HEMP/CANNABIS

[roots69]

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So You Want To Build A Grow Facility…

by Nathan Mendel
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The green rush is on! As everyone knows, Colorado is on the forefront of the cannabis revolution. Numerous other states, most notably Washington, on the adult-recreational side, and many others on the medical side, are following close behind.

Recent statistics shared by Chris Walsh with Marijuana Business Daily, at the CannaBusiness Money Show in Boston last week, put the legal cannabis industry at well over a billion dollars in 2014. The industry is then expected grow 40-60% annually for the next several years.

The Boston Money Show was sold out, as were similar shows in Chicago and San Francisco, with folks clamoring for information. Budding entrepreneurs were anxious to figure out how to involve themselves in the still early stages of this post-prohibition era.

My company, Your Green Contractor (YGC), has seen growth of well over 100% in the last couple of years (and we are a 17-year mature business) due in large part to our involvement in the building of grow facilities, retail dispensaries, MIPS kitchens and extraction rooms.

If you are interested in building a grow facility, keep in mind that local codes are CONSTANTLY changing as the local building departments and fire departments try to keep pace with the rapid rate of changes in the industry. In Denver, we receive fire code updates directly. The review requirements have changed twice in the last two weeks alone.

All of this means it is incredibly important to consult with an architect and/or contractor who is intimately familiar with the industry and up to date with the latest changes.


Starting a New Project
If you are not dissuaded from jumping in yet, let’s talk about a few issues to keep an eye on specifically related to building a grow facility. Let’s assume you already have a space secured and you are lucky to only be paying two-to-three times the normal market rate due to your chosen industry.

Hopefully, you have had a contractor helping you to evaluate your potential buildings, so you are prepared with budget costs. These costs may include upgrading the electrical service and reinforcing the roof to support the numerous new heating and cooling (HVAC) units that are going to be required for your nursery, veg and flower rooms. Click here and scroll down to “White Papers” and enter your e-mail address for an instant downloadable white paper on what to look for when evaluating a potential grow building.

From there, you will need to have an in-depth conversation with your contractor regarding the way that you are planning to grow. We have built dozens of grow facilities and the one thing we have learned is that no two growers are producing cannabis the same way. Some are in soil, some are going hydroponic, and others are utilizing mediums such as coconut shells. Some are watering by hand, others are automatic. Some are in pots, others are on tables. Some are using CO2, others are conventional. Some are utilizing movable lighting gantries, others are using fixed lights. The variances are unlimited, so even if you have a contractor that is well versed in the industry, you still need to take the lead in explaining your building requirements.

Determining Project Timing
A key element of early conversations is to talk about timing. Many growers do not have a good understanding of the timeframes for projects. There are three key elements of project timing:

1. Design

• Architectural Drawings (Complete Set)
• Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Drawings (must be completed by a licensed engineer to make sure that your spaces function properly. It is of utmost importance that you don’t overload the electrical system and burn down your (or your landlord’s) building.

The Design process can take from 4-8 weeks depending on the size and complexity of the project and also how busy your architect is. A quick tip: If the architect is not busy, you probably don’t have the right one.

2. Plan Submittal and Review

• Submit completed sets of drawings to the local building department
• Submit the same completed sets of drawings to the fire department
• Check with the local water department. Often they are not related to the building department and will require a separate application for the water tap.

Plan review times vary GREATLY from one jurisdiction to another, and can take from 2-8 weeks, or longer if there are comments and revisions are needed. Plan on the longer time frame and you will be pleasantly surprised if the permit arrives more quickly. Some jurisdictions have an “over-the-counter” permit option for simple projects. In our experience, there is no such thing as a simple marijuana related project and this quick permit will NEVER be available. A quick tip: The building department and fire department may or may not be one in the same. These departments rarely talk to each other, so do NOT assume that the plans you submit to the building department will be coordinated with the fire department.

3. Construction

Once you have a complete design and a permit has been issued, you are on the home stretch! It is difficult to talk about durations for the construction as we have built grows from less than 1,000 square feet to over 80,000 square feet, but we will offer a bit of advice.

After receiving the permit, your contractor should be able to give you a schedule, IN WRITING, with a project completion date, as well as key milestone dates along the way. Milestones may include passing rough inspections, pouring the floor back after underground plumbing, deliveries of major equipment, etc.

If you are supplying items outside of your contract with your contractor, such as grow lights, find out when these items are needed. You do not want to be the reason for a delay to the schedule.


There are also often outside vendors, who do not come under the control of the general contractor, but that need to be made part of the overall schedule. Your security contractor is a prime example. Typically the security folks are contracted directly with the grower, but having them in contact with the contractor from the beginning is crucial. Their wiring is typically installed at the same time as the electrician’s rough wiring, BEFORE the drywall is installed. Coming back in later to “fish” wires into finished walls is expensive and inefficient.

During construction, communication is inordinately important. Construction of grow houses has some nuances, but it is not difficult. What trips up projects most often is poor communication and assumptions made on both sides. Do NOT assume anything. Communicate regularly, and then communicate some more. Ask questions. Review the schedule regularly. If there is a change from the schedule it should be noted in writing.

Schedule changes could result from scope changes based on an inspector’s comments, subcontractor issues or errors or any other number of things. If a subcontractor causes a schedule slip, it is important for your contractor to show you on paper how they plan to regain the completion date.

Building a Grow Facility The Right Way
In conclusion, there are hundreds of variables that go into every construction project. Add to this that every jurisdiction interprets the code differently, and the number of potential pitfalls expands exponentially. Building a grow is not the same as building a car, where the process is repeated over and over again in a controlled environment. Every construction project is unique.

Choose your contractor carefully. Choose your contractor EARLY. Communicate with your contractor often. Be patient. Be pleasant with the City. And before you know it, you will be growing beautiful green plants that allow for a profit margin that most farmers can only dream about. The green rush in on! Are you ready to be a part of it?

 

[roots69]

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Indica vs. Sativa Medical Marijuana Strain Differences

by Zach Reichard
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For those in medical marijuana accepted states, your eyes have probably been opened to the extensive range of cannabis, both medicinally, and in variety. This has caused many medical marijuana patients to become rather picky when it comes to choosing their herbal medicine. While that may come across as pretentious, it is purely a matter of being informed of the medicinal, and psychoactive effects of different varieties of cannabis and knowing how each affects you.

While we recognize the fact that most people do not share the same luxury, we recommend becoming familiar with the different types of cannabis and their effects so that you can have some idea what you are medicating with. If you do live in a state where medical marijuana is legal, this will hopefully serve as a helpful guide when selecting your next strain of cannabis.

Indica vs. Sativa Strain Differences
When it comes to telling the difference between different samples of marijuana, there are two main types, or ‘classifications’, that make up the majority of all medical marijuana ‘strains’ that appear on dispensary menus. These two main classification types are popularly known as Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica.

Cannabis Sativa
Cannabis Sativa grow taller and thinner than Indica strains. Sativa strains originated in the equatorial countries of Columbia, Mexico, Thailand, and South East Asia and thrive in warmer weather. The leaves of Sativa are much more narrow than those of Indica, and are typically a lighter shade of green.


Sativa plants have known to stretch to extraordinary heights of up to 20 feet when grown outside, and have much longer vegetation periods. Once the plant begins to flower, it can take anywhere from ten to sixteen weeks to fully mature. Since vegetation periods are so long, these plants typically produce a much higher yield than Indica strains (3 ounces to 1 pound per plant), but possess a lower THC percentage than Indica on average (around 12-16%).

Sativa plants are known to be extremely pungent smelling, with aromas ranging from sweet and fruity, to earthy with undertones of diesel fuel. Many of our favorite sativa strains such as Cherry AK, Green Crack, Trainwreck, Jack Herer, and J-1 all have a similar sweet and peppery smell that is classic of sativa. Some strains like Trainwreck will be more peppery, while Cherry AK is extremely sweet smelling. Although these strains will all provide similar effects, the distinction lies in these differences in smell, formally known as their ‘terpene profile’. Once you are familiar with all the different terpenes that are present in cannabis, it is fairly easy to detect what strain you are smoking based on scent alone.

“Cannabis Sativa are particularly effective in treating mental and behavioral issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and ADHD.”

Sativa strains are known to produce an uplifting and cerebral high that is typically very energizing and stimulating. Sativa are known to make you laugh uncontrollably or engage in in-depth conversations about the meaning of life. These strains typically cause you to analyze the human experience and think creatively, which makes Cannabis Sativa very popular among philosophers, artists and musicians. Some Sativa even have been found to enhance lights and sounds, making music, movies, and the rest of your surroundings more vibrant than ever before.


Patients looking for the perfect morning medication or daytime relief could benefit from accompanying their breakfast or lunch with a vaporizer packed with Strawberry Diesel or Cherry AK. Both of these strains are known to give you a long lasting, clear-head (sometimes cerebral) that will leave you uplifted and energetic.

Cannabis Indica
On the contrary, Cannabis Indica are short and stout in composure (2-4 feet tall), and typically yield smaller (1.5 to 2.5 ounces per plant), higher quality crops (~18% THC) than Cannabis Sativa. The plants are believed to have originated in the Middle East (Pakistan & Afghanistan), and thrive in cooler environments. Indica strains are typically darker green than sativa and have shorter, fatter leaves.

Since the plants grow so short they are ideal for indoor growing. The buds are thick and dense, flowering in anywhere from eight to twelve weeks. The flavors and smells of Cannabis Indica include; pine, pungent skunk, earth, hash, or a sweet and sugary fruit flavor.

“However, most people use Cannabis Indica after a long day at work to relieve stress, provide full-body pain relief, and help them fall asleep at night.”

The effects produced by Indica strains are very relaxing and narcotic-like, typically providing a full-body, or “couch-locked” effect. Indica are perfect for those days spent curled up on the couch watching TV, or surfing the web. However, most people seek Cannabis Indica after a long day at work to relieve stress, provide full-body pain relief, and help them fall asleep at night.


Indica strains are ideal for chronic pain, muscle spasms, anxiety, nausea, appetite stimulation, and sleep deprivation. Individuals who suffer from diseases like multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, lupus, sleep apnea and insomnia tend to benefit from the effects of Cannabis Indica. Patients looking for the ideal Indica to put you straight to sleep should consider trying any strain with OG or Kush in its genetics; our favorite night-time strains include GDP, Pure Kush, and God’s Gift. All of which provide significant pain relieve coupled with heavy sedative effects.

Hybrids Explained
There are a wide range of cannabis strains in between Indica and Sativa. These strains are known as “Hybrids” and show traits directly related to the genetics in its lineage. Hybrids can be broken down into three basic categories:

1. Sativa-dominant Hybrids: Cerebral high with a relaxing body effect. Provides physical and mental relief. Here are some examples of strains that are Sativa-dominant hybrids: Mars OG, Neptune OG, Headband, Juicy Fruit, J1, Sour Diesel, Purple Trainwreck
2. Even Hybrids (50/50): Ideal strains for people seeking a perfect balance of head and body. Here are some examples of strains that are 50/50 Hybrids: Cheese, White Widow, Blue Dream, Blue Widow, XJ-13, Purple Diesel, Super Silver Haze
3. Indica-dominant Hybrids: These strains provide a full-body pain relief, with a relaxing head high. Recommended for nighttime use to go to sleep, or daytime relief from minor pain. These strains are perfect for patients who suffer from all types of autoimmune diseases as well as insomnia or depression. Here are some examples of strains that are Indica-dominant Hybrids: Tahoe OG, SFV OG, Kosher Kush, Skywalker OG, Purple Urkle, Girl Scout Cookies, Blackberry Kush

The interesting thing about cannabis is that even when you compare strains across the, “pure Indica” and “pure Sativa” genres, there are clear differences in effects. For example, Durban Poison is a pure Sativa from Africa with an uplifting high. On the contrary, our recently reviewed Panama Red (also a pure Sativa) is known to create a mellow, relaxing head-high. These two plants originated from different continents and have different effects, but are both classified as pure Cannabis Sativa. This means that the classification of cannabis is far more intricate than most believed.

Other Types of Cannabis
Cannabis Ruderalis is another species of cannabis whose potential benefits have only begun to be explored. This species of cannabis grows wild in parts of Eastern Europe and Russia, so it is accustomed to colder weather. Ruderalis plants contain lower percentages of THC, but are frequently cross-bred with Sativa strains to produce plants that grow short like Ruderalis, and can bear the weather of outdoor grows up north where Sativa strains can not usually flourish. These hybrids are known as auto-flowering strains, because of the short flowering period that Ruderalis carries with it (2-3 weeks after germination).


The strains are typically more resistant to insect infestation and disease pressures, and are thought to have high CBD content. The whole life span of these plants can be as short as 7 weeks long, and are relatively simple to grow, which has made them more popular among home growers.

Marijuana is a complex plant with endless possible strain combinations that are nearly impossible to classify. While we do our best, it is clear that it is far more complex than simply classifying strains as Sativa or Indica. Nevertheless, we hope this guide will at least provide some insight on the topic, and allow you to recognize the differences in the buds you are medicating with.

Helpful links & resources regarding the classification(s) of cannabis:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoflowering_cannabis
• http://berkeleypatientscare.com/201...o-medical-cannabis-choosing-the-right-strain/
• http://weedfarmer.com/growing_guide/cannabis_indica_sativa.php
• http://www.theweedstreetjournal.com/difference-sativa-indica/
• http://www.thcdigest.com/indica-vs-sativa/#sativa-vs-indica-q6

 

[BigATLslim]

Number 9. needs to be researched on what legislation was passed for some insecure white male of a ag family to become artificially successful.

Step outside that box and start looking around!!!

This infographic could/should be sold as the first 1 page ebook just for the base industry information it gives you in the verticals you can profit in.

Each lane is a multibillion dollar business on its own...think about that.

 

[Capo]

Excellent thread. I just wanted to add and stress that anyone doing solvent extraction be extremely careful. It doesn't take much for a disaster.

 

[roots69]

Excellent thread. I just wanted to add and stress that anyone doing solvent extraction be extremely careful. It doesn't take much for a disaster.

Well said!! Im just trying to get kats to explore the options in this green rush!! We can do more than just consume it, we might as well get in on the money too!!

 

[roots69]

OP, BEEN on this since AT least 2009...at the tutelage of BGOL!

Ninjas ain't tryna do nothin'...

I mean eliminate smoking AND vaping AND all industries tied to it...and you still talking about a multibillion dollar industry from ONE plant.

Bruh, maybe your right.. These kats aren't interested in this end of the cannabis game!!

 

[roots69]

POLITICS
Cannabis Jobs Count: Legal Marijuana Supports 149,304 Americans
BRUCE BARCOTT AND GAGE PEAKE
September 12, 2017

How many jobs are supported by legal cannabis?

In one year, legal cannabis added more than 26,000 new jobs to the American workforce.
When asked that question last year, nobody could tell us. The few estimates we found seemed untethered to any actual sales figures. Because of the Schedule I status of cannabis, state and federal labor statisticians had no way to count the jobs. So we set about to find the number ourselves.

Last year we found that 122,814 jobs relied on the legal status of cannabis in America.

This year, we found that legal cannabis supports 149,304 Americans. That’s an increase of 22% in one year. In 12 months, the legal cannabis industry has added 26,490 jobs to the nation’s workforce.


RELATED STORY
How Many Jobs Depend on Legal Cannabis? We Did the Math
What’s behind those numbers? Digging into the work of leading cannabis economists, we devised a method that roughly translated annual sales into FTE (full time equivalent) jobs. You can find the full explanation of that method here. Not every job in the industry is a full-time gig. So these figures are FTE jobs, in which two half-time jobs equals one FTE. Also, it’s worth noting that these are jobs supported by legal cannabis. Not every one of those jobs touches the plant. These estimates include lawyers who advise business owners, electricians who consult on grow operations, hydroponic farming supply houses, insurance brokers, software developers, realtors who specialize in commercial cannabis real estate—the list goes on.


Illustration by Amy Phung/Leafly
It’s worth saying: Behind every one of these jobs is a hard-working, taxpaying American. They’re the botanists at Medicine Man in Denver; the oil extraction technicians at Dama in Seattle; the budtenders at Farma in Portland; the mechanical engineers at Apeks Supercritical in Johnstown, Ohio; the scientists at Steep Hill Labs in Portland. They’re lawyers at Harris Bricken, they’re software developers at MJ Freeway Business Solutions. They’re writers, editors, web developers, event planners, and customer support specialists here at Leafly.


RELATED STORY
Five Real People With Real Cannabis Jobs
Adult-Use States
State Cannabis Jobs, 2017 Cannabis Jobs, 2016 Percent Change
Alaska 542 154 252%
California 47,711 43374 10%
Colorado 26,891 23,407 15%
District of Columbia 257 150 71%
Maine 942 470 100%
Massachusetts 1,873 1,283 46%
Oregon 10,843 9,398 15%
Nevada 4,193 2,302 82%
Washington State 26,556 19,694 35%
Showing 1 to 10 of 10 entries
Medical Cannabis States
State 2017 Cannabis Jobs 2016 Cannabis Jobs Percent Change
Arizona 6,520 4,681 39%
Arkansas 5 0 N/A
Connecticut 911 632 44%
Delaware 67 81 -17%
Florida 1,290 70 1,743%
Hawaii 860 48 1,692%
Illinois 1,352 954 42%
Lousiana 22 0 N/A
Maryland 559 0 N/A
Michigan 12,515 7,825 60%
Minnesota 295 174 70%
Montana 621 629 -1%
New Hampshire 100 40 150%
New Jersey 516 199 159%
New Mexico 1,102 723 52%
New York State 1,341 334 301%
North Dakota 6 0 N/A
Ohio 90 0 N/A
Pennsylvania 90 0 N/A
Puerto Rico 215 0 N/A
Rhode Island 781 253 209%
Vermont 227 72 215%
West Virgina 5 0 N/A
Showing 1 to 23 of 23 entries
Alaska: 542
Adult Use and Medical

This is a tough market to figure out because such a high volume of sales occur to tourists during cruise ship season. Growing booms in summer, too, with the whole midnight sun thing happening. Depending on the month you choose, you could extrapolate to an annual market as low at $27 million and as high as $51 million. We’ll stick to the low side and estimate Alaska as a $30 million market in 2017. That supports 542 FTE jobs.

Arizona: 6,520
Medical

Arizona has 136,515 medical marijuana patients. That’s a per-capita rate of 2%, one of the highest in the nation, and it yields an annual market worth $360.8 million, which supports 6,520 jobs.

Arkansas: 11
Medical

Weeks after the application period for medical marijuana dispensary licenses, the state Department of Health had only received two completed forms. So we’re keeping our estimate of private-sector jobs at six (three for each application). Within state government, we figure there are probably about five full-time jobs supported by the need to create and carry out the licensing process. Even at mature build-out, the market here doesn’t figure to be robust. Arkansas has a population of 3 million. Qualifying conditions are strictly limited, and concern over the illegality of owning both a gun license and an MMJ card may keep a number of people from obtaining theirs. The buy-in for dispensaries is steep, too: a $15,000 application fee, and $100,000 for a license. With a tight capture rate of 0.09% (about that of New Jersey prior to its recent reforms), that would lead to an MMJ patient population of about 2,700. That’s a $7 million market, which would support about 129 jobs.

California: 47,711
Adult Use and Medical

The legal medical market in California is notoriously difficult to quantify. Last year we settled on an estimate of $2.4 billion. We’re conservatively estimating 10% growth that encompasses the natural expansion of the MMJ market as well as ramped-up hiring by companies getting ready for the 2018 opening of the state’s adult-use market. A 10% bump puts the annual value of the California market at $2.64 billion, which supports 47,711 FTE jobs.

Colorado: 26,891
Adult Use and Medical


RELATED STORY
Data Dive: Cannabis Sales Keep Climbing in Washington and Colorado
Colorado sales, reported by the state, seem to have reached a leveling point in the past five months, averaging about $126 million per month since March. That translates into an annual market of $1.488 billion in sales, which supports 26,891 FTE jobs. We consider that a conservative estimate, because Colorado hosts an unusually high number of ancillary businesses that serve legal markets around the country. In legal affairs—to take just one sector—firms like Vicente Sederberg and Hoban Law Group have expanded rapidly and opened satellite offices in more than a half-dozen legal states.

Connecticut: 911
Medical

As of August 13, the state had 19,077 registered patients, nine dispensaries, and four producers. Based on the patient count, that’s a $50.4 million annual market, which supports 911 FTE jobs. That’s an increase of 44%, or 279 jobs, over our 2016 estimate.

Delaware: 67
Medical

Straight up: Delaware has terrible records on its medical marijuana program. The state counted 1,407 patients in FY 2016. That translates into $3.7 million in sales, which supports 67 full time jobs. That’s actually a decrease from the 81 jobs we estimated in 2016. How is that possible? It’s Delaware. They really don’t know what’s in their own data. We’re hoping for a better 2017 from Joe Biden’s old home.

District of Columbia: 257
Adult Use and Medical

Last year we noted about 3,500 medical marijuana patients registered with the District of Columbia Department of Health. As of August 1 of this year, that number had grown to 5,372. At $2,643 in purchases per patient annually, that makes up a market worth $14.2 million—not quite double what it was late last year. That supports about 257 full time jobs.

Florida: 1,290
Medical


RELATED STORY
Florida Attorney John Morgan Considering $100M Investment in MMJ
We’ve seen wild estimates of the state’s potential patient pool at upwards of 500,000. With a total population of 30 million, that would be a 2.5% capture rate—not impossible, but unrealistically high. In a report prepared for state officials last year, the Marijuana Policy Group estimated the patient pool at closer to 300,000. That would put the market at a value of $793 million, which would support more than 14,000 jobs. That’s at full maturity. As of July 27, though, there are only 26,968 registered patients. The growth is phenomenal; on June 7, there were 16,760 patients. At that rate, we could see up to 50,000 patients by the end of 2017. For now, we’ll base the market on 27,000 patients, call it $71.4 million, and estimate that it supports 1,290 full time jobs.

Hawaii: 860
Medical

Hawaii recorded 18,004 patients as of July 31. That translates into an annual market of $47.6 million, which supports 860 jobs. The data from Hawaii is tricky. The state has a high per-capita patient rate—with a population of 1.4 million, 18,000 patients represent a 1.25% MMJ rate—and continues to grow at a rate of about 500 new patients per month. At the same time, the first of the state’s eight licensed dispensaries only just recently opened on Maui. We’re a little hesitant to go with the 860 figure; that one dispensary isn’t supporting all those jobs, obviously. But 18,000 patients have to get their medicine somewhere. At this point most of them are accessing it, legally or semi-legally, outside of the licensed dispensary system—and that supports local growers and caregivers. We’ll call it 860 with reservations, and we’ll hope that Hawaii has all eight dispensaries open by this time next year.

Illinois: 1,352
Medical

The Illinois Department of Public Health’s Medical Cannabis Division counts 27,100 patients as of August. That pencils out to about $71.6 million in annual sales. State records show that sales through the first seven months of 2017 came to $43.6 million, which puts annual sales at $74.8 million. We’ll go with that figure, which supports 1,352 jobs. That’s an increase of 466 jobs, or a growth rate of 49%, over the past year.

Louisiana: 22
Medical (soon)

When it comes to Louisiana’s medical marijuana program, very little makes sense to us. Earlier this year, the Las Vegas-based cannabis company GB Sciences agreed to pay Louisiana State University $1.2 million per year for five years for permission to grow medical cannabis at a secure location on the LSU campus. Patients are expected to access the market in 2018. Using $1.2 million per year as a kind of “market,” we figure that supports at least 22 FTE jobs at LSU.

Maine: 942
Adult Use and Medical

Homegrow is huge in Maine. How do we know? There are 51,324 registered medical marijuana patients in the state. That should translate into about $135 million in annual sales. Instead, the state only recorded $26.8 million in dispensary sales in 2016. Industry officials estimated an additional $27.3 million in caregiver sales in 2016. That’s a total market of $52.1 million, which supports 942 jobs.

Maryland: 559
Medical

Medical Maryland still hasn’t opened its dispensaries, but they say they’ll be serving patients by the end of 2017. In the meantime, there are actually quite a few people working in Maryland’s cannabis industry already, gearing up for opening day. And we have some unique data on those jobs. Because Maryland’s medical marijuana law contains diversity clauses, the state keeps statistical information on industry owners and employees. According to that data, there are currently 559 people working in the cannabis industry in Maryland.

Massachusetts: 1,873
Adult Use and Medical


RELATED STORY
The Haymaker: That’s the Smell of Jobs and Freedom, Boston
As of July 31, the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services recorded 39,202 active registered patients. That translates into an existing medical market worth about $103.6 million, which supports 1,873 jobs. About 800 new patients join the registry every month. The opening of the adult-use market next year is expected to change all that, of course. With 6.8 million residents, Massachusetts has a population nearly the size of Washington’s—with another 4.5 million people in Connecticut and Rhode Island within driving distance. It wouldn’t be surprising to see annual sales approaching $1 billion by 2019.

Michigan: 12,515
Medical

The state reported 218,556 registered patients in late 2016. We estimate a 10% growth in those numbers over the course of this year, putting the patient count at around 240,400. We can extrapolate that to an annual market of $635.4 million, which supports 11,483 jobs.

Minnesota: 295
Medical

In one of the nation’s most restrictive medical marijuana programs, Minnesota’s two licensed cannabis manufacturers have lost $11 million in the past two years. The reason? Not enough patients. That’s changing. According to quarterly data from the Minnesota Department of Health, the state recorded 6,184 patients on June 30. That’s nearly double the total from 2016. The annual market is around $16.3 million, enough to support 295 jobs.

Montana: 621
Medical

Montana’s entire MMJ industry went through a painful shutdown last year; after a November ballot measure revived dispensaries, patients are finding medicine again. As of July, the state counted 17,819 patients, with 616 providers. That translates into a $47.1 million annual market, which supports 851 jobs. That’s a decrease from our late 2016 estimate, because of all the dispensary closures in 2016.

Nevada: 4,193
Adult Use and Medical

Nevada isn’t expected to release first-month adult use sales figures until later this fall, so we’ve had to do some back-of-the-envelope estimating here. There are 60 cannabis stores open in Nevada. The majority are in the Las Vegas area; nearly all the rest are in Reno/Sparks. Based on what we know from other adult-use states, we’ll estimate that the state’s top 10 stores will bring in $750,000 a month by the end of the year. The next 35 will realize $300,000 per month, with the bottom 15 bringing in about $90,000 a month. That adds up to annual sales of $232 million, which supports 4,193 jobs. We expect that number to continue to rise as a stop at a legal cannabis store becomes a part of the Vegas experience for many of the city’s 43 million annual visitors.


RELATED STORY
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New Hampshire: 100
Medical

New Hampshire just opened its medical marijuana program up to patients with chronic pain and/or PTSD, which should expand the patient base considerably. In its 2016 annual report, the state’s Therapeutic Cannabis Program Registry counted 2,089 patients. That should support a market of around $5.5 million, which in turn supports 100 jobs.

New Jersey: 516
Medical

New Jersey counted 10,799 active patients in 2016. That’s an annual market of $28.5 million, which supports 516 jobs.

New Mexico: 1,102
Medical

As of July, the state had 45,441 active patients licensed, and 6,182 active personal production licensees. $15.2 million worth of medical marijuana products were purchased in the second quarter of 2017. That extrapolates into an annual market worth $60.8 million, which supports 1,102 full time jobs. That’s an increase of 52%, or 379 jobs, over our 2016 estimate.

New York: 1,341
Medical


RELATED STORY
Find a New York Medical Marijuana Doctor Using Our Map
The inclusion of chronic pain as a qualifying condition has finally made New York State’s medical marijuana program viable. Since adding the condition in March, the state’s patient population has grown by 87%. New York is now adding about 3,000 patients every month. The New York Department of Health had 28,077 patients registered as of Aug. 22. That translates into an annual market of $74.2 million, which supports 1,341 jobs. That’s more than twice as many jobs as in late 2016—an increase of 121%.

North Dakota: 6
Medical

The state of North Dakota has budgeted money for six full-time employees at the Department of Health. Until they roll out the regulations and grant licenses, there isn’t much else happening here.

Ohio: 90
Medical

Ohio’s market isn’t open yet, but plenty of people are already hard at work. In July, 185 companies applied for Ohio’s 24 available medical cannabis growing licenses. The state has also awarded substantial contracts for seed-to-sale tracking systems and licensing design. The medical market in Ohio could eventually be significant, as state law allows for a wide variety of qualifying conditions, including chronic pain. If 0.5% of the population carries a card, that’s a market of 55,000 patients, or around $150 million annually. For now, though, we’ll estimate that each of those applying companies required the work of at least one half-time partner. So 90 FTE jobs.

Oregon: 10,843
Adult Use and Medical


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According to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, sales for the past five months have averaged $43.32 million, with a rise of about $5 million in sales every month. We estimate that by the end of 2017, Oregon will be a $600 million annual market. That supports 10,843 jobs.

