By Miguel Ordoñez

If you’re a long-time herb lover, you’re likely familiar with the Jack Herer strain. You’re well-acquainted with its citrus flavor and the cerebral elevation that comes with it.

Especially if you’re a sativa connoisseur, you’ve likely made this beloved strain your trusty companion on those dreary, dragging mornings. When you need that boost of creativity, it is there to care for you.

But many of you probably aren’t familiar with the man whom this strain is named after. A lot of you are likely unaware of his accomplishments, contributions, and what he stood for.

Whether you know of him or not, let this article be an homage and introduction to the man, the legend, the late “Hemperor”—Jack Herer.


Who Is Jack Herer?

Jack Herer has been described as a “Front Line Freedom Fighter” for cannabis. He did, after all, rise to prominence because of his activism for marijuana decriminalisation and legalization. Herer also fought for the expansion of hemp for industrial purposes.

Jack Herer in a Protest

But, as a youngster, Herer wasn’t expected to be the type who’d grow up to be a cannabis activist.

Born in 1939 to a conservative Jewish family in Buffalo, New York, Jack was as straight-edged as they came. He was enlisted in the US Army at 17 and was an ardent supporter of the Vietnam war in his early adult years.

As a “Goldwater Republican”, Herer was vocal about his disapproval of anti-war protesters in the 60s. He condemned those who opposed the government’s military efforts, and went as far as labelling them “un-American”. By the time he hit his 20s, Herer was already married with three children.

At the time, Jack didn’t perceive cannabis in a favorable light, either. Growing up at the height of Reefer Madness propaganda, he admitted to developing a deep fear of the herb. Herer also wasn’t a big fan of the hippie movement, and eventually developed a dislike by association.

How Did Herer’s Relationship With Weed Begin?

Jack ended up getting divorced in his 30s, but it didn’t take long for him to find new love. And, as it turned out, this new girlfriend would change his life forever.

As the couple was hanging out one night, the woman asked Jack if he’d ever smoked marijuana. He of course gave “no” as an answer, to which the woman responded, “I think you should”.

Safe to say, Jack was enchanted by the magic herb. His eyes were opened to an entirely new perspective. He described the experience as having sensations he didn’t know human beings could possibly feel.

His outlook about the war also changed because of that experience. As he said in an interview from his documentary Jack Herer: Emperor of Hemp, he began to realize the protesters’ words and how they “had real meanings and textures”.

It was then that Jack decided to make something out of his newfound fascination for cannabis. In 1973, he co-authored a cartoon book entitled Grass: Great Revolutionary American Standard System, with friend Al Emmanuel.

The duo branded it “the official guide” for assessing marijuana quality. They also had a rating system, with 1 as the lowest and 10 as the highest. The book garnered a cult following and sold around 30,000 copies underground. It was the turning point of Herer’s career, as it turned him into a respected figure in the cannabis realm.

Royal Jack Auto
23_genetic background_1 Jack Herer x Ruderalis
33_Yield indoors_1 12 to 14 oz/m²
31_plant height outdoor_1 1 to 3 feet
25_flowering time_1 7 - 8 weeks
29_THC_1 THC: 16%
28_Type Blend_1 Sativa 40% Indica 30% Ruderalis 30%
34_yield outdoor_1 2 to 4 oz/plant
32_plant height outdoors_1 2 to 3 feet
27_harvest period_1 11 - 12 weeks after sprouting
22_Effect_1 Creative, Motivating

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A “Hemperor” Is Born

As his cannabis superstardom grew further, Herer continued to take things up a notch. And while he did begin to fight against anti-marijuana propaganda, hemp remained his foremost passion.

He tried to partner up with fellow activists from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), but to no avail. They were more interested in reforming cannabis laws and did not show the same passion for hemp.

Herer eventually found an ally in Ed Adair, aka “Captain Ed”. A cannabis reformist and headshop owner in Los Angeles, Adair worked with Herer to create a pledge in support of their marijuana advocacy. The duo gathered a large backing through thousands of signatures in a short amount of time.

Both Herer and Adair looked at cannabis-related incarcerations as a “great injustice” that they were willing to fight head-on. In 1979, the two opened the very first hemp store in the United States, located in Venice Beach, California.

Herer viewed hemp as a valuable life force. He saw its great potential as a primary ingredient in manufacturing vital resources like clothing, paper, even clean fuel. For him, it was the answer to the world’s biggest problems, such as deforestation, global warming, and pollution.

The Emperor Wears No Clothes: Herer’s Crowning Achievement

By the 1980s, the American government ramped up its crackdown on cannabis. Its zero-tolerance policies against the magic herb were at an all-time high.

As one of the major marijuana figureheads at the time, Herer was an expected target of law enforcement. In 1981, he was arrested in California for trespassing on federal property. At the time, he was collecting signatures for a ballot initiative in the state.

