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Who'd a thought? Pot in IRAN?

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fasteddie

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Apparently, it's quite popular there. The police don't seem to do anything. And, some even dip their joints in methadone, which sounds like a potent cocktail.

See the article in last Sunday's New York Times.
 
what's the point of this thread?

maybe this can just file into the social thread...?
 
Cannabis has a long and storied history in central Asia. It's originally indigenous to India, after all (IIRC)

I mean, when you consider that hashish is synonymous with places like Morocco, Lebanon & Afghanistan, is it really that surprising?
 
^ i typed this out as you posted that. Yup - it's true (i just said it in a far more longwinded fashion).

I had dinner with an Iranian friend and his wife tonight.
One of the dishes was a traditional Iranian recipe, and consisted primarily of Eggplant (Aubergine), hemp seed and whey.
Very delicious.
I'm not sure why you are surprised - some of the most famous cannabis preparations - and strains of weed (allegedly) come from the middle east and surrounding regions - afghanistan is a major producer of cannabis/hash - and hashish is an ancient part of the culture of the region - just as the seeds are a nutritious food used in Iranian cuisine and eaten on their own.
Most of the famous older forms of hashish are from the region stretching from India and Pakistan, through the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa.
If think you think of famous types of hash (besides the newer methods of making extracts snd concentrates) Afghan Hash, Lebanese, Pakistani, Charras (India), Turkish, Moroccan Hash etc are legendary, especially amongst stoners of the 60s and 70s.
Many of the pre-western cannabis preparations - and celebrated forms of hash and native strains of the region(s) - heavily influenced Western weed culture - from the stuff smuggled around the world by the likes of Howard Marks - to the culture and aesthetics associated with cannabis culture.
This guide to different types of hashish - though not directing referring to Iran - mentions many neighbouring and relatively close-by countries.

This article is interesting, but i won't post all of - or the website i found it on, as it includes prices and tips on procurement
Tehran, Iran
Smoking tolerance level [1= very illegal 5=virtually legal]: 4.5

Legislation: Iran has a very interesting policy towards buds – planting marijuana is legal if planted for food purposes because in Iran ranians still eat the seeds just like sunflower seeds, and there are also companies in tehran that draw the oil from the seed and sell it legally.

The punishment for possesion of marijuana is a fine of Iranian Rials 10000 (US $1.25)for every gram in your possesion and as long as you have less than 10-15 grams they will not even hassle you. Please always use common sense and caution and remember a smile is better than a frown.

Law Enforcement: Police would be no bother if you don’t act silly. If you are a foreigner then for sure you’ll face no problems at all, but if you are caught a few dollars will solve the problem.

Smoking it though is technically illegal but enforcement is next to nothing. You can walk anywhere in Iran and puff away and no one will have any idea that you are smoking weed. Most people here moke hash or opium so smoking weed is considered as OK.
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So, yeah - most of the world may have stepped in line with the War on Drugs, but cannabis is a big part of traditional culture in many parts of the middle eastern/north african/subcontinent regions.

Incidentally, opiate use is also huge in Iran. According to wikipedia;
Opium in Iran is widely available, and the country was thought to have the highest per capita number of opiate addicts in the world at a rate of 2.8% of Iranians over age 15. This was proven to be false as around 10-15% (5 million) of afghans are addicted to opium, meaning Afghanistan has the most addicts globally by percentage as well as population. The Iranian government estimates the number of addicts at 2 million. Opium and heroin from Afghanistan and Pakistan—known collectively as the Golden Crescent—pass through Iran's eastern borders in large amounts. Total annual opium intercepts by the Iranian authorities are larger than in any other country, but the government admits that they can only intercept a tiny proportion of the thousands of tonnes that are trafficked through Iran every year. Opium costs far less in Iran than in the West, and is even cheaper than beer. In addition to having a low price, opium is popular because alcohol is haram (forbidden in Islam), and more tightly controlled by the Iranian Government. According to official Iranian government reports, within Tehran the daily consumption of opium is 4 metric tons. According to UNODC estimates, 450 metric tons of opium are consumed in Iran each year.
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(my emphasis)

I've heard it said that alcohol is the traditional drug of Christianity, while hashish/cannabis and opium are the traditional drugs of Islam.
Obviously this various between regions, groups and branches of Islam - but certainly it seems to be true in a cultural/regional context (although it should be noted that much of Iran's culture is rooted in Zoroastrian traditions) - nevertheless - Iranians know how to get high with the best of 'em.
 
Here is the article that OP is talking about -

Marijuana Use Rises in Iran, With Little Interference

TEHRAN — At the Tehran party there was alcohol, of course, though it was a quiet affair, nothing like the wild, over-the-top events of urban legend. People just sat at a table, sipping drinks and talking as they would in many places across the world. After a while, someone made a phone call, and a few minutes later the doorbell rang and in walked a nondescript-looking man getting on in years.

