficient. This light has a red/orange spectrum that is ideal for the flowering phase. With enough of these kind of lights you too can grow those centerfold buds. HPS comes in a wide variety of wattages from 70 watts up to 1000 watts.

Hormone: A biochemical product of a specific cell or tissue that causes a change or activity in a cell or tissue located elsewhere in an organism.

Hydroponics: The growing of plants without soil, instead using a medium like clay pebbles, rockwool -floc or perlite and vermiculite mixture.

Humus: A complicated material formed during the breakdown of organic matter. One of its components, humic acid, provides many binding sites for plant nutrients, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sulfur and phosphorus. These nutrients are stored in the humic acid molecule in a form readily available to plants, and are released when the plants require them.

Hybrid: Often refers to a plant or variety that has been developed by interbreeding two or more varieties, species, or genera

Indica: Indica is a great plant to grow indoors as well as outdoors due to its low lighting requirements and tight internode spacing, also offering resistance to fungus and pests, early maturation tendencies, and dense flower production. Indica's come from colder climates exhibiting the traits described above by acclimating to the environment from whence they came. Their stout stature and extremely wide leaflets make them easy to identify. An Indica generally produces a hard hitting, tiresome, sedative stone, and will take around 45 to 60 days to finish flowering.

Leggy: If seedlings and plants do not get enough sunlight, they grow tall and thin stalks as they seek sunlight. These "leggy" plants have a difficult time supporting the weight of the plant and is easily damaged.

Light-burn: When the heat from a light burns the plant.

Lumens: One lumen is equal to the amount of light emitted by one candle that falls on one square foot of surface one foot away. Lamp Lumen Data .

LST: Acronym for Low-Stress Training, the technique of manipulating the branches in order to reduce plant height, expose certain branches to light, and/or distribute hormones to lower branches of the plant to encourage larger buds.

Macronutrients: For a plant, there are nine major elements essential for healthy growth; these are called macronutrients. They are: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (which are all three derived from air and water); and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur, and magnesium (from the soil).

Micronutrients: There are about eight nutrients essential to plant growth and health that are only present in very small quantities. These are manganese, boron, copper, iron, chlorine, cobalt, molybdenum, and zinc.

Medium: A soil or soil-less mix used to start or re-plant houseplants, flowers, vegetables, and other plants.

Mottling of Leaves: Discoloration or spotting of leaves.

MV: Mercury Vapor is the type of lights that were used for streetlights many years ago. Not very good for growing because it doesn't provide enough of the right kind of light spectrum. While they do provide a little of the blue spectrum, MV also produces too much heat to get very close to a plant, and are very inefficient to operate.

MH: The Metal Halide is a very good source of the white/blue spectrum of light that is ideal for vegetative growth. Many growers use MH during the vegetative phase. MH is bright and cost efficient to operate, but not as efficient as HPS lights. Most commonly used sizes are 400 watt and 1000 watt. Works best when used in combination with HPS lights.

Necrosis: Death of parts of the plant, usually refers specifically to the leaves.

Node: The point on a stem where a leaf is attached or has been attached; a joint.

N-P-K: The elemental symbol for nitrogen is N; for phosphorus it's P; for potassium it's K. All three of these elements are essential for plant growth and are considered macronutrients. N, P, and K are the three principal ingredients in most fertilizers. The NPK ratio is shown by three numbers, such as 2-1-1, that reflect the percentage of each.

Nute-burn: the result of feeding a plant an excess of fertilizer.

Organic Nutrients: Natural, non-synthetic nutrients.

Peat moss: The partially decomposed remains of mosses harvested commercially from the wild. Though difficult to wet initially, peat moss can absorb up to 25 times its own weight in water and is therefore valued as a an organic soil amendment. Peat moss is acidic with a pH of about 3 or 4.0 and should only be used around acid-loving plants or to help lower the pH of alkaline soils.

