Durban Poison, Tangie, Super Silver Haze – fans of these cultivars know that a true sativa is hard to find, especially in the regulated space. In a world of increasingly hybridized cultivars, one group is aiming to bring back what it means to smoke sativas. The Ministry of Sativa is soon coming to the Canadian market, however, is shrouded in mystery. I met with an individual only going as “The Minister” to discuss what’s driving them to bring Canada its first, and only, Sativa-Only brand.
When our call connected, The Minister already had a large joint hanging from his lips; “Mind if I smoke”? I laughed and gave a “have-atter” wave as he lit it and enveloped his screen in smoke.
So Why Sativa?
“We want to bring what we know & love,” The Minister started “from what made history to something new”. “Don’t smoke the lies they’ve been selling you – no one is selling true sativas; they take longer to grow & cure, require more space to grow for a smaller yield, and no one is offering more for producers selling sativas – so no one is growing them. We liken sativa’s to a barrel-aged whiskey – they’re well worth the extra time”. This is true – due to the large nature of sativa plants, often LP’s seek to hybridize their flowers in order to get the short and dense structure of an indica – however, these crosses can and do compromise the effects experienced by it’s consumers.
Effects First
“So will this lineup be landraces only?”
The Minister took a long drag “we’re more so curating a lineup that gives the well-known effects of sativas, so it’ll be strains that achieve the effect we need – but we’re looking to bring cultivars the cannabis community knows, loves, and has been missing”. I pressed further, asking why they’re focusing on these effects, The Minister ashed and then continued: “ It’s what we smoke during the day – [Sativas are] my energy, my optimism, and does a lot for my mental health. The same high that puts off some is what others need; that ‘anxious’ or ‘jittery’ feeling that overwhelms some is something others have learned to harness and use. At night, smoking whatever is fine, but during the day, it has a job to do for me. Creatives, people who need a boost, the sativa smokers of Canada, I’m sure they’d agree”.
Shaking Up the Industry
The Minister and I continued to chat about what this means for the larger cannabis industry – and the holes it has left that are making room for The Ministry of Sativa to thrive. “Commercial does some things right, but the biggest error is it not understanding the culture – you need to not only understand the culture but respect it. Commercial cannabis comes in and tried to be for everyone – jack of all-trades, masters of none. Our brand isn’t for everyone, it’s not for the Indica smokers, it’s for those seeking out Sativas. We also took time to think of what budtenders are asked each and every day; right now, there’s nothing for someone seeking a true-to-form sativa, so that’s what we’re making. We know it’ll be worth the wait”.
For more information about the sativa only brand, be sure to check out The Ministry of Sativa’s website.
Last Updated on February 8, 2022 by ADCANN
