The Jamaican refers to the landrace strains of cannabis that have grown natively in this part of the world. Thanks to Jamaica's climate and latitude, these strains tend to be sativa in structure and effect.
Although these strains are generally considered to meet the definition of a «landrace», cannabis didn't exist in Jamaica until it was brought by Indian indentured slaves in the 1840s and 1850s, when the British Empire ruled both Jamaica and India - in fact, the word ganja, often used in Jamaica to refer to cannabis, is a variant of the Bengali word for hemp. The plant quickly adapted to Jamaica's tropical climate and has since become renowned for its powerful cerebral effects. Often sought after by tourists in Jamaica, the true Jamaican variety can be hard to find elsewhere.
The Jamaican cannabis plant can be almost unrecognizable to those used to «commercial» weed. When dried, the leaves on the plant's long branches can appear sparse - they're thin and wispy, and lack the «shrunken», compact appearance of indica and sativa hybrid flowers. The leaves are forest-green to dark green, with hairs that look more brown than orange. Jamaican is famous for its pungent scent, with a sweet, sickening musk that's almost mouth-watering. Skunk odors are concentrated when this variety is burned. Consumers report inhaling a sharp, pungent smoke.
A true sativa, Jamaican has omnipresent cerebral qualities. The high has smooth, buzzing bodily effects, but is most notable for stimulating mental acuity. Euphoria and the perception of clearer thinking are common. People who have been lucky enough to enjoy Jamaican Strain say they are more talkative and feel more sociable. It's an energizing daytime variety, beneficial for deep creative thinking.
Like many landraces, Jamaican Strain is appreciated for its stability and power, and has given rise to popular crossbred varieties such as the Lambsbread and Marley's Collie. However, in a market that prefers new crosses, more traditional cannabis consumers and horticulturists consider that pure Jamaican landrace is in danger of being forgotten. The High Times World Cannabis Cup 2015 was held in Negril, Jamaica, with the specific aim of encouraging the participation of local breeders and documenting and preserving pure Jamaican varieties.
