Baby Boom v Gen X v Gen Y - Weed Quality & Culture

[InvisibleEmpire]

I figured this would be a pretty good topic to get some of long time and not-so-long time smokers' opinions on how weed quality and culture has changed, and what the general perceptions of it all are.

For the sake of argument, per WP:

BabyBoom = Those born before 1961
Generation X = Those born from 1962 - 1981
Generation Y = Those born from 1982 - 1995 (doubt there are 15 year olds here, so let's make that 1992.)

Throughout my (short) life I have had the pleasure of smoking various kinds of weed, a trip to Amsterdam in 2007 in which I met various peoples from England, Norway, all across the US, and even bumped into Busta Rhymes as he was doing a tour in Holland at the time. I've noticed that the older you get the more stories you hear about how the weed "back in the day" was "so much better" and one of the other threads today reminded me of this fact.

I heard a lot about the weed back in that time (60s, 70s) such as the classic strains Purple Haze, Columbian Gold, Thai Sticks, etc. People who had the privileged to smoke these strains (the true strain, not a knock off) state that, to this day in 2010, it was the best weed they've ever smoked.

This sparks my thought process though, for a few reasons.

It is a clear fact that through selective breeding programs and just the simple fact that TIME has passed, the quality of weed has skyrocketed over the last few years especially with the indoor growing revolution and the market catering to our needs (hydroponic stores)

I think (again, personal opinion) that the reason many of you old heads who blaze say that the weed you smoked back in the day was the "best weed you've ever smoked" mainly because, at that time, it probably was. The younger you are, the more impressionable you are also (this goes for myself too). I think that when there is an impression built in someone that it is extremely hard to overcome that initial impression...so no matter how many types of weed they grow or smoke, it's nothing like "back in the day".

I have an extremely hard time believing that the growers & breeders of the 60s or 70s had better quality strains and selected better phenotypes from their plants and had access to such powerful lighting systems that now dominate the market and are improved year after year. Compare this to the fact that with the establishment of the internet strains have been crossed, breeding has become possible for the average grower and now people can access beans from any spot in the world through sites like SB.

So, tell us...just by the logical process of time and the obvious increase in quality, do you baby boomers and generation X people still believe that the 60s and 70s weed was far superior to the weed being developed and bred today?

How has the culture changed for you? I know that from what I see the weed culture has changed from having 'sessions' with the best of friends and sharing the plant to just "getting fucked up". Not that friends don't blaze (we all do that with our friends) I mean in more of the sense that because of the Police State we live in it's much harder to just randomly make new friends by blazing at a concert and just having cool, awesome people join you and make a friend for life or something along those lines.

Though I think the 60s and 70s were an awesome time period for various reasons, I still am somewhat happy that I am born in the tech generation. I also think the weed now a days clearly is superior in THC content and taste than it was 'back in the day'!

Opinions?

 

[ibjamming]

I smoked almost every day as a kid in the 70's. We'd get weed that would make you sweat...you literally felt like you were "tripping". It's not that speedy, confused, uncomfortable high you hear about these days. It's different. Scary at times, but do to "highness" more than anything else I can remember.

I've yet to have anything CLOSE since I restarted smoking again. I definitely haven't grown anything like that. Actually, from my limited growing experience...the weed isn't any better than the average "good" weed we'd get. We didn't have the variety you have now. There was either "weed" or there wasn't...you bought what they had.

Sure, it looks and tastes/smells MUCH better now. But as far as "high"...I don't think so. I think it's bullshit that saying about it's being 10X stronger. Sure...than the Mexican ditchweed that had no buds. I can't explain why...but "our weed" was stronger than what I've been growing...much stronger.

Mind you I have LIMITED experience...just a few years with the modern genetics.

We really did have some great weed...and I don't think it was all in our head. I believe it was the Sativas that REALLY fucked us up.

Remember too...it's not Monsanto making these hybrids...it's people working secretly without ANY support. They deserve credit for what they've accomplished.

