Rowan Bailey

9th September 2024

Four20 Pharma GMO 30% Medical Cannabis Strain review UK

Garlic, Mushroooms and Onions aren't what you first think of when you think about the smell of cannabis, however upon receiving this I was pleasantly surprised. 

Certainly a pungent savoury aroma and flavour to this one, but not unpleasant at all. The high 30% THC content has done wonders for me personally but without a harsh vaping experience. The cure has gone a long way to making this a smooth yet potent vape that I would happily continue to use as my night time strain. 

*Disclaimer*

Any experiences/ benefits described below are my own, and by no means should be taken as medical benefits / claims. This strain has been prescribed by my doctor for my specific condition and needs. It is important to talk to your Dr about your specific needs and see if they have other patients similar to you who have benefited from this strain or others. This post is purely meant as a useful reference for you to then do further research from. My tolerance, condition and experience will be greatly different to some.

Table of Content

• Introduction
• Main review 
• Initial observation upon opening (nug shape/ density/ cure and shake content)
• Any improvement after storage change and curing?
• Four20 Pharma GMO strain effects
• Splitting the nug & under the scope
• How does it grind?
• Batch number
• Throat issues like scratching or allergies?
• Side effects or issues?
• Overall impression

Meet the reviewer 

Rowan is one of the founders of Infinity CBD and Pembrokeshire CBD Centre. Having worked in the CBD/ Cannabis industry for over five years, he has extensive knowledge of the supply chain issues, compliance and other fun things you have to contend with from the corporate side of all of this. However, having also been a patient for 3+ years he has also seen first hand of the ups and downs of the patient experience, quality woes and what to generally expect. 

These medical cannabis reviews are presented to try and form a balanced and honest opinion relating to his experience and understanding of the limitations the clinics/ pharmacies and producers face with trying to navigate compliance standards that compete with perceived quality of some products.  

Everyone is different, and Rowan is prescribed for specific conditions and is provided these prescription legally by a Dr who has been working alongside him to find the best treatments. This means that any perceived benefits expressed in his article are purely anecdotal and related to his experience and may not reflect yours and certainly in no way mean to boast any medical claims about the use of these treatments outside of what he has personally experienced.  

Four20 Pharma GMO Medical Cannabis Strain Review UK

Introduction

Here we are with another medical cannabis review discussing one of most potent strains currently avalable.

Boasting 30% THC and a unique terpene profile, GMO has been popping up a lot recently on the forums, so when offered it as a repalcement for OOS Sourdough, we figured it would be a good time to try it. The thing is THC % isn't everything, so we wanted to see this for ourselves and see if it would be helpful for our needs. 

This is prescribed for a range of reasons and is presented as an Indica dominant strain in terms of effects, something that has matched my experience for sure. This strain achieves results at a lower dose for me which is brilliant however if needed a single dose goes further than other strains making this a cost effective option for me. 

For a little context of the prescribing of this strain for myself. I was using the Curaleaf LA Kush Cake consistently for a while. I found this an effective strain for my needs, however at times it could be a little harsh. So I opted for another option, the Aurora Sourdough which I found much smoother and just as effective for pain without any jittery anxiety at higher doses. However sadly Sourdough was out of stock offering me the chance to try out the GMO. 

There are a few versions of GMO available on prescription currently, and I have seen preference towards other options with claims that the FOUR20 has no terps. But frankly that hasn't been my experience here at all. Yes the profile is muted, however with a decent cure and vape they are present. I'm quite happy with this strain with the medicinal value it has offered me. Though I will admit the price is a lot to swallow when i'm used to the £6-£8.50 range, £10 is a leap and i'm not sure the quality difference is there for that price gap. Just my two cents. 

Below i'll jump into this in a little more detail, talking through cure packaging, effects and an inspection of the trichomes under our microscope! 

As always, if anyone has had this strain tested, or has sample COA that you think would be useful to attach here, please feel free to reach out and we’d be happy to showcase it here, along with any relevant reference back to you, and a cheeky gift card for our site as a thanks!

