If you’re a fan of the winter holidays, then this just might be the most wonderful time of the year (thanks Andy Williams). As you plan your celebrations and get-togethers, we thought it might be helpful to give some reminders for cannabis dos and don’ts that will help you get more out of your marijuana-infused holidays.
(No, we aren’t trying to be Debbie Downer, but we do want you to be safe and have an enjoyable holiday season).
It bears mentioning, we aren’t doctors or lawyers. Many of the dos and don’ts below are common sense and based on anecdotal experience. Any specific questions regarding your plans, health, and legality should be referred to the proper professionals.
Without further ado, let’s start with a “do!”
Cannabis Dos and Dont’s for the Holiday
1. Do Get Yourself High-quality Products.
There are many marijuana products out there and the marketing is getting more sophisticated, too.
Your first step is to buy from legal dispensaries. Unlike stuff from the black market, today’s legal weed is highly regulated and tested for a whole bunch of stuff you don’t want to put in your body.
In the end, it just makes sense to do a little research before you try something new. Getting fresh product, that hasn’t been irradiated is a great first step to an enjoyable experience.
2. Don’t Drive While High
Pretty obvious, and yet every day someone gets busted. You know it’s dangerous. Your reaction times are slower and decision-making is impaired. It’s not the time to get behind the wheel.
On top of the danger to you and others, cannabis is not legal on the federal level. So getting pulled over while high can open you up to not just state law enforcement, but also proceedings on the federal level which still can have some pretty harsh consequences.
3. Do Get a Designated Driver
The best “designated driver” for the Holidays is that friend who doesn’t smoke weed at all! This concept has been around for so long, and it’s a no-brainer.
Over the holidays, the police will probably have a lot of random but mandatory sobriety checkpoints, so it’s best to have someone at the wheel who won’t be high and can pass any drug test that might come down the road.
If you don’t have any friends or relatives that you can get around town with, then consider one of the driving services or get a taxi.
4. Don’t Travel out of State with It
Yes, it’s legal in Michigan and other states. But it’s not legal according to the Federal Government, which, by the way, enforces the laws regarding air travel and border crossings.
Even countries that have legalized cannabis still have laws against bringing it in. So, if your plans involve going to Canada or Mexico, leave your stuff at home.
If you’re driving across state lines, make sure you know if the state are you traveling through has legalized it, too. If they haven’t and you end up interacting with the local police, it may go badly for you.
5. Don’t Go Crazy Mixing Stuff
Alcohol and marijuana can have a sort of multiplier effect on each other. Taking them together can enhance the effects of both and leave you much more impaired than you planned.
You’re more likely to experience dizziness and maybe even get sick when you combine them. If you’re going to have both, keep moderation in mind. No one enjoys the person who gets sick and ruins the party.
6. Do Use Cannabis to Help You Relieve Holiday Stress
To be fair, medical claims about the stress-reducing effects of marijuana have not been proven. So, this is not medical advice.
But if you find that a certain strain of weed calms your nerves, then go for it. Getting together with friends and family can be stressful. When it gets too much and time allows, mellow out so you can enjoy those around you.
7. Do Know Your Audience
When you finally get to the gathering, have a clue about the type of people that are there. If it’s a party where almost everyone frowns on cannabis use, consider waiting until after.
If the group is a bit more open (or even partaking) to cannabis, this could be a good time to talk to others about what you use and why. They might even enjoy giving it a try.
The point is to be considerate of others, be discreet if you have to, and be able to talk intelligently about the products you use. Most people still expect pot smokers to be stereotypical stoners. You can enlighten them and maybe bring more peace to the world.
8. Do Go Slower with Edibles
Yes, this is three “do’s” in a row. Edibles can be great. However, it does typically take longer for you to feel the effects.
Then, once you do, the effects can last longer. Just be aware if you’ve got edibles, too, that the risks of mixing with alcohol or exceeding your limit are a bit higher while your body processes the cannabis you just ate.
