Friday 28 October 2011

Viv Ahmun on Drugs and Race


Viv Ahmun, the former CEO of In-Volve speaks at SSDP London's event - No Justice, No Peace: Drugs, Race and Growing Up on the 20th October. Thanks to KnowDrugs for filming.

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Thursday 20 October 2011

Former Mexican President holds America responsible for drug deaths


Vincente Fox, the former President of Mexico (2001-2006) has told the BBC that he holds the United States responsible for the drug-violence in his country.



Wednesday 19 October 2011

My Favourite Cannabis Music

Manchester SSDP activist and blues musician Tyler Hatwell takes us on a journey through some of his favourite cannabis music.

Musicians take drugs, not all musicians obviously, but the good ones. The link between musician and drug is a relatively strong one (as Bill Hicks put it; "the musicians that made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years were real fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few tunes.").

Not only does it often act as a large influence but also, occasionally, the artist deems it necessary to write a song celebrating their love of the drug. Here I have compiled my favourite songs celebrating the usage of cannabis, and as an added bonus not one of them is by Snoop Dogg.

King of Chicago Blues and all round cool guy Muddy Waters with Champagne and Reefer

Scat-singing Goddess of Swing Ella Fitzgerald with When I get low I get high

Dancehall legend Barrington Levy with Under mi sensi

Singjay Jamaican Reggae-master Eek-A-Mouse with Ganja Smuggling

Ultimate hipster icon (if Andy Warhol is busy) Bob Dylan with Rainy Day Woman

Psychedelic sixties songstress Janis Joplin with Mary Jane

Zoot-suit wearing 30's jazz troubadour Cab Calloway with The Reefer Man

And if we haven't convinced you that songs about cannabis can be cool, we can at least convince you that some anti-cannabis songs are not. Take it away Ringo...

Tyler Hatwell is the co-host of the weekly funk, soul and blues radio show - The Mess Around.

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