Pennsylvania: 90
Medical

Pennsylvania granted 27 permits for MMJ dispensaries on June 29. Each is eligible to open a total of three locations. There are expected to be 52 open within the year (total). If you figure at least three full time owners/operators of those dispensaries, that’s about 90 jobs right now. The dispensaries may become operational on Jan. 1, 2018.

Puerto Rico: 215
Medical

A few months ago, the US territory has 4,000 registered patients, with 7,000 more awaiting their patient IDs. We’ll estimate 4,500 patients with cards by now. That equals a market size of $11.89 million, which supports 215 FTE jobs.

Rhode Island: 781
Medical

The state’s 16,360 patients and 3,000 caregivers translate into a $43.2 million market, which supports 781 jobs. That’s an increase of 78%, or 342 additional jobs, over 2016.

Vermont: 227
Medical

Vermont’s patient count is rising slowly, by about 29 new patients per week. The state doesn’t report its patient counts very often. Last November they had 3,487. By this June, they tallied 4,438. By Sept. 1, we expect the state to have 4,750 patients registered. That pencils out to an annual market of $12.5 million, which supports 227 jobs. That’s a 59% increase over 2016.

Washington: 26,556
Adult Use and Medical

Sales for the past four months (March–June) averaged $122.4 million. We expect Washington to nearly hit $1.5 billion in sales in 2017, at $1.469 billion. That supports 26,556 jobs.


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West Virginia: 5
Medical

Move along, folks, nothing to see here. The Bureau for Public Health may not issue patient ID cards until July 1, 2019. The Bureau is currently drafting rules to implement the Medical Cannabis Act signed into law on April 19, 2017. We figure there may be 5 FTE jobs for state employees working out the regulatory system.


CANNABIS JOBSDATALEAFLY INVESTIGATION

Bruce Barcott and Gage Peake
Leafly Deputy Editor Bruce Barcott is a Guggenheim Fellow and the author of Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana in America. Gage Peake is a Leafly staff writer and a recent journalism graduate of the University of Nebraska.

 

[roots69]

INDUSTRY
After Service, These Veterans Are Finding New Careers—in Cannabis
September 6, 2017


Inside a nondescript industrial warehouse outside Downtown Los Angeles, nestled among a sea of other nondescript warehouses, Army veteran Steven Passmore is hard at work. His hair is pulled back with a thin, stretchy headband, and beads of sweat drip down his temples as he shuttles between temperature-controlled rooms. Heat, humidity, and the skunky smell of sensimilla ebb and flow as he traverses the maze of cultivation rooms that make up the grow facility for THC Design.

Passmore, 33, started working in the warehouse about a month ago as part of the company’s recently launched internship for veterans. The 12-week, paid program teaches the cannabis cultivation process from seed to sale, emphasizing on on-the-job learning.

“For some veterans, they need a dog. For some of them, they need a support group. For me, I like plants,” Passmore says. “I like the idea and the opportunity to help something live, to help something grow.”


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The internship program, Passmore says, “definitely was a perfect fit for me.” He’d tried to break into the cannabis biz before, even going door-to-door handing out resumes at dispensaries, but to no avail. It seemed being a veteran wasn’t widely acceptable in the industry at the time, he says. But while other companies may have boxed out Passmore out, THC Design offered him a foot in the door. With help from community partners such as the Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance, the company actively solicited veterans and received about 65 applications.

Though the program was designed to accommodate a total of only four interns, Ryan Jennemann, THC Design’s co-founder and lead consultant, said he was so impressed by the applicant pool that he ended up hiring three veterans as full-time employees and two more as interns.

“I was doing it because I wanted quality employees in the company,” Jenneman says, noting that veterans, in his experience, tend to be smart, respectful, and hard-working. “It wasn’t some PR stunt or marketing venture.”

Zac Williams and Steven Passmore, whom THC Designs found through a veteran-outreach initiative, stands next to company cofounders Jairia Pass and Ryan Jennemann in one of the facility’s flower rooms. (Alexander Drecun for Leafly)
But there’s a personal reason behind the program, too. Jennemann’s father died from heart failure at 47, after years of using doctor-prescribed opiates. His father was a medical cannabis advocate, Jennemann says, but it was illegal in his home state of Oklahoma, so he was unable to use the drug as he wished.


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Passmore, too, was prescribed a pile of pills before he found medical cannabis. After breaking his clavicle during a tour in Iraq, he received an honorable discharge in 2007. But when he returned to the civilian world, he says, he had a difficult time reintegrating. He began going to the Veterans Affairs clinic, and, like many veterans, was given a laundry list of prescription medications to cope with PTSD, insomnia, anxiety, and overall “readjustment issues.”

When his mother, a nurse for more than 20 years, took a look at the list of pharmaceuticals he was prescribed, she urged Passmore not to take any of them and instead find a natural alternative, he recalls. After extensive online research that drew on everything from academic research to YouTube videos, Passmore decided to give cannabis a shot.

Not only did he start medicating with cannabis, he also began cultivating plants in a small closet at home. It helped spark his interest and prepare him for the internship at THC Design. The gig—which is set to transition into a full-time position— is a “dream come true,” Passmore says. Frankly, he confides, he would even do it for free.


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Luckily, he doesn’t have to. THC Design’s two veteran-interns get paid $15 per hour, a few dollars above LA’s current minimum wage. The internship also includes a copy of Jorge Cervantes’ Cannabis Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to Cultivation & Consumption of Medical Marijuana, known to many as “The Grower’s Bible.”

Passmore says he appreciates the hands-on structure of the internship, which gives him the opportunity to learn everything from how to transplant clones and harvest product to how to troubleshoot problems, such as mold and pests. It’s a chance to learn by doing, he says. “When we got here, we were kind of just thrown in the mix.”


https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/many-jobs-depend-legal-cannabis-math
https://www.leafly.com/news/industry/find-job-cannabis-industry
https://www.leafly.com/news/industry/five-real-people-five-real-cannabis-jobs


“Ninety percent of all military knowledge is on-the-job training,” says Navy vet Zac Williams.
Under the bright light and cool air of one of the cultivation rooms, Navy veteran Zac Williams clutches a tall can of Monster energy drink as he walks between rows of flowering cannabis plants. Though it’s not yet noon, this is Williams’ second super-caffeinated beverage of the day; his schedule requires he leave his Inland Empire home by 4:30 a.m. to make the 2 ½ hour commute to THC Design’s lab.

Williams was released from the Navy last year. Stationed as a medic at posts across the world— Micronesia, Hawaii, the Middle East—he learned the fundamentals of laboratory health and safety. He worked a great deal in industrial hygiene compliance, becoming well-versed in processes such as water purification. Though he’s been working at THC Design’s lab only for about a month, he speaks about the science of cannabis with the familiarity of a long-time professional.

“Since I got out, I lost 50 pounds switching from alcohol to weed or cannabis.”
Zac Williams, Navy veteran
When Williams applied for the internship, THC Design saw his background and offered him a full-time job. Occupational health and safety are expected to be huge issues for California’s cannabis industry when the adult-use market goes legal next year, Williams says, noting that he’s already fluent in standards like federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lab requirements, which dictate things such as where saftey placards and eye-washing stations need to be located.

Though Williams brought a bounty of knowledge from his time in the service, he’s also been learning as he goes. His Navy background, he says, helped prepare him to dive right in.

“Ninety percent of all military knowledge is on-the-job training, so we’re accustomed to not necessarily reading the books but listening to our superiors,” he said. “See one, do one, teach one—and we’re ready to go.”

Program participant Brandon Waller in THC Design’s reservoir room. (Alexander Drecun for Leafly)
As a salaried employee, Williams doesn’t get paid for working overtime. Yet he still clocks plenty of 12-hour days, he says, in large part because this is the first time he’s ever really looked forward to going to work.

In addition to his full-time job at THC, Williams is going to school for chemistry at National University in Ontario, CA, and hopes to attend UC Irvine for his master’s degree.

Like many in the cannabis biz, Williams also regularly consumes the product, both for medical needs and recreation. When he was in the military, he drank heavily and gorged on prescription pain medications and muscle relaxers—a habit he couldn’t afford once he returned to civilian life, he says.


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He’s not alone. The fallout from prescription pills, such as liver damage, addiction, and overdose, has hit veterans especially hard. According to a 2013 report from the Center for Investigative Reporting, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had issued, on average, more than one opiate prescription per patient over the course of two years.

For many, cannabis offers a healthier, more holistic alternative.

“Since I got out, I lost 50 pounds switching from alcohol to weed or cannabis, and now I use it every day pretty much,” Williams says.


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In Williams current role, he’s involved in THC Design’s “post-extraction” processes, which include operations such as ethanol winterization—purifying and refining the end product—as well as testing new concepts for concentrate-based products. The position allows him to experiment with low-dose vape pens that provide enough CBD to manage his pain but not so much THC as to have psychoactive effects.

“We do a little bit of research and development,” he says with a grin and a laugh. “A new product comes out, we like to test it and see how it tastes.”

Futureberries on Day 54 of flower in Flower Room 5 (Alexander Drecun for Leafly).
According to Ophelia Chong, the company’s community liaison, the internship program allowed THC Designs to make the most of its community investment. While the company can “give $5,000 and put our logo on a conference,” Chong says, speaking with veterans helped the team determine that a paid training program would make a more lasting impact.

“We can give people as much cannabis as we want,” she says, “but it doesn’t really help. What they wanted … what they came back with is, ‘We want to work.’”

Seth Smith, Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance’s vice president of communications, says that while his organization is often approached by companies wanting to hire or create internships for veterans, THC Design was the first to hire a dedicated staff member to oversee the program and really “put their money where their mouth was.”


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The next class of THC Design interns are slated to begin in January, says Chong, and she’s hoping that at least half the incoming veterans will be women. The company also hopes to eventually make its course information public so entities across the country can reproduce the program.

In the meantime, Zac Williams says he’s just happy to have found a place where he belongs.

“The cannabis industry is so welcoming and inviting, because it really is a bunch of rebels,” he said. “People that didn’t fit in anywhere else, who weren’t accepted by regular society.”

 

[roots69]

STRAINS & PRODUCTS
The 100 Cannabis Strains You Must Try Before You Die


BRETT KONEN
September 19, 2017


A lot of people ask us what strains they should search out and try. It’s one of the reasons Leafly exists. And generally, our answers vary widely according to the consumer, location, and situation.


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But there are some strains that everyone should try. Just like everyone should read The Great Gatsby, or watch Citizen Kane, the following 100 hold an appeal for any and every cannabis consumer. From the heaviest indicas through perfectly-balanced hybrids to the brightest sativas, all manner of strain types, effects, aromas, flavors, and origins are represented below. If you can only get around to trying 100 strains in your lifetime, the following are the ones you should choose.

Leafly editors, strain researchers, former budtenders, and subject matter experts Will Hyde, Bailey Rahn, Jeremiah Wilhelm, and Brett Konen collaborated on developing this list, and many others in the Leafly office contributed additional feedback. Below, find each strain’s name, type, lineage, backstory, and reasons why it made the list. Use the printable checklist to mark off each essential strain as you find and try it—you can use Leafly strain pages to find out where each one is available.


Click to view and print larger image. (Amy Phung/Leafly)
Use Cmd + F (on Mac) or Ctrl + F to search and jump to a strain you want to learn more about.

Use Cmd + F (on Mac) or Ctrl + F to search and jump Back to top.

9 Pound Hammer
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Gooberry, Hell’s Angel OG, Jack the Ripper

Backstory: 9 Pound Hammer is an 80% indica strain whose dense buds are coated in resin, offering sweet grape and lime flavors. True to its indica heritage, effects are heavy and long-lasting.

Why we love it: “9 Pound Hammer is a chunky indica-dominant strain that really stands out when you see it growing next to other strains. Its flavors intermix and create a sweet funk that leads to deep relaxation.” —Will Hyde

● ● ●

Acapulco Gold
Acapulco Gold has a reputation as one of the best cannabis strains ever created.
Jeremiah Wilhelm, strain researcher
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Mexican

Backstory: One of the best-known strains, Acapulco Gold has been likened to dinner at a five-star restaurant. It resembles a gold nugget, and aromas of burnt toffee linger when the bud is broken up.

Why we love it: “A Mexican landrace prized for its happy, stimulating buzz, Acapulco Gold has a reputation as one of the best cannabis strains ever created.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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ACDC
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Cannatonic

Backstory: A sativa-dominant phenotype of the high-CBD cannabis strain Cannatonic, the most remarkable characteristic of ACDC is its THC:CBD ratio of 1:20. That ratio means that this strain induces almost no psychoactive effects. Tests have put ACDC’s CBD content as high as 19%, which is almost unheard of.

Why we love it: “A light-footed CBD strain with almost no THC to cloud your mind.” —Bailey Rahn

“AC/DC is one of my favorite high-CBD strains because of its THC-to-CBD ratio and surprisingly good flavor. As a dab, it’s the perfect nightcap. As flower, I use it to tone down THC strains that are too buzzy.” —Ben Adlin

Afghani

Afghani. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: None; landrace strain.

Backstory: Afghani is a heavy indica strain named after its geographic origin, where the earliest varieties of cannabis are believed to have grown. Breeders worldwide have come to treasure Afghani for its heavy resin production.

Why we love it: “An Afghan landrace strain with famous sedation qualities and generous resin production.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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Afgoo
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Afghani

Backstory: Afgoo, also known as Afgooey, is a potent indica strain believed to have descended from an Afghani indica and Maui Haze. Its sativa parent lends Afgoo uplifting, creative qualities, yet this strain undoubtedly takes after its indica parent with relaxing, sleepy effects to go with its earthy pine flavor.

Why we love it: “This ultra-heavy indica delivers a sedative, one-of-a-kind buzz that hugs the body like a straitjacket fresh from the dryer.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

AK-47
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: South American, Mexican, Thai, Afghani

Backstory: Don’t let its intense name fool you: AK-47 will leave you relaxed and mellow. While its scent is sour and earthy, its sweet floral notes can only be fully realized in the taste. Created in 1992 by Serious Seeds, AK-47 has won numerous Cannabis Cup awards around the world.

Why we love it: “A hybrid strain with rich genetic heritage and bold, mood-brightening effects.” — Bailey Rahn


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Alaskan Thunder Fuck
ATF is a classic with an outstanding, heady buzz.
Will Hyde, cannabis expert
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: North American Sativa

Backstory: Alaskan Thunder Fuck (also referred to as ATF, Matanuska Thunder Fuck, or Matanuska Tundra) is a legendary sativa-dominant strain originating in the Matanuska Valley area of Alaska. According to the legend, it was originally a Northern California sativa crossed with a Russian ruderalis, but sometime in the late 70s it was crossed with Afghani genetics to make it heartier. ATF presents large, beautifully frosted buds with incredibly strong odors.

Why we love it: “ATF is a classic. It is a hearty, sweet smelling plant with an outstanding, heady buzz.” —Will Hyde

Allen Wrench
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Trainwreck, NYC Diesel

Backstory: An extremely popular strain for sativa lovers, Allen Wrench wraps the best qualities of its parent strains into a single package, and couples them with crisp flavors of sour fruit.

Why we love it: “Loved by go-getters of all kinds, Allen Wrench’s clear-headed stimulation makes it a perfect coffee substitute.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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Amnesia
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Skunk No. 1, Cinderella 99, Jack Herer

Backstory: Amnesia is typically a sativa-dominant cannabis strain with some variation between breeders. Amnesia’s genetic forerunners have passed on uplifting, creative, and euphoric effects ideal for putting you in a great mood, no matter the day, time, or situation.

Why we love it: “Forget your worries and woes with this clear-headed high: Amnesia’s sativa-dominant lineage make it a stimulating and functional strain that belongs in the bag of any cannabis consumer on the go.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

● ● ●

Banana OG
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: OG Kush, Banana

Backstory: With a smell and flavor of overripe bananas, this hybrid definitely earns its name. Banana OG has tested at over 25% THC and has a reputation as a “creeper”—as in, its effects will creep up on you if you’re not careful.

Why we love it: “Banana OG smells amazing! It’s like an overripe banana peel full of pine needles, and it creates thick smoke that always gets me laughing.” —Will Hyde


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Bay 11
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Appalachia

Backstory: Bay 11, bred by Grand Daddy Purp, is an ultra-potent sativa. Its dense, pale buds are coated in amber resin with a sweet, fruity aroma that initiates immediate relaxation.

Why we love it: “A very happy and uplifting strain. Bay 11 is a sweet sativa that reminds me of cruising through sunny California with the windows down.” —Will Hyde

Berry White
Berry White is the offspring of parents of near-celebrity status in the cannabis world, and is just as famous in its own right.
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Blueberry, White Widow

Backstory: Berry White is the offspring of parents of near-celebrity status in the cannabis world, and is famous in its own right for effects that offer shelter from stress and a sturdy sense of euphoria.

Why we love it: “I’ve never laughed so hard as I did after sharing a cartridge of this with my best friend.” —Brett Konen

“Berry White’s sweetness is my weakness. A few puffs and I’ll be giggling all night.” —Philip Bjorge


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Blue Dream

Blue Dream. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Blueberry, Haze

Backstory: Blue Dream, a sativa-dominant hybrid that originated in California, has achieved legendary status among West Coast strains. By crossing a Blueberry indica with the sativa Haze, Blue Dream balances full-body relaxation with gentle cerebral invigoration. Novice and veteran consumers alike enjoy the level effects of Blue Dream, which ease you gently into a calm euphoria.

Why we love it: “Without a doubt the most common and illustrious strain found across the United States today.” —Bailey Rahn


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Blueberry
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Afghani, Thai, Purple Thai

Backstory: A true A-List cannabis strain. Blueberry’s legendary status soared to new heights after claiming the High Times’ Cannabis Cup 2000 for Best Indica. The long history of the strain is traced back to the late 1970s when American breeder DJ Short was working with a variety of exotic landrace strains.

Why we love it: “The indica that brought the distinct flavor of blueberry to the cannabis world. If you have the chance, be sure to also check out the West Coast version, DJ Short Blueberry—it’s one of the most aromatic strains you can get.” —Bailey Rahn

Bubba Kush

Bubba Kush. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: OG Kush

Backstory: Bubba Kush is an indica strain that has gained notoriety in the U.S. and beyond for its heavy tranquilizing effects. Sweet hashish flavors with subtle notes of chocolate and coffee come through on the exhale as powerful relaxation takes over. Bubba’s stocky plant stature and bulky bud structure suggest Afghani descent, but its genetic origins aren’t certain: The breeder whom this strain was named after states that Bubba Kush emerged just after 1996, when an OG Kush hybrid pollinated an unknown indica strain obtained in New Orleans. The genetically ambiguous indica was simply called “Bubba.” Bubba Kush has flourished ever since.

Why we love it: “A crazy-popular tranquilizing Kush born and bred in the USA.” —Bailey Rahn

● ● ●

Cannatonic
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: MK Ultra, G13 Haze

Backstory: Cannatonic is a unique hybrid strain bred by Spanish seed bank Resin Seeds specifically for its low THC content (rarely above 6%) and high CBD content (6-17%). It produces a relatively short-lived, mellow high that is also uplifting and powerfully relaxing.

Why we love it: “A CBD-rich variety providing relaxation without the mental fog, Cannatonic is immensely popular and perfect for beating anxiety.” —Bailey Rahn


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Chemdawg
Between its mysterious origin, ambiguous genetics, and the plethora of successful crosses the strain has produced, Chemdawg has secured itself a permanent place in the cannabis hall of fame.
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Nepalese, Thai

Backstory: Chemdawg has developed quite the name for itself over the years. Between its mysterious origin, ambiguous genetics, and the plethora of successful crosses the strain has produced, Chemdawg has secured itself a permanent place in the cannabis hall of fame. The original source of powerhouse strains like Sour Diesel and OG Kush, Chemdawg is known for its distinct, diesel-like aroma that you can smell from a mile away. Consumers can expect to have a very cerebral experience.

Why we love it: “Chemdawg is an influential and mysterious strain. There are many different phenotypes but all tend to share a gasoline-y flavor profile and high potency.” —Will Hyde

Chernobyl
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Trainwreck, Jack the Ripper, Trinity

Backstory: Chernobyl is a sativa-dominant hybrid strain that carries a unique lime sherbet smell. Originally bred by TGA Genetics, expect dreamy, long-lasting cerebral effects that will float you to a happy mood and relaxed mindset.

Why we love it: “A flavorful fusion of lemon and citrus that frees you from stress and bad moods.” —Bailey Rahn


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Cherry Pie
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Granddaddy Purple, Durban Poison

Backstory: With illustrious lineage, buds that are dense and full of orange hairs, and a touch of purple color, this strain smells of sweet and sour cherry pie. Its effects come on in minutes and stick around for hours.

Why we love it: “A delicious strain as its name suggests. Cherry Pie is a sweet flower with strong lineage. It makes a great joint.” —Will Hyde

Chocolope
DNA Genetics developed Chocolope to pay homage to the Chocolate strains of the 1980s.
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Chocolate Thai, Cannalope Haze

Backstory: DNA Genetics developed Chocolope to create their homage to the Chocolate strains of the 1980s. The hefty sativa buds give off earthy, sweet coffee flavors and provide a dreamy, cerebral effect with a strong, euphoric mental shift.

Why we love it: “Relaxed, cuddly, and grin-inducing, this strain is adored by pretty much everyone at the Leafly office, and also happens to make a damn good concentrate.” —Brett Konen

“Chocolope blasts you into non-stop giggle fits. It’s a must-have if you’re looking to lighten things up and share some quality time with old friends.” —Nick Elam


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Cinderella 99
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Jack Herer, Shiva Skunk

Backstory: Cinderella 99, otherwise known as C99, or simply “Cindy,” is a sativa-dominant hybrid bred by Mr. Soul of Brothers Grimm. She’s best known for her potent cerebral high, sweet fruity flavors, and epic yields. According to Mr. Soul, C99 was created using seeds found in a Sensi branded two-gram package of Jack Herer purchased at an Amsterdam coffee shop.

Why we love it: “Cindy 99 is a flavorful sativa hybrid. The sweet terpene profile and uplifting vibes make it great for an adventure outside.” —Will Hyde

Cinex

Cinex. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Cinderella 99, Vortex

Backstory: Cinex, a mix of already popular parents, has a variety of flavors ranging from sweet citrus to earthy skunk. The effects are clear-headed and uplifting—perfect for building a positive mindset and stimulating creative energy.

Why we love it: “Cinex is a cross of Cindy 99 and Vortex genetics. What more could you ask for? Citrus flavors and a sativa kick make this strain one to try.” —Will Hyde

● ● ●

Dancehall
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Juanita La Lagrimosa, Kalijah

Backstory: Dancehall, a 60/40 sativa-dominant hybrid, was bred by Reggae Seeds by combining Juanita La Lagrimosa (a Mexican–Afghani-Spanish hybrid) with Kalijah (Blue Heaven crossed with a Mexican-Afghani hybrid). Named after a style of Reggae played in times of celebration, Dancehall will lift your spirits to a happier place where creativity and social bonding thrive. As its flowers mature, vibrant shades of green, blue, purple, and red twist underneath its crystal trichomes while aromas both sweet and spicy dance from cracked buds.

Why we love it: “A truly classic clear-headed sativa. Dancehall’s massive CBD/THC ratio (upward of 20:1) is kind to cannabis consumers looking for healing effects and a touch of vigor.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

“It’s like the first combination beer-plus-nap after a long week. Relaxing, but you keep your wits about you. Perfect right before a concert.” —Saba Samakar


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Dirty Girl
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Arcata Lemon Wreck, Cinderella 99

Backstory: Dirty Girl is a sativa-dominant cross of a Trainwreck hybrid, known as Arcata Lemon Wreck, and Cinderella 99. The combination produces a tropical aroma of pineapples and citrus fruit with a sharp pungent note reminiscent of Pine Sol. The flavor of Dirty Girl is like sweet lemon candy.

Why we love it: “The first sativa that truly wowed me. Flavor, euphoria, tons of creative energy—this is an instant fave of anyone I share it with, and should be a go-to.” —Brett Konen

Double Dream
All the best characteristics of Blue Dream, none of the market oversaturation.
Brett Konen, lifestyle editor
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Blue Dream, Dream Star

Backstory: The sativa-dominant hybrid Double Dream puts a unique spin on the famed Blue Dream by crossing it with Dream Star. With a complex flavor profile that synchronizes sweet floral notes with berries and spice, it’s a soothing and mentally invigorating strain that still allows clear-headed functionality. The dreamy, euphoric buzz is anchored by a deep, physical relaxation that mutes pain, anxiety, stress, and more.

Why we love it: “With all the best characteristics of Blue Dream and none of the market oversaturation, fans of that iconic strain will adore this fresh take.” —Brett Konen


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Durban Poison
One of the best landrace sativas. Older than most standing governments.
James Scott, Leafly client success specialist & former budtender
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: African

Backstory: This pure sativa originated in the South African port city of Durban, from whence it has gained notoriety worldwide for its sweet smell and energetic, uplifting effects. Durban Poison is the perfect strain to help you stay productive through a busy day, explore the outdoors, or spark creativity. The over-sized resin glands make this strain a quality choice for concentrate extraction, and the buds are round and chunky with a thick coating of trichomes.

Why we love it: “Fuel for focus and creative thought straight from Africa.” —Bailey Rahn

“One of the best landrace sativas, older than most standing governments, closest to having mild psychedelic effects, and always a good pairing for creative pursuits.” —James Scott

Dutch Treat

Dutch Treat. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: Over the years, Dutch Treat has become an essential strain of Amsterdam coffeeshops. The dense, sticky buds have an intense smell of sweet fruits mixed with pine and eucalyptus trees. The cerebral high comes on quick and leaves consumers feeling uplifted and euphoric while reducing stress and relaxing the mind.

Why we love it: “Dutch Treat has a sweet, candied flavor that is unique to the strain. A longtime favorite in Amsterdam and very potent. Dutch Treat make a great concentrate.” —Will Hyde

“My go to recommendation for first timers! It’s mellow and has a good mix of head and body high.” —Rocco DeVito


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● ● ●

Ewok
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Albert Walker, Tahoe Alien

Backstory: Ewok was the Hybrid winner of the 2013 Seattle High Times Cannabis Cup. Bred by Alien Genetics, it’s a fast-growing plant with a short vegetative cycle that produces large yields of frost-covered buds as hairy as the Star Wars Ewoks themselves. Pungent fruity notes of tangerine and lemon introduce Ewok’s strong cerebrally-focused effects, which promote relaxation and stress relief.

Why we love it: “Ewok, a Pacific Northwest favorite, carries a pungent, sweet aroma and melts away stress.” —Will Hyde

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Fruity Pebbles
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Green Ribbon, Granddaddy Purple, Tahoe Alien

Backstory: Fruity Pebbles (aka Fruity Pebbles OG) by Alien Genetics was originally a limited-time offering from the breeder. This sweet hybrid borrows a mix of great genetics to create a tropical, berry flavor reminiscent of the cereal it’s named for. The euphoric effects will keep you happy when you’re stressed—pour yourself a bowl of Fruity Pebbles anytime.

Why we love it: “A mellow, uplifting hybrid strain whose aroma of fruity breakfast cereal is so distinctive, you have to try it to believe it.” —Bailey Rahn


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G13
A fabled strain known for the legends of its origins, G13 is a knockout indica.
Will Hyde, cannabis expert
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: G13 is a very strong indica strain that is the subject of many urban legends. According to some accounts, the CIA, FBI, and other agencies gathered the best strains of marijuana from breeders all over the world. At a super-secret installation at the University of Mississippi, they bred many new super-hybrids in the late 1960s. Allegedly, a single cutting of this plant was liberated by an unnamed technician and bred for the masses. And although the legends are probably not true, it’s absolutely true that G13 delivers effects like no other.

Why we love it: “A fabled strain known for the legends of its origins. G13 is a knockout indica—and if it was actually smuggled out of a government lab, we’re definitely glad it was.” —Will Hyde

Gelato
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Sunset Sherbet, omitted due to copyright concerns.

Backstory: Gelato (also referred to as “Larry Bird”) is another tantalizing hybrid cannabis strain from Cookie Fam Genetics. This Bay Area native tends to bloom in dark purple hues illuminated by fiery orange hairs and a shining white coat of crystal resin. Novice consumers may want to approach this THC powerhouse with caution.

Why we love it: “A great dessert strain! Gelato is a sweet, floral bud with hints of fruit flavors that lead to extreme euphoria.” —Will Hyde

Ghost Train Haze
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Ghost OG, Neville’s Wreck

Backstory: First bred by Rare Dankness, Ghost Train Haze is a sativa cross, but unlike typical sativas, the plant grows dense buds blanketed in white, crystal-capped trichomes. With a sour citrus and floral aroma, Ghost Train Haze delivers a potent dose of THC.