 

[InvisibleEmpire]

Understandable, but knowing that you (and i) have limited experience, wouldn't it be safe to say that maybe you just haven't tried a strain that affected you in that particular way?

THC content in weed has gone up over the years, that's been proven by mainstream science. Now yes, certain groups such as NIDA and what not have overblown this aspect, with people even using false propaganda to push their agendas (such as the guy who wanted to ban 'kush' weed..LOL)

As most people know, THC content isn't the only thing that affects your "high". CBN, CBD content also effect certain things within the plant which can alter taste, smell..and ultimately the high also. Keep in mind I'm sure age plays a part in the 'high' you experience along with how much food you ate that day, any medications you may have been taking or not taking, etc. There are MANY factors which play a part so it is extremely difficult to say FOR SURE, which is why I'm always so curious why people say the weed back in the day was 'better' or got them 'higher'.

I'd like to see comparison pictures...if anyone has any...of the weed from the 60s or 70s side by side with say, some of BOG's or Rez's strains. I hear sweet tooth alone is supposed to be insane and great for medicinal use...

PS: I have blood pressure issues. When my blood pressure is up, weed effects me differently than when my blood pressure is normal. It's hard to explain, and given THC lowers BP someone with already low BP who smokes may experience a drastic drop which can bring upon undesired effects (blackouts, 'trippy' feelings, dizziness, etc.)

 

[RoachClip]

I read an article that said the cannabis from the 60's right through to the 70's was top grade weed but today with the growing methods and science the THC Levels are higher and the cannabis is much better and a higher grade then that of the 60's & 70's.

My opinion and just mines is that after smoking so much in the 70's right up until now it was the best weed in the 70's but that's because I was in my early 20's and now I smoke some of the best wacked bud man kind can grow Indoors and it puts me on my ass so to judge the weed from the 70's compaired to the weed of today I rate the 70's weed a 10 and the weed of today 2010 rated an 11 because it's sin semilla pronounced in spanish for no seeds.

 

[ibjamming]

The weed today...grown indoors...looks and smells WAY better than before. But the high just isn't there...I'm still looking! The weed I've grown indoors ISN'T as strong...I know this from smoking it. There is SOMETHING about it that is different. The weed we had, as you smoked more, you got higher. The "modern" weed I've smoked, the stuff I grew, ALL has a ceiling. Smoke a few hits and you're just as high as a couple of joints...smoking more is simply wasteful. I just don't remember a ceiling back in the day.

Looks and taste are not comparable...it's SO much better now. but I'm afraid I don't like the trade...taste for potency. I'd rather have the potency back.

Everyone seems to think it's the Indica that "killed" the great high. I hear you need a good Sativa to get REALLY high. But the Sativa is tough to grow indoors...it was a trade off. Good indoor growing, great taste and smell...you lost the great high.

I could be full of shit, it's just my guess.

 

[InvisibleEmpire]

Well Indica's were popularized due to the fact that they are easy to grow, have much shorter flowering periods (which make good for commercial crops) and have (mostly) a narcotic effect.

I don't know if I've ever smoked a pure sativa but I do know that i really enjoyed NYCD in Amsterdam, much more than I did most of the other primarily-indica strains I smoked.

I hear strains such as C99 and other sativas out there are what you want for the 'no-ceiling' type effect but like you say growing them indoors is tough because it takes a lot of time, they get taller and lankier, and don't produce as much so most people don't go that route and risk their freedom for 4 or 5 ounces when they can get 7 or 8 ounces off their 400 watter...or more...

 

[jd4083]

GenXer's always have the best herb in my experience, although occasionally the BB's bring the top shelf to the party Wait, what were we talking about?

 

[ariston]

when you first start smoking cannabis, you really dont know whats going on, and the effects can be much more 'trippy'.

I recall me and a friend not being able to produce complete sentences a long time ago, and having difficulties holding a conversation - but being able to tell we were not properly communicating, ie we were aware of our state.
I literally tried to tell my friend something and three words later asking what I was about to say, and before asking that I was laughing my ass off because my friend looked like a moron trying to figure out how to get back off from the couch after falling off.

