The holiday season is a highly lucrative time of year for cannabis businesses. And the biggest day of all? The day before Thanksgiving, lovingly named “Green Wednesday.”
You can think of Green Wednesday as the Black Friday of the legal cannabis industry. More cannabis is sold on Green Wednesday than almost any other day in the year, next to 4/20 (April 20th.)
If you live in a state where cannabis is legal, expect to see big-time sales at your local dispensaries. Be sure to check online for discounted items there, too.
But with major discounts running on the newest, quirkiest products on the market right now, how do you choose what to buy?
We rounded up five things to keep in mind as you shop new cannabis products this Green Wednesday.
1. The Strain Matters
The strain of cannabis that you choose matters. This is because different strains are reported to produce different effects. If you choose a strain that doesn’t claim to produce what you’re looking for, your experience may be less than stellar.
You want to think about the smell and taste of the strain, too.
RELATED: From ‘Chuck Norris’ to ‘Peanut Butter Breath,’ These Are the 9 Weirdest Cannabis Strain Names
Before you buy any cannabis product, research the strain to see if it sounds appealing. When you’re shopping for cannabis products online, you should see a description of the strain and how it’s used. If you’re shopping locally, you can ask a budtender at a dispensary.
2. Choose Your Method
When you think about consuming cannabis, what comes to mind may be someone smoking or rolling a joint. While inhaling or vaping is one of the ways to use cannabis, there are several other ways to get your cannabis fix.
These include methods like edibles, tinctures, or topicals. Edibles are concentrated cannabis food products that you eat. Tinctures are cannabis solutions in alcohol that can be consumed with and dropper and make measuring easy, while topicals are cannabis-infused lotions, creams, or ointments.
RELATED: CBD Could Help Your Dog This Holiday Season: Here’s How
The strength of the high you get can vary depending on what method you use to consume it, so it’s important to do a little research on what method fits your needs best before purchasing your cannabis product.
3. Focus on a Goal
Ask yourself the question: “What am I trying to achieve?” Not professionally (though you may want to ask yourself that too) but in terms of weed.
You may just want to have fun with friends, or you may have a health-related reason for trying cannabis. Whatever your reason, you want to narrow your focus to get the cannabis product that fits your needs.
If you want to try cannabis for medicinal purposes, we recommend consulting a cannabis physician before making any decision on your weed. If you’re trying it for recreational reasons, read the product descriptions online or talk to a budtender to gage what products might be best for you. It may take some trial and error, but that’s okay. Eventually, you’ll land on a product that works for you.
4. Concentration is Key
As previously mentioned, the strain you choose impacts your experience with cannabis. But the concentration (i.e. the potency or strength) of the strain matters, too.
Some cannabis products have a higher potency of THC than others. This is especially important to know for beginners, because trying cannabis for the first time using a product with a high THC percentage may be too intense. Start with the lowest possible potency, and go from there.
5. Stick to Your Budget (But Don’t Be Fooled)
Practically speaking, your budget should play a role in which cannabis products you try. But remember: when it comes to cannabis, you get what you pay for.
In other words, you’re digesting these products, so it’s wise to consider the fact that paying a higher price for cannabis means you’re more likely to get a product that is labeled accurately and made using best practices. Cannabis products sold at an amazingly low price should raise a red flag. Stay within your budget, but don’t opt for alarmingly cheap cannabis.