Why we love it: “A potent, uplifting sativa from Rare Dankness. GTH is popular in Colorado and has an invigorating aroma that mixes citrus notes and floral fragrance.” —Will Hyde


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Golden Goat
Golden Goat was created accidentally in—of all places—Topeka, Kansas.
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Hawaiian, Romulan, Island Sweet Skunk

Backstory: Golden Goat was created accidentally in Topeka, Kansas, when a male Hawaiian–Romulan pollinated Mr. Dank’s Island Sweet Skunk mother. The strain is often light green and pink in color, which is indicative of its Hawaiian sativa side. The scent is described as being a combination of sweet, sour, and spicy, with a tropical fruit flavor. Effects are strong and felt from head to toe.

Why we love it: “Clear-headed and creative, this tropical-tasting strain was created by accident—and we can’t think of a more fortuitous accident.” —Brett Konen

Granddaddy Purple
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Purple Urkle, Big Bud

Backstory: Introduced in 2003 by Ken Estes, Granddaddy Purple (or GDP) is a famous indica cross: The California staple inherits a complex grape and berry aroma from its Purple Urkle parent, while Big Bud passes on its oversized, compact bud structure. GDP flowers bloom in shades of deep purple, a contrastive backdrop for its snow-like dusting of white crystal resin. Its potent psychoactive effects are clearly detectable in both mind and body, and growers particularly love GDP for its massive yields.

Why we love it: “King among indicas, this flavorful bud offers berry flavors and pacifying effects. Its purpled foliage is one of the most beautiful cannabis blooms out there.” —Bailey Rahn

 

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King among indicas, GDP's purpled foliage makes it one of the most beautiful cannabis flowers. —Bailey Rahn, strain editor




Grape Ape
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Mendocino Purps, Skunk, Afghani

Backstory: Grape Ape, propagated by Apothecary Genetics and Barney’s Farm, is a mostly indica strain that crosses three powerhouse parents. Named for its distinct grape-like smell, this indica is known for providing carefree relaxation. Its dense, compact buds are wreathed in deep purple leaves which darken as this indica reaches full maturation.

Why we love it: “Grape Ape is a famous genetic collaboration that combines phenomenal cultivars by renowned breeders.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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Grapefruit
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Cinderella 99

Backstory: This potent sativa was developed by crossing Cinderella 99 with a fast-flowering sativa selected for its rich grapefruit flavor. The tropical, citrus smell of Grapefruit mixes with energetic effects to give you a happy stress-reliever.

Why we love it: “With a flavor that perfectly justifies the name, this sativa brightens the mood and elevates energy.” —Bailey Rahn

Green Crack
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Skunk No. 1

Backstory: Don’t let the name fool you: This is pure cannabis. Few strains compare to Green Crack’s sharp energy and focus as it induces an invigorating mental buzz that keeps you going throughout the day. Green Crack has branched into two genetic lineages, the most common of which is its sativa line descended from Skunk #1. The 75% indica variety of Green Crack is said to have come from an Afghani strain. Because its name perpetuates a negative image, some people have taken to calling this strain Cush (with a ‘C’) or Green Cush instead. Whatever you call it, a tangy, fruity flavor redolent of mango make this the perfect daytime strain.

Why we love it: “Like the name suggests, Green Crack is a racy sativa and emits sweet earthy flavors. This is a great strain to help you understand what cannabis’s cerebral effects are all about.” —Will Hyde


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Harlequin
Harlequin is renowned for its reliable expression of CBD, which gives this strain the ability to relax without sedation and relieve without intoxication.
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Colombian Gold, Thai, Swiss Sativa

Backstory: Harlequin is a 75/25 sativa-dominant strain renowned for its reliable expression of CBD: Unlike most high-CBD strains, Harlequin almost always develops a CBD:THC ratio of 5:2. Flavors can range from earthy musk to sweet mango, but without a doubt, what draws crowds to Harlequin is its ability to relax without sedation and relieve without intoxication.

Why we love it: “Harlequin is an amazing CBD-rich strain that typically has about a 5:2 ratio of CBD to THC. This strain has a range of earthy flavors and can help manage pain and other ailments without the fear of intoxication.” —Will Hyde

Headband
Headband, the love-child of cannabis’s power couple, begets smooth, creamy smoke accented by flavors of lemons and diesel.
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: OG Kush, Sour Diesel

Backstory: Meet Headband, the love-child of cannabis’s power couple. The smooth, creamy smoke is accented by flavors of lemons and diesel while the long-lasting effects are great for pain relief and relaxation. Many report that the effects create a slight pressure around the crown of the head, which feels as though you’re wearing a headband.

Why we love it: “A prodigious pairing of OG Kush and Sour Diesel, Headband’s rich, dank smoke goes straight to the dome.” —Brett Konen

Herijuana
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Petrolia Headstash, Killer New Haven

Backstory: Originally bred by Woodhorse Seeds, Herijuana is a combination of the highly regarded Humboldt County Afghan indica and an outdoor hybrid from Kentucky. This combo was worked by breeders for 15 generations to create an inbred line (IBL), meaning that most of the seeds will grow into plants that are nearly identical. Herijuana produces large dense flowers on an open, stretchy plant, with aromas and flavors ranging from spicy earth and sandalwood to hashy fruit. THC levels have been measured at over 25%, and the high provides a heavy, almost numbing feeling.

Why we love it: “Herijuana’s knock-out potency and deeply relaxing effects offer the positives of narcotic sedatives with none of the negative side effects.” —Will Hyde

Hindu Kush
A pure indica, Hindu Kush genetics are prized for their thick coat of resin and sweet, earthy flavors.
Will Hyde, cannabis expert
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: None; landrace strain.

Backstory: Hindu Kush is a pure indica strain named after the mountain range where it originated, which stretches 500 miles between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The harsh climate of its homeland has conditioned this strain to express a thick, protective coat of crystal trichomes cherished by hash makers worldwide. With a subtle sweet and earthy sandalwood aroma, Hindu Kush induces a deep sense of calm.

Why we love it: “A pure indica, Hindu Kush genetics are prized for their thick coat of resin and sweet, earthy flavors with hints of berry. A great strain for making hash.” —Will Hyde


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Ingrid
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: UK Cheese, Hash Plant

Backstory: Ingrid is a lesser-known indica, but it’s growing in popularity as consumers begin to discover this gem of a strain. The buds are dense, tightly bound flowers with very little loose greenery, and perhaps the most striking aspect of its appearance is the flowers’ neon green color. These neon buds emit a delectable skunky aroma and induce a reliable indica-strong body effect.

Why we love it: “One of my personal favorites. If it’s inner peace you’re after, look no further than this California underdog—it brings on a subtle, meditative high that makes everything feel soaked in sunshine.” —Brett Konen

Island Sweet Skunk
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Skunk No. 1

Backstory: Island Sweet Skunk, sometimes called Sweet Island Skunk, is a sativa strain that users enjoy for its energetic effects. Originally bred by Federation Seed Company in Canada, this strain is a descendant of Skunk #1 and grows tall, straight, high-yielding plants. Some varieties of Island Sweet Skunk have a heightened CBD content.

Why we love it: “This energizing Canadian strain is famous for its tangy aroma that blends flavors of citrus and tropical fruit.” —Bailey Rahn

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Jack Herer
Jack Herer has gained as much renown as its namesake cannabis activist.
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Haze, Northern Lights #5, Shiva Skunk

Backstory: Jack Herer has gained as much renown as its namesake cannabis activist, the famously outspoken author of The Emperor Wears No Clothes. Sensi Seeds created Jack Herer in the Netherlands hoping to capture both the cerebral elevation associated with sativas and the heavy resin production of indicas. It was later distributed by Dutch pharmacies as a recognized medical-grade strain. Since then, the spicy, pine-scented sativa has taken home numerous awards for its quality and potency.

Why we love it: “A Dutch staple delivering euphoria with the uplifting scent of pine, Jack Herer never stops getting more popular among novice and seasoned consumers alike.” —Bailey Rahn


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Jean Guy
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: White Widow

Backstory: Jean Guy is a hybrid from Canada with intensely cerebral effects and a sour citrus smell. Frosted dark green leaves hide pastel buds loaded with golden crystal trichomes. Hints of lemon and pine come through in Jean Guy’s flavor, providing a gentle launch into jolting sativa effects. Its energizing and uplifting qualities makes Jean Guy a perfect strain to start the day with.

Why we love it: “A renowned Canadian strain, Jean Guy lends all the energy you need to fuel creativity, conversation, and good moods.” —Bailey Rahn

Jillybean
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Orange Velvet, Space Queen

Backstory: Jillybean is described as being an upbeat and happy hybrid, with flavors of tangy orange and mango. This strain is a top choice for creative minds and social butterflies looking for unencumbered euphoria during daytime hours. She often expresses herself with deep hues of maroon on the leaves.

Why we love it: “Immensely fruity and flavorful, the lively high provided by Jillybean is something everyone should experience.” —Brett Konen


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Juicy Fruit

Juicy Fruit. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Afghani, Thai

Backstory: Also known as Fruity Juice, this cannabis strain was developed by Sensi Seeds. The plant is large-leafed and thick-stemmed, and as buds are broken up, colors of lavender, orange, and amber-purple flow throughout the trichome heads and into the stems. The strain’s aromas range from tangy and sweet, sort of like fruit punch and lemons, to a blend of piña colada and plums.

Why we love it: “A true ‘old school’ strain. Juicy Fruit has a tropical mix of sweet flavors and a fantastic balanced high.” —Will Hyde

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Kali Mist
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: Kali Mist is well-known for delivering clear-headed, energetic effects that can verge on psychedelic at times. Despite having an unknown genetic history, Kali Mist is believed to have originated in the 1990s through crossing two sativa-dominant hybrids. This lightweight strain is a perfect choice for consumers looking to maintain focus and productivity throughout their day.

Why we love it: “Few strains sharpen creativity and encourage productivity like this classic sativa.” —Bailey Rahn


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Kosher Kush
This award-winning indica is famous for its potency, flavor, and effectiveness. The flower smells like a gas can full of fresh oranges.
Jeremiah Wilhelm, strain researcher
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: N/A

Backstory: Kosher Kush, offered now in seed form from DNA Genetics, originated in Los Angeles as a clone-only strain. Winner of High Times Cannabis Cup’s Best Indica in 2010 and 2011, as well as Best Strain in 2011, Kosher Kush produces staggering levels of THC, with some samples testing over 29%. Known as one of the most odiferous OG Kush-related strains, it has a unique yet familiar smell reminiscent of rich earth and fruit, and is considered by many to be one of the tastiest smokes around.

Why we love it: “This award-winning indica is famous for its potency, flavor, and effectiveness. Enjoyed by recreational connoisseurs and medical patients alike, the flower smells like a gas can full of fresh oranges.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

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Lamb’s Bread
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Jamaican

Backstory: Also called “Lamb’s Breath,” Lamb’s Bread is a bright green and sticky sativa strain. The effects have been known to give mass amounts of energy and positive introspection. The plant hails from Jamaica and it has been reported that Bob Marley himself frequently encountered this wonderful slice of cannabis genealogy.

Why we love it: “This native Jamaican strain is known to bring thoughtful, peaceful serenity to the mind, and is rumored to have been a favorite of Bob Marley.” —Bailey Rahn


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Larry OG
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: OG Kush, SFV OG

Backstory: Larry OG, also called Lemon Larry, is yet another member of the famous ocean-grown family. Originally created in Orange County, this indica produces a potent yet easy body buzz that will allow you to relax while getting things done.

Why we love it: “Larry OG is another exceptional Kush cross that turns the citrus flavor and euphoria up to 11.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

Laughing Buddha
We like Laughing Buddha so much at Leafly, we named one of our conference rooms after it.
Brett Konen, lifestyle editor
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Thai, Jamaican

Backstory: Laughing Buddha is an award-winning sativa (2003 High Times Cannabis Cup) from Barney’s Farm. An earthy cross with a sweet, fruity smell that is broken up by hints of spice, it provides a rich pungent smoke that will leave consumers happy, upbeat, and giggling. The oversized colas are full and frosty, and buds cover practically the entire plant.

Why we love it: “This cross of Thai and Jamaican genetics lives up to its name, always inducing a laughing fit. We like it so much at Leafly, we named one of our conference rooms after it.” —Brett Konen

Lavender
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Super Skunk, South Asian Indica, Afghani, Hawaiian

Backstory: Built of strains from around the world, Lavender by Soma Seeds (sometimes referred to as Lavender Kush) has dense buds that give off a floral and spicy aroma. It has a dark purple coloration that stretches all the way to the ends of its leaves.

Why we love it: “One word: relaxation. The linalool-laden terpene profile that gives this strain its name and aroma washes over the consumer like a bubble bath.” —Brett Konen

“Lavender is wonderfully mellow indica, pleasant and soothing. It will give you a warm sensation that spreads through your body—a really lovely high.” —Lisa Rough


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Lemonder
This is the best tasting strain I have ever had. Not only my favorite but my favorite by far.
Bennett Kaplan, Leafly field rep
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Lavender, OG Kush

Backstory: Lemonder is a body-heavy hybrid with an outstanding aroma. The strain offers alert mental clarity and relaxing physical effects, while the buds glitter with trichomes and are tangled in orange and bronze hairs. Its aroma smells like lemon peel, pine needles, and a sprinkling of earthy spice. Consumers have come to expect smile-inducing euphoria and a calming, carefree body buzz from this specialty strain.

Why we love it: “Lemonder brings the best of both worlds—full-body relaxation that recalls an indica with a mental kick like a killer sativa.” —Brett Konen

“This is the best tasting strain I have ever had. It carries heavy indica characteristics that you don’t normally get with a lemon strain. Not only my favorite but my favorite by far.” —Bennett Kaplan

Lodi Dodi
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: Lodi Dodi is a sativa-dominant hybrid popular in Washington State. Exclusively bred by The Clone Zone, the genetic heritage of Lodi Dodi is undisclosed and closely guarded. The strain’s flavor tends toward tropical fruit and fresh wildflowers, and the pungent aroma leads the way towards a cerebral buzz known to turn any task into an adventure.

Why we love it: “The PNW’s own, Lodi Dodi combines uplifting mental effects with an effervescent body high perfect for work or pleasure.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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Mango Kush
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Mango, Hindu Kush

Backstory: Mango Kush tastes like an actual mango fruit, with a distinct Kush flavor and notes of pine on the exhale. Its buds are extremely dense and covered with orange pistils. Mango Kush is a favorite with both indoor and outdoor growers, and grows with thick shiny trichomes which are readily evident when the bud is broken apart.

Why we love it: “There’s quite simply nothing like inhaling a mouthful of silky-smooth mango smoke—and Mango Kush provides exactly that.” —Brett Konen

Master Kush
Master Kush's permeating relaxation makes it a natural stop on an exploration of fine cannabis genetics.
Jeremiah Wilhelm, strain researcher
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Hindu Kush

Backstory: Master Kush is a popular indica cross created out of two landrace strains from different parts of the Hindu Kush region. Bred by the Dutch White Label Seed Company, located in Amsterdam, the plant produces a subtle earthy, citrus smell with a hint of incense, which is often described as a vintage flavor. The taste of cured Master Kush is reminiscent of the famous hard-rubbed charas hash. This strain offers a superb balance of full-body relaxation without the mind-numbing effect that many indica strains produce; instead, Master Kush offers a sharpened sensory awareness that can bring out the best of any activity.

Why we love it: “A heavier Kush varietal, Master Kush’s deep body effects and permeating relaxation make it a natural stop on an exploration of fine cannabis genetics.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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Maui Wowie

Maui Wowie. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Hawaiian

Backstory: Maui Wowie (not Maui Waui) is a truly classic sativa. Its tropical flavors and stress-relieving qualities will float you straight to the shores of Hawaii, where this strain was originally born and raised. Since its beginnings in the island’s volcanic soil, Maui Wowie has spread across the world to bless us with its sweet pineapple flavors and high-energy euphoria.

Why we love it: “A beloved tropical-tasting sativa straight from the rich soil of Hawaii.” —Bailey Rahn

“Brings on relaxation, good spirits, and a good night’s sleep with no grogginess whatsoever in the morning.” —Rebecca Kelley

Mendocino Purps
Big, classic purple buds from cannabis's proving ground.
Will Hyde, cannabis expert
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: North American Indica

Backstory: Mendocino Purps, or Mendo Purps, or even just The Purps, comes out of Mendocino County in the famed Humboldt region of Northern California. Winning one of the Top Ten slots in High Times’ Strains of the Year in 2007, Mendocino Purps began as a clone-only plant, but BC Bud Depot developed a stable cross to make The Purps seeds widely available. The delectable flavor has been likened to caramel coffee and woodsy pine.

Why we love it: “Big, classic purple buds from cannabis’s proving ground. Mendo Purps is a flower with sweet berry flavors and deep purple colors. A very happy and relaxing strain.” —Will Hyde

Middlefork

Middlefork. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: DJ Short Blueberry, Dutch Treat

Backstory: Middlefork is a hybrid strain that unites two extremely flavorful parents. Bred in Washington state between the fork of two rivers, Middlefork has become a local favorite known for its potency and effects. Creativity and energy are ushered in by sweet berry and tangy citrus notes inherited from the strain’s illustrious lineage.

Why we love it: “A Pacific Northwest staple strain. This Blueberry–Dutch Treat cross sparks imagination and entices those lucky enough to acquire it with an earthy, citrusy blend of flavors.” —Will Hyde


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Northern Lights
Northern Lights stands among the most famous strains of all time—a pure indica that has given rise to countless famous hybrids.
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Afghani, Thai

Backstory: Northern Lights stands among the most famous strains of all time, a pure indica cherished for its resinous buds that has given rise to famous hybrids like Shiva Skunk and Super Silver Haze. Rumor has it that Northern Lights first sprouted near Seattle, Washington, but was propagated out of Holland after 1985 at what is now Sensi Seeds. Pungently sweet, spicy aromas radiate from the crystal-coated buds, which sometimes reveal themselves in hues of purple. Northern Lights’ psychoactive effects relax the muscles and pacify the mind in dreamy euphoria.

Why we love it: “A storied Pacific Northwest transplant blanketed in starry, crystal-tipped trichomes.” —Bailey Rahn

“It helps my social anxiety so I love to get this in cartridges for when I go out and about, whether it’s hanging out with a bunch of friends or running errands.” —Skye Hunter

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Obama Kush
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Afghani, OG Kush

Backstory: This unique indica appropriately channels its namesake president’s famous message of ‘Change’ as it invigorates and inspires. Daughter of an indica and a sativa-dominant hybrid, Obama Kush sets itself apart from other indicas through its cerebral stimulation and euphoric rush. This strain is recommended for all levels of patients looking for a balanced experience. The flowers are frosty with a purple hue and reddish hairs.

Why we love it: “Named for the president, this strain has undeniable bi-partisan appeal. Its chunky flowers, thanks to its Afghani lineage, create a sweet, floral aroma that produces cerebral stimulation and a euphoric rush.” —Will Hyde


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OG Kush
I made the joints for my wedding from OG Kush.
Kelly Bennett, Leafly application developer
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: OG Kush makes up the genetic backbone of West Coast cannabis varieties, but in spite of its ubiquity, its genetic origins remain something of a mystery. Popular myth maintains that Chemdawg and Hindu Kush parented OG Kush; however, we can’t be sure because OG Kush first came from bag seed in the early 90s. The earliest propagators (now known as Imperial Genetics) are said to have brought the seeds out of Florida to Colorado and southern California, where it now flourishes. There are many different phenotypes of OG Kush, including Tahoe OG, SFV OG, and Alpha OG. OG Kush is cherished for its ability to crush stress under the weight of its heavy euphoria.

Why we love it: “The prodigious strain that gave rise to innumerable iconic West Coast hybrids.” —Bailey Rahn

“I’ve tried this strain in flower, oil, edible and vape cartridge form. It never lets me down. I made the joints for my wedding from OG Kush. There were people who don’t smoke often in social situations, and some people who’d never smoked before, but OG Kush went over very well. It’s just a super solid strain.” —Kelly Bennett

 

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OG Kush makes up the genetic backbone of West Coast cannabis varieties, yet its genetic origins remain something of a mystery.




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Panama Red
This pure sativa rose to stardom in the late 1960s thanks to its effects: speedy and intense, bordering on psychedelic.
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Central American

Backstory: Panama Red is best described as an old-school cannabis classic. Originating from Panama, this pure sativa rose to stardom in the late 1960s thanks to its effects: speedy and intense, bordering on psychedelic. As cannabis cultivation matured, Panama Red, which has a lengthy flowering time of at least 11 weeks, was left behind for faster-growing strains and increased profits. However, those who fondly recall days of its prominence love its smooth experience and call for its revival. If you can get your hands on this sentimental throwback, do not hesitate.

Why we love it: “A classic cannabis strain and a piece of cannabis history, Panama Red remains a foundational element in the popularization of cannabis around the world.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

Permafrost
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Trainwreck, White Widow

Backstory: Permafrost, bred by Rogue Buds, is named for its frosty coat of crystal trichomes and fresh pine aroma. While many believe Permafrost to be the love child of Trainwreck and White Widow, others claim it comes from Kali Mist and Trinity Snow. True to its hybrid genetics, Permafrost’s relaxing effects are balanced between mind and body. Larger doses demonstrate the strain’s potency: As sensory detail peaks, attention becomes transfixed, and a full-body calm takes over.

Why we love it: “Permafrost is awesome—a level-headed hybrid that elevates mood while focusing the mind, letting you keep your eye on the prize with a smile on your face.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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Pez
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Afghani

Backstory: Pez is an indica daughter of Afghani and Pakistani strains. These sweet, frosty buds offer the relaxation and rich body buzz typical of indicas without the drowsiness, making it great for daytime use.

Why we love it: “Pez is a classic strain whose popularity is particularly rooted in the Seattle area. It emits a sweet, piney aroma and creates a happy, euphoric headspace and a calm body high.” —Will Hyde

Pineapple Chunk
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Cheese, Skunk No. 1, Pineapple

Backstory: Pineapple Chunk, bred by Barney’s Farm, is an indica-leaning hybrid that induces heavy full-body effects and a fast-paced head buzz. This THC-rich strain combines a Cheese and Skunk #1 cross with Barney’s Pineapple, and you can almost smell its lineage through sour notes of tangy skunk, earthy cheese, and sweet pineapple. Optimally, Pineapple Chunk will deliver a small dose of CBD along with its crushing THC content.

Why we love it: “A rich mix of genetics. Pineapple Chuck expresses itself with big chunky buds that get even better when you grind them up.” —Will Hyde

Pineapple Express
There’s a reason this strain is a fan favorite. The taste is delightfully tropical with a pleasantly mellow buzz that will leave you giggling.
Lisa Rough, associate editor
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Trainwreck, Hawaiian

Backstory: Pineapple Express combines the potent and flavorful forces of its parent strains. The smell is likened to fresh apple and mango, with an overarching flavor profile mixing pineapple, pine, and cedar. This hard-hitting sativa-dominant hybrid provides a long-lasting energetic buzz perfect for productive afternoons and creative escapes.

Why we love it: “A hybrid strain so good, they made a movie about it.” —Bailey Rahn

“There’s a reason this strain is a fan favorite. The taste is delightfully tropical with a pleasantly mellow buzz that will leave you giggling, and it’s one of the more versatile strains, wonderful for both day and nighttime use.” —Lisa Rough


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Pink Kush
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: OG Kush

Backstory: Pink Kush, as coveted as its illustrious relative, is an indica-dominant hybrid with powerful body-focused effects. In its most exceptional variations, pink hairs burst from bright green buds barely visible under a blanket of sugar-like trichomes, with traces of a sweet vanilla and candy perfume in the aroma. The potency of this strain could be considered overpowering, and often small doses are all you need. Growers have to wait 10 to 11 weeks for Pink Kush’s flowering, but high yields of top-shelf buds are worth the wait.

Why we love it: “For lovers of OG Kush (and there are plenty), this sugary-sweet strain begets body-focused effects and stress relief that are better than a massage.” —Brett Konen

Plushberry

Plushberry. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Black Cherry Soda, Space Queen

Backstory: Plushberry is an 80% indica strain bred by TGA Seeds. The Black Cherry Soda lineage lends this strain an aromatic berry scent, while the Space Queen genetics promote heavy resin production. Plushberry induces a deep relaxation in the mind and body, with calming qualities that melt stress away. There are two main phenotypes of Plushberry: one that grows smaller, pink-tinted plants, and another with bulkier, more indica-like formations.

Why we love it: “One of my personal favorites. A functional indica that both relaxes and motivates alongside a sweet berry, floral flavor.” — Bailey Rahn

“Plushberry is an anomaly among indica strains: While heavily indica-dominant, it doesn’t put you to sleep or cloud your brain. Instead, Plushberry allows you to focus inward. You’ll find yourself pondering deep revelations about life and the universe, which inspires incredible conversations and thoughts.” —Lisa Rough


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Presidential OG
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Bubble Gum, OG Kush

Backstory: Presidential OG by Royal Queen Seeds is an indica cross that definitely knows how to get your attention with its intense citrus-pine smell. As far as taste goes, it maintains the pine flavor and heads into more earthy terrain. Almost purely indica, this strain hits hard and fast with a sedative effect that make it a popular choice among consumers.

Why we love it: “The Commander in Chief of Kush strains offers heavyweight physical effects and rich earthy flavors suited for heads of state (and everyone else, too).” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

Purple Haze
This nostalgic sativa staple remains cherished for its high-energy cerebral stimulation that awakens creativity and blissful contentment.
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Purple Thai, Haze

Backstory: Popularized by Jimi Hendrix’s 1967 classic, Purple Haze delivers a dreamy burst of euphoria that brings veteran consumers back to their psychedelic heyday. This nostalgic sativa staple remains cherished for its high-energy cerebral stimulation that awakens creativity and blissful contentment. Purple Haze is believed to have descended from parent strains Purple Thai and Haze, which pass on a mix of sweet and earthy flavors underscored by notes of berry and sharp spice. Purple Haze buds typically acquire vibrant hues of lavender that justify the name of this strain.

Why we love it: “The classic! Its deep purple color is almost black, and it has a unique Haze flavor that’s just a little sweet. Always loved it for my migraines.” —Will Hyde


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Purple Urkle
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Mendocino Purps

Backstory: Purple Urkle’s history is as complex as its flavor palate. A California strain, its origins are believed to stem from a select phenotype of Mendocino Purps, while its essence is a blend of skunk, berry, and fresh grape aromas and flavors. The quick-onset effects are deeply relaxing, sleep-inducing, and a great option for full-body bliss.

Why we love it: “A California strain, Purple Urkle grows into a candy-sweet flower entangled with purple hues. Its mix of berry and grape aromas captivate and lead to full-body relaxation.” —Will Hyde

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Raskal OG
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: OG Kush, SFV OG Kush

Backstory: Raskal OG smells of lemon and pine with a musty and grassy taste. Bred by Cali Connection, the THC levels range up to 17% and the CBD is up to 0.86%. With dense light and dark green colored buds, this sticky strain is soft when broken apart.

Why we love it: “A cross of OG Kush and SFV OG from SoCal breeder Raskal. Its intense fuel-like aroma mixes with flavors of lemon and citrus and makes for a great bong toke.” —Will Hyde


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Red Headed Stranger
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Haze, William’s Wonder

Backstory: Red Headed Stranger is an energizing sativa strain named in homage to the 1975 album by Willie Nelson. A cross between Tom Hill’s Haze and William’s Wonder, Red Headed Stranger offers a jolt of cerebral vigor that fuels creativity and focus. True to its Haze heritage, RHS takes on a sharp spicy aroma with subtle herbal notes.

Why we love it: “A bright sativa strain that inspires creativity and conversation alongside its signature flavor.” —Bailey Rahn

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SAGE
SAGE combines polar opposites to create an exceptional strain.
Jeremiah Wilhelm, strain researcher
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Haze, Afghani

Backstory: S.A.G.E. stands for Sativa Afghani Genetic Equilibrium. Generally containing over 20% THC, it took second place in the blind test at the 2001 Cannabis Cup. Spicy sandalwood flavors combined with a long-lasting, uplifting high make this a plant for those who like the best.

Why we love it: “A hybrid of potent sativa and Afghani genetics, SAGE combines polar opposites to create an exceptional strain.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm


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Schrom
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: Schrom is a 70% sativa strain that delivers a clear-headed buzz with a pungent lemon and lime aroma. Its genetics are subject to debate, but many believe it was parented by Romulan and either Silver Haze or Santa Marta Colombian Gold. Its aroma fills the room with an enticing citrus bouquet, but arguably Schrom’s greatest merit is the mental clarity and functional buzz to come. Schrom relaxes the body without slowing the mind and leaves you alert enough to focus on the day’s tasks; however, enjoying this strain late in the evening may be even better.

