Exclusive interview with Slovenian activist Bozidar Radisic

Hello, we are here with Bozo Radisic, famous Slovenian marijuana activist here in Ljubljana (you can see in the back Ljubljana). We want to start by asking you how you first got involved in marijuana activism. What made you start?

I've  been a user since I was 13, and I never had any problems with the police. Everything started when my girlfriend opened a grow-shop in a small, local town. And then the police started to, you know, chase and harass us and so on. And then in one year we got about 12 criminal charges. I was convicted twice but all other charges were dismissed because there was no evidence of anything, and always when I was convicted it was just for possession, but under Slovenian law the possession of cannabis is not a criminal offense. It's a minor offense and you should pay just a small fine and that's it; but our justice system has their own logic and they have actually been prosecuting people in Slovenia now for 20 years for something that is not even a criminal offense, so we started with this campaign.

And then you became involved in the medicinal marijuana?

Yes, you know how it is. You start learning, you start to help people. You help one, and then the next week there are hundreds because word spreads very quick. We also organized some seminars, we are spreading the word throughout Slovenia, the Balkans, and Europe... spread the knowledge, actually.

https://youtu.be/ImDMJS_MmHE

I don't know if you started it, but there is an organization, ONEJ. What is it, what does it do?

I am also a member of ONEJ. ONEJ is a society which is active in all social fields, actually. Human rights, drugs, social rights and so on, and one of the biggest humiliations of human rights in Slovenia is in the field of cannabis.

How long has this organization been going on?

ONEJ was established in the middle of the nineties, and we have been active ever since. We also have a residential art center up by the Hungarian border, but also struggling with the government all the time.

So its more like a human rights organization?

Yes, more or less. ONEJ is a very special name. ONEJ in our local language, in our dialect, it can mean anything, you know. If you cannot remember a word for a thing you just say "give me 'onej'", so it can be used in many different fields.

Ok, so it doesn't mean anything? The letters don't stand for an organization or anything?

No, it's a word in our dialect.

Ok, cool. We talked a little bit about this but how are the marijuana laws in Slovenia?

We have actually very good marijuana or drug laws in Slovenia because marijuana is also in the first group, schedule 1. Possession is a minor offense in Slovenia for which you have to pay a fine.

How much is the fine?

Between 40 and 200 euros, it depends on the quantity. But because the Slovenian justice system doesn't have a lot of work, they usually just prosecute the people even if it is not a criminal offense. So they artificially raise their "credo" or their... you know. But we are now in negotiations with the general prosecutors, prosecutor in Slovenia, and now they give prosecutors all over the country some advice, so from now on the growing of 3 plants is not a criminal offense anymore, and up to 15 or 20 grams is also not a criminal offense, so there are first steps.

Ok, but if you want to grow, and if the police catch you, you still have to pay a fine?

Yes, but I think it will be just until the spring because we are very active with the government, with some ministers, especially the minister for justice because it's stupidity, you know. In Slovenia, the use of any drug is a human right, and how can I use my drug if I cannot have it in possession?

Is there a medical marijuana program in place in Slovenia?

No, not at all. We are a very small country with two very big pharma companies -- Lek is there, and Krka is another city, and they are just lobbying a lot. We just have now dronabinol or marinol which are synthetic THC and that's it.

You've also done some clinical studies on patients using marijuana. What can you tell us about that?

We have done two different studies; the first one was about epileptic kids with so-called pharmacoresistant epilepsy, and it was an observational study. It was 10 kids, 50% (so five of them) were without any seizures in maybe one week; the next four kids had reduced seizures by at least 50%, and one kid didn't respond. This study was presented at the ICM conference in Sestri Levante the  Now we will do another study with 30 kids, cooperating with Dr.Dr. David Neubauer  from the pediatric clinic. And the second study was on cancer.

These kids are all from Slovenia?

Yes, all the kids are from Slovenia, and because the physicians may not prescribe THC, even in small amounts, for kids. Just CBD. But in Slovenia you can give up to 0.2% as a food supplement. Parents can give food supplements to their kids. What the hell? We just observe them.
The second study was about cancer. We collected and analyzed about 150 medical records, and in 2 years out of 150 people who were on oil, 11 died; 17 we have medical records that they are completely cured from severe disease. You met a patient with lung cancer yesterday. With glioblastoma, a few. Very good results with glioblastomas and actually any cancer. And what we noticed -- the more conventional therapies you have, the sooner you go.

So you administer oils for cancer patients, or extracts?

We administer mostly oil extracts, but in different forms. It can be in the form of suppository, patches, from pure blossom to inhale. It's all very different applications.

