What STRAIN works the best for your condition?

[fernand]

I think we're all on the same page here. I had given up on the plant, with the manure that was consumed in the 80s. So, yeah @ataxian, it's the plant, the genetics. Then the expertise in harvesting and so on, which I don't have, putting me at the mercy of what's available. Fortunately the dispensary situation in California is remarkably good overall, many test the product and act in good faith. To me, the pharmacology of the individual components is an amazing subject. After decades of mostly thin research, maybe now we'll start getting some better scientific work on what does what. Not to dismiss the Holy Grail aspect, but even even the human soul has a structural side ;-) Where can I read about the milky trichome effects?

p.s. It has some weaknesses but for flavor the Firefly is a nice vaporizer. There's a metal "cooling path" in the lid, and the vapor arrives cool and tasty. The microcontroller makes it virtually impossible to burn the herb, even without a programmable temperature control.

 

[215z]

To highlight that what works for some works differently for others, @ataxian does not benefit from the clear trichrome harvest, but that is when sativas work best for me.

 

[fernand]

@215z, righto, it's in the magic ratios. Sounds like @ataxian 's not fond of what we could call the "unmitgated THC" effect. I think I know exactly what he means, there's a specific very confusing anxious type THC effect. And it's not just a matter of high THC. In a better (@ataxian says "more mature") plant, as the THC level rises it's complemented by additional compounds that "take the sharp edges off". In some people - like you, @215z - your natural endocannabinoid system is set up to react very positively to high "unmitigated THC".

Hard to talk about things we have no words for yet. @ataxian, are you observing that as the trichomes mature and turn milky then amber, the effect moves away from anxious flutter and towards a more couch-lock effect? Or just a mellowed THC? In other words do you feel the Indica type couch-locky effect is on the same scale, or on another continuum altogether?

For me a hybrid like Purple Diesel first delivers a soft (mitigated) THC effect, and after 5-10 minutes a very different couch-locky effect overlays it. A Master Kush offers a clear THC "island" in a largely couch-locky sea. So many plants, so little time (sigh!). I still have some Blue Dream bubble and flower to try. A lot of people seem to like that strain's balance.

So, @ataxian, are you finding that GSC is getting more standardized, or is it still largely "whatever they have on hand"?

 

[ataxian]

@215z, righto, it's in the magic ratios. Sounds like @ataxian 's not fond of what we could call the "unmitgated THC" effect. I think I know exactly what he means, there's a specific very confusing anxious type THC effect. And it's not just a matter of high THC. In a better (@ataxian says "more mature") plant, as the THC level rises it's complemented by additional compounds that "take the sharp edges off". In some people - like you, @215z - your natural endocannabinoid system is set up to react very positively to high "unmitigated THC".

Hard to talk about things we have no words for yet. @ataxian, are you observing that as the trichomes mature and turn milky then amber, the effect moves away from anxious flutter and towards a more couch-lock effect? Or just a mellowed THC? In other words do you feel the Indica type couch-locky effect is on the same scale, or on another continuum altogether?

For me a hybrid like Purple Diesel first delivers a soft (mitigated) THC effect, and after 5-10 minutes a very different couch-locky effect overlays it. A Master Kush offers a clear THC "island" in a largely couch-locky sea. So many plants, so little time (sigh!). I still have some Blue Dream bubble and flower to try. A lot of people seem to like the balance.

So, @ataxian, are you finding that GSC is getting more standardized, or is it still largely "whatever they have on hand"?

I buy GSC that is genetically certified.
I don't buy random anything!
I like to control the harvest rather than buy it.
Milky thickness is how I like my sativas.
Amber is not my thing.
Clear or transparent I can't handle.
We all react differently.
That's why I like to control the harvest of my medicine.
Some strains taste different than others.
Some grape, lemon, pepper, fruity, spicy or whatever.
Depending on what my taste buds want?
PS: I am unmoved by the marketing bs surrounding vAporizers.

 

[fernand]

Lucky guy. Where/how do you get "genetically certified" GSC? I'd be a happy camper indeed if I had access to the terpene fingerprints.

Am I wrong to assume that the relatively small batches that the dispensaries buy are a factor in making full analysis and fingerprinting for every batch prohibitive?

 

[ataxian]

Lucky guy. Where/how do you get "genetically certified" GSC? I'd be a happy camper indeed if I had access to the terpene fingerprints.