Why we love it: “Another of my favorites. With a lemon-lime soda flavor, this is a light, uplifting strain that allows you to stay functional and active.” —Bailey Rahn

SFV OG
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: OG Kush

Backstory: SFV OG by Cali Connection is a sativa-dominant hybrid. As the name indicates, this OG Kush relative originates from California’s San Fernando Valley. The flowers are fairly small and may not look impressive, but what this strain lacks in looks it makes up for in heavenly aroma. It’s best when consumed in a flower-friendly vaporizer.

Why we love it: “One of my favorite OG varietals. Its pungent piney flavor and sharp diesel aroma are nostalgic and makes me think of SoCal. Twist one up!” —Will Hyde


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Shiatsu Kush
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: From the island of Amami Oshima comes Shiatsu Kush, a powerful hybrid strain brought from Japan by BC Bud Depot. Bred in secret for potent relief of pain, tension, and stress, Shiatsu Kush has a sterling reputation in Japan’s cannabis underground. With an aromatic fusion of pine, vanilla, and cedar, Shiatsu Kush induces a heavy relaxation that calms the mind and body.

Why we love it: “A rising star, Shiatsu Kush is a meditative and centering strain that tenderizes the mind and soul.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

Skunk No. 1
Skunk #1 has influenced cannabis on a global scale. Through an intricate selective breeding process spanning several generations, this genetic cornerstone of countless hybrids was born.
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Afghani, Acapulco Gold, Colombian Gold

Backstory: Skunk No. 1 (or Skunk #1) is a hybrid strain that has influenced cannabis on a global scale, parenting a horde of Skunk crosses since it first bloomed in the late 1970s. Sacred Seed Co. originally bred it using diverse genetics from around the world, which converged through an intricate selective breeding process that spanned several generations. Finally, the genetic cornerstone of countless cannabis hybrids was born. The original Skunk #1 gave rise to several variations that were later harvested in the gardens of Sensi Seeds, Dutch Passion, Flying Dutchmen, Nirvana Seeds, and Royal Queen Seeds. As its name suggests, Skunk #1 buds radiate with an aromatic blend of sour skunkiness and subtle earthy notes.

Why we love it: “Skunk #1 has impacted cannabis worldwide, parenting and influencing many modern varieties. The pungent skunky smell is undeniable and the heavy-hitting effects have made Skunk #1 a staple in Amsterdam coffeeshops and beyond.” —Will Hyde


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Snoop’s Dream

Snoop’s Dream. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Blue Dream, Master Kush

Backstory: Hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg’s fame in the cannabis community is practically peerless. Given his status, Snoop’s Dream is a strain that has a big name to live up to—and this indica-dominant hybrid does not disappoint. The illustrious parent strains are purportedly two of the rapper’s favorites, and they beget sweet blueberry flavors and a pine aftertaste that takes over on the finish.

Why we love it: “A Blue Dream–Master Kush hybrid with a seal of approval from the Doggfather himself. This cross presents sweet blueberry flavors with a smooth Kush finish.” —Will Hyde


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Snowcap
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: This West Coast strain has developed quite a legacy for itself. Snowcap is a potent sativa with a gorgeous lemony scent backed by a hint of menthol. The effects are decidedly cerebral and should trigger creativity, happiness, and a case of the giggles. Believed to be a hybrid of Humboldt Snow and an unknown Haze, the poorly documented genetic history leaves some mystery surrounding Snowcap. One thing everyone can agree on is the all-around flavor and potency of this robust strain.

Why we love it: “Another West Coast classic. Snowcap is a potent sativa hybrid with an effervescent aroma, and I love its creative buzz and hazy cerebral effects.” —Will Hyde

Sour Diesel
Perhaps the most popular sativa hybrid, Sour Diesel smells just like its name.
Bailey Rahn, strain editor
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Chemdawg 91, Super Skunk

Backstory: Sour Diesel, sometimes called Sour D, is an invigorating sativa-dominant strain named for its pungent, diesel-like aroma. This fast-acting strain delivers energizing, dreamy cerebral effects that have pushed Sour Diesel to reach legendary status. This strain took root in the early 90s, and it is believed to have descended from Chemdawg 91 and Super Skunk.

Why we love it: “Perhaps the most popular sativa hybrid, Sour Diesel smells just like its name and promotes focus and productivity.” —Bailey Rahn

“I love dank, musty, skunky weed. I love when you get a whiff of a bag that is so stanky it immediately overrides all other priorities and replaces them with, ‘Find that bag and stick your nose in it.’ Sour Diesel tends to do that for me. It’s a weird strain; it’s got a weird genome. It’s weird like huffing jet fuel with a mouth full of Warheads would be weird. I like weird.” —Fermin Romero III

Sour OG
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Sour Diesel, OG Kush

Backstory: Sour OG is a 50/50 hybrid strain that is a real favorite among those who love a balanced sativa/indica buzz. As a cross of two of the most popular and widely available strains in the world, Sour OG has been available in clone and seed form for quite some time. Most samples express dense, round, OG Kush-type buds laden with large, sticky trichomes. The odor and taste are usually an equal mix of both parents, with sour lemon, pine, and fuel notes accented by a distinct Kush undertone (though some versions have a more fruity flavor profile). Often described as a “one-hit-quit” strain, Sour OG starts with an energetic head high that gradually gives way to a relaxing body stone.

Why we love it: “Sour OG is a cross between two heavyweights, Sour Diesel and OG Kush. If you like either of those strains, definitely give this one a rip. The dank mix of diesel and pine create a rush of euphoria and flavor that will have you coming back time and time again.” —Will Hyde


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Sour Tsunami
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Sour Diesel, NYC Diesel

Backstory: Sour Tsunami is a strain famous for being one of the first specifically bred for high CBD content. The result is a wellness-focused strain that avoids producing a significant THC-induced high. Lawrence Ringo of the Southern Humboldt Seed Collective bred this strain over four years of hard work by crossing Sour Diesel plants with NYC Diesel.

Why we love it: “Sour Tsunami was bred specifically for its high CBD ratio, yet the sour and slightly tropical flavors stand out when compared to most other high-CBD varieties.” —Will Hyde

Space Queen
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Romulan, Cinderella 99

Backstory: Space Queen is a legendary hybrid created by famed breeder Vic High of the BC Growers Association. It begets a wide array of phenotypes, all of which possess great potency and some variation of a fruity aroma. The most sought-after of these is a large, resinous, high-yielding plant that smells of apples, vanilla and cherries, and has a delicious cherry taste when properly cured. Although it is a hybrid, Space Queen will give users an intense, trippy, speedy buzz that is characteristic of strong sativas.

Why we love it: “A really beautiful sativa hybrid with sweet earthy flavors and a true sativa kick to the mind.” —Will Hyde

“My go to for bad migraine days. Tastes like cherries and heaven.” —Natalie Bernstein

Strawberry Cough
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Unknown

Backstory: Known for its sweet smell of fresh strawberries and an expanding sensation that can make even the most seasoned consumer cough, Strawberry Cough is a potent sativa blend with mysterious genetic origins. The skunky, berry flavors will capture your senses while the cerebral, uplifting effects provide an aura of euphoria that is guaranteed to leave a smile on your face.

Why we love it: “An exceptionally delicious sativa that will have you exhaling a lungful of fresh strawberry flavor.” —Bailey Rahn

“Strawberry Cough brings you an instantaneous rush of energy and euphoria. Great for making it though the day, whether you are a writer, a musician, or your average Joe.” —Gage Peake

Sunset Sherbet

Sunset Sherbet. (Courtesy of Cameron Karsten)
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Omitted due to copyright concerns.

Backstory: Heir to the throne of its illustrious predecessor is Sunset Sherbet (sometimes spelled Sunset Sherbert), an indica-leaning hybrid with intoxicatingly potent effects. Sunset Sherbet inherits the genetic lineage of its powerhouse parent, whose parentage in turn includes the famed strains OG Kush, Cherry Pie, and Durban Poison. Crossed with an indica known as Pink Panties, Sunset Sherbet exhibits powerful full-body effects elevated by a jolt of cerebral energy. A complex aroma colors Sunset Sherbet with notes of skunky citrus, sweet berry, and a candy-like smell. Stress, tension, and sour moods melt away with the carefree mindset and physical relaxation that comes with this rich hybrid.

Why we love it: “Blissful, tranquil, and euphoric at once. This strain lives up to its name and gives everything a golden glow.” —Brett Konen

Super Lemon Haze
Super Lemon Haze is a kief-caked, multi-colored wonder.
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Lemon Skunk, Super Silver Haze

Backstory: A sativa-dominant hybrid and two time Cannabis Cup winner from Green House Seeds, Super Lemon Haze is a kief-caked, multi-colored wonder. As the name states, this strain has hefty lemony characteristics: The smell in particular is zesty, citrusy, and a little sweet. As for the taste, it’s everything one would expect from the namesake; tart and sweet like lemonheads candy, but not quite as sharp as one might expect. The effects, meanwhile, are uniquely energetic and lively.

Why we love it: “A classic with an additional citrus kick, bump this tasty strain to top of your list. Super Lemon Haze is colorful, terpy, and fantastic in every way.” —Brett Konen

“I like Super Lemon Haze for the creative, euphoric buzz I get from it. Sativas tend to make me feel a little anxious but with this strain I am happy and relaxed, especially in social situations. It also smells amazing!” —Emi Nellenbach


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Super Silver Haze
Super Silver Haze can reach deep into my soul and pull happiness to the surface.
Diana Rocha, customer support specialist
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: Skunk, Northern Lights, Haze

Backstory: Super Silver Haze, bred by Green House Seeds, was the first prize winner at the High Times Cannabis Cup in 1997, 1998, and 1999. It also won awards at the High Times Harvest Festival. By crossing the genetics of Skunk, Northern Lights, and Haze, we are left with a beautiful, sticky sativa blend that boasts an energetic, long-lasting body high.

Why we love it: “A multi-award-winning sativa straight out of Holland, Super Silver Haze is a fragrant strain that fuels creativity and ensures unshakeable good moods.”—Bailey Rahn

“Like silver lining on a cloud, Super Silver Haze can reach deep into my soul and pull happiness to the surface. Great post-work strain to shift into social, goofy, energetic vibes and not get anything done but smile.” —Diana Rocha

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Tahoe OG
Tahoe OG is the perfect rainy day strain.
Will Hyde, cannabis expert
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: OG Kush, SFV OG

Backstory: Tahoe OG, or Tahoe OG Kush, is super-strong and fast-acting—so much so that you may not want to consume this strain if you’re planning to leave the house. Tahoe OG has made a name for itself among other indicas as a top nighttime strain, providing an extremely lazy, heavy body sensation. Due to superb breeding, Tahoe OG embodies all of the typical indica effects with an added euphoric, sativa-like kick. This strain features an earthy, lemon taste, and is a must-try phenotype of OG Kush.

Why we love it: “Tahoe OG is the perfect rainy day strain. It’s a stoney, heavy indica pheno of OG Kush with deep green hues and a tangible hint of sweetness.” —Will Hyde

Tangerine Dream
By all measures, Tangerine Dream is a strain for connoisseurs.
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: G13, Afghani, Neville’s A5 Haze

Backstory: This winner of the 2010 Cannabis Cup was created by the illustrious Barney’s Farm and is by all measures a strain for connoisseurs. Its ability to knock out physical discomfort while increasing energy is what makes Tangerine Dream so special, and while too much Tangerine Dream may leave you stuck on the couch, this strain was handcrafted to meet the demands of busy consumers. Uplifting and euphoric, it provides users with mental clarity while deeply relaxing the muscles.

Why we love it: “The orange citrus spark of Tangerine Dream will have you vibing with newfound energy. Its sweet finish will invariably make you want more.” —Will Hyde


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Tangie
Strain type: Sativa

Parent strains: California Orange, Skunk

Backstory: Tangie is another fantastic offering from DNA Genetics in Amsterdam that has quickly gained popularity in its home area and is spreading elsewhere like wildfire. This strain is a remake of sorts of the popular version of Tangerine Dream that was sought-after in the 1990s. This strain’s citrus heritage is most evident in its refreshing tangerine aroma, while its sticky buds provide euphoric yet relaxed effects.

Why we love it: “A high-energy sativa strain with unrivaled flavors of sweet citrus.” —Bailey Rahn

“A good Tangie flower has one of the most unique fragrances of any cannabis flower I’ve smelled. It’s incredibly citrusy, but not overly lemony. It’s got a very warm and well-rounded tangerine smell. It’s a great high. Not especially strong, but very friendly and uplifting.” —Kelly Bennett

Trainwreck
One of the quintessential sativa-dominant hybrids, Trainwreck's intense rush of energy hits like a freight train.
Jeremiah Wilhelm, strain researcher
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Mexican, Thai, Afghani

Backstory: Trainwreck is a mind-bending hybrid with potent sativa-leaning effects that don’t pull any punches. Classic sativas were bred with iconic indicas to produce this Northern California staple, and they pass on a sweet lemon and spicy pine aroma. Trainwreck begins its speedy hurtle through the mind with a surge of euphoria, awakening creativity and happiness.

Why we love it: “One of the quintessential sativa-dominant hybrids, Trainwreck’s intense rush of energy hits like a freight train.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

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UK Cheese
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Skunk No. 1

Backstory: UK Cheese is a popular hybrid strain known for its potent, balanced effects and signature musty cheese smell. The flavor is also unique, with notes of berries and spicy cheese (a characteristic that may just have to be tasted rather than described). This strain is thought to be a specific phenotype of Skunk No. 1 that was originally cultivated in the early 1990s by a UK collective group known as Exodus. As a result, this strain is also known as Exodus Cheese. It became popular for its energetic, euphoric head effects combined with its impressive pain relief potential, and quickly spread beyond the borders of its British homeland.

Why we love it: “A UK strain with a unique, funky, and yep—you guessed it—“cheesy” aroma that’s definitely worth experiencing.” —Bailey Rahn


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White Fire OG
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Fire OG, The White

Backstory: White Fire OG, also known as WiFi OG, is a 60% sativa hybrid with uplifting and comfortable cerebrally-focused effects. This strain combines the best features of its parent strains: the sour, earthy, diesel aroma of Fire OG and the high resin production of The White. Many phenotypes of White Fire OG exist, some with dense, barrel-like buds and others with pointed, conic formations.

Why we love it: “Also known as WiFi, White Fire OG is a super potent OG variety and is great when concentrated and dabbed! Its loud aroma and intense euphoria will provide a solid knockout combination.” —Will Hyde


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White Widow
Among the most famous strains worldwide is White Widow, a balanced hybrid first bred in the Netherlands.
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: South American, South Indian Indica

Backstory: Among the most famous strains worldwide is White Widow, a balanced hybrid first bred in the Netherlands by Green House Seeds. In the years since its birth in the 1990s, White Widow has graced every Dutch coffeeshop menu. Its buds are white with crystal resin, warning you of the potent effects to come. A powerful burst of euphoria and energy hit the consumer immediately, stimulating both conversation and creativity. White Widow’s genetics have given rise to many other legends like White Russian, White Rhino, and Blue Widow.

Why we love it: “The potent and earthy resin-queen hailing from Amsterdam.” —Bailey Rahn

Willy’s Wonder
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Afghani

Backstory: Willy’s Wonder, or William’s Wonder to the more formal, is one of those cannabis strains of legendary status that you’ll just have to try to fully appreciate. Indica-dominant, the flowers are colorful with all possible hues of green, yellow, and red. The strain’s aroma is an equally diverse mix of tropical fruit and citrus, all of which also come through in its sweet and sour taste. It was originally developed in the 1980s and has only grown in popularity and potency since then. New patients be warned, however: This strain may be one to work up to.

Why we love it: “Willy, as his friends call him, is an indica-dominant strain with a heavy Afghani influence. The bulbous buds and thick layer of trichomes will catch your eye, while the pungent, earthy notes and citrus flavors will captivate your senses.” —Will Hyde

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XJ-13
Happy and functional, XJ-13's lightweight effects should make it a mainstay in any consumer's collection.
Jeremiah Wilhelm, strain researcher
Strain type: Hybrid

Parent strains: Jack Herer, G13 Haze

Backstory: XJ-13 is a sativa-dominant strain cherished for both its therapeutic potency and enjoyable euphoric buzz. This cross induces unencumbered cerebral effects perfect for stimulating creativity and conversation. As if we needed another reason to love this lightweight sativa, XJ-13 consistently exhibits a strong citrus aroma accented by notes of earthy pine. Novice consumers looking for an easy, paranoia-free experience can depend on XJ-13 as a surefire hit.

Why we love it: “Happy and functional, XJ-13’s lightweight effects should make it a mainstay in any active cannabis consumer’s collection.” —Jeremiah Wilhelm

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Zkittlez
Strain type: Indica

Parent strains: Grape Ape, Grapefruit

Backstory: Zkittlez is an indica-dominant mix of Grape Ape and Grapefruit that is crossed with another undisclosed strain to produce this candy-flavored cannabis bred by 3rd Gen Family and Terp Hogz. The award-winning combination took 1st Place at the 2016 Emerald Cup and 1st Place Indica at the 2015 Cannabis Cups in San Francisco and in Michigan. Its chunky colas explode in a spectrum of light green hues and emit a sweet, tropical blend of fruit flavors. The effects of Zkittlez are surprisingly uplifting for an indica, leaving consumers focused, alert, and happy while relaxing the body to help the consumer unwind.

Why we love it: “A newer candied strain that has quickly become an award-winner. Zkittlez emits sweet, tropical, fruity smells and has sort of a berry flavor to it. The strain makes great rosin and is an absolutely delicious dab.” —Will Hyde

 

[roots69]

CANNABIS 101
What Is Kief and How Can You Use It?
LEAFLY STAFF
October 15, 2014

Ever wonder what to call all those tiny, sticky crystals that cover cannabis flower? They’re called kief, also known as dry sift or pollen.



Kief refers to the resin glands which contain the terpenes and cannabinoidsthat make cannabis so unique. While marijuana sans kief still contains cannabinoids, the resin glands that develop on flower buds pack the biggest punch.

Kief and Trichomes: Built-In Protection for Cannabis Plants

The white hairs covering this cannabis flower are trichomes, or resin glands.
While kief specifically refers to the bulbous, crystal formation on the tip of a gland, the substance itself is just one part of what is called a trichome, or a “hair.”

Many different plants and algae have external trichomes for specific evolutionary purposes. For example, some carnivorous plants rely on sticky trichomes to trap their prey. Other plants, like cannabis, use them as a deterrent to herbivores.




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Trichomes on the marijuana plant keep away hungry herbivores by producing an intense psychoactive experience, theoretically disorienting the animal and preventing it from eating the rest of the plant. The resin’s strong, distinct odor also attracts pollinating insects and predators, which might keep herbivore populations at bay.

How to Separate Kief From the Cannabis Plant

Without a three-chamber herb grinder to sift and collect kief, the kief is wasted because it just sticks to the grinder itself.
If you like the experience of concentrates but don’t want to break the bank buying expensive wax or extraction equipment, sifting kief might be a great alternative. Due to the high concentration of terpenes and cannabinoids in resin glands, separating kief crystals from plant matter is a great way to consume cannabis while reducing the amount of charred material you take into your body.

Extracting kief is simple. Using a three-chamber herb grinder will help you finely grind your cannabis while letting kief crystals fall through a screen and collect into a small compartment. While two chamber grinders are nice, they often let potent kief go to waste since crystals fall off of the dried herb and just stick to the inside of the grinder.




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For extracting larger quantities of kief, using simple silk screening materials will allow you to separate kief from plant matter with the ease of sifting flower.


Framed Speedball screen printing screens.
Many people create makeshift sifters using layered screens similar to the ones pictured above. Because kief tends to measure between 75 and 125 microns, it can be difficult to separate all of the resin from the plant materials. To make sure you’re collecting the cleanest kief without unwanted plant matter, stack three to four layers of fine mesh screen one on top of another.

For the best results, home extractors use consecutive sizes of screen and stack them in order from largest to smallest. When buying screens, the number of wires or threads per inch, or the LPI (lines per inch) number is an important thing to remember. The larger the screen, the smaller the LPI number. When it comes to sifting kief, mesh between 80 and 270 LPI tends to work best.




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When buying extracted kief at a dispensary or retail store, keep in mind that the purer the kief, the lighter the color will be. Kief that still looks fairly green means that there is still quite a bit of plant matter mixed in, whereas kief that has been cleaned well tends to be more of an off-white color.

What to Do With Kief

A compressed hash brick. This hash has a dark color because it has been heavily pressurized.
Now that you know what kief is and how to collect it, what should you do with it? There are many ways to make good use of your stockpile of unrefined cannabis concentrate. Here are a few suggestions that can amplify potency and refine consistency.

Sprinkle It Onto Your Packed Bowl of Cannabis
Also known as “crowning a bowl,” this is the first and most obvious use for kief. Overall potency can increase dramatically with a generous dusting of kief on top of your bowl. Corner your hits to get the most out of a kief-crowned bowl, corner your hits, which entails burning a quadrant of the bowl at a time so that you can enjoy multiple hits.




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Sprinkle Kief Into a Joint or Roll a Twax Joint
Freshly ground cannabis is just sticky enough to make rolling a joint fairly easy. Pepper your ground cannabis with a healthy pinch of kief and mix well. The extra trichomes should more or less stick to the ground leaves, adding potency to the interior of your joint.

For those of you who want a more advanced experience, dampen the outside of your joint with a lick or your preferred wax and then roll the top 1/3 of the joint in kief. This kief-coated joint is often call a “twaxed” joint.




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Make Hash
Hash is one of the oldest forms of refined cannabis. One of the first steps of making hash is extracting kief, as hash is basically just kief that has been heated and pressurized to form a soft, green ball. Applying heat and pressure to kief changes its composition by rupturing the resin glands. Once the kief ruptured, the overall taste and effects of the product are slightly different. Pressurizing kief also darkens its color; the more pressure you apply, the darker the hash becomes.




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Make Moonrocks
Moonrocks are top-quality nugs covered in oil and rolled in kief. These glorious glitter cannabis specimens are very high potency and can be considered a quick DIY concentrate. Moonrocks are relatively easy to make if you have the materials. Gently heat your oil of choice and liberally coat your buds. Sprinkle kief over still-warm buds, or dredge buds in a kief bath using tongs. Let harden, then enjoy them by breaking them up by hand and sprinkling them into your bowl (avoid using a grinder if possible, as a grinder will break them up too finely and defeat the purpose of creating your lovely moonrock).




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Press Rosin
Rosin is a rising star in the world of cannabis concentrates for its solventless extraction methods and preservation of cannabinoids. This process is usually done with flower, but higher yields and potency can be achieved by pressing kief. The at-home method involves a hair straightener and a vice, while professional methods incorporate high-pressure presses.




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Add Potency to Cannabutter
Cannabutter has so many great applications, and kief is an easy way to boost potency that doesn’t add any extra steps to the cannabutter creating process. Just remember, no matter if you decarboxylate your cannabis in the oven or in your crockpot, make sure your kief is intermixed with your flower for best results.




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Try These Kief-Heavy Strains


A cross between a Brazilian sativa landrace and a resin-heavy South Indian indica, White Widow has blessed every Dutch coffee shop menu since its birth in the 1990s. Its buds are white with crystal resin, warning you of the potent effects to come. A powerful burst of euphoria and energy breaks through immediately, stimulating both conversation and creativity.



Hash Plant’s tight, resin-drenched flower clusters develop a brittle surface when dried and give off a deep, rich Afghani aroma that’s undercut with a hint of hashish. When consumed, her dominant flavor is the spicy-sharp bite of smouldering resin glands. The instant vaporization of those layers of sparkling trichomes accelerates Hash Plant’s rapid, blissful and breathtakingly powerful body-stone.



Between its mysterious origin, ambiguous genetics, and the plethora of successful crosses the strain has produced, Chemdawg has practically secured itself a permanent place in the cannabis hall of fame. The original source of powerhouse strains like Sour Diesel and OG Kush, Chemdawg is known for its distinct, diesel-like aroma. Pungent and sharp, you’ll be able to smell this hybrid from a mile away.

 

[roots69]

What Is Hash and How Does It Relate to Cannabis?
PATRICK BENNETT

To understand what hashish is means to realize the duality that exists with the female cannabis Sativa plant. First, there is the physical structure of the plant itself, which is this rich fibrous leafy material complete with essential amino acids and a myriad of benefits. Second, you have the essence of the cannabis plant, otherwise known as trichomes, which are responsible for producing the aromatic terpenes and medicinal cannabinoids that facilitate our therapeutic experiences.

Hashish is the moment at which the essence of cannabis (the trichomes) parts ways with the plant material itself. This is achieved when the ripe and resinous gland heads that line the surface of female cannabis plants are separated and collected. Processes to achieve resin separation have been practiced for centuries; however, the rapid rise of cannabis legalization in the western world has brought new methods in hash preparation that are sweeping legal markets by storm.

Where Does Hash Originally Come From?

The word “hashish” originates from the Arabic language, roughly translating to mean “grass.” It is believed that the popularization of hash originated around A.D. 900, although some argue methods such as “charas,” or the collection of resin from the hands of cannabis farmers, are believed to have existed prior to written documentation.

As a result of early European exploration into Africa, hashish made its appearance in the western world at the turn of the 19th century. For years, European doctors imported hashish to conduct research, which led to the introduction of various extraction methods that allowed for further refinement into medications.

By the turn of the 20th century, cannabis extractions were accounting for a large majority of western pharmacopeia. It wasn’t until U.S. prohibition in the early 20th century that hashish products were eradicated from western medicine and pushed back into the black market.

Different Types of Hash

With the reemergence of cannabis enthusiasm culminating in the 1960’s, hashish found its way back into the limelight. Countries such as Nepal, Afghanistan, and Morocco saw an increase of hashish exportation into western countries as a result of cannabis interest hitting the mainstream for western tourists. At this time the varieties of hash being imported were old world varieties, mainly hard-pressed, brick-like solids made from heat and pressure.

It wasn’t until the late 1980’s when gland separation was introduced to the west through a machine called the “master sifter.” According to Ed Rosenthal and his book Beyond Buds, this breakthrough machine by John Gallardi used vibration to separate the gland heads from the plant material.


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During this time, Neil Schumacher and Rob Clarke began experimenting with water extraction methods, the early precursor for what we now refer to as water hash, or IWE (ice water extract). The equipment used to popularize the ice water extraction method was first introduced to the public in 1997 by Reinhard C. Delp at the High Times Cannabis Cup. His patents would later be adapted and modified by Mila Jansen with her “pollinator” isolation bags. This design would be further improved upon by Canadian hash enthusiast Marcus “Bubbleman” Richardson and his popular line of BubbleBags, one of only a handful of companies worldwide who have leased permissions to use methods from the original patent that was filed in 1999.

How to Make Hash


Legalization efforts in the U.S. over the last half decade has significantly impacted the emergence of hashish enthusiasm. The Internet’s mass proliferation and dissemination of free information has also made previously proprietary hashish making techniques readily available.

Making hash at home today is as easy as purchasing a few inexpensive ingredients from a hardware store. You can even purchase ready-made screens for dry extractions, presses for old school brick hash preparations, or even bags for water extractions all online. Learning how to make hash at home today is incredibly easy with the availability of information through the internet and social media.

To learn how hash is made, check out our Cannabis Craftsmanship video on how to make hash featuring the experts at Funky Skunk Extracts.

 

[roots69]

CANNABIS 101
Microdosing With Cannabis: Benefits Without the Buzz
ADAM HOFFMAN

In the midst of a potency-obsessed market where high THC marks mean everything, there is a growing community of cannabis advocates that are pushing for less consumption as opposed to more. This tactic is called “microdosing,” a growing trend as cannabis consumption becomes more mainstream.

What Is Microdosing?

Practitioners of microdosing are taking small amounts of cannabis in order to reap the medical benefits of THC while avoiding its psychoactive effects that can interfere with the demands of daily life.

“Microdosing is something that is very personal. There is no magic bullet for all patients; it is different for each one.”
Michelle Ross, Founder of IMPACT Network
“Most people don’t know about microdosing,” says Michelle Ross, founder of IMPACT network, a nonprofit organization that uses empirical medical research to find new cannabis-related treatments for patients. “They just blast their system with cannabis or high amounts of THC, and that is not always the best approach for whatever condition they have.”

While microdosing has typically been associated with hallucinogens like LSD, many experts now believe that the threshold for the medical benefits of THC is far lower than many people think.

And sometimes, too much of a good thing can quickly turn disastrous.


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“When you raise the dose sometimes you get diminished benefits, and sometimes you get the opposite of what you are looking for,” says Dustin Sulak, an osteopathic physician based in Maine who treats many of his patients with small doses of cannabis. For example, while a little cannabis can help reduce anxiety, too much can actually cause it.

What Medical Conditions Lend Themselves to Microdosing With Cannabis?

According to Sulak, patients are now turning to microdosing in order to treat conditions such as depression, stress, anxiety, pain, and to help improve focus and promote sleep.

