Gods folken, where do I start with this one ?

How about a little history of the event ? It’s a good a place as any to start and some folken need a reminder.

The first U.K. Hemp Expo was held in Wembley Arena in 2004. It was organized jointly by Weed World and ‘the Spanish’. There were some problems and mistakes, but hey, they pulled it off and it was a great success.

London Hemp Fair 2004

The second event was also held at Wembley. It too was a success, despite ‘the Spanish’ attempts to sabotage the event by ringing the Police and claiming cocaine was being sold in the toilets.

London Hemp Fair II 2005

Last year we were all set to go to Coventry, but with just 14 days left to go the Council refused to let the show go on. No satisfactory explanation was forthcoming. I was contacted by several ‘interested’ parties and asked to see what could be found out. I wrote an Open Letter to Weed World and posted it on several cannabis forums.

Weed World chose not to respond, deepening the mystery and adding fuel to the heady mix of speculation.

I kept at it. I made a point of bringing up my Open Letter on UK420 again, and again. When it came around to this years event I was still in two minds about going. I took a call from a friend in California. He asked me if I was going.

With just seven days to go before the event I started to trawl through the forums again. The most lively, surprise, surprise, was the one Weed World heavily promote, UK420. In the Announcement section I found an up to date thread on this years event. The last post was from somebody who wondered how long the event had been running.

I replied by putting in links to the reviews I’d written, including a reminder and an internal site link to my Open Letter. My post was deleted.

Somewhat miffed, I fired off a response post from the hip. This too, and the replies to it were deleted.

I fucking hate censorship.

In my opinion the UK420 site is parasite dependent on the existence and perpetuation of the High Times instigated ‘Brand Logo 420 Swindle’ and run by over zealous psycho nazi pot police cadets. Though claiming to be against advertising or commercial interest there are clearly very strong links between Weed World and UK420. If having a banner for the U.K. Hemp Expo emblazoned at the top of every forum page isn’t commercial, and perhaps sponsored, advertising I’d like to know what is ?

Some people think I go looking for arguments. I don’t. I ask questions about the contradictions between what people say, and what they do. Like supposedly promoting free speech and yet practicing Stalinist censorship.

I was more than willing to discuss my opinions and ask my questions with who ever ran the site, when I caught up with them.

Other folk ask; so what do you sell/promote, and wonder what the hell my angle is when I reply,

“Nothing.”

So what do you do ?

That’s a good question. The answer is I’m here to bear witness, to see for myself, to learn a little more than I knew before so I can tell those that were not there how the players played and the game is going. I also go to see old friends and meet new ones I only get the chance to see at such events. Those I’ve come to believe play a straight game I occasionally help by introducing them to people they would have missed because they are tied to looking after their respective stands.

What’s my angle ?

I get to be the one who brings new and successful partnerships together. I get to be there at that first meeting, and I have the story to tell. It also gives me tremendous satisfaction to know I’ve helped good people find good people and that I’ve helped put another kerb stone along the path of the truth.

What’s my angle ?

My angle is I have no angle. Only by being independent of all can I be free to move among all. I have nothing to promote. I have nothing to sell. This very review is provided to you freely, because I want you to know as much about what’s really going on as I do. I reason that the more of you who know what I know then the harder it’s going to be for those who wish to tell you lies and take your cash for their trash to get away with it.

What’s my angle ?

I came into cannabis culture as a result of my permanent ill health. Cutting a long story short it was the passing of Proposition 215 which inspired me to find out as much as I could about the traditions, history, and culture of cannabis and its medical applications. On frequent trips to Amsterdam I’d just happen to run into the right people and get talking. I tracked down coffeeshops, I tracked down particular strains and types of hash. I put what I had learned doing my degree to good use and began studying all the literature I could get hold of.

I began noticing discrepancies and decided it was never going to be enough to rely on the words of the ‘official marijuana media’. In 1998 I attended my first Cannabis Cup. I have to say looking back, I was as green as the grass I was smoking, and I had no idea what I saw and heard around me that Cup week would be of any real significance, until now.

At the time the canna-business world was far from my overstanding. I was still serving my hashshashin’s apprenticeship. I just felt that I and everyone else who paid money to participate had been taken for a ride.

