Everything You Should Know About the Girl Scout Cookies Strain

Girl Scout Cookies, aka GSC, is an Indica-dominant hybrid that has become one of the most popular strains over the past decade. It’s one of the best strains for experienced cannabis users, as it comes with a high THC content that may not be suitable for beginners.

Its sweet aroma, dessert-like flavor, and euphoric and soothing effects are some of the top reasons it’s so popular in the cannabis community. Still, it offers much more to be excited about.

Read on to explore its unique characteristics and effects before discovering where to buy and learning how to grow this ever-popular weed strain.

What Is the Girl Scout Cookies Strain?

The Girl Scout Cookies strain is an Indica-dominant hybrid of OG Kush and Durban Poison.

OG Kush is a Sativa-dominant strain, while Durban Poison is a pure Sativa strain. Combining these two leaves GSC with 60% Indica and 40% Sativa content.

Durban Poison is responsible for this hybrid’s uplifting and cerebral effects and sweet aroma, while OG Kush provides body-melting euphoria. That’s why GSC can make you feel energetic yet relaxed and lend you a spark of creativity.

The History of This Unique Indica-Dominant Hybrid

Girl Scout Cookies originated from the San Francisco Bay Area sometime around 2012. It was named after the Girl Scouts’ delicious cookies, as it comes with the same tastes and smells that we all know and love.

After American rapper and entrepreneur Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr., aka Berner, revealed that he created GSC with his Cookie Family, aka Cookie Fam, many people started referring to this weed strain as Berner Cookies or Berner’s Cookies.

Thanks to its unique aroma and delectable flavor, this particular strain has won numerous awards, including multiple Cannabis Cup awards. Ever since cannabis entered the legal waters, GSC has been flying off the shelves at dispensaries across Canada and all the US states where cannabis is legal.

Why Is the Girl Scout Cookies Strain So Popular?

Girl Scout Cookies is a cannabis superstar that has become a favorite strain among weed enthusiasts. Here’s why the cannabis community likes it so much.

It’s one of the most potent strains out there!

Girl Scout Cookies – this is a very potent strain, one of the strongest you can get your hands on.

Its THC levels range from 17% to a whopping average of 25% THC, which is higher than most available strains contain. Its THC content can even reach up to 28% THC! That’s quite a punch that can make for an intense experience.

It contains <1% CBD, so don’t expect any CBD effects.

Because of its high THC content, it’s best for experienced cannabis users who can handle a lot of THC. If you’re a newbie, you may find it a bit overwhelming, so make sure you take it slow.

It offers a rich terpene profile!

Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in numerous plants, including the hemp plant. Hemp contains higher terpene concentrations than most other plants, which is why people often associate terpenes with cannabis.

Terpenes give weed its distinct aroma and can offer numerous health benefits. Terpenes in GSC provide the strain with citrus and floral aromas and contribute to its effects, together with all the cannabinoids it contains.

The Girl Scout Cookies strain includes the following terpenes:

• Caryophyllene – It’s the dominant terpene in GSC responsible for its earthy, pungent smell. IT offers euphoric, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, antiemetic, and analgesic effects.
• Myrcene – This one’s a powerful muscle relaxant that can help with sleep disorders and pain.
• Limonene – Limonene is a stress-reliever and antidepressant that can elevate your mood.
• Linalool – This is a spicy and floral terpene that comes with sedative, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Humulene – This terpene has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
• Pinene – This one offers anxiolytic and analgesic effects.

It has a captivating scent and flavor!

The moment you open a bag containing this popular strain, its captivating scent will hit your nose and make you feel as if you’ve opened a box of cookies that you used to enjoy in school.

Its tantalizing aroma can take you back in time in a second, becoming even stronger as you break up the buds. Its flavor will awaken your taste buds and make you feel as if you’ve taken a bite out of a delicious cookie fresh out of the oven.

It’s no wonder it’s so popular. And, paired with all the potent effects, its sweet flavor and aroma can take your cannabis experience to a whole new level.