What's the THC content of those medicines?

We usually use very pure indicas, and the test is usually between 90 and 94% THC.

So it works also as an anesthetic to ease the pain?

Yes of course. We have very good results with neurological patients -- Alzheimer, MS, Parkinson, PDST, and all those... very good results.

And you notice that we are not sharing the joint? That's because to share a joint is illegal here in Slovenia.

Yes, it's illegal in Slovenia. If I give you my joint, I can get up to 10 years in prison.

In prison! That's crazy!

It's stupidity, actually.

And actually you were in jail for a couple of months, no? There was a campaign that was organized to get you out of jail. Do you want to talk a little bit about what happened?

Yeah, it was a world hemp congress in a nearby town. My guest was Rick Simpson, and two days after he left.. I always had my plants in my garden, since I remember, and police came and back then I had 5 plants, and they put me in jail, "investigation prison" actually, for 3 months. I started with a hunger strike on the first day. It was 82 days hunger strike, it was a very interesting time. I lost abour 28 kg, I was 50 kg when I left. But you know since then, things were moving. It was in all the newspapers, all over, and the people start to think. Is it really worth all this shit for a plant?

So it actually worked well that you were in jail, it was good publicity I guess?

It was not well for me because it was a really hard time.

But for the movement?

...but you know now it's funny when I look back and you know, yeah, everything is good for something.

And when they set you free, what did they say?

I don't know, they held me for three months in jail and then they gave me parole. So you can go home. So it was really a struggle with that stupid judge that is actually my "family judge" you know. He's fucking around all the time, but actually I laid some criminal charges on him and I think he will be the first judge who will go to jail because...

Bad decisions, yeah.

Bad decisions, you know, he really gave me a sentence... not under the law. But you know, he is a crazy guy. He thinks he can do anything because he is a judge, but not with me.

You still have your marijuana plants, no problem, at home?

Of course. I have for my own purposes, always. and I will always have because you know it's a plant. You can't forbid a plant. It's a god-given plant.

Are more people cultivating their own plants for personal use now?

Yes. Especially, I encourage patients because the extract is quite expensive for Slovenians, and when I talk to people I encourage them to grow for themselves because in this case the medicine is for free. And what is very important, also growing is a part of the therapeutic process. You take care of your own plants, your own medicine, and this is very important. Especially for very sick people.

How many patients, how many people do you see regarding medical cannabis?

I don't know. Let's say 5000 a year. A lot. Because, you know, we had about 5 seminars about it with very knowledgeable experts about cannabis here in Ljubljana, in Zagreb and everywhere. And I had lectures about the cannabis, about how to cure yourself, .... of Slovenia, at least two a month. Therefore the police don't like me too much because I speak openly about how to grow, how to make your own medicine.
If you're a tourist and you're walking around the city and the police catch you, what can they do to you?
Usually they do nothing. Just the police who woke up on the left foot maybe can give you a fine, but usually in Ljubljana as a capital there is no problem, actually.

Tolerant.

Yes, quite tolerant. But in rural areas you can get a year in prison for a gram. It's very different. And this is actually our struggle because we are one country and we want to have the same conditions in Ljubljana or wherever.

Now let's talk a little bit about the future. What would you like to see with the laws in your country?

I am not an activist to legalize pharma-shit. I am an activist -- I never wanted to be an activist, actually. They forced me to be an activist, actually, stupid system. I am an activist for the people because I really am convinced that everybody should grow their own weed because, you know, the ban of the weed is just the first step to the ban of all food actually, like is happening in New Zealand. In New Zealand if you give your own potato or tomato to your neighbour you can go to jail, and this is very dangerous now what is going on in this world. So everybody should grow for themselves, but I don't like that people will make extracts at home. It's too dangerous, it's volitile, it's poisonous, so we want to establish local labs throughout the country where you can bring your stuff and the lab will do your medicine. Any medicine. You want suppositories, they'll do it for you and you jusy pay as a service. That's the easiest and the cheapest way for people to get their medicine.

What's the future for you? Your future plans? Any conferences or anything like that?

Yes, of course. We are organizing our conferences in spring in Slovenia. We are establishing an institute which will cooperate with the institute in Prague. We are organizing some seminars for Slovenian doctors together with the Slovenian medical chamber. So, we cooperate with all people who can help us on this way to our goal...
To the normalization of pot.
Exactly. If this is possible in this crazy world.

Well, thank you very much for the interview. I don't know if you want to add something for the people that are watching or will be reading later?
 The ban of cannabis is the biggest stupidity ever. That's all.
Ok, thank you.
You're welcome.