Am I wrong to assume that the relatively small batches that the dispensaries buy are a factor in making full analysis and fingerprinting for every batch prohibitive?

Weed Maps = JOLLY Farms GDP GSC and their OG or KUSH ARE LAB tested.
You can get these names else where much cheaper however they are untested.
I find it easier to legally grow your own medicine.
However I do buy it as well however with caution.

 

[Mr. Gweilo 420]

Me too Ataxian has a lot of knowledge and you can tell how deeply he has thought this thing through.

 

[ataxian]

Me too Ataxian has a lot of knowledge and you can tell how deeply he has thought this thing through.

Funny your comments!

When I was a young gun my friends said I think too much!

Have a nice 4th!

 

[fernand]

@ataxian, Harborside allegedly has (I forget which lab) test all the flowers and most concentrates. On-line they show percentage for THC, THCA and CBD. In the store they sometimes show some other percentages, like CBN. They also test yes/no for mold and residual pesticide.

But to confirm the identity of a batch as being of a given strain they'd have to also at least be matching "terpene fingerprints" on the Gas Chromatograph printouts. Is anyone actually supplying that info to the public?

If you are set up with the GLC equipment, it's not hard to run the curve, but there are big variations in the phenotype, especially because of the 40 years of clever hybridization. So, as expected genetically, there will be all sorts of recessive "throwbacks" and other random variation. On the "terpene fingerprint" I've heard "essentially a match" or "pretty similar", but I've never heard "100% matched". I'm not sure if, or how carefully, which dispensaries determine if the grower is correctly labeling the strain.

Also a strain like, say, a "Sour Diesel" could be bred several very different ways, to come up with different plants with very similar appearance and effects, that most users would identify as a "Diesel". There's not even agreement on what the initial root strains were. With fashionable strains like GSC, with all the "alleged GSC" on sale, it gets even worse. Is there even a "real" Girl Scout Cookies?

What's your experience?

 

[ataxian]

@ataxian, Harborside allegedly has (I forget which lab) test all the flowers and most concentrates. On-line they show percentage for THC, THCA and CBD. In the store they sometimes show some other percentages, like CBN. They also test yes/no for mold and residual pesticide.

But to confirm the identity of a batch as being of a given strain they'd have to also at least be matching "terpene fingerprints" on the Gas Chromatograph printouts. Is anyone actually supplying that info to the public?

If you are set up with the GLC equipment, it's not hard to run the curve, but there are big variations in the phenotype, especially because of the 40 years of clever hybridization. So, as expected genetically, there will be all sorts of recessive "throwbacks" and other random variation. On the "terpene fingerprint" I've heard "essentially a match" or "pretty similar", but I've never heard "100% matched". I'm not sure if, or how carefully, which dispensaries determine if the grower is correctly labeling the strain.

Also a strain like, say, a "Sour Diesel" could be bred several very different ways, to come up with different plants with very similar appearance and effects, that most users would identify as a "Diesel". There's not even agreement on what the initial root strains were. With fashionable strains like GSC, with all the "alleged GSC" on sale, it gets even worse. Is there even a "real" Girl Scout Cookies?

What's your experience?

I keep a few grams of GSC (the real stuff)
I don't buy into the label!
Find a strain you like and grow it.
Control your medicine!

 

[fernand]

I keep a few grams of GSC (the real stuff)
I don't buy into the label!
Find a strain you like and grow it.
Control your medicine!

Of course if possible. Do you start from clones? So how do you sample a clone? I got a couple of alleged SD clones. In a few weeks I get to taste them?

 

[ataxian]

Of course if possible. Do you start from clones? So how do you sample a clone? I got a couple of alleged SD clones. In a few weeks I get to taste them?

I started with clones however I germinate seeds these days. Clones are easier plus you can try a sample of what kind of medicine your getting. Seed are more expensive actually. My first couple of grows where from clones. At first many mistakes are made. After a couple grows you learn.

If you are hydroponic don't do it unless your willing to get a water chiller. (68 - 70 f)
Air Flow is very important. (exchange of air)
A/C = 74 78 F day - 64 - 68 F night

Keep everything clean!
Use Distilled or RO water!

Soil is easier for most people however I can't handle the smell indoors.

