Difference Between Weed and Kush

Our objective for this 2022 guide on the long-standing debate about Kush vs weed is to clarify some salient points about these products. And to do that, let’s start by defining marijuana, weed and Kush in general terms. So here we go:

What Are Other Urban and Scientific Terms for Marijuana?

Marijuana is often described in so many different ways. This resinous flower goes by many names, such as cannabis, or by its scientific names like cannabis Sativa, cannabis Indica or hybrid strains. These are all based on the plant’s morphology.

However, marijuana can be further categorized by a vernacular that comes from popular culture. These include names like “Purple Haze” and “Kush,” among others. All of these terms are used to talk about the marijuana plant. These are even used to describe their effects, flavors and aroma, along with their origin.

Cannabis vs Marijuana — What’s the Difference?

Generally, there isn’t too much difference between “marijuana” and “cannabis .”That’s because these often refer to the same plant. And today, “cannabis” refers to cannabis products in general. Meanwhile, “marijuana” also relates to cannabis products but comprises the cannabis plant’s dried flowers, seeds, stems and leaves.

But technically, cannabis is a family of plants. And marijuana is a breed of cannabis. On the other hand, hemp is another breed of cannabis. The difference between marijuana and hemp is its THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content.

Simply put, cannabis plants with THC equal to or lower than 0.3% are called hemp. Meanwhile, all other cannabis plants with beyond 0.3% THC are called marijuana.

What is Kush?

Kush comes from a specific marijuana plant, specifically from the Hindu Kush mountains. This is a mountain range that spans the entire border of Afghanistan to Pakistan. It’s among the handful of regions in this area where marijuana plants grow naturally. And if a Kush plant has strong genetics, then this means its strain has the following traits:

Appearance – The Kush strain could show out deep green colas, together with purple leaves. And the plant’s pistils (or hairs) are usually rust-colored, or even hues of bronze or orange. Meanwhile, its buds are usually chunky, dense and knotted. This appearance is because they come from thick and squat plants.
Effects – These are usually heavy sedative effects on the body. Sometimes, strains like OG Kush are paired up with a strain that generates euphoric effects and feelings of physical relaxation. Another common effect of ingesting Kush is deeper introspection, which is doing internal reflections about the self. On the other hand, its effects on the brain make a very strong reason why Kush is a meditative strain of marijuana plants.
Flavor – The vapor or smoke of the plant usually has an herbaceous taste to it. And this is often smooth when inhaled. Usually, these plants have smoke that tastes similar to citrus, diesel, grape, flowers and the earth.
Smell – Its aroma varies. This ranges from having an incense-like smell to earthy, pungent and floral. This, in turn, reminds smokers of pine trees, hash spice, sweet fruit, citrus, pepper, herbs and even gas.

Remember that the Kush plant traits can vary from one strain to another. Plus, the way that these Kush strains are grown, together with their unique genetics (often referred to as a “phenotype”), also affect the strain’s set of traits.

How is Kush Grown Today?

Kush plants are sometimes popular candidates for making hybrid strains. Marijuana growers often backcross these to stabilize strong genetics in their hybrid plants. And just like plenty of landrace strains, the Kush genetics found in these plants will somewhat give off a very natural resistance towards particular elements, mainly when grown on drylands like the places where they came from.

These include vegetation-rich areas and hardy stocks, as they can survive a harsh and cold climate and moderate to less water consumption. This lets the marijuana plants endure relatively dry and rough terrain.

And aside from being strong and resilient plants, plenty of marijuana farmers enjoy growing Kush strains because of their manageable height and heavy yields.

Top 4 Kush Strains in Canada This 2022

Here are Canada’s four best-selling types of Kush this year:

OG Kush – This is perhaps the most famous among all Kush varieties. OG Kush sits comfortably on the hybrid scale, although it is primarily an Indica-dominant strain. This strain is both potent and comfortable for marijuana consumers. These sensations are paired with a strong yet uplifting sense of happiness, making it the best strain for you to feel good.
Purple Kush is a 100 percent Indica-based strain initially grown in California and then made its way to Canadian homes. It is the result of crossing the Purple Afghani strain and the Hindu Kush strain. The strain’s aroma has been described as having sweet overtones, subtle yet earthy – A common trait among Kush strains.
Bubba Kush – This strain is Stoney yet highly sedative for its consumers. After ingestion, you’re pretty much stuck to the bed or couch for hours, as if you’re wearing cement boots, a cement tracksuit and a cement trench coat. This strain also gives an intense craving for edibles afterwards.
Master Kush – This is yet another popular Kush strain whose genetics are taken from the Hindu Kush. The effects are very similar to the Bubba Kush strain. It also goes by the names “Grandmaster Kush,” “High Rise,” and “Purple Master Kush .”This strain’s origins can be traced back to a marijuana farm in Amsterdam. The scent has been described as citrusy, with a hint of incense.