Main Review 

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my review of the Four20 GMO 30% THC medical cannabis strain. This was sourced legally via prescription to myself with chronic pain being the primary condition this is used for. I hope my feedback here is useful for you to make an informed choice on future prescriptions, or to avoid it depending on your needs. I always welcome feedback in terms of other specific points I could cover in these reviews. Please keep in mind that i'm not a medical professional and these are no more than my personal anecdotal experiences. 

The way this strain is being discussed is with relation to a chronic pain prescription relating to nerve pain and severe headaches, though it has also proven helpful beyond these treatments. 

Device/ Setup

Ok so we’ve taken your feedback onboard and updated some of the fields and points of interest in our reviews. I will now include the setup I have tested this strain with and preferences for it as a result. 

I appreciate everyone will have different setups for different reasons. Personally convenience/ ease of use is a priority with peace of mind that things are backed up with a warranty. This has led me to investing on the higher end of things, however with that said, I have encountered multiple E04 errors with my Venty. So though I like the device and think it operates brilliantly, keep in mind that this error is still prevelant and may require a replacement from S&B if it happens to you. I'm on my third Venty at the moment! 

Main device: Storz and Bickel Venty 

Secondary Devices: Storz and Bickel Volcano Hybrid , Pax Plus & Dynvap M.

Outcome: 

With a name like Garlic, Mushrooms and Onions you know you are in for unique strain profile. I have previously had the pleasure of sampling a dispensary GMO extract where the terpene profile was incredibly strong before. So I knew what to expect and sure enough I was met with that familiar smell and taste straight away. Though obviously no where near as pronounced terpene wise as it could be. 

I vape using my Venty ranging from 180C, to 195C and then finish on 210C. I have found with some higher strains that it can get harsh at 210C, however GMO remains smooth. Something i'm thankful for enabling me to avoid coughing as much. 

The cure on this strain is ok but it is a little brittle. It could have been held back moisture wise a little and although a Boveda will swiftly sort out that moisture content, you can't bring back what was lost in the terpene profile etc from being over dried in the first place. It certainly isn't the worst in terms of dryness, but this is a £10 strain here, so in my opinion these details should be better prioritised if a premium price is to be paid. 

Initial observation upon opening (nug shape/ density/ cure and shake content):

Back to damn boxes with the labels on rather than labels on the bag... 

Those of you who read my last Four20 review on their Black Cherry Punch will know I found it frustrating to have the prescription label placed on the box rather than the bag. 

As medical cannabis patients we have to keep our medicine in it's packagng with the prescription label on as part of he proof of being legal. So the added size, shape and flimsiness of this box makes that difficult when the mylar bag may fit in a coat pocket, or at least keep its form. The box this arrived in was bent and damaged upon arrival after the courier box was dented. So from the get go it would make the mylar bag fall out of the bottom and was all creased. So it's isnt fit for purpose as a box, yet I have to now carry it around with me out and about. I do appreciate this could be remedied but unpeeling the label and placing it on the bag, but I don't want to run the risk of tampering with how it's presented. Just a consideration because otherwise I can't see the beenfit of the box at all. It get's in the way, isn't of a good enough quality to withstand being put in a bag and also seems to serve as a 'premium' distinction from how other flower is presented perhaps to try and justify the higher price? But it falls short on that premium as it causes more problems than it's worth and isn't good quality. 

On to the actual important part, flower first impressions! 

I'm never expecting to be punched in the nose with terpenes when openning a bag, and usually let it air, re seal and return to it 30 mins later for get a better impression. The familiar GMO profile was there however somewhat subdued at first. 

The nugs were all well formed and bright green glistening with trichomes all over. Upon picking out a nug it was immediately clear this had a brittle cure, so a Boveda will help it out a little. 

As far as trim, this has clearly had attention to detail and time taken when trimming. The exterior trichomes seem mainly intact and though it has a brittle cure, it just flex in the grinder which is where the terpenes finally show up properly. 

Though it is slightly on the dry side, 
overall my initial impressions were positive and only further improved in the coming days with some time to breathe in a glass UV  storage jar at home. 

