How to Pick Potent Weed at a Dispensary
With more than 1,000 dispensaries licensed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB), an overwhelming number of cannabis products are available to consumers today. How do you truly know how to pick weed at a dispensary, though? Is it just preference? Or is there more to the story? This post will explore potent weed, what makes a nug look good to consumers and how to pick weed at a dispensary.
Picking the most potent weed
People love good cannabis, and with all the potential mental and physical health benefits, we understand why. You want your weed to be potent and deliver on all its promises, whether those promises include creativity, pain relief, relaxation or a combination of these. When it comes to picking potent marijuana, there are a few must-knows.
Percentages aren’t everything
Potency has commonly been understood in terms of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, percentages. This psychoactive compound can vary from product to product, and can influence the strength of a particular strain. Typically, weed with higher THC percentages can produce stronger, more robust effects, while weed with lower percentages can have gentler, less intense effects. While it is possible to find higher or lower percentages, most cannabis flower will contain about 15%-25% THC, meaning the amount of THC contained by dry weight.
When looking for potent weed, let the percentages be your guide, but not your map. You know what you’re looking for, and percentages are just one factor. Plus, many are just beginning to realize that terpene profiles also have a lot to do with how weed can make you feel, which brings us to tip two on how to pick weed at a dispensary.
Terpenes matter
Some say that when it comes to potent marijuana, it’s all about the terps! Have you ever tried a strain and tasted your favorite fruit? That’s the terpenes, or the aromatic oil compounds found in cannabis and a myriad of other flowers and vegetables. They work synergistically with other compounds in the plant and can influence the smell and taste of your bud.
More than 120 terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant. They play a vital role in how we experience different strains. There isn’t currently enough research on the medical benefits of terpenes to prove this, but anecdotal and theoretical evidence suggests that certain terpenes can produce certain effects. For example, linalool is found in lavender and it’s popular for its anti-stress and calming effects. It’s also found in many popular strains such as GrandDaddy Purple and Do Si Dos. While you can’t smell the product at Washington dispensaries, you can ask your budtender or research what the terpene profiles are for a particular strain before purchasing. If you’re new to terpenes, keeping a journal to track how you experience different terpenes can help.
Not all weed is created equally
Like fresh produce and flowers, weed is a crop. The same strain can look, smell and feel different depending on its farmer, environment and growing techniques. Essentially, no two weed nugs will be the same.
What makes a nug look good, you ask? Like other crops, you can look for certain visual indicators of the quality of different weed.
- Does the color of the bud look bold and rich? Light or brown-colored weed is evidence of light damage.
- Can you see the trusty trichomes? On potent marijuana, you should be able to see tiny, crystal-like hairs dusted over the bud. These are trichomes, where the cannabinoids and terpenes are formed in the plant.
- Can you see seeds? If so, that means that a male cannabis plant cross-pollinated with the female plant that produced the buds. This indicates a lesser quality bud.
Check the harvest date
Another tip for picking potent weed at the dispensary is to check the harvest date. The harvest date, or the plant’s birthday, is the date the plant was harvested for consumption.
The plant matter still needs to go through the crucial drying and curing process, which can take longer than a month to complete. However, the harvest date is a great indicator of potent weed! Old weed just doesn’t have the same smell, taste or effects as freshly dried and cured bud. This is partially due to how long it’s been sitting on the shelf at the dispensary, as older weed is often overexposed to light and air, which can degrade the cannabinoids and terpenes over time.
Choose high-quality, potent weed at Buds Garage
Now that you know the basics of how to pick potent weed, head on down to Buds Garage and check out what we’ve got to offer!
Buds Garage is a garage-themed cannabis dispensary in Everett, WA offering a wide range of recreational cannabis products. We also have a second location in Birch Bay and offer online ordering for your convenience. Shop Buds Garage’s menu 24/7 and pick up your order during our new Everett location business hours:
- Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.
- Sunday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.