Trichomes Or Mold — Be Sure You Know What You're Smoking
Nobody in their right mind would smoke moldy marijuana. However, unlike strawberries or bread, it's not as easy to spot splotches of mold on cannabis nugs. Even veteran cannasseurs struggle to distinguish between beautiful bright-white trichomes or mold spores on their weed.
Case and point, recent tests out of California and Denver found many commercial cannabis strains have mold on them. Indeed,
UC Davis researchers found mold samples in at least 20 local dispensaries. The
Denver Department of Health also claimed 80 percent of weed businesses failed mold tests.
Whether you're growing weed at home or buying it from a reputable vendor, you must take plenty of time to examine your strain's trichomes. Smoking mold-infested weed is far more than an unpleasant experience; in worst-case scenarios, it could cost you your life!
What Does Moldy Marijuana Look Like? — How To Examine Buds For Bacteria
From a distance, trichomes and mold look remarkably similar. However, if you take the time to break out a jeweler's loupe or a magnifying glass, you should have a relatively easy time distinguishing mold from trichomes.
When you're examining your nugs up-close, pay careful attention to any "stringy" particles that mimic spider webs. Also, take a look at your buds' overall texture. If it looks fuzzy or powdery rather than clean and shiny, then there's a good chance you have a mold infestation.
As mold gets to its more advanced stages, it may change into darker colors like gray, black, or brown. However, if a strain has clean-looking amber trichomes, that doesn't necessarily mean it has a mold infestation. In fact, orange-tinged trichomes signal your strain has higher traces of the cannabinoid CBN rather than THC. Some people believe CBN has greater sedative potential and prefer to smoke these strains.
Sniff & Snap Your Stash Before Smoking!
If you're still not sure your weed has a mold infestation, you should use the tried-and-true "smell test." Since mold thrives in excessively damp areas, it often has a particularly sour and musty scent. You may also notice aromas that mimic BO or wet clothes.
While each cannabis strain has a unique terpene profile, healthy weed usually has a fresh earthy scent with hints of pine and woods. Some strains could also have notes of lemon, fruit, or spice depending on what cultivar you have.
Be sure to look up the average flavor profile for your cannabis hybrid online. Compare the posted aromatics of your strain with the flower you have in your hands.
Another way to distinguish trichomes from mold is to examine how weed flowers break in your hands. Well-cured weed should easily snap and crumble as you tear it apart. If your marijuana feels at all mushy, damp, or difficult to pull, then it probably isn't top-shelf quality.
As a final test, you should ask vendors how they process and store the weed they sell. Since cannabis is susceptible to mold, cultivators and manufacturers must take extreme care when drying, curing, and storing their weed flowers. Lackluster storage standards will result in a higher incidence of bacterial infections.
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