How can we be sure that the product we just bought is of quality? How do I find out if the cannabis is low or high quality? In this article we will talk about exactly this:
- The quality problem
- How to recognize quality weed with your eyes
- How to recognize quality weed with your nose
The quality problem
Like any other commodity that enjoys considerable demand, cannabis has seen a multiplication of types of supply, varieties of cannabis , prices and sales strategies.
In countries where the cultivation and retail sale of cannabis are permitted by law, it is now possible to find cannabis and derivatives of the most varied qualities in stores or on the Internet.
Qualities of cannabis made possible by a multitude of ad hoc genetic crosses aimed at obtaining plants that present these or those characteristics.
The different percentages of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids contained significantly affect the range of effects that the plant will trigger in those who take it.
Just as taste, scent, color can change a lot, whether it is light cannabis with a high CBD content or marijuana, therefore psychoactive and intended for recreational consumption.
In countries that allow the cultivation of cannabis, the plant must comply with strict standards in order to be legally sold.
In addition to the acceptable percentages of cannabinoids , the plants must be grown in compliance with the local laws to which crops in general must comply: the ban on certain pesticides , for example, or compliance with certain sowing or harvesting times.
This means that - naturally excluding fraud - the State guarantees the control of compliance with procedural rules and therefore by extension also the minimum quality of the final product.
The matter becomes more complicated, however, when it comes to smuggled cannabis : it is clear that in this case there is no official guarantee on the quality of the product, and it would be grotesque to demand one.
No more and no less than with hard drugs, or any other non-marketable product.
Furthermore, as mentioned above, we know well that for example here in Italy, alongside a State Tobacco Monopoly , a rather substantial black market has flourished, which produced and produces cigarettes without caring about any regulations.
This means that state tobacco or cannabis does not automatically mean certified quality tobacco or cannabis (even if for now in Italy the issue of state cannabis is a problem that does not arise).
Not only that: even by going to an authorized Dutch coffee shop it is possible to come across substandard marijuana, just as it is possible to eat very badly in a restaurant that has a full licence.
And it's not just about marijuana: with a growing market of light cannabis it is possible to come across hemp buds for sale (unless you prefer one of the many products derived from the processing of the CBD contained in it: from crystals to oil).
Naturally, if you have the possibility of growing plants independently to make up for your personal consumption, the problem of contaminated marijuana or, more generally, contaminated or poor quality cannabis does not arise.
But it may be useful for most of us to present some tips to try to orient ourselves on the market and know what we are buying: let's see them together.
How to recognize quality weed with your eyes
We could start from the most sensible piece of advice, the same one you follow at the fish market: first of all, pay attention to appearance .
Just as the fish on the counter must have a healthy and shiny appearance, in the same way the cannabis must also be... attractive .
Obviously this procedure requires a minimum of experience, or a trained eye.
The buds must have a healthy appearance from the first glance, with bright colors that can tend towards reddish or purple, but must not turn decidedly brown. In short: the grass must not appear dried up, or pale, or moldy.
If observed more closely (the best would be to use a magnifying glass) a good quality herb should exhibit thick hair covering especially the plant parts closest to the flowers.
These "hairs" appear as small crystals that give the plant that lively shine mentioned above and are called trichomes : the accumulation of these trichomes is called kief .
We have already dealt with them in a recent article: here we will only mention the fact that among other things they are responsible for the active ingredients and the effects that cannabis can induce in the consumer, psychoactive and non-psychoactive.
They are also responsible for the production of terpenes , which give cannabis its characteristic aroma and flavor.
So, generally speaking, the more trichomes present on weed, the more likely it is to be a good plant.
And by always taking a preventive look you can understand other things.
If the weed is packaged in transparent bags (this is almost always the case), shake the bag gently and evaluate the quantity of seeds and twigs contained together with the buds.
If the retailer is serious and experienced there will be almost no seeds or twigs.
The seeds are a clear indication of suboptimal cultivation , and the twigs, when they are not an oversight, are artfully added to increase the weight of the goods.
the same argument should be made for the leaves , if ever necessary: the presence of leaves together with the buds on sale must immediately arouse scepticism.
A correct crop drying process involves careful elimination of the leaves to reduce the risk of mold formation.
And therefore the presence of leaves could be a clue that we are dealing with poor quality cannabis.
In addition to this, the buds must have the right "compactness", that is, they must have that normal and well-known dense and porous appearance at the same time.
The less compact the buds, the more cannabis will be needed. And yet it is also good for smokers to know that buds that are too compact hinder uniform combustion, in short: the joints tend to go out.
And speaking of joints that go out, another factor to take into consideration is the aforementioned correct drying of the grass , which must not be too dry but not too humid either.
The best way to evaluate this aspect is of course to hold it between your fingers and handle it a little , if possible. A cannabis bud ready for consumption, in fact, must not crumble upon contact, much less pulverize!
This would mean that the plant has absorbed large (excessive) amounts of light or heat. But it shouldn't appear excessively sticky either.
This last aspect, which might seem to indicate a high level of resin in the plant, in some cases is instead the symptom of non-optimal, incomplete drying , with consequent risk of mold or bad aromas and flavours.
The inflorescences must seem crunchy and sticky at the same time to the touch, just as when you try to chop them they must offer a certain resistance to grinders/fingers/scissors , but not a "rubbery" resistance.
How to recognize quality weed with your nose
And after seeing how the eye can help separate the good grass from the bad, remember: for good grass you also need... a nose!
Smell it : although the most avid people try to counterfeit its smells with artificial aromas, the smell of a good herb is inimitable !
A good scent is certainly an indication of good taste, and will guarantee the absence of mold, and also of chemicals sprayed on the buds to artificially increase their shine.
So: trust terpenes and your receptors!