There was little to no shake, but just well cured buds that ranged in size. There were some small buds in there but even those seemed of a high quality and worked perfectly well medicinially for me. So no complaints there from me. 

Any improvement after storage change and curing?

My go to is to transfer my flower from the plastic tubs to UV protected glass storage (Whilst keeping original packs and labels on hand for verification and being out of the house!) in my opinion it just balances it out a little with the terps and helps any throat irritation. For me avoiding coughing is important so every little helps! 

This strain was somewhat brittle on the cure on the exterior of the buds so it was improved with a Boveda Pack in there to help reintroduce some of the moisture in the cure. You can buy jars that include free Boveda HERE which will get you set up nicely.

Though it's worth noting any glass jar will do, though preferabbly one that blocks UV unless it's to be kept in a cupboard etc anyway! So no harm in using a cheap mason jar if you keep this in mind! 

Though you can never bring back what has been lost I personally have seen a difference with this process after 2-3 days. With GMO this took the sharpness out of the exterior and generally speaking the smell was much more inviting upon opening the jar. 

FOUR20 Pharma GMO 30% Medical Cannabis Strain Effects

Context: I’m prescribed for chronic nerve pain with severe headaches that is accompanied by nausea/ gastro issues at times. I work full time and have a young family. As such, I have to find the balance between managing pain/ symptoms, and being functional in my various responsibilities.

In turn, the split between a day time and night time strain gives me that ability to address deeper pains in the evenings where it may be more sedating, whilst using a more uplifting/ cerebral strain for day time to help get me through without any unwanted side effects. This has been key to me taking back my life and maintaining better quality of life all in. 

With the above in mind, GMO is positioned as a potent Indica strain and this has certainly been matched with my experience. So this has been used as my night time strain or for particular bad flare ups in the day time. 

Despite being a stronger THC strain I haven't found any head pressure, or anxiety that other strains sometimes give. This profile has been working wonders for my muscle and nerve pain and as it has a smooth vapour it has also enabled me to avoid coughing as much. So all in all it's helped loads. As a comparison I had LA Kush Cake on my script for a long time. I was a fan of the quality and pain relief, however it got harsh at high temps and could make me cough and even though it was 25% vs this 30%, it did come with jitters at higher doses. So for the GMO to avoid this altogether is huge for me.

5 Quick Bits about FOUR20 Pharma GMO 30% THC

Splitting the nug:

Often once trimmed, irradiated, and transported/ stored, the trichomes on the outside can become a little lack lustre. By pinching open a nug you can release a fresher terpene profile and observe the trichrome formation a bit better. So I try and take a photo of a freshly opened nug to display this and provide as much detail about a strain as possible for you guys. We have also recently invested in a new microscope to capture photos at this stage and explore the formation in a dramatically more detailled manner.

As always, if you think of another metric/ approach that you would like us to take in these reviews, feel free to reach out and let us know!

FOUR20 GMO looks beautiful already when holding it in your hands let alone under a scope of pinching open. As mentioned above it's clear these have been looked after during the trim with the shape of the flowers remaining intact. From the balance of the trichomes it seems as thoughit was choped at a good time and the bright green flowers are a lovely on the eyes. Particularly when compared to the more yellow look at FOUR20s BCP.

Our microscope inspections are always fun and reveal things you can't spot with the eye such as bright purple hits and a very complex and beautiful canopy of trichomes. 

We will be releasing a video inspection of this strain to show it off. We had a lot of requests for this strain so got this inspection done quickly between production runs. We will be returning to have an in depth look. So be sure to check out our youtube channel and stay tuned for an update there. 

How Does It Grind? 

These do need a Boveda to take the edge off how brittle the cure is. At least with the batch I received. Upon grinding there is moisture there, but it's trapped inside and in turn the exterior can be easily over grinded and turned to dust in my experience. Some may prefer this, but it creates more build up in my vape ultimately it means increased dosages to get the same airflow in the chamber. 