Perlite: A unique volcanic mineral which expands from four to twenty times its original volume when it is quickly heated to a temperature of approximately 1600-1700 degrees F. This expansion is due to the presence of two to six percent combined water in the crude perlite rock which causes the perlite to pop in a manner similar to that of popcorn.

When expanded, each granular, snow-white particle of perlite is sterile with a neutral pH and contains many tiny, closed cells or bubbles. The surface of each particle is covered with tiny cavities which provide an extremely large surface area. These surfaces hold moisture and nutrients and make them available to plant roots. In addition, because of the physical shape of each particle, air passages are formed which provide optimum aeration and drainage. Because perlite is sterile, it is free of disease, seeds, and insects.

Perlite has been used for many years throughout the world for soil conditioning and as a component of growing mixes with materials such as peat moss or bark. Extensive studies have shown that the unique capillary action of perlite makes it a superior growing media for hydroponic cultures.

Among the many uses of perlite today are propagation and seed cultivation, plug production and transplants, interior scape and planter growing, composting,

PH: the measure of soil's acidity or alkalinity, measured on a scale of 1 to 14. Water is considered neutral at PH 7. PH levels below 7 are classified as acidic, or "sour". Levels above 7 are basic, alkaline or "sweet". Most plants prefer a slightly acidic soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5.

Phloem: Nutrient conducting tissue.

Photoperiod: AKA lighting schedule, it is the number of hours of light and darkness the plant is exposed to. Usually expressed as a fraction. Ex: 18/6 = 18 hours of light, and 6 hours of darkness.

Photosynthesis: Biochemical process in which light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll, and is used to fuel the building of sugar molecules.

Pistil: A hair-like protrusion from the nodes/buds of a female plant, also a precursor to the buds themselves. Pistils turn from white to brown as the buds mature.

Potash: Broadly, potash describes any material containing potassium. More specifically, though, potash is potassium carbonate derived from wood ashes. The term potash comes from the process of extracting lye from wood ashes in iron pots.

PPM: Acronym for Parts Per Million, this term is used most in hydroponics to measure the amount of nutrients given to a plant.

Rock Wool: Mineral or rock wool has been used extensively in Europe and is recently finding applications in the U.S. greenhouse market. Like perlite and vermiculite, it originates from a natural mineral (alumino silicates with some calcium and magnesium) that is heated to 2,700?F to form fibers that are used to make blocks or cubes as a finished product. Blocks or slabs of rock wool are used extensively by hydroponic growers of greenhouse vegetables. Rock wool typically has an alkaline pH, is sterile and chemically inert.

Regenerate: AKA re-vegging, refers to the act of putting a plant back into the growth cycle after harvesting the flowering buds off of the plant, in order to bud the plant again or to take clones off of the plant.

Root Bound: A condition where a plant or seedling's roots have grown compacted and entwined in the pot and has no room to grow. This condition results in stunting the plants growth and potential. The solution is a larger pot or transplanting outdoors.

Ruderalis: Ruderalis is not a very good choice for flower production, indoors or out. Despite maintaining a short stature, growing only one to five feet tall, and maturing rather quickly, Ruderalis just doesn't produce the yield or quality one looks for in their flowers. A slight light cycle reduction can trigger a sprout with as little as 2 to 3 leaf sets to flower. Ruderalis spontaneously initiates flowering a few weeks after sprouting, and will not produce decent flowers unless the photoperiod provides around 18 to 19 hours of light. Even then, the yield and quality are less than desirable, incomparable to that of the Sativa or Indica sub-species.

Sativa: Sativa is a hard plant to grow indoors due to high lighting requirements, tall stature, and late flowering traits. Sativas come from equatorial regions, thus the necessity for high amounts of lighting and a warmer tropic-subtropical climate. You can identify a Sativa by its long, slender, finger-like leaves. A Sativa will typically produce a euphoric, energetic, cerebral high. Despite the Sativa's climatic limitations, they are truly a reward to obtain, grow, and smoke. A pure Sativa will take 2 to 4 months to finish flowering.

ScrOG/ SOG: "Screen Of Green" method. The purpose of ScrOG is to maximize your usage of the available space and lighting by training the new growth of a plant into a screen or mesh. What is ScrOG?

Seed Casing: The integuments of the ovule, which are the ovule's old coverings, harden and become the seed's protective coat.

Sensimilla: Spanish for 'without seed', AKA sensi, having a female plant bud without letting a male plant pollinate it, thereby preventing seeds from forming in the buds. This increases THC potency and smokable bud weight.

Sepal: Sepals are components of the calyx. Located at the base of the flower, these modified leaves usually function as protection for the petals while in bud stage. Occasionally, sepals will be colored, but they are usually green.

Sex: verb. The act of determining the gender of a plant by giving it a photoperiod of 12/12.

Stamen: This is the male reproductive organ of a plant, located in the androecium of the flower. It has two components: the filament and the anther.

Stigma: The sticky tip of a pistil.

Strain: Refers to the specific genetics of the plant. Example: White Widow, Northern Lights.

Stomata: Opening in the epidermis of a leaf which permit gas exchange with the air.

Stress: Any unhealthy stimuli the plant receives. Examples: Light-burn, over watering, nute-burn. Stress can cause slow growth, mutations, or death.

Sun Leaves: (AKA fan leaves) these are the large leaves that grow off of branches, and while not rich in THC, they play an important role in photosynthesis.

Synthetic Nutrients: AKA Chemical nutrients, concentrated and industrial-made nutrients. They have a longer shelf-life than organic nutes, but are known to nute-burn a plant more quickly.

THC:
1. Tetrahydrocannabinol A compound, C-21 H-30 O-2, obtained from cannabis or made synthetically, that is the primary intoxicant in marijuana and hashish.

2. The main psychoactive ingredient in pot. this is what gets you "high!". it is often(not totally accurately) measured by the trichomes(fairy dust) visible on pot.
Topping: Method used to increase yield and maximize space, by trimming off the top bud. Traditionally, topping your plant causes two shoots to grow back in place of the one pruned off, thus increasing the number of top/main buds.

Transplant Shock: When transplanting seedlings from one place to another, the roots are often disturbed and occasionally the change in climate can cause the plant to slow down or appear to stop growing. This is transplant shock. It is really redirecting it's energy to re-grow lost roots and to get accustomed to a change in temperature that it hadn't experienced before.v

Trichomes: AKA crystals or sugar, they are tiny, mushroom-shaped capitulate glands full of THC that form on the flowering buds and bud leaves of cannabis.

Vascular: Refers to the xylem and phloem tissues, which conduct water and nutrients through the plant body.

Vermiculite: is sterile and light in weight (5 to 8 lbs/ft3). The pH of vermiculite will vary depending on where it is mined. Most U.S. sources are neutral to slightly alkaline, whereas vermiculite from Africa can be quite alkaline (pH = 9). Vermiculite is used extensively in the greenhouse industry as a component of mixes or in propagation. It is usually sold in four size grades: #1 is the coarsest and #4 the smallest. The finer grades are used extensively for seed germination or to top dress seed flats. Expanded vermiculite should not be pressed or compacted, especially when wet, as this will destroy the desirable physical properties.

Ventilation: Circulating air in order to provide the plant with fresh air and/or to reduce the temperature in the grow area. Air movement also encourages strong stems.

Watering Schedule: term referring to how often and how much water a plant is given, usually measured in days and gallons. Ex: 1 gallon every 4 days.

Watts: A measure of the amount of electricity flowing through a wire. Watt hours measure the amount of watts used in one hour. A kilowatt/hour (KWH) is 1000 watt/hours.

Worm Casting: (Vermiconversion) or using earthworms to convert waste into soil additives, is a biologically active mound containing thousands of bacteria, enzymes, and remnants of plant materials and animal manures that were not digested by the earthworm. The composting process continues after a worm casting has been deposited. In fact, the bacterial population of a cast is much greater than the bacterial population of either ingested soil, or the earthworm's gut. An important component of this dark mass is humus.

Xylem: Water-conducting tissue.