MMJ: Don't Strain

When do you think marijuana will be removed from pre-employment drug screen tests in states where it’s legal? - P. Cup

Who knows? California is an “at will” state, so you can be fired for damn near anything, not just cannabis use. It’s tricky. Cannabis is still illegal under federal law, and many insurance companies require employers to have a “drug-free workplace” (whatever that means; it’s not like folks don’t go to work zooted up on xannies or oxy).

The problem is that THC stays in the system even after its effects have worn off. There’s no real way to tell if someone is high at work, other than how they act, or maybe how they smell. Don’t hold your breath waiting for legislation to protect you. Either find a new job, or borrow some urine from your square cousin if you have to take a test. Good luck.

How scientific is hybridization these days? Is it still fairly random? How do they develop new strains? -Ekoms Sibannac

It’s not very random at all these days. Most breeders still do it the old-fashioned way: by sprinkling pollen collected from select male plants onto the flowers of select female plants to create hybrid seeds. After these new hybrid seeds have been planted and raised into adulthood, the best and most consistent plants are bred with each other to create a uniform new strain. Creating new strains takes time and patience, but the results can be fantastic. Pretty much every strain you’ve ever smoked is some sort of hybrid.

There is worry that Big Ag (Monsanto and the like) will try to take over the industry and introduce all kinds of GMO Frankenweed flavors. We aren’t really at that point yet (the feds would have to legalize first), but I would start creating an all-natural seed bank just in case.

This question is to settle a bet: Is it “strain” or “strand”? - Lord Weedleroy

A nug by any other name would smell as sweet. Who cares? I would say “strain” is the most common way to refer to a particular cannabis phenotype, but “strand” has seen an uptick in usage, especially on the East Coast. But does it matter? Whether you say strain, strand, flavor, pheno or kind, most people will know what you mean. So don’t strain yourself over which strand to smoke.