#420OHIO
Ohio Medical Marijuana Strain Review:
Forbidden Zkittles
Taste the Rainbow?
Review & Photos by: Randy Shaffer
Packaging: First Impressions
Forbidden Zkittles comes from the cultivator, Galenas, out of Akron. We took a tour of Galenas in summer 2019. Their cannabis is housed in a sealed blue bag, about half the size of the other cannabis bags that currently exist on the Ohio market. This is quite excellent as 2.83 grams was always way too little for the larger sized bags (which could probably hold 6-8 grams, easily). It’s unclear if this bag is biodegradable or recyclable, but likely not. That might be something to consider in the future, if such packaging products even exist, or are economical.
My bag didn’t have any perforation or scored edges to make opening it easier. I ended up using scissors, which is what I’d recommend to anyone with pain in their hands or fingers when opening any cannabis that’s been bagged — just be sure not to cut off the seal itself.
The design of this packaging, though lacking a viewing window for patients, is sleek and evocative. Galenas even goes one step further by listing the full terpenoid profile for each strain on the backside of the bag. There is also a sticker in the top corner to signify this cannabis has been Certified Kind, a certification for organically grown medical grade cannabis. For those unaware, Galenas cannabis is 100% organic and pesticide free!
Cannabis Look: Out of the Bottle
Forbidden Zkittles boasts a gorgeous palette of lush greens and burnt oranges. In fact, the orange hues are almost erased by the darker amber of the pistils. Up close, they almost look like frayed ropes. Purples peak out every so often as well, accenting the warm fall colors.
Colas in my bag were fairly small. Some enthusiasts may classify these nugs as “mini” or “popcorn nugs.” The largest cola in my bag was about the size of a nickel with the smallest being less than the size of a pea. I tend not to hold cannabis size against a strain. So long as the compounds are there, I’m a happy camper.
How Does It Grind?
This strain grinds up pretty easily. About a half dozen turns and I was ready to go. Patients with pain in their hands or fingers should not have too much trouble getting this cannabis down to the right consistency for vaping.
This cannabis grinds to about as much as you’d expect — so don’t go into this one expecting the colas to be a giving tree. Rather, about 6 colas yielded roughly 2 bowls of ground cannabis.
Smell Before Vaping
This strain was grown organically, and it shows! I was greeted by a gentle, soothing earthy aroma upon opening my bag. This cannabis smells clean, with a fresh forest scent that begs to be enjoyed over and over again.
This earthy aroma gives way to subtle lemon and pine undercurrents. It reminds me of drinking fresh lemonade after mowing the lawn. All those woodsy scents combining with the icy cold refreshing taste of lemonade — they’re all packed in here, straight into these small nugs. While some patients may not prefer an earthy aroma, this strain will deliver a zesty, robust scent that’s sure to entice those who do.
The Taste Test
I vaped this medical cannabis with an Arizer ExtremeQ vaporizer. I like to start my first bag at a lower temperature to open the terpenes, and work up to a higher temp to vaporize the cannabinoids.
I was half expecting this one to taste like Skittles, but it didn’t quite hit that mark. An earthy aroma often lends itself to something of an earthy or woodsy taste. You can expect that with Forbidden Zkittles, though it’s far more subtle here than the scent would indicate.
You can also expect a flood of other dazzling flavors to stream across your taste buds. That feeling of fresh mowed grass, ice cold lemonade and pine trees shifting as the wind blows is captured here in the flavor of this strain. I’m always so impressed with how cultivators can practically transform memories or feelings into terpene flavor profiles. It really is a gift these cultivation folks have!
Even better, those fruity undercurrents take a frontseat the longer you vape this strain. I was shocked by how much stronger the lemon zest was by my third bag. Again, it never quite hit that Skittles level of flavor, but later bags did come very close.
This strain would pair wonderfully with a dry red wine, or even a glass of champagne. A strong, earthy, herbal tea, or black tea, would work perfectly as well, bringing to the surface each and every flavor this strain has to offer.
Medicinal Benefits and Side Effects I Noted
The medicinal benefits noted below are for educational purposes only, and are not a substitute for the advice of a medical practitioner or licensed budtender.
The strain I purchased contains 20.07% THC. It also contains 0.0% CBD. Note: This strain is being cultivated in higher percentages now, so be on the lookout for Forbidden Zkittles with THC percentages as high as 28%! If I manage to buy one of those strains while it’s on dispensary shelves, I’ll update this review with my thoughts.
Forbidden Zkittles likes to creep up. Both times I vaped this strain, I was stunned. For the first few minutes, I felt nothing, as though I had a dud. But then … oh boy! This strain hits, and it hits hard when it does, providing a strong euphoric headband effect that slowly dissipates over the period of about an hour. This dissipation creates a feeling as though the headband effect is melting over you, providing a warm sense of calm.
The Farnesene terpene, which largely provides the earthy taste of this strain, also does wonders for inflammation. I woke the morning I vaped this strain with tremendous back pain. I’ve been getting over a nasty cold and the coughing took a toll on my muscles. This strain worked wonders to relieve the stress and pain in my achy joints and eased my pain levels, taking me from a 6 down to a 2 or lower.
Within moments, I was back to exercising and enjoying my day, free of the pain that plagued my morning. I was able to vape five bags of this strain before it was cached. The effects of this strain seemed to last rather long. I vaped this one in the early afternoon and felt its effects long into the early evening. Those added terpenes do wonders!
Final Thoughts on Forbidden Zkittles
Next time you visit an Ohio medical marijuana dispensary, be sure to check out this enticing strain from Galenas. Forbidden Zkittles provides a robust earthy flavor, a refreshing forest aroma, and should be excellent for inflammation and relaxation.
Have you tried this Ohio cannabis strain? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
As the death tolls rises to nearly two dozen souls, the vaping crisis has reached a media fever pitch. Health officials at the FDA and CDC are cracking down on vaping and vaping products.
Trichomes fill each bud cola, bathing the oranges and greens in a proverbial forest of frothy white and creamy yellows, accented by orange pistals (of which there are many). Green hues peak out every so often, but take a back seat compared to the color of the trichomes.
[…] comes housed in a small blue pouch about the size of a CD case. As discussed in our review of Forbidden Zkittles, packaging here is elegant and simple to use. Labeling is excellent and easy to read as well. […]