The holidays feel like a time of year tailor made for creating wonderful sensory memories. Be it the comforting aroma of freshly baked gingerbread men wafting over the kitchen or the taste of a stiff eggnog, our various end-of-year celebrations and traditions are often packed with plenty of signature flavors and smells.

Though cannabis may not be on that list for everyone, it is a plant that relies on the very same aromatic compounds at the heart of everything from mistletoe to hot chocolate: terpenes. Today, terpenes are rapidly becoming an everyday part of the modern cannabis consumer vernacular.

Found in the essential oils of a wide variety of different plants, terpenes give cannabis strains their distinctive tastes and smells but also help in the wild by attracting pollinators and repelling invasive species. Secreted by the cannabis plant’s trichome glands, terpenes also offer any number of potential health benefits, including promising anti-inflammatory properties as well as relief from pain and anxiety.

Of course, that all depends on the terpene. Given there are over 150 of them found in cannabis alone, pinpointing precisely which terpenes can do what remains, with respect to the progress that has been made, an ongoing effort.

Fortunately, when it comes to the specific smells and tastes one can expect, we’ve gotten things down to a science. For instance, we now know that those who think of the holidays and immediately get a whiff of a pine tree echoing through their nostrils owe a debt of gratitude to pinene.

Regarded as the most common terpene in the natural world, pinene is a popular tool in aromatherapy and the pivotal player behind what we commonly refer to as “Christmas tree smell.” In fact, that particular scent has become so beloved that we now buy it by the bottleful to spray in our homes. If you are one of the many who wistfully smiles whenever a pinene-powered burst of pine hits your nose, you may be pleased to learn that this terpene also features prominently in many cannabis strains.

A terpene shared with the likes of orange peels, rosemary, parsley, turpentine, basil, pine needles, dill, and conifer trees, pinene can be found in notable amounts in such cannabis strains as Jack Herer, SFV OG, Sugar Pine and OG Ringo. Each of these four selections is renowned for their hearty notes of pine, which it should be noted will not necessarily be the case simply because a strain is packed with pinene. Instead, it is the presence of all the terpenes in a strain which work together to create a strain’s signature sensory characteristics.

In celebration of the holidays and the surplus of pine trees currently pleasing our sniffers, let’s take a closer look at four strains ready to deliver the evergreen all year round. As a bonus, we’ve paired each strain with a suggested holiday gift for any last-minute shopping on your list!

JACK HERER

Undisputed as a legend of the game, Jack Herer is a sativa-dominant strain named for the activist and author of the seminal “The Emperor Wears No Clothes.” Featuring a hybrid of Haze, Northern Lights #5, and Shiva Skunk, this strain is known for having a pine-forward, spicy quality that consumers love almost as much as its corresponding effects, which tend to induce a focused, uplifting high. Grab a jar of Jack Herer and pair it with a copy of “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” for an inspiring combo gift!

SFV OG

Southern California’s San Fernando Valley is the birthplace of SFV OG, a hybrid descendant of OG Kush that delivers big on pain relief but isn’t known for being overly potent. The terpene expression in this strain is rich with notes of pine and lemon, leading some to refer to its resulting taste as being akin to Lemon Pledge (but in a good way). Popular with those seeking relief from physical symptoms, SFV OG should be a mainstay in any showcase devoted to strains that bring the Christmas tree heat. Try pairing a gift of this flower with another SoCal-specific item (you can’t go wrong with merch from Pink’s Hot Dogs) for a geographically themed twofer.

SUGAR PINE

With a name that sounds like a ski resort nestled in the Sierras, Sugar Pine is the result of decades of crosses and tinkering. The worthwhile payoff is a hybrid strain featuring genetics from Skunk, Sugar Bush, Afghani, and Sweetie. That’s quite the eclectic crew, which makes its ensuing flavor profile — a fragrant bouquet of sweet pine, vanilla, and hops — such a unique delight. With a name like Sugar Pine, it seems only fitting that any gift of this soothing, yet enlivening, strain should come with a home baked confection. Pair Sugar Pine with a tray of cookies straight from your oven and you’ve got the perfect present for anyone who loves both cannabis and sweets.

OG RINGO

Another relative of the OG Kush clan, OG Ringo is named not for the Beatle but rather Lawrence Ringo: a famed CBD breeder and activist. Regardless, the headline here is OG Ringo’s potent, high-THC payoff in the form of its long-lasting euphoric effects as well as its earthy, musky aroma, highlighted once more by notes of sweet pine. This holiday season, it’s actually possible to give a loved one the gift of multiple Ringos when you combine a jar of Ringo OG with a subscription to Disney+, which is currently streaming a critically acclaimed new, three-part documentary on the Beatles!

The post If You Want to Smoke (Christmas) Trees, Ask Santa for These Strains appeared first on Cannabis Now.

According to the tabloids, celebrities are just like us. They run errands, they wait in lines and they also know which strains of cannabis they love best. In the past few years, many of the world’s most iconic stoners have embraced the legalized industry by launching branded pot products. Willie Nelson has Willie’s Reserve, Snoop Dogg has Leafs By Snoop, and more famous faces are getting in on the action every day. But what is Nelson smoking when he hangs up his guitar after a long day? What’s in the blunts that Snoop allegedly smokes up to 80 of a day? With so many different strains now available — bred to highlight various terpenes and capable of inducing a wide array of physical and mental sensations — what are celebrities reaching for when it’s time to toke up?

Willie Nelson

In the case of the most famous pothead on the planet, country legend Willie Nelson claims he has no preference. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Nelson suggested that cannabis was like sex — “It’s all good, some is great.” Later in the same article, Nelson’s wife, Annie D’Angelo, did note that Nelson prefers sativas (“He’s already funny, so it just makes him funnier.”) For the “On the Road Again” musician, a practice of smoking what you’ve got does feel rather fitting. Nelson recently made news for admitting he’s no longer smoking, but hasn’t stopped enjoying cannabis.

Miley Cyrus

The superstar pop singer has made no secret of her love affair with weed — a stance that likely shocked some fans who best knew her as a squeaky-clean Disney star. Yes, even Hannah Montana is riding the green rush. During a 2013 trip to Amsterdam, a member of Cyrus’s entourage revealed that Miley’s strain of choice was Super Lemon Haze, a sativa-dominant hybrid known for sparking energy and joy. Given the sunny vibes of her most 2017 album, ‘Younger Now,’ it appears to have done the trick.

Doug Benson

For some of us, the challenge of performing live comedy may seem daunting, but seasoned comic and podcaster Doug Benson is always at ease when he hits the stage. His secret? Being really, really high, of course. Like Nelson, Benson isn’t too picky when it comes to strains, but in a 2013 interview with Cannabis Now, he did express a fondness for the delightfully named Chocolope. A cross of Chocolate Thai and Cannalope Haze, this strain has notes of coffee and is recognized for its ability to induce a happier mindset.

Snoop Dogg

The legendary West Coast rapper has been hyping cannabis since the day he first hit the studio. One could make the argument that Snoop has done more to bring weed to the mainstream than any other celebrity out there. When it comes to what he likes to burn, he’s given a number of different answers over the years. One that Snoop’s mentioned several times is Herijuana. According to Leafly, this hybrid of Petrolia Headstash (a variety of Humboldt County Afghan) and Killer New Haven “was worked by breeders for 15 generations.” The result is a powerful high that is likely best enjoyed by heavyweight consumers like the D-O-double-G.

Seth Rogen

While Seth Rogen has not officially confirmed his favorite strain, there’s reason to believe it might just be Pineapple Express. After all, the strain didn’t actually exist before he and co-writer Evan Goldberg invented the name for their 2008 stoner comedy. Borrowing the name from a weather phenomenon (an atmospheric river that begins in the islands of Hawaii and moves up towards the West Coast), Pineapple Express is now a bona fide strain the combines Trainwreck and Hawaiian for a sativa-forward blend that will get you up and moving if the afternoon starts to drag.

TELL US, what’s your favorite strain?

Originally published in Issue 39 of Cannabis Now. LEARN MORE

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The Halloween season is a time for many traditions. Some, like finding a costume, are timeless, while others, like the annual marketing blitz for products featuring pumpkin spice, are more difficult to decipher. One thing that is definitively October, however, is the occasionally stressful pastime of getting together with loved ones to watch some scary movies—especially when you’re stoned.