Kush vs Weed — What’s the Difference?

“Weed” is simply a slang term for marijuana or the cannabis plant. This is usually referred to as the plant’s flowers and is commonly used for either recreational or medicinal purposes. Weed mainly consisted of a female cannabis plant’s dried-up parts. They are all set to be smoked, added into edibles or transformed into other concentrates for consumers to enjoy.

Weed is often consumed by breaking up the flowers into tiny pieces. Then after they’re further ground up, the weed is smoked either in joints, blunts, or through a bong or water pipe. It is also added to drinks and food, known as edibles. There are plenty of different strains of weed, and each of them comes with its distinct effect on the body and a unique scent or flavor while you smoke it.

Canada’s 4 Most Popular Weed Strains This Year

Just like Kush, weed also has its own set of popular strains. Good examples of these are the following:

Purple Punch – This strain has a lovely flavor and aroma and will give you a sedative effect after consuming it. It’s a union of two indica strains, namely Granddaddy Purple and Larry OG. Also, this strain is filled with plenty of trichomes, so you’re likely to feel plenty of different sensations after ingesting it. And it’s known to taste good, reminiscent of purple Kool-Aid, grape candy and blueberry muffins. This strain is also quite potent.
Runtz OG – This strain is rare and part of the “Cookies” family of strains. It’s a combination of the Gelato and Zkittlez strains and is enjoyed by many smokers because the flavor reminds them of Runts, a popular fruity candy. Runtz OG does indeed have a fruity flavor profile, and because this strain is becoming increasingly popular, it’s not surprising that this was named as one of the best strains of 2020. The colors of this strain range from lime green to purple.
Blue Dream – Blue Dream combines the Haze strain and the Blueberry strain. It’s a Sativa-dominant hybrid strain, bringing you a well-balanced mind high, together with other effects such as full-body relaxation. It’s got a low amount of CBD in it but contains 18 percent of THC. This makes the potent Blue Dream a favorite among those who want to get high, veteran marijuana smokers or newbie consumers. Its flavor is similar to sweet berries, with a pleasant aroma to match.
Gelato – Also known as the Larry Bird strain, Gelato is a well-balanced hybrid strain. It was created by pairing the Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies strain and the Sunset Sherbet strain. Since the Indica and Sativa traits are well-balanced, Gelato will provide you with a somewhat euphoric high, paired up with a strong feeling of being relaxed and sleepy. The effects of the strain also kick in surprisingly quickly.

Kush vs Skunk

Together with Haze and Skunk, Kush is perhaps 3 of the biggest genetic foundations for the modern marijuana plant enjoyed by many individuals. These types of marijuana represent three kinds of generic lines, all found under the entire cannabis family. Each variety has its own set of strengths and also possesses its own set of unique qualities.

And what’s more, many marijuana consumers love them because of their variety – It’s like there’s a strain that will suit everyone’s tastes. So we’re going to take a closer look at these three generic lines. This is to find out how they can influence today’s popular marijuana strains.

Many modern marijuana plant growers acquired some elite individual specimens of these three generic lines throughout the past several years. They’ve transformed them into the hybrid strains that you know and love. These hybrid strains can then show off traits and genetics coming from their parent lines.

Marijuana smokers have their own set of personal preferences on these three varieties. That’s because each of these variants possesses its unique properties. So let’s take a closer look at those traits now:

Characteristics of Kush

Kush strains are usually compact and short and don’t stretch out much while it’s in bloom. They’re very popular among indoor growers. That’s mainly because these plants are pretty easy to manage. But not only that, but they also produce compact and dense buds. Even though the high associated with Kush plants aren’t that cerebral compared to a Haze (but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not enjoyable), they still come with powerful effects on the body.

