31 votes

US cannabis industry confronts billion-dollar threat: weak weed

13 comments

  1. [6]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. [5]
      LemonofLegend
      Link Parent
      This is the problem with all commercial crops, mass farming tends towards monocultures, the most well known incident was the banana, it practically destroyed the Gros Michel banana crop globally.

      This is the problem with all commercial crops, mass farming tends towards monocultures, the most well known incident was the banana, it practically destroyed the Gros Michel banana crop globally.

      15 votes
      1. [4]
        misk
        Link Parent
        I'm definitely not an expert on crop breeding and cultivation and don't have Wsj subscription but I wonder where those monocultures would come from in cannabis industry. Cannabis culture has...

        I'm definitely not an expert on crop breeding and cultivation and don't have Wsj subscription but I wonder where those monocultures would come from in cannabis industry. Cannabis culture has promoted experimenting and breeding different strains that have quite different effects. I have bigger selection of cannabis strains in a pharmacy than apples in a grocery store and I live in a country where it's still fairly limited.

        Maybe it's crops intended for creating concentrates where those differences are less important?

        6 votes
        1. AnEarlyMartyr
          Link Parent
          A lot of what’s available is simply crosses of crosses so there does end up being a lot of shared underlying genetics. Especially around growing patterns and yields.

          A lot of what’s available is simply crosses of crosses so there does end up being a lot of shared underlying genetics. Especially around growing patterns and yields.

          2 votes
        2. [2]
          Arthur
          Link Parent
          I admittedly don't know much about the topic, but I have to imagine that only a portion of cannabis grown is used recreationally. I would assume that medical cannabis would be largely grown as a...

          I admittedly don't know much about the topic, but I have to imagine that only a portion of cannabis grown is used recreationally. I would assume that medical cannabis would be largely grown as a monoculture, because doctors will want to be able to prescribe exact amounts of THC or CBD to their patients. Additionally, I would also assume that hemp would be grown as a monoculture, though I'm also not sure about that

          1. misk
            Link Parent
            Don't know about US but in Europe medical marijuana is exact same thing as recreational, including strains, just more regulated and lab tested. A lot of effects are derived from various kinds of...

            Don't know about US but in Europe medical marijuana is exact same thing as recreational, including strains, just more regulated and lab tested. A lot of effects are derived from various kinds of terpenes which differ by a lot between strains. The most basic spectrum of what kind of effect you're going to get is sativa/indica subspecies with sativa being stimulating and indica being sedating (at same THC/CBD content).

            2 votes
  2. [9]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. [6]
      JamPam
      Link Parent
      Yeah I smoke weed quite often but in Europe, whenever I have visited North America and smoked it has been a different drug to me. I mean I'm exaggerating a little, it's still weed, but it's...

      Yeah I smoke weed quite often but in Europe, whenever I have visited North America and smoked it has been a different drug to me. I mean I'm exaggerating a little, it's still weed, but it's fucking strong.. I honestly believe that if I lived in North America and only had access to that strength of weed I would stop smoking it, or at least smoke way less often. I smoke to chill not get fucked up.

      8 votes
      1. AugustusFerdinand
        Link Parent
        I very rarely partake, but when I do it's via over the counter edibles that have a specified amount of THC within them. I treat it as any other drug/medication, I want to know, as much as...

        I very rarely partake, but when I do it's via over the counter edibles that have a specified amount of THC within them. I treat it as any other drug/medication, I want to know, as much as possible, exactly how much of the substance I'm taking.

        7 votes
      2. AnEarlyMartyr
        Link Parent
        If you go to a legal state the thing to look for is 1:1s or similar. I don’t smoke much but when I do that’s where I focus. I look for the strains that are low on THC and high in CBD, so like...

        If you go to a legal state the thing to look for is 1:1s or similar. I don’t smoke much but when I do that’s where I focus. I look for the strains that are low on THC and high in CBD, so like single digit percentages of both. It’s the only way I like smoking weed and it’s fairly relaxing without getting you stoned out of your mind.

        2 votes
      3. [3]
        Wrench
        Link Parent
        You can easily regulate how much you intake to adjust for strength. I just take little baby hits until I reach the desired effect. For me, that means avoiding glassware, where it's harder for me...

        You can easily regulate how much you intake to adjust for strength. I just take little baby hits until I reach the desired effect. For me, that means avoiding glassware, where it's harder for me to gage the amount I'm taking, because the floor is much higher just to get the flame to catch.

        1. [2]
          ackables
          Link Parent
          I tried that and it was too easy to make mistakes with that. The line between not enough and too much is very narrow with strong weed.

          I tried that and it was too easy to make mistakes with that. The line between not enough and too much is very narrow with strong weed.

          1 vote
          1. Wrench
            Link Parent
            Practice makes perfect. I find vapes and joints to be easiest to control. And for the record, I'm very sensitive and prefer a light high. My hits produce very little smoke/vapor compared to pretty...

            Practice makes perfect.

            I find vapes and joints to be easiest to control. And for the record, I'm very sensitive and prefer a light high. My hits produce very little smoke/vapor compared to pretty much anyone else I've ever smoked with. So when I say it's possible to control for a light high, I mean it. Just take your time with it and wait between hits, even if you don't think you got anything.

    2. [2]
      Citizenjones
      Link Parent
      Agreed. Honestly, Cannabis strains probably had 20% less THC within the last decade. If they can isolate weak weed they can sell it... There's a lot of people who would enjoy smoking 10% to 14%...

      Agreed. Honestly, Cannabis strains probably had 20% less THC within the last decade. If they can isolate weak weed they can sell it... There's a lot of people who would enjoy smoking 10% to 14% instead of 27% and 33% varieties.

      3 votes
      1. supergauntlet
        Link Parent
        There's a dispensary near me that does just that actually. I picked up some 13% THC stuff that looks beautiful (fuzzy buds with lots of trichomes), smells amazing, and is a great time. I jokingly...

        There's a dispensary near me that does just that actually. I picked up some 13% THC stuff that looks beautiful (fuzzy buds with lots of trichomes), smells amazing, and is a great time.

        I jokingly call it artisanal mids. They have a Durban Poison that's genuinely the best weed I've ever had.

        3 votes