While a substantial amount of empirical evidence is still lacking, there is some clinical research suggesting that less is in fact more when it comes to medicinal cannabis.

In a 2012 study, for example, patients with advanced cancer who were unresponsive to traditional opioid painkillers were given nabiximols, a THC/CBD compound, at low, medium, and high doses. Patients who received the lowest dosage of cannabinoids showed the greatest reduction in pain, while those receiving higher doses actually experienced more pain.


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In another study, a group of incarcerated individuals were given low (four milligram) doses of Nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, to help treat their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its associated symptoms. The results, published in 2014, showed significant improvements in PTSD-associated insomnia, nightmares, general symptoms, and even chronic pain.

Sulak also points out that cannabis can be effective for helping to control other chronic conditions. “If I see someone with multiple sclerosis who is in the middle of a flare-up and having a really hard time, she may need a higher dose to get the symptoms under control,” he says. “But as she gets well and heals, her daily dose will go down and down and down, until the point where microdosing becomes a maintenance plan.”

Indeed, Ross takes several small doses of cannabis each day to help manage her own persistent health issues.


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“I have a lot of chronic health problems including neuropathy and fibromyalgia, and cannabis has been the only thing that has enabled me to surmount them,” she says.

Sulak has also found that microdosing is beneficial on a daily basis, adding, “I find that a sub-psychoactive dose of cannabis helps me stay healthy, reduce stress, and stay sharp and focused at work.”

What Is the Optimal Dosage for Microdosing Cannabis?

The short answer is, it depends. There is tremendous variance in the amount of THC that will result in feeling high. This can be affected by individual differences in liver metabolism, genetics of cannabinoid receptors, and previous usage, to name a few.

“The goal is to use the dose that gives the most minimal noticeable effect.”
Dustin Sulak, Osteopathic physician
“Microdosing is something that is very personal,” says Ross. “There is no magic bullet for all patients; it is different for each one. So keep experimenting until you find the dose that works for you.”

Ross generally recommends that first time microdosers start off at 2.5 milligrams, maintain that level for approximately three days, and increase if necessary. But that can sometimes be difficult.


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“In Colorado we have a saying: start low and go slow. But the lowest dosage that they start off with for consumers is 10 milligrams and I think that is already too high.”

Meanwhile, Sulak advocates starting at even lower doses, and has created a step-by-step guide to microdosing for both experienced and novice consumers.

For those using cannabis regularly, Sulak recommends an initial 48-hour period of abstinence, which he believes is enough time to reset the endocannabinoid system. While this might seem like a relatively brief window after years of usage, a brain imaging study published last year tracked the number of cannabinoid receptors during a period of abstinence from cannabis. The results indicated that even in heavy smokers, the receptors bounced back to baseline levels after just two days.

After this neural cleansing, micro hopefuls should gradually reintroduce cannabis into their system, starting with just one milligram.


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“The goal is to use the dose that gives the most minimal noticeable effect,” says Sulak. “You are not trying to get stoned, you are not trying to get total relief from symptoms–you are just trying to get a little something. And then once you get to that dose where you feel a little something, stay there for a few days and then you can start gradually increasing if needed. And that typically falls somewhere between one and three milligrams per dose.”

Sulak has also noticed that the use of lower doses can actually lead to increased sensitivity to cannabis over time, thus underscoring the importance of staying at low levels for the first few days of microdosing. While this is merely observational, Sulak notes that tests on animals suggest that low-level doses of THC can result in an upregulation of the endocannabinoid system (for endocannabinoid production as well as expression of its receptors).

“If you are building tolerance to THC, you are building tolerance to your body’s own cannabinoids, which are there for the purpose of promoting balance and health,” says Sulak. “So having a highly sensitive endocannabinoid system is extremely valuable for responding to illness, injury, and stress, and people can achieve that with low doses of cannabis.”


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For those who are using cannabis irregularly or for the first time, Sulak suggests one milligram of THC combined with one milligram of CBD and gradually increasing the dosage (while maintaining the 1:1 ratio) until they feel something, then stay at that level for four days.

“Everyone is going to get to the point where they increase their dosage and it will not work as well as it did before,” he says. “And that means they have passed their optimal dose. That optimal dose is different for everyone. Finding it means going past it.”

What Is the Best Way to Microdose Cannabis?

There are numerous methods available for microdosing cannabis, but some may be more effective than others. Smoking or vaping is one option. Using this approach, Sulak recommends that cannabis minimalists take just one puff, wait five minutes to feel any effects, and then take another if necessary. Yet, precisely controlling the amount of THC in your system using this approach can be difficult.

“We need to change our relationship with cannabis from something that we use for recreation or to treat severe symptoms to something that we use to stay healthy, like we would a multivitamin.”
Dustin Sulak
Instead, many experts recommend products such as tinctures, oils, or ediblesthat allow users to more accurately control the dosage. When it comes to edibles, however, users should exercise caution. Untested edibles are especially unreliable in their ability to deliver a low dose of THC.

“Imagine cutting a brownie that has 100 milligrams of THC into portions and trying to eyeball 2.5mg—that’s not going to work,” says Ross. “And most edibles are not consistent in their dosage in that range.”


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However, there are now a number of products on the market that lend themselves to microdosing. For example, KIVA Confections, a California based company, offers a variety of mints and chocolates with THC concentrations starting at 2.5 milligrams that are suitable for microdosing. Yet, it can take over an hour to feel the effects of some edibles. For those seeking immediate relief, an alternative is THC-infused tea, such as products from Stillwater, which can calm the nerves after just 10 minutes.

Ross also notes that products like these can be a good option for first-time consumers. “If you are given a product that is 2.5 milligrams, you are much less likely to have a bad experience. So I think microdosing is really the best way to introduce new people to cannabis.”


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Should CBD Also Be Used to Microdose?

While microdosing generally refers to THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis, it can be beneficial to add an equal ratio of CBD as well.

“When we add CBD to THC we tend to get a wider therapeutic window, which means we are less likely to see side effects of THC and more likely to see benefits,” says Sulak.

Yet, it’s important to note that doubling the amount of cannabinoids for each dose can be financially crippling, because CBD is very expensive. Sulak also mentions that for some people, CBD acts as a mental stimulant and should be avoided in the evening prior to bedtime.


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While many have already started to benefit from the wonders of THC frugality, many challenges still remain.

“There are still not enough low-dose products on the market. I would definitely like to see a wider range,” says Ross. “I feel like every dispensary should be carrying these [products].”

Meanwhile, Sulak believes that the greatest roadblock to microdosing is societal. “We need to change our relationship with cannabis from something that we use for recreation or to treat severe symptoms to something that we use to stay healthy, like we would a multivitamin,” he says.

For many, it may be difficult to cut back as cannabis has become widely available. But for those seeking to remain sharp, calm, and collected, you may want to think twice before taking that extra hit because the new buzz is, in fact, no buzz.

 

[roots69]

CANNABIS 101
Leafly’s Visual Quality Guide to Selecting Cannabis
WILL HYDE
May 6, 2015

You’ve learned the visual difference between cannabis quantities and how to properly store your cannabis, but can you tell the visual difference between poor and high-quality cannabis? At Leafly we constantly receive questions from our community about how to tell the quality of buds based on photos or their appearance alone. While there isn’t an exact science for selecting cannabis (most of it comes down to personal opinion), there are a number of visual cues you can look for when scanning the selection of buds at your favorite dispensary.



Picking out cannabis is a lot like selecting fresh produce or flowers — you’re looking for something that looks appealing, has a good color, and produces an enticing aroma. Additionally, you want to avoid any glaring defects like mold and mildew, insects, and discoloration. Different qualities can come from the same plant; for example, I’ve seen many dispensaries that separate the prized colas from the small wispy buds found on low- hanging branches (I call these “popcorn nugs”).

Keep in mind a few key points when assessing the visual quality of your cannabis:

• Quality standards vary based on your location and access to cannabis, your personal experiences with the plant, and local cannabis laws.
• There are many other attributes to consider when choosing the best strain for you, including the price, the smell, desired effects, and quantity available.
• A high concentration of trichomes indicates a strain with advanced cannabinoid production, which leads to potent cannabis. However, potent cannabis is not necessarily indicative of high quality — it could be lacking the flavor profile you are looking for, or, for example, it may be a stimulating sativa when you prefer a mellow indica.
• Test data can go a long way in visualizing and understanding the various attributes of each strain, so always look for current and accurate test results from a trusted third-party laboratory.

Let’s check out some examples of low, medium and high-quality cannabis so you can better assess the quality of the buds you’re acquiring.

Examples of Low-Quality Cannabis Buds

Also called: Shwag, shake weed, bottom shelf, popcorn, dirt weed, brick weed, ditch weed, Bobby Brown, and more

Low-quality cannabis is often transported as compact bricks, resulting in a mix of shake, stems, and compressed buds. Typically only found on the black market, shwag tends to be less colorful than your average cannabis, often more brown than green (thus the nickname Bobby Brown — no relation to the former member of New Edition). It is dry and earthy in aroma with a taste that can be harsh and spicy, as opposed to the sweet and floral notes of top-grade cannabis.

When it’s not compacted into brick weed, low-quality buds tend to be light, leafy, and wispy. The concentration of cannabinoids is likely to be very low due to extreme environmental factors, like excessive heat or other variables, which cause trichomes and other crucial parts of the plant to under-develop. The harsh growing conditions typical for low-quality, improperly cared-for cannabis has a tendency to be high in CBN, a byproduct of degradation. Advanced levels of CBN are often attributed to poor or improper storage and handling during transportation.

The effects from low-quality cannabis tend to be mellow, relaxing, lazy, and sleep-inducing (thanks to the CBN). It’s not uncommon to experience headaches and other adverse side effects from poorly grown and cared-for cannabis. The lack of quality standards at the street level also opens consumers up to contaminated flower that has been tainted by dirt, mold, mildew, insects, and even pesticides.

One glaring advantage of low-quality cannabis is that it is usually available at discounted prices. While I wouldn’t normally recommend consuming sub-standard buds, some cannabis consumers prefer to bargain hunt and turn their shwag into affordable and effective edibles.

Examples of Medium-Quality Cannabis Buds

Also called: Mids, middle shelf, regs, Reggie, beasters, B+, work, and more

Medium-quality cannabis is where most domestically-grown US cannabis lands on the quality scale. Northern states also see an influx of mids and regs from commercial Canadian cannabis, known as Beasters or BC Buds (though the influx is starting to dwindle now that the US is shifting towards legal access).

Mids can be identified by their spectrum of green hues and the presence of colorful pistils. Solid middle shelf genetics showcase purple tinge, moderate flavor profiles, and sugary trichomes. Seeds and stems are minimal-to-none, but the buds can suffer from a number of quick-to-market techniques like improper flushing of nutrients, quick curing methods, and sloppy trim jobs. Pricing for middle quality is somewhat standardized based on your region, and oftentimes bulk discounts become available when buying more than a ¼ or ½ oz at a time.

Experiences with Reggies can vary across the board, but generally if the genetics are strong, the resulting effects are potent and enjoyable. Unstable genetics or stressful environments can cause hermaphrodite plants that begin to show both sexes. These partially-formed seeds are often referred to as bananas for their elongated shape and yellow hues.

Examples of High-Quality Cannabis Buds

Also called: Fire, primo, top shelf, loud, kill, chronic, dank, headies, flame, kine, kind, and a host of other regional naming trends

Everybody claims to have high-quality cannabis in stock, but how can you tell for yourself?

The first thing you should know is that top-shelf buds will stand out in a sea of green. Besides the diverse spectrum of colors that premier genetics show, the amazing quality and complex aromas of truly dank weed will scream “pick me!” The nickname “loud” is used for this exact reason, because the pungent flavors are often too much to contain and can draw attention to those who have it, especially when trying to be discreet. Truly outstanding cannabis has no price cap — it can be considered a luxury item like fine wine and, depending on the laws where you live, prices can reach extreme levels.

First-class cannabis will have a thick coat of sugary resin that contains the cannabinoids and terpenes, giving the plant its powerful effects and captivating flavors. Advanced potency and flavor profiles provide a diverse range of effects and individual experiences that amplify the consumer’s connection to the cannabis plant. The buds themselves are typically dense and chunky, thick from advanced CO2 levels during the flowering cycle and other innovative growing techniques.

The harvesting, drying, and curing methods used by the grower can greatly influence the end result. Truly dank herb should be sticky from the frosting of trichomes without being moist or wet. When ground, it should break apart without becoming a pile of dust, and when burnt, it should leave behind white ash (black ash is a signal that there is excess moisture in your flowers).

Proper trimming is paramount to true connoisseurs, allowing each cola and nug to be showcased and perfectly framed. If top-shelf cannabis appears leafy, it’s most often because the sugar leaves surrounding the buds are covered with trichomes too precious to discard. Seeds are extremely rare to find in the finest-quality cannabis, so if you uncover one in your stash, keep it for your own garden (providing you can legally grow in your state, of course).

 

[roots69]

INDUSTRY
How to Turn a College Degree Into a Cannabis Industry Career
GAGE PEAKE
May 11, 2017

If you’re a recent college graduate, how do you go about finding a job in the cannabis industry, and what does it mean to work in a field that’s still technically federally illegal?

I asked myself those questions last year before I dove head-first into the industry. As a recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, I found that making the jump into cannabis was nerve-racking, especially if the state you’re coming from is still sour on legalization.

As Leafly reported earlier this year, America’s legal cannabis industry now supports more than 122,000 full-time jobs in 29 states and DC.

If you’re one of the two million college students graduating this season, opportunities abound. You just have to know where to look.

To help you on your search, Leafly spoke with recent graduates as well as Karson Humiston, the 24-year-old founder and CEO of Vangst Talent Network, which bills itself as the world’s largest staffing and recruiting agency focused on cannabis.


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Don’t Be a Stranger
First thing: Educate yourself on cannabis and the workings of the industry. It helps to brush up on cannabis rules and regulations, which vary by state, county, and even city. But doing your research is only half the battle. If you want to be noticed, you need put yourself out there.

Too often “people send their resume and just hope it will get picked up,” Humiston told Leafly from her office in Denver. Some cannabis companies receive “hundreds and hundreds of resumes a day,” she said. “People need to be a little more proactive and get out there.”

What does “getting out there” look like? Humiston suggested attending job fairs and cannabis conferences. Those events give job-seekers the chance to meet representatives from a wide variety of companies and consider which might be the best fit.

The basic idea is to separate yourself from the masses. Interest in working in the cannabis industry has spiked in recent years as states like California, Nevada, and Massachusetts passed legalization laws.

“We are getting a huge wave,” said Humiston, whose agency has responded by organizing career fairs in Las Vegas (July 1) and Denver (July 16). More than 50 companies will have representatives in attendance, she said. “That’s a great way to go out and meet with companies directly.”

Pick a Passion—and a Place
It’s not quite enough to say you want to work “in cannabis.” Humiston advises knowing what you want to do professionally, too. Do you want to be an accountant in the cannabis industry? A testing lab technician? A marketing executive? A journalist?

“I would recommend that people figure out what they want to do with their careers—not just focus on the cannabis industry,” Humiston said.

It’s also important to be familiar with the job market in the region you’d like to call home. Job markets can differ significantly from state to state, especially in places like Colorado or Washington, which have had legal cannabis markets for a few years now.

“If you want to work in marketing, research the types of jobs and the companies that are hiring for marketing,” Humiston said. “You can go onto our website and look at the jobs we post. You can go [to] all the various job boards and just research companies in Colorado or Washington, etc., so you can see who is hiring for a particular type of role.”

Once you identify an employer that interests you, consider inviting them out for an informational interview over lunch or coffee.

“Once you research different companies that are hiring, reach out to them,” Humiston said. “If you see that [a certain company] is hiring for a marketing coordinator, look on LinkedIn for people currently in the marketing department there and ask to take them for a cup of coffee and talk to them about their experience there.”


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What Will Your Family Say?
Not everybody will be excited to learn of your interest in the cannabis industry. “I vividly remember this one close friend of my parents told me that I had so much potential, and I was going to ruin my career by doing this,” Humiston recalled.

When I came to Leafly, my main concern was what my family—mainly my mom and dad—would think about my decision to move from sports PR to writing about cannabis. Would my great aunt and uncle still look at me the same? Or would they be disappointed with my choice to work in a sector emerging from decades of stigma?

“Of my two parents, my dad is much more excited and supportive of it—and now my mom is as well,” Humiston said. “But in the beginning, she was very skeptical. Same with my grandparents, my cousins, aunt and uncles, and my close family friends.”

Try not to misinterpret the skepticism as an attack, Humiston advised. “When there are people you look up to who are really disconcerted, they are not saying it to be mean. They actually do believe that. And I could tell they did.”

While family and friends can offer valuable insight, Humiston stressed that this type of decision should only be made by the graduate—the only person, she said, who truly knows what they want out of their career.

“By the time you are almost through college, you are an adult,” Humiston said. “You need to consider what the best decision is for you. Try to avoid all the exterior noise. Focus on what you think is right and what you think is going to help you have a successful career.”

And keep an open mind. “Success is measured by a lot of different things, not just financial success,” Humiston noted. “Is this an industry that I can grow within? Is this an industry that I am going to be happy in? Do I like the types of people that work in this space?”

Find People With the Kind of Job You Want
Not sure where to start?

Click through to this recent Leafly article profiling a number of real-life cannabis jobs and the people who enjoy them.

 

[roots69]

POLITICS
All the Cannabis Legalization Measures in Play Right Now
JAY LASSITER
September 11, 2017

(fstop123/iStock)
Compared to 2016, when Donald Trump won an upset presidential victory, four states voted to legalize the adult use of cannabis, and four more legalized medical use, 2017’s election season promises to be a much quieter affair.

In fact, this year’s most cannabis-relevant race may be the New Jersey governor’s race, which is notable for who isn’t running. That would be Gov. Chris Christie, the outspoken cannabis prohibitionist. The end of the Christie era could open the door for adult-use legalization via the state Legislature, which has been readying a measure for much of the past year.


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Otherwise, most of this year’s cannabis-related politicking involves laying the groundwork for 2018, when at least a half-dozen medical and adult-use measures may go up for a vote.

As the season opens, here are the most interesting races so far:



Ballot Initiatives
Florida
Regulate Florida is circulating petitions to put an adult-use measure on the 2018 ballot. If successful, this measure would amend Florida’s constitution to end cannabis prohibition.

“Florida citizens have no other method for changing the laws besides a constitutional amendment,” Karen Seeb Goldstein, director of NORML Florida, told Leafly.


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“This petition is partially a reaction to the poor implementation of Amendment 2 [a 2016 measure to legalize medical cannabis], but there’s more to it than that. The war on drugs is a failure. Prohibition just doesn’t work.”

A Quinnipiac poll taken last spring found that 56% of voters support legalizing recreational cannabis.



Michigan
The Michigan Regulation & Taxation of Marijuana Law is spearheaded by the Michigan Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol (CRMLA).

“We surpassed the 200,000-signature mark last week, and, assuming all goes well [over Labor Day] weekend, we expect to be well on our way to 250,000 by next week,” Josh Hovey, CRMLA spokesperson, told Leafly.

That 250,000-signature estimate comes tantalizingly close to the total of 252,523 verified signatures organizers must submit by Nov 22, 2017. To be safe, the campaign hopes to collect at least 360,000 signatures before the November deadline.


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“We have been thrilled to have nearly 60% of the public in support of legalizing cannabis in Michigan,” Hovey said. “But at the same time, this is far from a sure thing. There are big-money business interests that would love for us to fail, because they would rather see the law written in a way that allows them to monopolize the market.” His group’s initiative, he explained, is intentionally set up to benefit small businesses.

“There are also plenty of prohibitionists out there who will use Reefer Madness fear tactics to mislead the public,” Hovey said. “That’s why our coalition is working hard to raise the funds necessary to keep up our paid signature-collection effort to make the ballot and then run a professional, disciplined campaign that can win in November 2018.”



Missouri
New Approach Missouri is actively gathering signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the 2018 ballot to permit medical cannabis in Missouri. Advocates have until May 6, 2018 to gather 160,199 verifiable signatures to qualify.

“We are circulating a petition for November of 2018 and currently have about 60,000 signatures, gathered by volunteers,” New Approach Missouri Campaign Manager John Payne told Leafly. “Our campaign got off to a great start with immense support from our volunteer base, and now we are about to shift signature collection into high gear by bringing in a professional signature-gathering company. Our current timeline calls for us to complete signature collection in January, well ahead of the May 6 deadline for signature submission.”


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The most recent statewide medical cannabis poll, conducted in June 2016, showed support for medical cannabis in Missouri at 62%. Only 27% of respondents singled a no vote.



South Dakota
New Approach South Dakota is circulating petitions to place two marijuana-themed measures on next year’s ballot. One would legalize medical cannabis, while the other would permit recreational cannabis for adult use.

“Both measures require 13,871 (verified) signatures,” Melissa Mentele, who directs New Approach South Dakota, told Leafly. “I don’t have exact numbers, but we’re about two-thirds of the way there, roughly 6,000 signatures short for both of them, so South Dakota voters need to come out of the woodwork and sign my petition!”

“We’re exhausted and we’re sunburned, but we’re all working really hard to reach our goal of 25,000 total signatures for both petitions.”
Melissa Mentele, New Approach South Dakota
With a Nov. 8 deadline looming, advocates aren’t taking any chances. New Approach SD volunteers spent the past week “camping out” near the South Dakota State Fair in Huron, the group said. The fair was an organizing bonanza for both ballot measures.

“Our booth at the state fair is on point,” Mentele told Leafly. “We’re exhausted and we’re sunburned, but we’re all working really hard to reach our goal of 25,000 total signatures for both petitions.”

“I think that recreational, after what happened last time, honestly, this is going to be a hate vote,” Mentele said. Last year’s legalization measure was tossed from the ballot due to a clerical error. “So yeah, it’s gonna be a spite vote, and so far I’ve gotten a lot of spite signatures. Voters are mad, you have no idea!”


RELATED STORY
Santee Sioux Trial Verdict: Cannabis Consultant ‘Not Guilty’ on All Charges


Utah
The Utah Patients Coalition is currently gathering signatures to place State Question 788 onto the 2018 ballot. Advocates need at least 113,143 verified signatures by April 15, 2018 to qualify.

Momentum for medical cannabis in Utah is strong, with 75% of Utah residents in favor of legalizing medical cannabis, according to a poll taken earlier this summer.


RELATED STORY
Utah Launches Medical Cannabis Signature Drive


Legislative Action
In addition to the ballot measures described above, there’s momentum in several state capitals to end prohibition through legislation. Thus far in America, the path to legalization has been at the ballot box—at least in terms of adult use. Bragging rights are due to whichever state legislature that ushers in legal markets first.

Vermont
It may seem like the movie Groundhog Day in Vermont, where legalization has been on—and off—the table multiple times. “But it’s not Groundhog Day,” MPP’s Matt Simon told Leafly.

“I’m extremely optimistic progress will happen in January.”
Matt Simon, Marijuana Policy Project
Simon, a keen observer of Vermont’s many, many ups and downs, said he’s “extremely confident” that Vermont will pass a limited legalization bill that permits home cultivation and possession.

“The votes are there,” he said. “In fact, the House has passed [a similar bill] before and the governor has agreed. If he backtracks now, that’s really a major flip-flop. That’s why I’m extremely optimistic progress will happen in January.”

What about the multiple misses in Vermont already? “Sometimes you gotta lose before it’s your time,” Simon said.


RELATED STORY
Crash and Burn in Burlington: How Legalization Failed in Vermont


New Jersey
In a few months, Gov. Chris Christie will be gone. The most likely candidate to replace him is Democrat Phil Murphy, who’s been very vocal about drug reform while on the campaign trail. He says he’s motivated by both economics and social justice.

“By carefully watching what other states have already done, we can ensure a legalization and taxation program that learns from their experiences and which will work from the outset,” Murphy told Leafly. “But we must keep in mind this also is about social justice, and ending a failed prohibition that has served mainly to put countless people—predominantly young men of color—behind bars and behind a huge roadblock to their futures. New Jersey should choose to be a leader.”


RELATED STORY
New Report Shows New Jersey’s Cannabis Laws Failing Its People
Legislative leaders in Trenton are on board. State Sen. Nick Scutari chairs the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee. He’ll gavel in the first hearings on the topic. He’s also the prime sponsor of NJ’s cannabis legalization bill.

“In New Jersey, we now have a Democratic nominee, who I believe will be our next governor, who supports legalization,” Scutari told Leafly. “That’s why it is so important that we begin shaping our recreational marijuana program now, so that we are prepared to move forward with a program that ends the prohibition on marijuana and that treats our residents fairly and humanely. We’ve already done extensive research on how legal cannabis programs are faring in other states and are continuing the process of working on legislation to create the best recreational marijuana program for New Jersey.”


RELATED STORY
New Jersey’s Primary Was a Huge Win for Legalization. Here’s Why


Delaware
Delaware has flirted with legalization for a while now. Could 2018 be the year?

“Delaware took one step closer to legalization last week with the first meeting of the Adult Use Cannabis Task Force,” said Zoë Patchell of the Cannabis Bureau of Delaware.

The group’s job?


RELATED STORY
Delaware Advocates Descend on Dover, Call for Legalization Now
“To recommend a model of legalization that would best fit Delaware,” Patchell told Leafly. “The conversation for cannabis legalization has officially moved from an ‘if’ to a ‘how’, and we are confident that, with continued pressure, Delaware will legalize in 2018.”

What does Delaware’s new task force look like?

“Cyn Ferguson, John Sybert, and Tom Donovan [all of whom support cannabis reform] were appointed by the governor,” Patchell explained. “They represent cannabis advocates on this 25-member panel comprised mostly of various state agencies and stakeholders. The report is due Jan. 31, at the end of the first month Delaware’s legislative session reconvenes.”



Rhode Island
Judging from the locals, it ain’t happening in Rhode Island—this year or next.

“Our laws will remain rooted in injustice and oppression in 2018,” Rhode Island legalization advocate Melissa Bouchard told Leafly. “Rhode Island won’t legalize cannabis until the small sector of hand-selected triple their money on their ‘medical’ dispensaries. Economies in neighboring states, like Massachusetts and Maine, will be supported by Rhode Island residents traveling across the border. Meanwhile, Rhode Island misses out on a huge opportunity by continuing to study this program. They are studying for a test they already failed.”


RELATED STORY
Rhode Island Lawmakers Pitch ‘Incremental Legalization’ Plan
Mike Falade, another long-time New England cannabis reformer, offered a similarly dim forecast. “Rhode Island will legalize as soon as they figure out how to get ALL of the growers money and not just MOST of the growers money,” he said.

 

[roots69]

Battling the racial roadblocks to joining the legalized cannabis industry
The lack of minority representation is especially fraught, given that research shows African Americans were disproportionately arrested and incarcerated during the war on drugs
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PUBLISHED: JUN 11, 2017, 12:09 AM • UPDATED: 3 MONTHS AGO

By Tracy Jan and Fenit Nirappil, The Washington Post

Darryl Hill, hailed for integrating college football in his youth half a century ago, was a successful entrepreneur with no criminal record and plenty of capital when he applied for a license to grow marijuana in Maryland — a perfect candidate, or so he thought, to enter a wide-open industry that was supposed to take racial diversity into account.

To his dismay, Hill was shut out on his first attempt. So were at least a dozen other African American applicants for Maryland licenses. They were not told why.

Now, Hill, who has a long history of helping minority firms get financing and federal contracts, has a new game plan for breaking into the industry — just as a number of jurisdictions are turning to address the yawning racial disparities in the legal marijuana business.

States generally do not track the race and ethnicity of license applicants, but industry analysts and researchers say that dispensaries and the more-profitable growing operations across the country are overwhelmingly dominated by white men.

The lack of minority representation is especially fraught, given that research shows African Americans were disproportionately arrested and incarcerated during the war on drugs. Now that marijuana is seen as a legitimate business, advocates argue that minorities should also reap the profits.

“Here’s a drug that for years has been the bane of the minority community, sending young people to jail by the boatloads,” Hill said. “Now, it could be a boon to these communities, but minorities have been left out.”

So the 73-year-old great-grandfather who was the first black football player at the University of Maryland sought an ally in his quest to help other minorities — and himself — break into the closed ranks of cannabis cultivation and sales.

Hill’s new business partner, Rhett Jordan, happens to be a groundbreaker in his own right. The 33-year-old Colorado industry pioneer, who is white, founded one of the largest legal marijuana operations in the nation.

“The way minorities get into the game is they need top management, technical expertise and money,” Hill said. “If Jordan is involved, there’s automatic respect and credibility when it comes to raising money.”

The marijuana trade, legal in some form in 29 states plus the District of Columbia, is one of the country’s fastest-growing industries. The $6.6 billion in medical and recreational marijuana sales in 2016 is expected to expand to $16 billion by 2020, according to New Frontier Data, a cannabis data analytics company headquartered in the District.