Sure, watching a zombie disembowel something can be unpleasant, but the toughest part? That’s usually having to decide which horror films will grace your television screen. From classic Universal monster flick to the latest installments of the “Halloween” and “Saw” franchises, the options we have when it comes to picking scary movies can seem downright limitless. Fortunately, Cannabis Now has you covered with a curated list of sure-fire winners for spooky season.

Compiled under the assumption that you plan to infuse your Halloween night with some THC, the films below run the gamut from gory gross-outs to campy musicals. By turns delightful and terrifying, these are movies that will scare you silly but which also pair well with cannabis in one way or another. Now it’s time to turn off the lights and see what’s down in the basement…

Monster Movie That’s Also a Great Musical: “Little Shop of Horrors” (1986)

In the pantheon of iconic horror movie villains, there should be one pot of soil reserved for Audrey II. The plot of “Little Shop of Horrors” finds the hapless Seymour matching wits with a blood-thirsty plant who likes to eat and can also belt a mean tune. Featuring memorable turns from stars Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene, it’s a young Steve Martin who ultimately shines brightest as a demented dentist. The film is also packed with catchy tunes and some truly visionary work from director (and voice of Yoda) Frank Oz, making this campy cult classic a great pick for those who prefer singalongs to jump scares.

You Cannot Be High Enough for This: “Anaconda” (1997)

Believe it or not, the giant snake that repeatedly tries to eat stars Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez for nearly 90 minutes is not the scariest part of this movie. That honor belongs to Jon Voight, who is indescribably creepy as a snake hunter offered a lift home by a documentary crew trying to capture footage of an elusive Indigenous tribe on the banks of the Amazon. The only problem is a murderous anaconda that seems to be whatever length suits it best, depending on the scene. If you decide to treat yourself to this insanity, just get ready to bear witness to the most unsettling wink in the history of film. “Anaconda” is not a top contender for the most realistic movie ever made, but that doesn’t make the prospect of watching Owen Wilson and Danny Trejo battle with a gigantic CGI snake one iota less amazing.

Space is Freaking Scary: “Event Horizon” (1997)

If you’re in the mood for something truly scary, try traveling to the most terrifying place of all: space. In “Event Horizon,” a crew captained by Laurence Fishburne is sent to explore a seemingly abandoned starship that has mysteriously reappeared after vanishing seven years prior. Things start off okay, but before too long, Fishburne’s crew begins to see people who aren’t there while also uncovering some pretty disturbing details about where the Event Horizon may have been during its absence. If you only know Sam Neill from “Jurassic Park,” get ready to see a whole new side to him in this underrated gem. Fair warning: this movie is really scary!

Stoner Comedy Disguised as a Horror Movie: “Idle Hands” (1999)

If the prospect of consuming cannabis and watching a horror film doesn’t do the trick, why not get high and then watch a scary movie where weed is a central part of the plot? “Idle Hands” casts Devon Sawa as the most stereotypical stoner imaginable. Not only does he wear a pipe made from a converted asthma inhaler around his neck at all times, but his laziness is so extreme that his hand becomes possessed by the devil and proceeds to go on a killing spree. While “Idle Hands” definitely indulges in its fair share of violence, this is a story that is definitely being played for laughs. Thus, if you love the vibe of ’90s teen classics like “Can’t Hardly Wait” and “She’s All That,” this is the horror film for you. It even has Seth Green in it!

Too Lazy to Change the Channel: “Grindhouse” (2007)

Perhaps your ideal Halloween involves moving as little as possible. If inertia is your love language, you can get two movies for half the effort with the unique 2007 double-feature “Grindhouse.” Combining Robert Rodriguez’s zombie attack flick “Planet Terror” with Quentin Tarantino’s car-chase happy “Death Proof,” this dual ode to the exploitation films of the 1970s even includes a number of fictitious trailers for other, similar movies. They’re so good that after “Grindhouse” was released in 2007, two of the fake trailers (“Machete,” “Hobo with a Shotgun”) were ultimately turned into real films. Before you try those, however, check out “Grindhouse” to enjoy nearly 200 minutes of mayhem, including Kurt Russell driving to kill and Rose McGowan wielding a machine gun leg.

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