With marijuana being legalized in many places around the country, actually purchasing it via a dispensary can be a bit of an intimidating situation for those starting just starting out. With the ability to experiment and create all sorts of different types of strains legally, all with a number of different effects, the pot market is most definitely booming and expanding at a tremendous rate. The days of just being able to buy whatever strain your “guy” had at the time and having to make due even if it wasn’t all that great are most definitely numbered. The sheer variety of products now available for sale legally may be enough to make some folks’ heads spin.
Sure, your friendly bud tenders AKA weed sommeliers at your local dispensary will be more than happy to fill you in on the variety of different products they have available along with their accompanying effects but that can take some time and might turn off some potential buyers who are seeking a more low key shopping experience (not too surprising considering marijuana’s history and status as still being federally illegal). In hopes of helping out those considering a jump onto the marijuana train avoid this type of situation, check out the below article by Rolling Stone where they discuss the various ins and outs of buying marijuana. Get to know the chemical compounds involved in cannabis such as CBD, THC, THCA along with the main differences between the indica, sativa, and hybrid strains so that you can hopefully find which one(s) will end up working best for you!
While most people would’ve given up by now, I’ve had enough good times to want to keep trying; the right kind of leaf renders me so chill you could make ice in me. Plus, there are concrete benefits: Cannabis has been shown to help with everything from insomnia to menstrual cramps to the ambient, free-floating anxiety that afflicts everyone to some degree. Unlike alcohol and pharmaceuticals, its downsides are slim, and the people who like it really seem to get a lot out of it. And so, armed with a renewed sense of purpose, I spoke with some experts about the basic things to look out for when shopping for dank buds.
Most cannabis on the market, legal or otherwise, is indica, sativa, or some hybrid of the two species. “Indica” is described colloquially as “in da couch,” as it’s generally relaxing and soporific, while sativa can be stimulating, creative and social. Hybrids combine qualities of both in various ratios. “If you have trouble sleeping, you probably want to smoke indica before you go to bed,” says a New York marijuana delivery guy we’ll call Joe. “It’s like when you feel high in your body and want to lie down. Sativa is like an upper.” On the numerous varieties beyond that (Purple Haze, Green Crack, etc.), he posits, “I think it’s the same phenomenon of people who are into like, microbrew, or IPA, or something. I don’t care too much about what kind of weed I smoke. But for someone with more specific needs, maybe it’s good.” When pressed on his favorite strain of the moment, he offers a hybrid called “Black Cherry Soda”: “Sleepy, but not too sleepy…tastes good, gets you high.” About as detailed a promise as one can hope for in a state where weed is mostly illegal.
