SamuiGrower

Coffee money. ????

The current market rate is NOT 40K baht/kilo it’s US $1500/lb. That’s 112,700 baht/kilo. If you are buying a kilo (from me) of indoor, controlled environment flower, grown from imported seeds, you can pay 100,000 baht. AND, yes that’s here in Thailand. How would I know? I’m in the THC/CBD a business. This is exhausting. Please be informed when making flippant comments about a business you are only the end user of. You think you know what the tourists want? Weed from imported seeds? The discerning clientele are the farengs that live here, those that bloviate in forums like this. All else, the tourists, are in it for the high, believing the preposterous descriptions and THC percentages of the grams they are paying 500 to 1000 baht for.

As other posters have mentioned, the ‘medical loophole’ laws and imports to fill the nascent market still exist, have never been ended, and are widely exploited. Don’t know why you are soooo surprised! It’s the least of what’s concerning. But please, feel free to keep insisting it’s just not so.

So wrong.

No, I can’t. Asking a business to copy their license and post it so you can see it? Slim to none. If you don’t believe there is a huge influx of USA/Canadian flower flooding the Thai market, don’t leave it to me to convince you, canvass the suppliers or better yet, enter the business. Clearly, ALL are welcome (by some) ????????????. I am in the business. A commercial grow that sells cannabis and CBD (flower/extract) on a wholesale basis to dispensaries and wellness centers. They have shown us their import licenses and commercially imported flower and those are the prices that have established the AMR (average market rate) to which we compete against. Our company has a full time “admin”, well versed in licenses, permits and filling out countless forms. We are a straight up-and-down company that has multiple licenses (a CBD export license is just one). A Ganja/Ganjo import license is just a matter of filing and paying. As stated in previous posts, this business is a race to the bottom, complete with Darwinism - survival of the fittest. Prices will plummet, regulation will abound, and small players will evaporate. The weed business in Thailand is replete with the good, the bad and the really bad. It astounds me that it still operates on the least common denominator: “The Gram”. More weed spoils or its integrity diminished by oversupply than what is sold. Before anyone asks for proof of that, relax, it’s MY speculation from involvement in this business. I see a lot of “brown, everything looks a like, UV and humidity spoiled flower”. FYI for all you looking in from the outside - you can’t freeze it, refrigerate it, inert atmosphere package it and expect it to last until that last gram is sold, before it goes bad. Sad.

Doubt that! And, where is that statistic? Dubious supposition at best. Dispensaries in Samui are all too proud to tell you about their ‘Cali’ imports. If this wasn’t so, they would be importing from Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiangmai. “And it is illegal to IMPORT cannabis into Thailand. (yes, there is a loophole for "scientific research")” This is also NOT true. I have seen valid import licenses. Many. Yes, it is illegal export it out of the US and Canada. Trust me, that in and of itself will allow the US DEA to pressure And influence Thai legislation in the coming round of regulations, that you all know is coming.

All very, very valid points except for the “shipping heritage strains back home….” Not even close or valid. Do you really believe that? Hybrid crossing of “Thai Strains” were done in the infancy of sativa/indica genetics. And, selling back pure landrace strains? Where? This is pure fiction and lessens your zeal. All cannabis products sold in Thailand should be grown, produced and processed in Thailand. California and Canada importation is a flaw in the rushed legislation.

I owned a type I grow (1800 plants) and dispensary with two SCE extraction labs and a SPD distillation lab with ethanol extraction and rotary evap. Because of demand we would co-op buy harvests from other growers only to find after extraction the distillates failed microbial or pesticide analysis. We were always spot on with residual solvents though. There are a steady stream of articles in the media about incorrect Mg dosing for edibles, failed COA lab results, mislabeling of ingredients, microbial and pesticide failure. One doesn’t have to look very long to find any one of these to cite. I don’t want to be antagonistic but maybe you can cite an article, white paper or journal that uses “medical vaping” as a delivery system for young patients and older patients. Really? I’ll stand by my ‘never’ but wish to be enlightened and proven wrong. Unless you are referring to ‘inhalers’? Different story

Bam, thanks for the link. I was citing a statistic and no specific article, though just as many legal, licensed extractors are failing at that rate for the same reasons. We can liken the term “illicit” to any extractor operating within an unregulated market, like right here. I neglected to mention, the very nature of cannabis vape liquid is a distillate extraction, a lipophilic (oil loving/oil soluble) compound. If anyone has ever touched some, you know how hard it is to get off without alcohol or other solvent. Water does nothing. Imagine that aerosolized in your lungs, attached to the mucosa lining. Hard to imagine asking the question, “is this doing any harm?”

