Most patients who have shopped at Trulieve for any appreciable amount of time have come across the 9lb Hammer Strain. It’s been around at least as long as I’ve been in the program (I joined in mid 2018), and it’s likely been around since Trulieve opened their first store – it’s been a staple indica of theirs (and at one time the only indica) for years.

In early 2021, however, Trulieve announced the strain I’m reviewing today: a special phenotype of 9lb that is called 5lb Hammer. This strain is said to have been bred specifically for its expression of larger amounts of CBD.

From Trulieve’s website:

“5lb Hammer is an espeically unique CBD/THC ratio genotype of our indica 9lb Hammer. Found through meticulous pheno-hunting of our patient favorite 9lb, this strain is just as resinous as its sister strain with notes of lime, grape, and an earthy sweetness found in dense flower sites. The ratio is well suited for late afternoon/early evening times as the effects are heavy and relaxing, but not as sleep inducing as the classic 9lb Hammer.”

-Trulieve

With that being said, I’ve seen many different ratios of THC:CBD reported. On Reddit, there are reports of an almost 1:1 Ratio around 9% THC, and other batches have come in around 17% THC and 2%CBD.

My batch that I picked up comes in at a whopping 15% CBD and 12% THC – with a dash of a little less than 1% CBG to boot. It’s probably one of the most “entourage” strains I’ve picked up in Florida.

Quick Facts:

5lb Hammer (Phenotype of 9lb Hammer)

Price at time of review: $53/eighth 

Lineage:  Jack The Ripper x Hell’s OG x Gooberry

Batch/Harvest Number: 28165_0000376272

Full Lab Report (Safety, Cannabinoids, Terpenes, & Flavonoids)

Appearance/Cure

This batch of 5lb hammer is an overall solid batch of flower as far as the grow and the cure. The appearance isn’t anything to write home about, but the nugs were large, dense, sticky, and had good moisture content.

The trichomes indicate the flower was harvested a bit early (trichomes are short and mostly clear rather than being large, bulbous, and golden/amber) – but they are by no means as “rushed” as some flower I’ve seen in the market.

Everything breaks down to the soft, fluffy consistency that I like. Could be better, but is still good.

Appearance/Cure Rating: 7.00/10.00

Smell/Taste

It’s been a while since I’ve picked up 9lb Hammer flower, but I always remember it for having a notably earthy scent, sometimes with slight hints of lime.

5lb Hammer, on the other hand, has a more full smell. I find it to have equal notes of lime and grape, with a hint of an earthy smell and a chemical funk smell, almost like ammonia.

When the flower is broken down and ground up, all of these smells become much stronger, particularly the ammonia/chemical smell.

When smoked, the taste seems to be predominantly spicy and earthy with a hint of grape.

This isn’t my favorite flower in this category, but it isn’t bad or lacking, either.

Smell/Taste Rating: 6.80/10.00

Effects/Medical Use

5lb Hammer feels a lot like its 9lb Hammer relative, but the lower THC and higher CBD result in an overall less intense experience, trading for a mellow and low-key relaxation that seems to be typical with CBD:THC ratio strains.

Patients who have a moderate to high tolerance like myself probably will not find full relief of their symptoms by using this strain (or at least this ratio of THC:CBD) alone, and will likely need to medicate with a high-THC product alongside it. That being said, the higher numbers do reflect in the effects of 5lb: it is very much psychoactive, almost just as much as some “pure THC” strains. New patients and low-tolerance patients should exercise the same caution and “low and slow” approach when first trying 5lb Hammer.

For the $53 price tag, I’ll probably pass on this strain in the future in favor of other methods of getting CBD into my regimen, but I did enjoy the effects of this strain.

Possibly good for treating:

• Mild depression and related anxiety 
• Good for general relaxation
• Relief of minor to moderate aches and pains
• Relief of minor to moderate nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort
• Research the specific effects of CBD – antibacterial, etc.
• May enhance the medicinal benefits of other cannabis products

I’m definitely no medical doctor, so please take the preceding conditions only as my own personal observations from using this strain and having experience with a multitude of different cannabis strains. Everybody is different, and every body reacts differently to various medications. 

Effects Rating: 6.90/10.00

Overall Rating: 6.90/10.00

Overall, I would best describe 5lb Hammer as a “good” ratio strain from Trulieve.

One of my favorite aspects of this strain is the report of the 17% THC and 2% CBD batches – I think ratios like that should be much more common in our market.

2021 is looking to be another great year for the Florida medical cannabis industry, and I look forward to navigating another year together with all of you. Thanks so much for your continued support of FLMCC!

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