Clones are definitely not any weaker in medicinal strength and imho they often are more potent. Plants grown from seed don't fully develop genetically for several months and this development is crucial for the plant to reach it's full potential. If you keep a the mother growing for several months and then take clones from her you can not only get the full potential out of your strain but you'll be able to keep the strain for further crops. I've cloned some varieties as long as 6-7 years and it has only gotten better in my experience. Whenever a mother starts to get too big you can make one of it's clones a new mother.

Another great application of taking of rooted clones from plants is for sexing the parent plant. You can continue to keep the prospective parent plant in a long day light cycle put the clones into 12/12 light. Once they reveal their sex in about 10 days you will cull out any male clones as well as the male parent plants and keep the females for mother stock.

Having a mother with available clones kept under a long day cycle is so much easier than always growing from seed. Once you have sexed your plant and you have a mother you'll be able to take the clones you need for rooting and vegging for your next crop. You can veg the new cuttings until your current flowering plants are finished and after you harvest you drop your new clones into 12/12 and there is no down time.

DoS