Ivan Casselman
Quality, Control and Medicinal Use of Cannabis in Australia, Europe and North America
As one of the first cultivated crops, cannabis has had a very long term relationship with humans. This plant is now used for food, fibre, medicine and consciousness expansion. After millennia of human use and centuries of prohibition, how does the cultural use of this plant manifest itself today? To date the majority of the ethnographical studies have failed to explore the prevalent cannabis culture in “western” or “industrialized” countries focusing instead on countries in Africa, South America and Asia. Drawing on a decade of ethnographic data from Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Australia, this paper will explore three aspects of modern cannabis culture. How law enforcement has affected the cost and quality of cannabis, how national “epicentres” of cannabis culture and legalization are developed and maintained, and finally will compare and contrast how the use of medical cannabis in the aforementioned countries. Under UN convention the use of Cannabis is prohibited globally, however, nations differ in how these conventions are enacted. This paper will conclude with a discussion of these differences and the growing civil disobedience in defiance of these laws.
Ivan Casselman is a Canadian researcher. He graduated in 1999 with an Associate Degree in Jazz Music from Vancouver Island University, BC, Canada. In 2005 he graduated from University of Victoria, BC, Canada with a BA Anthropology. After working as an archaeologist in British Columbia, Canada he returned to school in 2007 to complete a post degree certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In September 2009 he completed his MSc in Ethnobotany at the University of Kent, UK. In January 2011 he completed his MPhil in Ethnopharmacology at the School of Pharmacy London, UK. He is currently a PhD candidate at Southern Cross University in Lismore Australia as a member of the Plant Science Department working on the molecular phylogeny and phytochemisty of Salvia divinorum. Ivan has a strong foundation in fieldwork methodology as well as a comprehensive understanding of chemistry, bio-medicine and botany as it applies to his research interests. His overall methodological focus is on developing and improving innovative grass roots technologies and the flow of information through emerging technologies. His main research interest are plants which create heightened states of consciousness, social models of psychoactive use and the development of novel natural product therapies.