9. Don’t Wreck Your Lungs
This one is aimed a bit more at those new to smoking cannabis. There’s no point in inhaling the smoke and holding it in. The fact is, it doesn’t get you higher.
THC enters your bloodstream almost immediately. Holding the smoke in only irritates your lungs and makes you cough. You may feel like you’re higher, but that could also just be dizziness from not getting enough air.
People are looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the company of their friends and family and also maybe getting away from work a bit more. So go out and get some good, quality cannabis and get together with like-minded friends.
Keeping these 10 cannabis dos and don’ts in mind can help keep you out of trouble. Be safe, be smart, and have a good holiday.
At MJ Verdant, we take pride in growing and distributing exceptional cannabis. If you would like to try some of our products you can find them at dispensaries all over Michigan. Ask for it by name, or click here to see the closest dispensary near you.
Cannabis’ public persona has undergone a number of changes over the years. To start with, it was simply another plant that had industrial, medicinal, and recreational uses. No one particularly cared if you grew it, sold it, or used it. Spliffs, Joints, and Blunts are names that came about partly as a way to talk about marijuana products while they were illegal.
Its use was still common after the great depression and the American Medical Association at the time even endorsed it as a possible medicine. That all changed in the 1930s when a movie, of all things, changed the conversation.
Even though prohibition had ended just a couple of years prior, there were people who wanted to legislate their version of morality, and drug use was firmly in their sights. Against this backdrop, a church group filmed the movie Reefer Madness. It was a cautionary tale about dealers who preyed on young people. The movie’s message was that marijuana use would lead to moral corruption and even murder. A year later, in 1937, weed was finally banned across the United States.
Since it was no longer a legal product, cannabis’ use was pushed underground and a number of euphemisms were born to talk about it, without saying the name. Thus all the confusing names you hear! Today, as marijuana returns to the mainstream, far more people are interested in trying it. This new, inexperienced customer base is made up of the young and the old, many of them who do not know the lingo. As a start, this blog covers the terms you’ll hear when referring to a “pre-roll” – basically, a single-use product that looks a bit like a cigarette.
Spliffs, Joints, and Blunts
Edibles, pills, capsules, oils and rolled are just some of the ways people can enjoy their cannabis today. There is flower, sold in bulk, that you can take home, store and use at your leisure if you like to roll your own. There are also pre-rolls which are just what they sound like–cannabis products that are ready for you to smoke. Just light it up.
In the realm of rolled marijuana, there are three basic types of rolled products you may encounter, and each one offers a different experience. So, to help keep things clear for all the new people discovering cannabis, we’d like to help you keep your terminology straight.
Joint
Let’s start off with the most common term, the one everyone is familiar with. A joint is the most basic and purest cannabis cigarette. There’s not usually anything else there besides a filter and cigarette paper.
Cigarette paper, though, comes in a variety of flavors and ingredients, each of which will change the way your marijuana smokes. It lends itself to some experimentation. At MJ Verdant, we offer a number of our popular strains in pre-roll form. So, yes, we sell joints! These come in a bigger size at 1 – 1.5 grams and are perfect for those who want to try something different or don’t want to roll their own. And if you’re looking for a smaller version, you can also find joints in a .5 gram weight. These are sometimes referred to as “dog walkers” in that you can consume them in about the time it takes to walk your dog.
Blunt
These came on the scene in the mid-80’s fueled by a wave of people immigrating from the Caribbean. They first began to appear in the large cities on the East Coast and spread from there. Blunts are, very simply, cigars that have been hollowed out and then refilled with marijuana.
They became very popular amongst influential rap and hip-hop artists and found their way into the mainstream of illegal pot use. Snoop Dogg, who has achieved a legendary level of cannabis use, smoked his first one in 1993. He claims got that first taste from Tupac Shakur.
Blunts were all over pop culture and featured a different experience than anything rolled in regular cigarette paper. The leaves of the cigar work with the marijuana to create something unique.
There you have it. A blunt is a marijuana cigar.
Spliff
The origin of the Spliff, or at least the original meaning of the word, has been lost. It originated in the Caribbean and may have simply referred to cannabis rolled in cigarette paper. Somewhere along the lines, it became associated with the practice of combining both tobacco and marijuana and rolling it into a cigarette.
You don’t tend to find these very often in North America. Here, users prefer using pure flower rolled into .5 to 1-gram sizes. In Europe, they tend to roll joints about twice that size. They also often use Hashish. The end result is a preference for a product that is about half tobacco and half marijuana.
The experience there is said to be a fine blend of the tobacco buzz coupled with the effects of the weed. Of course, you also get the added health risk that tobacco brings. So, try it if you like, just know it comes with some potentially negative health risks.
So what is a Bubble Hash Infused Pre-roll?
You may have seen a new offering at MJ Verdant, which is a Bubble Hash Infused Pre-Roll. If you aren’t familiar with that, it’s another way of making joints by enhancing them.
It helps if you know what Hash isn’t. It isn’t weed. It’s made from the resin glands that are found all over the plants. This resin is collected and concentrated. The result is a substance with high THC levels that can be smoked. This is hashish.
If you take a joint and add the hashish to it, you get an infused joint. If you are using hash made a specific way, it bubbles when it is smoked. You get more THC, so it’s likely a bit stronger than normal and you can see the concentrate bubble as it burns. These are becoming popular and demand is growing, so you might consider giving one a try.
Knowledge is Good
That’s just a quick little journey into the land of cannabis terminology. It’s important to us at MJ Verdant that we give our customers the opportunity to learn as much as they wish about the products they choose. That’s why we include lab reports with our harvests, too.
Now you that you know difference between Spliffs, Joints, and Blunts have found this bit of extra knowledge helpful and maybe will even encourage you to give a blunt a try. Snoop Dogg would likely be proud if you did.
Are we missing other terms or phrases that you’ve heard? Let us know!
Cannabis consumers often shop based on one number: THC percentage. In many cases, flower that doesn’t test above 20% THC doesn’t make it on the shelf, and shoppers will often pay a premium for flower that tests above 25% THC.
But here’s a little industry secret… Higher THC doesn’t automatically mean higher quality bud or a better, stronger high. That’s a misconception about cannabis that has been hard to break. The truth is that THC percentage has very little to do with the quality of cannabis and is not the best indicator of potency or effects. That is actually the strain’s terpene profile.
There’s been a slow shift in the cannabis industry to educate consumers and budtenders alike on the myriad of benefits terpenes and other cannabinoids hold, but the majority of consumers still see THC as the No. 1 indicator of quality and value.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to better understand potency, why you should focus on terpenes and other factors that could affect your experience with cannabis, as well as how to determine what products and experiences are best for you.
“Stronger” Doesn’t Mean “Better”
There are more than 140 chemical compounds unique to cannabis plants. THC is one of the most common. It’s the psychoactive chemical in cannabis that defines how users feel. It’s easy to assume that more THC in cannabis equals more psychoactive effects. But, that’s not necessarily true.
There are quite a few additional factors at play when it comes to effects and their potency. Unfortunately, the cannabis industry often perpetuates this misconception of higher THC being “better.” This myth has a big influence on pricing — strains over 20% are often priced higher than those with lower percentages. And oversimplified marketing doesn’t do enough to communicate what’s in the plant. This issue is based mostly on supply and demand, not science — which could impact a consumer’s experience with cannabis.
People who are new to cannabis or don’t have much THC tolerance may have negative experiences if they consume highly potent cannabis. Without taking into account all the other factors that can impact the psychoactive and physical effects, consumers are being robbed of a full spectrum experience.
Let’s Talk Terpenes
So if higher THC doesn’t guarantee a “better” high, what does? Terpenes.
Terpenes are the organic compounds responsible for the unique aroma and flavor of cannabis, along with a myriad of other plants. There are hundreds of terpenes and when they are combined, they play a huge role in the therapeutic effects of a strain. This is called the “Entourage Effect.” Researchers are still working to understand terpene’s effects when used in conjunction with other compounds, but we know that terpenes and cannabinoids can either exaggerate or suppress one another’s effects, depending on their combination and how someone might respond to it.
Why Do Terpenes Matter?
Terpenes are crucial in determining the quality of flower and the way the body will respond to it. When choosing a strain, some terpenes are better suited to alleviate pain and others for inflammation. It really just depends on what kind of experience or medicinal benefits you’re looking for. You can get a dozen distinct highs from a dozen different strains with the same level of THC. It’s all about the terpenes!
For instance, a 2020 paper found that myrcene is a terpene that will result in a “couch lock” effect if a strain has over 0.5% myrcene. Strains will less than 0.5% myrcene were found to produce a more “energetic high.” This is why understanding terpenes are essential to understanding cannabis’ effects. But it’s also important to note that terpenes alone won’t garner psychoactive effects. Researchers do believe they can slightly alter sensations you might experience.
The problem is that it’s not easy to enhance terpene production in cannabis. They are a much more nuanced and subtle factor in growing cannabis. According to this 2021 study, it often takes high-quality genetics, soil, light exposure, stress training, harvesting at the right time, and careful handling and curing procedures. The entire process can be long and complex. Several factors, that can’t always be controlled, can contribute to successful or unsuccessful terpene production. This can include weather conditions, location, plant age, fertilizer usage, and more. It all boils down to whether a grower has the time and capability to explore these nuances and whether terpene profile production can be recreated.
The Takeaway
Focusing solely on a strain’s THC percentage not only doesn’t guarantee you’ll experience a better high, but you might miss out on a full, well-rounded experience. It’s more important to find strains that best suit your lifestyle and needs.
Check out various terpenes to see which have the benefits and therapeutic effects that you’re looking for, then look for combinations that you enjoy. Here are three common terpenes you are likely to see often:
Myrcene is the most common terpene in cannabis products. It is believed to have a calming effect and tends to have a spicy or peppery flavor and smell. You can find it in other plants, too, like Hops!
Caryophyllene is the second most common. is more along the lines of basil and oregano, and tends to smell and feel like cinnamon when you pick up the scent. This one will be spicy and musky.
Limonene comes in third, and shows up in a lot of strains. It has a fruity and citrusy aroma, and is believed to provide relief from stress and anxiety.
At MJ Verdant we do grow a lot of strains with a variety of profiles. Pink Cookies (also known as Garlic Cookies) has a strong terpene profile. It creates a euphoric and relaxed experience. You could also try Cherry Garcia, which is a popular strain, too. You might find yourself smiling and giggling after you try this one. These two strains, though, show how you can take different terpenes, mix them up differently, and come out with a completely different experience. For more information you will find a COA and detailed descriptions of all our products so you can pick strains which create the experience you want.
Above all, trust your senses. If you can smell before you buy, sniff out pungent and complex aromas that match your preferred flavor profile. Plus, be sure to check out any reviews or descriptions of strains you’re interested in for more insight into flavor, intensity, and effects.
Cannabis producers in Michigan are held to some of the strictest testing standards in the country and are producing some of the highest quality cannabis in the nation. But once you have purchased it, how do you store your product at home so that it keeps its potency and flavor? How you store it will have a significant effect on how much you enjoy it weeks and months later.
Your Three Biggest Challenges: Time, Light, and Moisture
It’s all about chemistry. The strain you choose gets its unique characteristics because of how all the different molecules (guided by genetics) bond together to form the flower. Terpenes, cannabinoids, and THC are just a few of the natural chemicals found in the plant, but they are the important ones that determine the smell, flavor, and effects.