In 2002, finally talked into employing my canna-knowledge by friends, I returned to the Cups and, employing my natural Liverpool charm, managed to gain access to every significant event of the week without paying. I also picked up a lot of gossip and met a lot of the right people. I was talked into setting up business but long term ill health caused me to cease trading. After twelve months I learned more about ‘the business’ than I dreamed possible. I decided I was far better at covering events than participating in them. With no side to represent, no product to sell or promote, I became free again to walk where I chose and speak with whom I chose. I also found I had a certain ‘journalistic’ ability and a skill for analytic investigation.

I became a cannabis cultural critic.

To my knowledge, I’m the only one.

I’m also a Minister of religion, and my religion is centred around the Tree of Life And Knowledge and its long association with the ‘serpentine guardian’. As Roland of Gilead might say, “It is ka.” .

That’s my angle.

So, after last years farce of an event I came this year looking for the story. I found one, but not the one I expected. What I discovered has changed my whole perception of ‘the business’ and those involved in it. Certain things make so much more sense now.

Saturday 5th May 2007

"Things ain't what they seem
When your ridin’ on Holy Gasoline”

I was on the road by 8:20am and had a pretty eventless journey down to Telford. When I arrived at the town centre I looked for signs to the International Centre. I couldn’t see any so I stopped at a big Asda supermarket, had a slash and asked directions.

“Come out the car park, turn right and then left and you’ll see it on the right.”

Well O.K., I was close, really close. More by good luck than anything like a sign post I found my way onto the site. Security personnel where everywhere and police were attempting not to stick out like sore thumbs. That wasn’t a good sign.

I decided to enjoy the CD player a little longer and set up my fold up chair on my little carpet so I could put a little polish on my boots before going in. I lit a cigar and cleaned my boots, taking notice of how security and the police were working. There was a heavy presence. For now it looked as though they were taking a hands off approach, maybe things would be O.K..

I approached the Main Entrance and saw a bunch of teenagers hanging about trying to score. Inside I bought my ticket, was given a goodie bag, and was instantly greeted like a long lost friend by Arjan who was giving out seeds.

Then something clicked, I saw a light go on behind the eyes,

“How you doing man ?”,

I asked with a beaming smile.

“Good, ya ? It’s just starting .”,

and he diverted himself to those behind me by giving out his seeds. I was just heading into the show itself when a familiar figure from previous shows approached me,

“Hi Viper. Coming outside for a smoke ?”

It was Ken from Hydrolights Notts. I like Ken and his wife Chris. They are experienced level headed folken that have good equipment. They are straight players in the game. Outside Ken filled me in on the strict No Smoking policy. We chatted a while about the Expo history and how things were looking today. A steady stream of folken were arriving.

Inside I found that the show had been split into two halves. Apparently there was a Hydro Expo and a Hemp Expo. I wandered about the Hydro side briefly. I saw nothing of any real interest. I prefer bio methods anyway.

I wandered through one of the gaps in the wall and found the Hemp Expo. The first stand I saw was Homegrown Fantasy. Jaap was still adjusting the display.

“Hey, how you doing ? Want a coffee ?”

“Sure.”

I knew Homegrown brought their own coffee with them from Holland. We chatted a while about how the coffeeshop has been re-decorated in styles they had on display and on T-shirts. They had some specially re-designed Dutch coat of arms, and they were doing T-shirts to order on site. You could pick the T-shirt you liked then the design you liked and have it put together for you while you waited.

Just a little way down from Homegrown Fantasy was the Treating Yourself stand manned by Marco. He’s from Canada and is here to promote his magazine Treating Yourself – The Alternative Medicine Journal For Patients By Patients. I thought he looked familiar and wasn’t surprised to learn he was at last years Cannabis Cup and this years High Life Fair.

I moved on and came across Big Buddha. He was in high spirits and proud to be able to show off his Cannabis Cup. He is the first U.K. winner of any High Times Cup. I got a couple of good photos and chatted a while sharing a little sacrament as we did..

“So where’s EDIT this year ?

I explained what I knew.

I wandered about some more pulling on a skinny one skinner as I did so and came across Tom the Seedsman looking after a bunch of Howard Marks new books. Howard was supposed to be there at 12:00pm. It was 11:50am and nobody had seen him yet on site.

