Its important to understand how to answer the question, “what does good weed look like?” Acquiring the dankest herb is often the holy grail of most regular cannabis consumers. Determining if your weed is good is usually the first thing cannabis smokers do once they get their hands on some herb.
But how do you know if weed is good or not? There’s several ways to tell what good quality weed is supposed to be like.
Why is the quality of weed so important?
Similar to how most people put food or drink they trust into their bodies, cannabis is the same for the lungs. Nobody wants to feel bad after smoking herb–it defeats the purpose! So ensuring that the dried cannabis buds that you’re about to spark-up are reputable before inhaling is crazy important to stay healthy and happy when consuming.
Besides possible health implications from smoking contaminated bud, there’s also the fact that nobody wants to feel like they got suckered by purchasing inferior products that don’t quite get you high the way you want. Bottom line–quality weed will never let you down, so let’s make sure you know the signs before buying.
What does good quality weed look like?
There are several different core tenets that ultimately contribute to weed quality. These factors all use sense inferences to determine what good weed quality looks like.
Flower color can determine weed quality.
A healthy looking shade of green is always a good surface-level benchmark to ensure weed quality. However, these days superior advancements in cannabis breeding have given us cannabis flowers with beautiful hues of purple, red, and orange mixed in depending on the strain.
The main thing is to ensure your cannabis looks healthy with a nice green color with other other bold hues mixed in. If you see anything brown, black, yellow, or gray don’t smoke it–it’s either really old, contaminated with mold, or poorly cultivated.
Trichome coverage helps to determine good quality weed.
Often referred to as “crystals”, trichomes are the glistening white structures found all over good quality weed. Trichomes are the resinous nodes that grow on cannabis plants and contain most of the cannabinoid and terpene content.
A solid general rule of thumb to tell if weed is good is by examining the trichome coverage on the nugs. If there isn’t a good coverage of frosty white crystalline structures all about, then you’ve most likely picked up some bad herb that’s low in potency and flavor.
Many modern strains are popular choices simply because of how frosty they are. A sticky-to-the touch texture is also exhibited by particularly trichome-rich and resinous strains of good quality weed.
Good bud structure means good quality weed.
The classic nugget structure of cannabis buds is a benchmark of good quality weed all across the board. Cannabis buds can take the shape of many things: nuggets, foxtails, fingers, or even popcorn just to name a few.
Different growing techniques make for more heavy or light buds, but dense buds usually demonstrate a higher quality of cannabis that has been cultivated and cured properly and organically. However, sometimes strains like certain sativas grow more wiry or loose due to their classic genetic lineage irrespective of quality.
When breaking up your cannabis to grind, smoke, or vape be sure to examine how easily the buds snap apart when breaking them up. A firm snap should be felt when breaking apart good quality weed. If it’s a flimsy bend versus a solid snap or break, then most likely the weed quality is going to be diminished due to improper curing.
Conversely, if the bud is overly crumbly or dry it will also indicate your nugs may be pretty old or improperly stored to preserve quality.
A dank stank indicates your weed is good.
With so many terpene profiles abundant in cannabis these days, your bud could smell like anything from blueberry muffins to burnt race car tires. Whatever type of crazy hybrid or classic skunk strains you smoke, one thing is always certain–it stinks!
You really can’t go wrong with any strain of herb that’s dank to the nose. A fantastic way to immediately tell if your weed is good is by opening a jar or bag of herb. If the smell doesn’t immediately hit you in the face and earn its “loud” nickname, it’s definitely a sign of bad weed quality. A smell reminiscent of hay is a tell-tale sign the weed quality is bunk due to improper drying and curing during the final stages of cultivation.
How does good quality weed burn and taste?
Veteran smokers know the quality of weed they are puffing on almost immediately upon ignition or vaporization. Flavorful smoke that doesn’t cause irritation in the throat is par for the course to determine if your weed is good.
If it feels like your throat is on fire after several puffs, put it out and get rid of it. The herb is either contaminated by mold, super old, or cured improperly to the point of improper combustion of the plant materials.