 

[215z]

A tangential point: We consume alot less of the "right" strain for our ailment, than we would consume the "wrong" strain. I made these comments in an Ask FC thread where the poster was frustrated with the cost of pre-loaded vape pen cartridges. It is true that these carts are a poor value because they use small quantities of unknown-quality concentrate, but using the "wrong" strain compounds the problem. If you have only a few varieties to choose from, you are not likely to get the "right" strain that provides maximum relief. I know some of us are unhappy with the profit-motive driving dispensaries, but how else can patients sample a wide variety of meds?

 

[exit]

i keep coming back to blue dream for my stomach pain, nausea, appetite and throat spasms

 

[grokit]

I have so many ailments that I can be helped by pretty much any strain, so it just depends on where I am hurting atm. It would be cool to be able to selectively differentiate my choices, that's for sure but not as necessary as it it may be for some others. That's also why I almost always vape at high temperature, because I usually want the entire spectrum for my various maladies not just part of it.

 

[ataxian]

i keep coming back to blue dream for my stomach pain, nausea, appetite and throat spasms

Blue Dream taste amazing!
I love this strain however I have to grow it myself to control the harvest.

I don't want to get political on this topic however people are taking more than they are giving!

Grow your own medicine under the laws where it's allowed.

Blue Dream is a great strain if it's grown correctly?

@Vitolo gets a good one!

You may get the right genetics?
Was it grown correctly?

 

[exit]

My current blue dream is not grown by me, but it is definitely grown very well.

I haven't started growing my own yet but I have some old grow gurus to teach me the ways so I can get to providing for myself.

 

[ataxian]

My current blue dream is not grown by me, but it is definitely grown very well.

I haven't started growing my own yet but I have some old grow gurus to teach me the ways so I can get to providing for myself.

If you can buy it grown right your a head of the curve!

 

[CarolKing]

Heres another pic of some Blue Dream. A very nice medicinal strain. Leafly says it's great for pain, depression and nausea. Seems to lesson the pain for me. It gently eases you into a better state of mind. I really like it.

 

[fernand]

A tangential point: We consume alot less of the "right" strain for our ailment, than we would consume the "wrong" strain. I made these comments in an Ask FC thread where the poster was frustrated with the cost of pre-loaded vape pen cartridges. It is true that these carts are a poor value because they use small quantities of unknown-quality concentrate, but using the "wrong" strain compounds the problem. If you have only a few varieties to choose from, you are not likely to get the "right" strain that provides maximum relief. I know some of us are unhappy with the profit-motive driving dispensaries, but how else can patients sample a wide variety of meds?

Very good point. AND there are both synergistic and antagonistic effects between the elements, so by mixing two strains you can completely obliterate the specific effect you're looking for.

It may not be my choice, but I'd like to defend the people who sell the O-Pen-Vape carts.

The BUD cartomizers themselves are probably the best choice for the money, but far from perfect. Some leak, and they all require "burping" every few hits to let air in so a thick liquid can feed the coil. You have to pop off the cap, remove the blue plug, count to 3, and put it back together. If you don't burp, you WILL get burned taste.

It's not that they "cut" it, they HAVE to liquidize it. Regular oil is too thick to wick, you HAVE to add some glycols to thin it enough to feed on equipment designed for nicotine e-liquids. Comparing the viscosity of my own I am pretty sure they don't add more glycols than about a third. It takes at least 20%. They don't use VG, that would tend to separate. It's a Propylene Glycol base with several Polypropylene Glycols, like EJ Mix.

And finally their starting material oil is so-so, and different in CA and CO. I was told CA regulations somehow prevent use of a dispensary's own buds, so a lot of popcorn and trim is used. Part economics, part access. At least they do identify the strain. The carts that contain a clearer liquid can be better tasting, but some oils are just darker than others to begin with.

I think the O-Pen-Vape carts are getting better, the first one I tried was so grassy tasting it truly sucked, and I didn't know about burping, so I was getting dry burns too. Yuck.

Of course if you order your own cartomizers, buy/make your own oil (don't spill it ;-) , get your own glycol blend, liquidize the oil and fill the carts, you can better control the results, and lower the price - at the cost of more hassle. Using a G of top notch CO2 clear oil at sixty bucks, you can end up with 3 "half gram" carts of NICE stuff, and less doubt about the strain used. But it's not fair to call theirs a "rip-off".

