The Jack Herer strain is one that is both a poignant and emotional strain for a lot of smokers in the US, as it is named after the infamous Jack Herer.
However the strain is a great smoke even without its history and has been grown and smoked for years now in the honour of The Emperor of Hemp himself. Some go as far to describe Jack Herer as the most famous sativa in weed history.
This sativa dominant strain has, unsurprisingly, won multiple awards including the 7th High Times Cannabis Cup, as well as being inducted into the Counterculture Hall of Fame at the 16th Cannabis Cup.
Strain History
Genetics
Jack Herer is a sativa dominant bud that is a haze hybrid of Northern Lights #5 and Shiva Skunk, and is a 55/45 sativa dominant split.
The rich genetic history of the Jack Herer plant means that there are several variations on the original genetic combination. This means that most head shops around the states have their own genetic variants of Jack Herer that pay their own homage to the Hemperor.
Origins
Jack Herer, the namesake of the sativa flower, was a famed American cannabis rights activist who wrote the syndicated novel The Emperor Wears No Clothes, an allegorical and fictional tale about the history of cannabis and its uses.
The book has been published every year since 1985 and is in its fourteenth edition, being a source of inspiration and philosophy regarding the legalisation of cannabis.
Many people who advocate marijuana legislation in countries beyond the US cite Herer’s books for its nuanced presentation of the decriminalization of marijuana.
Herer argues that the cannabis plant could be used as a renewable source of fuel, medecine, food, fibre, and paper. Jack Herer is described as the founding father of all cannabis legislation movements and is syndicated among freedom fighters and smokers alike.
He advocated for the decriminalisation and legalisation of cannabis from the early 60s until his unfortunate death in 2010 at the age of 70.
Jack Herer was a particular advocate for the reunification of the material of Hemp within normal society, after it was shunned due to the legislation of the cannabis plant. Herer founded and served as director for the organisation Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP).
Herer actually ran for US presidency twice, hoping to reform the industry from the inside, as the Grassroots Party candidate in 1988 and 1992 with limited success. Herer really believed that the societal benefits of cannabis were innumerable and unignorable for its potential economic and cultural effects.
Herer often cited the lack of use of hemp in western society as a great example of how the government was purposefully turning a blind eye to the plant that was undoubtedly useful in many ways even beyond its psychoactive properties.
Created in the hemp and marijuana loving Netherlands in the explosion of cannabis legislation and recreational usage in the country in the 1990s, many of the dutch recognised that it was Jack Herer who enabled this to happen.
It was later distributed by Dutch pharmacies for its medicinal use. Many smokers have reported their love for Jack Herer as it can snuff out your depression with euphoric highs and enables you to remain socially engaged while still encouraging thoughtful mental spaces.
The Jack Herer strain was created to honour the founding father of cannabis legislation within the plant that he loved so much. This was partly to recognise that in many US states cannabis is now legal and his own strain is sold in headshops across the country, which he would have been proud to see.
Strain Profile
Strain Appearance
Like your classic Haze, the Jack Herer strain is usually bright green in its buds with the common amber hairs that indicate the high resin quality of the strain.
THe buds generally look pretty bush, potentially leafy, but dense and round. The resin quality of the strain is also guaranteed with its coating of THC crystals that shine like diamonds in the light.
Strain Flavor
Jack Herer is reported by many to have a piney and citrusy scent that can be attributed to its sativa dominance, while also bearing some earthy and woody tastes from its indica genetics. Many varieties of Jack Herer enjoy adding their own flavor variations to the classic strain, such as Apple Jack or Purple Jack.
Strain Aroma
Similar to its flavor, the aroma of Jack Herer is like most sativa dominant strains while also having the slightly diesel and earthy smell of kush, the combination is a mix of both indica and sativa aromas much like its genetics. The fresh piney and herbal notes are a result of the strains terpenes.
Strain Cannabinoids
The Jack Herer strain is around 18-20% THC with around 1% CBD. This makes it perfect for medicinal uses as the THC isn’t too high. Certain growers breed stronger variants of Jack Herer for this reason.
The strain is a generally 55% Sativa dominant hybrid, again, breeders seek different varieties of Herer that have different sativa and indica balances.
Strain Terpenes
The dominant terpene in Jack Herer is Terpinolene, followed by Caryophyllene and Pinene. The Terpinolene terpene endows the strain with the fresh and fruity complex aromas of pine, flowers, and herbs.
This terpene is also found in flowers like lilacs as well as herbs such as nutmeg and cumin.
Side Effects
As this is a sativa dominant hybrid some side effects for users with a low tolerance can be stress and anxiety as a result of a high THC dose. Always consider your own medicinal situation as well as tolerance, height, and weight, when dosing with any drugs.
Expect the usual side effects that can come with smoking, if this is your chosen method of consumption. Edibles with Jack Herer in should be treated with caution as they can give high THC doses to the unsuspecting smoker.
Medical Benefits
As the strain has some Myrcene terpenes present in its genetics it could potentially ease pain, Pinene could stimulate awareness, and Beta-Caryophyllene is anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting while also having some potential depression relieving properties.
Ideal for daytime smoking, many users describe the strain as creating a blissful, clear headed, and creative, mental space.
Strain Review
The Jack Herer strain is indeed one of the most famous sativa strains of all time. The effects of Jack Herer are reported to be uplifting and psychoactive, many users suggest the strain has a reputation for inspiring and stimulating thoughtful mental patterns.
While JackHerer has the ability to send your head into the clouds, the 55/45 balance means that there is easily enough indica to keep you rooted on earth and cushion the head racing highs with a kushy landing.
Many suggest that Jack Herer doesn’t make you a couch potato, but rather energises you to get on with your day and promotes confidence in social situations.
When you consider the history of the strain and who it commemorates, then this should be at the top of the bucket list for any weed smoker who knows their herbal history.
If you want to learn more about the history of marijuana legalisation in the US and abroad, then grab yourself a copy of The Emperor Has No Clothes, and an eighth of Jack Herer, and prepare to feel empathy for the plant that was legislatively ignored for a long time in the US.
For those who enjoy a blissful sativa euphoria then Jack Herer is the one for you to try. It should not be too hard to get your hands on either, most local head shops stock Jack Herer in commemoration of the Hemperor himself.
Strain Grow Information
The Jack Herer plant is known to be much bigger than your typical sativa plant. Moreover, the plant is fast flowering and high yielding. Being resistant to many common plant diseases, Jack Herer has the potential to be a growers dream.
Lots of people love to grow Jack Herer as it is treated as a classic strain among many growers and smokers alike. If you want to learn how to do the classics right, then Jack Herer could be your next grow project.
Flowering Time
When grown indoors Jack Herer has been recognised for having a short flowering period estimated at around 8-10 weeks. Although, it is worth being aware that the Herer plant can grow pretty high and wide, the height of the plant has been reported to grow over 78inches, this creates a problem for some inside jobs.
When grown outside, the Jack Herer plant grows best in Mediterranean climates which are dry and warm and have a similar flowering period to the indoor plants but should expect to flower around late September or early October.
Strain Yield
When grown outside the Herer plant will yield anywhere up to 18 ounces per plant. In comparison an indoor grow is likely to yield around 18 ounces per square meter. As a sativa phenotype the yield of the Jack Herer strain won’t be as high as its indica counterparts.
This website will serve as the ultimate guide and record for various different cannabis strains that are available, from melon gum and golden goat, to wookie and hog strains. There is so much to learn about each strain, and each has its own benefits and medicinal properties.
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