Amnesia Haze
A sativa-dominant Dutch Haze hybrid with a citrus-and-spice aroma, high THC and a long 10–12 week flowering time.
Growing, buying or possessing cannabis and seeds is legal only in some places. Check the law where you live before acting on this information.
Amnesia Haze is a genuine Dutch coffeeshop classic: Soma Seeds' version won the High Times Cannabis Cup in 2004 and the Sativa Cup in 2012. Beyond that, take menus with a pinch of salt. Many breeders sell different plants under the same name, published THC numbers vary by lab and batch, and the 'amnesia' name is branding, not a documented effect. What is reliably true: it is a long-flowering, tall, Haze-leaning hybrid with a sharp citrus-spice aroma that rewards patient, experienced growers.
Overview
Amnesia Haze is a sativa-dominant hybrid from the Dutch seed scene that became a fixture on Amsterdam coffeeshop menus in the 2000s. It is built on Haze genetics — the backbone of much modern sativa breeding (see Original Haze) — crossed with indica-leaning material to make its otherwise impractically long flowering time workable indoors.
The best-known version is Soma Seeds' Amnesia Haze, which is credited with 1st place at the 2004 High Times Cannabis Cup and 1st place in the 2012 Sativa Cup [9] Weak / limited. Other seed companies, including Royal Queen Seeds and Hy-Pro, sell their own lines under the same name. These are not guaranteed to be the same plant: genetic studies repeatedly find that samples sold under one strain name can differ substantially [2][7] Strong evidence.
Chemistry: cannabinoids and terpenes
Retail lab results usually place Amnesia Haze around 18–22% THC, with CBD under 1% [9] Weak / limited. Treat any single number as a property of one tested batch, not the strain: reported THC varies between phenotypes, growers and testing labs, and some labs systematically report higher values than others [8] Strong evidence.
Aggregated lab data lists myrcene, β-caryophyllene and limonene as its most common terpenes [9] Weak / limited. Some cuts are noticeably terpinolene-forward, which fits the sharp citrus-pine "Haze" nose. In a large analysis of US lab data, a high-terpinolene chemotype was the one terpene group where "sativa" labels were clearly overrepresented — roughly twice as many as expected [1] Strong evidence. Whether terpenes meaningfully change the high in humans is still debated [3]. The pattern is useful for shopping, but it does not make the indica/sativa label a reliable guide (see the indica/sativa myth).
Reported effects
There are no clinical trials on Amnesia Haze specifically; the descriptions below come from consumer reviews Anecdote.
- A fast, head-forward, energetic onset typical of Haze-dominant cultivars
- Talkativeness, euphoria and a "giggly" mood are the most frequently reported effects [9]
- Less body sedation than indica-leaning hybrids
- At higher doses: racing thoughts, anxiety or paranoia — more likely in less experienced users (see THC dose and anxiety)
The name is branding. High-THC cannabis in general acutely impairs short-term memory [4] Strong evidence, but there is no evidence Amnesia Haze does so more than other high-THC flower No data. Dose and an individual batch's cannabinoid and terpene profile predict effects better than the strain name [5].
Lineage
The commonly cited story credits Soma with developing Amnesia Haze in the late 1990s or early 2000s from Haze crossed with Afghani-type indica, with South Asian and Jamaican landrace ancestry in the background [9] Disputed. No independently published pedigree confirms the exact parents, and other breeders describe different origins.
What can be said with more confidence is that it belongs to the Haze family, which is generally traced to Californian sativa breeding in the 1960s–70s and was later developed and stabilised in the Netherlands [6] Weak / limited. Close relatives include Original Haze and Super Silver Haze.
Growing Amnesia Haze
Amnesia Haze is usually described as intermediate to advanced to grow Anecdote.
- Flowering time: 10–12 weeks indoors. Outdoors in the Northern Hemisphere it typically finishes in late October or November, so it suits warm, dry autumns.
- Height and stretch: tall with long internodes; expect the plant to roughly double or triple in height after switching to 12/12. Topping, LST or a SCROG net is recommended where vertical space is limited.