These compounds are all affected by time. The molecules are not completely stable and slowly interact with other elements in the environment. Whether it is light, moisture, mold, pests, or even other bits of organic molecules in the air, your flower will encounter things that will slowly change it. The longer you wait to consume it, the more likely the characteristics will have noticeably changed.
So, cannabis has a sort of “shelf life.” Fortunately, you can control the time factor pretty easily. Just consume the stuff! Most products will come with a harvest date, so you will always know how old it is. Depending on how the product was stored, you could have at least one year to use it up. Past that, things get a bit sketchier. Cannabis has been successfully stored without significant changes for up to two years, but to pull that off takes effort.
Besides, you didn’t really buy it to keep it in a jar, did you?
Light is your second biggest challenge. Sunlight in particular is bad for your stash. As sunlight hits the cannabis, small chemical reactions happen on the surface of the dried flower that will change its flavors and effects. The rate of change here depends on time and the quantity of light it receives. Wherever you keep your cannabis, try to keep it out of bright light, especially direct sunlight, as much as possible.
Moisture is the next challenge, and it’s the hardest one to control. When your cannabis was grown, harvested, dried, and packaged, it should have been done under tight environmental controls. Growers are constantly fighting to keep mold and other impurities at bay, so packaging facilities often resemble clean rooms from NASA.
Once it is out of the grower’s hands, moisture becomes an issue again. Air is naturally full of water vapor and mold spores. Every time a container of cannabis is opened outside of a controlled environment the air in the container mixes with outside air. When that happens, anything in the outside air is able to reach your flower, which means mold spores and water get a chance to interact with it.
No one wants to smoke moldy cannabis. It doesn’t taste like the product you bought, and in some cases, it may even be harmful. Fortunately, the adverse growth of molds can be slowed. The two greatest factors are how often the container is opened and how long the product has been sitting.
Some people try to control moisture by keeping their cannabis in one of the driest places in the house–their freezer. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
When you take something out of your freezer and set it on the counter for a while, what happens? It doesn’t take too long before water from the air condenses on it. The same thing will happen to your cannabis.
Once you remove it from the freezer, water will condense from the outside air. Where you once had a bit of water vapor in the air, you now have water droplets! Unless you wait for your container and its contents to come up to room temperature before you open it, you run the risk of increasing the moisture content inside your container each time you open and close it while cold.
The cold temperatures in your freezer may keep mold from growing, but forget to put it back or leave it out for a while and you have given the molds a much better environment to grow. Using your freezer has its pros and cons, but to get the most benefit from storing your cannabis there, you will need to pay attention to how you handle the product.
In general, the container you store your cannabis in will also play a role in preserving the awesome effects of your chosen strains. Here, again, the largest issue is time. If you don’t plan on keeping your stuff around very long, you have a lot less to consider.
Glass jars offer some of the most consistent protection. Some jars are tinted which helps to filter out harmful light (think beer bottles that are brown). The glass is chemically inert, so it won’t interact with the organics inside of it. If you have to keep your stuff for a long period of time, you probably want glass containers as your number one choice.
Plastic containers are often the most convenient and least expensive options. These range from plastic jars and Tupperware all the way to plastic bags. There are two main considerations when using plastic.
The first is that plastic can have a static charge. The wonderful little trichomes in the strain you bought can get knocked around and fall off. No big deal unless the static in the plastic causes them to stick to the container and keeps them from being consumed. Certain plastics and containers may have more of a problem with this than others.
The second consideration is that plastic is not chemically inert. Plastic is always shedding little molecules that can interact with your cannabis and change the chemical composition, and the effects you get when consuming them. The longer you store your product in plastic, the more likely it will be to change the cannabis’ characteristics.
Some plastics even allow chemical interaction with the outside elements. Ever notice that you can smell your food through the plastic baggies that wrap up your sandwiches or vegetables you take to work for lunch? That smell is made up of tiny molecules. If they can escape from your lunch foods, the same thing is certainly happening with cannabis kept in baggies.
