Paragraph Slam Night
We would like to see the birth certificate for this dank nug of Obama OG - Credit: Dave Maass
A newish strain of medical marijuana named after President Barack Obama has been making its way through San Diego's dispensaries over the last few months.
The "Obama OG" seems to be a different strain than the simple "Obama" weed that at least one collective was offering in February 2009. The general consensus on the cannabis message boards was that strain was just a cheap marketing ploy timed to capitalize on the inauguration. Obama OG, on the other hand, is one of the latest of the creatively named OG Kush strains that have been exceptionally popular in Southern California (Skywalker OG perhaps the most pervasive over the last year or so). It's available from at least four dispensaries in San Diego, according to Weedmaps.com.
The "OG" designates the plant as a descendant of particular strain of Kush, an indica. OG is believed to stand for "Ocean Grown" (just a name, not an actual method) or "Original Gangster," but it's still a matter of debate.
"There’s several schools of thought as to where 'OG' came from," local medical marijuana activist Eugene Davidovich tells CityBeat. "And there's very little standardization or solid information you can find about where it comes from because of the fear a lot of people have of talking about it."
Though he understands why growers come up with creative names for the plants they spend so much time breeding, he wishes that collectives and cultivators would agree to a standardized system that better reflects the medical nature of cannabis. But that's not what irritates him most about Obama OG.
"I don’t think Obama deserves a strain named after him," Davidovich says. "Personally, I think Obama’s administration has failed the medical marijuana community completely. They have not upheld a single campaign promise since his election."
Davidovich is referring to raids and prosecutions initiated by federal law enforcement in San Diego County, despite campaign statements that an Obama administration would not go after collectives that attempt to comply with state law. Last year, collective operator James Stacy, who seemed to be in full compliance with California's medical-marijuana laws, attempted to fight prosecution by citing promises. He was not allowed to use this in his defense and eventually agreed to a plea deal. More recently, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency raided a collective in San Marcos and several growers' residences in North County.
This weekend, Davidovich and Americans for Safe Access San Diego are hosting a seminar titled "Raid Preparedness Training" at the Legal Cannabis Institute Campus (10459 Roselle St., Suite A.). The training runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 15.
Here's a video review of Obama OG with a snarky snap on Obama ("This definitely does not overpromise and under deliver, so the name really makes no sense."):
This post has been updated to include more information on the controversy over what OG stands for.
The "Obama OG" seems to be a different strain than the simple "Obama" weed that at least one collective was offering in February 2009. The general consensus on the cannabis message boards was that strain was just a cheap marketing ploy timed to capitalize on the inauguration. Obama OG, on the other hand, is one of the latest of the creatively named OG Kush strains that have been exceptionally popular in Southern California (Skywalker OG perhaps the most pervasive over the last year or so). It's available from at least four dispensaries in San Diego, according to Weedmaps.com.
The "OG" designates the plant as a descendant of particular strain of Kush, an indica. OG is believed to stand for "Ocean Grown" (just a name, not an actual method) or "Original Gangster," but it's still a matter of debate.
"There’s several schools of thought as to where 'OG' came from," local medical marijuana activist Eugene Davidovich tells CityBeat. "And there's very little standardization or solid information you can find about where it comes from because of the fear a lot of people have of talking about it."
Though he understands why growers come up with creative names for the plants they spend so much time breeding, he wishes that collectives and cultivators would agree to a standardized system that better reflects the medical nature of cannabis. But that's not what irritates him most about Obama OG.
"I don’t think Obama deserves a strain named after him," Davidovich says. "Personally, I think Obama’s administration has failed the medical marijuana community completely. They have not upheld a single campaign promise since his election."
Davidovich is referring to raids and prosecutions initiated by federal law enforcement in San Diego County, despite campaign statements that an Obama administration would not go after collectives that attempt to comply with state law. Last year, collective operator James Stacy, who seemed to be in full compliance with California's medical-marijuana laws, attempted to fight prosecution by citing promises. He was not allowed to use this in his defense and eventually agreed to a plea deal. More recently, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency raided a collective in San Marcos and several growers' residences in North County.
This weekend, Davidovich and Americans for Safe Access San Diego are hosting a seminar titled "Raid Preparedness Training" at the Legal Cannabis Institute Campus (10459 Roselle St., Suite A.). The training runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 15.
Here's a video review of Obama OG with a snarky snap on Obama ("This definitely does not overpromise and under deliver, so the name really makes no sense."):
This post has been updated to include more information on the controversy over what OG stands for.
