Not all marijuana is properly cared for and cultivated with perfection. Many consumers do not have control over the quality before they purchase it. Being able to identify poorly grown and harvested marijuana is important. You will know if certain weed is considered old or bad. No one wants to buy weed that is either super dry or mouldy.
Here are five clues that will let you know if your cannabis is good or old/bad
First Clue – The Aroma
Terpenes are found in the oils of various plants. They are organic compounds that create aromas in marijuana plants. They also offer therapeutic benefits similar to THC and/or CBO. If not treated properly from the very beginning, these compounds will disappear very quickly. Therefore, the first and easiest clue is the scent to determine if it’s worth your time and money. A really vigorous scent of terpenes is an excellent indicator that your weed is good but also take into consideration other scents that may tell you if it’s been compromised in quality.
If your weed smells musty or like mildew, that should be a warning that the product has the presence of mould. If you smell chemicals then the plants could have been treated improperly with pesticides. If your cannabis smells like the container its in, this could be a sign that it was not stored correctly. Also, beware of weed that has absolutely no scent at all. Any unwelcoming aromas should tell you not to purchase this product.
Here are other clues you should also consider if you have further concerns:
Second Clue – The Visual Signs
When marijuana is healthy, the plant is actually quite beautiful! Unacceptable weed will not look very good, so you should just pass it by. Also, an alarm should go off if you cannot even tell it’s marijuana! Dried out or old cannabis will crumble into a fine powder without any effort on your part. Broken down old dried out weed will usually contain elements such as stems and, in some cases, seeds. Even though stems and seeds will not dictate if the product is good or bad, their presence could mean there’s a presence of mould. Keep in mind, mould on marijuana can be detected visually as well. Mould can appear in different ways but a sure-fire way to know if there is mould is where it’s located. Mould will grow over trichomes looking like a white powdery blanket that can penetrate the entire surface of the flower. Also, mould can be present under the surface of weed nugs which is one reason why the flowers will break apart. So be sure and look at the plant very carefully. If you don’t know, nugs are lumps of the bud. 545
Third Clue – Tactile Signs
Handling the marijuana will help you know the quality of the plant. If you find a nug, pull it apart and examine it. What is there any moisture level? Does it feel over-compressed? Does it crumble and fall apart in your fingers? Physical contact will help you learn the health of the plant but you can also take apart the flowers to find out if there is a presence of mould which you will not notice just by looking at it.
Fourth Clue – Listen
You might think this is a little over the top, but you should listen to the “sound” of the nugs breaking apart in your fingers. Flowers that are correctly dried and cured should “snap” and so should the stems. The snapping sound should tell you that your buds are still holding their moisture.
Old, brittle weed will not snap, it will “crackle” between your fingers and you will be able to feel the dryness. Keep in mind, if your weed has too much moisture, you won’t hear any sound and will be quite difficult to pull apart.
Fifth Clue – The Taste
OK, so you have checked the weed’s appearance, it smells great, breaks apart very nicely, and has a nice snapping sound, it’s time to give it a taste. If you have not done any of the above suggestions, smoking old weed will not work really well if something is amiss and you will discover that right away. There are situations you won’t have the time to carry out a number of tests but above all else, you should definitely check for mould and if there are no signs then go ahead and give it a smoke test.
