Cannabis and Religion

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cannabis and religion 300x119 Cannabis & Religion – Part One

A Joyful Toke Unto The Lord
An overview of the intimate link between cannabis and religious ritual.

By DEAN CHRISTOPHER
Since ancient times, people have used drugs — in groups or individually — as part of religious rituals and for personal spiritual quests. Even without specific references to ingesting mind-altering plants, throughout history the link between substance and spirituality has been indirectly described or can be inferred through logical deduction.
That said, the simple belief, however sincere, that cannabis usage constitutes a religious sacrament is not necessarily sufficient to convince legal authorities that possession and use of marijuana is not a crime.
Most of today’s major religions not only do not use cannabis during worship; they specifically forbid their members to use it at all, for perceived moral as well as actual legal reasons. Some go to extremes. Muslim societies, often at governmental levels, strictly prohibit alcohol and other intoxicants. They can impose severe penalties on anyone caught with liquor or drugs. Punishments range from burdensome fines to physical beating to imprisonment to public beheading. Thus their viewpoint is made clear to all.
This does not change the fact that, throughout history, other religious leaders have been — and in many places, continue to be — enthusiastic advocates for the spiritual value of cannabis. Since cannabis is arguably the world’s oldest, most widely cultivated crop, it is unsurprising that it should have been used for religious, as well as medical and social, purposes in virtually every culture on Earth.
Religious groups use cannabinoids (and similar substances) in their rites for many reasons: To commune with gods, nature and one another. As a path to enlightenment. For initiation or anointing new members. As a companion to prayer. To celebrate holidays or special occasions. Some consider cannabis a sacrament akin to Communion. Marijuana has also enhanced certain cults’ “sacred sex” rituals.
Since religions are so closely invested in the physical health of their adherents, cannabis has often been used as medication for members’ well-being.
In the beginning. As noted above, since ancient times, cannabis has been a part of religious rituals all over the world — the spiritual equivalent of its role in physical healing.
But it is important to understand that what we call “religion” today was not so narrowly defined in ancient times. Our distant ancestors made no distinction between medicine and religion. It was all mysterious, divine. Medicine was considered part of the magical arts. Shamans or tribal chiefs were doctors and spiritual leaders — healers of souls as well as bodies. “Medicine men” in the full sense of the word. They could invoke “healing spirits” with the help of nature’s pharmacy — plants whose properties they knew from personal experience. These were seen to produce an altered state, in which good (and sometimes bad!) forces could be invoked.
Far out in the Far East. Ancient Chinese documents — identified as a respected pharmacopeia — refer to cannabis as a magical plant useful for contacting the spirit world. Mummies from about 1000 B.C. exhumed in Northwest China were found next to large sacks of marijuana, from which archeologists surmised that they were shamans or healers (more likely both, as mentioned above). Some Taoists believed that a potion of ginseng and cannabis could help them accurately predict the future.
The Hindu connection. The ritual use of cannabis among Hindus has been noted since 1500 B.C., mentioned in the Rig Veda, Atharva Veda and other sacred texts. Bhang became the favored form of cannabis for Shiva worship, a custom which continues to the present day. Devotees sip a bhang herbal infusion (or tea) of cannabis leaves, flowers and selected flavorings. Sometimes milk is added to the potion. Lest anyone doubt the importance of cannabis to Indian culture, consider that “Bengal” means “Land of bhang,” and “Bangladesh” stands for “People from the bhang country.”
Besides Shiva, the goddess Kali-Ma is closely associated with cannabis. Indeed, these two may enjoy the oldest continuous tradition of worship of any deities, predating even Hebrew, norse and East Asian gods. Devotees of Kali-Ma use marijuana to enhance erotic activities designed to draw kundalini fi re from the base of the spine up into their higher chakras.
The Sikh sect from the Punjabi region of northwest india is known to use bhang mixtures in their religious observances. it is approved by their Holy Scripture, the Adi Granth. is this why the Buddha smiles? it is widely claimed that Gautama Siddartha (known to the West as Buddha, the “wise one”) subsisted on a strict diet of cannabis seeds for several years before reaching his enlightenment. Based on this endorsement of “the holy plant” from their Founder, cannabis is still part of some Buddhist rituals, notably the Tibetan Tantric sect.
Northern light-ups. In north European (Germanic and Scandinavian) cultures, cannabis was often linked to worship of Freya, the norse love goddess, equivalent to the Egyptian isis, roman Venus, Greek Aphrodite and Hindu radha. These cultures believed that she dwelled within the plant’s leaves, and worshippers could partake of her divine love-power by chewing the leaves. Predictably, this ingestion was usually accompanied by erotic rites. Hashish residue found in ancient Celtic ruins suggests that at least some of their tribes also used cannabis in their rituals.
and in Biblical times … rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, in his 1981 book The Living Torah, writes that Kabbalists over the centuries have used mind altering drugs to intensify their mystic experience. This suggests that “burnt offerings” probably does not refer exclusively to barbecued oxen or goats. Kaplan and other scholars claim that the “kaneh bosem” referred to in ancient Hebrew texts was a cannabis-like plant included in anointing oil. in some Biblical accounts, wise men (including King Solomon) and their wives and children enhanced their wisdom with herbal stimulants.
In Part Two, The 420 Times takes a look at cannabis and religion in Ancient Greece, Rome and elsewhere, including early Christianity and Islam. Stay tuned!
http://the420times.com/2010/08/cannabis-religion-part-one/

This for That: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

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this for that 300x119 This For That: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

This For That: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

By JOE KLARE
The National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) describes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as “an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.” These ordeals can include a wide variety of situations: the rigors of war, physical assaults, natural disasters, and horrific accidents — things that shake a person to their very core.
While many doctors remain skeptical, sufferers of PTSD note that they experience relief from their symptoms through the use of medical cannabis. The symptoms often times include frightening thoughts, emotional numbness and depression, withdrawal, tenseness, and difficulty sleeping.
It’s worth mentioning that for veterans, many of whom suffer from PTSD, there has been good news as of late. The Department of Veterans Affairs recently relaxed their rules regarding medical marijuana and veterans — veterans who are legal medical marijuana patients can now use cannabis although VA doctors still cannot prescribe the drug.
In any case, there are a wide variety of strains that might help PTSD sufferers — we’ve divided them into two groups. The first group of strains will help you relax and sleep better, the second group of strains will help relieve your anxiety but won’t put you to sleep.
Anxiety And Insomnia Relief
For the anxiety and sleeplessness associated with PTSD, a heavy Indica will work best. To start off, Grand Daddy Purple is a strain that is definitely worth a try. A very purple bud with an assortment of orange hairs, Grand Daddy Purple can hit you like an anti-anxiety brick. Couch lock (so sleepy that you feel “locked” to your couch) is common with this Indica, so make sure it’s bedtime when you use Grand Daddy Purple — or at least that it’s a time of day when you don’t have anything to do for a few hours.
Blueberry is another great nighttime strain. This Indica-dominant hybrid has a fruity aftertaste, and the buds are sticky and pack a strong punch. Afghani Kush has a hint of spiciness and a slight taste of fruit. It’s great for unwinding at night and relaxing. If prepared right, this Indica will hit you hard and will stay with you for a while. Purple Afghani is a hybrid, but still mostly Indica. It can be used during the day to reduce anxiety, but it won’t knock you out.
Bubba Kush is another couch-lock Indica that is good for nighttime relief. The buds are dense and green with a hint of purple. It will be covered in trichomes that hold the most THC. Also from the Kush family, Purple Kush has a long-lasting effect that is great for getting some rest. Glittering buds give you the full Indica effect, so be prepared to get some rest!
Red Devil is another Indica, but it lands somewhere in the middle in terms of “couch-lock.” It’s a good strain for when you don’t necessarily want to sleep but want to relax with a good movie instead. Heavy with trichomes, Red Devil is lime green in color with bright orange hairs.
A shorter-lasting effect comes from Master Kush and Hash Plant. Although both are Indica-dominant, so for those PTSD sufferers who just want to relax — but not for too long — Master Kush or Hash Plant is the way to go. Your buds should be a bright green with noticeable trichomes. All of these strains, except for Purple Afghani, should help with difficulties sleeping, which is a top complaint of those suffering from PTSD.
Couch-Lock Be Gone!
There are many people who want to reduce their anxiety but, at the same time, want to stay awake so they can perform their day-to-day duties. Let’s delve into the best anti-anxiety strains that don’t put you down for the count.
Grape Punch is one of those rare heavy Indicas that don’t put you out. With a smell and taste like grape bubblegum, Grape Punch packs a heavy punch but still allows you to enjoy your day. Also great for anxiety and social situations is the Sativa-dominant Mango Kush. Frosty with trichomes, Mango Kush smells very sweet and gives you an almost euphoric effect.
A cross between White Widow and Super Skunk, Great White Shark is another strain that can be used during the day for anxiety relief. A hybrid that is mostly Indica, Great White Shark gives a good body high and has a noticeably sweet taste and smell.
From the Sativa side comes a Colorado-born strain named Tangerine. It’s good for general anxiety and depression relief and is a good daytime strain once you get used to the heavy high it brings. Durban Poison is another anti-anxiety and antidepression Sativa that is worth a try. The dense, trichomecovered nuggets of Durban Poison leaves patients with an energetic feeling and allows sufferers of PTSD to leave their shell and participate in their daily activities.
Most Indicas, with their high THC content, will be good for sleep and dream suppression. We also can’t forget concentrates and edibles, which can be bought at most dispensaries and collectives, for those who don’t want to smoke or vaporize. Edibles also tend to have longer staying power when consumed.
If you are a sufferer of PTSD, make sure you talk to your doctor or caregiver regarding which strain might be right for you. As always, experiment and try different strains until you find something that works for you.
http://the420times.com/2010/08/this-for-that-post-traumatic-stress-disorder/

Reports of Germany Legalizing Were Premature

Posted in:
Update: Since publishing this article, knowledgeable parties in Germany have informed us that the press reports we relied on in this article were incorrect. The government at this point is only moving to approve Sativex, a cannabis-based sublingual medication, not smoked or edible marijuana, and it is a step toward approving Sativex, not immediate availability of it. Once we can confirm that information, we will post a new story, as well as linking to it here.
Germany’s health ministry has announced plans to allow the use of marijuana as a medicine. In an August 16 press conference, Health Minister Philipp Roesler told reporters that only changes in ministry policy would be required and that no changes in German law would be needed.

cannabis prescription legally produced in Netherlands (courtesy Marijuana Policy Project)

Although the medicinal qualities of marijuana are increasingly non-controversial in Europe, German lawmakers two years ago rejected a move to legalize medical marijuana. Individual patients have had to go to court to win the right to be prescribed, a state of affairs that has resulted in only 40 patients in the entire country having medical marijuana prescriptions.
Because medical marijuana is accepted in other European countries, legalizing it in Germany should go “quickly by comparison,” Roesler said.
It is time for Germany to join the club, said health care professionals welcoming the move. “Because it is disproportionately difficult to obtain cannabis as medicine, many patients with chronic pain are currently forced into illegality,” said Eugen Brysch of the German Hospice Foundation. Medical marijuana could play “an important role” in the treatment of the critically ill, he added.
“It’s time to bring cannabis out from the shadows,” said Gerhard Mueller-Schwefe, president of the German Society for Pain Therapy.

Medical Cannabis Cambodia Association day at the new media center. The first dispensary for med-pot is our goal in this developing nation. FREE ROGER CHRISTIE…etc…

Studies on the many uses of medical cannabis

If you would like to know more about the medical uses of cannabis, please run a search for “Granny Storm Crow’s MMJ Reference list – July 2010” for 100s of free cannabis articles and studies from reputable sources. Educate yourself! Thank you.

Not quite the whole story

I’m from Germany and I’ve closely followed the news surrounding this. Germany is not legalizing medical marijuana in the sense of making available the herb in dispensaries or pharmacies or allowing the cultivation by patients, but rather what’s happening is very limited and a narrow opening that helps big pharma but is a disgrace to patients’ rights:
In short: only cannabis based medications such as Sativex are being legalized. They are a) rescheduling cannabis plant material allowing its handling by manufacturers, and b) rescheduling cannabis based medications/standardized extracts (produced by said manufacturers) allowing doctors to prescribe them to patients (for a very limited range of severe illnesses) using a special narcotics prescription. So no easy access for patients suffering from light to moderate illnesses in the foreseeable future. Plus, at this point it’s  entirely unclear whether medical insurance companies will be obliged to cover these medications.
The timing, no surprise, just happens to coincide with Sativex’ big roll out in Europe, so it’s obvious that the pharma lobby had a hand in this. Or why else would such a move come from a conservative, notoriously backwards thinking government coalition?
That said, it’s a step in the right direction after years on inactivtiy on this front. Better than nothing. At least the very sick and dying will be helped in some way for the time being. I hope this small move at least increases acceptance, stirs debate and lays the foundation for further changes in law.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2010/aug/24/germany_okay_medical_marijuana

Barry Cooper Fights the Law, Wins

By Stephen C. Webster
Exclusive: Cooper to release City of Odessa from $40 million civil suit
barrycooperismyhero Barry Cooper fights the law, wins: Odessa drops all KopBusters chargesBarry Cooper, a former Texas police officer who turned against the drug war and executed a reverse-sting operation against the Odessa police department, will walk free on all related charges, an attorney for Ector County announced Tuesday.
Cooper, perhaps the nation’s best-known drug war activist thanks to his “Never Get Busted” DVDs, set up a fake marijuana grow house in Odessa, wired it for sound and video, then used an anonymous letter to bait police into a Dec. 2008 raid.
The letter was delivered to a local church, which eventually turned it over to police. Not long after that officers came crashing through the door.
Cooper, his wife Candi and another individual who assisted their operation were all arrested two months ago on the Class B misdemeanor charge of Making a False Report to a Peace Officer in relation to the Odessa sting. Candi’s arrest took place at the family’s apartment in south Austin and Barry turned himself in days later at the Texas capitol building, with a typical showman’s flare.

Story continues below…


A detailed report on Cooper’s arrest was featured by RAW STORY.
The decision against prosecuting Cooper was made by Ector County Attorney Cindy Weir-Nutter, who had not returned a phone call at time of publication.
“The statute in Texas requires that the false report be made during an investigation, and there was no ongoing investigation,” she told The Odessa American. “You have to be able to prove all elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.”
“The county attorney’s office did not believe they had enough facts or evidence to convict Barry or Candi,” James Gill, Cooper’s Austin-based attorney, told RAW STORY. “In other words, they did not commit any crime.”
“We’re very excited that the county attorney’s office has decided in this way,” he added.
“We knew we were right,” Cooper told RAW STORY. “We knew we designed that sting to where we weren’t breaking any laws and we knew that when the Rangers came and tricked Candi and forced me to turn myself in … We knew they were wrong too. We’re thankful that a prosecutor had enough guts to say, ‘This isn’t right.'”
Cooper added that he would now drop the City of Odessa from a $40 million civil suit he filed against numerous entities and individuals, including the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department, the Odessa Police Department and the Texas Rangers.
“[Odessa] decided not to prosecute us so there’s no point in dragging them through this lawsuit, but we’re going to turn it up on the Texas Rangers for false arrest and retaliation, because it’s clear that’s what they did.”
“It’s about time we had some good news,” Candi Cooper said. “We have been through it lately. To hear this, it’s very wonderful for our family.”
Odessa resident Tammy Grimes, who was also charged for her supporting role in the sting, said she was “extremely excited” at the outcome.
“I’m very thankful for the good work that [Weir-Nutter] and her staff did,” Grimes said. “I’m very happy and pleased.”
The Texas Rangers may yet refile the charges in Odessa. The maximum penalty for Making a False Report to a Peace Officer in Texas is six months in prison.
Both Coopers are still being prosecuted by Williamson County for the same charge in a different case, where Barry claims to have caught a police officer stealing $45 from a reportedly suspicious package, as part of another “KopBusters” sting carried out in 2009.
That officer, Cpt. George Nassour, had Cooper served with civil suit papers on the evening of August 24, alleging slander and libel.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/0824/barry-cooper-fights-law-wins-odessa-drops-kopbusters-charges/

Kestrel, the Cannabis Car

Click to enlarge [A new way of saying "green car"]
A new way of saying “green car
Now, don’ go thinking that the Kestrel is packed with Cannabis… It is, if you like, wrapped in the stuff, as its creators, Motive, went for a type of Cannabis fiber called hemp when designing the body of the car.

Motive calls its vehicle the Kestrel bio-composite bodied electric car, a vehicle which is a first for the Canadian automotive industry. The car is a 4 passenger compact electric vehicle made of impact resistant bio composite material, a choice made to improve the vehicle’s efficiency. It will be unveiled at the 2010 VE Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver this September.
“We saw a unique opportunity to make significant advancements in the automotive sector and support the Canadian Auto Sector by providing sustainable products and opportunities to create new green manufacturing jobs,” said Nathan Armstrong, Motive president.
The bio composite material was chosen to be transformed into a body of a car because it is lighter and cheaper than other materials. Despite this, the material comes with the promise of achieving the same mechanical properties as glass composites. The bio composite material has been developed by Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF).
“Natural materials such as hemp can offer a green and sustainable alternative to conventional fibers used in composites,” added John Wolodko from AITF.
There are however no details available on what the car an actually do. Part of the Project Eve, a Canadian endeavor meant to boost production of electric vehicles and electric vehicle components in Canada, the car will enter prototype testing later this month.
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/kestrel-the-cannabis-car-23658.html

Hippie's Dream Car

Motive

A teaser image of the Kestrel.

(Credit: Motive Industries)

Motive Industries, an automotive design firm in Canada, is developing the most literal of green vehicles–an electric car with a chassis made from cannabis.
The body of the Kestrel, a four-seat electric vehicle, is engineered using impact-resistant biocomposite derived from Canadian grown and manufactured hemp mats.
Its construction takes enviromentally friendly engineering one step further–the hemp fibers in the composite keep the body weight low, which reduces the energy needed to propel the vehicle while offering a renewable alternative to composites derived from petrochemicals. Aptera, a California-based EV start-up, uses silica-based fabric for its composite material that is impossible to dent with a sledgehammer, according to the manufacturer.
Prototyping and testing on the Kestrel will take place later this month. Motive’s goal is to achieve a reduction in weight while maintaining the same mechanical properties as the car’s glass-based counterpart. More information about the zero-emission Kestrel will be released in September at the 2010 VE Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20014412-48.html

Some MA police turn blind eye to marijuana

Photo Courtesy of flickr user warrentedarrest Having a small amount of weed might not even get you a fine. Some towns in Massachusetts are giving up on enforcing the law that decriminalized possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Under that law, an ounce or less brings just a 100-dollar fine – instead of six months in jail or a 500-dollar fine. But offenders don’t have to identify themselves, and there’s no penalty for unpaid fines. Police officials say that makes it hard to enforce – and leaves some towns simply turning a blind eye to pot use.
http://news.wbru.com/2010/08/some-ma-police-turn-blind-eye-to-marijuana/

Free Roger Christie

August 23, 2010 – Hilo, Hawaii
Video by David Corrigan
Over 200 supporters of Roger Christie rallied at the Mooheau bandstand in Hilo, Hawaii on Wednesday. Christie, who founded the THC-Ministry in Hilo where he says he shared the sacrament of cannabis with members, was arrested in July for running what federal authorities called a “large scale” marijuana business.
The situation has apparently mobilized followers of Christie’s beliefs, who see the ministry bust as an assault on their freedoms. During the rally, speakers directed angry remarks towards law enforcement, and the few county police officers who were quietly monitoring the gathering from the bayfront parking lot. After the bandstand rally, marijuana advocates marched to the Hilo federal building to protest Christie’s incarceration.
Christie is currently being held federal detention center without bail, where he awaits an April 2011 trial. In all, 14 people were arrested for their alleged connections to the THC-Ministry.

VIDEO: “Free Roger Christie” rally in Hilo

All Decked Out

Eugene entrepreneur and longtime industrial hemp advocate Dave Seber hopes to make a little history today at Seattle’s HempFest, a pro-cannabis event expected to attract at least 175,000 people.

He will be introducing Hemp Shield, which he calls the “world’s first” hemp-oil deck sealer.

Hemp Shield is coming to market in an unconventional way, but it’s backed by traditional research and development, and marketed as an eco-friendly product.

Forrest Paint Co., a 37-year-old Eugene company that has developed other niche paint products, engineered the water-reducible Hemp Shield formulation, and has tested it extensively in its labs. Seber contracted with Forrest Paint to manufacture and distribute Hemp Shield, which is priced at $35 a gallon.

“In our tests, it outperforms all the other deck stains on the market, primarily for UV resistance — how well it holds its color after exposure to intensive UV light,” Forrest President Mark Forrest said.

Hemp oil historically was used in wood preservatives and coatings until the 1930s, he said, but he’s not aware of any other hemp-oil deck sealer on the market.

