Pubdate: Thu, 02 Apr 2015 Source: Sacramento News & Review (CA) Copyright: 2015 Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact: http://newsreview.com/sacto/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/540 Author: Ngaio Bealum WHAT'S YOUR BRAND? I thoroughly enjoy your column. It's the first page I read. You are a well of information. I like the sativas. Could you suggest some strains that have the highest percentage of this and what dispensaries have them? Thanks. - -CM Thank you! I must confess that I am a little confused by your question. If you are asking which strains have the highest amount of THC (THC is the chemical that gets you "high"), the answer is: It depends. The best way to find out is to ask your budtender. Most dispensaries these days have their cannabis tested for potency. Most strains contain between 15 to 20 percent THC, but I have seen some up to 27 percent. If you are asking which strains are the most "sativa-esque," i.e. containing the characteristics of the cannabis sativa plant, I like Trainwreck, Durban Poison and Haze. As always, Leafly and weedmaps.com can tell you where to find good cannabis. Have a good one. I hear Willie Nelson is coming out with his own brand of cannabis. Is this true? - -The Dread Headed Stranger Yes. Yes it is. And why not? Everyone wants to get in on the marijuana branding game these days. Willie Nelson's brand is supposed to debut in 2016. Rapper Kurupt already has his own brand of marijuana concentrates on the market. The Marley family is introducing its own brand. Snoop sells all kinds of weed and weed-related items. Hell, even I am introducing a brand. Look for the line of fine and rare cannabis flowers at your favorite dispensary this summer. It makes sense. During prohibition, word about who the best growers were and who had the best weed traveled by word of mouth, mostly because marijuana was hella illegal and getting busted for either growing or selling would get you major jail time. Remember when Tommy Chong went to prison for lending his name and likeness to a line of bongs? He went to federal prison for selling bongs! I had some friends in the early '90s that tried to do the branding and marketing thing with their cannabis strains. They got busted. Hella busted. Like, a clandestine visit from the DEA busted. However, times have changed and the risk of getting popped by the feds for selling cannabis in states that allow recreational use is very, very low, at least until 2017 when we will have a new president and attorney general. And since everyone and their mama is trying to get in on the weed game, one of the best ways to stand out in a sea of green is to have a recognizable brand. I bet that other celebrities and pot users will also get in the game. Who would you buy your weed from? Seth Rogen? Doug Benson? Redman and Method Man? I would probably try something from all of those dudes. As long as Charlie Sheen stays out of the business. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom