Helping you consume the right strain of OG Kush, or whatever other strain you desire.
Prior to cannabis legalization, you rolled the dice with every purchase from an "Agricultural Products Broker," AKA, your weed dealer. Many a transaction had me asking if there was "any more of that lime green stuff from last week" or "that pot that tasted like oranges." Every once in a while, I would be told what I was buying was a unique strain the grower had developed or grown from seeds brought back from the Netherlands. And perhaps they were—but I had no way of knowing.
Then came the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, and dispensaries that had a wide range of strains, all labeled. How certain were they that what they offered was indeed that particular strain?
It was an "it's-what-the-grower-called-it" level of certainty, at best. Then we upped our game with testing for pesticides, molds and other undesirables. Fantastic, but again, is that Durban Poison really Durban Poison? And does it really matter if it is or not?
It does matter, as patients and consumers may be seeking particular cannabinoids and benefits/effects, or conversely may be seeking to avoid strains that induce unwanted effects, such as paranoia, sleepiness and so on.
The brilliant team of
I spoke with Carolyn White of
"Few people realize that popular consumer sites like Leafly are highly
"Phylos maintains the largest genetic library of cannabis on earth. Our
"Names aren't reliable, but DNA data is." White continued "It's bringing transparency to the supply chain."
White says numerous Oregon growers have already signed on. "Growers across the country have been submitting their varieties for DNA testing over the last two years, which are added to the Open Cannabis Project, White added. "It's powerful to see the community come
I asked Zoe Sigman, education co-director at Farma, about the value of PC for their patients and consumers.
"One of the most common frustrations we hear from consumers is the lack of consistency in flower that shares the same name. Phylos' certification is the first step towards resolving that issue," Sigman said.
Checking out the Phylos Galaxy is highly recommended while stoned.