Children's book about cannabis written by Glastonbury mum in bid to change attitudes

By Andrew Doyle
Source: somersetlive.co.uk

If your impression of cannabis is of 'factories' being busted by the police or wide-eyed dope-smokers and psychotic skunk casualties, think again.

One mother has written a children's book about the positive side of the hemp plant, widely known as cannabis, in a bid to help change society's attitudes to it and reclaim all that's good about the plant.

In her story, Elkie Visits the Hemp Fairy, Chloe Forfitt creates an alternative world where the hemp plant has a central role in everybody's life.

Mum of one Miss Forfitt, 37, explained how the idea came about.

"We were listening to a song called Land of Sensi by Macka-B - he sings about a land where hemp plants are used for everything.

"My daughter Elkie said it sounded like a lovely place, asked if we could go because it sounded like everyone was so well and happy."

In the song the reggae star sings: "How can a tree that's so versatile be illegal?" He goes on to extol the virtues of "sensi" - another term for cannabis.

Miss Forfitt, who lives in Glastonbury, was encouraged to write the book by her friend - hemp entrepreneur and campaigner Free Cannabis who also lives and runs a business in the town.

The idea is to convey the message that hemp should be a central part of our lives instead of being sidelined.

"We're not talking about using it has a recreational drug - this is about the health benefits of the plant itself, it's importance as a food and medicine and how it can be used for clothes," said Miss Forfitt.

"Children see through the hypocrisy of the situation - it's a wonderful plant that does so much good."

The story is about a little girl who meets a fairy in her grandfather's garden. With her she visits Hemp Land and is shown many of the marvellous things that hemp can do.

"This is a book to change the profile of one of the world's most useful plants," writes Miss Forfitt on a gofundme page set up to launch the book - you can get a copy by visiting the page and donating £10 to 'help get the Hemp Fairy flying'.

Mr Cannabis actively promotes the health benefits of cannabis - indeed it's essential role in people's well-being.

From his shop, Hemp in Avalon, he sells a completely legal, non-mood altering form of hemp for medicinal purposes as well as clothes, food and other products from his shop in the town and has spoken before of his desire to see the plant decriminalised.

"The expert opinion is that a diet rich in cannabis is not only beneficial it's necessary for optimum health," he said.

"It's a plant that provides everything we need."

A key reason for the health benefits of cannabis are the natural cannabinoid receptors we all have, according to some schools of scientific research.

The plant is widely licensed in the UK and other countries for medicinal production and in the US 29 states have either legalised or decriminalised it.

Miss Forfitt, who is a Steiner-Waldorf-trained teacher, as well as an illustrator and writer, is keen to promote this message and says she's not advocating drug use.

"It's about respect for the plant as a food and a medicine - it's a natural phenomenon," she said.

Neither she, nor Free Cannabis, advocate the use of high THC (the psycotropic element) mass-produced drug which can cause mental health problems.

They advocate the decriminalisation of the naturally occurring plant, which they say should be part of the eco-system.

"It's about the planet and the and the things that we need to do to balance what we use and work towards a sustainable future," said Miss Forfitt.

*The book gets its official launch at Hemp in Avalon in Glastonbury on December 17.