It always amazed us that, in a world where marijuana is supposed to be medicine, so little is known about what, exactly, different strains and types do to your membrane. Sure, there are buds named for Chuck Norris and Michael Phelps, and your friendly, neighborhood dispenser will tell you this or that weed is really for a head high (versus a body high).

Hmm. Well, one tech company is promising that it can use facial-recognition-like technology to take a look at your bud, tell you what kind it is, and recommend similar strains you might like. It'll even direct you to a pot shop. Not exactly your local pharmacist, but pretty amazing.

And the folks behind BrainStrain.com say it's coming to an app near you. CEO Jason Draizin:

StrainBrain is breaking new ground for the medical marijuana industry. It combines the latest technology to give patients a new level of visibility into their medicine, letting them know exactly what strain they have, and helping them find a legal source to purchase it from.

What's most interesting about the technology, which so far is web-based only (you go to their site and upload a pic of your favorite bud) is that there's also a feature that will let you input your ailments: It will spit out strains that could work for you.

We don't need to stinking app to tell us Chuck Norris kicks ass.

We don't need to stinking app to tell us Chuck Norris kicks ass.

Wow. Talk about playing doctor. If this involved anything but medical marijuana — antidepressants, say — and this might be asking for legal trouble.

Anyway, the news here is that there will be an app for that. At least according to the folks behind BrainStrain, who state that a “mobile-based app … will be available at the iTunes store later in 2011.”

Um. It's called the App Store. And we'll see.

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]

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