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

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 ?”