If You're New To Cannabis - 10 Tips for Finding quality Flower

Different strains of marijuana offer various benefits, so it is essential to know what to look for when choosing a strain. It is also important to consider what benefits you are hoping to achieve. Researching different strains to find one that best meets your needs can take time. So, if you are about to smoke, eat, vape, drink, or absorb cannabis for the first time and are unsure what to expect? I’m here to help!

I am a frequent cannabis user and journalist covering the topic, so I often receive anecdotes from people about the different buds and how products affect them individually; this is a common way to learn about cannabis, if not the only way. Without clear guidelines or regulations (due to federal prohibition), word-ofmouth is how most people figure out what’s what when it comes to intoxicating substances. Here’s a roundup of tips, tricks, and things to consider for your first time-

#1

LET GO OF THE HIGH VS. NOT HIGH BINARY.

Regarding cannabis, discussions of being high are steeped in binaries. Products are described as being simply intoxicating or not.

The same goes for whether something is psychoactive. Note that this distinction is usually incorrectly applied; all cannabinoids technically have psychoactive effects. Therefore, cannabis’s effects fall along a broad spectrum. How you experience those effects depends on many things, including the product you are using, your surroundings, and your emotional state that day. Before your first cannabis experience, mentally prepare to explore these gray areas. Let go of any expectations. Being open to various possible outcomes and understanding how a cannabis high manifests in individual bodies will benefit users and would-be users to get comfortable exploring the gray areas.

#2

TAKE STRAINS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

You will hear, “are you looking for Indica or Sativa?” when you first walk into a dispensary, but really, what they are asking is what euphoric body high you are seeking, such as “couch lock” or the latter producing a more energetic and cerebral high, among other effects. These descriptions are not necessarily false, but they are entirely subjective. Additionally, categorizing cannabis by these two terms completely misses a broad spectrum of other effects caused by different factors, including flavonoids and terpenes.

Rather than just going for an Indica or Sativa, think about how you want to feel: Energetic and creative—relaxed and introspective? Are there therapeutic effects you seek, like pain relief or appetite stimulation? By answering those questions, cannabis specialists or dispensary staff can help you choose the best product.

#3

THE NOSE KNOWS.

If you are more hands-on in choosing a product, as a dispensary owner, and budtender, trust your nose. The nose knows! It is true that the aromatic and flavorful elements of cannabis, called terpenes, play a significant role in the effects. In that way, your sense of smell can guide you toward the high you seek.

For example, fruit, floral, fuel, and earth are typical flavor profiles in cannabis flowers, and following these groupings can help people find what is right for them. Fruity buds are uplifting, while floral ones are introspective. Fuel-backed buds like Sour Diesel are potent, while those with earthy smells and flavors tend to cause relaxing effects.

#4

THE TASTE TEST.

For those of you who are new to the cannabis scene, it may be a little harder to determine excellent vs. bad weed via taste, but good buds will have a pleasant fresh taste.

Bad buds can taste off or even stale. Many experienced Cannasseurs can immediately detect good quality weed from bad by the taste of it—but keep in mind do not go off of taste alone.

#5

THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUD.

Generally, the rule of thumb is good quality, or well-grown India tends to be dense and tight, with Sativa typically being lighter and fluffier in its overall structure. Alternatively, a poorly grown Indica can take on the appearance of a Sativa with loose and incomplete buds with visible stems.

#6

KNOW YOUR DOSE.

Regardless of your consumption method, the dosage is necessary to nail down; if cannabis provokes discomfort or anxiety, the dose is too high. Your budtender should be very specific about what to take and how much; usually, this is a slow rampup to get you used to the feelings and let your body adjust. Often, people benefit from doses that are much smaller than they expect.

#7

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE COLOR.

Purple is one of the most common hues for cannabis. To achieve the purple hue in the strain, it will need to have a large amount of anthocyanin. You can find it producing that hue in blueberries, eggplants, and grapes.

Purple strains also thrive in a neutral pH environment, with low temperatures where the chlorophyll breaks down enough for the purple to shine through.

The orange hue is derived from carotenoids, which produce the colors on the likes of carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins. Orange and yellow hues will come from high-alkaline soil or high-pH soil.

#8

TRICHOMES.

The ultimate goal of any qualitygrown cannabis would be to produce buds that are packed with trichomes because all the good stuff is stored in the cannabinoids and terpenes.

The density of trichomes is relatively simple to distinguish with your naked eye by determining how “frosty” the bud is. Quality cannabis will be laden with trichomes, whereas bad quality bud lacks the thick trichome dusting.

#9

TRUST THE GROWER.

Quality cannabis is produced by quality growers. Growing great cannabis is not magic—it is a skill developed through hard work. Good weed should be nothing short of fantastic because the proper time was put into it.

You will be able to see, taste, and smell the effort that goes into growing quality cannabis. Trusting a grower also gives you confidence when trying a new strain. You cannot always know how a strain will affect you, but you can know if the strain was grown by someone who values quality.

#10

MIND YOUR SET AND SETTING.

Make sure you are in a comfortable space with people you feel safe with. Sometimes, people’s adverse reactions to intoxicating substances can be triggered by happenings outside their bodies.

Your first cannabis experience is not the time to hang out with someone new for the first time. Stick with people you know and trust. Aim to be somewhere safe and comfortable, whether in your living room or favorite beach.