Rejoice! Cannabis Seeds are Legal

Rejoice! Cannabis Seeds are Legal

Ed Rosenthal is a cannabis legend known for breaking the rules. The long-cultivating author went against the federal government in 2003 for providing marijuana to a medical patient, and ultimately he was sentenced to one day in prison. Rosenthal has devoted his life to promoting cannabis. He is responsible for the propagation of his Poison, a South African landrace, Durban, and in multiple books in his Big Book of Buds series at least he has partnered with 50 European seed companies. and even have cultivars. Ed Rosenthal Superbad, was named after him, but he never made his genetics public. That is, until now. In April, the DEA quietly confirmed that the cannabis seeds were legal, and Rosenthal began releasing his pack of seeds along with the book in May.Since then, rapper and his Cookies clothing mogul Verner has also embraced the idea, and his recent From seed to sale album release.

The reasoning behind the DEA’s claim that cannabis seeds are legal in the United States had to do with the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp, defined hemp, and separated it from the pot we smoke. . cannabis sativa Less than 0.03% delta-9 THC. When asked about the legality of seeds, tissue cultures, and “other genetic material,” Agency response Marijuana (yes, they still spell it that way) seeds that contain less than .03% delta-9 THC meet the definition of hemp and are therefore not a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act.

Seed Germination: Reviving and Distributing Genetics

Rosenthal talks in a tropical sunroom filled with lush multicolored tie-dye-like euonymus leaves and plumeria flowers in yellow and pink ombre neon colors on an overcast December day A recent book has started about the idea of ​​giving out cannabis seeds as a free bonus while you’re at it. We have been friends for many years and will be celebrating our 2022 . Cannabis Grower’s Handbookand I begin the conversation/smoking session by asking him about the story of selling seeds in the Bronx as a child.

“I used to live in a residential area and someone had a garden with a variety of plants, many annuals, marigolds, zinnias, etc. If not, I would go collect the seeds from the plants and put them in packs,” he says. “A lot of people used to go out and hang out on benches and stuff like that, and I lived in an apartment so I sold seeds that were useless (laughs).”

Rosenthal, now in her late 70s, was just eight years old at the time and, believe it or not, had an unofficial certificate in the seed business called Homegrown Seed Company. This was the beginning of a long career promoting plant cultivation.he co-founded high times magazine 1974 and 1978 new york times Reviews of Marijuana Grower’s Guide He co-authored with Mel Frank and jumpstarted his publishing career. Through years of tough smoking, he has settled on his one breed, arguably his favorite breed, his J-27. Back in the days of medical marijuana in California, growers needed patients to boost their plant populations. This producer offers ounces but does not cut. Last year he finally acquired his only J-27 plant. He describes it as a “treat” with a terpene profile similar to a wedding cake.

“I gave it to two good breeders and they were so unhappy that they gave it back, and I only had one plant,” he said. say. ‘And I said, ‘You know what? I’m just too lazy to do this.

to revive a nearly lost breed he has partnered with Humboldt Seed Company We hope to release a hybrid J-27 seed by 2023.

“This plant was cut from a 20-year-old cut, so it was a challenge,” explains Rosenthal. “Plants are like, ‘Oh, let me die.’ It can be bred.”

his own Domestic seed promotionRosenthal’s creation of ‘Million Marijuana Seed Giveaway’ began with a female Jack Herer bred to ‘two vigorous, early maturing males’ from the Humboldt Seed Company. berry cherry When full berry muffinto create Dipper.

Double Ladle Rosenthal / Courtesy Ed Rosenthal

“As far as Million Marijuana Seed Giveaway is concerned, all the crosses are really good crosses and hybrids,” he says. “They are not F1 hybrids [first generation], but they are F2 hybrids.next [generation] They are sort of organized and you get a lot of variations. Therefore, there is variation in these plants and growers can choose which ones they want to keep. ”

When Rosenthal grew some of the seeds for his own backyard phenohunt last summer, he did it in a style that allowed for more buds and less vegetation. Using , he caused the plants to flower early and produce single stems with long buds. This method allowed him to grow many plants in close proximity. It also allowed plants to grow more efficiently by using carbon dioxide resources to grow buds, as opposed to leaves and branches. Because it’s shortened, it’s also economical, he explains, because it gives indoor and greenhouse growers plenty of time for additional harvests.

weed pack prisoner

Jane Klein, Rosenthal’s wife and publishing partner, said the seeding strategy worked well in boosting book sales. So far she has had 4 seed drops and each seed drop averages about 400 packs with 10 seeds each. With the sale of “Prisoners of Weed” packs, 10% of each sale the last prisoner projectan organization that advocates for the release of those imprisoned for marijuana convictions.

“Because a lot of people already have a book, not just for growing seeds, but also as a collection, we created a growing tips booklet,” says Klein, who includes two seed packs with purchase. I am talking about a short booklet.

The booklet has a QR code and can send people to a growing library of materials.

In reference to the DEA’s April 2022 letter, Klein said of the book bundle/seed promotion: “I liked that they said the seeds weren’t under the Controlled Substances Act, so now there’s a whole conversation going on that they should be [cannabis] Will it be rescheduled or descheduled? Why should it be included in the Controlled Substances Act? ”

seeds and clones

In this new legal space for seeds, Rosenthal predicts that in the future, seed prices will fall and more producers will choose seeds over clones.

“Let’s say you have a very uniform variety. Starting with seeds has many advantages,” he explains. “Because the chances of infection are much less, virus Do not transfer to seeds. That’s one thing. Another thing is that it’s easy to store, transport, and stuff like that. Seeds wait, clones don’t. ”

He said that as the genetics of cannabis seeds become more uniform, we may see people offering germinated seeds or seedlings in the same way that tomato seedlings are sold in nurseries. Take your predictions further.

Rebellious entrepreneurs like Rosenthal and Klein will surely continue to push the boundaries of where cannabis seeds can emerge next. Growing your own weed in 2023 makes a great New Year’s resolution.

“Another interesting aspect of the DEA ruling is that [thinking about] Will more hydropower stores start selling seeds?” says Klein. “This is definitely a new product for them that doesn’t take up a lot of shelf space and encourages people to come to the store and maybe buy something else.”

  • Ellen Holland

    Ellen Holland is editor-in-chief of High Times Magazine. An Oakland-based journalist who has covered cannabis since 2013, her book Weed: A Connoisseur’s Guide to Cannabis explores how the plant’s aroma and taste profile can help us better understand the effects of the strains we smoke. I’m looking for how to help.

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Steve
administrator
With two decades of dedicated experience, Nuggs is a seasoned cannabis writer and grower. His journey has been a harmonious blend of nurturing cannabis from seed to harvest and crafting insightful content. A true expert, they've honed strain-specific knowledge, cultivation techniques, and industry insights. His passion shines through enlightening articles and thriving gardens, making them a respected figure in both the growing and writing facets of the cannabis world.

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