Why Colorado Tokers Love LSD

I get a little spooked whenever I see a strain named after another drug. Ecstasy OG and Herijuana make me feel like I’m about to smoke something other than cannabis, and it’s never good to have a grimy state of mind when lighting up. LSD, however, conjures a different vision: The expanding psychedelic effects of the drug never really scared me, so maybe that’s why the strain named after it seemed more approachable than Herijuana. (If it was called “Acid,” that might be different story.)

LSD is an indica-dominant hybrid hailing from Barney’s Farm, a world-famous strain breeder based in Amsterdam. Barney’s took Skunk #1 and Mazar I Sharif, a rare indica hybrid from Afghanistan, and created an intense, mind-bending experience similar to that of Girl Scout Cookies or other potent hybrids — but with a much more calming and relaxing effect.

While anyone who appreciates a vivid cerebral experience would enjoy the mind-bending high of LSD, it can be a little too kaleidoscopic for some. My peripheral vision is instantly eliminated upon smoking it, as is any sort of motivation to leave my seat. The heavy indica effects make it hard to imagine this being anything other than a nighttime strain for recreational purposes, but LSD’s strong ability to subdue could make it a daytime option for medical patients.

LSD is only available at a handful of dispensaries in the Denver area, including Denver Kush Club, Good Chemistry and MMJ America, but several dispensaries in Colorado Springs and Pueblo carry it. Good Chemistry’s cut is my favorite in Denver, with dense, ball- and coned-shaped buds that smell like a sweeter version of Afghani, but with much more aggressive cerebral effects.

Looks: Round and cone-shaped buds give LSD a classic indica look, with a dense bud structure and color ranging from dark to wintergreen. Limited orange pistil coverage and small trichomes make its kushy color stand out even more.

Smell: Strong scents of pine and pungent, skunky notes dominate the strain, but there’s an underlying sweetness throughout, like freshly dewed juniper berries.

Flavor: Similar to its smell, LSD’s flavor is heavy on the pine, hash and dank skunkiness. Although the berry notes aren’t as strong, there is a subtle bubble-gum sweetness on the back end.

Effects: The name speaks for itself: LSD produces one helluva body high, melting away aches and stress — or making users forget about them, at least. An intense cerebral uplift can leave users spacey, with a tendency to zone in on whatever is directly in front of them. The head high will transform into a body melt within an hour or so, though, so get your pajamas on asap.

Home grower’s take: “The high is a little too heavy and debilitating for me, but people liked it a lot when I was growing on the East Coast. It was always really dense and brought out a sweet, piney smell that people really gravitated toward back then — probably because it was so easy to tell it was kush. She’s pretty tough in the grow, and the yields are solid — a little less than a pound and a half per light, if you know what you’re doing. Just be ready for a stoney, indica high and nothing else.”

Commercial grower’s take: “Heavy strain for me and anyone else I’ve talked to, so I wouldn’t recommend smoking it until an hour or two before bed. Very relaxing body high, but it can also be very cerebral, so it can be good for stress, too. Takes about nine weeks to flower, but the yield is strong, and I don’t think it’s very hard [in the grow]; tough against thrips and mites, too. I’d keep it indoors if you’re looking for yields, but LSD’s toughness and squat-y structure definitely make it up for the conditions.”

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