Hi, my name is John W. Allen, sometimes known as Mushroom John and Mjshroomer.
I am the author of nine books, one medical poster and more than three dozen scholarly articles on magic mushrooms and administrator of mushroomjohn.org, a site with 14,800 photographs related to magic mushrooms.
In 1994, I worked with Mark D. Merlin at the University of Hawaii. Mark was my co-author on 7 articles in prestigious journals regarding Magic Mushrooms.
Mark is also the author on the first book on history of Hemp throughout the world. Although there was a book in 1951 on the Kentucky Hemp Farms, It only related tot hat history.
Merlin, Mark D. 1972. Man and Marijuana: Some Aspects of their Ancient Relationship. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, Rutherford, New Jersey, hardback, 120 pps. (2nd edition 1973); [paperback, Perpetua Books, South Brunswick, New Jersey, 120 pp, l972].
This book was published in 1972 and was originally Mark Merlin's masters for the University of Hawaii's Geography Department.
Mark also is the author of "On the Trail of the Ancient Opium Poppy" and co-author with Vince Lebot and Lindstrom in the book, "Kava: the Pacific Drug."
Mark has also written numerous papers in such journals as Economic Botany and lectures on hemp and old world hallucinogens.
In 1994, Mark ask me to edit and rewrite to computer, his original book, "Man and Marijuana." I did a rewrite for two years and added close to 100 new pages of data on hemp and its history. However, Mark, due to the workplace was unable to work on his book and left it siting for over ten years. Mark also thought at the time i was editing his book for which i was paid in full by him, that my 100 page additions would be whittled down somewhat to a shorter book. The original book is just a tad 120 pages. However, he now has the assistance of Robert Connell Clarke, author of Marijuana Botany: An Advanced Study: the Propagation and Breeding of Distinctive Cannabis. I also added an enormous list of the various names of pot from around the world, doubling the list on Merlin's original book.
And today after ten years, the book is close to being published with great unbelievable new insight into the history of Hemp and longer than I had rewritten it for him.
I ask for all of you interested in the history to find a copy of Mark's original book which is available on the internet at many stores and to watch for his new edition coming out soon. While I have been removed to the status of the acknowledgment page, I can say that Mark has deeply honored my time and work for him in his book.
As an after note, I have a famous ancestor in my history. James Lane Allen, author of "The Reign of Law: A Tale of the Kentucky Hemp Fields."
This is a book written at the turn of the century and has a marijuana like-leaf embossed on the cover of the book. It was the first book which described in great detain, the planting and sowing of the seeds up to and including the harvesting of the hemp.
Best regards to all of you and your work to make hemp legal in the USA.
mjshroomer
One more note. The book will be retitled and that is still not worked out as of yet, yet it is almost at the printers.
