May 5, 2012

Pro-cannabis Mag 'semSemente' to Debut

Brazil News

| RIO DE JANEIRO – Today's debut edition of the first Brazilian magazine dedicated exclusively to marijuana had to be delayed after the printer backed out. The magazine “semSemente” was to have debuted at today's protest in favor of decriminalization of marijuana in Rio de Janeiro, reported Brazilian online media.

The cover of semSemente magazine whose debut issue was delayed when the printer backed out.

semSemente Magazine  (Photo: Folha)

The magazine's publisher planned to distribute the first edition this week, but the printer, Stilgraf, withdrew its services yesterday. “The board was afraid of being sanctioned in court,” manager Mauricio Nunes told Folha de São Paulo.

“We are not a bunch of stoners, we are activists. We're outraged because it delayed the launch,” William Lantelme, the magazine's art director told Folha. According to Lantelme, to remedy the situation, the printer referred us to another company to do the work.

“The printer could be considered co-author, but that would be far-fetched,” criminologist Eduardo Reale told Folha, commenting on the printer's concern of being sanctioned along with the magazine, whose name [seedless, in English] refers to the type of crop that produces the most potent form of marijuana.

[In Brazil, promoting the use of illegal drugs is a crime].

The criminologist thinks that the magazine could be accused of inciting crime, since it reports on cannabis cultivation. “Any judge can interpret absurdly that it is an apology [for drug use], considering that the magazine advocates the crimes of trafficking and cultivating narcotics,” said Reale.

Independent publishing began with the American counter-culture magazine “High Times” in 1974. In Argentina, the magazine “THC” began circulating in 2006.

Bimonthly, the new Brazilian magazine will circulate 10,000 copies and will be available at newsstands for R$11.90 (about $6 USD) and on the website semsemente.com.

The first edition, which should be ready next week, will be reporting on the pro-cannabis marches taking place around the country, medical cannabis, plant varieties and food.

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