I stopped by for a chat with Lorna Clay at the Cannabis College stand and Tony next door at Sagamatha Seeds before coming across the Weed World stand. Eric of Eric’s Kitchen was behind the counter. After engaging in some skittish small talk and clocking the dominant Weed World logo on the T-shirts,

“…………………. you got to admit, the Weed World logo looks very like mine doesn’t it ?”

“Erm, ……… yeah. It does a bit doesn’t it ?”,

she said smiling as I gave her a measured look and smiled back.

“So, what happened last year ?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about it. You’ll have to ask Phil or Bob.”

I intended to, if only I could find them.

“You must have some idea ?”

“It was the council, they just cancelled it at the last minute.”

“Yeah, I heard that one. That isn’t good enough though is it ? There must have been a reason ?”

“Ask Phil. I’m not involved I just write for them.”

I laughed hard. I had all I was going to get out of Eric. There was more to this than anyone had been told, and Eric knew I knew it. As I’d gone round chatting I’d asked the same question to everyone; ‘what were you told about last year ?’

The standard ‘the council cancelled it’ answer came back again and again. Nobody seemed to have any clear idea of the reasons the show was cancelled. The wildest story I heard was that the Terrance Higgins Trust were involved with the finances of the brand new venue and,

“….they are anti-smoking …”

As I recall the Terrance Higgins Trust were originally set up to provide support to AIDS victims.

Hunger started to take over and I went wandering into Telford town centre to see if I could find a pub lunch. Telford was created in 1968 as an overspill of Birmingham. My experience of it is of one giant round-a-bout made up of clusters of smaller round-bouts. I walked through what was presumably Telford City Centre. It consists of a huge Asda Supermarket and an enclosed shopping centre.

I didn’t see one single pub, anywhere in Telford.

I walked around and around for a half hour before giving it up and raiding Asda for some hot chicken legs and a bottle of cider. Was this all Telford had to offer ? I found Telford faceless, characterless, and heartless. I wondered if the vendors had sussed onto the local sketch.

Back in the car park two uniformed officers were harassing a group of young lads sitting and gathered about a car smoking. Black suited security had stepped up. There were at least seven combined security officials roaming the car park. I set out my carpet, folding chair, and food supplies and settled in to picnic and observe.

I took my time, enjoying my cider with a cigar while I read the paper and enjoyed the benefit of the CD player

. A couple came back to their van parked close to mine,

“Have you got a couple of skins mate ?”

They had attended the other Weed World events like me. They knew nothing about why it was cancelled last year but told me that the brand new venue last year had booked the event when their books were empty. Having filled them they were able to look for a reason to cancel the show and keep the money already paid to them.

It sounded like fraud to me.

I floated the idea during the afternoon and actually had the same story confirmed to me from several sources. The mood after dinner had changed too. The police were now being very hands on. I heard that two people were taken away in handcuffs over a joint smoking incident. Several of the vendors had been cautioned by security for smoking. Some were threatened with ejection.

All vaporizer practical displays had been closed down and were being monitored by security with walkie talkies. Police were stopping people skinning up and harassing the folk sat outside in wheelchairs. I saw and heard of several incidents of police stopping and searching/cautioning those they found smoking joints.

Over at the UK420 stand it looked like show time at the O.K. Coral. I made a point of steering clear. If it all went off I didn’t want to be in the area. I was happy to observe it though.

I came across Candice and Quintessential Tips. She was busy talking business though so I left her to it. I had another two days to catch up with her. I came across the Pollinator stand. Mila smiled and waved a hello which I returned, and that’s the way it stayed all weekend.

Walking observations; There were a number of empty stands. Red Eye Express failed to turn up. Every time I saw Bob he ran past in a hurry without ‘seeing’ me. The Intco Industries Co Ltd from 1036 South Pk, Dong Road, Suite 1703, Shanghai, China, on stand 50 were displaying counterfeit Proto Pipes. Kiwi Seeds are now partners with Dampkring. There was no love in the house for Arjan or Greenhouse Seed Co. Homegrown Fantasy had the best laid out stand and displays. The guy from Yorkshire Hemp looked miserable. Lorna Clay was continually in conversation and working at the stand very hard. Sensi Seeds have paled as a presence since the death of Eagle Bill. There was a lot of interest in the Psyche Deli who were giving out a lot of free samples. Apart from the grabbing up of free stuff and back issues off the counter things were quiet at Weed World. Some of the Hydro stands were in the Hemp side. General opinion felt Wembley to be a far superior venue. Vendors were unhappy about the lack of amenities in Telford and many were making plans to head out of town for entertainment this evening.