Jack Herer Hemperor

After refusing to pay the $5 fine, Herer was handed a 14-day sentence in federal prison in 1983. It was during this time that he wrote his best-selling book The Emperor Wears No Clothes, which was published two years later.

Rated a number one all-time best-seller, the book echoed Herer’s main ideologies about hemp and cannabis; that the former is a vital renewable resource, which makes the latter equally essential.

The book also touched on many of the heated topics surrounding cannabis, like how it’s a plausible “gateway drug” to harder substances. For Herer, the gateway argument was a mere “social theory”.

He pointed out a lack of stable claims to prove marijuana’s pharmacological qualities as “a risk factor for progression” to much more dangerous substances. As Herer interpreted, “The real gateway to harder drugs is prohibition”.

Upon his release from prison, Herer moved to Portland, Oregon. In 1987, he opened up another headshop called The Third Eye. Located in the city’s Hawthorne district, it’s become a destination for cannabis-lovers, both local and tourist.

Around this time, Herer also had political aspirations. He ran for president twice, in 1988 and 1992, under the now-defunct Grassroots Party.

Herer’s Later Years and Death

Herer carried on with his cannabis activism throughout the years. In 1990, he had one of the busiest weeks of his life, addressing a total of 60 rallies in 48 different places.

Herer got married three more times. His most recent wife, Jeannie Hawkins, whom he married in 2000, was by his side as he continued to champion his cause. But that hectic life on the road also took a toll on his physical health.

In 2000, Herer suffered a heart attack and a stroke during a hemp festival near Eugene, Oregon. For a brief period, he had a difficult time speaking and moving the right side of his body.

But Herer wasn’t giving up that easily. After going through a gruelling recovery process, he was able to get back up on his feet. He did, however, credit his recuperation to the daily use of highly concentrated cannabis oil and the regular use of psychoactive mushrooms.

Unfortunately, Herer suffered another heart attack in September 2009 at the Hempstalk Festival in Portland. He was hit harder this time around and left unable to properly communicate.

On April 15, 2010, Jack Herer, one of the most celebrated heroes of cannabis activism, died from the complications of his second heart attack. He was 70 years old.

The Jack Herer Legacy

We can say for sure that Jack Herer left behind a rich legacy that is remembered in many ways. In some ways for the worse, and some ways for the better.

  • A legacy of Controversy

Although he accomplished many feats that revolutionised the world of cannabis as both a culture and an industry, he wasn’t without his controversies, enemies and setbacks. One of his biggest enemies, and often most considerable criticism from friends and opponents alike, was himself.

Jack Herer was often described as a man with such passion for the cause that he succumbed to zealously, absolutism and embellishment. Although one of the most influential people in the fight for legalisation, his militancy would often rub people up the wrong way, making it harder to convince more moderate parties with facts alone.

Even with a platform based on fact, Jack Herer was also often accused of embellishment, and romanticising what hemp and cannabis were capable of. For example, Dr. Hayo M.G. van der Werf, a renowned hemp expert, criticised Herer for claims he made about hemp hurds—a valuable industrial resource.

According to Herer, the hemp hurd cellulose content sat somewhere between 60-70%, inflating its value, where in reality, it is thought to be between 32-38%.

Of course, it is pretty feasible this was not an intentional embellishment. Hemp science was still developing, and it was an easy mistake to make. However, this inability to avoid doing so did Herer’s cause a disservice.

  • A legacy of progression and positivity

Not all is doom and gloom about the legacy left by this titan. In fact, quite the opposite. He is a titan of the cannabis legalisation movement for a reason.

Jack Herer died with his boots on, and as his cause was gathering steam. At the time of his death, 14 states and the District of Columbia had made medical marijuana legal, largely thanks to his unbending will and passion for spreading the truth about cannabis.

He also authored the Emperor Wears no Clothes with the help of Paul Stanford, founder of The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, an organization that has helped over 250,000 people gain access to legal medical cannabis.

Despite criticism thrown his way, Herer was a widely respected, larger-than-life figure among cannabis lovers worldwide. So much so that cultivators created a strain in his honour, inducted him into the counterculture hall of fame in 2013, and hold a cannabis award event in his name.

The Jack Herer strain, created in the mid-’90s in the Netherlands, is still seen as one of the all-time classics, enjoyed by enthusiasts and used as a base for breeding new hybrids worldwide. It is especially cherished for its potency and CBG content, ranging from 0.2-2.2%

Jack Herer Automatic Strain

As a smoke, the Jack Herer strain is a perfect embodiment of the man’s character. A few hits of this herb will leave you with a clear head and a sound mind, just like how the man approached his beloved cause. As a testament, the strain has over 14 awards to its name.

Whatever you have to say about Jack Herer, one thing is clear: we would not be where we are today with the legalisation movement without him. His passion may have intimidated people, but it is the reason so many were able to see the truth. His ability to bring together all the information on cannabis and present it in an easy to understand, approachable way helped remove the taboo and inspire a generation of activists. For that, we will always be thankful.

Rest easy, Hemperor.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: