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Black-market cannabis dealers sometimes claim their products are of a certain strain to capitalise on that strains success or reputation.
Black-market cannabis dealers sometimes claim their products are of a certain strain to capitalise on that strains success or reputation.

===Quebec Gold===
Quebec Gold is a high-potency strain of [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] grown and found mainly in [[Quebec]]. It is an M39 x Freezeland cross-strain. It has a sweet citrus smell and full-bodied, languid flavour with heavy sativa [[psychoactive]] effects. Quebec Gold is a short plant but produces heavy colas more than making up for its shorter stature. The plant has exceptional resin production and the buds are dense. Quebec Gold produces a deep, near black [[hashish|hash]]. Induces cerebral euphoria and psycho activity, improves mood, boosts energy and creativity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cannasos.com/strains/hybrid/quebec-gold|title=Quebec Gold strain information|website=CannaSOS|access-date=2016-05-30}}</ref>

Large profits are a strong motive for smugglers to move as much Quebec Gold as they can into the U.S. A pound of Quebec Gold nets [[Canadian dollar|$]]1500 to $2,050 Canadian wholesale in Quebec. Traffickers can sell that same pound for $5,600 Canadian in [[New York State]] and as much as $3,200 in [[California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2003/May/other/quebecgold.xml |title=CBP Today - May 2003 - Quebec Gold: the other Canadian marijuana |publisher=Cbp.gov |date=2005-09-28 |accessdate=2011-04-20}}</ref><ref>http://www.ukcia.org/research/Geopolitics/CannabisInTheAmericas.html</ref>



===Skunk===
===Skunk===

Revision as of 19:47, 16 August 2016

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A flowering cannabis plant

Cannabis strains are either pure or hybrid varieties of Cannabis, typically of C. sativa, C. indica and C. ruderalis. Varieties are developed to intensify specific characteristics of the plant, or to differentiate the strain for the purposes of marketing or to make it more effective as a drug. Variety names are typically chosen by their growers, and often reflect properties of the plant such as taste, color, smell, or the origin of the variety.[citation needed] Cannabis strains commonly refer to those varieties with recreational and medicinal use. These varieties have been cultivated to contain a high percentage of cannabinoids. Several varieties of Cannabis, known as hemp, have a very low cannabinoid content, and are instead grown for their fiber and seed.

Types of varieties

  • Clone-only variety – The grower may distribute genetically identical clones of the plant. A clone is the only way to propagate a plant while retaining its exact genetic makeup. Nevertheless, the conditions under which the plant is grown will still greatly affect the final product.
  • Stable seed variety – Creating a genetically stable variety involves selectively choosing male and female cannabis plants and breeding them over the course of multiple generations. The final generation's seeds reliably grow into plants that exhibit the desired characteristics, though some genetic variation will still occur.
  • Unstable seed varieties – Unstable varieties are produced without numerous generations of breeding. Although they can be produced quickly, plants grown from these seeds may have widely varying characteristics. Commercial seed retailers generally do not distribute unstable seed varieties, though some disreputable shops might. Amateur and third-party growers may, whether knowingly or not, produce unstable derivatives from well known varieties and misleadingly call them by their true variety name.
  • Wild varieties or landraces – Some varieties, such as Colombian and Thai, refer to Cannabis plants found growing wild in certain regions. Typically, these plants are used as bases for the production of more specialized varieties, such as G-13, or Hash.

Major variety types

Relative size of cannabis types

The two species of the Cannabis genus that are most commonly grown are Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa.[1] A third species, Cannabis ruderalis is very short and produces only trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and thus is not commonly grown for industrial, recreational or medicinal use. However, because Cannabis ruderalis flowers independently of the photoperiod and according to age, it has been used to breed autoflowering strains.[2]

Pure sativas are relatively tall (reaching as high as 4.5 meters), with long internodes and branches, and large, narrow-bladed leaves. Pure indica varieties are shorter and bushier, have wider leaflets. They are often favored by indoor growers for their size. Sativas bloom later than indicas, often taking a month or two longer to mature. The subjective effects of sativas and indicas are said to differ, but the ratio of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) in most named drug varieties of both types is similar (averaging about 200:1). Unlike most commercially developed strains, indica landraces exhibit plants with varying THC/CBD ratios.[3] Avidekel, a medical marijuana strain developed in Israel, has a very low content of THC but a high content of CBD, limiting its recreational value but maximizing medical effect.[4]