But African Americans seeking to go into business as growers or retailers face a host of hurdles, researchers say. Many states bar convicted drug felons from the industry, disproportionately hurting minorities because of historically higher conviction rates. Others have set high investment requirements. Some dole out licenses through appointed commissions that industry researchers say reward the politically connected, who by and large are wealthy and white.

“Marijuana legalization without racial justice risks being an extension of white privilege,” said Bill Piper, a lobbyist for Drug Policy Alliance, which advocates for drug policy reforms.

The disparities have become such a source of consternation for some lawmakers and industry leaders that more than half a dozen states and municipalities, including Oakland and the District, are taking steps to boost minorities in the competitive licensing process.

Hill and Jordan plan to test their new partnership in Pennsylvania, where they are applying for one of the state’s first marijuana licenses, to be issued in June.

Unlike in Maryland, those licenses will award points for diversity and community impact — potentially giving African American applicants like Hill an advantage.

“Maryland is a blueprint for Pennsylvania for what not to do. There should be additional efforts put in place to ensure that groups that have been marginalized could be a part of this brand new industry,” said Pennsylvania state Rep. Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia), chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus. “For years, people of color have been arrested and incarcerated for participating in this industry. The least we can do is to make sure they are included now that we want to make it legal.”

Hill and Jordan say they plan to lobby other state legislatures for inclusive regulations like Pennsylvania’s and to act as consultants or active business partners for other minority entrepreneurs.

They also hope to start a marijuana training academy in southwest Philadelphia to help minorities from Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania acquire the technical cultivation, extraction and retail skills to apply for their own licenses.

Jordan, who is expected to hold around a 15 percent interest in Hill’s dispensary, said he saw an opportunity to expand his potential customer base by increasing the diversity of growers and dispensary owners.

“Ultimately, old or young, black or white, it’s an entrepreneur’s game,” said Jordan, who got his start by growing marijuana in his Denver basement and opened his first dispensary in 2010. “Cannabis only knows green.”

Colorado, one of the earliest states to legalize marijuana, has nearly 1,000 dispensary licenses and nearly 1,500 cultivation licenses. African Americans make up less than a handful of license holders, according to cannabis entrepreneurs in the state.

Wanda James, a former Navy lieutenant who says she’s one of the few black growers and dispensary owners in Colorado, blames regulations barring those convicted of drug crimes from owning, and working in, a dispensary or cultivation center.

“In Colorado, if you sell 10 pounds of cannabis today, you probably get written up in Forbes about what a great businessperson you are, but if a young black man sells a dime bag on a street corner in Alabama, he’s probably going to jail for 10 years,” she said.

A black person is nearly four times more likely than a white person to be arrested for marijuana possession, even though the two groups use marijuana at similar rates, according to a 2013 American Civil Liberties Union report that examined arrests in every state using a decade’s worth of FBI crime data.

James’s brother was arrested at 19 for possessing 4.5 ounces of marijuana. He spent 10 years in the criminal justice system, including four and a half years picking cotton in Texas, where he was incarcerated, followed by probation. He moved to Colorado to work as James’s grower in 2009, but she said she had to fire him after a new state law forbade drug felons from working in the industry.

“In America right now, your Zip code determines whether you are a felon or a millionaire,” she said.

 

[roots69]

In its new report on the U.S. marijuana market, New Frontier Data is projecting a 25 percent compound annual growth rate for recreational marijuana through 2025. Pictured: General Manager Laura Raab laughs while weighing marijuana for a customer at Green Tree Medicinals in Boulder. (Jeremy Papasso, Daily Camera)
Report: America’s marijuana industry headed for $24 billion by 2025
Along with anticipated multibillion-dollar markets in a number of states, analytics firm New Frontier projects 255,000 jobs by 2019 for the cannabis industry


PUBLISHED: FEB 22, 2017, 6:00 AM • UPDATED: 7 MONTHS AGO

By Alicia Wallace, The Cannabist Staff

The latest gaze into the crystal ball puts the U.S. marijuana industry north of $24 billion by 2025.

New Frontier Data, a cannabis market research and analytics firm, gave The Cannabist a first look at its 2017 annual report, which aims to track the long-term potential for the industry. The report acknowledges external factors such as federal rescheduling or a full-scale crackdown could shake up the near-term.

By mapping out state-by-state sales to $24.5 billion in 2025 and projecting that cannabis industry employment could top 255,000 jobs within three years, New Frontier hopes to show that cannabis is not “just a flash in the pan,” said John Kagia, the firm’s executive vice president of industry analytics.

“It’s very hard to look at both the numbers and associated economic dynamics and envision that this genie could be put back in the bottle,” he said.

More on recreational marijuana sales

• 
  

Such prognostication should be approached with a fair share of caution, some industry analysts and economists have said.

This nascent industry is jam packed with unique factors, including varying regulations, disparate markets and lacking longitudinal data. So making predictions for eight months out, let alone eight years out, is a daunting — if not impossible — exercise, said Andrew Livingston, director of economics and research for cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg LLC.

Livingston noted two quick calculations he made for Colorado sales in 2017: one using a linear extrapolation of sales data going back to 2014 and the other using average year-over-year growth rates. The resulting numbers of $1.618 billion and $1.783 billion, respectively, were about $165 million apart.

“This is a fast-paced, changing market with varying different dynamics that have more to do based on governmental and regulatory dynamics than they do on consumer dynamics,” Livingston said.

New Frontier’s eye on 2025
According to New Frontier, its researchers considered numerous elements in making their projections, including: changes in regulations, qualifying conditions for medical programs, what types of products are allowed, rates of illicit use prior to adoption of new laws, demographic trends, population growth, tourism levels and medical marijuana patient populations, among others, Kagia said. Researchers also obtained state-level data via public-records requests to examine patient numbers and cannabis business income statements.

Neither the report nor Kagia disclosed the formulas used or the weight ascribed to certain inputs.

“We realize this is such a dynamic environment that even minor changes do have substantive (effects),” he said.

Source: New Frontier Data, graphic by The Cannabist
By 2025, New Frontier estimates that the more than two-dozen states with medical marijuana programs, and the nine recreational marijuana markets (including Washington, D.C.) should be fully operational, with the goliath California accounting for more than $6.59 billion — more than one-quarter — of the national sales.

Colorado, the first state with legalized adult-use cannabis sales, is projected to reach $1.94 billion in medical and recreational sales by 2025, placing it fourth behind California, Florida’s medical-only market ($2.51 billion), and Washington state ($2.14 billion).

Colorado marijuana shops had roughly $1.3 billion in sales for 2016, according to The Cannabist’s calculations of Colorado Department of Revenue tax data.

New Frontier’s eye on ’25 shows that some of the newly recreational states will see some negative pressure put on medical sales; however, medical marijuana sales will continue to account for more than half of the $24.5 billion market.

Source: New Frontier Data, graphic by The Cannabist
New Frontier’s tabulations have medical marijuana sales increasing at a 13 percent compound annual growth rate to $13.3 billion in 2025. Recreational marijuana is projected to grow faster — at a 25 percent compound annual growth rate — to $11.2 billion, according to New Frontier.

New Frontier also estimated that by 2019, the marijuana industry could be responsible for 255,000 direct and indirect jobs. The firm based its calculations on a 2016 Marijuana Policy Group report about the marijuana industry’s economic impact on Colorado.

Words of caution
Officials with the Marijuana Policy Group have been critical of research methodology used to quantify the marijuana industry.

“In general, almost all of those quick-and-dirty national estimates come from back-of-the-envelope calculations, and they are wrong by a factor of 2x or more,” MPG economist Miles Light wrote in an e-mail to The Cannabist. “For example, if you use the sales in Colorado, and then try to extrapolate those sales rates to (Los Angeles) County, you will be 2x too high. This is because L.A. County has many minorities (eg., Vietnamese, Indians, Iranians, etc.). The prevalence of drug use is much, much lower among those minorities, leading to a lower overall sales rate.”

MPG, in its Colorado economic impact report, claimed that the long-term forecasts made by New Frontier and others in 2016 “grossly overestimate” potential sales.

MPG officials, in subsequent interviews following that report’s release, also expressed concern about New Frontier’s backing by venture capital firm Phyto Partners, which is investing in the cannabis industry.

New Frontier has walked back some of its past projections. The U.S. forecast for 2020 — revised downward to $20.6 billion from $22.7 billion in September 2016 — and was lowered to $16.4 billion in the 2017 annual report.

New Frontier’s report from last fall also pinned California as a $6.5 billion market in 2020. The Golden State’s projections now are at $5.6 billion for 2020 and $6.5 billion in 2025.

Vicente Sederberg’s Livingston, when speaking generally about long-term sales projections in the marijuana industry, said he feels there is “little benefit.”

“It gives you a false number that people tend to rely on for their business decisions,” Livingston said. “They tend to focus less on what are the actual dynamics and variables which are changing the markets in the current and near-term.”

‘Could be substantially larger’
Kagia attributed the adjustments made by New Frontier on the 2020 national forecast to medical markets such as Maryland, Ohio and New York not deploying smoothly; an expansion of the inputs going into New Frontier’s modeling software; and the presence of more data.

Kagia also adamantly noted that his team’s research is conducted independently of Phyto Partners.

“We feel this is an even more precise model,” Kagia said, making a comparison of narrowing a spotlight to a laser point. He went on to add, “We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact we’re only three years into the first legal state experiment.”

And, to Kagia, the latest forecast is conservative.

New Frontier’s 2017 forecast is based on the states with medical or recreational marijuana in the form in which they are currently legal.

The forecast does not include states that could adopt legalization laws between now and 2025, or if there’s a breakthrough in research that triggers a major shift in medical marijuana policy, or the ripple effect from a nation legalizing marijuana, Kagia said.

“It’s not hard to imagine that the total cannabis industry could be substantially larger than even our conservative projections,” he said.

Larry Schnurmacher, managing partner of Phyto Partners, said his company had no involvement in New Frontier’s report, and told The Cannabist via e-mail that he sees a “tremendous” future in cannabis.

“Much of the industry ‘commerce’ is not even accounted for as most numbers reflect end-user retail sales,” Schnurmacher said. He noted the marijuana and hemp industry ties to mainstream sectors such as technology; commercial agriculture as well as home and garden centers; business management; research and development; and capital goods and machinery, among others.

“None of the numbers or the data currently available reflect billions of dollars in revenue, which will be added to GDP due to the growth and proliferation of the cannabis economy,” he said.

Which states will become the leading markets?
Using data provided by New Frontier, here are the top 10 states for 2016, 2020 and 2025.
*-medical and recreational sales combined

Top 10 states 2016
1. California* $2,692,065,315
2. Washington* $1,431,339,093
3. Colorado* $1,338,849,929
4. Oregon* $571,173,228
5. Michigan $499,799,333
6. Arizona $280,997,946
7. Washington $66,586,183
8. Maine $55,892,973
9. Nevada $53,077,864
10. Massachusetts $52,170,894


Top 10 states 2020 – projected
1. California* $5,619,731,479
2. Washington* $1,975,339,960
3. Colorado* $1,762,965,533
4. Massachusetts* $1,015,456,862
5. Oregon* $953,802,240
6. Michigan $755,703,329
7. Florida $726,743,500
8. Arizona $717,234,510
9. Nevada* $587,210,437
10. Maine* $321,350,405


Top 10 states 2025 – projected
1. California* $6,594,701,350
2. Florida $2,508,155,461
3. Washington* $2,139,542,314
4. Colorado* $1,939,246,355
5. Massachusetts* $1,367,650,077
6. Ohio $1,346,915,390
7. Pennsylvania $1,245,908,958
8. Oregon* $1,035,119,310
9. Michigan $883,905,635
10. Arizona $881,893,787

 

[Jism]

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[roots69]

Since 2002, regular marijuana use among Americans age 45 to 54 has jumped by nearly 50 percent. Among those ages 55 to 64, it’s jumped by a whopping 455 percent. Pictured: A customer checks the aroma of a sample at Canna Care, a medical marijuana dispensary in Sacramento, Calif., on Aug. 19, 2015. (Rich Pedroncelli, The Associated Press)
Middle-aged parents now more likely to be using marijuana than their teen kids
Is that weed I smell, Mom? CDC report shows regular marijuana use among Americans age 35-44 has surpassed that of teens for first time since at least 2002



PUBLISHED: SEP 2, 2016, 12:41 PM • UPDATED: SEP 2, 2016, 5:05 PM

By Christopher Ingraham, The Washington Post

Smoking weed is often seen as an indulgence reserved for the young and the reckless: kids get high, in the popular imagination, but by and large their parents don’t.

But new federal data show a stunning reversal of that age-old stereotype. Middle-aged Americans are now slightly more likely to use marijuana than their teenage children.

The research, released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that only 7.4 percent of Americans aged 12 to 17 years old smoked marijuana regularly in 2014, a 10 percent decline since 2002. But 8 percent of 35 to 44 year olds used marijuana regularly in 2014, surpassing use among teens for the first time since at least 2002. (Survey data prior to that year aren’t directly comparable, as the methodology changed.)

And it’s not just middle-aged folkswho are indulging more often. Since 2002, regular marijuana use among Americans age 45 to 54 has jumped by nearly 50 percent. Among those ages 55 to 64, it’s jumped by a whopping 455 percent (no, that’s not a typo).



And among seniors, age 65+, monthly marijuana use is up 333 percent since 2002.



“During the last 13 years, marijuana use (i.e., past-month marijuana use) has steadily increased in the United States, particularly among people aged 26 years or older,” said report author Alejandro Azofeifa in an email. “Older groups had a significant increase of marijuana use in the past month.”

To put it another way: If trends continue like this, marijuana use among 50- and even 60-somethings could be higher than use among teens in a few years.

Much of the debate around marijuana legalization focuses onthe drug’s potentially negative effects on teens: “what about the children?” as the common refrain goes. This makes a certain amount of sense, since the still-developing minds of adolescents and young adults are most susceptible to the potential long-term harms of heavy marijuana use.But the federal survey numbers on marijuana use suggest that voters considering whether to legalize pot should be asking themselves a different question: “what about grandpa?”

There are several factors that could explain rising marijuana use rates among the middle-age-and-up crowd. The first is the growing prevalence of medical marijuana, which is now allowed in 25 states and D.C. Older Americans are increasingly turning to medical pot to treat some of the common ailments of old age, like sleeplessness, aches and arthritis pain (here’s looking at you, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R.-Ca.)).

Research shows, for instance, that Medicare prescriptions for a number of common drug types — painkillers chief among them — are falling in states that allow medical marijuana. This suggests that a significant number of seniors in those states are opting for pot over more traditional medications.

Another explanation: Aging Boomers seem to be taking advantage of loosening restrictions on marijuana use — particularly in states where the drug is fully legalized — to relive some of the recreational indulgences of their youth.

National survey data bears this out: the Boomer generation were big supporters of legalization in the 1970s. But as they got jobs, had kids and settled down in the 1980s, their support for legalization plummeted. It began to rebound in the 1990s, and as of 2013, half of Boomers supported legalization.

give weed another chance. Roughly one quarter of marijuana purchasers in Washington state, for instance, are over the age of 40.

So while supporters and opponents of marijuana legalization in California and elsewhere tussle over the impacts of legalization on children, these numbers suggest that legalization would bring the biggest changes to the lives of kids’ parents — and their grandparents, too.

 

[roots69]

The tanking numbers for painkiller prescriptions in medical marijuana states are likely to cause some concern among pharmaceutical companies. Pictured: A jar of medical marijuana is on display at Colorado dispensary Herb's Medicinals in February 2012. (AAron Ontiveroz, Denver Post file)
Fact: Pharma companies are fighting legal marijuana. This chart shows why
The typical physician in a medical-marijuana state prescribed 1,826 fewer doses of painkillers in a given year



PUBLISHED: JUL 14, 2016, 9:49 AM • UPDATED: JUL 14, 2016, 5:57 PM

By Christopher Ingraham, The Washington Post

There’s a body of research showing that painkiller abuse and overdose are lower in states with medical marijuana laws. These studies have generally assumed that when medical marijuana is available, pain patients are increasingly choosing pot over powerful and deadly prescription narcotics. But that’s always been just an assumption.

Now a new study, released in the journal Health Affairs, validates these findings by providing clear evidence of a missing link in the causal chain running from medical marijuana to falling overdoses. Ashley and W. David Bradford, a daughter-father pair of researchers at the University of Georgia, scoured the database of all prescription drugs paid for under Medicare Part D from 2010 to 2013.

They found that, in the 17 states with a medical-marijuana law in place by 2013, prescriptions for painkillers and other classes of drugs fell sharply compared with states that did not have a medical-marijuana law. The drops were quite significant: In medical-marijuana states, the average doctor prescribed 265 fewer doses of antidepressants each year, 486 fewer doses of seizure medication, 541 fewer anti-nausea doses and 562 fewer doses of anti-anxiety medication.

But most strikingly, the typical physician in a medical-marijuana state prescribed 1,826 fewer doses of painkillers in a given year.

In a news release, lead author Ashley Bradford wrote, “The results suggest people are really using marijuana as medicine and not just using it for recreational purposes.”


One interesting wrinkle in the data is glaucoma, for which there was a small increase in demand for traditional drugs in medical-marijuana states. It’s routinely listed as an approved condition under medical-marijuana laws, and studies have shown that marijuana provides some degree of temporary relief for its symptoms.

The Bradfords hypothesize that the short duration of the glaucoma relief provided by marijuana — roughly an hour or so — may actually stimulate more demand in traditional glaucoma medications. Glaucoma patients may experience some short-term relief from marijuana, which may prompt them to seek other, robust treatment options from their doctors.

The tanking numbers for painkiller prescriptions in medical marijuana states are likely to cause some concern among pharmaceutical companies. These companies have long been at the forefront of opposition to marijuana reform, funding research by anti-pot academics and funneling dollars to groups, such as the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, that oppose marijuana legalization.

Pharmaceutical companies have also lobbied federal agencies directly to prevent the liberalization of marijuana laws. In one case, recently uncovered by the office of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the Department of Health and Human Services recommended that naturally derived THC, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, be moved from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act — a less restrictive category that would acknowledge the drug’s medical use and make it easier to research and prescribe. Several months after HHS submitted its recommendation, at least one drug company that manufactures a synthetic version of THC — which would presumably have to compete with any natural derivatives — wrote to the Drug Enforcement Administration to express opposition to rescheduling natural THC, citing “the abuse potential in terms of the need to grow and cultivate substantial crops of marijuana in the United States.”

The DEA ultimately rejected the HHS recommendation without explanation.

In what may be the most concerning finding for the pharmaceutical industry, the Bradfords took their analysis a step further by estimating the cost savings to Medicare from the decreased prescribing. They found that about $165 million was saved in the 17 medical marijuana states in 2013. In a back-of-the-envelope calculation, the estimated annual Medicare prescription savings would be nearly half a billion dollars if all 50 states were to implement similar programs.

“That amount would have represented just under 0.5 percent of all Medicare Part D spending in 2013,” they calculate.

Cost-savings alone are not a sufficient justification for implementing a medical-marijuana program. The bottom line is better health, and the Bradfords’ research shows promising evidence that medical-marijuana users are finding plant-based relief for conditions that otherwise would have required a pill to treat.

“Our findings and existing clinical literature imply that patients respond to medical marijuana legislation as if there are clinical benefits to the drug, which adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that the Schedule 1 status of marijuana is outdated,” the study concludes.

One limitation of the study is that it only looks at Medicare Part D spending, which applies only to seniors. Previous studies have shown that seniors are among the most reluctant medical-marijuana users, so the net effect of medical marijuana for all prescription patients may be even greater.

The Bradfords will next look at whether similar patterns hold for Medicaid.

 

[roots69]

Ella Fitzgerald at 100: Her role in the era of “jazz cigarettes”


PUBLISHED: JUN 15, 2017, 7:01 AM • UPDATED: 3 MONTHS AGO
By Adam Gustafson, The Conversation

Editor’s note: Singer Ella Fitzgerald died 21 years ago today. This story originally published on The Conversation on April 19, 2017.

“The First Lady of Song” Ella Fitzgerald would have turned 100 on Tuesday, April 25: institutions from the Library of Congress to the Grammy Museum honored her amazing contributions to the jazz canon.

It will be interesting to see if any tributes mention Fitzgerald’s “Wacky Dust,” her song about cocaine.

In the 1930s – just as Fitzgerald was getting her start – jazz was under fire for its purported ties to drug culture. The 1936 anti-drug film “Reefer Madness” featured party scenes of young people listening to jazz and ragtime while smoking marijuana. A year later, Harry Anslinger, the commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, published “Marijuana, Assassin of Youth,” which pinned the use of drugs on a culture of unscrupulous partying – with big band jazz as its soundtrack.

In this climate, an ascendant singer named Ella Fitzgerald sought to take the opposite tack and cultivated a reputation as the “girl next door.” Fitzgerald walked the fine line between being understood as a jazz artist and an entertainer. Two recordings from the beginning of her career signal this tension. “A-Tisket, a-Tasket” and “Wacky Dust” were both released in 1938. One tune would go on to become a signature hit. The other would be largely forgotten, a side note to an otherwise squeaky-clean career.

A dressed-up nursery rhyme?
By 1938, Fitzgerald had established herself as the primary vocalist for Chick Webb’s orchestra at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom. Under Webb, Fitzgerald began recording for Decca Records and in May 1938, Decca released Fitzgerald’s first major hit, “A-Tisket, a-Tasket.”

It was a song that perfectly encapsulates Fitzgerald’s girl-next-door image. It opens with Webb leading the orchestra through a stock series of simple chord changes. When Fitzgerald enters, listeners are treated to a reworked nursery rhyme that asks little of them other than to sit back and enjoy. There is no moral value, no hint of the singer’s inner life and no mention of drug use.

In fact, “A-Tisket, a-Tasket” is barely jazz. As with Benny Goodman and so many other bandleaders in the late 1930s, Webb and Fitzgerald seem more interested in creating a pop tune that fit the 78 RPM format than in staying true to their genre. Yet it became so popular that she and Webb recorded a follow-up track, “I Found My Yellow Basket,” that same year.

But then – just a few months after “A-Tisket, a-Tasket” – Webb and Fitzgerald recorded “Wacky Dust,” a song about the allure and dangers of cocaine use.

Ella’s reefer song
How Fitzgerald moved from a nursery rhyme to a song about cocaine says more about jazz culture than it does Fitzgerald’s own tastes. And while songs about drugs were common in jazz, “Wacky Dust” put Fitzgerald in the awkward position of recording a song that ran contrary to the image that she was trying to cultivate.

The release of “Wacky Dust” coincided with a massive shift in cultural opinion taking place in the U.S. about the use of drugs like cocaine and marijuana. Once a relatively uncontroversial social issue, drug use in the 1930s increasingly came to be seen as a societal ill that was especially (and incorrectly) tied to African-Americans and jazz musicians. Even sympathetic artists couldn’t help but buy into the stereotype. George Gershwin’s operatic adaptation of DuBose Heyward’s novel “Porgy,” for example, was revolutionary for its diverse cast, but the story, written and adapted by two men of European descent, reinforced the popular perception of prevalent drug use among African-Americans.

Jazz artists in the early 1930s didn’t do much to help this view. Just as big band jazz was coming to dominate the music scene, two of the era’s biggest names released songs with direct references to drug use.

In 1933, Cab Calloway’s “Reefer Man” was used in the film “International House.” A year later, Benny Goodman released “Texas Tea Party,” a reference to both marijuana and to the trombonist on the recording, Jack Teagarden. These were not subtle works, and most jazz artists of the era produced what have since become known as “reefer songs.” Even Louis Armstrong – who, like Fitzgerald, cultivated a rather benign image – was arrested for smoking marijuana and recorded several tunes that allude to drug use.

So when “Wacky Dust” was released, the idea of one of the great New York City house bands recording a jazz tune about drugs wasn’t all that surprising. (Fitzgerald and Webb had experimented with a similar subject a couple of years earlier with the release of “When I Get Low I Get High.”)

Like “A-Tisket, a-Tasket,” Wacky Dust opens with Webb’s orchestra. Fitzgerald doesn’t enter until nearly one-third of the way through the song. The first verse aligns cocaine with jazz and describes how easy it is for musicians to access the drug. The second verse and bridge section describe its wonders, but the final verse takes a turn, with Fitzgerald warning that the drug can’t be trusted and might kill you.

While “A-Tisket, a-Tasket” went on to become one of Fitzgerald’s signature pieces, “Wacky Dust” has faded into relative obscurity outside of specialty albums that feature songs about drug culture. And this makes sense. Fitzgerald was extremely careful about her image, and “Wacky Dust” didn’t fit. In fact, after “Wacky Dust,” Fitzgerald moved entirely away from songs that alluded to drugs.

By the 1950s, she had embarked on a recording career that displayed an unrivaled musicianship and joy for singing. Nonetheless, one has to wonder what her career would have looked like had “Wacky Dust” been the hit of 1938, rather than “A-Tisket, a-Tasket.”

 

[roots69]

WHY INDUSTRIAL HEMP COULD PROVE A LARGER ECONOMIC DRIVER THAN MARIJUANA
By Javier Hasse September 11, 2017

PHOTO BY JAVIER HASSE

Photo by Javier Hasse.

This article was originally published on Benzinga, and adapted exclusively for HIGH TIMES.

Industrial hemp is set to be a huge economic driver in the not-so-distant future, even more so than medical cannabis or even recreational marijuana, Cynthia Salarizadeh told Benzinga during a recent conversation—while discussing Salar Media Group and Civilized Media Group’s recent Cannabis Trend Report.

“It’s amazing we’re so far into marijuana legalization, and people are still not focusing on hemp as much as I would have hoped,” she said.

This was not the first time someone mentioned this while chatting with Benzinga; back in May, Leslie Bocskor, investment banker and president of cannabis advisory firm Electrum Partners, explained why hemp could be the future of plastics. But, according to Salarizadeh, there’s much more to hemp than just plastics.

Let’s start with the backstory.

A few years ago, Salarizadeh graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Her senior thesis was focused on big oil. During the process, she became increasingly disenchanted, as she discovered that reducing our dependency on petrochemicals and fossil fuels did not seem very likely in the foreseeable future, considering the vested interests and “the way things are built to run.”

As she got interested in hemp, she found out that the material could be used not only to make plastics, but also oils, fuels, fabrics, paper… you name it.

“Uses for hemp are vast and impressive, and unfortunately under-recognized,” she said.

“My work [PR] is to help highlight the positives of marijuana so that, as people are considering what their opinion is on moving forward with cannabis legislation, they understand that ‘Reefer Madness’ was nothing more than a PR campaign to help advance certain interests [in detriment of cannabis and its benefits],” she explained.

But, while it is easier to captivate hearts and minds with stories about medical cannabis treating epilepsy and other grave ailments like Alzheimer’s, or even addiction to Rx drugs and alcohol, for Salarizadeh, “what will change the world, out of the cannabis plant, is industrial hemp. Period.”

“What industrial hemp can do and will do is significant,” she said. “The fact that hemp remains largely illegal in the United States and that we still do not have but a few processing plants that are functioning here is just shocking; it’s bizarre. What it will require is exposure in the media so that we can get investments into the space. Hopefully people will start to do that soon. Industrial hemp needs capital.”

Derek Riedle of Civilized Media expressed much of the same sentiment, stating, “If more media attention is directed toward the potential of industrial hemp for economic and sustainability purposes, regulations will have an easier time passing and serious investment will begin to commence.”

Another interesting thing about hemp is that it’s carbon negative.

In plain English, this means that the plant per se, like any other plant, pulls carbon out of the air, and that the products made with it, like plastic, can then be discarded into a landfill, returning carbon to the soil—anecdotal data and initial research have suggested.

In this line, Salarizadeh pointed out that hemp cultivation can also improve the quality of the soil.

“Every time you have a full-season crop, the soil gets ‘tired,’ nutrients get sucked out. One of the major things we know that actually reignites all those nutrients and replenishes them is hemp,” she explained. “So, even if that was the only feature of industrial hemp [which it is not], it’s a very important feature for agriculture.”

To further back her statement, Salarizadeh pointed to a recent Ministry of Hemp article, which explains that this process of “using living things to heal the soil, allowing us to clean and reclaim some of these polluted lands” is called bioremediation.

“While bacteria and other microorganisms can be used, phytoremediation, from the Greek word for plant, relies on crops like hemp,” the note’s author, Kit O’Connell, added.

“[Hemp] can also be used to clean up metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and toxins leaching from landfills,” O’Connell said.

Beyond the sustainability implications related to the hemp plant, and its carbon-negative attributes, hemp cultivation is pretty eco-friendly. As a Recreator post argues, the plant needs “half the amount of land per ton of finished textile compared to cotton, and farmers can grow without the need for herbicides.”

This might not seem like that big of a deal, but it is.

