Top Meds: Award-winning medical marijuana strains

Afghani, OG Kush, Purple Skunk, White Widow... With so many strains to choose from at local dispensaries, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Thankfully, a variety of medical marijuana contests have popped up around Colorado recently, and they've uncovered the best of the best. Check out the...

By Joel Warner

December 8, 2009

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Afghani, OG Kush, Purple Skunk, White Widow... With so many strains to choose from at local dispensaries, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff?

Thankfully, a variety of medical marijuana contests have popped up around Colorado recently, and they've uncovered the best of the best.

Check out the top winners below -- and remember, second place is first loser.

Caregivers Cup www.caregiverscup.com Oriental Theater, Denver Organized by Rocky Mountain Caregivers Cooperative

November 15, 2009 contest Winner: Haze-Wowie Submitted by: Alexis Nelson Found at: Top Shelf Alternatives 1327 Spruce Street, Suite 300 Boulder CO 80302 www.topshelfalternatives.com 303-459-5335 Notes: Super Silver Haze was crossed with Maui Wowie to create this hydroponics wonder cultivated at 8,888 feet.

September 13, 2009 contest Winner: Crunch Berry Submitted by: Ian Sorensen and Robert Love Found at: Grand County Co-Op Grand County, CO 970-531-3129 Notes: This high-altitude, soil-based strain swept all four categories: Most Photogenic, Best Aroma, Stickiest Bud and Patients' Choice.

Medical Marijuana Harvest Cup www.colommjharvestcup.com Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, CO November 21, 2009 Organized by Front Range NORML

Winner: Bio-Diesel Submitted by: Adam Johnson Found at: Denver Relief www.denverrelief.com 303-420-6337 Notes: An extremely potent strain that features a lingering essence of whole-bean coffee

Holiday Hash Bash Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO December 6, 2009 Organized by Twirling Hippy Confections, LLC

Winner: Sour Diesel Butane-Extraction Peanut Butter Hash Submitted by: Eric Meece Found at: Altitude Wellness Center 3435 South Yosemite Street Denver, CO 80231-4797 www.altitudewellnesscenter.com 303-751-7888 Notes: This hash strain featured a strong hint of ever-popular Sour Diesel, no butane after-taste and specially designed hash tubes fashioned by a local glass maker.

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Joel Warner is a former staff writer for Westword and International Business Times. He's also written for WIRED, Men's Journal, Men's Health, Bloomberg Businessweek, Popular Science, Slate, Grantland and many other publications. He's co-author of the 2014 book The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny, published by Simon & Schuster.

Contact: Joel Warner