Similar potent strains you can try

There are many other strains with properties similar to those of Girl Scout Cookies. However, a few that we highly recommend are phenotypes of GSC that come with similar THC levels.

One of them is Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies, which won the 2014 Seattle Cannabis Cup. It comes with up to 24% THC and <1% CBD. Its Indica/Sativa ratio is unclear, so we can’t make any claims.

Another potent GSC phenotype is Platinum GSC, aka Platinum Girl Scout Cookies, often referred to as Platinum Cookies.

It’s a hybrid of OG Kush, Durban Poison, and Cherry Kush that comes with 17-28% THC and <1% CBD. Unlike GSC, Platinum SCS is a well-balanced hybrid with 50% Indica and 50% Sativa content.

Both of these strains are quite strong, so they’re also more suitable for experienced cannabis consumers.

The GSC Strain’s Distinct Aroma, Flavor & Appearance

Girl Scout Cookies – this is a strain that looks, smells, and tastes wonderful. How it looks may not carry any significance for your experience, but its unique appearance is still worth mentioning.

The most distinct attribute of Girl Scout Cookies is the pungent & sweet aroma with earthy undertones and minty notes. It smells a bit skunky, but the sweet scent infused with mint makes it quite delightful and uplifting.

Its unusual flavor is one of the most delectable you could ever taste in any cannabis strain, almost as if it was infused with actual flavoring. It tastes like sweet cherry and lemon with a hint of mint that makes for a refreshing experience.

While the flavor is so magical that it shoots your mind right up into the clouds, its earthy aroma takes you back to Earth and helps you enjoy every moment. If that’s not the perfect balance for any cannabis enthusiast, we honestly don’t know what is.

As for Girl Scout Cookies’ physical features, they are as mysterious as the flavor and aroma.

The strain features flower buds with twisting and turning calyxes adorned with green and purple hues. It has deep-purple leaves and fiery orange hairs. It’s quite a beauty, isn’t it?

Weed hairs or pistils attract and collect pollen and have THC-loaded trichomes that help protect the leaves against microbes and insects – in case you’re wondering what those orange hairs do.

Orange hairs (especially fiery-orange hairs) also mean that the cannabis plant has reached maturity.

As for the trichomes of Girl Scout Cookies, they’re like snowy-white crystals that make this plant look like it came straight out of a Christmas fairy tale. 

What Effects Can You Expect from Girl Scout Cookies?

Thanks to its high THC content, GSC offers hard-hitting effects that can last 3-4 hours.

The strain is quite uplifting yet relaxing. The very first hit will provide you with euphoric effects. It will lift your spirits and evoke feelings of happiness and joy.

What follows is a tranquillity mode that offers waves of full-body relaxation. It will make you feel utterly relaxed and stress-free.

When these effects combine, couch-lock effects and feelings of lethargy are nearly impossible to avoid. You’ll experience occasional energy surges, but you probably won’t have the motivation to get up and do anything, although you will feel unusually creative.

That’s why the Girl Scout Cookies strain is perfect for a chill evening when you want to unwind or reduce stress after a long day at work. It might make you giggle for hours, so that’s another plus.

Expect to get the munchies as soon as the effects start wearing off, so be sure to have some food at hand. Perhaps some actual cookies? Whatever you go for, make sure it’s nutritious.

Are There Any Potential Side Effects to Look Out For?

As opposed to many other cannabis strains, the Girls Scout Cookies strain doesn’t come with many potential adverse effects.

The only potential side effects you may experience include:

• Dry mouth
• Dry eyes
• Fatigue

Most consumers report having a dry mouth as the only adverse effect. That’s because THC binds to endocannabinoid receptors on the salivary glands, thus preventing them from producing saliva.

You can manage a dry mouth easily if you drink plenty of water. However, the more water you drink, the less potent the weed’s effects will be.

