Why Colorado Tokers Love Cataract Kush

I’m not sure whether it’s the cold nights or caring too much about who did what on True Detective, but I’ve been sleeping like shit lately, waking up in positions that make my neck and shoulder feel like a couple of tenderized pork loins. Dealing with the soreness has slightly affected my patience and attitude (maybe more than slightly if you ask the fuckboy who tried cutting me off at East 17th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard last week). In any case, the muscle aches had to be mitigated, and I knew just the strain to do it: Cataract Kush.

Most consumers think Cataract Kush is used to treat conditions like glaucoma and migraines — and it is — but the strain can do a lot more. Cataract Kush carries a powerful, sedating high preferred by medical patients, and I usually buy it for therapeutic reasons, like a sore body or stiff hangover. Those heavy effects make it an obvious nighttime strain, but I’d take that a step further and label it an RBB (right before bed) strain.

An indica-dominant hybrid of LA Confidential and OG Kush, Cataract Kush was bred into popularity by California’s DNA Genetics. I initially assumed the strain’s name came from its potent, hazy effects, but later found out that “Cataract” was inspired by cloudy, dark trichomes and forest-green buds that can look gray or black when cured. “Cloudy and dark” is a great way to describe the high, too, but not in a bad way; you just need to know what you’re getting into. Don’t view Cataract Kush as a starter or expect it to eat a lot of innings. Bring it off the bench to close out the game, though, and you’re almost guaranteed an easy end to the night. Intense flavors of pine, rubber and Kush make it a favorite among seasoned tokers, but it’s been known to knock out casual users inside of an hour.

Cataract Kush has been spotted at Buddy Boy, High Level Health, Kind Meds, Lucy Sky Cannabis Boutique and RiverRock Wellness, as well as in concentrate via various wholesale extractors. High Level Health’s is the most popular cut right now, though RiverRock’s took home a bronze trophy at the 2012 High Times Cannabis Cup. Both will drop you like a Tyson uppercut and will please your palate if you like piney, earthy strains.

Looks: Dark, stormy and perfect for a rainy day, Cataract Kush buds are plump and cone-shaped, with milky-gray trichomes that make those dark-green buds even darker. Pretty obvious indica structure.

Smell: Sweet, briny and dank whiffs quickly inflate the bottom of your nostrils, until thick scents of pine cleaner and rubber shoot up the bridge of your nose for a classic OG Kush scent, with a little ocean breeze.

Flavor: Deviating little from its aroma, Cataract Kush’s flavor is heavy on the pine, with sour and salty aftertastes of rubber and soil, then a subtle bubblegum sweetness lingering after it all. Easy pleasing for an OG fan.

Effects: Don’t touch this if you have any plans whatsoever. Like Afghani, Kosher Kush and other strong, sedating indicas, Cataract Kush hits fast. But its high will also continue to build for up to twenty minutes, making you feel both higher and incapable of movement. The potent effects make it a natural candidate for pain and insomnia patients, as well as people with stomach and eating issues.

Commercial grower’s take: “This does pretty well against the elements and pests, so it’s not a bad choice for winter growing indoors. Doesn’t take very long to take down — nothing more than eight weeks unless something’s off — and it’ll forgive a small blip in light deprivation or small feeding inconsistencies. Cataract Kush grows short, too, so you can do a small operation and still get an okay yield if you know what you’re doing.”

Is there a strain you’d like to see profiled? Email [email protected].