Regions throughout Northern California are notorious around the world for producing the most sought-after, high-quality cannabis products. Some of California’s most popular strains like Blue Dream and Jack Herer are produced in the heart of the Emerald Triangle. This territory encompasses Mendocino County, Humboldt County, and Trinity County and is famous for being the largest high-end cannabis-producing region in the U.S.
In any industry, smaller artists and producers have their design ideas and merchandise reproduced or out-right stolen by large corporations every day. Similarly, counterfeit strains claiming regional association to the famed cannabis farming mecca in California can be found all over the nation. Despite boasting familiar terms like “Mendo” or “Humboldt” on their labeling, there’s no saying if a cannabis strain actually originated from these areas.
To help combat this issue, local growers and medical dispensaries like Abide are heavily advocating for California to institute a cannabis appellation system. In this guide, we’ll outline exactly what California cannabis appellations are, and how they benefit our local cannabis farmers and consumers.
Until recently, the cannabis industry lacked any sort of system that could ensure consumers that a product was cultivated in the territory its name or label claimed it to be from. Adopting an appellation of origin system will certify the authenticity of cannabis products as being heirloom Northern California strains, produced by local growers.
This appellation system will also regulate the naming, labeling, or otherwise claiming of an area of origin of all legal marijuana products. For a cannabis strain to receive certification for its appellation of origin, it must be cultivated outdoors, in the ground, and in full sunlight.
Appellation of Origin (AO) Certification:
– Certifies the geographical origin of specific cannabis strains.
– Regulates the naming, labeling, or otherwise claiming of an area of origin of all legal marijuana products.
– Certifies the cannabis product was cultivated outdoors, in the ground, and in full sunlight.
The Appellation of Origin certification process is specifically designed to protect California cannabis farmers as well as benefit medical dispensaries and their patients. Many areas in the Emerald Triangle are synonymous with high-quality cannabis. Small operations have been producing some of the world’s most infamous cannabis strains in these regions for generations.
As more and more industrial-scale cannabis operations pop-up every day, these generational-growers find themselves competing against corporate agriculture. Many small local California growers advocate for appellations to allow them to stand out in the industry as high-end producers, and protect the reputation of the quality of their product.
The Abide team takes great pride in developing relationships with our producers and we work closely with our community’s small farmers to develop a deeper understanding of their cultivation processes.
Understanding the quality, characteristics, and benefits of individual strains begins with the source – or more importantly the cannabis terroir. To wine connoisseurs throughout Napa Valley, terroir is a well-known concept. The terroir refers to how a specific region’s seasons, climate, and soil affect the growth cycle of the grapes and in turn the taste and quality of the final product.
The terroir of cannabis refers to many of the same principles – where the cannabis plant was grown, when it was grown, who grew it, and how it was cultivated. All of these unique aspects greatly influence the quality of the medicinal flower and the experience patients can expect to have when they consume them.
By adopting a system that certifies the appellation of origin for specific strains we can ensure all our products are the highest-quality, California craft-cannabis available on the market.
When it comes to the many cannabis strains and products we offer at Abide, we hold ourselves to the highest standards. We are dedicated to providing all our patients access to medical cannabis products that are certified sun-grown from some of the rarest appellations in California. Our team of cannabis sommeliers is available to provide expert knowledge of the unique characteristics, and verified quality of all the cannabis products.
Visit our new cannabis dispensary in downtown Napa today to learn more about our products, or order online for same-day local delivery or curbside pick-up.
Monday - Sunday: 9am - 8pm
Abide observes the following holidays and will be closed:
New Year’s Day (January 1st)
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve (December 24th)
Christmas Day (December 25th)
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF CALIFORNIA LAW. You expressly acknowledge that Abide services are for qualified patients under California Health & Safety Code Section 11362.5, 11362.7, et seq., and a physician has recommended the use of medical marijuana. You also expressly acknowledge that the use, possession, cultivation, transportation and distribution of cannabis is illegal in California unless all participants are acting completely within the scope of California’s medical cannabis laws as set forth in the Attorney General’s Guidelines for the Security and Non-Diversion of Marijuana Grown for Medical Use and the Medical Cannabis Regulation & Safety Act (consisting of AB243, AB266 and SB643) and any amendments thereto.