According to World Bank data, the production of textiles accounts for more than 20 percent of water pollution on a global scale, with the production of a single cotton T-shirt using roughly 700 gallons of water and about half a pound of chemicals.

“At this time, the world as a whole urgently needs a replacement for the fossil fuel industry and the harmful environmental effects of crops including GMO soy, sunflower and cotton,” David Neisingh, founder of the hemp and CBD company Reakiro Labs, told Benzinga.

In his opinion, while it is true that there are technological options to remedy this situation, “the only true solution should be an all-natural and organic one.”

“If we go with industrial hemp, we would be replacing [fossil fuel and chemicals] with a solution that will solve significant environmental and socio-economic issues that are facing humanity now,” he added.

The praise of hemp can go on forever.

Its production not only generates no waste and no bi-products, while benefiting the soil, but it also requires no harmful pesticides. In addition, hemp is drought resistant. Furthermore, hemp can be used to make more than 50,000 products, ranging from food and cellulose to chemicals and fuels.

Other hemp-related topics and facts:

• High levels of Omega 3,6 and 9 are found in hemp seeds, compared to olive or sunflower.
• The complete protein derived from hemp is believed to be superior to that obtained from whey, soy or sunflower.
• The super-strong plant fiber found in hemp has been used to make rope, sailcloth and textiles for thousands of years.
• The inner core of the hemp stalk is a very porous cellulose material that produces excellent bedding, absorptive and building materials—including a type of concrete that, according to Hempire UA founder Sergiy Kovalenkov, creates a much healthier and safer living environment than commonly used building materials. “This product is unique in that, during earthquakes, the structures built from it will not crack and the buildings are three times more resistant to damage than regular concrete,” he said. “It also requires less energy to produce.”

Finally, we wanted to go into hemp’s market potential.

In the “State of Hemp 2017” market report, the Hemp Business Journal estimated that the total retail value of all hemp products sold in the U.S. over 2016 hit at least $688 million. As per their estimates, the entire U.S. hemp industry could grow to $1.8 billion in sales by 2020, largely driven by hemp foods, body care and CBD-based products.

“The data demonstrates clearly that despite hemp remaining heavily restricted throughout the U.S., the industry is still growing quickly at 22 percent five-year CAGR, and being led by food and body care products, with hemp CBD products showing a 63 percent AGR in 2016 and an estimated 38 percent AGR in 2017,” Sean Murphy, founder and publisher of the Hemp Business Journal, said during a recent conversation.

Murphy also had the courtesy to share with Benzinga a sneak peek into its mid-year update to the annual CBD Report.

The latest research shows the hemp CBD sector is by far the hottest category in the industrial hemp industry with total “hemp-derived” CBD sales projected to reach $395 million by 2020, he explained.

“It’s important folks understand the difference between hemp-derived and marijuana-derived CBD, and how there are different supply chains between these parallel CBD markets,” he said. “The total U.S. CBD industry did $264 million in sales in 2016, and we estimate it will grow to $1.16 billion by 2020 across combined hemp-derived, marijuana-derived and pharmaceutical sales.”

“Hemp has been utilized for thousands of years,” Murphy continued. “Once it becomes common throughout the world once again, the numbers that will reflect the industry will rival any that are seen as market leaders today. There will be a time in the near future where Wall Street will trade hemp as a staple in their portfolios, and the sooner the better.”

“The global potential for industrial hemp as a commodity is lucrative,” he added. “It is now time for the media to pay attention in order to speed up the process of building out the infrastructure to meet it. This will provide a more sustainable future once it is in place.”

 

[roots69]

HOW CHINA QUIETLY BECAME A LEGAL HEMP POWERHOUSE


By Rachelle Gordon August 31, 2017




When thinking of the booming legal cannabis industry, the majority of analysts are following the developments in the United States, Canada and Israel. It makes sense, since these world superpowers are already bringing in billions of dollars annually on both medical and recreational pot.

But there is another cannabis powerhouse quietly developing that you may not expect—China.

According to a recent report from the South China Morning Post, a small number of Chinese provinces, including Heilongjiang, near the Russian border, and Yunnan to the south, now make up nearly half of the world’s legal hemp cultivation.

The news is surprising, considering the hard-line approach of the Chinese government on cannabis (getting busted with more than five kilos could get you the death penalty). However, authorities have long turned a blind eye to farmers in these regions who have been growing industrial hemp for decades.

The crops are extremely valuable, fetching around 10,000 yuan ($1,500) per hectare, which is far more than other traditional crops. Hemp is also easy to grow, thrives in many climates and needs little pesticides; the plant is used to make everything from cooking to medication to textiles. Government officials eventually began to regulate hemp production in the provinces where they are most prevalent due to the plant’s viability.

The boom in the number of farmers beginning to cultivate cannabis has been attributed to China’s research and development of the plant, something that began in the late 1970s when the country went to war with Vietnam. At the time, the government was interested in the potential hemp had as a breathable, antimicrobial fabric for military uniforms, as well as its potential medical benefits.

After this extensive research, China now holds more than half of the over 600 cannabis-related patents in the world.

In another shift, the People’s Liberation Army recently teamed with Beijing-based Hemp Investment Group to develop a drug used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The drug is currently in its final clinical stages and could soon boost China’s prominence in the so-called “Green Rush.”

Tan Xin, president of Hemp Investment Group, believes that cannabis will “grow into a 100 billion yuan industry for China in five years’ time.”

The company already has offices in the U.S. and plans to expand to Canada, Japan, Israel and parts of Europe soon. Some analysts believe that China may be equipped to take advantage of its broad range of IP on cannabis products, while the West continues their R&D and legalization efforts.

“Because cannabis in Western medicine is becoming accepted, the predominance of Chinese patents suggests that pharmaceutical sciences are evolving quickly in China, outpacing Western capabilities,” said Dr. Luc Duchesne, of InvestorIntel. “[Chinese traditional medicine] is poised to take advantage of a growing trend. The writing’s on the wall: westernized Chinese traditional medicine is coming to a dispensary near you.”

 

[roots69]

HOW TO SPOT A POT STOCK SCAM


By Jeff Siegel August 01, 2017




Photo by Vortex Farmacy.

The legal cannabis market is booming.

No matter how you slice it, nothing is growing faster and nothing is more lucrative.

In fact, last year, sales from the North American cannabis industry came in around $6.7 billion. By 2021, they are expected to exceed $20 billion. That’s a compound annual growth rate of about 25 percent. That’s bigger and faster than what we saw back in the dot-com days. And it’s bigger than anything else you can get into today.

But with this tremendous growth and opportunity comes the inevitable conga line of hustlers and shady stock promoters.

Now that hundreds of investors have become millionaires by investing in the cannabis space, everybody wants a piece of the action. And with good reason.

I’ve certainly made a small fortune by investing in this space. That being said, most of the cannabis stocks you can buy today are complete dogs.

Solid Cannabis Stocks

There are a number of solid cannabis stocks, including Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED), Aphria, Inc. (TSX: APH) and GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH). All three of these stocks have made early investors a lot of money.

But for every one of these legitimate players, there are dozens of others that are nothing more than empty promises and pump & dumps.

Now, for the sake of clarification, pump & dumps are not exclusive to the cannabis industry. But because this industry is still so new, it has become fertile ground for pot stock scams.

How to Spot a Pot Stock Scam

I’ve been investing in the legal cannabis space for about three years now. And my track record is very impressive. To date, I’m sitting on five gains in excess of 300 percent.

But I’m not telling you this to brag. I’m telling you this because in order to find these winners, I had to sift through hundreds of pot stock scams.

In fact, there are so many pot stock scams out there that I decided to write this piece today to help you identify the markings of a pot stock scam.

If you’re looking to invest in the legal cannabis space, here are few warning signs of a scam…

1. Owners have made little to no personal investment into the company.
2. Management won’t respond to emails or phone calls.
3. The company spends more time pumping out press releases than actually building its business.
4. Companies involved in growing or selling the plant haven’t applied for the proper permits and licenses to legally operate in their respective states or provinces.
5. You read about a particular pot stock that’s “going to crush it” in a note written by a stock promoter who’s been paid a hefty sum to promote that particular stock.

How to Spot a Pot Stock Winner

Because the industry is still very young and still operating illegally in the eyes of the U.S. government, there is a considerable amount of risk for investors. So if you can’t stomach the risk, stick to buying mutual funds, blue chips and CDs. You won’t make much—you will probably not even make enough to keep up with inflation—but your risk level will be considerably lower than if you invest in the cannabis market.

That being said, if you’re looking to make some real money and you can stomach the risk, there is no greater investment opportunity than the cannabis market. As long as you know how to spot a winner.

Here are a few things I look for when investigating a potential investment opportunity in the cannabis space.

1. Owners have made considerable personal investments into the company.
2. Management is quick to respond to questions and concerns.
3. If the company is a grower or seller, it is either fully licensed or well on its way to becoming fully licensed.
4. The company does not spend money to hire shady stock promoters.
5. The company is well capitalized and has enough cash in its war chest to operate successfully in what has become an incredibly competitive market.
6. Management is morally and ethically invested in the end of cannabis prohibition. I don’t trust any cannabis company that’s run by folks who are not legalization advocates.

The bottom line is if you want to profit from the legal cannabis boom, you must be well informed and know exactly how to separate the winners from the scams.Because while you can make a lot of money in the cannabis game, if you’re not careful, you could lose a lot, too.

Fortune does favor the bold, but the bold must be enlightened.Follow me on Twitter @jeffsiegel, where I try to enlighten cannabis investors every day.

 

[Helico-pterFunk]

Good thread and information.

 

[roots69]

WHAT IS WEED SAUCE?


By Ab Hanna September 20, 2017




Weed sauce, better known as terp sauce or just “sauce,” is a new popular form of cannabis concentrate. Live resin has been rising in popularity in recent years because of the strong aroma and flavor granted by a high terpene content. However, “sauce” is taking the spotlight with terpene contents on another level. There’s no better smell than popping the lid off of a mason jar filled with weed sauce.

Is it worth the hype? We’ll go over everything you need to know to become a sauce boss.

FULL SPECTRUM EXTRACTS


Sauce comes from full spectrum extracts so you should know what they are before we go any further.

Dr. Daniel Hayden, plant molecular biologist, coined the term “full spectrum extract” in January 2016. He defines it as “an extract containing the full range of potentially therapeutic biomolecules from the cannabis trichome without the non-therapeutic molecules (waxes, lipids, fats). It’s another way to remove the unwanted waxes, lipids and fats, which are harsher on the lungs.

The traditional ways of accomplishing this are called de-waxing and winterizing.

For a while, extract artists were focused on targeting individual cannabinoids like THC because it is the main medical component. However, research has shown cannabinoids works together with terpenes to create new medical benefits. That’s what sparked an interest in full spectrum extracts like weed sauce. The makers of full spectrum extracts aim to preserve the entire scope of molecules available in the trichome. That’s where all the good stuff, like cannabinoids and terpenes, is found.

TWO MUCH SAUCE
The truth is there are two things that come together to make weed sauce. Both are types of “full spectrum extracts” made from live resin. One has a high terpene content, and the other has a high cannabinoid content. Together, they look like little chunks of bright white and yellow diamonds swimming in a darker pool of liquid.



The crystal-like portion is called High Cannabinoid Full Spectrum Extract or HCFSE.

Some refer to the rock candy-like chunks as terp sugars. Extractioneering‘s website refers to it as “THCa in the form of crystals.” Isolated cannabinoids take on the form of isolated THCa sugars instead of a more waxy consistency.

Most companies making sauce claim to use freshly-frozen material like with live resin. As a plant dries, THCa slowly converts to THC. By freezing the plants once they’re done flowering and running it a day later, the material is not allowed to dry. So the assumption is that using live resin will result in a higher yield of THCa.

However, companies like Extractioneering claims that sauce can be made with cured or dried material with similar yields—not to mention the sugars can have a 90 to 99 percent THC/a content.



The darker liquid is called High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract or HTFSE.

While there is a smaller THC content in HTFSE, it’s more about the terpenes. This is what is added to HCFSE to give it a smell, flavor and that sauce-like consistency. Bring the two together to find a ratio of potency and flavor that works for you.

If you’re buying sauce, make sure it’s not all liquid, otherwise you’re paying for flavor with a minimal high. You’re better off purchasing a bottle of e-liquid and a vaporizer if the flavor is all you’re chasing. The terpene content of your sauce should be no more than 30 percent otherwise it’s overwhelming. The Extractioneering team finds terpene levels “higher than 40 percent to be unpleasant and tipping the balance of natural chemistry.”

 

[kefta]

Respect!

 

[roots69]

POT MATTERS: THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP FARMING ACT OF 2017


By Jon Gettman August 01, 2017




On Friday, July 28, Congressmen James Comer (R-KY), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jared Polis (D-CO) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced legislation to remove industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, which would effectively legalize the cultivation of hemp in the United States. The bill has a total of 15 co-sponsors.

H.R. 3530, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2017, would “amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marihuana.” The bill also creates a new category establishing hemp research as a conventional crop at university and state departments of agriculture and allows for increased commercialization of industrial hemp.

Comer explained: “By removing industrial hemp from the definition of a controlled substance, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act will finally allow for responsible, commercial production of industrial hemp without fear of violating federal law.”

Goodlatte believes that many Virginia farmers are interested in producing hemp, but that “outdated, though well-intentioned, federal restrictions” are in the way.

“Industrial hemp isn’t a new crop to the United States, but most Americans aren’t aware of the wide range of legitimate uses for it,” he noted. “Last year, I had the opportunity to visit the Rockingham County farm of a participant in Virginia’s industrial hemp research program to see firsthand how this crop is grown and harvested.”

“The federal ban on hemp has been a waste of taxpayer dollars that ignores science, suppresses innovation and subverts the will of states that have chosen to incorporate this versatile crop into their economies” said Polis.

A bipartisan companion bills is also being submitted in the Senate by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Rep. Massie, along with his co-sponsors, has been an advocate for hemp for several years. Massie showed particular concern over an incident in 2014, when the DEA obstructed a hemp seed delivery for a Kentucky hemp research project.

“Their seeds were confiscated by an overzealous DEA, that is turning a blind eye to marijuana in Colorado and Washington State, but the DEA saw fit to come to Kentucky and harass our state department of agriculture that had non-psychoactive hemp seeds,” Massie said.

One of the most effective lobbyists for pushing hemp policy on Capitol Hill is Vote Hemp.

While pleased with the introduction of the bill, Vote Hemp is concerned about several new provisions recently added to the proposal, which they will work to remove or amend. These include provisions to allow the DEA to conduct administrative inspections of the hemp industry, rather than leave this to the states, restrictions on the processing of hemp extracts that will harm the emerging cannabidiol (CBD) industry, language that effectively enables the Food and Drug Administration to persist in treating CBD as a controlled substance (a position currently being challenged in federal court).

Vote Hemp was pleased, that “several changes we advocated for were included in the new bill: inclusion of Native American tribes and a provision which will allow for research on hemp with THC levels of up to 0.6% THC.”

Supporters of hemp legalization can help secure passage of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2017 by contacting their congressional representatives. Just visit the Web Site for the House of Representatives, enter your zip code and then follow the instructions on your representative’s webpage for contacting them. Try it now, even if you are not ready to send a message of support, just to see how easy it is.

 

[roots69]

A HISTORY OF THE LEGALIZATION (AND ILLEGALIZATION) OF POT


By Paul James July 19, 2017




Photo by Justin Cannabis.

With marijuana legalization spreading across the country, more and more people are open to taking a toke for themselves. In our modern culture, smoking pot has become more socially acceptable than smoking cigarettes and (for some people) even drinking alcohol.

Scientifically, it has already proven to be safer. Yet, opinions on marijuana weren’t always this lenient.

In fact, for nearly a century, a good majority ruled marijuana as an addictively dangerous substance. Though that notion is now considered ridiculous (by most), it’s what initiated the struggle we find ourselves in while attempting for nationwide legalization.

As of now, 28 states have permitted the use of medicinal marijuana. Within eight of those states, recreational use is also allowed. That being said, we still continue to fight for future legalization laws.

This fight can be understood if we look back at how the law got to where it is now. At one time or another, marijuana was nothing more than a plant growing in the wilderness. Somehow, it’s become a topic of debate that goes beyond nature.

Early Usage of Cannabis

Marijuana has been recorded as one of the first agricultural plants to be cultivated. Dating back 10,000 years ago when agriculture was initially invented. Though at this point, it wasn’t notably inhaled, hemp became an efficient resource for people within Asia. By 6,000 B.C., cannabis seeds and oil were used as cooking necessities in China, and 2,000 years later, the same areas were using hemp to build textiles.

It wasn’t until 2,737 B.C., when the first recorded use of marijuana as medicine came to be.

Emperor Shen Neng was prescribing cannabis tea as a treatment for gout, malaria and rheumatism. This caused the drug to eventually spread through Asia, the Middle East and the Eastern Coast of Africa.

Between 2,000 and 800 B.C., Hindu’s had used cannabis for medicinal and ritual purposes. In their ancient text, Atharvaveda (Science of Charms), marijuana is known as the “Sacred Grass,” considered to be one of the five sacred plants of India. What we now deem as a “high” was once deemed as a spiritually heightening experience.

As we can see, marijuana usage hasn’t changed outside the use of hemp as material.

Today, it is still used for medical purposes and, likewise, some feel spiritual exposure through THC. The original intentions people had for smoking weed remain consistent even in our modern day.

The Early 20th Century Change in Attitude

For a great period of time, things remained the same. Cannabis was grown as a cash crop and used for a variety of reasons.

There were some concerns over people smoking it recreationally.

For instance, around 1100 A.D., Hasan ibn al-Sabbah of Khorasan, Persia was recruiting followers to commit assassinations. Stories had spread over the group’s supposed usage of hashish. These were some of the earliest myths of THC inducing hypnotically irrational behavior.

However, in terms of modern America, marijuana didn’t gain this sort of conspiracy until the early half of the 20th century.

In fact, throughout the 19th century, it was still a common cash crop and used widely for medicinal purposes. It wasn’t until 1906, when America’s attitude towards weed began to change.

At that time, between two and five percent of the U.S. population was unknowingly addicted to morphine. To prevent the continuation of this, the government passed the Pure Food and Drug Act. The law was meant to bring the distribution of opium and morphine into the hands of doctors.

Marijuana wasn’t actually a concerned substance, yet, the regulation of chemicals became a vital altercation in American drug policy.

In 1910, after the Mexican Revolution, immigrants from Mexico flooded into America. With them, they brought the recreational habit of smoking marijuana. Soon enough, the drug was attached to the fear and prejudices of Mexican immigrants. It was often attributed with crimes that the newcomers were involved in. The phrase “Marijuana Menace” was spawned by all the anti-drug campaigners.

When the Great Depression hit, the public’s fear of unemployment only fueled their resentment toward Mexican immigrants. This ended up escalating the government’s concern as well.

A large amount of research was instigated, coming to the conclusion that pot was linked with violent crimes and social irregularity. In 1931, the response to all of this was 29 states outlawing the use of marijuana—giving it the bad reputation we now fight against.

Federal legislators didn’t take matters into their own hands. Instead, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics encouraged states to individually accept responsibility for the control of substances. The states did just that by adopting the Uniform State Narcotic Act. This still affects us today, as certain states remain more lenient with marijuana in comparison to others.

The act was incredibly powerful to help create the negative preconceptions of cannabis because it proposed that any state that wished to regulate marijuana could do so by linking it as a narcotic. The act went as far as to compare pot to opiates and cocaine in order to persuade American society that THC was a harmful, habitual substance.

Within a couple of years, the propaganda film Reefer Madness hit theaters, only convincing the American public more of the dangers of cannabis use. For a while, Hollywood even banned the showing of narcotics in films. A year later, a propaganda campaign followed the film, in which the “evils of weed” was oversaturated.

This led to the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, criminalizing cannabis for good.

Reefer madness became implanted into America’s legal system, and it took over half a century to create a new outlook on weed. The first half of the 1900s showed America’s reluctant refusal of marijuana. But the second half showed attitude shifting in a new direction.

From the Hippies to the Millennials

As the love children of the 1960s were emerging from the depths of a post-World War II America, recreational marijuana use skyrocketed.

With the substance spreading through upper white middle-class adolescents, many began to fear again as they did when Reefer Madness was playing on screens. Though, it should be noted that Kennedy had made efforts to relieve the misconceptions surrounding weed, but these efforts only led to the consideration of treatment for marijuana use.

By the 1970s, stoners had witnessed some light shed upon their habit. Legislators came to the understanding that the criminal punishments for cannabis were too harsh and had done nothing to stop its usage.

The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was espoused and eliminated federal sentences for individuals who possessed small amounts of the drug. As the decade persisted, 11 states decriminalized marijuana and many others reduced penalties.

However, when the 1980s hit, these optimistic approaches to the drug war saw a drastic change.

The era is commonly known as “drug hysteria,” in which there was a major increase in the number of people incarcerated for nonviolent drug crimes. In 1980, 50,000 Americans were behind bars for the said offenses. In 1997, that number grew to over 400,000. This was a reaction to the widely publicized crack epidemic.

Within the mid-to-late 1980s, a zero-tolerance policy was motioned for drug users.

The HIV/AIDS crisis only supported these notions further by the advocation of reducing the expansion of syringe access. Daryl Gates, a Los Angeles Police Chief, was a strong supporter and founded the D.A.R.E. drug education program. The nation quickly embraced this, even though there was little-known results.

Though much of this has to do with substances other than marijuana, it didn’t do anything to help the legalization process that only started happening recently.

In fact, the drug war has quite a lot to do with the public’s opinion of cannabis during the ’80s and ’90s. This opinion led to the increased incarceration rates that mostly affected African-American communities; biases were spread around, just as they had been with the Mexicans in the early 1900s. Weed was blamed for completely unrelated offenses in a desperate attempt to keep THC out of the lungs of America.

It wasn’t until 1997 when California became the first state to legalize the use of medicinal marijuana.

With this came a counterculture of pot enthusiasts. Young people from all over America began to recognize the many opportunities weed had to offer. They took a public stance on the emancipation of marijuana for the sake of a better society, attempting to not only put a halt on past biases, but to also take the first steps toward changing views on marijuana for the benefit of future generations.

By 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational consumption of THC—a success for millennial stoners and a backlash at every person of authority who ever proclaimed marijuana as dangerous.

Current Cannabis Climate

Now, in the year 2017, we continue to see legalization spread across the nation. Though it’s going to be a long journey, it’s finally coming to life after over a century of misconceived notions.

Just a few months ago, I was able to legally smoke marijuana for the first time. It felt liberating knowing I had the right to be high. To not have to worry about the opinions of others or the jurisdiction of 20th century America.

Looking back at marijuana’s history, I’m grateful to live in a time where these prejudices are being legally dropped. Though I’ve come to understand why the law is the way it is, I never felt satisfied with it. Just like many other Americans.

To my fellow stoners who are likewise legally allowed to appreciate the relief of smoking pot, I raise my joint, as if it were a glass of wine, in a toast to the future of our country and the liberation we undoubtedly deserve.

 

[roots69]

THE BIRTH OF ROSIN


By Chewberto420 May 08, 2017




Interview and Story by Chewberto420
With Phil “Soilgrown” Salazar
Photos by Marcus “Bubbleman” Richardson and Chewberto420

Do you remember the days when scoring full-melt solvent-less hash was like finding a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory? Unless you made it yourself, acquiring a quality solvent-less product was tough. In the legal cannabis market, if available, you’d have to move quick to rush in and grab the full-melts before they were gone.

Some of the time, the good stuff never made it to the shelf; it was pirated from eager employees of the dispensaries. There was even hash so elusive that some considered it to be a myth, calling it BHO from their keyboards because it looked so good. The reluctant only had photographs on the internet to pique their interest enough to have them salivating worldwide in disbelief. “Scarcity” would be an understatement.

Prior to 2015, most of your average hash smokers had suffered from limited access to a pure full-melt water hash or dry sift, but thanks to a man named Phil Salazar, better known as Soilgrown, the myths, desires and struggles for full-melt solvent-less hash are gone.

Now, anyone can enjoy the benefits of solvent-less hash with a technique called “rosin tech.”

Rosin tech is the process of applying heat and pressure to cannabis, rendering a solvent-less hash oil (SHO). Rosin is created by utilizing steam vapor pressure to extract the terpene-rich, cannabinoid-filled oil from the trichome heads within nugs, water hash and dry sift. This technique allows you to rupture the heads and force out the oil that is stored within to achieve a full melt hash—full-melt, every single time, regardless of the density or waxiness of the membrane surrounding the heads and regardless of the cultivar.

A huge benefit to this technique, is that rosin can be produced in the safety of your home; no more worrying about explosive hydrocarbons to make full-melt concentrates, no more half melts, no more poison soup and no more “melt struggles.” Period. Now, with the ability to turn any bubble, sift, half-melt, scissor hash, sandy dry sift, water hash, flowers and even trim into pure solvent-free oil, we have witnessed a colossal and positive change in the hash game.

Before rosin tech was prevalent in the industry, dispensaries relied on using their trim and food-grade hash for other means. The hash that wouldn’t melt before, suddenly became the shatter and oil that we all desired. This means that yields on better quality solvent-less hash went up, and access for the public became more available.

I was able to chat with Soilgrown about how this technique became the number one means of solvent-less extraction today and what his part was in this amazing surge. Let’s see what he had to say.

Your Name?Phil “Soilgrown” Salazar

Your current position or title?Founder/Co-Owner/Head Rosin Technician at Soilgrown Solventless
President/Co-Owner of Support the Roots “Sasquash Rosin Press”

Where do you reside?I’m from Pasadena, California, where I started my company Soilgrown Solventless.

What is your background, expertise, previous occupation?I have been growing cannabis for about 11 years now, but I have mostly focused on extraction, specifically solvent-less extraction, mostly water hash and rosin now. I started out with a small grow, selling clones before I worked for and owned a dispensary in LA. Lately, I have just been focusing on cultivation and extraction.

You’re credited with bringing rosin tech to the marijuana community, correct?Yes, two years ago. I shared everything I had discovered—rosin tech, hash rosin and flower rosin—and since then, I have shared and taught everything that I know and learn about it.

Were you a cannabis grower and hash artisan to begin with, or was this something that you evolved with as the technique was born?I have been extremely fascinated by concentrates since my first trip to Amsterdam in 2009, where I had seen and experienced different varieties of flowers and hash. The hash is what I fell in love with. I have always had a passion for growing cannabis, but my heart is set on making hash.

Where did the idea for “rosin tech” come from initially?The initial idea came from an accident. Months before I had discovered making rosin tech, I was all about my melts (ice water hash), so I always had hash to dab on. I would dab all of my 5-6 star melts, and I would try to press (not rosin) my 3-4-star hash out thin so that it would dab better.

To thin out the no-melt hash, I would take a hair straightener to press it out, but just enough pressure to thin it, not rosin it, as I had no idea of rosin at the time. Sometimes I would press it too hard and notice that the oil would separate from the dry matter. I didn’t really think much of it and mixed it together to repress it, thinking that I had made a mistake. Then finally, a few month later, I went to press some no-melt hash so that I could dab and a light bulb went off in my head.

That’s when I decided to press the hash too hard again, separating the shiny oil from the dull plant matter. I collected the shiny oil and tried a dab of it, to my surprise it melted away leaving very little residue behind. That was the day that I discovered a new way to produce oil—rosin tech. A few days later, I ran out of all of my hash, and I tried pressing a bud to see if it would work, and to my surprise, it surely did. That was the birth of flower rosin.

When was the first time you realized, this was a possibility and means of solvent-less cannabis extraction?It was around January of 2015 when I had started experimenting. Solvent-less was very scarce and popular during this time, so I had a feeling that it was going to make a huge impact on the industry. Dates? I can’t remember the exact dates, but it was early February when I had first shared the technique, and I believe March 12 was the day I shared it on Hash Church. I started experimenting with it January 2015 though.

Was it an accident, or did you put some serious thought into this before attempting it?I would say it was more of an accident that led to an idea. If it wasn’t for me accidentally pressing hash too hard, I probably would have never made the observation. Running out of melts and having such a passion for solvent-less is also what helped lead me to observe the separation of the oil and dry matter after making a mistake and realizing that this is a possible way to extract oil without the use of any solvents.

What were your initial thoughts after your first successful extraction via rosin tech?I was absolutely amazed and tripping out, and immediately I knew that this had to be shared with the world.

Did you realize you had created one of the most popular means of extraction and that it would gain so much attention?At first I, didn’t think it was going to become as popular as it has, only because of all the hate I got in the beginning. As the days went on and more and more people showed me love for sharing rosin tech, I realized that it had the potential to become a common extraction method for the average person. Once I was able to process a decent amount in a day is when I knew that it would make its place as a standard method of extraction.

How did that feel to see it explode like it did?It feels amazing knowing that I have made an impact, not only in the cannabis industry, but in many people’s lives around the world. It’s really cool to see rosin everywhere and on everything now.

