UpNorth
UpNorth - GMO - Pre-Roll - 1g
UpNorth - GMO - Pre-Roll - 1g
UpNorth GMO is a single one-gram pre-roll of indoor flower, not infused, from UpNorth, which bills itself as a Humboldt indoor brand. The strain is Chemdawg x Girl Scout Cookies, the cross both UpNorth and Leafly list, and it also goes by GMO Cookies and Garlic Cookies. UpNorth describes a skunky garlic-and-diesel nose and a heavy, relaxed high. Save it for the end of the day.
Quick Specs
| Type | Indica-dominant hybrid, per Leafly's listing for this UpNorth joint; UpNorth's Weedmaps listing says hybrid |
| Format | 1g pre-roll, single, whole-nug indoor flower, not infused |
| Onset | 2-5 minutes |
| Duration | 2-3 hours |
| Best Time | Evening, with nothing left on the list |
Genetics & Lineage
Chemdawg x GSC is the cross on UpNorth's listing, and the wider record agrees. Leafly credits the original to Mamiko Seeds of Spain, whose seed packs read Chem D x GSC, and SeedFinder, citing growers on the ICmag forum, specifies the Forum cut of GSC. Leafly's write-ups add that Skunk Master Flex of Skunk House Genetics popped a standout seed from those packs and gave it the GMO name. You will also see Divine Genetics credited online; one seed seller's guide traces that to a separate Chem Cookies line, which Leafly lists as Chemdog #4 x GSC. UpNorth has not said which cut it grows.
The name gets misread. Menus often spell GMO out as garlic, mushroom and onion, after the smell. Leafly's reporting ties it instead to genetically modified ingredients in cookies, a wink at the GSC parent, and some growers say it describes how oddly the plant grows. SeedFinder notes that some dispensaries balked at putting GMO on a label, which is where Garlic Cookies came from.
Flavor & Aroma
UpNorth describes a pungent, skunky nose with garlic and diesel layered in, and buds packed dense under a heavy coat of resin. Its tags run earthy, pungent, diesel and sweet. Leafly's reviewers lean savory too, reporting chemical, pepper and pungent most often, and Leafly's 2024 write-up adds sauteed garlic. It smells more like a kitchen than a candy shop, which is the point.
UpNorth has not published terpenes for GMO. Leafly lists caryophyllene first, then limonene and myrcene, and its 2022 write-up found the same three on top in lab samples labeled GMO. Caryophyllene is the compound behind the bite of black pepper, which fits the pepper reviewers taste, and myrcene brings an earthy, musky base.
Effects
UpNorth's listing pitches GMO at smokers who know their tolerance: strong, quick to land, and heavy in the body, built for shutting the day down. In the brand's words, "GMO is a powerhouse strain built for those who know their stuff." Its tags list relaxed, happy, uplifted, euphoric, sleepy and focused, and its flower listing describes a focused, upbeat start that settles into deep relaxation.
Leafly's reviewers lead with relaxed, sleepy and euphoric. Leafly's 2022 write-up adds a caution: newer smokers can find it overwhelming, while seasoned ones describe being stoned but still able to focus. The complaints Leafly users report most are dry mouth, anxiety and dizziness. Go slow, sit down, and smoke it somewhere you can stay.
Best For
- Ending the day: UpNorth and Leafly's reviewers both land on relaxed and sleepy
- Savory-strain fans: garlic, pepper and fuel in place of fruit
- Seasoned smokers: UpNorth aims it squarely at people who know their limits
- The curious: one of Leafly's most-viewed strain pages, in a single joint
Not for: daytime errands, a low-tolerance smoker going solo, or anyone who wants candy or fruit flavors.
Pairings
Food: lean into the garlic. A salami sandwich from Molinari Delicatessen, or a pie from Tony's Pizza Napoletana carried home before you light up. Music: D'Angelo's Voodoo, slow and heavy, or Funkadelic's Maggot Brain if the funk on the nose deserves a soundtrack. Activity: watch the city lights come on from Telegraph Hill, then head home. GMO is a stay-in joint.
Construction
UpNorth's website and Weedmaps listings describe its pre-rolls the same way: made by hand from whole nugs of indoor flower. On a joint label, whole flower usually means ground buds, as opposed to the shake and trim swept up after jars are filled. This one is a single gram that Metrc files under Pre-Roll Flower, so nothing has been added: no kief, oil or diamond coating. UpNorth sells its diamond-infused joints separately. The paper, the tip and the shape of the roll have not been published. Behind the label is UpNorth Distribution, a Humboldt County company licensed as a distributor since 2019, which also moves other growers' brands, including Fig Farms. UpNorth calls itself a small-batch indoor grower of legacy genetics from the Emerald Triangle, and it has not named the grow behind these joints.
Dosing
New to it: pick something lighter for a first time, or stop at one small pull and give it fifteen minutes.
Regular smoker: three or four pulls, then a quarter hour before deciding on more.
Heavy tolerance: the whole gram after dinner, with the rest of the night cleared.
Storage
Keep it sealed, dark and cool. The smell is the loud part of GMO and it travels, so an airtight jar earns its keep, for freshness and for the people you live with. Ground flower dries out faster than whole buds, so once the package is open, smoke it within a week or two.
Similar Products
- UpNorth GMO Pre-Roll 5-Pack 2.5g: the same UpNorth strain as five half-gram joints, easier to portion out
- Lolo Chemdawg Pre-Roll 1g: the Chemdawg side of GMO's family on its own, tagged chemical, diesel and pungent on Leafly, minus the garlic
- Connected Gascotti Pre-Roll 1g: another heavy hybrid for late evening, minty fuel and pine per Connected
- UpNorth Pineapple Express Pre-Roll 1g: the daytime UpNorth single from the same delivery, pineapple and citrus where this one is garlic
FAQ
Is GMO an indica or a hybrid? Leafly calls it an indica-dominant hybrid, on its strain page and on its listing for this UpNorth joint. UpNorth's Weedmaps listing says hybrid.
What does GMO stand for? Menus usually say garlic, mushroom and onion. Leafly's reporting traces the name to genetically modified ingredients in cookies. UpNorth's flower listing notes the plant is not genetically modified.
Is GMO the same as Garlic Cookies? Yes. Leafly lists GMO, GMO Cookies and Garlic Cookies as names for the same Chemdawg x GSC strain. Its separate Chem Cookies entry is a different cross, made with Chemdog #4.
Who bred GMO? Leafly credits Mamiko Seeds of Spain, with Skunk Master Flex of Skunk House Genetics selecting and naming the keeper. UpNorth has not said which cut it grows.
What does GMO taste like? Savory: garlic, diesel and pepper over an earthy base, with a sweet edge in UpNorth's tags.
What terpenes are in GMO? UpNorth has not published them. Leafly lists caryophyllene, limonene and myrcene.
Is this pre-roll infused? No. It is plain indoor flower, with no kief, oil or diamonds added.
Where can I buy UpNorth GMO in San Francisco? At Gemme Verdi, 899 Columbus Ave in North Beach. Check gemmeverdi.com for today's stock.
Available at Gemme Verdi 899 Columbus Ave, North Beach, San Francisco gemmeverdi.com See today's deals at Gemme Verdi