Characteristics of Skunk

“Skunk” weed is often associated with a man called Sam the Skunkman and his company known as the Sacred Seed Co. The Sacred Seed Co. was a group of California-based marijuana growers from the 1970s. The strains they grew during that time had a powerful funky aroma, hence the name.

The varieties that came from these skunk strains were straightforward to grow. This is why many people decided to take the plunge and grow these strains in their backyards. And just like Kush, Skunk is filled with THC, providing you with potent mind-high effects.

Skunk strains, despite their name, are pleasant to smoke and vape with. Contrary to Kush and Haze strains, Skunks bloom in a shorter timescale. This is the reason why Skunk seeds taken from female plants are pretty popular with home-based marijuana farmers, especially those who want to find quick and easy ways to grow THC-rich strains.

A Skunk strain is noted for its strong aromas and strong highs. Even though they could stretch a bit farther than Haze and Kush varieties, they won’t be as big as the previous two. Another essential feature of these strains is that they have earned a reputation for being easy to grow in backyards, farms and even gardens. This is why Skunk seeds are perhaps some of the most popular strains found among its growers.

Characteristics of Haze

Haze strains usually comprise pure cannabis Sativa, with an intense cerebral high. The main origins of Haze strains and how their genetics were managed to be distributed all over the globe are most likely still debated by experts. However, one of the things that they can agree on is the legacy that was left behind from its strong genetics.

Nowadays, many marijuana strains are dominated by hybrids that commonly have Haze genetics. As mentioned, Haze’s origins are still unknown, but they are usually associated with a man named Neville and his group of plants known as Neville’s Haze. A duo known as the Haze Brothers is often credited with bringing Haze genetics to Canada and the US. They achieved this by breeding together some Sativa strains with a couple of landrace varieties. But the absolute truth about Haze’s origins and how it landed on Canadian soil will remain a mystery, at least for now.

Haze strain seeds can grow very tall and stretch far and wide. Growing this type of marijuana will present certain challenges for those who enjoy growing these plants indoors. This means they need to implement certain cultivation methods, such as the Scrog (screen of green) method.

Meanwhile, smoking Haze strains could have a strong psychedelic edge, as the psychoactive effects in these strains are pretty strong. This is why Haze is such a favorite – No high is quite as good as a Haze-induced high.

Perhaps a negative aspect of growing Haze strains is that they take a while to bloom, around four months – Or even longer. This might seem a bit slow and inconvenient for certain growers who want to make a quick buck with selling. But it does produce some high-quality buds, which makes the waiting period worthwhile. As a way of mitigating against the long-blooming times, some marijuana growers have taken to growing Haze hybrid strains instead, since they do come with the qualities that Haze has, but with a shorter growing and blooming period.

What Are Cannabis Concentrates Good For?

A cannabis concentrate can give you many advantages over other consumption methods. For example, suppose you want to go for a smokeless experience. In that case, cannabis concentrates can be added to some recipes or substituted for regular butter, ghee (Indian clarified butter) or oil. For those concerned with the effects of long-term vaping, you can use cannabis concentrates as a safer alternative. Learn about cannabis concentrates here.

Cannabis concentrates can also be used for medical purposes, according to this report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In the same publication, the experts in this organization state that cannabis concentrates have been shown to possess pain-relieving properties potentially.

But keep in mind that a person’s threshold for pain does vary, with only a moderate level of THC dosage leading to better outcomes than taking it at higher doses. In the same report mentioned earlier, it’s said that these concentrates have potential treatment benefits for severe pain conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and mental health issues like depression. Check our dosing guide here and find out how much to ingest to relieve pain.

THC Content of Cannabis Concentrates

It’s important to remember that cannabis concentrates still include varying amounts of THC. And products combined with solvent typically have a higher level of potency. The average cannabis product made with solvent usually contains 54 to 69% of THC, with some cases going up to a whopping 80%.

Meanwhile, the average THC level of cannabis compounds extracted without the help of solvents will produce a level of 39 to 60%. And surprisingly, the THC content in most cannabis-laced cigarettes will only reach an average of 15%, according to the same report mentioned earlier.

This implies that not only will cannabis concentrates have THC levels beyond the usual point. Instead, those who consume them regularly will ingest the whole amount single-use. And because of this, cannabis concentrates can bring a large amount of THC into the body.

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