Sensi Seeds' ode to cannabis: our raison d'être

In 2015, Sensi Seeds will have existed for 30 years. A great opportunity to take a moment to reflect, to realise all the more what it is that has driven us all these years; the thing that will always inspire us to do what we do, in the way that we do i

Sensi Seeds' ode to cannabis: our raison d'être

In 2015, Sensi Seeds will have existed for 30 years, a milestone the company is extremely proud of. The anniversary is also a great opportunity to take a moment to reflect upon what it is that has driven us all these years; the thing that will always inspire us to do what we do, in the way that we do it. We're talking about cannabis.

A history that stretches back thousands of years

Sensi Seeds is delighted that the image of, and knowledge about, medicinal, recreational and industrial cannabis is currently improving all over the world. Stigmatisation and criminalisation at the beginning of the twentieth century harmed the plant and its image; yet thousands of years before that hemp was cultivated in abundance. It is, in fact, one of the first plants ever to be cultivated by man!

Evidence of the early use of cannabis and hemp has been found in various places, particularly in archaeological finds in China. These doscoveries revealed that the plant played an important role in daily life, thousands of years before Christ.

What is likely to be the first written reference to cannabis is from China as well. It dates from 2700 BC and is in the medical encyclopaedia 'Pen Ts'ao': the foundation of ancient Chinese medicine written by the Emperor Shen-Nung.

Millennia later, research into the plant has picked up again. Thanks to many U.S. states and several different countries decriminalising and legalising cannabis, the world is rediscovering what man already knew so very long ago: cannabis is a tremendous resource that can offer innumerable benefits to the planet.

The versatility of cannabis

The healing properties of cannabis are unprecedented. The list of ailments that it can alleviate or even cure seems to be never-ending, with the holy grail being a possible cure for various types of cancer. In cooperation with many activists and various companies, Sensi Seeds has fought for the recognition of medicinal cannabis for decades. Now, it seems that the passion and commitment are finally starting to pay off! 

But the plant is much more than its medicinal properties alone. The 'side effects' of this miracle drug are so pleasant that it is used recreationally. Relaxation, self-reflection, inducing a deeper level of consciousness, coming to new insights, letting go, laughter, and stimulating creativity are just some of the motives people have for bringing cannabis into their lives.

And it doesn't stop there. One hectare of hemp can generate more products than any other plant. It provides raw materials for the oil, food, textile, cosmetics and automotive industries, among others and thousands of manufactured products have hemp as their main or ancillary component. In fact, hemp is becoming so mainstream that supermarkets have recently started adding hemp seeds and oil to their stock.

Cannabis. A plant. Part of the earth's natural beauty. A product of evolution. A gift from our Creator, who, according to the Bible, created all seed-bearing plants. Whatever your belief, as far as we are concerned, the conclusion is unanimous: cannabis is on earth to serve mankind.

“It's all about the plant” - Ben Dronkers

The passion for everything that cannabis has to offer is deeply rooted in Sensi Seeds. It has led us to establish the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Amsterdam and Barcelona, as well as industrial hemp producer, HempFlax. The source of this passion lies with the founder of these companies: Ben Dronkers.

In the early 1970s, Ben travelled to Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to buy fabrics for his clothing store in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. During his travels, he discovered the many advantages of hemp fibre for, among other things, textiles. He also bought and was given cannabis and cannabis seeds by local farmers. 

It was during this period that he realised the fact that cannabis was being unjustly kept from a large part of the world's population, while the plant gives us so much! 

For Ben Dronkers this was the start of a passionate, relentless desire to do everything to bring the rich history and versatile use of cannabis and hemp into the limelight. The return of cannabis and hemp to their rightful place in society was, and is, his life's work. Following in his footsteps, our dedication at Sensi Seeds, the museums and HempFlax are the same: we serve the cannabis plant.

Sensi Seeds' deeply rooted love of cannabis

In the mid-1980s we broadened our horizons. In addition to collecting seeds and preserving unique genotypes, we started cultivating cannabis. With our extensive collection of indica, sativa and ruderalis genetics, we began creating our own exceptional hybrids through crossbreeding. 

Sensi Seeds was the first in the Netherlands, perhaps the first in the world, to start developing and preserving an extensive collection of new cannabis genetics. As such, we were right there at the dawn of what has become today's cannabis community; spreading the word of cannabis started with a seed!

Thirty years ago, one man’s passion and drive formed the seed from which Sensi Seeds grew. Today, our philosophy remains the same, focused upon a deeply rooted love of the cannabis plant. It is our raison d'être, one we commit to every day with heart and soul, and will continue to do so, together with you.

Grow on! 

“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is a flower. God put it here.” - Willie Nelson

“Hemp can save the planet” - Jack Herer

“When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself” - Bob Marley

“Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?” - Bill Hicks

“Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!” - George Washington

“It's all about the plant” - Ben Dronkers