By 5:00pm the day was done and with nothing in Telford of any interest at all to hold me I headed my car back home. Fuck it. It was only a couple of hours drive each way to my own bed. That would sure as hell beat a nights fitful kip in the back of the car, and besides, it would give me a chance to make some notes. I was home in time for Dr Who.

Sunday 6th May 2007

I’d gone up the local for nice glass of malt after making some notes and got talking away to one of the lads. The result was by the time I had my last smoke and quick cup of tea it was heading towards 2:00am. With some effort I got on the road for 10:00am and on site for 12:00pm. I was instantly aware that yesterday’s heavy police visibility had changed. Instead there were a lot more men in black suits.

Folken were happily toking outside the main entrance. Inside I stopped for a quick good morning news exchange with Ken and Chris. Weed World had laid on a special meal for everyone the night before. Apparently when it arrived there was murder. The meal was so poor it was described as ‘inedible’. All the vedors complained about the meal.

During my first round of the morning I came across Jaap and Peter from Homegrown Fantasy in serious need of sacramental medication. Had a morning coffee with them and uplifted their spirits. Next I got talking to Marco. I’d had a chance to flick through his mag the night before and I liked what I’d seen. We chatted a while about past shows here and in Amsterdam.

It turned out that the reported ‘arrests’ were no more than heavy handed cautions. Seemingly Winston from LCA had been ejected, and there was some kind of incident over at the UK420 stand. Today a security official stood over their stand on the cat walk, walkie talkie in hand.

With all the empty stalls around them and being where they were like the last house on the edge of town The UK420 stand was looking ever more like the O.K. Coral by the hour with security circleing on the floor and observing from the cat walk above.

I spotted Howard Marks signing books at Tom’s stand and set up my folding chair to get a good photo. There was a guy right in the middle of my shot so I waited until he left. Howard quick as a flash was off his chair with his back turned towards me like his arse was on fire.

What’s up Howard ? Didn’t you like your mention in the last review ? You won’t like this one either. Several of the vendors were shocked at his dishevelled appearance not recognising him right away but thinking one of the local dossers had somehow wandered into the show by mistake.

I kept running across Mila. Though we nodded and smiled each time no actual conversation took place. It didn’t matter. I didn’t need to ask her how things were going, I already knew. It must be really irritating to have all those Bubbleators cluttering up the stock room over at the Pollinator Co. (best wishes to Lali in her studies). Especially now ……….

I went over to get a better shot of the girls I met yesterday manning the McMillan Cancer Support stand. The picture I’d taken hadn’t come out well. These girls had relatives suffering from cancer. They had gotten themselves a fair amount of really nice grow equipment to raffle to raise money for McMillan. This was the only stand I came across that was not there to sell something. The only stand to show an example of spiritual community. They were just here to do something good for somebody else.

My thoughts and very best wishes to you and your relative’s girls.

I was just getting into a good conversation when I spotted Bob. While I had the opportunity I collared him.

“How’s it going ?”

“Oh, er, Hi. Pretty good.”

“Busy today ?”

“Er …. Busier yesterday but it’s still early yet. Most of the free tickets came in yesterday.”

“Did they ?”

“Yeah, about 2/3, maybe ¾. ”

He made an attempt to move on but I wasn’t finished with him yet.

“So, what happened last year ?”

“It was cancelled.”

“Yeah, I know. I want to know why it was cancelled.”

“Look I got to, er …………. It was the Council. They just decided to cancel it at the last minute …… I’ve got to ……..”

“Yeah. I heard that one, but they must have had a reason, ………”

Bob looked like he wanted to be anywhere else on the planet but here right now answering these questions. I could see it plainly in his eyes. I had him. If I was going to get any answers the time was now. I pushed.

“………… they must have needed to give some reasons for their decision. So what was it ? Nobody, even the stall holders, seem to have any clear understanding why it was cancelled. So what’s the sketch, because I’ve heard some wild stories while I’ve been walkin’ around, like the one about the Terrance Higgins Trust being involved and them being anti smoking.”

“What ……. ? I though they were an AIDS charity ?”

“So did I.”

“I really need to , er ……….”

“So it looks like a purely political decision ?”

“Er, yes.”