There has been a recent movement to characterize strains based on their reported subjective effects. For example, WoahStork has used machine learning algorithms to classify strains into 6 Distinct Activity groups.[5]

Varieties

In addition to pure indica, sativa, and ruderalis varieties, hybrid varieties with varying ratios of these three types are common. For example, the White Widow hybrid containing about 60% indica and 40% sativa ancestry. These hybrid varieties exhibit traits from both parental types. There are also commercial crossbred hybrids which contain a mix of both ruderalis, indica and/or sativa genes, and are usually autoflowering varieties. These varieties are bred mostly for the medicinal cannabis market, since they are not very appreciated by recreational cannabis users because ruderalis varieties are lower in THC and impart a slightly unpleasant taste. "Lowryder" was an early auto-flowering hybrid that retained the flowering behavior of ruderalis plants, while also producing appreciable amounts of THC and CBD. Autoflowering cannabis varieties have the advantage of being discreet due to their small stature. They also require shorter growing periods, as well as having the additional advantage that they do not rely on a change in the photoperiod to determine when to flower.

Variety naming

In a retail market that is decriminalised such as in Amsterdam, (wholesale production is illegal but prosecutions are not always enforced because of the contradiction of the law that is recognised by the courts[6]), competition puts pressure on breeders to create increasingly attractive varieties to maintain market share. Breeders give their strains distinct and memorable names in order to help differentiate them from their competitors' strains, although they may in fact be very similar.

Popular strains are incorporated into new hybrids, which often bear a similar name to their parent. This phenomenon has occurred with Haze and Sour varieties, amongst others.

Black-market cannabis dealers sometimes claim their products are of a certain strain to capitalise on that strains success or reputation.

Quebec Gold

Quebec Gold is a high-potency strain of cannabis grown and found mainly in Quebec. It is an M39 x Freezeland cross-strain. It has a sweet citrus smell and full-bodied, languid flavour with heavy sativa psychoactive effects. Quebec Gold is a short plant but produces heavy colas more than making up for its shorter stature. The plant has exceptional resin production and the buds are dense. Quebec Gold produces a deep, near black hash. Induces cerebral euphoria and psycho activity, improves mood, boosts energy and creativity.[7]

Large profits are a strong motive for smugglers to move as much Quebec Gold as they can into the U.S. A pound of Quebec Gold nets $1500 to $2,050 Canadian wholesale in Quebec. Traffickers can sell that same pound for $5,600 Canadian in New York State and as much as $3,200 in California.[8][9]


Skunk

Skunk refers to Cannabis strains that are strong-smelling and have been likened to the smell of the spray from a skunk.[10]

These strains of cannabis are believed to have originated in the United States prior to development by Dutch growers.[11] Just as with other strains of cannabis, skunk is commonly grown in controlled indoor environments under specialized grow lights, or in a greenhouse when full outdoor conditions aren't suitable.[12]

Skunk strains are hybrids of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica. The combination of these two species produces unique effects.

Skunk strains, along with other strains, are used for recreational purpose but are also popular among the medical community as a form of pain medication and management due to THC's analgesic effects on the body.[12] Cannabis may have physiological and psychological side effects/medical benefits depending on which strain is being ingested. These may include: decreased blood pressure,[13] rapid heart rate, bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite, slowed reaction time, paranoia with uneven THC/CBD ratios, short-term memory loss, anxiety with uneven THC/CBD ratios or reduction in anxiety when the correct amount of CBD is present.[14] Although these characteristics are present in other strains, due to its higher ratio of THC to CBD, negative side effects may be more prevalent in skunk strains as the percentage of CBD is lower.[12]

While these negative side effects are a reality for some users, it is also used to aid individuals with certain medical conditions.[12] Therefore, the debate as to whether or not marijuana should be legalised is an ongoing debate found in politics and media in all parts of the world. Currently,[when?] cannabis is legal through prescription in The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Switzerland, Spain, Uruguay and 20 various states in the U.S. In Bangladesh and Uruguay, recreational use of cannabis (consumption and cultivation) is completely legal. In The Netherlands, recreational consumption of cannabis is decriminalized, but it may only be sold in a coffeeshop.

