In recent years, the term "superweed" has started to appear in news reports, legal speeches, and toxicological analyses as a synonym for Cannabis varieties with high levels of THC, the plant's main psychoactive compound. For those unfamiliar with the subject, hashish, skunk, flowers, and even synthetic cannabinoids end up being treated as the same thing. I can tell you it's not quite like that. 

For example, on May 28, 2024, the Federal Highway Police (PRF) announced an operation in Ceará under the title: "'Superweed': PRF seizes skunk". A few years earlier, in October 2021, the Public Security Department of Goiás reported an increase in seizures of the synthetic drug K4, referring to it as the "new synthetic drug known as 'superweed'", dissociating the term from the plant and associating it with a laboratory compound.

But does this term have any scientific basis? According to an article published in the Delos Journal, Professor Paulo Jordão de Oliveira Cerqueira Fortes, from the Administration course at the Federal University of Piauí (CCHL/UFPI), says no.

Origin and spread of the nomenclature

The study traces the origin of the term back to a toxicology work by Jacques-Joseph Moreau (1996), a French psychiatrist from the 19th century -- a pioneer in the scientific study of the effects of hashish and author of the classic work On hashish and mental alienation (1845) --, who described skunk and mentioned that, in Brazil, the product was informally known as "superweed", with THC levels between 10% and 15%. However, there were no laboratory sources to support these numbers.

Curiously, in 2014, Moreau himself revisited his analyses, updated THC percentages in different derivatives, but stopped using the expression. Researchers interpret this "authorial silence" as a critical review. Nevertheless, the term was already consolidated.

"Public opinion is strongly shaped by the media and official speeches, which use this term to suggest a Cannabis with greater narcotic power. For those unfamiliar, the impression of a more dangerous drug is created. However, for those who know the plant — growers, researchers, and patients — the widespread lack of knowledge is evident," explained Professor Paulo Jordão in a publication from UFPI.

In addition to the media, the research identified more than 5,717 legal cases using the word "superweed", usually associated with terms like "potent" and "harmful". In practice, the label has served as a justification for harsher penalties based on the "nature of the substance", as provided in article 42 of the Drug Law, often without support from toxicological reports.

Scientific alternatives

The study argues that technical classifications, such as chemotypes and chemovars, should be adopted instead of imprecise labels. These categories describe the plant according to its chemical composition, without pejorative connotations.

Another highlight is the valorization of Brazilian landrace genetics. Varieties like Mango Rosa, Alecrim, and Rabo de Raposa have shown concentrations of cannabinoids exceeding 15%, debunking the idea that only laboratory crops offer high potency.

"The biggest challenge was dealing with multidisciplinarity. It was necessary to articulate knowledge from law, administration, chemistry, pharmacy, and biology. The university is the appropriate space to integrate these areas," says the researcher.

Cannabis and science in Brazil

The article also suggests a new approach to seized plants. Instead of destroying them, the professor argues they should be preserved and cataloged in university herbariums, creating a genetic bank that strengthens national research.

"Instead of being destroyed, the seized specimens could be preserved and cataloged in herbariums. This genetic material would contribute to research and help ensure that the diversity of Cannabis is not lost," emphasizes Jordão.

Just a discursive construction

The analysis points out that the term "superweed" is just a discursive construction, not a scientific category. Its repeated use by the media and the justice system turns social perceptions into legal arguments, directly impacting criminal policy.

For the authors, abandoning imprecise labels and adopting scientific classifications is an essential step towards advancing informed public policies and valuing academic knowledge.

The study also involved Nelson Leal Alencar, Mauricio Pires de Moura Amaral, João Sammy Nery de Souza, Fábio Carvalho França, and Lívio César Cunha Nunes, in addition to the Research Center on Cannabis and Agribusiness at UFPI (AGROCAN).