Few things compare to the speed at which the cannabis market innovates. Ever since CBD flower became popular in the UK, many vendors popped up overnight. Navigating the good vs the bad of weed strains can often feel overwhelming, given all the options that exist, with new growers popping up daily, promising interesting effects and claims that they are the best.

Often, customers make the mistake that good cannabis is all about strength, not realising that greater importance should be placed on the look, feel and experience of a given strain. Bad weed will have little smell, taste and lack freshness - if you've ever seen a brown nug before, that's an example of old weed. We'll guide you on how to pick out the best weed strains available to you, even if you're unable to see the strain in person, and by the end, you should be able to distinguish between the good vs the bad weed strains.

How to Test Weed

Once you understand that good weed isn’t just about strength, the next step is learning how to test it. When looking at a weed strain, you need to make sure that you look beyond fancy strain names. Strain names can hint at what to expect, but a lot of the time, they are trying to grab your attention, and sometimes the most interesting-sounding weed strains have the most disappointing results. We use the following 5-step process to help judge if a weed strain is good or bad:

1. Aroma: If you have the cannabis strain in front of you, give it a gentle squeeze and smell. Each of us has different preferences; some like sweet and skunky, others like sour and earthy. You'll know pretty quickly if the strain is something that you'd enjoy. This part is dependent on what you like.
   
   

2. Appearance: Good weed strains show their quality in their physical appearance. If they are fresh and have been cured right, they will be vivid in colour and all the different parts of the plant will be easy to identify. Orange pistils will stand out, as will the shiny trichomes and the green or purple leaf-looking components. Brown or dark buds indicate that a weed strain is old or badly cured, which will reduce its potency and flavour.
   
   

3. Texture: Squeeze a nug of your chosen weed strain and observe if it leaves behind a sticky sensation. Stickiness is a result of the oils and cannabinoids found in the plant. The stickier the plant, the higher its potency. If your fingers feel completely dry after giving the nug a squeeze, this shows that it's a relatively weak strain.
   
   

4. Taste/Smoke: If you have the chance to vape or smoke the strain, try to measure how smooth the experience is. Can you taste any foul tones, such as metals or staleness? A smooth smoke means that the strain went through a successful flushing process at the end of its harvest, essential for removing nutrients that were used to grow the cannabis. A harsh smoke could indicate that the strain contains contaminants, some of which could potentially be harmful.

5. Online Reviews: Take a look at what others are saying about the strain that you're considering. This is especially useful if you are unable to observe the weed strain in person or if you're new to this scene.
   Learning to trust your eyes, nose, and touch is the easiest way to tell quality weed from disappointment.
   

How Strong is Weed? 

Many people believe that weed strength is all about the CBD and THC percentages; however, studies have found that there's a lot more to this. A phenomenon calledd The Entourage Effect finds that it is the combination of cannabinoids, terpenes (flavour compounds) and other minor compounds found in the plant that influences the strength of a weed strain.

Different cannabinoids affect the body and brain in different ways. THC induces psychoactivity, producing a high effect, while CBD can do almost the opposite, leaning more towards a relaxing effect. Many people find that they prefer a balance between THC and CBD. We see people mixing CBD flower with THC flower in a 50:50 ratio.

Some strains are bred to contain pretty much no THC, such as CBD and CBG flower genetics. These strains will produce a much more relaxing effect, without a head high. There are also THC strains that contain pretty much only THC and no other cannabinoids. These THC strains can overwhelm most people as they will overstimulate cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

Depending on the body's Endocannabinoid System, the network of cannabinoid receptors, different people react differently to different strains. Some people take huge doses of THC and have a pleasant experience, while others are better suited to small doses.
Seeing a high percentage next to a weed strain does not always mean that it is better. Many factors go into finding the right strain for you; it's a deeply personal experience, and there's a lot of nuance.

Characteristics of Good Weed vs. Bad Weed

To help those of you with less experience picking out good weed strains, we'll tell you how things will play out if you had a good cannabis strain and a bad cannabis strain in front of you.

Good Weed (Quality Cannabis)

At first, a good weed strain will have strong, vivid colours. The leaves will either be green or purple and little orange pistons will stick out from the cracks. Finally, it will be covered in a coating of shiny trichomes that contain the essential cannabis compounds.

When you give the nug a squeeze, it will ooze a strong aroma, ranging from gas to fruit. At this stage, if you find the smell unpleasant, then this strain is either of bad quality or not to your preference.

After you've given it a squeeze, check to see how sticky your fingers are. If they stick together, then you can safely say that the strain will be somewhat potent.
Upon vaping or smoking the strain, you will very quickly notice if you like the strain, as the effects only take about 30 seconds. A good weed strain will leave you feeling at ease, relaxed and almost like you're floating.