The hemp-oil deck finish, which soaks deeper into the wood instead of forming a film on the top of the wood, “tends to hold up better to foot traffic, standing water and other stresses on a deck coating,” Forrest said.

It’s also “greener” than other deck finishes because “of the sustainable nature of growing hemp,” he said. Another selling point is that it has zero hazardous air pollutants and is very low in VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, he said. VOCs can be a health hazard and can contribute to smog.

Something else Hemp Shield does not contain is THC, the pyschoactive substance that makes hemp’s cousin, marijuana, an effective drug.

Rather than downplaying the cannabis connection — both hemp and marijuana are varieties of the cannabis sativa plant — Seber plays it up by prominently displaying a green cannabis leaf on Hemp Shield’s label.

“We want this product to become a tipping point in the marketplace for the potential uses for hemp,” he said.

Forrest said the reputation of hemp is both an advantage and an obstacle. “Our goal here is to make this a mainstream product,” he said. “I think the performance of the product will help move it into the mainstream. It’s price-competitive with other similar products on the market, and yet it has that green advantage.”

After two decades of searching for financially viable uses for industrial hemp, primarily as fiber in construction materials, Seber believes he has hit on something big.

Water-based deck sealers are a $300 million-a-year market in the United States, he said.

“The reason why we focused on decks is because of the state of (the) construction (industry),” Seber said. “The truth is, if you have a deck, you have to reseal it every couple of years, so the demand for this isn’t going to go away. … We intend to market this all over the world.”

“If this works, I’m going to be an overnight success after 20 years,” Seber joked.

Hemp Shield could be the first in a line of hemp-based products that could bring jobs and income to the Eugene-Springfield area, he predicted.

“It’s not by accident that we’re doing this in Eugene, Oregon,” Seber said. “Because we’ve been a center for alternative culture for a long, long time, and we’ve been an advocate for the use of hemp and cannabis for a long, long time.”

“We think our time has come,” he said, with the market opportunity created by the convergence of consumer interest in “green” products; the economic downturn, which has spurred interest in new business opportunities and new crops for farmers; and recently passed legislation permitting Oregon farmers to grow industrial hemp.

Work still needs to happen at the federal level to allow farmers in Oregon and 16 other states that have passed similar laws, to plant their first hemp crop.

That could happen in two ways: Either the federal government changes its definition of marijuana to exclude industrial hemp, or federal drug enforcement authorities agree not to take action against growers of industrial hemp as long as they comply with their state’s laws, said state Sen. Floyd Prozanski, sponsor of the Oregon hemp legislation that passed last year.

“I would be somewhat surprised if we don’t see some change that’s going to allow for industrial hemp to be re­introduced as an agricultural commodity, as it was in the past, by the end of 2011,” he said.

Until Seber can source hemp seed locally, he is importing it from Canada.

Canada resumed legal production of hemp in 1998, and exports to the United States about 85 percent of the hemp seed grown there, said Christina Volgyesi, spokeswoman for the Hemp Industries Association, a trade organization with about 200 members nationwide.

Hemp products in the United States are a $400 million industry, she said.

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/business/25198876-41/hemp-deck-forrest-seber-eugene.csp

Going to Pot

by Domenick Yoney (RSS feed)

Motive Industries talks about its cannabis-bodied car – Click above to watch a video after the jump

Motive Industries has announced that they will unveil Canada’s first bio-composite-bodied electric car this September at the EV 2010 VÉ Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver. Dubbed the Kestrel, the four-passenger compact forgoes some of the traditional fibers used in composites for a green car (*ahem*) technology that is renewable – hemp.
The bio material is derived from hemp mats produced by Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF), which gets its stash from Vegreville, Alberta (industrial hemp, i.e., Cannabis sativa L, is legally grown in Canada under license from Health Canada and must contain less than 0.3 percent THC). As well as having the impact resistance of fiberglass composites, the hemp version has the added bonuses of being lighter and cheaper – two important qualities for battery-powered vehicles.
Engineered for a program called Project Eve that helps Canadian firms produce electric vehicles and components, the Darren McKeage-designed cannabis car will undergo prototyping and testing later this month. Hit the jump for Calgary News broadcast discussing the new composite, including footage with company president Nathan Armstrong.

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/20/going-to-pot-motive-to-unveil-cannabis-composite-kestrel-w-vid/