The truth of it is always inconvenient, especially when preaching to the choir. Nobody that smokes cannabis in any form should delude themselves into thinking the “medicinal” benefits of smoking, in any form, outweighs the risks of inhaling anything. Cannabis smoking is directly associated with increased risks of bronchitis, lung infections, chronic cough and increased mucus buildup. Sounds like pretty much all your symptoms. So the argument I see and read is, ‘no combustion, no tar, it’s cleaner, it’s purer….” All true, with the exception of dabbing (wax, shatter, sauce, sugar, rosin….). BUT, you are still inhaling an irritant, a hydrocarbon at that (in the case of dabs and all its form). There are abundant articles that mention the horrors of inhaling the diluents: PG, PEG, T. Acetate in vape carts but the actual constituents, I.e distillate or oil or flower is of equal concern. Vaping may be better than burning a joint (still the number mode of consumption) but how much better? I have discussed this with MDs: GP’s, cardiologists, pulmonologists and oncologists. Is anyone surprised that none of them advise their patients to smoke anything? Inhaling anything, especially a purified hydrocarbon diluted with terpenes for viscosity (The latest solvent less SOP is rosin+terpenes) can’t have any positive long term benefits. In 2022, 80% of the vape carts tested were contaminated with residual solvents and pesticides. I smoke cannabis (in all its forms) and will continue to smoke because I enjoy it. It’s not “my medicine”, it’s my enjoyment and my business. I don’t tell myself it’s good for me or the ‘positive effects’ outweigh the possible deleterious effects. As we all know, there are many delivery systems of cannabis. As a person of science I can tell you vaping or dabbing will never be the acceptable mode of delivery for any of the medicinal attributes of cannabinoids.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1279635-grow-cannabis-to-make-feco-full-extract-cannabis-oil-for-personal-use/ You might possibly find this post interesting as it directly speaks to cancer and cannabis, albeit the title might not be as suggestive.

I too have read the research about capsaicin (active ingredient in hot peppers) in regards to cancer treatments. There is 20 years of research in this field. I’ve read the studies about inducing cellular apoptosis (cancer cell death) but they have all been ‘in vivo’, lab studies. Eating chili peppers would be a huge leap and non sequitir in the correlation of capsaicin and curing cancer. I don’t think that is an advisable alternative approach. The standard solvent used in RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) today is ethanol, though RS himself advocated for any solvent. The emphasis on the efficacy is whole plant, full spectrum and not the solvent. It IS a dirty, crude oil with cellulose, waxes, lipids and chlorophyll. There is a huge body of purely anecdotal evidence extolling the virtues of said oil in the curing of cancer. I would urge you to do more research, again, if you are seeking alternative treatments. RSO in suppositories bypasses “first pass metabolism” and knocks down some of the “high”. Lastly, if you are truly considering an alternative, look into Sativex, an FDA approved extract made from a 1:1 ratio of THC and CBD. Or, Epidiolex, the CBD only form. Neither is prescribed for cancer or tumors. Time is a critical factor for you, as you know. Procuring (seeds), growing and extracting FECO and eating chilis just doesn’t sound like practical use of your time. IMHO

There is no better way to correct a nutrient deficiency than foliar spraying but one should exercise a bit of caution before you do so. Magnesium deficiency occurs through leaching (soils) or through cation capture due to the soils negatively charged nature to hold and release Magnesium (and calcium), both having strong charges (+2). Most organic substrates have a large CEC (cation exchange rate) and can hold back both Ca and Mg showing a deficiency even though they are present. If you are seeing a magnesium deficiency in an indoor grow, it is likely in vegetative growth and you are growing in coco which has a propensity to hold back magnesium and calcium until you compensate for it (buffering). The most likely possibility is a nutrient schedule that is not balanced. This is of no surprise since most bottled nutrients sell you on “stacking” a regiment of 4, 5 and 6+ additives to achieve a well rounded nutrition program. One of the biggest additives in the market, as well as the biggest myth is the Cal-Mag additive - the cure all for all that ails your plant. (I would love to discuss this at a later date). Magnesium is also mobile in the plant and can be translocated from healthy leaves to deficient parts of the plant. If you see a Mg deficiency, it will be noticed in the lower leaves first. The bad news is, by the time you see it, the onset was much earlier on but you’re just seeing it now. It is correctable and a drench is more recommended to correct the issue than a foliar application. This will work in both Veg and Flower, where a foliar will only be good in veg. 1 gram of Magnesium Sulfate per liter of water will make a 100 ppm (E.C. 0.2) magnesium solution (approx.). This can be scaled up and down proportionately. I would start with half that: 50 ppm of Mg and then observe. I wouldn’t add more than a gram/liter as Mg can antagonize Ca. There is also 130 ppms (EC 0.26) of sulfur (S) which poses no problem since there is no known sulfur toxicity threshold in cannabis. It should also be noted that sulfur improves the organoleptic properties of cannabis (smell, aroma, taste, flavor, etc.) and is usually the primary ingredient (sulfates) in most bud finishers and ripeners on the market. If you feel you need an immediate correction, foliar applications act faster and are usually much stronger, as in 500 ppms and up is not unusual. You will need a surfactant, wetting agent, ‘sticker’ to make it more efficient. Use a soap like Bronner’s or anything mild (made with KOH and not NaOH) if you are not using an agricultural surfactant. Make sure to spray the underside of the leaf where it will do the most good. Just before lights out, not in the direct sun (if outdoors), etc. Magnesium Sulfate has long been a gardeners salvo when reusing soils or potting in depleted mediums. I hope this is helpful.

And yet, here you are….

Your right. Here’s my 5 minutes of research to backup my claims: How about…. Doctor accused of selling false hope to families Liz Szabo USA TODAY https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/15/stanislaw-burzynski-cancer-controversy/2994561/ Or Burzynski and his untested methods for curing cancer. He charges his clients hundreds of thousands of dollars for "Clinical Research" methods of curing cancer. Reviews: BurzynskiIMDbhttps://www.imdb.com › title › reviews Here’s another Fact Check-Antineoplastons not a proven ‘cancer cure’ and not an approved treatment Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-antineoplaston-burzynski-cance-idUSL1N34O1TN There are more, shall I continue? Science has an amazing ability to shine light and disinfect quackery. I’m so glad I became a scientist. Thailand is a magnet for expat flat-earthers. ????

Are you affiliated? Did they help someone you know? I ask because it didn’t take long to find out they are selling snake oil and untested methods. Do the research. And yet you called out meathead on his suggested dosing. Incredible!

I was perhaps harsh in calling it “lab grown”, it’s not. It’s a cannabis derived extract in the Nabiximol family - legal in 15 countries since 2010. It’s a 1:1 THC:CBD oral spray and has been effective across an array of medical issues involving muscle spasticity. Dronabinol, Marinol, and Nabilone are “lab grown” analog synthetics of THC, not to be confused with your mention of street synthetic ‘spice’ that is wreaking havoc in ER rooms. These THC analogs are like ‘nature identicals’ and can not be discerned from ‘natural’. My issue is with big pharma and not the drugs. Only they can go to clinical trial and distribute their FDA approved cannabis while the rest of us suffer because it’s still illegal around the world with the exception of 3 countries, and the USA and UK aren’t one of them. UK Pharmaceuticals did the patent on Sativex by the way. Perhaps you wouldn’t take such umbrage to being quoted if you actually read what I wrote in regards to the FDA and AMA stating that CBD was safe regardless of it working or not working. But you actually suggested a dosage and said “that seems to work”. That’s what I have a problem with, but arguing with you, and trying to show the logic is like having a battle of wits with someone who is completely un-armed. To be clear, I was NOT the only poster that pointed out your quote as being wrong. And as far as “0 side effects”, you’re wrong (again). Dry mouth, diarrhea, reduced appetite, drowsiness and fatigue are common symptoms of CBD dosing not to mention they react with blood thinners and and some enzyme medications. Science, so inconvenient for you, huh?

Hold on a sec. There is only limited medical conjecture, implying CBD ‘may’, ‘possibly’, ‘could’, or ‘potentially’ be effective in a myriad of medical conditions. At present, CBD is not known for curing any cancers or tumors. The only studies that show any efficacy in reducing cancers and tumors are with gioblastomas (a type of brain tumor). It showed improvements in reducing aggressive brain tumors but cured no patients. The NIH (National Institute of Health) did a CBD inhaler trial that has shown to have limited the progression of glioblastomas. There is a clinical trial at present in the UK after a positive phase I. I’m following this closely as someone who has been in the CBD business for 11 years and a scientist for the past 40. The unfortunate thing (for me), is the trial is using a synthetic, ‘lab grown’ cannabinoid (Sativex). Big Pharma’s long reaching arm….. To suggest a dosage is irresponsible. “Seems to work quite well” as the above poster writes only solicits the question, “for what? Brain tumors?” Nine patients over seven years were given two 100 mg doses twice a day. At best, the results were hardly optimistic but positive enough to study CBD in an in vivo and in vitro lab studies. Those 9 patients represent the opus of clinical studies. Israel is doing the most work in recognizing ALL cannabinoids as medicine. They have no problem with considering psychotropic cannabinoids as medicine. All eyes are on them. The good news is the US FDA and American Medical Association says CBD does NO HARM if you wish to use it. The market is full of gummies, tinctures, inhalers, flower, roll-ons, beverages, topicals, etc.- you name it. Yes, I am aware of the 100’s of YouTube videos extolling the benefits of CBD. Most of those infomercials are junk science. There are many, many personal stories of how CBD has cured people. This is anecdotal evidence and does not mean it did not work (for them). If you are looking for alternative therapies try RSO, Rick Simpson Oil. The anecdotal evidence for curing cancers is too numerous to ignore. To be clear, CBD is binary: it either works (for you) or it doesn’t. It doesn’t work a little or sometimes - it does or it doesn’t, hard stop. The efficacy of CBD is vastly improved with the addition of THC, this is when it, medically, becomes most effective. CBD to THC ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 have shown to have positive effects in epilepsy, pain relief (a known anti-inflammatory), anxiety, PTSD, nausea. Unfortunately curing tumors and cancer is not amongst them. Whole plant, full spectrum (with all the cannabinoids, i.e, CBG, CBN, D9 & D8 THC, CBD) distillates show the most efficacy, unfortunately, due to the legalities (legislature), THC is never included and most CBD companies are hyping their products. The CBD product pushed around the world is T-free distillate - THC free. The oil has been stripped of most of the synergistic cannabinoids. I am in the CBD business and will be the first to say it is pushed as a panacea, ‘cures-all-that-ails-you’. The price for CBD mother oil, distillate, and isolate has plunged to 1/3 of what it used to be not because of supply and demand but because of its limited efficacy without the THC and synergistic cannabinoids that are illegal. If you think the THC market is a race to the bottom, one only needs to look at the CBD market as portent of what’s coming. The largest consumers now for CBD is the cosmetics, home health care and drink sectors. To the original poster of this thread: I understand your pain and need to help/heal a family member, having gone all the alternative paths with a family member myself. With CBD, you can do no harm, and the suggestion that it could help is enough to pursue it. Hope and faith is powerful and so is knowledge that is grounded in science. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