Bad Weed (Subpar or Contaminated Cannabis)

A badly cured weed strain will lack colour definition. What was once green, purple, or orange will now be a dull brown colour. Trichomes that coat the outside of the flower will either be hard to find or damaged.

Old weed strains lose their smell over time, leaving behind a subtle herbal aroma. Sometimes this smells of hay or vinegar. Even after squeezing the nugs, you'll struggle to get much smell out of it.

After giving the nugs a squeeze, they won't leave behind a sticky feeling on your fingers. Many of the cannabis oils would have evaporated and left the plant at this point.
A bad weed strain will either have no taste or a foul taste if it is very old, and the effects will feel muted.

Good quality weed isn't just about having strong effects and nice flavours, it's about safety and experience. Bad quality weed strains can contain harmful contaminants such as heavy metals and mould, both of which can pose a health risk.

Tools to Enhance Your Cannabis Experience

Picking out a good weed strain will get you very close to having the perfect weed experience; however, you can take things further by using the right tools and equipment. All of this is dependent on lifestyle preferences, budget and what feels right to you. We'll go through a few bits of gear that we think can significantly enhance your weed experience once you've found yourself some good weed.

1. Dry Herb Vaporisers

These are devices that heat cannabis up to the perfect temperature to produce a vapour that contains all the essential cannabis compounds without the smoke. They are seen as a much healthier alternative to smoking cannabis due to the reduced carcinogenic risk. Those who appreciate the flavours of strains are much better suited for vaporisers, as they hold and capture the terpenes much better than smoking a bong or smoking a joint.
Dry herb vaping has a cleaner taste, is generally healthier and because of its efficiency, you will get more bang for your buck when loading it up with cannabis.

2. Bongs

Bongs are one of the most popular and culturally relevant ways to consume cannabis. A relatively large amount of cannabis is ignited at once, and passed through a chamber of water to cool it down before it is all inhaled at once. This allows users to take a large dose in a short amount of time and not worry about the intricacies of rolling a joint or waiting for a dry herb vaporiser to reach the correct temperature. They are easy to maintain; you just have to pass some bong cleaning liquid every now and then.

3. Grinders
A high-quality grinder is essential for all cannabis users, regardless of how they choose to consume their herb. The first step before using weed is to grind it up, and if you have blunt tools, you'll damage the trichomes and miss out on some potential potency. Plastic grinders leave behind small pieces of plastic that can be harmful over time. A high-quality stainless steel grinder is advised to quickly and safely chop your cannabis up into fine pieces, ready for any consumption method.

4. Storage Solutions
Once you have some high-quality weed, you want to make sure that you keep it in good condition for as long as possible; otherwise, it can quickly become a low-quality product. A high-quality storage bag for those moments that you take your weed outside for day trips, or an air-tight stainless steel jar for longer duration storage at home, can significantly extend the life expectancy of your weed. Humidity regulators such as those made by Integra Boost or Boveda are essential for anyone who appreciates keeping their weed soft and sticky.

How to Buy Good Weed

Trying to find the best weed today is an overwhelming experience. There are too many brands to choose from, and inconsistent quality across the board. Many countries have legalised THC and CBD flower, making it easier than ever to go online and find an array of different vendors selling hundreds of different strains.

Before you start considering a vendor, make sure that they are operating legally. Legal cannabis companies have to comply with safety laws, and are often required to lab test their weed regularly. A company that passes the lab checks already checks some of our boxes when it comes to finding good weed.

Next, take a look at the description of the strains that you're interested in to see if its effects match what you are looking for. Weed strains tend to fall into 3 effect categories: relaxing, uplifting and balanced.

A good vendor will be able to offer accurate smell and taste clues in strain descriptions. If you struggle to find this, you can also look at product reviews to see what other customers have to say. Some people have strong flavour preferences, so it is important to make sure you take care at this step.

Even if a company is operating legally, it doesn't mean that they are necessarily good. Keep looking at online reviews to see what others have to say about the quality of a vendor's products, how they handle customer service, and compare their prices against others in the market to see if they are being fair.

Even though cannabis is legal in many countries, some of us prefer to consume with discretion. Check with your vendor to see if they offer discreet shipping before placing your order to avoid any unwanted surprises.

Once you have found a vendor and a selection of strains that work well for you, you'll start to get a feel for how to hunt down great strains. It takes a little bit of work early on to get there, but you'll thank yourself for taking the time to ensure you're getting the best quality and safest product.

In Conclusion

With this knowledge, you're now ready to tell the difference between good and bad weed. It's not as simple as just saying one is stronger than the other; it's about the smell, texture and experience of a given strain. Learning to judge quality is a skill that you learn over time; however, it's worth getting good at this if you intend to buy the best.
We hope that you found this guide useful and that we've had a positive effect on a few people's journeys navigating the cannabis world.