 

[ataxian]

I'd like to defend the people who sell the O-Pen-Vape carts.. Regular oil is too thick to wick, you HAVE to add some glycols to thin it enough to feed on equipment designed for nicotine e-liquids. Comparing the viscosity of my own I am pretty sure they don't add more glycols than about a third. It takes at least 20%. They don't use VG, that would tend to separate. It's a Propylene Glycol base with several Polypropylene Glycols, like EJ Mix.

And finally their starting material oil is so-so, and different in CA and CO. I was told CA regulations somehow prevent use of a dispensary's own buds, so a lot of popcorn and trim is used. Part economics, part access. At least they do identify the strain. The carts that contain a clearer liquid can be better tasting, but some oils are just darker than others to begin with.

I think the O-Pen-Vape carts are getting better, the first one I tried was so grassy tasting it truly sucked, and I didn't know about burping, so I was getting dry burns too. Yuck.

Of course if you order your own cartomizers, buy/make your own oil (don't spill it ;-) , get your own glycol blend, liquidize the oil and fill the carts, you can better control the results, and lower the price - at the cost of more hassle. Using a G of top notch CO2 clear oil at sixty bucks, you can end up with 3 "half gram" carts of NICE stuff, and less doubt about the strain used. But it's not fair to call theirs a "rip-off".

I get the worse head aches from CO2 OIL and all the stuff made into liguid!

Making your own shatter is 100000x better quality.

I like devices that are powerful.

Shatter is way better than any oil!

Why does CO2, PURE GOLD and THC oil give me a head ache?

My SHATTER taste better and doesn't give me a headache? I don't put cream in my coffee or cut my concentrates!

Kind of a gamble!
Dutch Treat x Jack Herer = Dutch Crunch
reduced stress, nausea relief and elimination of headaches!
Good energy. Daytime strain!
I will fine tune these flower nuggets before final cure.

 

[fernand]

@ataxian, Beautiful flowers! How many plants was that from and what do you end up with by weight?

I like some of the dark crude oils I've found. More terpenes etc. A patent was recently granted based on testing the neuroprotective properties of a mix of cannabinoids compared to a plant extract with the same cannabinoids in the same proportions. They do not claim to understand exactly why, but the plant extracts with their flavonoids and terpenes and other impurities are demonstrably much more effective at preventing damage from e.g. strokes.

The best medicine is the flower and then come crude extracts that retain much of the natural flavoring and complexity. IMHO concentrates are a convenience but with a real loss. Pure Gold is extreme. It's all about portability and stealth.

 

[ataxian]

@ataxian, Beautiful flowers! How many plants was that from and what do you end up with by weight?

I like some of the dark crude oils I've found. More terpenes etc. A patent was recently granted based on testing the neuroprotective properties of a mix of cannabinoids compared to a plant extract with the same cannabinoids in the same proportions. They do not claim to understand exactly why, but the plant extracts with their flavonoids and terpenes and other impurities are demonstrably much more effective at preventing damage from e.g. strokes.

The best medicine is the flower and then come crude extracts that retain much of the natural flavoring and complexity. IMHO concentrates are a convenience but with a real loss. Pure Gold is extreme. It's all about portability and stealth.

That's one plant super cropped and air pot hydroponic with water chiller and a/c 600W lamp. 2 x 3 foot flower box 9 feet tall. Very stealthy.

You don't have to grow multiple plants?

Yield was over one pound of dried colas. I kept 7.9 onces and put 8.1 onces in the trash to meet the legal requirements. 2 pounds of trim were dumped as well. That's why I make shatter from top colas because I can't vaporize that many flowers!

For me it's legal medicine first!
That's why ABV is a waste of time!
There must be a reason it's called weed?
Grows so easy?

 

[CarolKing]

Ataxian I wish you were my neighbor.

 

[lwien]

Blue Dream taste amazing!
I love this strain however I have to grow it myself to control the harvest.

I don't want to get political on this topic however people are taking more than they are giving!

Grow your own medicine under the laws where it's allowed.

Blue Dream is a great strain if it's grown correctly?

@Vitolo gets a good one!

You may get the right genetics?
Was it grown correctly?

Fuck. My favorite dispensary had something in that I never saw before. It was a cross between Blue Dream and Maui Wowie.............two strains that by themselves, I iike a LOT. They sold out in 3 days.
Damn......