Robert Connell Clarke

For other people named Robert Clarke, see Robert Clarke (disambiguation).
Robert C. Clarke
Born
Robert Connell Clarke

1953
California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Botanist
  • horticulturist
  • agronomist
  • writer
Years active1977–present
Part of a series on
Cannabis
Cannabis
Chemistry
  • Semi-synthetic cannabinoids
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  • Genus
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Robert Connell Clarke (born 1953) is an American agronomist and ethnobotanist, specialized in the study of the cannabis plant.[1]

He has often been credited for having taken part in many developments of the licit hemp and cannabis sectors in the United States[2][3] and the Netherlands[4][5] since the 1980s.[6]

Biography

[edit]

Clarke graduated in 1977 from the University of California Santa Cruz.[7]

In the 1980s, he took part as a breeder in the creation of the cannabis seed bank Cultivators Choice together with David P. Watson[8] with whom he later co-funded Hortapharm B.V.,[9] a Dutch cannabis research and development business licensed from 1994-1997 to research medicinal cannabis.[10]

He was once project manager of the International Hemp Association, a now-defunct organization based in Amsterdam.[1] He has written for High Times under the pseudonym R. Connoisseur.[11]

Academic research

[edit]

In 1977, shortly after graduating, Clarke self-published his undergraduate research dissertation[7] under the title "The botany and ecology of Cannabis."[12] He would spend the following years continuing to research and publish on the topics of evolutionary and botanical history of the plant genus.

Books

[edit]

Some of Clarke's key publications include:

  • Marijuana Botany. An Advanced Study: The Propagation and Breeding of Distinctive Cannabis (And/Or Press, 1981)[13] ISBN 978-0914171782
  • Hashish! (Red Eye Press, 1998)[14] ISBN 9780929349053, 0929349059
  • Hemp Diseases and Pests: Management and Biological Control – an Advanced Treatise (CABI Pub, 2000), with John M. McPartland and David P. Watson. ISBN 978-0-85199-454-3, 978-1-84593-313-5
  • Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany (University of California Press, 2013),[15] with Mark D. Merlin. ISBN 978-0-520-29248-2

Some of his publications received an important echo. According to Clarke, "Marijuana Botany played an unforeseen role in spreading plant science to the public."[7] Clarke also published numerous peer-review articles that received less public attention.[16]

Ethnobotanical research

[edit]

Clarke is known for having studied a number of local varieties, cultures, and agricultural practices linked to cannabis in remote regions of the world in Southeast Asia, such as Nepal, China, Vietnam, but also in other areas of Africa,[17] Europe, the Americas,[5] and Oceania.[18] In 2018, a promotional documentary was released by a Canadian hemp company documented Robert Clarke's journey through Turkey exploring local traditional hemp cultures.[19]

In relation to this field work, Clarke has participated in the development of methodological tools for cannabis research.[20] He has also been associated with the discovery and identification of archaeological remains of cannabis in the Israeli Tel Arad site.[21][22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Clarke, Robert; Merlin, Mark (2016). Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany. University of California Press - website. ISBN 9780520292482.
  2. ^ Lewis, Amanda Chicago (2020-05-23). "A Hidden Origin Story of the CBD Craze". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  3. ^ Lee, Martin A. (2014). "Smell the Mystery: What Are Terpenes? Learn about the aromatic compounds that give cannabis its distinct smell and make each strain unique". www.projectcbd.org. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  4. ^ Kiel, Tom (7 December 2021). "Nederlandse bedrijven mogen hasj maken, maar kunnen ze dat wel?". Vice News (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  5. ^ a b Bergman, Derrick (2014). "Het grote Robert C. Clarke interview (deel 2)". Soft Secrets NL, 2014, No. 03 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  6. ^ "The Hot War Follies: In Humboldt County, California the Law Is Outwitted by Marijuana Growers". Life magazine. Dec.: 40–50. 1982.
  7. ^ a b c Lupoi, Jason S. (2020). "The Ethnobotanical Journey of Robert C. Clarke". Terpenes and Testing Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  8. ^ SeedFinder (s.d.). Cannabis-Strains from Cultivators Choice [online]
  9. ^ Cowan, Richard (2020-09-07). "The Curious Case of GW Pharmaceuticals". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  10. ^ Breen, Bill (2004). "The Cannabis Conundrum". Fast Company.
  11. ^ "Dope". High Times.
  12. ^ Clarke, Robert C. (2017). "Picture of the self-edited book "The Botany and Ecology of Cannabis"". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  13. ^ Emboden, William A. (1981). "Marijuana Botany. An Advanced Study: The Propagation and Breeding of Distinctive Cannabis". Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 13 (4): 395. doi:10.1080/02791072.1981.10471901. ISSN 2159-9777. PMID 28557700.
  14. ^ Russo, Ethan B. (2001). "Hashish!, by Robert Connell Clarke" (PDF). Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics. 1 (1): 112–113.
  15. ^ "Entrevista a Robert C. Clarke". Soft Secrets (in European Spanish). 2014. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  16. ^ WorldCat (2022). "WorldCat identities: Clarke, Robert Connell 1953-".
  17. ^ Chouvy, Pierre-Arnaud (2008). "Production de cannabis et de haschich au Maroc : contexte et enjeux" [Cannabis and hashish production in Morocco: context and challenges]. L'Espace Politique. Revue en ligne de géographie politique et de géopolitique (in French). 4 (4). doi:10.4000/espacepolitique.59. ISSN 1958-5500.
  18. ^ Clarke, Robert C., "Field trials of fiber and seed hemp cultivars in Tasmania", CDays BarcelonaTech, vol. 2022, retrieved 2023-02-06
  19. ^ Kesik, Koray (2018), Quest for the Golden Fiber, Kendir Bouquet handwoven textiles and ropes LTD., retrieved 2023-01-14
  20. ^ Clarke, Robert C. (2002-01-01). "Field Interview Schedule and Questionnaire for Investigating Cannabis Use". Journal of Industrial Hemp. 7 (1): 83–88. doi:10.1300/J237v07n01_07. ISSN 1537-7881. S2CID 84429647.
  21. ^ Mayans, Carme (2020). "Los antiguos hebreos usaban cannabis en rituales religiosos" [The ancient Hebrews used cannabis in religious rituals]. National Geographic Spain (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  22. ^ "Study: Cannabis was used at biblical site in Israel". The Mercury News. 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2023-01-15.


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