Skunk strains typically have a 14 to 15% THC concentration.[15]

White Widow

White Widow
Cannabis of the White Widow strain
GenusCannabis
Hybrid parentage60% indica, 40% sativa
BreederShantibaba
OriginNetherlands, Kingdom of the Netherlands

White Widow is a Cannabis strain developed in The Netherlands and known for its abundance of white trichomes, high potency,[16] and resinous nature.[17] Induces happy, euphoric cerebral buzz that stimulates creativity, boosts socialization and increases energy levels. May cause paranoia, headaches, dry mouth and eyes. Has excellent analgesic properties. Relieves stress and nausea.[18]

The variety won the Cannabis Cup in 1995.[19][20][21] White Widow grown in Amsterdam is known to contain up to 20% of the active ingredient THC. White Widow buds are covered in trichomes, giving it an almost snowy look. As of late as 2011, it sells for approximately 8 Euros per gram in The Netherlands.[22] In San Jose and Colorado Springs, it is available from dispensaries for Medical Marijuana patients for $8 US per gram.[23] White Widow is a compact plant of medium height. The buds only develop a few amber-colored hairs, but the high crystalline resin production of this plant has become well known. White Widow is a strain that is relatively easy to grow to an experienced horticulturalist, especially in Europe because of its resistance to mold and colder climates. The original White Widow was created using a pure Sativa land race from Brazil[19] and was pollinated by an Indica-hybrid from southern India. The White widow has been used a lot to breed new strains of cannabis during the last decades. One of the most famous example is the White Rhino strain.[24]

Tom Cruise Purple

Tom Cruise Purple is a strain of cannabis sold in California by select licensed cannabis clubs. The strain is potent, and is packaged with a picture of the actor Tom Cruise laughing. Cruise sought out legal advice regarding the product, and considered a lawsuit against its manufacturers.

Media commentators for Gawker,[25] Daily News (New York)[26] and the CNN program Showbiz Tonight analyzed the matter, and the product was the subject of a parody on a satirical website. American lawyer Lisa Bloom commented that it would not be prudent for Cruise to sue over the product, and public relations writer Howard Bragman stated it was not a good idea from a legal standpoint to utilize Cruise's image in such a fashion.

The strain is very potent, and is reported to have hallucinogenic properties.[27][28] The marijuana is being sold in vials which have a picture of Tom Cruise laughing hysterically.[29][30] Tom Cruise Purple is sold by cannabis purveyors in Northern California,[31] and is a popular choice among vaporizer users.[32] The strain is sold legally in California, as a medical cannabis product.[27]

Commentary

Marlene Arpe wrote in The Toronto Star, "A strain of weed called Tom Cruise Purple is being sold at California cannabis clubs. It makes you laugh hysterically while maintaining iron-fisted control of everyone around you."[33] Ryan Tate of Gawker commented, "How high do you have to be to name a grade of medical marijuana after lawsuit-happy Scientologist Tom Cruise?"[34] CNN television host A.J. Hammer commented on the program Showbiz Tonight, "Also, you can now roll up Tom Cruise and smoke him. That's right. Marijuana is being sold called 'Tom Cruise Purple.' But you know, Tom's not laughing to be blunt. Will there be a joint investigation or is this just a token effort - you know, a half-baked idea?"[35]

American lawyer Lisa Bloom said of the possibility that Cruise's attorneys might sue over the marijuana product, "You know, if his lawyers sue over this, I'm going to wonder what they've been smoking. Nobody really thinks that Tom Cruise is endorsing this particular kind of marijuana. Why don't celebrities occasionally just laugh - just laugh at things? This is obviously supposed to be a joke. There's a picture of him laughing on it. He's clearly not making any money off of it. He's not endorsing it. I say, just let it go."[35] Miami editor of In Touch Weekly, Michael Cohen, stated "...it's well-known in the industry you don't mess with Tom Cruise. And so, that's all I can say. I'm sure his lawyers are on this like white on rice. But I'm sure he's actually not as affected by it as his lawyers are."[35] Public relations writer Howard Bragman commented, "I can tell you Tom and his lawyers do not have a sense of humor. And messing with Tom Cruise's image is risky business, OK?"[35]

Representatives for Cruise were notified of the existence of the product by journalists for the New York Daily News.[29] Cruise has sought legal advice about what action should be taken regarding the name.[29][36] He has considered filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the product.[37][38] As a follower of Scientology, Cruise is opposed to the use of psychotropic drugs.[29][39][40] He was reported to be furious over the existence of the product.[41][42][43] A friend of Cruise found the matter "outrageous".[44] Lawyers for Cruise commented to CNN, "We haven't seen the product, so we can't comment on whether or not it's true. Tom does not allow his name and likeness to be used to sell products. And as you can imagine, if he were to do an endorsement, this would hardly be his first choice."[35]

Breeding new varieties

Breeding requires pollinating a female cannabis plant with male pollen. Although this occurs spontaneously and ubiquitously in nature, the intentional creation of new varieties typically involves selective breeding in a controlled environment.

When cannabis is cultivated for its psychoactive or medicinal properties, male plants will often be separated from females. This prevents the fertilization of the female plants, either to facilitate sinsemilla flowering or to provide more control over which male is chosen. Pollen produced by the male is caught and stored until it is needed.

When a male plant of one strain pollinates a female of another strain, the seeds will be F1 hybrids of the male and female. These offspring will not be identical to their parents. Instead, they will have characteristics of both parents. Repeated breeding results in certain characteristics appearing with greater regularity.

A common technique to stabilize a cannabis variety is called "cubing".[citation needed] A breeder seeking specific traits in the hybrid offspring (for example, greater resin production or tighter node spacing) will breed hybrid plants most exemplifying these characteristics with a parent plant. The same traits are sought in the new inbred offspring, which are then again bred with the original parent plant. This process is called cubing because it usually repeated across three, or possibly more generations before the variety's genetics are acceptably stable.

Selfing

Selfing is the ability for a plant to produce seeds without the aid of another plant. This refers to hermaphrodite plants that self- pollinate. There is no such thing as a ‘gene pool’ or population with regards to hermaphrodites since the only pollen that a hermaphrodite will use is the pollen that it generates itself. Both male and female flowers are located on the same plant. There can be variations in the offspring though.