If you want to enjoy more intense effects, replace water with fresh orange juice. Vitamin C will help boost the THC in your body while keeping it hydrated.

Some consumers report experiencing dry eyes or fatigue, but that’s when consuming too much weed. We recommend you consume any cannabis in moderation to enjoy its positive effects.

Fatigue is likely the result of the couch-lock that we discussed earlier. It’s not particularly prevalent in users of Girl Scout Cookies, and you can avoid it if you’re a responsible user.

If you want to avoid these potential adverse effects, it’s crucial to start small. Work your way up only when you’re certain you can handle a higher dosage, and do it gradually to make your body adjust to more THC.

What Medical Benefits Can Girl Scout Cookies Provide?

Medical marijuana patients who opt for this particular strain shouldn’t expect any CBD health benefits since there is <1% CBD.

However, Girl Scout Cookies’ THC content and terpenes pack a punch and can provide a wealth of medical benefits.

If you’re under a lot of stress or suffer from anxiety, depression, or any other mental disorder, Girl Scout Cookies might be able to help. It can soothe and relax you, helping you get a good night’s sleep, which is also why patients with sleep disorders like insomnia commonly use it.

Thanks to its sedative and analgesic properties, it may provide pain relief from headaches, migraines, or any other severe pain, including chronic pain. If you want to treat chronic pain, GSC edibles or concentrates might be your best bet.

In addition, this strain’s sedative properties can help reduce inflammation and alleviate muscle tension and cramps.

Other notable medical benefits include managing appetite loss and nausea. All consumers report feeling very hungry after consuming Girl Scout Cookies, which is encouraging for anyone experiencing extreme appetite loss due to an illness or any other health condition.

Where Can You Buy the Girl Scout Cookies Strain?

You can buy Girl Scout Cookies at nearly every brick-and-mortar and online cannabis dispensary in Canada. Most online shops offer a wider range of products and, more often than not, much better deals.

That’s because they don’t have to pay for rental space, equipment like POS terminals, and utilities. They can afford to cut their prices without compromising on quality.

Given that the government regulates all cannabis dispensaries in Canada, it doesn’t matter whether you visit a physical store or buy online. What matters is that you purchase from a reputable vendor who carries a business license and complies with all the laws and regulations. That’s how you will make sure you buy safe, high-quality weed that leaves you wanting more.

That’s where research comes in. Take the time to dig deep into various providers to learn all about their products, customer service, customer support, prices, shipping, delivery, etc.

Make sure they collaborate with a third-party lab that tests all the products for purity, quality, and potency. Reliable vendors will gladly share the test results to prove that their products are safe for consumption. You can find those Certificates of Analysis on their websites, but don’t shy away from asking if you can’t find them on your own.

Customer reviews are your best friends when it comes to choosing a vendor. They will tell you all about different providers and their customers’ experiences. You may even find useful information on making the most of various products.

A Quick Guide to Growing the Girl Scout Cookies Strain

This Indica-dominant hybrid is becoming a staple among DIY growers. It’s a bit difficult to grow, given all the conditions it requires, but you’ll find that it’s not that challenging once you know what you’re doing.

The Girl Scout Cookies hybrid grows relatively short and wide and provides a lower yield (10 ounces per square meter when grown indoors). However, when cultivated properly, its smaller size and lower yield don’t matter much because its dense flower buds pack a punch that leaves you wanting more!

It can grow both indoors and outdoors, with a flowering time of around 9-10 weeks, which is an average for most cannabis strains.

Now, outdoor cannabis cultivation requires a proper climate with plenty of sunny days and lets you harvest your Girl Scout Cookies in mid-October.

Luckily, you can create the right growing conditions indoors with artificial lighting mimicking sunlight and other necessary equipment.

Here’s what you need to do to grow your Girl Scout Cookies weed indoors.

Buy top-notch cloned seeds.

Find a vendor that offers high-quality cloned seeds of top-shelf genetics, as that will ensure potent and healthy crops.

Create a Mediterranean-like climate.