Organic cannabis is produced by feeding cannabis N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and trace elements/minerals from once living sources: manure, blood/bone meal, guano, composts, etc. Soluble trace elements and minerals through volcanic or fossilized rock like azomite or riverbed silt, etc. it should also be understood that many organic inputs, like guano, are very high in heavy metals. Cannabis is a hyperaccumulator plant and will uptake heavy metals and toxins from all substrates and soils. This is why hemp was used for many years as a soil remediation. The very idea that organic cannabis is “better”, is a complete fabrication as well as thinking there is a difference between ‘medical grade’ and recreational cannabis. (Can’t wait for all the bro-science disagreements! ????) It is simply a marketing term. I wonder how many pulmonologists are saying to smoke organic weed! These organic inputs rely on mineralization by microbes, bacteria and fungi to convert them into ions (cations and anions) which is the ONLY way a plant can absorb them. So, yes it’s true a plant can not tell the difference between organic and non-organic nutrients. Mineralization is a slow, inexact process that can take weeks to produce results. indoor, organic growing is certainly possible. So is organic hydroponic growing. Organic byproduct slurries are converted into ionic form through bacteria (lacto bacillus and photosynthetic bacteria) ”No Till” organic farming was designed for OUTDOOR, poor soil environments. Latest cannabis tek/sop, combines organic inputs (kelp, humic and Fulvic acid) with synthetic salts for optimization and benefits that result in increased secondary metabolites (THC, CBD). These are mostly chelators, vitamins, minerals and natural hormones. Salts, of which some are considered organic as well, such as rock phosphates and Potassium Sulfate, are already in an ionic form and are readily absorbed by the plant. In a commercial grow, one can ‘dial in’ the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium on a real time basis. This is the reason why salts are used is sustainable, economic grow models. As a scientist, I can tell you soil farming with natural/organic inputs taste better but the science can NOT explain why. The only difference is the organoleptic properties (taste, smell, aroma, flavor, etc.) It does NOT change terpene profiles. Nitrogen (N) the primary source of plant growth is provided through NO3 (Nitrate) and NH4 (ammonium). The former is an anion and the latter, an cation. The plant needs to expend energy to convert nitrate into NH4 - the useable form. Nitrifying bacteria in soil does the conversion if using manures, composts and ferments. Though NH4 is the useable form, plants prefer nitrate (NO3) over ammonium (NH4) if using salts/synthetics. Too much NH4 will diminish concentrations of THC and CBD as well as yield. If NH4 is kept between 10-30% of NO3 there will be no loss. Here in Thailand, where there is no regulating body (The Wild West), there is absolutely no guarantee to what you are buying, smoking or eating. I have discovered more lies than truths. As far as microscopic examination of flower, this will only show you airborne contamination, I.e dirt, insects, hair, etc. and is NOT a diagnostic tool for anything more. If one was foolish to spray salts on flowering cannabis you might be able to discern recrystallization. Unless you are the grower or know the growers ‘plant husbandry’ grow practices, it would be highly, highly doubtful you would find organic weed in dispensaries unless you are prone to believe what you are told. IMHO of course!

CBD oil or hemp oil? Huge difference and there are respective strains for each. Your post implies you want to harvest the seeds, so you mean HEMP OIL. The outfit you are looking for: https://www.cbdseedlabs.com if you are looking for CBD oil and you want to grow biomass for extraction: BaOx and Otto are decent cultivars. I have 40,000 legally imported Cherry Abacus 13% CBD seeds (I did the genetics on this in 2018), here in Thailand if you are interested. PM me if so.

CBD or THC?

Peroxide is a non-discriminating oxidizer at best and in low concentrations (1%) will only be effective in-the-moment, at the point of contact. It has no lasting effect after application. Raising pH on leaf surface is pretty decent IPM. Big ops we used Potassium Silicate (AgSil16H) for both IPM (raising pH to 11) and for the silica. Particularly advantageous at flip, from veg to flower. We experimented with ozone (O3) generators, ozonated water but they are not cost effective and can’t generate enough for any serious demand. Wood vinegar is a great source of natural amino acids. I would not use it for IPM. High pH is particularly good for molds, fungus, bacteria, PM but not great for insect predation. Then again, your options are near zero when plants are in flower.

I doubt any factory farm would use neem oil. OK for a grower with 1 or 2 small plants, totally useless for anyone with more than 5 plants. It's just not that effective. Just my opinion. Neem is the go to IPM in SE Asia, BUT nothing can be sprayed in flower so why argue?

Cannabis is known as a hyperaccumulator, it absorbs all heavy metals and toxins in soil. It is well known as a mitigant in soil mitigation for contaminated soils. As most of the flower with ‘fancy names’ in the dispensaries is indoor grown, I would not be too concerned about contaminants. I would not be worried about pesticide use as most knowledgeable growers would never use anything outside of neem oil. If health is your concern: you shouldn’t be inhaling anything combustible. Flushing removes nothing from within the plant. I agree, mold (B. Cinerera) is a bigger concern and much more prevalent.

Nice videos. Yes, purple strains, none are landrace. There are only about 6 landrace varieties in SE Asia and none look like that. Landrace strains are NOT desirable today. They produce a high leafy bud, earthy tasting and not visually appealing, not in this market at least. He’s growing Sativa dominant autoflowers. A pure Sativa (definition of landrace) would be 3 meters high in flower, even with topping. Look at the tight nodes. All hybrids. I like he shares with his bros! Like minded people perpetuating the goodness. Keeping it real.