I often swim in the clear waters in the lagoon at Tikioki, where you can feel the cool fresh seawater coming over the reef and flushing the stale water away to be refreshed twice daily reducing the weed and algae growth.

Dear Editor,

I often swim in the clear waters in the lagoon at Tikioki, where you can feel the cool fresh seawater coming over the reef and flushing the stale water away to be refreshed twice daily reducing the weed and algae growth.

Then you come toward Muri where the lagoon is not getting the same amount of seawater action and we see the prolific increase in algae and weed.

It is not difficult to work out the problem, lack of fresh seawater, lack of water movement, perfect environment for weed to grow with the added bonus of years and years of NPK fertilizers and other nitrogen/phosphate sources entering the lagoon over the last thirty years or more.

The removal of coastal plants, filling in of wetlands and installation of rock walls hasn’t helped either.

The reef channels are blocked with coral stones, according to some local residents which is also slowing the flow of fresh seawater.

Now that we understand the cause of the problem can someone in Government please inform us of what their future plan is for this area. The private sector have some very good ideas.

I have seen a huge push in the planting of Vetiver grass to absorb nutrients along the river banks which is to commended and encouraged.

The economic loss to the country if this lagoon is ignored will be huge, nobody wants to see a weed choked stagnant pond especially when the country is advertising blue water lagoons etc., not good

This area was blue and crystal clear not that long ago, sadly no more.

I would really appreciate some feedback as there are a lot of people who are concerned about the lack of action taken over the years to remedy this ongoing problem by successive Government bodies.

Meitaki.

Nick Reeves

‘Give hemp joints a go’

Since wholesalers and retailers are now bringing in hemp, cannabis sativa products into the Cook Islands, it is legal to bring in hemp seeds to grow your own plants.

But I caution the police that they need to be very careful in distinguishing the difference between hemp and marijuana plants.

They are essentially the exact same, visually, and often need to be chemically analysed to tell the difference. The quickest way for hemp growers to turn their plantations into a cash crop is to cultivate the hemp flower for smoking joints.

And yes, you can smoke hemp. And yes, it’s gaining popularity.

Retailers around the globe where the hemp plant is legal carefully cultivate hemp flowers specifically for smoking.

There was an old myth that smoking hemp would give you a headache, but that’s a relic from the days when hemp plants were only cultivated to make fibres for textiles.

Hemp joints are growing in popularity and retailers are having trouble keeping up with the demand. Some people long for the ritual of smoking, and appreciate that hemp is neither addictive nor psychoactive. Others desire the purported therapeutic effects of CBD, such as relief from insomnia and anxiety. Smoking offers a faster delivery of CBD than digesting extracts.

Smoking hemp is a very small part of the CBD marketplace, but it’s growing rapidly.

We all know tobacco smoke is really bad for your health. Hemp on the other hand is rich in various compounds such as CBD and terpenes (terpenes is the aromatic compounds found in cannabis plants). When smoking in synergy, these compounds increase the efficiency and healing benefits of hemp. Due to these compounds, the plant presents anti-inflammatory properties, sedating effects, pain reducing effects, antidepressant properties and antipsychotic effects.

Hemp can also be used to relieve symptoms of; depression, sleeping problems, chronic pain, high blood pressure, substance abuse, nicotine addiction and obesity.

Yes, hemp can be a potential treatment for nicotine addiction, so give hemp joints a go.

Cigarette smoking is just one of the leading preventable causes of death in the Cook Islands. Compared to cigarettes, hemp doesn’t have such serious risks. 
What a great cash crop this will be for our local growers.

Steve Boggs