Don't Be Fooled By The Marijuana Name Game
Make sure your buds look as good as the name on the jar.
(Click to enlarge)
How can you be sure the name on the jar matches what you put in your pipe?
(Click to enlarge)
A patient who buys their meds based on name alone is a consumer, not a connoisseur. 
While there is a ton to be said about a quality strain, there is quite a bit of mystery in the name game. When you get a jar of some kind green with a real interesting name, one of two things has happened. You have either gotten a real strain that has quality tested genetics and a trail back to an experienced breeder/grower, or you have been a part of the oldest trick in marketing and been told what the target market wants to hear.
To some people, a name can be the only criteria they base their marijuana choices on. This is a sign of a consumer rather than a true connoisseur. The cannabis industry has officially become a product of consumerism, and I cant say that I'm above it. I have been a patient for over 11 years, but after several years (or tits deep as I like to call it) in this crazy business—growing, trimming, hippy farming, managing collectives, and baking edibles, I have discovered that you really have trust not only in what you know but in who you know to get the medicine you need.
I believe in quality genetics, but the market is full of frauds! Cannabis has been one of the fastest growing industries for well over a decade, and with all that potential, there will be daily advances. Those advances are usually immediately followed by a couple epic fails. But hey, its all evolving, we are still in our infancy stage of this industry and on the brink of being a socially acceptable commodity.
There is plenty of room in this business for anyone with a real passion, skill or talent so just try and steer clear of just a few common mistakes I see my colleagues, new growers, and patients making due to lack of depth in such an deeply rooted industry.
Epic Fail #1: Basing Your Decision On Name Alone!
Do not forget about your senses. Look at it, smell it, breathe it in through your mouth so you can taste it, touch it (if allowed). Every now and then the strain your looking for (or something just like it) is RIGHT in front of your face in a jar with the WRONG name.
Im not saying go around correcting every collective in town, but if you can get the meds you're looking for without settling for something different because of how it's labeled, then you owe it to yourself to trust your instincts.
Also, if you are “in good” with the collective management or budtenders, consider nicely saying something like, “doesn’t this smell like…?” or “I totally thought this was…” and maybe that will get the wheels in motion to either agree and properly label your meds. Or you can go about your day pleased because you got the meds you needed and know a lil secret!
Epic Fail #2: Building An Oversized Garden When You Are Not Fully Confident In The Genetics.
Gardens can be expensive and quite time consuming, so if your going to fill your dream indoor or outdoor set up with plants you want to be 100% sure that your able to provide the medicine your preparing for. Not only because its disappointing when you think your getting OG and you end up with Blue Dream, but because you want to be sure you're on the right cycle for the specific genetic your dealing with. Is this plant on a 8 week cycle or are you going to rock this baby till 11 weeks? You will not know for sure if you don’t really know what your dealing with.
So know who and what you are dealing with. Do you know the grower/breeder? Have you seen these plants to flower and were satisfied with the buds the produced? Are these certified seed packs from well known growers? Or did these come from a collective with a track record of quality genetics? If you cant say yes to any of these, ABORT MISSION. You're not ready to go big yet!
Epic Fail #3: Not knowing the difference between Indica and Sativa.
Do you want to go to sleep or do you want to clean the house? Those would require two completely different effects right? It is very important not only in medicating but also in growing to know the difference between indica and sativa.
Indica is a short stalky plant that doesn’t usually get much bigger than 5 or 6 feet at best. Indicas have fatty, short leaves with a dark green, sometimes purple hue. Not only are Indicas usually a little more expensive because they are in demand, but the supply is down simply because Indicas are not really yielders.
Indicas are more sensitive plants. They usually produce little popcorn nugs that are a pain in the ass to trim. Indicas have super sticky buds, thick smoke, with the most pungent flavors. Indica provides a body high, sleepy time, relax and do nothing kind of feeling.
Sativa is more of lanky plant. A huge yielder, sativa can reach heights of up to 12 feet (my kind of Christmas Tree!). With light green, sometimes almost yellow colored skinny leaves, Sativa is a usually a more resilient plant. Sweet mild smoke, with a bit more of the head high, Sativas can be euphoric and spacey due to its high THC content, which is where the psychotropic effects come from.
With that said…. I think its time to medicate… What are you smoking on?