Girl Scout Cookies grow best in a mild and slightly dry climate. Maintain the room temperature between 68-80°F, and keep humidity between 50-60% during the vegetative phase.

Once your plant starts flowering, start decreasing the humidity by 5% every week until it reaches 30%. If you’re having trouble reaching the right humidity levels, make sure you use a dehumidifier.

Use The Hydroponic Growing Method.

The hydroponic or the Sea of Green (SOG) method refers to growing your weed in a tray that floods and drains and using proper light cycles to grow your crop. That way, you shorten the vegetative period, accelerate the growing process, and end up with a generous yield.

Start with an 18-6 light cycle (18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness) until your plant reaches at least 10 inches. Then, use a 12-12 cycle. 

This SOG technique can reduce the vegetative phase to two weeks (it typically lasts more than six weeks) when your plant will start flowering.

Maximize the Yield with Plant Training.

Plant training refers to manipulating your plant’s growth structure and canopy, thus helping you increase the yield and even grow higher crops. You can use either high-stress training (HST) and/or low-stress training (LST).

The simplest HST method is topping, which requires snipping off the top buds’ new growth to break them up into new branches and create a wider growth structure.

After topping, use the LST method so that the lower branches can reach the same height. LST requires bending the stems gently and tying them in place so that all the buds grow freely upwards.

Feed your Girl Scout Cookies with nutrients.

The Girl Scout Cookies hybrid requires water and nutrients to grow properly.

Supply it with plenty of nitrogen during the vegetative stage before reducing that supply once it starts blooming. That’s when it needs more magnesium, potassium silicate, phosphorus, and calcium.

Once it grows new stems and leaves (around six weeks before harvest), you should reduce all nutrients considerably.

Increase the Crop’s Terpene Content.

The higher the terpene content is, the more pleasant scent your crop will have, and its benefits will be greater.

The best way to go about it is to avoid using chemicals. Instead, use organic nutrients like kelp and worm casting. You can use UV-B lights as well to try and boost trichome production.

If you don’t use hydroponics to grow your Girl Scout Cookies, you can add blackstrap molasses to the water approximately two weeks before harvest to enhance the sweetness.

Harvest Your Crop at the Right Time.

There are two ways of determining the right time your crop is ready for harvest.

One is the so-called pistil method, which involves monitoring the plant’s pistils or hairs to see how they change color. They’re white at first and start darkening and curling in as the plant matures, becoming orange and brown.

Wait until 60-70% of the hairs have darkened if you want your GSC to have more THC, or until 75-90% of hairs are orange or brown if you’re looking for more potent sedative effects.

Another method is the trichome method, which might be more accurate. It requires inspecting the trichomes to see if they’ve started looking like tiny mushrooms (you’ll need a magnifying glass!), indicating that it’s harvest time.

Dry and Cure The Buds

Once you harvest your Girl Scout Cookies hybrid, you need to dry and cure its buds. That’s how you’ll supercharge their quality and potency.

After trimming the leaves, hang the plant on a hanger to let it dry. Keep the room temperature at 70°F and the humidity at 50%.

After 3-7 days, place the buds in mason jars, ensuring you leave a quarter empty and keep the humidity inside them between 60-65% (a hygrometer can help).

Shake the jars once a day for the first two days before letting some air inside once a day for a week. This process is known as curing.

For the next several weeks, all that remains is to maintain proper humidity levels. Your hybrid will be ready in about two weeks, but if you’re patient and cure the buds for 6-8 weeks, you’ll end up with the most aromatic, delicious, and potent Girl Scout Cookies.

Concluding Thoughts

The Girl Scout Cookies hybrid will certainly remain one of the most popular strains among weed enthusiasts for many years to come. Its sweet flavor and pleasant scent, coupled with incredibly high THC concentration, are unlike many other strains out there.

Now, since you know how to find high-quality GSC buds, go ahead and start enjoying all the amazing benefits that this gorgeous strain offers.