Episode 71 - Everyone’s Excited About Big Cannabis, but Small Cannabis Sounds So Much Smarter

Introducing a new movement dedicated to growing fair trade, environmentally sustainable cannabis that also provides small farmers with the one thing they need to thrive: a lucrative cash crop.

Before introducing this episode I must apologize to Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, who is, apparently, a follower of this podcast. In Episode 70 (“The Strange Cannabis Illness that No One Understands”) I reported that Dr. Mechoulam thought the likely cause of this odd illness was strain or dose dependent. While that was part of what he said, I failed to offer his full explanation, which he made clear to me in an email dated Jan 10, 2020. “Hi, I do not recall stating that cannabinoid hyperemesis is strain dependent. I have published that it is probably an immune-type reaction. See attached.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3498425/

Needless to say I’m honored to be corrected by the man known as ‘the OG of Cannabis Research’ and thrilled to know he’s listening. ☺

On this new episode I’m happy to welcome back Jim Plamondon, the co-founder of the Thai Cannabis Corporation who joins us from Thailand to discuss the birth of the “Small Cannabis” movement. The premise is this: as more US states become legal, the price of North American cannabis is going to drop – this is already happening. At the same time as more countries around the globe legalize (Thailand did. Mexico plans to do so this year. India and Colombia are also heading in this direction) it’s crucial to establish a more economically sustainable future for small farmers who have been tending excellent sun-grown heritage strains such as Alcapulco Gold, Panama Red, Thai Stick, for hundreds—maybe thousands—of years.

The first step to this project is organizing a global cannabis supply chain and that is precisely what the Small Cannabis Foundation is designed to do. As more markets open, big industrial scale cannabis currently grown in “greenhouses on the tundra” will flood the market with high potency but not so interesting varieties. Prices will plummet and excellent old world varieties grown in the subtropics will begin to make their way to those who want them. “Big cannabis will become worthless the minute great Thai Stick comes back into the country,” Plamondon contends. “Cocoas of Excellence” is one such program devoted to preserving the diversity of indigenous cocoa strains and at the same time providing income to farmers. Small Cannabis has similar aims.

Plamondon is part dreamer, an essential quality to all visionaries, and part student of history who relies on Adam Smith’s time tested economic insights. As he points out, the cocoa, cotton and vanilla industries were established during the rush to colonize 300-400 years ago. They were wildly successful at enslaving vast numbers of people who depended on subsistence agriculture for their livelihood. Cannabis is one of the few new supply chains -- the internet makes import and fair trade transparent, traceable and enforceable. With good standards in place and a little bit of technology like QR codes and smart phones buyers will be able to know the farmer that cultivated their cannabis and be assured that he -- or in most cases, she -- got her a fair price for her labors, protected the environment and was not exploited along the way.

Jim gives great interview – don’t miss his wit and the broad perspective with which he frames the issues. To learn more, visit www.smallcannabisfoundation.org.

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