He worked quickly, opening his briefcase to put his goods on display — an impressive variety of locally produced marijuana brands with varying degrees of potency, with names such as Royal Queen, DNA and Nirvana. All the while, his phone kept ringing, and though Iranian etiquette prescribes that he allow the partygoers to take their time in choosing, he kept discreetly checking his watch. He had a lot of other stops to make.

Iran is notorious for its harsh code of conduct enforced by an extensive intelligence apparatus, and it has waged a long and painful war on heroin and opium trafficking, with security forces dying by the thousands over the past two decades in fights with Afghan cartels.

But the same government that executes hundreds of drug dealers every year — and cracks down periodically on alcohol, which is also illegal — seems curiously oblivious to the growing popularity of marijuana.

The government opened 150 alcohol treatment centers in 2015, and the Health Ministry is deeply involved in combating hard drugs like heroin. But marijuana is mentioned only vaguely in the Islamic penal code, and the police pay it little heed. While the penalty for alcohol consumption is theoretically 99 lashes — most people get off with a fine — there are no prison sentences or lashings prescribed for people found carrying small amounts of pot.

As a result, marijuana use has skyrocketed. Gol, or flower, as marijuana is called here, can be found everywhere in and around the capital. The skunky smell of marijuana smoke wafts through restaurants in the ski resorts of Dizin and Shemshak. In the winter months, young skiers and snowboarders can be seen casually rolling joints while riding the chairlift up the mountain.

The aroma is routinely detected in Tehran’s public spaces. “When you stroll through one of Tehran’s parks, you can sometimes smell it, even on streets and squares,” said Taba Fajrak, 27, who works as a choreographer. “Once, I even smelled it in a cafe.”

In college dormitories, students use it to relax or concentrate, and during parties in private houses joints are passed around as comfortably as they might be in Boulder, Colo., or Amsterdam. Dealers are just a phone call away, and as common as the people who sell illicit DVDs or alcoholic drinks.
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Read the whole article -

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/w...-rises-in-iran-with-little-interference.html?
 
my friend said the hash in iran was good, but because it was so easy to get opium he stuck to that
 
Sounds good.
No booze, but hash and opium? Bit of meth for special occasions?
Hmm.
 
Burnt Offerings said:
There were some recent news articles about how meth was beginning to become popular there, too.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/13/breaking-bad-tehran-iran-crystal-meth-methamphetamine

Iranians know how to party.
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That was interesting. Guess they still sell pseudo with no restrictions, and no extraction inhibitors.

Oh, that guy who prides himself on making "safe" crystal? That's a laugh. That stuff is never safe. It's about the most ruinous shit there is.
 
Cannabis (and opium) has been part of Islam since the beginning. They have NEVER been considered harem (forbidden). The only reason they ever were is because of western interference. I applaud them. I've even heard rumbles that Iran might be one of the next countries to legalize.

I love that NYT article though...
All the while, his phone kept ringing, and though Iranian etiquette prescribes that he allow the partygoers to take their time in choosing, he kept discreetly checking his watch. He had a lot of other stops to make.
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fasteddie said:
Oh, that guy who prides himself on making "safe" crystal? That's a laugh. That stuff is never safe. It's about the most ruinous shit there is.
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Yeah, that is amusing. "Don't worry, this meth is completely safe....plus it's organic and gluten-free!"
 
fasteddie said:
That was interesting. Guess they still sell pseudo with no restrictions, and no extraction inhibitors.

Oh, that guy who prides himself on making "safe" crystal? That's a laugh. That stuff is never safe. It's about the most ruinous shit there is.
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You are incorrect, sir. All drugs have safe dosages. Methamphetamine is safe when used at 10-25mg dosages. Maybe up to 50mg. Anything over that is risky and asking for trouble. People overdosing by throwing their whole gram or even 1/10th of a crystal in a piece or on a bong is why it is dangerous.
 
Yeah, talking about safe methamphetamine dosages in a context of street crystal meth use is pretty divorced from the reality of the situation. It's like mentioning the fact that pharmaceutical-grade diacetylmorphine is used without incident in hospital settings when someone complains about how street heroin use is dangerous
 
theGirlWithBlueHair said:
You are incorrect, sir. All drugs have safe dosages. Methamphetamine is safe when used at 10-25mg dosages. Maybe up to 50mg. Anything over that is risky and asking for trouble. People overdosing by throwing their whole gram or even 1/10th of a crystal in a piece or on a bong is why it is dangerous.
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Sure. I've seen people use it at that level, in a controlled manner. But I think most people are going to have problems with it. I know several people who killed themselves with it, not by OD'ing, but by the stupid things they did under the influence.
 
Who'd a thought? Cannabis in a country that borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. Can't quite get my head around this one.
 
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