How should good quality weed feel after smoking it?
After sparking-up, consumers should feel the way they’re supposed to with their specific choice of an indica, hybrid, or sativa strain. Quality weed will do what it’s supposed to–put you in the couch, make you suddenly start cleaning the entire basement, or a nice balance of the two extremes. A potent high that lasts several hours is the sweet spot of duration for any good quality weed.
One thing is for sure, smokers shouldn’t feel bad after smoking good quality weed. If you ever feel sick or nauseous after smoking herb you probably already realized that the bud you picked up is no bueno.
Lab Test Results Prove The Cannabis Is Good For Consumption
While the appearance of weed may give some indication of its quality (good weed usually has a healthy green color, visible trichomes, and a strong aroma), it does not guarantee its purity or safety. For instance, mold and pesticides are not visible to the naked eye but can present significant health risks. Therefore, relying on lab test results is a safer approach to ensure you are consuming a pure and safe product.
Lab testing is an essential part of ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of marijuana products. As cannabis has become legalized for medicinal and recreational purposes in many places, the industry has seen an increased emphasis on standardization and quality control. Here are the primary reasons why good weed is lab tested:
- Potency: Lab testing measures the levels of active compounds in a cannabis sample. This primarily includes Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the main psychoactive compound — and Cannabidiol (CBD) — known for its therapeutic effects. Testing provides detailed information about the THC:CBD ratio, which greatly impacts the product's effects. Higher THC levels generally lead to a more intense psychoactive experience.
- Safety: Lab tests check for impurities or contaminants that can end up in the cannabis during its growth, harvesting, processing, or storage. These impurities can include pesticides, heavy metals, mold, and bacteria. Consumption of contaminated cannabis can lead to serious health risks, including lung diseases and immune system dysfunction.
- Terpene Profile: Terpenes are compounds found in cannabis that is responsible for each strains unique flavor and scent. Some research suggests that terpenes may also influence the effects of cannabis. Lab tests can analyze a sample's terpene profile, providing further insight into the expected sensory experience and potential effects.
- Residual Solvents: If cannabis extracts were made using solvents like butane or ethanol, lab tests would ensure that no harmful residual chemicals remain in the final product.
Therefore, when purchasing cannabis, it is always crucial to check the product's label. The label will provide lab-tested information about the product's potency, including its THC and CBD levels, among other details. Remember, higher THC levels do not necessarily mean 'better' weed. It's more about the balance and how it suits your needs and tolerance.
How can I ensure I’m getting good quality weed?
Cultivating cannabis at home is another way to ensure you are growing herb that’s up to your own personal standards and preferences. Plus, you can whole-heartily trust the person that grew it!
The more you know about specific strains of cannabis, the better your ability to identify good quality weed will be. For example, know what some Gelato phenotypes are actually supposed to look like. Go ahead and put your nose in that jar of Strawberry Runtz and recognize that it should smell fruity with a little bit of honey notes.
When purchasing from a legal or medical dispensary, check out the testing label on the package. Look for THC levels roughly in the 17-28% range for solid potency, but also terpene levels that reach 2% or higher to indicate some top shelf flower genetics.
Properly Store Cannabis To Extend Shelf Life
Once you get some good quality weed, keep it that way. To maintain the quality of your cannabis for a longer period, it is best to store it properly. Here are some tips:
- Choose an airtight container: Select a container that can seal tightly to prevent air from entering or leaving. This helps to preserve the freshness and potency of your cannabis.
- Keep in a cool place: Store your cannabis in a cool location, preferably away from direct heat sources. Avoid exposing it to high temperatures, as heat can cause the cannabinoids to degrade.
- Protect from harmful UV rays: Sunlight and UV rays can be detrimental to the quality of your cannabis. Store it in where it is shielded from light, such as a cupboard or a UV-protected storage container.
Courtesy of a simple scrutinization of your bud via all of the methods mentioned above, cannabis consumers can ensure good quality weed in their possession regardless of whether it came from a legal dispensary or trusted plug.
