Why do different kinds of cannabis have all these weird names and what do they mean? Here’s the deal – cannabis is the name of the plant. There are basically two types (called sub-species) of cannabis – Indica and sativa. When growers combine different plants and their genes to produce new plants, these are called “strains.” If the plants contain the genetic material of both cannabis sativa and cannabis Indica, these are called hybrids. Sometimes various strains of cannabis are given names by growers that are intended to describe something about the “high” associated with this or that particular strain. For instance, a strain called “Accidental Tourist” probably got that name because of the high THC level that can make people forget where the couch is in their own living room.
Some of the strain names are designed to be funny. For instance – Purple Monkey Balls is a hybrid made up of Grand Daddy Purp. (short for purple) and Afghan Kush. Besides the purple connection, the strain name is largely meaningless but extremely funny (and easy to remember.)
But sometimes strains are named for people. There are two categories here and one of these things is not at like the other. It’s not uncommon for commercial growers to name a strain something like “Charlie Sheen” simply because it’s a household name and everyone laughs when you say something like “Hey Bobby- you got any of that Charlie Sheen left?” Other famous name strains include “Chuck Norris” and “Bruce Banner,” (he’s the mild-mannered scientist that turns into the Incredible Hulk.)
But some strain names are just a cool way to honor and immortalize legendary cannabis pioneers like Jack Herer, Dr. Lester Grinspoon and Ed Rosenthal. Here are three strains of cannabis named for the brave souls who moved heaven and Earth to help us get access to medical cannabis and cannabis in general despite the advice of Nancy Reagan’s astrologist and the threat of indefinite incarceration.
- Strain name: Dr. Grinspoon: %100 percent sativa, flavor notes of citrus and mangos, high in THC, low in CBD.
Who was he? Dr. Lester Grinspoon was a scientist and Harvard professor that started out as a misinformed drug warrior and became an advocate for medical cannabis despite overwhelming cultural and institutional pressures- a true man of science who did a lot of the science that made medical cannabis a reality.
- Strain Name: Jack Herer: Sativa dominant hybrid. Flavor notes of orange and pine forest. High in THC, CBD content unknown. Pictured above.
Who was he? Jack was an author, an activist and too many other things to mention here. He’s a legend like Johnny Appleseed except Jack is very real. He’s the author of a book that everyone but especially every American should read called, “The Emperor Wears no Clothes.”
- Strain Name: Ed Rosenthal: True hybrid,
50 percent Indica, 50 percent sativa. Flavor notes of oranges and other kinds of citrus. High in THC, CBD unknown.
Who was he? Ed, like Herer, is a legend in the cannabis community. (Screen shot of a page in his book on the right.) Known globally as the “Guru of Ganja,” Rosenthal is widely respected and considered one of the most knowledgeable cannabis experts on the planet. He’s an activist, an author, and an educator.
Bonus Strain Name: Heisenberg Kush:
Named for the renowned German physicist Werner Heisenberg, who is considered the pioneer of quantum mechanics: Sativa dominant hybrid. Flavor notes include strawberry, sandal wood and grape.
So if you see a type of cannabis named after a person and it’s someone you don’t recognize like Chuck Norris or Willie Nelson, it might be a species of cannabis named for someone that people in the cannabis community think people should know more about.