- Yield: grower reports cluster around 500–600 g/m² indoors under good lighting Anecdote.
- Sensitivities: Haze-dominant plants are prone to overfeeding and, because of the long flowering window, to bud rot and powdery mildew in humid rooms.
For step-by-step guides see How to grow Amnesia Haze and Growing Amnesia Haze with SCROG.
Marketing vs. reality
- "Causes memory loss, hence the name." Marketing. All high-THC cannabis impairs short-term memory while you are high [4].
- "Pure sativa." It is a hybrid with indica ancestry, and the sativa label is a poor predictor of effects [5].
- "Multiple Cannabis Cup winner." True for Soma's entries in 2004 and 2012 [9], but the jar on today's shelf is not necessarily that cut.
- "25%+ THC." Individual tests can show this, but typical results are lower and lab inflation is well documented [8].
- "Best for depression, anxiety or ADHD." No strain-specific clinical evidence exists; for anxiety, higher THC doses often make symptoms worse Disputed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amnesia Haze indica or sativa? A sativa-dominant hybrid: Haze genetics crossed with indica-type material.
How strong is Amnesia Haze? Typically about 18–22% THC in lab results, which is high. Start with a small amount if you are new to Haze-type strains.
How long does Amnesia Haze take to flower? About 10–12 weeks indoors, longer than most modern hybrids.
Who bred Amnesia Haze? The best-known version is from Soma Seeds in Amsterdam; several other seed companies sell lines under the same name.
Sources
- Peer-reviewed Smith, C. J., Vergara, D., Keegan, B., & Jikomes, N. (2022). The phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis in the United States. PLOS ONE, 17(5), e0267498.
- Peer-reviewed Reimann-Philipp, U., Speck, M., Orser, C., et al. (2020). Cannabis chemovar nomenclature misrepresents chemical and genetic diversity; survey of variations in chemical profiles and genetic markers in Nevada medical cannabis samples. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 5(3), 215–230.
- Peer-reviewed Russo, E. B. (2011). Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7), 1344–1364.
- Peer-reviewed Broyd, S. J., van Hell, H. H., Beale, C., Yücel, M., & Solowij, N. (2016). Acute and chronic effects of cannabinoids on human cognition—a systematic review. Biological Psychiatry, 79(7), 557–567.
- Peer-reviewed Piomelli, D., & Russo, E. B. (2016). The Cannabis sativa versus Cannabis indica debate: an interview with Ethan Russo, MD. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 1(1), 44–46.
- Book Clarke, R. C., & Merlin, M. D. (2013). Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany. University of California Press.
- Peer-reviewed Sawler, J., Stout, J. M., Gardner, K. M., et al. (2015). The genetic structure of marijuana and hemp. PLOS ONE, 10(8), e0133292.
- Peer-reviewed Jikomes, N., & Zoorob, M. (2018). The cannabinoid content of legal cannabis in Washington State varies systematically across testing facilities and popular consumer products. Scientific Reports, 8, 4519.
- Reported Leafly. Amnesia Haze strain profile (lineage, aggregated lab terpene data, Cannabis Cup history). Accessed October 2026.
How this page was made
Generation history
Drafted with AI assistance and checked by a separate automated fact-check pass. Not every article has been read by a person. See how articles are made.
Related
- Growing Amnesia Haze with SCROG — Train Amnesia Haze under a horizontal net to manage height, structure and canopy uniformit...
- High Times Cannabis Cup — The cannabis industry's first major competition, from Amsterdam coffeeshop roots to intern...
- How to Grow Amnesia Haze — A tall, slow-finishing haze with high yield potential and strict environmental demands.
- Hunter Haze — An undocumented Haze-family strain with no verified breeder or chemical profile.
- The Indica/Sativa Myth — The popular classification system contradicts genetics, chemistry, and controlled research...
- Original Haze — A legendary 1970s California sativa polyhybrid with disputed lineage and notoriously long...
- Super Silver Haze — Sativa-leaning haze hybrid with terpinolene dominance and 10–11 week flowering.
- Terpinolene — A minor cannabis terpene with fresh pine aroma and preclinical antioxidant activity.