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Top 10 Strongest Marijuana Strains 2024

Cannabis strains come in various potencies: some are more mild and preferred by beginners and microdosers, while others are more mighty. If you’re looking for the strongest strains of marijuana, you don’t want to skip this list. 

In this guide, you’ll learn more about:

  • What is the Strongest Marijuana Strain Available?
  • What is Considered a High THC Percentage?
  • Top 5 Strongest Indica Strains
  • Top 5 Strongest Sativa Strains
  • Are Marijuana Strains Getting Stronger?
  • What Makes a Strain so Potent?
  • FAQs About Potent Marijuana Strains


What is the Strongest Marijuana Strain Available?

The strongest marijuana strain is Godfather OG, also called Godfather, The Don of All OGs, and OG Godfather. This potent indica-dominant hybrid cannabis strain, with a 60% indica to 40% sativa ratio, has a high THC content, ranging from 22-25%. However, THC levels can go much higher at 30-34%.1

What is Considered a High THC Percentage?

There is no clear-cut answer for what THC percentage is high. But most experts generally agree that a 15-20% THC cannabis strain is high, with levels in the 20s considered to be quite potent.2 A strain that has a 30% or higher THC level is considered exceptionally strong.

Top 5 Strongest Indica Strains

There are many strong indica-dominant hybrid strains you can choose from. But start with these top five:

Permanent Marker

Indica-Dominant Hybrid

Permanent Marker is the strongest indica strain on our list with a 70/30 indica-sativa ratio. With a 34-35% THC level, Permanent Marker is potent! Its parents are Biscotti, Jealousy, and Sherbet BX, and the strain hints at a fruity candy with its sweet and sour flavor. Expect a potent punch of diesel and sour citrus in the aroma profile.3

Ice Cream Cake

Indica-Dominant Hybrid

Nothing sounds more delicious than ice cream and cake, and Ice Cream Cake won’t disappoint. Thanks to its parents, Gelato 33 and Wedding Cake, Ice Cream Cake has a creamy, cheesy, nutty, sweet flavor and aroma profile. With THC levels ranging from 20-25%, the strain is quite potent.4

Strawberry Banana

Indica-Dominant Hybrid

Strawberry Banana meets expectations in both its flavor and aroma. This strong cannabis strain has a sweet tropical strawberry taste and an earthy sweet smell reminiscent of a smoothie. With parents like Strawberry Bubblegum and Crocket’s Banana Kush, it’s no wonder that Strawberry Banana has 22-25% THC levels.5

Roasted Garlic Margy

Indica-Dominant Hybrid

With a 70/30 indica-sativa ratio, Roasted Garlic Margy has a citrusy, herby, and wood spiced profile, and you’ll feel transported to a forest where you can forage wild sage and garlic. The strain was crossbred from GMO and Frozen Margy, two classics in the cannabis world. Roasted Garlic Margy is a highly potent strain, with THC levels reaching as high as 34%, so beginners should beware.6

Gorilla Glue

Indica-Dominant Hybrid

Gorilla Glue, aka GG#4, Gorilla Glue #4, or Original Glue, is an indica-dominant hybrid strain with a 60/40 split of indica to sativa. The THC levels range from high at 18% to highly potent at 32%. If you love coffee and chocolate, you’re in for a treat as Gorilla Glue has a mochaccino-like flavor profile with hints of pine and diesel. Its aroma is similar but more sour.7

Top 5 Strongest Sativa Strains?

Sativa-dominant strains can be just as potent as indica-dominant hybrids. Here are our five favorite strong sativa strains.

Bahama Mama

Sativa-Dominant Hybrid

Bahama Mama will make you feel like you’re on a beach vacation – without the expensive travel costs. Expect a very fruity profile with hints of sweet berries and sour citrus and 21-34%THC levels.8

Strawberry Runtz

Sativa-Dominant Hybrid

With a 70/30 sativa to indica split, Strawberry Runtz is created by crossing Runtz and Strawberry Banana. The strain hits a high note as it’s our strongest sativa strain, with THC levels ranging from 21% to a whopping 36%.9 Strawberry Runtz tastes like sweet strawberry candy and smells earthy and grassy with sweet strawberry notes.