“Well if that’s the case can’t we do them for discrimination ?”

“What with ? We can’t afford to sue them. It’s cannabis, you know …”

“So was that it ? They just didn’t want a cannabis show ?”

“Yeah.”

“……. because I heard there was a problem over some of the vendors ?”

(sigh – deep breath), “They said they objected to some of the merchandise on display and some of the vendors, yeah.”

“…… and I also heard something about an item on television news ….

“They were unhappy about a news item on television ……..”

“You mean EDIT ? That’s the only news item I remember seeing around that time.”

“……… er, yes, ……. Er, I got to, er ..”

“……. and that’s why the show got cancelled ?”

“…. Er , well, …….”,

He looked at me and shrugged,

“It was all to do with the BZP products. Worm tables, which have since been made illegal anyway, so …….. . Look I really need to be somewhere ……”

“Somebody mentioned that when you booked Coventry the venues books were empty. Do you think they might have pulled a fast one to keep the money after they filled up their books ?

“That’s true but I, ………… I don’t know ....... ? Maybe, yeah.”

“………. because if that’s what they did, it’s fraud isn’t it ?”

“It’s, …….. er, ….. yeah, yeah, I suppose it would be. I got to go. I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah. Later man.”

I had my answer, but it just threw up a whole new set of questions. Not being a pill user I really hadn’t paid much attention to the BZP Scandal last year. It seems I need to look at it all again.

BZP was not actually made illegal. What people didn’t realize was that you needed a licence to sell it because it was in the scope of legislation covering prescription medicine as its normal use is for the de-worming of live stock. Nobody, not even the legislators realized it was covered in this way under law and when they found out there were red faces all round. Traders were quietly allowed to sell their stocks before enforcement of the law.

As I recall, the scandal didn’t break until after the cancellation of the Coventry Hemp Fair.

I had to give Bob 7/10 for diplomatic evasion. He’d been polite, but he really hadn’t wanted to talk about it. When I pushed him I knew, he knew, I knew there was more to it, and I wasn’t going to let it drop. It would get out sooner or later.

I hadn’t been able to ask him about Arjan’s involvement this year, but that was plain enough to see. The self proclaimed King Of Cannabis is trying to take over the cannabis business. He’s dominated and discredited the High Times Cup with shady dealing, and bribery for years. In Amsterdam Cup fixing is an open secret. Last year I was told a 1000 votes for the Cannabis Cup came in, in one sack. They were all voting Greenhouse, all written out by the same hand, and there were also 1000 more votes over the number of people who actually attended the event.

On the back table of the Melkweg Resteraunt I watched the votes being counted, re-counted, then counted and re-counted all over again delaying the Award Ceremony by over an hour.

This year Arjan took over the ICmag International Cannagraphics 420 Cup. Reaction on ICMag forums could not have been more clear. They didn’t want Arjan involved. Interest in the event nose dived. They didn’t want to be tainted by the inscrutableness of his ‘business style’. They tell me a hardcore majority walked away from one of the days activities to go to Haarlem for a smoke with Nol. Many considered the event a rip off, and the organisation poor.

Reaction to the news Arjan was backing the Weed World event this year went through the cannabis community like a low hiss at the pantomime. It got me wondering what he’s up to. As far as I could see he wanted the economic monopoly of the global canna-business. I would later surprise myself by being more accurate in that assumption than I could possibly imagine.

For the time being I was just wondering at the ethics Phil was displaying. To me it looked like he was chasing the money. Apart from Greenhouse the other sponsors of this years event were Damkring and their new partners Kiwi Seeds, now operating together out of the old Interpolm shop on Prins Hendrikade. A regular outlet for fellow sponser Advanced Hydroponics of Holland. A company, if I remember correctly, that has some involvement with Arjan.

I’d been watching these folks for a few years, building up strength sure and steady. I’ve watched them rival each other and publicly call each other names, but over the last few years I’ve seen them all mysteriously begin singing from the same song book.

1998 was my first Cannabis Cup. I saw and heard a lot. Little of it made much sense to me at the time, but one of the things I brought back from that trip was an open letter from Dampkring published on the back of souvenir smoking menu’s.

Something was happening, something big enough to get them all on one side, working together and with each other. I think I may have discovered what that is now, but right there and then my head was spinning with what I’d just learnt. I’d also been surprise by Bob’s seemingly throw away comment;