Emerald Pharms Dispensary: Black Beauty
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According to the SC Labs website, researchers have identified over 70 unique cannabinoids within the cannabis plant. The most famous cannabinoid is THC which stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol, best known for its psychoactive effects, and the cannabinoid CBD, or Cannabidiol, is a close second. It’s gained much fame in the past decade for its medicinal properties, including its effectiveness in the treatment of epilepsy.
At home, I have this sweet little index card called the SC Labs Guide to the Cannabinoids. It lays out the medicinal benefits of 11 of the most common cannabinoids found in cannabis, including THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, THCA and THCV. For example, the easy-to-read chart lets me know that CBCA is anti-fungal; CBD and CBG are anti-bacterial; and CBN is anti-insomnia.
Still though, most every time I hear people talking about medicating with cannabinoids, it’s in reference to THC or CBD, or to the ratio of THC-to-CBD. So I’m pleased to say that the Emerald Pharms dispensary in Mendocino shared a sample of Black Beauty with me for this edition of Pot Talk. It’s high in THCV, or Tetrahydrocannabivarin, a cannabinoid that is understood to reduce panic attacks, to promote bone growth and, most notably, to suppress appetite, according to SC Labs.
Now, THCV and the depth of its medicinal potential is new information to me, but Patrick Anderson, Lead Educator at Project CBD and Co-Director at Emerald Pharms, knew all about it. He says it has profound therapeutic promise for anti-obesity, appetite control and for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. He pointed me to an article called, “THCV Plants Being Grown for Medical Use in California; Cannabinoid May Counter Metabolic-Syndrome Symptoms,” published in “O’Shaughnessy’s Journal of Cannabis in Clinical Practice,” for some serious deets.
So, my first question to Anderson is; Does the effect of appetite control mean no munchies? “Yes, it’s pretty much the anti-munchie for a lot of people… It will mute the munchie effect and simultaneously get the body into a more proper alignment with its metabolic process,” he says. Toning the system with different cannabinoids — THCV in this case — helps bring the body into a more homeostatic balance, which means a reduced appetite, more nutritious food choices and better energy expenditure.
Black Beauty contains 7 percent THCV, 12 percent THC, and 0 percent CBD. He says some of their customers find Black Beauty to be incredibly therapeutic for mental issues as well as anxiety issues that stem from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Another cool feature of the strain, Anderson points out, is that it’s rich in Myrcene, an antispasmodic terpene that is also found in hops.
Who grew it? George Bianchini, a grower from Marin County who initially “discovered” the strain, or brought the strain onto the community’s radar for its TCHV content. See another “O’Shaughnessy’s Journal” article in the Winter 2015/2016 issue, “The story of Black Beauty, as Told by its Savior.”
According to the article, the strain originally came from Oaksterdam. It was their CBD strain, known as Pineapple Purps or Purple Pineapple. It’s a whole crazy story — Bianchini was cultivating it, but then disposed of the plant in anticipation of a raid that never happened. He revived the plant after pulling it from the garbage, took some clones and grew it out.
The super dark purple, even black, cannabis plant was an odd duck. It went through some kind of bizarre metamorphosis as he grew it, and he found that it flowered under 18 hours of light. It contained zero CBD when he got it tested, but it had that elevated THCV content, which is apparently rare. Bianchini took steps to preserve the genetics, and it just might be a more widespread strain in the future.
Shout out to the “O’Shaughnessy’s Journal” for capturing that story! There’s a lot more to it… You gotta check it out.
Black Beauty
As noted, the sample has 7 percent THCV content, and 12 percent Delta-9-THC with no CBD; it also has significant levels of the terpenes Pinene, Ocimene and Myrcene. The color of the nugs is a very deep purple on faded green with muted orange or tan hairs. The sample is on the drier side, which worked well for a joint. The smell is rich and earthy, a little skunky with an air of sweetness. The flavor is well-rounded too, not overpowering, floral with a dank whisper to it.
Black Beauty doesn’t roll right over me, it did not get me too intoxicated. I got a nice head change from a couple puffs, it brought on a clear headed yet relaxed state of mind. So you can consume it without getting ripped, and it doesn’t lead to an uncontrollable attack of the munchies. Maybe that’s counterintuitive, but it’s a testament to the huge variety of cannabis effects.
Emerald Pharms is a really neat dispensary, and I recommend checking it out. It’s got a beautiful and professional atmosphere and they offer a wide variety of the highest grade organic products, including flower, extracts, tinctures, sprays, topicals and other cosmetic applications. And it’s a great access point for education and for the experience of cannabis therapeutics.
Thank you to Emerald Pharms for the hospitality and for the good vibes.
You can find them online at emeraldpharms.com and on Instagram: @emeraldpharms_ig.
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