Just Use it to Keep it Simple
The great thing is that as long as you use reasonably airtight containers and keep them in a dark and cool environment, your cannabis isn’t going to change that much if you consume it within a couple of months. Glass will almost always be a better choice, particularly for longer storage times, but plastic can be ok, too.
The most important thing for both short and long-term storage is to keep things airtight, don’t subject them to bright light, particularly sunlight, and try to use them up. Growers are going to continually be harvesting new crops. Dispensaries will have fresh products. Just go use it and enjoy yourself. The more you do that, the less you have to think about how to keep it!
Visiting a cannabis dispensary for the first time can seem really intimidating. Especially when you feel like you don’t know what you’re talking about or what exactly you’re looking for. But a trip to the dispensary doesn’t have to be scary or complicated. With a little preparation and a few key tips to know beforehand, your first experience can be a positive one. In this post, we’ll break down every nuance of the adult-use retail dispensary experience so you can feel informed and confident about your purchase.
Before the Dispensary
Before you head out the door and to the dispensary, here are a few things you need to make sure you have and why.
Photo ID
To legally purchase cannabis in Michigan, you need to be 21 years of age or older. You also need to show valid proof of identity. Have your driver’s license, state-issued ID, or any other valid proof of identification (i.e. passport) handy because you’ll need it to even enter the dispensary. And expect to get carded a few times, when you walk in and then again when you’re ready to purchase.
Bring Cash
You will also need cash with you to make purchases. Several dispensaries take credit cards and other non-cash forms of payment, but it’s not guaranteed (due to federal limitations, banks may flag the purchases). To be on the safe side, we recommend having cash on hand. Also note that cannabis products can have a vast range in pricing, depending on what you buy. Some dispensaries display their menu online so you can get a feel for pricing ahead of your visit.
If you forgot cash or come up short, many dispensaries have ATMs located inside (but you’ll likely need to pay convenience fees). Finally, don’t be alarmed at the final bill. It may add up to more than you estimated due to local and state taxes. In Michigan, adult-use cannabis purchases from retail locations are subject to a 10% cannabis excise tax, and the statewide 6% sales tax. Medical cannabis purchases are subject only to the statewide 6% sales tax).
What to Expect at the Dispensary
Here are a few tips and things to expect during your first visit to a cannabis dispensary.
Think About What YOU Want
If you’re a newbie to cannabis it’s likely you don’t know what cannabis products you want to buy, and that’s totally okay. Instead of focusing on products you want, think about the effects you’d like to feel (or not feel), as well as the flavors and smells you like (and dislike). Here are four questions to ask yourself to help frame your goal:
What are you looking to get out of cannabis?
How do you want to consume cannabis?
When do you plan on consuming your cannabis?
What kind of experience do you want?
Expect a Short Wait
Depending on the size of the dispensary, you may need to wait a bit. Many dispensaries operate on a one-to-one budtender-to-customer basis. This means you may be asked to wait until a budtender is available to help you. The good news is that dispensary lines tend to move pretty quickly. If you want to cut back on the wait time try to visit during non-rush hours or order online and enjoy curbside pick-up.
Expect to See Security
One thing that often catches first-time dispensary visitors off guard is the security guards, cameras, and protected areas. The security measures are there to keep you, staff, and other visitors safe — and they are required by state law. You will likely get carded before you enter the facility. And some dispensaries have security guards stationed outside in the parking lot. This level of security is completely normal and pretty standard across the industry.
Take Your Time
Once you’re in the store, take your time. Give yourself plenty of time to explore and look around — there are tons of options to check out and you don’t want to overlook any of them! Our best advice is to avoid trying to shop when you’re crunched for time. It typically takes between 15 and 30 minutes to visit a dispensary, especially if it’s your first time.
