Every sector has its goalscorers, and even the world of cannabis does not give up boasting of its champions. These are growers and coffee shop managers , well-known figures in the industry but unknown to most, often exposed in the media in the fight for the legalization of soft drugs .
They are people who have dedicated their lives to marijuana, making it an instrument of struggle, a window of notoriety, but also a source of income.
Ed Rosenthal, the ganja guru
Ed Rosenthal , aka the Ganja Guru, is a legend in the world of cannabis. He is the most famous grower in the world and author of numerous books on the subject, texts of high technical value, even used in a university course at Oaksterdam University. He was one of the founders of High Times magazine , together with Tom Forcade. Magazine published in the United States since 1974 and distributed worldwide, with the aim of promoting the legalization of cannabis and its derivatives .
High Times was originally sold as an add-on to Playboy magazine and after a few years came out as a full-fledged newspaper. With signatures of the caliber of Charles Bukowski , William Burroughs , Andy Warhol and Truman Capote .
Every year it sponsors the "Cannabis Cup" in Holland, an event now in its nineteenth edition, during which new hemp varieties are presented and the best are judged. Ed Rosenthal continues to collaborate with the magazine, for which he writes the Ask Ed column , in which he answers questions from his followers, dispensing secret advice and techniques.
How did your passion arise?
Rosenthal was born and raised in the Bronx. After a few years on Wall Street, he became fascinated by the hippie movement of the 1960s , so much so that he began to become interested in issues related to the legalization of marijuana. In 1972 he moved to California to support a bill promoting the use of marijuana, which unfortunately never passed.
When talking about his life path, Rosenthal is generally quite modest. He describes himself as a writer who "loves to dish out advice to gardening enthusiasts." In fact, his career as a farmer is inspired above all by passion. He calls for more in-depth medical research to explore the full therapeutic potential of cannabis. We know he is a Sativa cannabis enthusiast, which he takes in different strains throughout the day, along with dry ice hash extracts, his favorite. He is a great friend of Snoop Dog , often a spokesperson for the battles for the legalization of cannabis .
The battles for medical marijuana
In addition to now being an authoritative teacher of cannabis cultivation techniques, Ed Rosenthal continues to be an activist for the legalization of cannabis . At the forefront even after many years. He was a great supporter of medical cannabis in an era when people didn't even know what that expression meant, and he was arrested many times. In 2002, he was arrested by federal agents for growing medical marijuana at the request of the city of Oakland , California.
Federal agents did not recognize the autonomy of states to freely cultivate cannabis for medical purposes and Rosenthal was convicted, despite having acted as an "agent" of the Californian city. However, the appeal ruling, pronounced by federal judge Charles Breyer, overturned the verdict of the first instance and sentenced Rosenthal to a single, symbolic, day in prison.
The trial began again in 2007, and after that, Rosenthal was subjected to many other judicial measures. In May 2007, Rosenthal was found guilty of three out of five charges , including money laundering and tax evasion. However, he didn't spend a single day in prison. The jury settled on additional charges, but these were rejected by the court as a form of “vindictive persecution” carried out by the federal government.
It was an epochal sentence. For the first time, a marijuana grower was acquitted of charges of illegal cultivation. For supporters of legalization, Rosenthal was now a hero. The extremists in the federal government had gone too far.
Today, more than 80% of Americans believe cannabis should be legalized . This change of direction is directly attributable to the activism of people like Rosenthal. Rosenthal's political and media battles have drawn attention to an important issue. That is, whether the law, which prohibited the consumption and sale of marijuana, was more harmful than the behavior it sought to regulate.
Among other things, some recent polls have made it clear that over 80% of Americans are in favor of the legalization of medical cannabis. And this is precisely the direction that states such as California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Nevada, Massachusetts and Washington have taken since 2017. The battle for the legalization of cannabis was supported by many people, more or less exposed. But certainly without people like Ed Rosenthal, cannabis today would not have achieved the tolerance it has.
Ed Rosenthal and his books
- The natural cultivation of cannabis. How to Keep Plants Healthy , written with JC Stitch; is a guide to growing marijuana. An essential read to solve any type of plant problem, whether it is grown in soil, in a greenhouse or hydroponically. Divided into 5 sections, this book extensively explains the various types of problems that can occur such as diseases, environmental stress, parasites and nutritional deficiencies. Quick and simple information and solutions, with photos included, for every type of cultivation. A guide to definitely keep at home, also valid for expert growers.
- The Best of Ask Ed is a book that should be in every indoor grower's personal library. This is a celebratory volume for the 20th anniversary of the Ask Ed column, Quick American Archives' historic column. Contains the best 300 questions and answers, the most bizarre and interesting, ranging from the most technical issues of indoor cultivation, to political activism, to curiosities and legends. Fun and interesting, a great summer read, organized into an easy-to-use index, organized into subject areas, from indoor growing, to pests, to hydroponics to FAQs. Color volume, with an entire section dedicated to photos of the best plants of the month from the Ask Ed column.
- Marijuana Buds for Less (than 100 dollars) is a particular cultivation manual, based on research and the use of low-cost techniques and materials. So, as the title says, you can produce 250g (8 ounces) with just 100 dollars spent. Organized day by day, precisely in the sense that a page is dedicated to each day, with photos, advice, descriptions and necessary cultivation tools. In addition to all these questions it also helps prevent problems.
- Marijuana Garden Saver is one of Ed Rosenthal's best-selling manuals in the world. It is a brilliant book, very useful for a thousand reasons because it deals with all the causes of stress in a single volume. And all the possible limiting factors for growing cannabis. And he deals with it point by point, in a very methodical and complete way. Nutrient deficiencies, infestations, diseases, environmental stress, fungi and molds, pH management, biological control and lighting and photoperiod. Which are all possible limiting factors for the greatest growth hypothetically possible. A volume that should be present in the library of every cultivator of a certain level.
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