A little time with a boveda, and then stepping it back again to balance in the jar made this immediately better. This made the grind more balanced, and enabled an easier distribution of airflow in the chamber imo. 

Batch No

For reference we usually include a batch number. Some strains have varied over time, often for the better. So we figured it's best to have a reference point for when we reviewed this for context. 

This was from batch: CURA00191840 

It also had a reasonable shelf life date of late November this year, giving it 2+ months to consume. Though i'd be interested to know if that means this was first packed 9-10 months ago, and if so why it took so long to get on the shelf and out to patients. A question we'll be asking in our upcoming interviews with producers and pharmacies. 

Throat issues/ catching/ allergies?:

In the past I have had hay fever like symptoms with a scratchy throat/ runny eyes and sneezing around loading my device or vaping certain strains. After a recent brain operation, avoiding coughing is a big priority for me to help reduce pressure. So I take note whether this is an issue on my reviews incase anyone else has the same problem!

For me FOUR20 Pharmas GMO is one of the smoothest vapes i've experienced even without the boveda. So no throat scratching or hayfever like symtpoms for me personally. 

I can imagine that flavour wise it wouldn't be everyones up of tea, however beyond that this is a really well balanced strain that manages extremely well for managing my symptoms. 

Side effects/ issues?

I haven’t observed any in particular, if you have any would like to add any info here to help others let us know!

High potency strains can effect people differently. Regardless of tolerance some people can get headaches, or feel forehead pressure for example. I didn't experience this with this strain. 

This sits on the Indica side of the spectrum for me which alligns with how it has been classed. So if you require something in this spectrum, then this is a good option. It would be interesting to compare this GMO to the others offered on the market to compare though. 

In terms of effects, despite being strong, I haven't noticed any anixety and thankfully haven't had extreme bouts of the munchies like other strains have given me. I'd consider this a really solid bet personally but can appreciate others concerns with price point and the fact that as a premium product it should be getting to us sooner, and with better terpene preservation. 

It works well to balance indicas sometimes using a CBD Oil in conjunction with my dry herb vape if I need to maintain clarity in the day. 

Strain Profile: Aurora Sourdough

Info from www.MedBud.wiki:

At the time of writing this we couldn't find an entry from MedBud.wiki so will check back here again to fill out. 

They've been a solid source for information on what's available on the market and are well worth checking out to see other strain and product info! 

Terpene profile:
 
"The aroma of GMO is seriously funky.

If you take a peek at our Exotic Cannabis Aroma Spectrum, it falls securely under the Savory or Chemical category.

It's notoriously gassy and undeniably pungent, thanks in part to dominant terpenes:

d-Limonene 
β-Myrcene 
β-Caryophyllene" - Abstrax Tech

Consistency 

I can't comment on consistency across batches yet as this was a replacement for another out of stock strain. However with the raise in questions about this strain we wanted to get our review up. 

I'll circle back after another batch and see how it lines up in terms of cure, terpenes and bud array. 

Other Strain Reviews

Overall impression

I must say, I really like this strain. Sure it's a funky one on the nose but it doesn't matter when effects wise it hits the nail on the head. 

At £10 a gram it's too much in my opinion, as the comparitive quality vs £8.50 strains isn't there to justify the difference. In fact, that's hardly there at the strains at the £8 range as it is. Having said that, I do appreciate the complexities of the supply chain and having to price so much into this. 

With that said, this is a good strain if it's in your budget. The bud formation shows that it's been well cared for right through to the trim. Terpenes are there, though muted at first, which holds promise for future fresher batches bringing more to the table. 

One drawback I find is that due to the increase in potency, it takes longer to process a dosage. So it takes more time to use, however overall this is a good thing because you are getting more for your money. 

I look forward to trying future batches and hopefully seeing a price drop on this one in the near future. 

If you would be interested in offering your own reviews/ insights on strains or the medical cannabis industry in the UK in general, we are open to collaborating. Feel free to drop us an email!

As always, thanks for taking the time to read through my review and check out our website. It means a lot! 

Catch you next time! 

Rowan 

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