How to Check the Quality of Cannabis

How to Check the Quality of Cannabis

There's no exact science to selecting the best weed. After all, a lot of what we look for may well come down to personal preference. However, whether you're smoking it in a joint or from a water bong, there are a few things to look for when buying your cannabis, which can make sure you're getting quality green. 

You want to select the buds that appeal to you; that could be because of the plant's coloring and smell. Still, you also want to check for nasty things like mildew or discoloration that may indicate inferior quality cannabis and keep clear from weed affected by these negative qualities. 

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Appearance

Appearance is the first thing that you will notice. An excellent first impression is vital, and if you're paying by weight, you want to check and see if there are stems or seeds in the weed.  

Seeds can cause a nasty smell and create a harsh taste when combusted, while stems can poke holes in your rolling papers, and more importantly, both seeds and stems are the less potent part of the plant. 

If you notice any seeds and stems, you are paying for filler rather than nice flavorsome and potent bud. 

Also, separating the seeds and stems from the nice when crumbling your weed can be a pain in the ass; you'll need to get out the grinder for this blend. 

Coloration is another crucial factor. You want lush green buds; if they are brown, that's a bad sign. There could be other colors as well, orange, purple, and reds may be present on the weed, but the overall color should be green. It's not just the color of the bud that's important. Check the coloration of the THC crystals on the trichomes. These tiny crystals are where the THC's primarily concentrated, so the high quality and quantity of trichomes indicate the potency of the herb. The crystals should appear cloudy. If the crystals are clear, they are not fully developed, so the effect won't be as potent as cloudy crystals. 

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How Sticky is it?

The THC crystals on the trichomes are like resin, so the buds should feel sticky to the touch. If the buds are sticky and not dry when broken up, this is a good indication of high-quality marijuana. Conversely, buds that crumble to a pile of dust are probably low quality and are old or dried out too much. 

How's it Smell?

When you open up the buds' container, the smell should be robust and overwhelming. Unless they are in a suitable airtight container, you should smell the weed as soon as you enter the room.

Strains with a good potent smell are often the ones that pack the most punch. The buds may smell earthy or of pine nuts, fruits, citrus, or even diesel. These are all signs of powerful terpenes in the weed being intact. If the weed has a strong smell, in a good way, then that's a good indication of quality cannabis. 

If you don't detect any smell or worse yet, you can smell hay or damp mold, then you had better avoid that weed. Most likely, it is of low quality or wasn't stored correctly. It's possible the weed wasn't correctly cured, or it could be old and dried out. 

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Density

You should be able to break the cannabis buds apart easily. If you can pull the bud from the stem with just your fingers, then it's likely been well dried and cured. 

On the other hand, if the buds are compressed and resemble a chunk of compressed dry tea. It could be an indication the weed hasn't been dried and cured correctly. 

Sometimes the weed is compacted and compressed when packed and shipped to save space. 

But this crushing of the weed will have a negative effect on the taste. 

It will also make it harder to separate and roll into a joint or blunt, which won't burn evenly and needs to be constantly lit.

Moisture Level

The moisture level of cannabis is critical. If the buds are not dried and cured correctly, they can retain too much water. This means the buds can start to rot, and you'll have mildew develop when they are packaged. 

If your paying by weight, another negative is that you'll be paying for water that will need to be evaporated before the weed is ready to be smoked.

So it will take longer to prepare the weed, and you'll be getting less for your money. 

If the weed is too dry, then as the moisture evaporates, it will take way much of the terpenes and flavor. This will impact the quality of the weed when it comes to consuming it, and also, it won't roll or smoke as easily. 

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How's it Taste？

This isn't always an option, but if you're lucky enough to taste the weed before buying it, then it will give you an excellent idea of the quality. If the weed delivers a beautiful combination of flavors without being too harsh on your throat and causing a coughing fit, then it's good quality weed. If the smell as it burns is strong but fresh, then that's also a good sign. 

Conclusion

The quality of weed can vary a lot across the country depending on the climate of where it was grown, the local laws, how it was stored, and many other factors. 

Try to keep these indicators in mind when making your next weed purchase. 

Check for the quality and quantity of THC crystals. A lot of cloudy crystals indicate the weed will have a potent effect. 

However, not all weed acts the same way; some strains may turn you into the energizer bunny, while others may calm you down. The flavor profiles also change vastly across strains and blends; some may be to your liking, and others not. 

So as well as checking the above factors, be sure to ask your budtender. They can point you to a strain that has the desired flavor profile and effects you are after. And don't be afraid to ask to look at any test data coming from a trusted third-party laboratory; this can help you understand the different properties of that cannabis and let you know what to expect from it.