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The Effect

What it says on the box:

If you could simply imagine a card routine and have it become real, the Cannabis effect would be it.

Any card, any number has long been the Holy Grail of magicians but this effect takes it to an entirely new level.

Cannabis stands for "Card At Named Number Amongst Blanks Is Selected” and that’s exactly what happens. The only card in the entire deck with a printed back and face is their thought of a card and their thought of a number. Easy to do, ingenious method, with quick re-set version included for working situations this will instantly become a reputation making addition to your repertoire.

The Cannabis effect, it’s hot and it rocks!

Comes with Bicycle deck gimmick, decorative tin container and instructional DVD.
Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ZdMCZE_y4

Cost

Approx £25 from most magic dealers.

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

A reasonable simple routine for someone who can handle a deck of cards with some degree of confidence. No difficult sleights to learn.

Review

I saw this routine a few months ago at a Wayne Dobson lecture and bought it there and then. It’s a relatively simple routine as stated above that works on a similar principle to TAG. If you have or know the TAG routine I strongly recommend that you re-make make the CANNABIS gimmick using the same method as the TAG gimmick which will improve things a lot in my opinion.

The routine does what it claims and you can show the blank deck fronts and rear. The spec can select ANY of the 52 cards and this will be the only fully printed card that appears in the spread deck – and at the position that the spec states.

The CANNABIS routine is a winner and I’ve been showing this one around for a couple of weeks with some great reactions. It’s angle sensitive in parts so as long as you remember this you should have no problems at all.

Overall

A little expensive for a card routine but on this occasion I’d say it’s worth it. You get a well worked routine that will seem impossible to your audience, the gimmicked deck and a nice tin to keep it in.

And in case you ask – you cannot hand the deck or the selected card out afterwards for inspection which is the only draw back. Life is never perfect

8.5/10

I found the only trouble I had was not rubbing the gimmick hard enough. I ended up having to give it a big yank to get it to come off, which made a noise and bent it a bit. My fault, as they do tell you to give it a rub first, then I can practise a bit more and show it off. Is this the reason you say about the TAG gimmick?

Disclaimer:

I KNOW how the above sounds, but best description I could think of without giving anything away.


I hadn't bought a card effect for a over a year, but bought this from the boys at Covent Garden as soon as I saw them demo for someone.

People will say you can just deck switch before showing the cards, but you can show "both" sides blank before and after the effect. People use the ID enough, without showing both sides, so this effect is stronger. the fact that, unlike the ID, they name WHERE it will appear in the deck, is a bonus.
(Note, NO, it is not the same principle as the ID)

Yep, that's exactly why I recommend re-making the gimmick using the TAG principle. I see some minor problems in the CANNABIS gimmick as it wears it will be less reliable.

You're right about the deck switch or other method and I haven't had a problem with people asking to handle the deck or selected card but I'm confident with my handling. I put this in as other may not be and would probably ask the question

Daniel Young showed me this effect in the pub after Tabula Mentis II when we were well oiled, and I was very impressed.

No need for the gimmick with a little lateral thinking...this really does kill them if done properly...and there should be no need to hand out the cards if you script it into your show properly. I like this very much!

I was bought this as a present and have got some very goood reactions with it, no one has asked to see the cards. Not sure i would have paid that much for it myself though.

Hi guys,

Many thanks for the feedback. Hayashi has developed a brilliant deck switch at the end of the routine which leaves you clean. If anyone is passing by us in Covent Garden I'll be happy to show it.

In my experience though, if presented correctly people never ask to see the deck.

One thing you didn't mention which we feel is worth pointing out is the quality of the DVD. Having been fed up with poor quality DVD's and bad explanations we really went all out to make a good DVD with high quality edits, cameras and sound. Obviously this was reflected in the price but we felt it was worth it.

From tommorow, we will be offering the Cannabis Effect at a special reduced price of £14.99 on www.magiccave.co.uk/inside - this is limited to the first 50 customers!!

Lee Hathaway & Daniel Young