APRIL PRIDE: This podcast discusses cannabis and is intended for audiences 21 and over. A scratch and sniff sticker, a scratch and sniff bubblegum sticker, that is exactly what this weed smells like before you smoke it. Welcome to Saturday Strains. I’m your host, April Pride, and I’ll be your guide each Saturday as we move through the 12 essential cannabis strains that every woman should have in her stash.

APRIL PRIDE: If you haven’t already, please listen to the three short Strains Explained Episodes to learn more about how cannabis is a lot like another substance we can count on to change our outlook, wine. In each episode, you can expect more weed hacks. And remember, we’ll guide you from less intoxicating strains that are nearly all CBD to strains with increasingly higher THC levels.

APRIL PRIDE: Chewing gum busies your body enough to keep movements like nail-biting or finger and toe tapping at bay, so you can channel your energy into where your mind wants to go. So does this strain, Bubblegum, which sources say was developed in Indiana, the heartland of the US. Fitting because it’s in the same strain family as Blue Dream, which is America’s favorite strain. Yet, unlike its heavy hitting cousin, Bubblegum is typically lower in THC. Still brings you to a state of bliss and relaxation without robbing you of motivation. So let’s count down five reasons why Bubblegum may actually be America’s next favorite strain. Number one, what does it help with? Stress and anxiety, motivation, sex and socializing. Number two, how high will I get? Bubblegum produces a moderate high with energizing effects for your mind, as well as a mild body high.

APRIL PRIDE: You’ll probably notice yourself feeling more present than usual, keeping your mind from spiraling into the future and its unknowns. Although I felt high, I was alert and able to write and focus for hours. Number three, how it made me feel. Think about buying a new bubblegum pack. Unwrapping a big piece of old-school Hubba Bubba. So happy, uplifted and relaxed. Having described the strain as both body heavy and energizing, Ellen, the co-creator of this show asks, “So which is it, April?”

Well, Bubblegum is a perfect example of the fact that not all strains that settle you into your body require sacrificing an uplift of energy. Relaxed doesn’t necessarily mean zapped of energy, right?

With Bubblegum, relaxed means a calm approach to the work at hand, however long it may take is not a worry at all. You’ll have plenty of energy to see it through. But the strain can bring on dry mouth, so keep some Hubba Bubba on hand.

APRIL PRIDE: Number four, why do women love it? Beloved is one of the best tasting cannabis strains. Bubblegum is also a favorite because it helps you to confront your tasks with ease and relaxed body and mind. While listening to an audiobook recently, I was reminded that we are human beings rather than human doings. Bubblegum lets my body be. And it lets me be in my head. I love Bubblegum because a constant need to move gets in the way of my constant stream of deadlines. Number five, what will it inspire? Imagine you’re pleasantly cocooned in a hazy pink Hubba Bubba bubble. You can stay safe and focused inside and still be aware of the world outside. You just have it on mute, so you can enjoy the blissful moments of physical and mental wellbeing, as far apart as they may be. What do I like to do after consuming the strain, Bubblegum? I get work done and I bring much less tension to my projects that require focus and critical thought. Before doing my homework for this episode, I had never consumed this strain.

APRIL PRIDE: I read dozens of reviews and had a high level understanding of its genetics. So I assumed it would be best for non-serious endeavors on the fun end of the adult use spectrum rather than on the functional end. What I found is this strain settled my body without dulling my mind. My two sessions under the influence of Bubblegum produced output that was both prolific and on point. Why? Turns out when your body doesn’t feel the need to move, your mind falls in line and wants to stay put as well. And some parting words, please reserve judgment if a strain we recommend doesn’t work for you. You haven’t failed and neither have we. In fact, haven’t gotten it wrong. You’re one step closer to your right high. You didn’t quit drinking on a Long Island Iced Tea as your first bar drink turned out to be a wrong move, right? Send us a DM to @dothepot, or to me directly @aprilpride. And let us know how this strain worked for you.

APRIL PRIDE: Thank you for listening to Saturday Strains. Check us out online at dothepot.com. Special thanks to Lo Friesen, founder, CEO, and chief extraction officer of Seattle’s beloved cannabis brand, Halo, for vetting our strain selects. We’d also like to thank Jeffrey Raber, PhD, and Colin Montgomerie of The Werc Shop, as well as Nick Jikomes, PhD, of Leafly for schooling us on strains. Thanks to my co-founder, Ellen Scanlon, Madi Fair, our marketing manager, and our producer, Nick Patri. I’m April Pride, and we’ll be back soon with more of How to Do the Pot.