Memory Loss

Sativa-Dominant Hybrid

Don’t worry about losing your memories, even though the THC content of the sativa-dominant Memory Loss strain clocks in at 31-32%. It’s a delicious strain that tastes like herbal, spicy bubblegum and smells like a spicy, earthy fruit.10

Code Orange

Sativa-Dominant Hybrid

It’s not a code-red situation with the potent sativa-dominant Code Orange strain. Code Orange has impressive THC levels, ranging from 30% to 34%. The strain’s flavor is sweet with a zesty citrus undertone, while the aroma is spicy citrus with hints of earthy herbs.11

Emperor Cookies

Sativa-Dominant Hybrid

Not just for royalty, Emperor Cookies is a sativa-dominant strain known for its perfect blend of earthy vanilla flavors with notes of sour citrus. Also known as “The Emperor’s Cookies,” this emperor’s favorite is not for beginners, since it boasts hardy THC levels ranging from 25-40%.12

Are Marijuana Strains Getting Stronger?

Yes, marijuana strains are getting stronger. Since the 1970s, the level of THC has been increasing by 0.29% every year,13 resulting in cannabis strains being 10-14% stronger today.14 Why are strains getting stronger? The answer is simple: because that’s what cannabis farmers want. Breeders are using cultivation techniques and selective breeding to grow high THC strains.

What Makes a Strain so Potent?

THC is the main factor that makes a strain so potent, and the plant compound works with other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids to produce an even stronger effect, known as the entourage effect, once the cannabis strain enters your body.15 However, the genetics of the cannabis flower, its growing conditions, and how and when it was harvested and cured will ultimately determine its overall potency.

FAQs About Potent Marijuana Strains

Fascinated by strong cannabis strains? Check out these commonly asked questions:

Which is stronger: sativa or indica?
Sativa and indica strains can be equally potent since a cannabis strain’s potency depends on breeding and THC levels. For example, indica-dominant Permanent Marker has THC levels of 34-35%, while sativa-dominant Code Orange has 30-34% THC levels.

What is the highest THC percentage ever recorded?
Different strains have won the title “strongest cannabis strain,” but currently, Godfather OG is the winner with a high of 34% THC.16

What THC percentage is considered high?
What’s considered to be a high THC percentage is subjective, but generally, a cannabis strain with 15-20% THC is high, and anything higher is considered very potent.

Purchasing High THC Strains

Start with these 10 strong cannabis strains if you’re after something that’s super potent. These indica and sativa-dominant hybrids are popular, so it’s likely you’ll find what you’re looking for at your local dispensary. But on the off-chance it’s out of stock, ask your budtender about the most potent available marijuana strains to find the strain that’s right for you.

 

 

Sources:

1. “Could Godfather OG Be the World’s Strongest Strain,” MSNL, https://www.marijuana-seeds.nl/blog/could-godfather-og-be-the-worlds-strongest-strain  

2. “What Is Considered ‘High THC’?” Leafwell, https://leafwell.com/blog/what-is-considered-high-thc 

3. “Permanent Marker Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/indica-dominant-hybrid/permanent-marker 

4. “Ice Cream Cake Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/indica-dominant-hybrid/ice-cream-cake 

5. “Strawberry Banana Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/indica-dominant-hybrid/strawberry-banana 

6. “Roasted Garlic Margy Marijuana Stain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/indica-dominant-hybrid/roasted-garlic-margy 

7. “Gorilla Glue #4 Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/indica-dominant-hybrid/gorilla-glue-4 

8. “Bahama Mama Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/sativa-dominant-hybrid/bahama-mama 

9. “Strawberry Runtz Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/sativa-dominant-hybrid/strawberry-runtz 

10. “Memory Loss Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/sativa-dominant-hybrid/memory-loss 

11. “Code Orange Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/sativa-dominant-hybrid/code-orange 

12. “Emperor Cookies Marijuana Strain,” Allbud, https://www.allbud.com/marijuana-strains/sativa-dominant-hybrid/emperor-cookies  

13. “Is cannabis today really much more potent than 50 years ago?” New Scientist, October 11, 2023, https://www.newscientist.com/article/2396976-is-cannabis-today-really-much-more-potent-than-50-years-ago/ 

14. “Cannabis Resin Today Is Much More Potent Than 50 Years Ago, Says Study,” Vice.com, November 19, 2020, https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dpg7d/study-says-cannabis-today-more-potent-than-in-1970s 

15. “Potency vs THC Content,” The Stash, September 3, 2022, https://www.wikileaf.com/thestash/potency-vs-THC/ 

16. “Strongest Weed Strains: 17 Highest THC Strains to Try in 2024,” SacBee, April 26, 2024, https://www.sacbee.com/health-wellness/cannabis/article270746947.html 

 


Recreational cannabis is not available in all states. Cannabis is for medical use only and may only be used by certified patients in Ohio and Pennsylvania. State laws impact what dispensaries can and can’t sell to recreational customers and certified patients. Not every type of product, consumption method, dosage form, or potency mentioned on this blog will be permitted in all locations.