How To Avoid Bad Marijuana

Back in the day, you knew a guy who knew a guy, or you had a regular dealer, or you landed in a city for a trip and you talked to cab drivers and bartenders.  Today, with cannabis legal recreationally  23 states along with the District of Columbia, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands PLUS 40 state medically things are much easier. But you still want to know how to avoid bad marijuana.

With 90% of the public ok with some form of legal cannabis, you think it would be all grade A prime stuff out there, but if you want flower, there is still some quality issues.  Flower is still the number one revenue generator for legal dispensaries, but vaping is coming up.

When in a store, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Except for NYC, legal states have licenses dispensaries with some control over products sold.  But it is ok to ask, sniff, and look at flower before you purchase. If you are in a less than legal state, know the dealer and go with your gut.  No high is worth a bad trip.

RELATED: Easy, Cool, Cannabis Drink Recipes For A Hot, Sultry Day

Use all of your senses to determine the quality of your product. Good quality weed should smell good and strong, look bright and colorful, and feel airy and light. The flower should separate when you apply pressure to it; it shouldn’t fall apart by itself or be dense and overtly sticky.

Use your nose. Once you’ve interacted with high quality weed, the bad stuff is easier to spot. Cannabis cultivated and cured to the high standards typically exhibits a pungent and pleasant aroma. Flowers emitting a strong fragrance are commonly referred to as having a “dank” or “loud” odor, indicating the overall quality of the flower. You should steer clear of any type of weed that smells, looks, or feels off.

Marijuana which isn’t quite right can reek of a musty or mildewy aroma. This or a straw-like aroma is a clear indication of aged or compromised cannabis.

Use your eyes. Properly grown flower, like fresh, healthy produce, provides a few visual hints to help you determine quality. Good cannabis should be visually appealing, top-shelf strains can easily display a vibrant array of colors. Good-quality flowers are often a deep green with flaming orange or red hairs. They can also express colors from deep purple to bright blue.

Bad flower also has distinct in look. Discolored flower or an abundance of stems and seeds in a sign to move on. There are many reasons flower can become discolored ranging from mold and age to pesticides and chemicals.

When flower is of a lower quality, it will often be dry or brittle to the touch. Dry bud will feel light and airy with little weight, unlike dense, sticky flower. Additionally, bad weed will easily crumble when handled, or might even fall apart. Loose, undone flower is called “shake” and should be avoided.

Avoid strains that claim to have extreme effects. For example, if your seller tells you that they have a strain with over 30% THC potency, ask more questions since that seems unlikely. You also don’t need a strain with crazy THC levels in order to get the results you want or are looking for.

RELATED: How To Be Mindful When Smoking Weed (And Why It’s Important)

if your seller tells you that they have a strain is extreme or has over  30% THC potency, ask more questions since that seems unlikely. You also don’t need a strain with crazy THC levels in order to get the results you want or are looking for. This should be avoided.

Good luck, have fun and chill out.