“I began growing cannabis in Parma, Ohio, in 1988 when I was just 12 years old. Using my lunch money, I bought my first two seedling starts for $2. From that moment, I was hooked. Growing cannabis became my passion and, eventually, a lifelong pursuit.

In 1997, I was released from an Ohio prison after serving a 3–15-year sentence for psilocybin possession. That experience changed my life. I realized I had to stay in my own lane to maintain my freedom, and cannabis became my refuge. While psilocybin may be a cure for PTSD and depression for some, for me, it was indirectly the cause of my struggles.

After my release, I sought to deepen my knowledge of cannabis. I connected with John Hartmann, the original founder of Ohio’s NORML, during my quest to learn more. Through his assistant, I received my first named genetics—not just bag seeds. These included Afghani #1 (a true-breeding landrace), Jack Herer, Northern Lights #5, Wheelchair, and Panama Tan.

When I moved to Athens, Ohio, in 1999, I planted my remaining Afghani #1 seeds to preserve the genetics. I was determined to always have access to this strain and decided to take my breeding skills further by creating my own strain. I crossed a female Jack Herer with a male Northern Lights #5.

The results were astonishing. For the first time, I witnessed the incredible vigor of F1 hybrids, a result of combining completely different genetic lineages. It was addictive to see the potential of breeding. A friend grew out a few hundred of these seeds, and the consistency was mind-blowing. Each plant produced almost identical phenotypes, rivaling the uniformity of the true-breeding Afghani seeds I’d worked with before.

This new strain was dubbed “Jack the Ripper” (aka “The Ripper”) by “Wobbler,” a stage manager for Ekoostik Hookah. The buds were phenomenal—beautifully structured, easy to grow and trim, and fast to clone. They also produced extraordinary amounts of powdered kief, which seemed to just pour off the flowers. It was truly a remarkable F1 hybrid and a proud milestone in my journey as a breeder.

To be continued..”