The unfortunate truth is that there are dealers out there lacing their weed to create the illusion that it is a better quality than it really is. The adulterants and contaminants used are usually toxic and create some unwanted effects in the person who smokes it. You won’t be left wondering if that weed you smoked was laced or not after reading this article.
The unfortunate reality that comes with a black market for cannabis is that some of it gets laced! So many of you might be wondering why someone would lace something that’s already awesome and already makes people high. Hopefully by the end of this article, you’ll understand all the reasons an illegal dealer might want to add something a little “different” to your buds.
Although lacing doesn’t happen all that often in the grand scheme of things, it is more likely in places where cannabis is illegal. Another reason to legalise, right? And when you do end up blazing up laced weed, you can get a little more than you bargained for.
Occasionally, cannabis is laced intentionally. By that we mean that you know what your weed is being laced with, such as cocaine or heroin. This can give cannabis an entirely different effect. However, for the purpose of this article, we’re going to focus on weed that is laced secretly. That is, the dealer is trying to cover up something bad by making it look or smell good.
When it boils down to it, laced weed simply isn’t good for you. There’s more bad stuff in there than good. Knowing whether you’re smoking laced weed is essential to discerning between good and bad weed! So, know the signs that your weed is laced, and be a smarter cannabis consumer in the future!
Why does weed get laced?
As we already mentioned, laced weed is a much more likely occurrence in a country where cannabis is illegal. The main reason that a dealer laces his weed is to hide the fact that he’s selling you terrible weed.
In circumstances where the bud is not that powerful, dealers lace it with chemicals that give the user the illusion of being high. The effects might not last for long, but they somehow resemble the sensations of being stoned. And of course, this is how a dealer gets away with selling weak buds.
Other adulterants are used to make the weed look like it’s of a higher quality, but don’t necessarily change anything about the experience itself (like hairspray to make it look like there’s lots of sticky trichomes). Others are added to make it smell stronger.
In general, if you suspect that weed has been laced, it’s because the herb itself is low quality and the dealer wants to fool you. It’s only until after you’ve blazed it up that you learn that you’ve been punked. It’s okay – you’ll live to see another bag, but hopefully not from the same dealer!
What is weed laced with?
Weed can be laced with a number of different things. In some places, chemicals are sprayed on the herbal material that give the illusion that the weed is stronger than it is. Perfect examples of this are embalming fluid or PCP.
Alternatively, weed is sometimes dusted with glass. This gives the buyer the illusion that the buds are covered in sticky trichomes. Sometimes hairspray is used to create this effect, too.
Some dealers will try to alter the smell of their weed by spraying it with diesel. It is a lame attempt to create that very diesel like smell that is characteristic of some strains, such as Sour Diesel or NYC Diesel. Except, if you know a Diesel strain, you’ll definitely recognize a diesel dipped bud from the real thing: The Diesel strains don’t smell like you’re at a gas station, obviously.
6 Signs that you smoked contaminated weed
It’s bad enough that we have to worry about chemicals being used in the growing process. But trust me on this one. Weed that has had contaminants added after the harvesting, drying and curing process is much worse. If you’re smoking weed for the first time, it can be really difficult to tell the difference between clean weed and laced weed. Hopefully we can help you tell the difference.
1. It feels different!
Of course, different strains feel different from one another. But there’s something that links them all together. There’s something that, despite their differences, makes them all weed! So, laced weed usually feels a little off or different to what you’re used to, even if you can’t put your finger on it.
2. You feel dizzy or nauseous
Laced weed can induce sensations of dizziness or nausea. Marijuana usually has the opposite effect when it comes to nausea unless you smoke too much of it. If after a couple of puffs, you feel like you can’t stand up or feel nauseous, it’s likely that your buds are laced with something.
3. You get the sweats
For most people, cannabis induces a very natural sensation in the body. And for the body, cannabis is a very natural addition! However, when it is laced, the body can instantly try to detoxify by sweating.
4. Your heart rate increases dramatically
It’s normal for the heart rate to increase a little bit after smoking weed. But this stage is often short lived and is not dramatic. When weed is laced, you can feel the sensation of increased heart rate quite significantly.
5. You have difficulty breathing
Laced weed can also create the feeling that you’re running out of breath or unable to take deep breaths in.
6. Your “high” only lasts about 20-30 minutes!
All the things listed above are things that might happen when you’re high on regular weed. That’s why it can be hard to know if you’ve smoked laced weed. You might be tricked into thinking that you actually just smoked really strong weed. The ultimate way to know is that these sensations all disappear, along with any feeling of being high at all, within 30 minutes.
4 Ways to tell weed is laced before buying it
It can be really hard to tell that you’ve got laced weed until after you have smoked it. But it’s possible to tell that there are adulterants in your weed if you look at it carefully. Here are some things to look out for.
1. Checking for glass
Some dealers will coat buds with glass to give the effect that it’s covered in trichomes. Try to scratch a CD with the bud. Trichomes won’t leave a mark on the CD but glass will. We know, we know, this is a tough one. Because who still has CD’s these days?
2. Checking for detergent
If you suspect that some buds have been coated in detergent, try throwing one into a small volume of water. After shaking it around, suds will appear if it contains detergent.
3. Checking for fuel
Yes. Some dealers will spray fuel over the buds to give them the smell of diesel. Put your lighter next to the bud. It will ignite much faster if it is coated in fuel.
4. Burn it and smell it
If you burn the bud and it smells more chemically or perfumy, then it’s probably been laced. Marijuana should smell like marijuana when it’s burning, and hints of anything else suggest that it is contaminated. Some strains are deliciously citrusy when you smoke them, such as Bubblelicious, Papaya and California Orange Bud. If you’ve ever smoked a clean Bubblelicious, you’ll instantly know the difference if you get your hands on a version that’s laced!
What to do if you’ve smoked laced weed
So, what do you do if you think you’ve just smoked laced weed? The first thing is – don’t freak out. Before you go jumping to any conclusions, just relax until the experience wears off. As we mentioned, if you really have smoked laced weed, the effects probably won’t last very long.
Once the effects have worn off, you’re in a better state to assess the situation. You can test a bud from the same bag using one of the methods we mentioned above, depending on what you suspect. If you still don’t find your answer, have a friend who is knowledgeable see if they think your weed has been laced.
It is harmful to the body to ingest laced weed. So if in the end, you are certain that the weed you just smoked was laced, leave it alone. Or actually, even if you’re not sure, take your losses and throw it away. Don’t be tempted to smoke it again. Don’t go starting any fights with dealers or trying to get your money back. Let bygones be bygones.
Find yourself a reliable source or grow your own
Smoking contaminated weed is quite an awful experience, if I might say so myself. But even the best weed connoisseur can get stooged if they are really desperate to smoke some weed. And if you’re new to buying weed and smoking it, that’s a whole different story. Newbies are the easiest people to trick into buying contaminated buds.
Of course, the easiest way out of all of these problems is to shop somewhere that you trust. Ideally we’re talking about dispensaries, where you can easily pick up some clean buds. Alternatively, find a dealer you can trust, keep your business there and stay loyal.
Finally, if you really want to be sure that your marijuana is lace-free, grow your own cannabis plants! There’s no better way to know what’s in your marijuana than if you plant and feed it all by yourself. So grab some seeds in our shop and start growing. We promise you, it’s SO worth it 🙂
And on those days where you find yourself tempted to buy whatever you find, remember the time you smoked laced weed and hated it! Hopefully that will inspire you to be mindful of the weed that you buy and from where it comes.
