A SK A STONER BY HERBERT FUEGO Dear Stoner: A new friend was excited to give me homegrown weed after months of sending me pictures. I was excited for him, too, but what I received was a shriveled piece of grass with little THC. How do I tell him this? Should I? Dilbert Dear Dilbert: You’re acting as if you have to tell a best friend that his wife is having an affair. Growing weed is a hobby for most of us, and we’re realistic enough to know that the fi rst go-around won’t win any cannabis cups. As someone whose work is critiqued by editors and the public, I can tell you that there are plenty of ways to constructively criticize and pump up your friend at the same time. Start with a compliment (make one up if you have to), and then talk about what he did wrong — but only if you have constructive tips, because who wants to hear from critics who don’t have solutions? You could also help him in the grow; give him growing guides from the likes of Jorge Cervantes, Jeff Lowenfels or Ed Rosenthal; or secure better genetics for his next crop. Most of us are our own harshest critics, but we’re too proud to ask for help. Dear Stoner: Is “scary sativa” full of crap, or is there any validity to it? Some strains have made me feel weird, but I couldn’t tell you what they were. Allura Dear Allura: The short answer: yes, because the whole indica and sativa thing is full of crap. While there are actually pure indica and sativa strains, those designations have more to do with plant structure and DNA, with the latter too muddled to label one or another nowadays. Original indicas and sativas, or landrace strains, are rare in the United States, and even landraces affect people differently. Landrace sativas like Durban Poison and Colombian Gold make my mind race, but they don’t do that to everyone, and I’ve smoked cuts of both that knock me out. The reputation likely stems from strains like Amnesia Haze and Sour Diesel in the ,80s and ,90s. They had the tall, loose bud structures of sativas and were way stronger than ,70s swag, so sativas were scapegoated when people began freaking out from smoking too much THC. Today’s weed is too hybridized to traffi c in such slang, not that it was ever accurate to begin with, so don’t be afraid of sativas. In fact, don’t even call them that! 42 Have a question for our Stoner? E-mail [email protected]. NOVEMBER 17-23, 2022 WESTWORD | REAL ESTATE | RENTALS | HEALTH WELLNESS | SERVICES | EMPLOYMENT | ADULT | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | westword.com
