The Bariloche Experience
By Mike Bifari
Everybody knows at this stage that something big is going on in South America concerning cannabis.
We were invited to give several conferences about the cannabis history in the main South Region University of Comahue in the heart of the Patagonia, we spent around a week with a full agenda that included two conferences and radio shows as well as a huge party in the middle of the mountain with the so loved cannabis contest, called the “cup” of the “revolution” because it was held May 25th the Revolution Day (National Independence Day) Also another conference was held on the main city south auditorium; this is something unusual for most of the Patagonia region where there are many cannabis consumers, but not all out of the closet yet, so we were a witness to this slow but continued rise in cannabis consciousness.
After appearing on a few media shows in the city of Bariloche, we were committed to judge the best cannabis samples of the cup, which was a pleasure job to do. My good friend Lupo from Pure Sativa, also the big local champion Chirri Willy was there to help, as well as Matias Faray from the ACO, a cannabis organization, we all had the difficult task to choose the best bud in this part of the world. The OCB (Organization Cannabica Bariloche) is a group of young people who love the cannabis plant as well as marijuana, they took good care of us, we are grateful and happy to know that the cannabis and growers movement is also more than alive in the south.
Everything ended with a huge party of around 180 guests in a location surrounded by snow mountains, everything was perfect, the party, the people, the food (very special), the music, the weed, the vaporizations and the spectacu- lar landscape. And of course the winners of the contest were so happy. The incredible prizes included several cannabis seeds and a snow jacket made completely out of hemp, a gift from the people of Pure Sativa from the UK. We ended exhausted but satisfied with our job and we had new friends as well as a new organization in our net- work to use as a tool to fight the war on drugs. To fight this ridiculous situation, of treating us as criminals, just for using a plant, many of our brothers have to deal with horrible situations with the police just because of failed drug policies. Instead, we are now introducing the first steps of harm reduction and human rights.
