This article is the eleventh in a series that looks at the cannabis plant in different countries around the world. Working as a manager for Green House Seed Company I had the chance of traveling to quite a number of destinations worldwide, and after many years of experiencing firsthand the ups and downs of many places, it is with great pleasure and pride that I am sharing this information with all Canamo readers. This month we have a look at one of the greatest holiday destinations of the Caribbean:
the island of St. Lucia.
In the next issue I will end my series of 12 countries with Barbados and St. Vincent.
St. Lucia is located in the lower eastern Caribbean, in a very protected location that guarantees calm seas and great diving, especially on the East coast. The island is very rough and mountainous, with lush green forest covering most of the uninhabited areas. It is a typical resort-island, where well-off tourists (mostly from Europe) spend sun-drenched holidays, away from the cold and the hassle of the city-life. But it is also a very interesting cannabis destination. The locals are very careful to show their cannabis consumption in public, but there is a lot of smoking going on in small public beaches, or at night in local bars and dance cafes. Deep in St Lucia's interior almost 600 meters above sea level, lies 19000 acres of rain forest and the over 50 kilometers of trails that run through it. The rain forest is respected as a habitat for rare birds and orchids. The first inhabitants of St. Lucia were Arawak tribes, who settled on the island two thousands years ago. They associated the dark woods with evil spirits and for centuries the forest remained untouched. Today it’s a great tourist attraction, and a very good ground for the locals to hide their small but very effective marijuana plantations. St Lucia’s growers are very discrete, and it is almost impossible to convince one of them to show his work. As in most small islands of this region, the cannabis fields are scattered over inaccessible areas deep in the forest. Planting season starts in February and ends in April, while the harvests go on between September and December. Many crops are ruined by storms coming from the Atlantic, and the best time to find local weed is during the busy Christmas holidays, when the efflux of European tourists guarantees high sale prices.
St. Lucia consumes far more cannabis than it can produce, because the area where fields can be planted is quite restricted, and every year more controlled by the government. The gap is filled in with regular imports from other islands, mostly from nearby St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and sometimes from South America. The cannabis arrives via boat and via air, and international gangs smuggle it in and sell it on the local market. Once on the island, the capillary distribution happens almost instantly as demand constantly surpasses supply. The cannabis that arrives from nearby St. Vincent and the Grenadines is usually South American or Central American genetics, sometimes crossed with some European or American genes.
It is mostly low quality and full of seeds, but occasionally there can be a very good batch, depending on the transport conditions and the way it was dried. Some of the local dealers talk about names like Acapulco Gold or Punto Rojo, or even Super Skunk, but it is just a way to hype the product by referring to old famous names they heard of from tourists.
In recent years some locals have tried to produce hashish from local plants, but the results are somehow low quality. The major obstacle to producing good hash is the high humidity of the forest areas and the high rain precipitations, combined with lack of expertise. The most common way of making it is by rubbing the plants before harvesting. The outcome is called "gum" and is black and oily, similar to very low-grade charras from India. it stays greenish inside and tastes very rough and bitter. The only reason they make hash is that some tourists demand for it, and are prepared to pay top money.
When in St. Lucia, the best ways to find good bud are to attend some Rastafarian ceremony (sometimes big parties in which is fairly easy to get in), or to hang late at night in the dodgy bars around the resorts areas or by the capital Castries (watch out for too dodgy places if you’re not in company of a trusted local person). There are plenty of dance bars and people are always looking for a party at night, and most of the times the smell of the grass burning will be your best guide. The people of St. Lucia are generally friendly, but in some situation the disparity of income and skin colour can cause tensions. Remember: there’s no tension that a good joint can’t resolve. Be polite, friendly and open, and the island will offer you its best.
Peace, Love & THC
Franco – Green House Seed Co.
This content is copyright of Green House Seed Co. © Green House Seed Co. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now