Sam the Skunkman has passed away

Sam the Skunkman, whose real name was David Watson, has passed away. The announcement was made today by his friend Todd McCormick of Authentic Genetics Seed, who is, among other things, the editor of *The Emperor Is Naked* from Jack Herer.

We have Sam the Skunkman to thank for the spread of some of the most popular modern cannabis strains, such as Skunk#1—a cultivar developed in the late 1970s from a mix of’Afghani, d’Acapulco Gold and Colombian Gold and still sold by Sensi Seeds, the Haze and theAmnesia, as well as the emergence of strains with high cannabidiol content.

He obviously owes his nickname to the Skunk #1 which is known for its high THC content and strong odor. The strain became synonymous with «high-potency cannabis» in the British media during the 1990s and 2000s.

And since the man is a legend, there are several versions of his story.

In any case, it all began in California, in the city of Watsonville, centered around a group of breeders called Sacred Seeds, the «world’s first cannabis seed company,» which, according to some accounts, already existed, and according to others, was founded by Watson.

Sacred Seeds and David Watson developed Skunk #1 (sometimes referred to as Flying Skunk) in the 1970s.

The label on a package of Sacred Seeds

After a raid on his farm in 1982, Watson managed to return to the scene of the crime and retrieve 250,000 seeds he had hidden. He took his seeds to Amsterdam, a city where cannabis was welcome, unlike the strict prohibition he faced in the United States.

In any case, a month after his arrival, Sam the Skunkman was invited by Wernard Bruining, the owner of the first Mellow Yellow Coffee Shop and Ed Rosenthal, culture editor at High Times magazine. Sam soon began working as a writer and also at Wernard's grow room and coffee shop.

Years later, Sam proposed to High Times magazine that they organize a competition, and in 1988, the First High Times Cannabis Cup took place. The winner of the competition was the Skunk #1 strain. Its aroma, flavor, and effects have captivated the market for a long time. Sam sold his first seeds under the Cultivators Choice label.

Cultivator's Choice

Another portion of the seeds was purchased by Nevil Schoenmakers, owner of the marijuana seed bank The Seed Bank, to create various Skunk-based sativa strains that are now widespread around the world.

There are two variants. One is «Sweet Skunk,» which has a milder, sweeter aroma and a calmer high, typical of Sativa. Meanwhile, Neville developed a «Roadkill Skunk» that has the characteristics of Afghani Indica, with a stronger aroma and a «couchlock» high.

In 1992, David Watson and Robert Clarke founded HortaPharm BV, the «world’s first medical cannabis company.» Operating under a license from the Dutch Ministry of Health, HortaPharm has established facilities used to select medical cultivars and conduct research and development on cannabis.

In 1998, HortaPharm supplied plant varieties, as well as expertise in organic farming and integrated pest management, to GW Pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom and helped select the cultivars used to produce the Sativex® and other GW varieties.

Beyond the still-mysterious origins of the strains, rumors have long swirled around David Watson’s departure from the United States and his arrival in Amsterdam with such a large quantity of seeds. Some believe he collaborated with the DEA to leak information and expose other growers and illegal commercial activities related to cannabis. They draw a connection between David Watson and Operation «Green Merchant,» orchestrated by DEA agent Jim Stewart.

This operation involved gathering information worldwide through the Cannabis Cup and High Times on behalf of the DEA. A wave of arrests took place throughout the Netherlands following the 3rd Cannabis Cup. In the United States, High Times’ competitors were shut down, and large-scale raids were carried out at grow operations and growers’ homes, from Hawaii to Brooklyn. High Times magazine reportedly remained the only one on the market, as a reward for its cooperation with the DEA. Nevil’s arrest in Australia and the sale of his seed bank to Sensi Seeds a year later were also reportedly due to to this agreement with the DEA.

Hortapharm has also faced its share of controversy, sometimes accused of trying to patent living organisms or of becoming the “Monsanto of cannabis.” The company is the only one in the world to hold a license to produce, breed, and import medical cannabis in the United States. This license is issued by the DEA.

Controversies aside, there’s nevertheless a good chance that the cannabis you know today contains some genetics from one of the strains David Watson worked on. May he rest in peace.