Did you base any of your theories or thoughts off of standard extraction processes to evolve this method?I would have to say no. Everything used for the evolution of this method has been completely improvised from the hair iron to the hydraulic Sasquash Rosin Press—as well as lots of trial and error and taking notes.

Where do you think the rosin industry is headed with the tech?I think that it will continue to evolve as quickly as it has been; more and more people are becoming health conscious and are becoming more interested in solvent-less concentrates. I think rosin tech is going to be, if not already, the most popular method of extraction due to the fact that it is one of the easiest and safest methods of extraction with equipment that cost a fraction of other methods.

Evolution of Equipment

What equipment did you first use?So, I actually started with a piece of parchment paper and the tip of my e-nail, then used a hair curler and a flat surface. Then my wife saw I was using her expensive curler, so she brought me out her old hair iron. The hair iron was when I had shared it online.

After thinking of lots of different ideas, I ended up picking up an old T-shirt press from a friend in Arizona. The T-shirt press didn’t work when I first tried it, so it sat in my garage for a few weeks. Once I found some time, I took it apart and figured out what I needed to do to modify it—that’s what I use for most of 2015. Eventually a T-shirt press was not enough, so I found a press that put out the pressure that I needed, but it was not reliable enough to handle the amount of work that I had. That’s when I hit my cousin Matt up, and sure enough a few months later him and my Cousin Joel had designed the most bad ass press I had ever seen.

How well did it perform?Hair irons work but it is the last thing I’d want to use for making rosin, it comes in handy for on-the-go though.

What equipment do you use now?I’m currently using the Pneumatic 15ton Sasquash Rosin Press 2.0.

How has the progression made things easier, or better for the end product?Big blocks and full control over the temps and the speed of the blocks has allowed me to speed up my production time, as well as improve my quality.

Were there any challenges along the way?
The biggest challenge, at first,was learning what works and doesn’t work for rosin as far as strains, figuring out average yields, finding proper material for quality rosin.

Hair straighteners, T-shirt press, hydraulic/pneumatic press, etc. Thoughts of each, benefits and downsides of each?Hair straighteners are cool if you need something that can make you oil on-the-go or in times of need. T-shirt press is great for pressing perfect circle coins and making perfect thickness slabs, but not the best for pressing flowers or hash. Hydraulic/pneumatic is the way to go, giving the ability to maximize pressure and lower temps in order to preserve as many terps as possible.

Screens for pressing?Yes, screens are great for pressing flowers, and mandatory for pressing any kind of hash. Stainless, silk mesh, tea bags, etc.

What are the best screens in your opinion and why?
I prefer Nylon food grade screens. I have never had a problem with having pieces of screen or strings in my rosin, and they handle very well under 15 tons.

Where do you think the rosin industry is headed with presses and equipment?It’s definitely on its way to commercial as well as fine tuning the machinery for the boutique hash makers. Soon enough, we will see machines squashing full pounds at once and producing good quality product with decent returns.

Favorite growers to work with and why?My favorite grower to work with is OMFarmers, they always provide me some of the cleanest and best quality flowers in Southern Cali.

What is your Favorite? Rosin hash, sift, flower, bubble?My favorites go in this order: 5 – 6 star ice wax rosin, ice wax, flower rosin.

Tips for the Reader from Soilgrown

What are your preferred temps and pressure for various products: water hash, dry sift, flowers, etc.?I feel there is a happy medium between pressing time and temp for all material; it’s up to the extractor to observe how the material reacts and adjust accordingly. A good range to press flowers is 200-230f for 10-30 seconds, depending on variables like stability and terpene loss.

I also feel there is a happy medium between yield and quality. There is a head and tail to rosin, for instance, if I have a strain that produces 25 percent max when pressed at 220f for 15 seconds, I would drop my pressing time or temp so that I am only pulling 22 – 23 percent. In my opinion, the last 2 – 3 percent of oil remaining is not as desirable as the rest of the oil, therefore I find it better to keep the head and tail end separate.

The impact rosin tech has had on the marijuana industry in such little time is truly incredible.

I admit, the first time I tried to make rosin, after Soilgrown offered this technique to the public, I was skeptical. I didn’t believe it was possible to make a flavorful product using heat. Everything in my caveman brain was saying, “Heat Bad, Heat Kill Terps.” I had to let go of all the previous knowledge that I had in regards to making extracts to be open to this new method.

In rapid pace, and after scrupulous dedication from the marijuana community’s efforts, we soon discovered ways to get the temps lower, terpene levels up, how to make butter and batter, beautiful rosin coins, fresh frozen rosin, ways to extract color from the plants and dye rosin with anthocyanins and most importantly, a new and safe method to provide a solvent-less and full-melt hash to the people.

I want to extend a huge thanks to Soilgrown and Sasquash for leading the way in the rosin movement and for taking the time to talk with me. Many folks have become the victim of poor decision making, blowing up homes, themselves and others, selling butane soaked un-purged oil and poisoning people. A real safety epidemic was on the rise, and I can speak for the community when I say “thank you.”

Make sure to check out their website at www.supporttheroots.com and give them a follow on their social media accounts for more amazing content and innovation.

 

[roots69]

STRAIN REVIEW: LA CHEESE FROM ESSENTIAL EXTRACTS


By Chewberto420 March 21, 2017




Texture: Whole Plant Rosin Batter
Cultivar: LA Cheese
Made By: Essential Extracts
Made in: Denver, Colorado

Essential Extracts is based out of Denver, Colorado and has been at the forefront of the solvent-less game since 2010. The term “solvent-less” to describe non-hydrocarbon hash, was coined by Nikka T to reference the extraction methods he was implementing, during a time when full melt water hash was the dominating force in the solvent-less industry.

Prior to 2015, water hash was the go-to for folks who wanted to avoid hydrocarbon extracts. Nikka T, a highly regarded extract artist produces some of the finest and purest hash on the planet and has been supplying folks with amazing products since he hit the scene, and Essential Extracts will always bring the heat when it comes to solvent-less hash.

And this La Cheese Rosin Batter is no exception.

Cracking the jar is like releasing an explosion of deliciousness that is trying to escape, like an ambrosial genie that’s been trapped forever inside a terpene bottle. It is simply wonderful. A soft and sweet anise-berry added to the slight funky, cheesy fuel notes are really something special. It’s a fragrance that saturates the air and lingers for quite some time.

The texture is a gorgeous creamy batter that you can’t help but keep dipping into, over and over. It’s easy to see that Nikka T and his Essential Extracts soldiers really make this with love and care.

I’m drawn back time and time again to the slight licorice berry and rich, sweet and skunky flavor that coats your taste buds, and sits there for what seems like forever, trapping your tongue in a flavor coma.

Beyond the incredible smell and flavors, the effect is what I crave.

Each dab feels like it’s the first time you’ve tried it. A nice head change with a solid body high every time, not a sleepy high, but a great relaxing effect. Almost like the renowned OG High that has beckoned me forever.

The LA Cheese always puts me in a great mood, maybe because it smells and tastes so damn good. You have to try this stuff.

LA Cheese is a cross of La Confidential and UK Cheese. This whole plant rosin batter is derived from water hash that is freeze dried and then turned into rosin.

I give it two thumbs up!

 

[roots69]

STRAINS OF THE FUTURE


By Danny Danko June 28, 2017




Photos courtesy of Dinafem Seeds.

Dinafem Seeds was started by Professor OG in 2002 as a project to create high-quality seeds that were different from those coming out of Holland at the time. In January of 2004, Dinafem became the first professional breeder of feminized seeds in Spain, just as the popularity of feminized strains was exploding. Dinafem strains like Critical+, Moby Dick, Original Amnesia, Haze Automatic, and many more changed the grow game and introduced a new blend of the finest Dutch, Spanish, and Californian genetics for an entirely different flavor and terpene profile.

Dinafem’s next innovation was to develop autoflowering strains with greater potency and bigger harvests. Some of its latest autoflowering strains, such as Moby Dick XXL Auto, Cheese XXL Auto and Bubba Kush XXL Auto, yield as much as regular seeds. The advantage of these autoflowering strains is that they typically have a life cycle of only 70 to 90 days from planting to harvest and can be grown during different seasons and in difficult climates.

Dinafem is constantly challenging the prejudices that exist about feminized and autoflowering strains. The prevailing view among some growers is that feminized strains are weak and that autoflowering plants produce smaller yields of less potent buds. But Professor OG has delivered vast improvements in both areas over the years. These days, the yield and strength of Dinafem’s Auto XXL strains rival and sometimes surpass those of their regular and feminized counterparts.

AUTO-FLOWERING PLANTS TEND TO STAY SHORT AND STOCKY. (PHOTO BY DINAFEM SEEDS)

As the Professor tells me, “The results speak for themselves. Outdoors, the Amnesia Auto XXL can produce between 60 and 170 grams per plant. With respect to its dimensions, in optimal conditions, the plant can reach 170 centimeters [over 5 feet tall]. In Canada, a medical producer using our OG Kush Auto in a greenhouse has managed to produce, with 80 plants, a total of 17 kilos—212 grams per plant—in just 75 days!”

Professor OG and his team of breeders have decades of experience, and they’re always looking for innovative ways to improve the gene pool using their elite library of cannabis genetics. To that end, the Dinafem team have their own on-site laboratory featuring the latest gas-chromatography equipment. The results of this testing shape all of their breeding decisions and, most importantly, their newest and most exciting development: CBD-rich versions of popular strains like OG Kush, Haze, Amnesia and Cheese.

Professor OG predicts that cannabidiol—the cannabinoid popularly known as CBD—will change the world of marijuana as we know it and lead us into a new paradigm of legality above and beyond even the obvious medical benefits. All of Dinafem’s CBD-infused strains have a minimum THC/CBD ratio of 1-to-1, and some, depending on the growing conditions, can reach 1-to-2 and even 1-to-3. But those still pale in comparison with the seed bank’s Dinamed strain, specifically bred for the highest CBD level possible, which comes in at an unprecedented ratio of 1-to-25!

CRITICAL CHEESE (PHOTO BY DINAFEM SEEDS)

I was granted the rare opportunity to speak with Professor OG at his headquarters in the Basque Country of Spain to obtain a firsthand understanding of Dinafem’s origins as well as the breeding techniques that his team used to develop autoflowering genetics capable of producing 170 grams per plant. We also discussed the future of cannabis genetics and the influence that CBD will have on newly legal markets. The following are excerpts from our wide-ranging discussion:

Where does your passion for the plant come from?

I was fascinated by nature and biology at a young age, and I really enjoyed investigating—collecting bones and feathers, buying Gerald Durrell’s books and naturalist guides. I was captivated by seed catalogs and wanted to try everything. This interest in zoology and plants slowly evolved into a focus on botany. At the same time, during my adolescence I tried alcohol, but I didn’t like it that much. However, shortly after, when I was 16, I tried cannabis—and yes, I did like it. That same year, at 16, I started growing my first plant on my mother’s balcony. Then I produced my first guerrilla crops with seeds from Nepal and Colombia. At the age of 19, I moved to London and, in addition to improving my English, I got all the literature there was on cannabis at the time. I studied books like Marijuana Botany by Robert Connell Clarke obsessively. It was the year 1992, and almost nobody cultivated cannabis in Spain, but I already knew a great deal about the subject.

AMNESIA CBD (PHOTO BY DINAFEM SEEDS)

After London, my next stop was Amsterdam, where I discovered the legal industry. Going into a grow shop for me was like being in a museum. It was in the early ’90s, at a time when the Dutch scene was still on the rise and things were very open. In Holland, I saw the future of legal and professional cannabis.

When I came back from Holland, nobody in Spain was growing indoors. I joined Captain Ozone, a grower friend of mine—and currently part of Dinafem’s technical team—and we soon mastered all forms of cultivation. Together with him and others, I began to work with modern strains that we bought from catalogs and began experimenting at making seeds.

Above all, we liked outdoor and guerrilla growing because we loved to be in nature, both in the mountains and in horticultural gardens where, in addition to cannabis, we cultivated absolutely any kind of edible and ornamental plants.

FEMINIZED BLUE THAI RESULTS FROM CROSS BETWEEN BLUEBERRY AND THAI SKUNK. (PHOTO BY DINAFEM SEEDS)

Did your interest in feminized seeds start at this time?

In 1996, while studying agriculture, livestock, floriculture, horticulture and management of an agricultural enterprise, I began experimenting with feminized seeds. In the book Marijuana Botany, there was a brief mention of just a few phrases about how to create feminized seeds with gibberellic acid. The possibility of creating seeds that were all feminine immediately caught my attention. Due to my curious and restless nature, I gave it a try. It didn’t work for me, but this is very significant: There were no feminized seeds on the market yet, no one sold them, and although a Dutch bank had started testing, nobody knew anything about them yet … but I was already experimenting with them.

What does it take to set up a seed bank—and why feminized seeds?

To set up a seed bank, you need to have elite genetics so that, when you cross these parent plants, the resulting seeds are above average. These elite genetics, which still form part of Dinafem’s genetic library today, have been safeguarded by Captain Ozone and other members of the team for all these years. Blueberry is 16 years old, White Widow is from 1998, and Critical and Jack Herer are from 2001.

When we started, the few feminized seeds available on the market had a tendency to hermaphroditism, and often the genetics used were not of the best quality. But the feminized market was on the rise. I knew that we could improve the quality of seeds—above all, I knew that these types of seeds were destined to dominate the market because of the productive advantage that they meant for the home or commercial grower. Today, feminized seeds represent more than 90 percent of the market in Europe.

SEEDS FROM WITHIN FEMALE FLOWERS AFTER POLLINATION FROM A MALE. (PHOTO BY DINAFEM SEEDS)

In addition to a complete genetic library of elite plants, what makes the difference, from a breeding point of view, between Dinafem and other seed banks?

Patience and continuous improvement. For breeding, it’s important to start with large quantities of seeds. On the other hand, we apply an extreme selection process that begins at the seedling stage. In this first selection, we usually remove almost 80 percent of the plants. This allows us to select according to their strength. A protocol is always applied to remove individual plants that have unwanted mutations. Any seedling that has the least defective trait is removed from the selection.

During the flowering period, more characteristics are expressed—for example, hermaphroditism. These hermaphrodite plants are always removed. Parallel to this protocol, as the process develops, the plants that don’t reach the average requirements in terms of size and production are discarded.

We make our final selection according to the quality of the flower, which basically means maintaining the characteristics of the mother plant as much as possible. During the visual test, we look at both the size and density of the flower along with its amount of resin. The olfactory test is very important as well. The results of the chemical analysis from our in-house laboratory provide us with our biggest advantage in our selections. In some plants, we look for high concentrations of THC, in others to be CBD-rich, and in others the balance between both cannabinoids.

How does your laboratory contribute to traditional breeding?

The laboratory, also known as Dinalab, just turned five years old, and it’s a key element for the development of our genetics. Originally, we started it as a secondary project, in collaboration with two cannabis associations, to analyze samples from [Spanish cannabis] clubs and inform them of their cannabinoid content. In the meantime, we began to use these instruments for the breeding of autoflowering plants and to know our strains thoroughly.

Soon we realized that the chromatograph was a very useful tool for breeding. For example, in three generations we saw how autoflowering plants with less than 10 percent THC increased to 15 or 20 percent. We started using the laboratory for autoflower breeding, developing strains such as Bubba Kush Auto and OG Kush Auto. Chemical analysis is very useful in improving the lines. In addition to reporting on cannabinoid levels, the analysis allows for better knowledge of genetics—for example, structuring the distribution of the chemotypes in a strain can help us to determine the state of the base material, whether it is an F1, an F2 or an F3.

What is your recommended lighting schedule for autoflowering plants?

I recommend 20 hours on and four hours off throughout both the vegetative and flowering times for our autoflowering strains. At 18/6, we’ve seen much more stretching and long distances of stem between nodes and branches.

Tell me about your new line of CBD-rich strains. Is it possible for an OG Kush CBD to taste and yield like an authentic OG Kush?

CBD-RICH STRAINS HAVE STRONG MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. (PHOTO BY DINAFEM SEEDS)

Yes. It is not an easy task, but we are working to achieve it. The genetics from which almost all CBD strains that currently exist come from have a very sweet citrus flavor: mandarin, lemon, orange and cherry. That’s why most CBD-rich strains have this kind of flavor profile. We’re trying to change this by creating pure CBD-specific pollinator mothers with the traditional flavors of Bubba Kush, OG Kush, Amnesia, Cheese, Critical+, etc. With CBD, we are going through the second round of hybridization and improvement selections, and we’ve already achieved good results creating strains that taste like the originals, but with a high percentage of CBD.

What’s your take on the benefits of CBD beyond just the known medicinal ones?

In the future, people will probably consume more Bubba Kush with THC and CBD than Bubba Kush with THC only. The super-potency of current strains is a consequence of the black market. When cannabis becomes legal, the market will show a demand for milder strains. Marijuana is expensive because it’s risky and dangerous to grow it. And because it’s expensive and dangerous to buy, the person who buys it wants maximum power.

FIELDS OF AUTO-FLOWERING AMNESIA IN MOROCCO. (PHOTO BY DINAFEM SEEDS)

Cannabis is going to be a mainstream product and, as such, it will have to become a product for all audiences. In this sense, strains containing only THC will face some difficulties, because their side effects are sometimes too strong for the majority of the public. The side effects of CBD-rich strains are very small compared to pure THC ones, thanks to the neuroprotective effect of CBD.

What is Dinafem’s goal for the next five years?

Our goal right now is to consolidate ourselves as world leaders in the advanced breeding of strains with a high organoleptic value and enriched with CBD. Thanks to our extensive library of elite genetics, which includes the best European, Californian and autoflowering strains, we’re producing the best and most complete catalog of CBD-enriched strains. Breeding is a slow activity and requires constant work and investment, but we believe that the advantage we’ve gained will be maintained or even expanded in the future.

 

[roots69]

THE 2017 ULTIMATE GROW GUIDE: SOIL VS. HYDRO


By Nico Escondido June 22, 2017




When it comes to the age-old debate over whether it’s better to grow cannabis in soil, or to grow the plant hydroponically, what we’re really talking about in 2017 is outdoor versus indoor growing. Why, you might ask? Simply put, it’s because no one actually grows indoors using real topsoil anymore, as our indoor “soils” are really soilless mixes that are coco-, peat- or sphagnum-based. And, technically speaking, these soilless mixes are, by definition, hydroponic mediums; today, the only real earth soil used is in outdoor gardens. So let’s examine the pros and cons associated with both growing outdoors in soil and growing indoors in hydroponic mediums.

INDOOR HYDRO GROWERS LIKE THIS NORCAL OPERATION USE “SOILLESS” MEDIUMS. (PHOTO BY NICO ESCONDIDO)

Yield vs. Quality

Aside from the actual medium, the heart of this debate boils down to quality versus quantity. Granted, some of the best outdoor marijuana can surely hold its own against indoor marijuana, but more often than not, the level of quality in indoor weed easily trumps outdoor ganja.

Still, when it comes to yield per plant, the outdoor farmer will usually win hands down. The deciding factor here is obviously space: Outdoor gardens are virtually unlimited when it comes to plant heights, and it is not uncommon to see marijuana trees ranging in size from 10 to 15 feet tall. Plants on this scale can yield anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds apiece.

Of course, to pull this off, outdoor growers need to start as early as possible: Right after the last frost of winter, when the ground begins to thaw and spring is in the air, growers need to be ready to get their plants in the soil. This requires seedlings or clones to be started indoors four to six weeks prior, which means that the process begins for many outdoor growers as early as February.

OUTDOOR GROWS PRODUCE HEAVY COLAS AND BIG YIELDS. (PHOTO BY NICO ESCONDIDO)

Once the plants are in the ground, outdoor farmers have up to seven months of hard labor before harvest time begins. Irrigation, pruning, training and trellising consume hours upon hours each day. At the peak of flowering, each outdoor plant can require an hour of maintenance per day—and with dozens, if not hundreds, of plants in the garden, the man-hours and labor costs can really add up. While the yields come fall may more than make up for these costs, if the time isn’t properly spent, the quality of the harvest will suffer.

Conversely, indoor growers tend to grow squat, bushier plants, most often in automated hydroponic systems. These systems lend themselves to smaller plant sizes but can easily accommodate hundreds, even thousands, of plants in a commercial-garden setup. Hydroponic systems are well-suited for what is typically known as a “sea of green” (SOG)—or, more commonly, a “screen of green” (ScrOG)—setup, in which smaller plants are packed tightly together and grown through a screen trellis rolled over the garden canopy during the vegetative stage. Similar in theory to outdoor trellis systems, indoor screen trellises are usually horizontal and consist of string netting in 4-inch squares. Outdoor trellis systems, by contrast, are often vertical and wrap around the entire exterior of the plant; they can be made from wood, metal or wire screening that surrounds the plant like a cylinder, allowing the branches to grow laterally through the support structure.

By growing many smaller plants indoors, growers can attempt to boost their yields, but these still don’t compare to outdoor yields on a per-square-foot basis. However, it’s with the quality of the herb that indoor growers make up the difference. Because indoor growers can control every aspect of their plants’ environment, they are better situated to maximize each strain’s genetic potential.

Whereas outdoor growers have some control over watering and nutrient-feeding schedules, indoor growers can not only control irrigation and nutrient programs, but also the garden’s temperature and humidity, CO2 saturation, light cycles, and pest and disease controls. These factors can be crucial in determining whether or not a plant achieves its full potential in terms of cannabinoid and terpene production.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Mediums

As previously stated, the original debate over soil versus hydro has become a bit antiquated due to the fact that no one uses real earth topsoil indoors anymore. That being said, topsoil is still used in outdoor gardens today; however, even this is declining in frequency, as more outdoor farmers turn to composted mediums that combine smaller amounts of topsoil with decomposing organic material to create a fuller, nutrient-rich medium.

OUTDOOR CONTAINER BOXES HOLD COMPOSTED SOIL FOR HUGE PLANTS. (PHOTO BY NICO ESCONDIDO)

Composting is a deliberate activity that growers undertake with the goal of accelerating what occurs as a matter of course in nature—i.e., rot, or the decomposition of organic matter. This affects both the physical and chemical properties of the soil, improving the mineral content as well as aeration and moisture retention within the medium. In soil, compost acts as a slow-release fertilizer, adding both major and minor mineral elements to the medium throughout the plant’s life cycle.

While composted soils are the more popular choice for outdoor growers these days, indoor growers are relying more and more on amended soilless mediums. These soilless mixes look, feel and act very similar to traditional soil, but they are coco-, peat- or sphagnum-based substrates that have added amendments like perlite, wood chips and vermiculite. As we know, hydroponics (or more accurately, water culture) is the method of cultivating plants without soil. So even though these mediums look and feel like soil, they are technically soilless—which, by definition, makes them hydroponic substrates.

Of course, soilless mixes are not right for every type of indoor hydroponic system. For example, the popular flood-and-drain setups that use flood tables and drain the nutrient solution back into a reservoir are not ideal for loose, granular soilless mixes. Instead, a flood-and-drain setup needs a more stable, immobile medium like rockwool or hardened, expanded clay (HEC) pellets. Soilless mixes are ideally suited for another popular type of hydroponic setup: top-feed grow systems.

MINERAL WOOL HAS BEEN USED FOR DECADES IN HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS. (PHOTO BY NICO ESCONDIDO)

Top-feed hydro systems rely on drip or spray emitters that are staked directly into the soilless medium at each plant site. These emitters are fed via thin spaghetti tubes running off the main water lines from the reservoir. Emitters drip or spray either pure water or nutrient solution into the medium at regular intervals controlled by timers on the reservoir pumps. These types of top-feed hydroponic gardens are among the most popular systems in use by indoor growers today, because the soilless mediums are very forgiving in terms of the mistakes that can be made in feeding nutrients to plants (more on this later). The more traditional hydro mediums, such as rockwool, HEC, and stand-alones like coco fiber or perlite, offer little to no protection for delicate roots when overfeeding occurs. This is why soilless mediums are often recommended for beginners and for smaller hydroponic setups outside of commercial gardens.

Mediums & Plant Nutrients

The plant nutrients that we deliver into our medium are simply mineral powders or dissolved minerals in water (i.e., the nutrient solution) that contain three basic elements: nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). Other soluble trace amounts of minor elements like calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese are also included in fertilizer products, but the main three are always listed as an NPK ratio on the front label.

HEC HOLDS DOWN ROCKWOOL PLUGS IN A FLOOD-AND-DRAIN SYSTEM. (PHOTO BY NICO ESCONDIDO)

When it comes to nutrient feeding, more is definitely not better. After the first month of growth, a plant’s uptake of nutrients declines drastically, especially in terms of nitrogen. This is why, for cannabis growers, there are usually two-part formulas (A and B) for the vegetative stage and the flowering stage of the plant’s life cycle. The medium used in the garden plays a big role in the plants’ ability to absorb nutrients. At the root level, this ability is governed by the cation-exchange capacity, or CEC (which is similar to—but not the same—as electrical conductivity, or EC, which is measured by a ppm meter).

The CEC dictates the ability of a medium to hold moisture and nutrients for the roots to use when needed. Because of this, the CEC also affects the pH levels of both the medium and the nutrient solution being applied. The pH level is a critical factor in hydro systems, because it governs the outcome of an electrical battle between the roots and the medium. Mediums such as rockwool or HEC have an electrical charge of zero, making them electrically neutral and allowing them to very easily release water and nutrients.

SOIL HELPS PROVIDE NEEDED NUTRIENTS FOR SUPERCHARGED PLANT GROWTH. (PHOTO BY NICO ESCONDIDO)

However, a low or neutral CEC can be very dangerous to a plant, as it allows the roots to attract strong minerals directly into the root zone. This easy access to the roots is known as a loss of buffering and can lead to nutrient burn in the roots. Most hydroponic growers use nutrient solutions derived from concentrated minerals, so it’s recommended that in gardens with a low-buffering medium, growers use mild nutrient formulas to start—especially if you’re a beginner grower.

Additionally, when using hearty mediums such as a soilless mix that offers much better buffering, there are still dangers in overfeeding. An abundance of salts in the medium can lead to nutrient lock-up in the root zone, prohibiting plants from any nutrient uptake. Most synthetic fertilizers have higher salt contents than organic fertilizers, and these salts can build up residually over time and change the pH of the medium, preventing nutrients from being absorbed by the root system and causing the plant to dehydrate due to a lack of moisture uptake. This is another reason why mild organic-nutrient lines are often recommended for beginner growers.

ORGANIC AND “VEGANIC” NUTRIENTS ARE GAINING POPULARITY BOTH INDOORS AND OUT.

Understanding EC in Soil & Hydro

As mentioned previously, a ppm (parts-per-million) meter actually measures the electrical conductivity (EC) of a nutrient solution or medium. The ppm meter works by measuring how quickly electrons work their way from one probe to the other within a solution or medium. In nutrient solutions or grow mediums, salts equate to “stepping stones” for the electrons to travel faster, so solutions or mediums with higher salt concentrations (build-up) will have higher EC readings. Conversely, distilled water with no salts will have an EC of 0.

SOIL PROBES TEST FOR MOISTURE CONTENT, EC (PHOTO BY NICO ESCONDIDO)

Since all nutrients contain salts, the more nutes that are present in a solution, the higher the ppm level will be. And the higher the ppm level, the more the salts will steal water away from the plant. This can lead to plant dehydration and nutrient lock-up. A solution of 1,500 ppm has high salt concentrations; at 2,000 ppm, roots will actually struggle to absorb enough water as the osmotic pressure increases. The optimal ppm levels for healthy growth range from 600 to 1,200 ppm, or an EC range from 0.9 to 2.4.

Indoor vs. Outdoor

When all is said and done, the advantage an outdoor garden offers over an indoor one really comes down to yield. However, the advantages that indoor growing offers are twofold: First, the quality can be much higher if done properly, and second, the grow cycles are usually slightly faster.

This latter advantage comes down to system type (hydro) and the medium used. This is because roots prioritize their intake in the following order: oxygen, nutrients and water. With oxygen being the surprise winner of the three necessary elements, we are reminded that roots, in fact, breathe in oxygen while the rest of the plant aboveground breathes in CO2.

THE QUALITY OF THIS INDOOR CHEESECAKE COMES FROM HIGHER CANNABINOID AND TERPENE CONTENT. (PHOTO BY SOUTH BAY RAY)

When you consider this fact, it makes more sense that hydroponic mediums that are less dense and more “airy” can aid in faster development. This is also why many hydroponic growers aerate their reservoirs and amend their soilless mediums with additives like wood chips or vermiculite, as they help air penetrate the medium and latch onto other particles for absorption by the roots.

Still, there is plenty to be said in favor of sun-grown outdoor cannabis, cultivated deep in organic mediums with composted nutrients. These plants may not hit 28% THC, but they’ll be close enough and might even taste a tad better. So whichever way you decide to grow, remember to grow the right way and help the world grow, too.