The potency of Blackberry Kush is on an entirely different level

Every now and then you come across a strain of weed that is too tall to handle. It hits you with effects that make your body say, “No, thank you, never again.” For some people, these strains are the super-raced sativas like Super Lemon Haze that make them anxious and hyperactive; for others, it’s the extremely calming strains, like 9LB Hammer, that make it difficult to function as a human. They all teach us a lesson about which strains we should and shouldn’t smoke in the future.

Because of this, I am absolutely afraid of smoking Blackberry Kush.

What is Blackberry Kush?

Blackberry Kush is a cross between Afghani and Blackberry, according to Leafly. It’s an indica-dominant hybrid that is classified for its short structure, intense effects, and Afghan genetics.

Afghan genetics and Afghan landrace strains are considered to be the backbone of modern indicas. Since Blackberry comes from a mix of Afghan, Mexican, and Vietnamese landraces and is then crossed back with Afghani, it’s easy to see how the Indica name came about. Blackberry Kush is listed on many websites as a great sleep aid and pain management aid. BBK’s original breeder is unknown.

Blackberry Kush flowers are often so dark in color that they appear black. The Blackberry Kush terpenes develop a sweet and gaseous profile on the nose. When it comes to taste, much of the gas is pushed into the background, as sweet berry aromas dominate the flavor profile of the variety.

She grows best indoors with a flowering time of 7 to 8 weeks producing medium to low yields, which is why you probably won’t see Blackberry Kush on pharmacy menus too often. So if you want to try it out, you may have to grow it on the crib.

How it feels to smoke Blackberry Kush (to me).

Cannabis tolerance plays a big part in how powerful the effects of weed can be. The more you smoke, the more THC your body needs to get an intense high over time, which is why you can see that frequent smokers switch to frequent dabbers over time.

As far as my tolerance goes, I smoke three to four 0.75-gram joints and a blob or two a day with a healthy dose of continuous vape pen use throughout the day. That means I can smoke weed pretty much anytime all day and be perfectly fine and productive. Except for Blackberry Kush. It’s an absolute show stopper for my endocannabinoid system.

I smoked Blackberry Kush for the first time in June 2018. It was after a trip to Oregon to tour the facilities of what was then the LTRMN, which has since been Korova Unrivaled. During the visit, I caught a few product samples on my hashtag, weed journalist shit. One of these samples was a 1 gram Blackberry Kush Cabana Preroll, a line of luxury prerolls from the companies listed above. His high absolutely kicked my ass.

Have you ever smoked weed that you instantly know is too much for you? For example, you’ve struggled with blunts for years in a row but for some reason did that high hit your whole body with the stone cold stunner? That was Blackberry Kush.

Within three swipes of the joint, I felt my eyelids grow so heavy that I immediately knew my day was over and whatever was on today’s to-do list had just been postponed until tomorrow. It’s the kind of high that makes you understand people who say they “don’t like indicas because they make me sleepy.” To make sure it wasn’t just a fluke based on my body condition and mood that day, three days later I smoked another of the BBK Cabana Prerolls and had the exact same experience.

Two years later, in November 2020, while on a road trip through California, I found myself in possession of a Blackberry Kush vape cartridge from AbsolutXtracts (ABX). I thought the flower from the years before just didn’t suit me, but maybe some oil would be a more relaxing, less overwhelming experience. I was wrong. A couple of puffs and I immediately got that nasty sleepy feeling. It taught me that while Blackberry Kush just isn’t the strain for me, it might be the strain for consumers who need some help for the night.

Why I find Blackberry Kush good for sleeping

Sometimes you get so high that all you can do is go to sleep to reverse it. This is what Blackberry Kush does to me. And that’s exactly why I always recommend it to anyone who asks me about sleepy or indica strains – the current term the industry uses to describe sedative effects.

Blackberry Kush is the perfect example of a couch-lock strain. In fact, sites like Pot Guide, CannabisNow, and Way of Leaf that have ranked sleepy cannabis strains have all named Blackberry Kush one of the best.

So what makes Blackberry Kush so great for sleeping? Maybe its terpene profile. According to Cali Terpenes, who makes cannabis terpene profiles in liquid and spray formats, the main terpenes of Blackberry Kush are: caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene, pinene, linalool, menthol, nerolidol, and cineole.

Caryophyllene is said to have a relaxing effect, myrcene is said to have calming, calming properties and limonene is said to have an uplifting effect. Combine these perceived effects and it’s easy to see why Blackberry Kush can be such an overwhelming, soothing strain for even the most seasoned stoner. For more information on the relationship between cannabis terpenes and the effects, check out this article on Why We Should Smell Weed Before We Buy It.

Featured image by Dre Hudson / Weedmaps