Blue Dream marijuana is displayed among others in glass jars at Los Angeles' first-ever cannabis farmer's market at the West Coast Collective medical marijuana dispensary on July 4, 2014. (Frederic J. Brown, AFP/Getty Images)

Svelte smokes: Four strains of ‘skinny pot’ that won’t bring on the munchies

Instead of a foray into the world of marijuana, Skinnygirl CEO Bethenny Frankel might want to stick to Sweet’aritas.

Ever since GW Pharmaceuticals addressed the appetite suppression capabilities of cannabis compound tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) people have been rushing to breed “skinny pot” plants that are rich in the compound.

But can we really say that any one compound will truly cause someone to be munchie-free?

“If you give a customer a product and say ‘It’ll do this!’ but they’re already huge potheads, it’s skewing the ratio way far down,” cannabis chemist and consultant Bryan Corey told The Cannabist. “And the dose they’ll be providing will already be dramatically lower than is effectively active.”

Corey notes that we don’t yet fully understand the synergistic effects of many different cannabinoids, such as THC, CBD, THCV and CBN. Before making any of these claims, he urges trials with a wide range of participants.

That said, dear readers, please consider me your human guinea pig, because there are three strains I can count on that never give me the munchies — and there’s one more that I’m hearing great things about in terms of its THCV content. Thankfully, I won’t need to wait on Frankel’s Franken-weed to feel sated with some sativa.

1. Durban Poison

A search of Colorado testing lab CannLabs’ database only turns up five results with more than .01 percent THCV. It’s no surprise that Durban Poison accounts for three of the samples. This backs up what many claim is one of the most unique traits of Durban: As a landrace strain, the THCV wasn’t bred out of the genetics. While I tend to find Durban Poison causes me anxiety and paranoia at times, perhaps some people are putting that nervous energy to better use. Or they’re just worried about GMOs in their food. Regardless, Durban Poison is a clear winner because of its dispensary ubiquity.

2. XJ-13

Also making CannLabs’ list is XJ-13 from Lakewood’s GoodMeds, a cross of Jack Herer and G13 Haze. This, too, makes a ton of sense as TGA Subcool Seed’s Jack The Ripper is a notorious THCV producer. What I appreciate about this is the heads up cross of G13, the strain supposedly created by the government at the University of Mississippi — not to mention its “American Beauty” fame. It completely mellows out what can be a racy combination of Jack and Haze genetics. Hopefully it can help you avoid the fast food joints instead of quitting your job to work at one.

3. Blue Dream

“Would you stop with the Blue Dream already?” Sure, it was my favorite strain I reviewed in 2014, but that’s because it could have a positive effect on your workout plan. Lots of food athletes I know (I have a Ron Burgandry level appreciation for bipedal exercise) say it gives them the same feeling as a runner’s high after a couple puffs, helping them power through the reps. Very rarely does it put me in the mood to munch, something I rarely say about sativa-dominant hybrids.

4. Doug’s Varin

And here’s the one I’ve not tried yet — though I am on the lookout. Steep Hill Labs has been crushing their analysis on Doug’s Varin (a play on tetrahydrocannabivarin) that I haven’t had the pleasure of smoking yet but would be remiss in not mentioning. Kief from the plant had more than 15 percent THCV, an absolutely huge number compared to most of what’s currently available on the market. Now reportedly stabilized by three different horticulturalists, hopefully I’ll be seeing Doug’s Varin in a dispensary near me soon.