There are many things consumers consider when buying strains of marijuana. For instance- is the strain an indica, sativa, or hybrid strain? What kind of aroma and taste does it have? What kind of effects can it give you? But one of the most important questions is how potent your weed is. While labeling and product descriptions can give you some idea, there is a way to test marijuana potency at home.
Testing marijuana potency can be carried out using home testing kits if you’re curious about the level of cannabinoids in your marijuana. These kits can be fairly tricky to use, but they can give you a good idea of just how strong your marijuana is. Not only can you test for THC, but you can also use kits to test for CBD content if you’re interested in products designed for medical use. Here’s a guide on how to test marijuana potency at home.
Why Is Marijuana Potency Important?
When talking about weed, the issue of potency often comes up. This usually refers to the amount of THC each strain contains. For instance, some strains contain low THC levels of up to 12% whereas some can contain extra high THC levels of 20% or even more. The more potent your marijuana is, the harder-hitting the effects are likely to be.
Many consumers look out for potent marijuana strains for a few reasons. Some marijuana users prefer potent strains as they want to experience the strongest effects possible when they use marijuana. Some users prefer potent strains as they need medical relief for severe symptoms. On the other hand, some users prefer strains with lower THC levels as they want milder effects.
While potency usually refers to THC, the levels of other cannabinoids are also important. CBD levels are another common consideration for users. Potent high-CBD strains won’t get you extremely high, but they offer much stronger relief for medical symptoms. Strains with potent CBD levels can even counteract the strong psychoactive effects of THC in some cases. As such, many users wish to test the potency of their marijuana.
How To Test Marijuana Potency At Home
While you can often find out about how potent marijuana is before you buy, some users prefer to test marijuana potency at home. This gives them the peace of mind of knowing what to expect from their strains and it can also be an interesting product if you’re interested in what your marijuana contains.
Testing marijuana potency at home involves using a testing kit. These can usually be found online and often come in packs of multiple kits. There are various brands and each testing kit varies slightly, so make sure you thoroughly check the instructions so you know exactly how to test your marijuana.
Although each kit is different, the process often involves taking a small amount of your chosen strain (usually 1 gram) and applying a test fluid. You then apply the mixture to a glass plate and put it in a container with another test fluid.
These fluids separate cannabinoids from your weed and carry them up the plate, with different cannabinoids showing in different colors. You then apply a dye to reveal these spots and read the results. It might sound a little tricky, and realistically it is. In some cases, you might need to take multiple tests to get an accurate reading.
Is Using A Home Testing Kit Worth It?
Although home testing kits allow you to test the potency of your marijuana at home, it’s not worth it for most users. While it can be interesting to test your marijuana and see the level of cannabinoids your strains contain, there are many drawbacks to using these testing kits.
For one, home testing kits can be quite tricky to use. It’s a very technical process and you might even get it wrong sometimes if you’re not used to it. It can also be a hassle- although you can get testing kits for both THC and CBD, you usually have to test for each cannabinoid separately.
They can also be costly. In some cases, you might have to pay around $30 for a few testing kits. For that amount of money, you might simply prefer to buy more marijuana. What’s more, one of the biggest drawbacks is that these kits can only tell you how potent your marijuana is to a certain extent, so you won’t know if your strain is above 20% THC or 2.5% CBD.
Due to these drawbacks, you might want to use other methods of gauging the potency of your marijuana. While other methods might not be as accurate, they can save you time, money, and hassle in the long run.
Other Ways To Gauge Marijuana Potency
Since testing the potency of your marijuana products before using them can be tricky and inconvenient, you might want to check the potency of your marijuana products in other ways. While you might not get a specific reading, you can still get an idea of what to expect from your strains.
For one, most products come with labeling to tell you how much THC and CBD your product contains. Products are usually tested in third-party labs before being sold, so this will probably give you a more accurate reading than testing at home.
What’s more, when you buy weed online, you can view detailed product descriptions that often include how potent your weed is. You can also view objective customer reviews. These can give you an idea of what kind of effects to expect from your weed.
In some cases, the potency of your strain doesn’t matter. Marijuana strains contain many components that contribute to your high so, even if you have a strain with lower THC levels, it might still give you strong effects. Likewise, a potent strain can still give you a perfectly manageable high. Sometimes the best approach is to simply try a small amount and gauge the potency yourself.
Conclusion
You can test marijuana potency at home using home testing kits. However, in many cases, it simply isn’t worth it. Using these kits is a hassle and, even though it can give you an idea of how potent your products are, they can still be unreliable and inaccurate. As such, you might simply want to read product labels and descriptions and test them yourselves. For plenty of marijuana products with detailed descriptions, order online at BudExpressNow.
