The Hemperor, Jack Herer
In these heady days of legalization and safe access, we must not forget the pioneers who helped get us here. Jack Herer is one such pioneer, whose 1984 book “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” (available to read online for free) is an authoritative history of hemp and cannabis, documenting the 10,000 year relationship humankind has had with this plant, and exposing the 20th century conspiracies and propaganda that resulted in the deadly prohibition that we are only now emerging from. As a veteran of the Korean War, Herer was one of the first veterans leading the fight to legalize cannabis, and took the fight all the way to President Reagan himself. Herer’s passion, dedication, and tireless activism were instrumental in the early days of California’s legalization movement. If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating man, Cannabis Now has a fantastic article, and we’ve embedded the documentary film “The Emperor of Hemp” below.
To honor the man and his work, in 1994, Sensi Seeds developed a strain inspired by his legendary spirit and energy. Though the exact genetics are a closely-guarded secret, it is thought to be a hybrid of the landrace strain Haze, Northern Lights #5, and Skunk #1. These classic strains feature true genetic diversity; while many modern hybrids have been bred for very specific attributes and effects, these old school lines carry the genes and the true essence of the ancient plant that has co-evolved along with humankind for more than ten thousand years. The Jack Herer strain, described as “a pure, clear high coupled with a deep, permeating, long-lasting body buzz” by its creators, has won no less than 14 awards in various cannabis competitions, making it the most decorated strain in the world. Herer himself was proud of the strain, often joking about “getting high on myself – there’s no other high quite like it!”
Sensi seeds says of the strain, “Bred from a painstakingly selected gene pool, Jack Herer is perhaps the best hybrid ever created in terms of cannabis varieties that express the very centre of the Indica-Sativa spectrum. This position at the apex of a pyramid built from all the most desirable qualities of marijuana selected by the Sensi Seeds dealers led to some surprisingly beneficial phenotype variation in the finished strain. Jack Herer, true to its pioneering namesake, was not a plant to be forced into purely homogenous performance – the variations are part of its distinctive character.”
Leafly lists the strain as a Sativa and notes that it “captures both the cerebral elevation associated with sativas and the heavy resin production of Indicas. Its rich genetic background gives rise to several different variations of Jack Herer, each phenotype bearing its own unique features and effects. However, consumers typically describe this 55% sativa hybrid as blissful, clear-headed, and creative.”
Jack himself passed away in 2010, but his legacy is still alive and vibrant. His family has created a line of premium cannabis including solvent free vape cartridges, pre-rolls, and top-shelf flowers, and Sespe is proud to be the exclusive Ojai source of these fine products. The Herer Group honors Jack’s lifelong mission of activism devoted to Making America Green Again… cannabis-style! They oversee a family of companies that together support small, Earth-friendly cannabis farms and make artisanal cannabis products available to dispensaries across California. A portion of each sale supports the Jack Herer Foundation, which funds hemp education as a 501c3.