Arizona Cannabis Reviewers
I’ve been on social media again for about a year. I love how many different ideas are being spread throughout places such as Instagram- a social media platform allowing for users to take photos and give a description of what the photo entails. There are many motivated individuals posting daily, to which a brand of sorts becomes created. These people are creating pages filled with interesting and unique content, and are a joy to come across. One of the reasons I love finding these types of pages has to be because of the shared passion regarding the subject matter. I’ve found that most people are chomping at the bit to show their love for great things. Sharing is caring, and Instagram shares with those who have commonalities to celebrate, all happening in the same place.
When deciding who I want to follow, I first look for several things from the reviewer. First, I make sure a consistent breakdown is in place. I want A, B, and C throughout, beginning middle and end to the review. I want to make sure the reviewer has the same grading system for each new review. The second thing I look for comes in the delivery. Is it interesting? Am I pulled into the review or not? This calls for doing something different then the other reviews, essentially being outliers in the marketplace. And while these folks aren’t selling anything per say, they are going to give you suggestions as to what’s good and what’s not. Disagreements are bound to happen, and hey – everyone is correct in some fashion of the opinions we have, right? The third thing I seek would have to be honesty. How real are these individuals keeping it with their audience? Do they speak from the heart, or from the mouth? This is my three point checkmark system when becoming a patron to different reviewers.
Following reviewers with the above mentioned criteria helps me stay active in the medical cannabis community. The individuals I’ve found all stay current and up to date, giving live feedback every twenty four hours for our knowledge and empowerment as medical cannabis patients. I feel happy when bud tenders help me in finding the right strain, but even though they give their best feedback, it sometimes makes me feel rushed and anxious in the moment, like I have to choose this or that right there on the spot. And I do- thousands of patients are patiently waiting their turn to buy medicine, and the bud tenders are ready to help the next customer out as soon as possible. It’s a fast-paced industry, with little to no slack time. And it’s a good thing, it’s a major business, at the end of the day- one that helps many in need. Reviewers are doing this out of the love for the bud, for the patients, to help aid with genuine feedback on different strains and phenotypes.
I found three reviewers who I feel fit the bill as far as having great review pages. These individuals are on the frontlines of the most recent cannabis out, and try a range of different companies each week. Whether it be flower, concentrates, or cartridges, they are telling the patients about what’s what. What they liked, what they disliked, how it was great, and how it could be better. Fair and well-rounded reviews always help me out. I can sit and ponder what I’m going to get, and when I feel confident in my choices, I either go in and select what I want, or order up for pick-up from the dispensary. We’re in strange times with the COVID-19 virus, and it’s always nice to know what you want beforehand, since precautions can cause some anxiety and stress as well.
Keep in mind that times will arise when you either agree or disagree with the reviews. This can happen with any reviewer on any social media outlet. Think of these reviews like movies or books. People can love a movie, they can think it was okay, or they can loathe its existing in our lives. The beautiful thing is that everyone is right – nobody is wrong. What I mean by this is that, sometimes when we disagree, no one is to blame. It’s no one’s fault. If a new patient thinks they might like something and finds they don’t at all, then that was the best way to find out what’s what. I do feel these individuals explain why they enjoy or dislike certain strains of cannabis, allowing for others to better navigate what to select when picking up medicine.
The three individuals I selected to talk with are, @squidzzztreelogger, @cannapediareviews, and @slumpysmokes. I’ve looked through their pages and find only topnotch reviews. They have suggestions that are like Cannabis for Dummies. They will talk about what each strain has to offer, and why you may want to try it out. I’m sure they are all willing to chat more with patients if you’re still wondering about certain strains or carts. I hope you enjoy going to their pages and am hopeful that they can help you in your cannabis journey. If not, tacos are on me, just make sure you hit me up on Tuesday. Enjoy!
@squidzzztreelogger
I’ve got to say, I think you’ve got outstanding, in-depth reviews. What pushes/motivates you to give a full synopsis of the medicine you’re reviewing?
What motivates me most is education. I believe knowledge is power! So with being educated in medical marijuana, it helps you determine the different main qualities of marijuana and what makes them beneficial to oneself for personal medical use. The science behind medical cannabis has been hindered mainly due to many years of prohibition as well as big pharma greed. Over time I’ve experienced more cannabis strains and varieties and come across many types of people that also love and are passionate about cannabis. Each strain affects everyone differently. So I try to “test” the strain myself and document how it makes me feel.
I notice you speak of terpene terms such as caryophyllene, limonene, pinene, and humulene. What do these terms signify regarding cannabis? What do they mean?
They are all terpenes! They are what gives cannabis its effects and flavors. With knowing how each one helps you and affects you, you’ll find more effective strains to help you when you need it most! Terpenoids and cannabinoids are different chemical compounds but coexist together in cannabis. One terpene I’m familiar with is Myrcene. It has an herbal taste as well as earthy and gives a musky scent with slight sweetness. Helps with sedation, relaxation, sleep aid, anti-anxiety, pain relief, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial. Some strains with Myrcene are OG Kush, Blue Dream, Afghani Kush, Grand Daddy Purple, Grape Ape.
I notice you speak about some cannabis helping with S.A.D. levels- what is S.A.D.?
SAD stands for Stress, Anxiety and Depression. Ironically enough, those are all things that stem from sadness. To simplify the description, I do it in reviews. But between cannabis and meditation, I have been able to triumph over S.A.D. Over time, long term stress can induce anxiety which in turn can cause you to become depressed or S.A.D. So having a nice powerful strain that takes care of it all are good strains to have!
Why is reviewing cannabis important to you as a medical patient? Do you also seek to help other patients, and why?
I think it is a unique opportunity to be able to give feedback to help benefit companies/growers/doctors which in return will help other patients get the most for their medicine and money.
@cannapediareviews
I’m definitely a fan of the video reviews. What inspired you to make videos of the reviews? I felt more connected to you as an individual- is one of your goals to have a more intimate connection with other patients, and why?
I’d been considering doing cannabis strain reviews for quite a few years now. I think what truly inspired me was realizing that my connection to this plant medicine was quite different than the “average stoner”. Ever since I began smoking, far before it became legal medically, I realized most people I knew were simply smoking occasionally to “get high” while I was smoking regularly to improve the quality of my life and relationships.
I never really looked at weed as a drug like alcohol, prescription pills, or designer narcotics rather as something that could enhance the quality of life if used properly. Back when I began smoking, information about marijuana didn’t really exist on the internet. I mean the internet was around “I’m not that old” but educational material simply wasn’t readily available.
I started my channel because I felt many of the other strain review pages I came across lacked honesty regarding their reviews. Most simply don’t care or know enough about the plants which simply doesn’t provide them with an adequate amount of information surrounding the strains that are available to patients. I believe patients deserve honest and unbiased information about the medicine they are spending their hard earned money on. There is nothing better then having someone comment that they are glad they found a review of mine before trying a strain they weren’t maybe looking for. That’s why I do this, it’s truly for the patients.
I also really dig your point rating system. Can you explain how this works?
A few months into recording these reviews I came up with a new rating system to help better identify the areas of strength and opportunity in the strains I was reviewing. Rather than give the strains a blanket 1 out of 10 as I had been doing, I broke the strains down into what I consider to be the four most prominent areas of medicine – the look, smell, taste, and potency. Each of the buds we review can earn up to 2.5 points in each respective category. I feel this is by far the best way of showing where the buds excel and where there is room for improvement. This is meant to help not only patients, to know what they can expect from certain strains but it also cultivators and distributors.
I notice you’ve a solid understanding for all the medicinal properties in the cannabis you review. How can these detailed explanations help patients find the best strain for themselves in the future?
As with anything we consume, it is absolutely imperative to know what you are putting in your body each day. I feel like this comes down to setting proper expectations for patients. Knowing how particular strains affect your personality is critical to your wellness in both the body and mind. Some people absolutely hate strong salivas because it sends their mind racing and can cause severe anxiety and even things such as panic attacks.
A few years back, I was struggling with some issues in my personal life that sent me into a severe state of depression. There was a few months during that time that I had to stop smoking altogether because it was making my depression and anxiety worse rather than elevating my mood. As with anything that changes your state of consciousness, it’s important to know when something is helping improve your life and when it isn’t.
I think the more knowledge people have about the things they consume, whether it be cannabis or food, the better. I truly believe the future of the planet is in education and information. As we are now learning, the world’s most valuable commodity is no longer oil, but data itself.
You don’t hold back on being honest- why do you feel this is important, being honest in your reviews?
Honesty, integrity, and accountability are slowly beginning to vanish from the fabric of our society. I feel I have an integral role in staying true to my values because of how much I see them fleeting within our culture. Everyone is dying for attention. We live in a world full of narcissists who believe they are at the center of the universe and the world revolves around them. I realize I am an infinitesimally small and insignificant part of the bigger picture of our purpose in life, which I believe is to realize that we are all simply emanating love as human beings.
Each day we all have a choice to either express or withhold our love from each other and the world. The honesty I express in my reviews is my expression of love and the gratitude I have for this amazingly beautiful earth in which we temporarily inhabit. Sometimes it’s the harsh critiques or criticisms that make us wake up to our own deceit. I believe the reason my channel and page are growing is because I am passionate about creating these reviews and truly put my heart and love into creating these videos. You shouldn’t do anything in life if your heart isn’t fully brought in because inevitably it will show in the final product.
@slumpysmokes
I dig your style man. What’s your inspiration for bringing meaningful, helpful reviews to the patients?
I just try my best to give patients the most honest and detailed review possible. I enjoy reviewing different types of strains for patients because I like to tell patients as much as I can about the experience with each one.
What is your main goal when reviewing cannabis, and why?
No two strains are the same which means they all have their own unique traits and my goal is to showcase those traits as best I can. Patients like to know what they are buying before spending their hard earned money so I also like to tell them if the strains are worth checking out or not. Therefore my ultimate goal when doing these reviews is to keep it as real as possible and provide as much detail as I can about the strain.
Tell us a bit more of what you seek out when picking up cannabis. What helps you the most?
When I’m seeking quality cannabis, the three main characteristics I’m looking for are bag appeal, smell, and freshness. However looks can be deceiving, therefore smell is hands down the most important characteristic because it can determine the freshness of your flower. For me, OG strains and Glues are my all time favorite and help me the most with my back pain.
Explain how cannabis helps you in your life, and why giving reviews for patients to read makes a difference.
Cannabis helps me in many different ways such as pain relief, increase in positive mindset, as well as sleeping comfortably through the night. I love giving patients these reviews because it brings a smile to my face when someone tells me how much they enjoyed my review and that they can’t wait for my next one. That is one of the main reasons I do these reviews and because I’m just infatuated with cannabis.
Dietrich Dash is a local to Arizona, born in September of nineteen eighty-eight, in the town of Scottsdale. He enjoys listening to the Rolling Stones, Queens of the Stone Age, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem. In his free time, you can see him at local bookstores, hiking or hanging out in public areas with his chihuahua mix and pugs. He also frequents dispensaries across the valley in search of what the valley has to offer medicinally.