What is Skunk Weed?

Written and Fact Checked by: S. Zulfiqar  

If you have traveled, you must be aware that in different areas, words change their meanings. As time passes by, the slangs become so popular that the younger generation has no clue why something is called whatever it’s called. Similar is the case with the word Skunk.

Now, thanks to Pepé Le Pew we all know what skunk means and what it is popular for – stink bombs. When alarmed or attacked, the squirrel-like animal sprays a liquid as one of its defence mechanisms, leaving an eye-watering and nose-wrinkling odour, to chase the predator away.

But that is not the sort of Skunk we will be Talking About

In the US, skunk means something that stinks, and it’s a term that has been used to refer to old-school cannabis (or marijuana). The smell that is referred to as ‘stinky’ is the most common smell of cannabis.

However, in the UK, ‘skunk’ has a pretty different meaning. Whenever someone mentions skunk in the United Kingdom, they are talking about the high THC contents of their cannabis. It’s one of the most commonly used generic terms for seedless, non-pollinated, and potent cannabis flowers that are meant to grow for recreational use of the plant, i.e. smoking.

Generally, smokers around the world would know that skunk simply means cannabis. However, not only is the name inaccurate for the plant, but it’s also slightly disrespectful to the true identity of this wonderful plant.

The original skunk dates back to the 1970s where, in the US, it was cultivated. The crossbreed of short mountain hashish strains from Afghanistan and Pakistan with the potent Sativa cannabis strains that were much taller and mostly found in Central and South America. It was later named Skunk#1; the breeders were able to produce such a pretty potent plant, were very adaptable, and had a shorter flowering period. And that was considered a great breeding variety. Even today, it’s considered one of the most consistent strains.

The old cannabis strain was said to have an extremely pungent smell. Cannabis smokers of that time say that the smell of this strain reminded them of some dead animal. Hence, the name “Skunk” was given. 

Well, if that’s how the cannabis is going to smell like, that’s the name it deserves.

On the other hand, the original Skunk weed also had great effects like the euphoric feeling as well as feeling relaxed and high at the same time. The other reason behind the popularity of it was that it gives consumers the best of both worlds. They get to have the effects of both Indica and Sativa. Some people even believe that the original strain didn’t have that bad of a smell, but it was sweeter skunky than pure skunky.

Although Skunk#1 represents members of the skunk family as it was the first of its type back then, the name still creates confusion. Today, it means a couple of things. 

• First, it’s the name of the famous cannabis strain that dates back to the ’70s.
• Secondly, it’s a term that’s informally used on the streets for a pretty strong weed. 

So make sure to have no confusion about it because now you know what skunk weed is and why it is called skunk in the first place.

Skunk#1 gave birth to a lot of different skunk strains 

Bred from the original Skunk, Super Skunk was yet another potent strain of Afghan hash. The strain was so good that it was awarded Cannabis Cup in the 1990’s right after it was bred. The strain had thick and dense buds and was quite pungent. The effects were mild, physical, and relaxing. It flavors sweet.

Early Skunk is yet another award-winning member of the Skunk family. It was bred by Sensi Seeds using Skunk#1 and Early Pearl, hence the name. This particular strain was an Indica-dominant hybrid and pretty easy to grow. It’s praised for its short flowering time while the users feel happy, relaxed, and more focused after consuming it.

Skunk Kush was made using the Skunk#1 of course and Kush that naturally grows in the Hindu Kush regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thus the name Skunk Kush. This strain is Sativa/Indica hybrid and gives a dreamy high along with red eyes and giggles.

White Skunk was made by White Label Seed Company which is also a sister company of Sensi Seeds. It had the classic Skunk smell while the big and open buds reflect that its Sativa gives the same relaxed feel but with more concentration and focus.

Sensi Skunk is different as it has a bit of a citrus flavour and not the classic pungent aroma. The Indica dominant strain gives relaxing effects and is suggested amongst consumers as something that’s going to help them with their sleep and muscle relaxation.

Shiva Skunk is considered the strongest skunk family member that was created by Sensi Seeds. It was bred with Northern Lights #5 and Skunk#1, and the strain gets its usual skunk aroma by its skunk parent while the Northern Lights’ heavy yield is responsible for its yield. It’s often consumed by people in the evenings, especially when they are looking forward to having a deep night’s sleep.

All these strains that were bred using the great old Skunk#1 give us a clear idea about the potential of these strains in the future. It also tells us that it remains one of the most stable strains that are available.

Final Word

Now that you are entirely aware of what Skunk weed is, if you’re looking to have fun and mix things up a bit, you might want to give the Skunks a try. Have like-minded friends over and see how you and your friends like and react to these strains. Give them all a try before you find out what’s your favorite of them all and what makes that strain the best of you and the people around you. Have fun smoking the Skunks weed.

More reads: Easy and Simple Guide to Using Shatter, Joints vs Bongs: The Battle Rages On

References

• Freeman TP, and Winstock AR. Examining the profile of high-potency cannabis and its association with severity of cannabis dependence. Psychol Med. 2015 Nov; 45(15): 3181–3189.