Find a Budtender
The people you work with in the cannabis dispensary are called budtenders. You’ll likely have one bring you onto the sales floor or find one behind the counter ready to help you. You might be surprised to see that most, if not all, of the products are locked up behind glass cases and often pre-packaged. You’ll be able to handle the packaging and review the labels. In some shops, you’ll be able to smell the cannabis from a “sniff jar” but not all dispensaries offer that option. Your budtender is there to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, so don’t be afraid to chat with them and ask questions about the cannabis you’re buying. They will work with you to find the best products based on your budget, needs, and wants. And they can also help you purchase the right tools to enjoy your cannabis.
If you’re looking for MJ Verdant flower or pre-rolls, now is the perfect time to ask!
Ask ALL Your Questions
And speaking of questions, ask ALL your questions. When it comes to cannabis, there is no stupid, silly, or wrong question. Especially when you’re new to the experience and want to learn more. Ask for clarification when you need it and don’t be afraid to talk with anyone inside the dispensary. These are the experts and they are there to guide you. Many dispensaries offer discounts for first-time customers, so make sure to ask if that’s available.
Tip Your Budtender
If you see a tip jar, you’re welcome to drop a few dollars in it if you received great service. If there are no jars, that likely means tips are against company policy. When determining how much to tip, consider the level of customer service in relation to your purchase total. If you spend $25 on cannabis products and your budtender was awesome, consider tipping at least $5.
Michigan Cannabis Law
There are just a few things to keep in mind after your first visit to a dispensary.
You can have up to 2.5 oz of cannabis or 15 grams of concentrate on your person at any time. For newbies—don’t worry 2.5 ounces is a significant amount of cannabis. You can have up to 10 oz of marijuana in a sealed container in your private residence. If you have more than that, you could face fines and/or punishment by the law depending on the amount. Learn more about possession for personal use here.
You cannot consume cannabis at the dispensary or anywhere on the property unless there is a cannabis cafe or lounge there. Once you have consumed cannabis, don’t drive under the influence. That’s against the law in Michigan. Learn more about cannabis and driving laws here.
If you live in another state where recreational cannabis is legal or not, it is against the law to take it across state lines.
The Takeaway
Visiting a cannabis dispensary can be intimidating the first time around. But knowing what to bring, how the browsing and buying process works, and who can help guide you through it all is how you make your first experience a positive one. The more prepared you are, the better you’ll feel about the whole experience.
Your first dispensary visit will likely not be your last! For most people, it takes a couple of trips to different dispensaries to find their favorite. Every dispensary is unique and they all have different atmospheres. Check out other locations and soon you’ll find one that you like best. Over time, you’ll bond with the staff and even feel confident enough to help other first-time shoppers. Dispensaries are a great place to connect with other cannabis enthusiasts.
There has been a lot of discussion in the cannabis industry concerning the use of radiation remediation. This is a process that uses radiation to, in layman’s terms, sterilize cannabis so it can pass the testing requirements set by the State of Michigan. The debate centers around how, and even if, cannabis growers should have to let their customers know if they nuke their products with radiation.
Radura symbol
Using radiation for sterilization is not new. You may have seen a Radura on some of your food products. It’s a small symbol, often green, that is applied to food packaging that contains products nuked by radiation to kill off molds, pests, and microbes. This sterilization procedure is known as irradiation. The FDA says it’s safe to use on the things we eat. At the same time, they acknowledge that not everyone would eat irradiated food by choice. This is where the Radura comes in. If the food has irradiated components, the symbol needs to appear on the package so the consumer knows.
Irradiation is also a common remediation practice employed within the cannabis industry. In today’s highly regulated legal cannabis market, remediation is a process that is applied to “clean up” a cannabis harvest that hasn’t been able to pass the state compliance tests. Essentially, cannabis that fails its safety compliance tests at the lab can be treated to make it pass compliance testing on a second try. This product must be clearly marked as “remediated” and it is typically sold to labs for processing.
Here’s the catch. If a grower runs their cannabis through a radiation machine prior to sending it to the state labs for compliance testing, they do not have to disclose that they did this to the consumer.
Even though marijuana is grown and sold all across the country, the federal government still hasn’t made it legal. This means that the federal government hasn’t done any official testing or put out national guidelines for growing, testing, compliance, and remediation. That portion of regulation has been left up to the individual states.
Clean, high quality, exceptional cannabis, it turns out, is hard to grow. Because it’s a plant, it is susceptible to molds, bugs, and diseases. Because it is a legal, but controlled substance on the state level, most states, including Michigan, have put very rigorous testing in place to ensure that the product you purchase doesn’t have harmful levels of foreign substances. The growers have to figure out how to pass those tests.
MJ Verdant has decided to take the natural path. Our plants are grown in an exceptionally clean environment, with very tight environmental controls. We don’t have protocols in place just for light and nutrients, but also for natural, non-chemical processes that allow our product to pass rigorous testing without having to subject it to other harsh remediation methods.
Other growers have decided that they can take care of any possible compliance/testing issues after harvest. The simplest way to do this is to grow, harvest, and then nuke the cannabis with radiation to eliminate any unfriendly organisms. Then, once it is sterile, send it out to the lab to be tested. This works for testing, but not for the fact that mold can begin to grow again a few weeks later.
Cannabis irradiation is actually quite common in the industry. Limited studies have not shown any dangerous after-effects. We do know that irradiation does, however, alter terpene levels, and in many cases produce a drier, brown flower. What the studies say is that irradiation doesn’t seem to do anything really bad to cannabis. With so few studies having been done given the recency of its legal status, there has not yet been a definitive, long-term study that proves that the inhaled smoke from irradiated cannabis is exactly the same as natural cannabis.
The State of Michigan’s labeling rules does not require growers to tell their customers if the product they purchase has been irradiated. There has been an ongoing debate over labeling between producers and the state but lately, consumers are also being heard. In March 2022, mlive.com ran an article about how growers, consumers, advocacy groups, and the State of Michigan are approaching the issue.
MJ Verdant has chosen to follow a natural growing process. By investing heavily in technology, an experienced and passionate growing team, and following the science within the growing process, MJ Verdant is able to grow, harvest, dry, and pass testing on products without resorting to harsh and unnatural remediation methods. We are able to achieve the same level of compliance as anyone else in the industry, with a cleaner, purer, and higher overall level of quality.
Why doesn’t everyone do this? In the simplest terms, it costs more and is much harder to do. Many companies take the easy way and just nuke their products instead of concentrating on a clean growing environment. They seem to think that if the consumer doesn’t care (or doesn’t know) about flower quality, then they don’t need to invest in a natural growing process.
With cannabis illegal on the federal level and no nationally coordinated labeling policies in place, Michigan has not made the Radura symbol a requirement of irradiated cannabis. This seems odd to us. If the federal government says irradiation for food is safe, but consumers have a right to make an informed choice, then why wouldn’t Michigan follow a similar standard with a product fully within its regulatory control?
It mostly comes down to marketing and pressure on the state from large operations that use radiation to remediate their product. If a big grower has the choice between putting a radiation symbol on their product versus not, they will always choose not to. This effectively leaves the concept of informed choice in the wrong hands.
Some growers choose to irradiate, MJ Verdant is one that doesn’t. Shouldn’t the buyer, who is shelling out their hard-earned money and who will be inhaling the smoke, be the one who gets to choose if they want an irradiated or wholly natural product? Shouldn’t the choice to purchase natural versus irradiated cannabis be in your hands? We certainly think so.
We are still at a point where Michigan is figuring out how they want to go forward. The large growers have the access and ability to dominate the discussion at the regulatory level. At MJ Verdant, we believe that it’s the customer that should be in control of this conversation. Now is the time to let the State know what you want before their regulations get set in stone.
Do you want to be heard? Contact your local representatives and let them know how you feel about radiation being used to “clean” your cannabis.
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