Cannabis Self Cultivation

The first psychoactive uses of cannabis recorded in history correspond to a period between 500 and 800 BCE, they are the oldest evidence on the psychoactive use of cannabis to date. In ceremonial burials in the Turpan Plateau and in the Pamir Valley, on the Chinese borders with Mongolia and Pakistan, cannabis plants were found with other objects related to its consumption as a narcotic (Vázquez Felipe, 2021).

Today, as with alcohol and other substances, some people choose cannabis in different contexts, some use it for better sleep, stress management, or concentration, while others use it for socializing and fun. Some activities such as listening music, eating, playing, reflecting, may be more interesting under the cognitive state generated by Cannabis (Gonzales et al 2017). 

Many countries have legalized the medicinal and industrial use of Cannabis/Hemp and others have taken a next step towards the legalization of adult or recreational use as it is known in different regions, promoting and allowing Self-cultivation. Self-cultivation, at an international level, is known as the freedom or permission that users or consumers have to sow and/or produce a certain number of plants and flowers at home or in private spaces. Each country has its own regulation, below are some of the countries that allow Self-Cultivation and some of their conditions:

Table 1. Self-cultivation in some countries.

Country	No. Of Plants	Other Conditions
Colorado - USA	36	General
Colombia	20	Decree 811-2021
Arizona - USA	12	General
Portugal	illegal	Penalized
Argentina	9	Registered REPROCANN
Mexico	6- 8	Individual-Community
Pajos Countries	illegal	<5 pls. fine, >5 offence
Uruguay	6	480 grs.
Canada	4	Private, non-visible sites.
California - USA	6	General
Germany	3	Up to 50 gr in Stock

Some general conditions that countries have in common are:

·         Self-cultivation is allowed only for adults according to state regulations.

·         Self-cultivation should be located in private, inconspicuous places.

·         The place must not be exposed to minors.

In Colombia, self-cultivation is allowed according to Decree 811 of 2021, which allows the planting of up to 20 plants for personal use. Promotes responsible and informed use of cannabis. Although Self-Cultivation can be perceived as a strategy to combat the illegal market, Self-Cultivation is a modality of Urban Agriculture, which can generate Sustainable Development. If we review the history of large metropolises where Urban Agriculture is a tool for Development, the overall objective of this system is the production of food and other supplies for growing communities.

At Cassabis.org we promote Self-Cultivation as a form of Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Agribusiness in lines such as Cannabis, Cassava, Oil Palm, Cocoa, Coffe and other tropical crops.