Alzee was a name given to me in 1971 ("Hey Alzee Man!") and many have known me by that name or vaiations since then - Alsee, Alsy, Alsey - my birth name Alun Buffry, I have never hidden my identity and most of my books were written under that name - for this one I decided to make a change.
Al Zeeman first consumed cannabis in 1970 whilst at University, firstly in the form of “Coffee Bhangs” and hash cakes, then smoking mixed with tobacco or pure in pipes. After graduating, he travelled across Europe to India and back, stopping off in several places such as Kabul to sample the hasheesh.
Upon returning from
India, he started following the teaching and practices of Prem Rawat,
then known as “Guru Maharaji”, a fifteen year old from India.
A
few years later, Al started smoking cannabis again and continued to so
for almost 50 years, including his time in several UK prisons. He
continued to follow Prem Rawat which he still does today.
But
during the time since 1970, Al Zeeman travelled widely throughout
Europe, also visiting Morocco, India, Nepal, Kashmir and Egypt, meeting
many people and smoking hos weed (and theirs) and was so often "stoned
again”.
The author also participated in “Legalise
Cannabis Campaigns” for over thirty years, even standing for Parliament
under the banner of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) on the single
issue, in 2001.
This is his account of his experiences, the places he saw and some of the friends he made.
This
book, along with many amusing anecdotes, recalls his encounters and
near misses with the forces of law in the UK. Also the book contains a
wealth of information on the uses of cannabis / hemp, the types and
sources, smoking utensils, some political opinions and a chronology of
cannabis.
Zeeman pays tribute to the cannabis campaigners and
enthusiasts that he met along the way, many of whom have now passed on,
including Howard Marks, Chris Baldwin, Don Barnard, Winston Matthews,
Mark and Lezley Gibson, Clara O’Donnell, Jack and Tina Girling, Lee
Harris, Steve Pank, Jooep Oomen and “Granny” Pat Tabram.
At the end of the book, Zeeman gives his birth name, Alun Buffry, stating that he has never made any attempt to hide his identity.
Table of Contents:
NICOLAS CULPEPER, CANNABIS LAWS – PROHIBITION, COFFEE-BHANGS AND HASH CAKES, THE DEALER’S HAT, FIRST CHILLUM, A BRUSH OR TWO WITH THE LAW,FRANKFURT, MUNICH, BELGRADE, ISTANBUL, AFYON /AFYONKARAISHAR, THE FISHERMAN ON THE BEACH, HEADING EAST, AFGHANISTAN, KABUL, HELMUT, KHYBER PASS AND ONWARDS TO INDIA, INDIA: HARIDWAR AND THE GANGES, NORFOLK, THE WRECKING CREW, BUSTED, WICKLEWOOD, MR NICE, JACK AND LILY, STANLEY ATKINS, JOE HARDY-SHARP,POLISH CHRIS – CHRIS LAUSCH, MONTY, LESLEY JAMES, THE “BIG MONEY GANG”,CAMPAIGN TO LEGALISE CANNABIS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION 1992, BANGED UP, HOWARD MARKS, MR NICE 1997,THE LEGALISE CANNABIS ALLIANCE (LCA) 1999, TRAVELLING HIGH, NOL VAN SHAIK’S SPANISH COMPLEX, CAMPAIGN GROUPS DURING AND AFTER THE LCA, METHODS OF CONSUMPTION, TYPES AND SOURCES OF CANNABIS, RECREATIONAL OR MEDICAL, CANNABIS ABROAD, HOLLAND AND THE NETHERLANDS, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, IRELAND, GERMANY, FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, GREECE, ITALY: SICILY, MOROCCO, INDIA, OTHER COUNTRIES, THE BAD STUFF, GROW YOUR OWN, CANNABIS PROTESTS, HEADSHOPS, SMOKEY BEARS PICNICS, RALLIES AND MARCHES, COFFEESHOPS, BYE BYE, A CHRONOLOGY OF CANNABIS.