It is impossible for a hermaphrodite to create any male only plants. A hermaphrodite may create female only seeds and hermaphrodite seeds. Also the female only seeds may carry the hermaphrodite trait.[45]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cannabis by strain.
  1. ^ Small, E. and A. Cronquist. 1976. A practical and natural taxonomy for Cannabis. Taxon 25(4): 405–435.
  2. ^ Greg Green (2001). The Cannabis Grow Bible (4th ed.). p. 47.
  3. ^ Hillig, Karl W. and Paul G. Mahlberg. 2004. A chemotaxonomic analysis of cannabinoid variation in Cannabis (Cannabaceae). American Journal of Botany 91(6): 966-975. Retrieved on 22 February 2007
  4. ^ Halverson, Nic (July 6, 2012). "Marijuana That Doesn't Get You Stoned". Discovery Channel. Discovery Communications, LLC. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  5. ^ Reggente, Nicco (February 15, 2016). "WoahStork's Strain Activity Groups". WoahStork. WoahStork. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  6. ^ http://phys.org/news/2014-10-dutch-court-illegal-cannabis-growers.html
  7. ^ "Quebec Gold strain information". CannaSOS. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
  8. ^ "CBP Today - May 2003 - Quebec Gold: the other Canadian marijuana". Cbp.gov. 2005-09-28. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
  9. ^ http://www.ukcia.org/research/Geopolitics/CannabisInTheAmericas.html
  10. ^ Brotman, Barbara (April 2, 2012). "Skunk smell spreading like weed through city". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  11. ^ "Skunk". http://drugscope.org.uk/skunk/. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); External link in |website= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  12. ^ a b c d http://www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/drugsearch/drugsearchpages/skunkk
  13. ^ Pacher, P; Bátkai, S; Kunos, G (2005). "Blood Pressure Regulation By Endocannabinoids And Their Receptors". Neuropharmacology. 48: 1130–8. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2004.12.005. PMC 2225528. PMID 15910888.
  14. ^ "Marijuana - Marijuana Use and Effects of Marijuana". webmd.com.
  15. ^ pmid=10641915
  16. ^ Asthana, Anushka (January 18, 2004). "So just how potent are our street drugs?". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
  17. ^ WoahStork, WoahStork (February 18, 2016). "White Widow Strain Information". WoahStork. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  18. ^ "White Widow Strain Information". CannaSOS. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  19. ^ a b "White Widow Strain Information". www.seedsmarijuana.net. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  20. ^ Hager, Steven (February 9, 2009). "Cannabis Cup Winners". High Times. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
  21. ^ Bennett, Oliver (August 11, 1996). "wot? no dope?". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
  22. ^ Gullo, Karen (June 7, 2005). "Marijuana Clubs in San Francisco Unfazed by High Court's Ruling". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
  23. ^ Lee, Robert (November 22, 2015). "White Widow Review". StonerCircle. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  24. ^ "White Widow Dutch Passion regular seeds". Paddyseeds.com. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  25. ^ http://gawker.com/376191/new-strain-of-medical-marijuana-totally-harshing-tom-cruises-buzz
  26. ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/medical-high-jinks-leave-tom-cruise-camp-fuming-article-1.277586
  27. ^ a b Guendelsberger, Emily (April 5, 2008). "Tom Cruise: will get you so high". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia Media Holdings. p. 8.
  28. ^ "'Tom Cruise' Marijuana Problem". Radar. Radar Online, LLC. October 27, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  29. ^ a b c d "Medical high jinks leave Tom Cruise camp fuming". New York Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman. April 4, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  30. ^ "Report: 'Tom Cruise Purple' Medical Marijuana Has Actor Smoking Mad". Fox News Channel. Fox News Network, LLC. April 4, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  31. ^ Krugman, Milt (April 8, 2008). "Tom Cruise fuming". Bucks County Courier Times. Levittown, Pennsylvania.
  32. ^ http://www.sourcevapes.com/
  33. ^ "Pop goes the week". The Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. April 6, 2008. p. E09.
  34. ^ Tate, Ryan (April 4, 2008). ""Tom Cruise Purple" The Kind Of Bud That "Makes You Hallucinate"". Gawker. Gawker Media. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  35. ^ a b c d e Hammer, A.J.; Brooke Anderson (April 4, 2008). "Pot Named After Tom Cruise". Showbiz Tonight. CNN. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  36. ^ Asian News International (April 5, 2008). "Tom Cruise to sue manufacturers of medical marijuana named after him". Hindustan Times. HT Media Ltd.
  37. ^ "Lanzan producto de marihuana con la imagen de Cruise". Esmas.com (in Spanish). www.esmas.com. April 13, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  38. ^ "Tom Cruise 'goes to pot' over marijuana link". The New Zealand Herald. APN News & Media. April 7, 2008.
  39. ^ Contributor: Rachel Maddow (April 4, 2008). "Countdown with Keith Olbermann". MSNBC. {{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help)
  40. ^ "Asocian remedio a base de marihuana con imagen de Tom Cruise". Terra USA. Terra Networks. April 14, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  41. ^ Reardanz, Karen (April 4, 2008). "Cruise Fumes Over Marijuana Association". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  42. ^ Saar, Mayrav (April 4, 2008). "TomKat in a Huff over Tom Pot". E! Online. E! Entertainment Television, Inc. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  43. ^ WENN (April 4, 2008). "Cruise fumes over marijuana association". World Entertainment News Network. Comtex.
  44. ^ "Purple haze for Cruise". MX. Sydney, Australia: Nationwide News Pty Limited. April 7, 2008.
  45. ^ http://www.kindgreenbuds.com/cannabis-grow-bible/selfing/
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