The first time that you walk into a cannabis dispensary it can be a bit overwhelming. 

The incredible aromas from all of the different strains, lots of product choices, and the thrill of legally purchasing cannabis make for a memorable experience. 

But each dispensary is different and every person has a unique way that they like to go about picking and choosing strains. And even so, not everyone has convenient access to such a wonderful dispensary experience, let alone a local dispensary at all. 

For some of us, shopping for cannabis online might be our best option. Regardless if you’re choosing strains at a dispensary in person with a budtender or shopping for bud online, here are a few tips to help you pick the best strain. 

How To Talk To A Budtender

Needless to say, Covid has affected the cannabis retail experience. 

If you’re among the fortunate to have access to an in-person dispensary experience with a budtender, count your lucky stars! If they let you smell the different strains, consider yourself favored by the gods.

That said, these tips will help you out even if you don’t get to stick your nose in the jar for a good whiff. Here’s the first thing you should decide when choosing a strain of cannabis. 

What Do You Want To Experience With Cannabis?

Do you want to feel activated and joyful? Would you prefer to feel relaxed and sleepy? How about a happy medium experience of feeling joyfully relaxed with a pinch of activated appetite? 

Cannabis is very diverse, so knowing what type of effects you want to experience before you blaze is a good place to start when choosing your strain. Ask your budtender if they have a strain that can provide the effects you seek, such as stress-relief, pain-relief, or sleep.

In this case, if you ask for something more activating they might recommend a Sativa strain. For those looking to rest better with a nighttime strain an Indica, and for connoisseurs of exotic strains and balanced effects, a hybrid strain.

But what if we want to get more specific about what we want to experience with cannabis? Hybrid strains offer a wide array of benefits and effects that provide a more balanced experience. 

There are also CBD strains for people who prefer strains without any psychoactive effects.

For example, tell your budtender that you want a strain that provides plenty of pain relief but you don’t want to feel overly drowsy or stoned. You’ll likely be presented with a selection of hybrid strains that have various terpene profiles. 

Terpenes play an important role in cannabis’ overall effects and can give you a clue as to the potential dominant effects from any strain. 

Choose A Strain by Terpene

Terpenes are aromatic compounds that give cannabis strains their unique bouquet of smells and tastes. Each terpene has a very particular aroma and particular therapeutic properties. 

There are many different terpenes found in cannabis, and each strain expresses a unique terpene profile that is usually dominated by one or two primary terpenes. 

A strain’s dominant terpene can tell you what its best benefits might be. Using terpenes to pick strains based on effects is perhaps even better than the classic indica-sativa denominations because it is more specific. 

Most legal cannabis retailers should be able to tell you the dominant terpenes in their strains by third-party lab testing called chromatography. If they can’t though, you’ll have to learn to use your nose to identify terpene profiles. 

Luckily, online cannabis retailers make it easy to sift and sort through strains to compare terpene and potency profiles. 

Most Common Terpenes in Cannabis

Entire books can be written about the effects of different terpene profiles, but here are a few general rules of thumb you can use to guide you as you learn to pick strains for their effects and terpene profile. 

Here are some of the most common terpenes found in cannabis and their attributes. 

Strains high in limonene, for example, will typically have a lemon-lime aroma and provide more of an uplifting, mood-boosting effect. 

Learning about terpenes’ effects and how to identify each by smell, will help you find the best bud fit for your needs. 

Browse cannabis strain catalogs online, or ask your budtender for something high in your favorite terpene. 

You’ll likely be presented with different strain options in a range of potencies featuring your preferred terp as the frontrunner. 

Limonene

A fruity, citrus, lemony terpene that provides mood-boosting, anti-anxiety effects. 

Linalool 

An herbal, flowery, lavender-like terpene that provides soothing and calming effects. 

Caryophyllene

A spice-like and peppery-tasting terpene synonymous with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. 

Myrcene

The “couch-lock” terpene, this compound has a dank, fruity, sometimes berry-like aroma with sedative-like properties.

Humulene

A dank, earthy, hoppy, and woodsy aroma, this terpene has appetite-suppressant properties and is thought to help to circulate beneficial effects of cannabinoids and terpenes throughout the body. 

Click here to read, “Terpenes: How To Follow Your Nose in the Dispensary” (Insert blog article link)

In the unfortunate case that your budtender or online cannabis retailer can’t provide you with terpene profiles, you’ll just have to use your nose to determine which strain smells most like your favorite terpene. 

Since shopping for cannabis online with your nose isn’t exactly realistic, reading verified customer reviews from trusted brands can help you sift through the weeds to get to the top-shelf strains. 

Potency

Here are a few quick tips about choosing cannabis strain potency. In general, it’s best to start at low potencies and slowly work your way up towards the most desirable effect over a few days or weeks. 

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0%-10% THC: For beginners and people that don’t enjoy psychoactive effects much.

10%-15% THC: For mild tolerances and psychoactive effects without getting too blasted

15%-20% THC: Powerful potency and effect for high tolerances and strong high

20%+ THC: Very high potency, for advanced tolerances and very strong effects

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For those who wish to steer clear of psychoactive THC, CBD flower strains provide great low-THC cannabis options. 
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Order Cannabis Online in Canada

Here are a few key takeaways to quickly recap our tips on how to talk to a budtender and pick the best cannabis strains.

Pick your strain based on desired effects. Customize your experience by selecting your primary terpene profile preferences. Follow your nose. 

TYME makes it easy for you to pick the best strain fit for your needs. Canada’s easiest and most convenient online cannabis ordering platform, TYME has Canada’s best buds and favorite strain. 

Click here to browse our freshest catalog of cannabis strains. 

Then add your cannabis to your cart to checkout and collect your cannabis at your nearest dispensary. It’s that simple! 

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Thanks for reading and we hope that this helps you find the best strain fit for your needs. 

If you enjoyed it please consider sharing it with others that could also benefit from it. 

Don’t forget that you can learn more about the best cannabis strains in our other articles below.