After a while we could keep our selves composed that no matter how high we get, we never get to that state of stupidness and trip out completely. Never. If we even try, we fall asleep or start puking before reaching that.
Hell, I have learned to keep myself straight enough that I train grappling and weight training while high. My buddy comes to college high sometimes and only I can tell.

I really, really doubt there was better weed before. If so, I demand a scientific explanation. The only thing Id believe was the overuse of indica strains, which have a higher cannabinoid content (which is antipsychotic, so more of that takes away the trippyness of the high).

 

[Green lung]

When you get old one always thinks things were better when you were young. You know the "back in my day" type thinking.

I think also what contributes is when your young and don't grow you don't smoke as much so everything hits you harder.

I remember in high school in the late 90's I would smoke swagg and get blasted.........it wasn't great shit, and now I smoke the same shit I barely feel it, your body gets used to the strength your tolerence goes up.


Try not smoking for a few months and smoke some swagg you be way more blasted than if you smoked chemdd x lemon larry or whatever on a daily basis

 

[!!!]

I'm young but weed "back in the day" couldn't have been stronger than today's weed. It's more likely that over time, people's memory become more extravagant and colorful, to the point where what they remember is far from the truth.

It's normal for our memory to add details here and there. If I didn't go to the house I grew up in in 20 years, then my memory of the place will be grand, but as soon as I step foot there again, I'll realize that the place was way smaller than I had imagined, and was probably a pretty crummy place to live.

In my head the weed I used to smoke off the street before I started growing was the best of the best, because I associate it with my first high which was very intense. In reality, if I were to track down those street dealers, I'm sure that weed will be garbage compared to what I can get now.

I'm sure there were a lot of great strains back in the day, but knowing what we know about the plant now, it's highly unlikely that any weed from 20/30/40 years ago was stronger than today's weed.

 

[Feyd]

me, 10 years ago, getting high would result in laughing so hard my cheeks hurt at something funny on t.v., being spaced 24/7... etc, but nowadays it's not like that. i feel like i'll never get THAT high again. so high im laughing but no sound is coming out and my throat hurts. it doesn't matter what kind of weed i smoke, i will never get that high again.

i'm pretty sure a lot of people are like this. i can't really say as i'm not qualified to make that statement but i'll wager most people who smoked that bud back then and miss it are just nostalgic about being younger and getting stoned outta their gourds

 

[InvisibleEmpire]

well, it's also a fact that as we age and get older we find humor in many different things some of which we didnt find humor in 10 years ago or when we were a kid...

Also factor in desensitization. We are ALL victims of this by the mainstream media - TV, newspapers, society conforming to what they see....40 years ago it was unheard of to see a show like Californication or Secret Diary of a Call Girl on TV, just as an example. We have been desensitized that most stuff doesn't faze us when we see it - naked women, gun battles, explosions, suicides, horror films....whatever you want to think of it has attributed to us being so "used to it" that much stuff out there doesn't bring us pleasure because we've seen it 100 times....nothing is taboo anymore

there could be such a simple explanation...IE...a brain exposed to THC intoxication over the course of 2 years can produce symptom set A while a brain exposed to THC intoxication for 20 years can produce symptom set B...

I think there really truly is a valid explanation for why people think they got "higher" back in the day or when they were a kid or a teen as opposed to now with today's weed. I also think that with hybridization many of the crazy trippy sativa effects have been morphed because of so much strain crossing that when someone stumbles across a true head destroyer (such as what i hear about a pure Cinderalla99 plant) it brings back those memories or the memory of having no ceiling and just being baked off your ass.

Also, some people attribute certain things such as physical effects or mental effects (numbness, how much they laugh at dumb shit, etc.) to weed and again i think that's all relative...too many factors to simply say weed back then could induce that while weed today can't.

But, again, I do believe that the weed that everyone blazed 20 or 40 years ago may have had it's good qualities, but most of it wasn't grown in the US and/or much of it was outdoors, so that could possibly explain a lot of the bud having a sativa lineage or something along those lines...who knows! I still will bet my bottom dollar that if you had the ability to just grow certain strains, under certain conditions without fear of the law or anything that i'm sure we could create and grow strains that would just blow your top of mentally (such as say, Cinderella 2011..?) lol

 

[Hammerhead]

It was not necessarily stronger but it was way better in taste and smell. When the good pot was here we all know it u could smell it. The taste was nothing like what we have now. Like mentioned I would sweat and the flavor was to die for. The smell was almost impossible to hide. People have breed out the flavor and smells for increase in potency. They did wonderful job at reducing the excellent taste and smell and a lousy job increasing he potency. I want breeders to bring back the pot that tatsted so good that u never wanted to stop smoking it.

 

[InvisibleEmpire]

I hate these ~vs~ threads, erase the term from your memory

So, you took the time to click my thread, type this response and tell us you hate them.

I hate people who simply respond to threads to say they hate the topic rather than contribute something valid or thoughtful.

Hammerhead - many people disagree with you here...I'm sorry to say even a simple visit to Amsterdam can show you hundreds of varieties, hundreds of smells, hundreds of tastes... I think breeding has increased potency and the variety of smells and tastes out there now a days.

I don't know what weed you are smoking but I know damn well when someone lights up some kind...you can smell it, like you said...ive been around people smoking middies and not even known they were smoking because there was literally no 'weed' or 'skunk' smell..

 

[Hammerhead]

So, you took the time to click my thread, type this response and tell us you hate them.

I hate people who simply respond to threads to say they hate the topic rather than contribute something valid or thoughtful.

Hammerhead - many people disagree with you here...I'm sorry to say even a simple visit to Amsterdam can show you hundreds of varieties, hundreds of smells, hundreds of tastes... I think breeding has increased potency and the variety of smells and tastes out there now a days.

I don't know what weed you are smoking but I know damn well when someone lights up some kind...you can smell it, like you said...ive been around people smoking middies and not even known they were smoking because there was literally no 'weed' or 'skunk' smell..

Not from my experience and I have been around for decades. I have grown many of these elite cuts. When I compare them to the strians I grew up on there not any stronger and taste far worse then what I had back then. Sometime I will get a good pheno that tastes great by by average most dont. We must get out info from different source's. All of the people I grow with agree with me here. If you did not experience the 70 and 80 you would not have a clue what I'm talking about.


Amsterdam does not even come close to the cannabis we grow here in Cali. I smoke the best there is. and have many grows hundreds with pics and reports and my own crosses to back it all up. Every time I have a friend that returns from the Dam is disappointed in the bud they find there. I will just agree to disagree with you here. I will grow my own and will never stop and some day I hope to get the cannabis back to what is was. Even the commercial that I got in the 70 is not the same as today. I loved the erb then and loved smoking it. Today I have to stop I dont like the taste everything taste like skunk. The tastes where much more diverse then now. skunk,skunk,skunk. We had a variety of sweet strains that taste so good we could not put it down. I dont use skunk in any of the stuff I grow or smoke. The only skunk that was good was RKS and thats not around anymore lost to improper breeding.

 

[InvisibleEmpire]

Not from my experience and I have been around for decades. I have grown many of these elite cuts. When I compare them to the strians I grew up on there not any stronger and taste far worse then what I had back then. Sometime I will get a good pheno that tastes great by by average most dont. We must get out info from different source's. All of the people I grow with agree with me here. If you did not experience the 70 and 80 you would not have a clue what I'm talking about.


Amsterdam does not even come close to the cannabis we grow here in Cali. I smoke the best there is. and have many grows hundreds with pics and reports and my own crosses to back it all up. Every time I have a friend that returns from the Dam is disappointed in the bud they find there. I will just agree to disagree with you here. I will grow my own and will never stop and some day I hope to get the cannabis back to what is was. Even the commercial that I got in the 70 is not the same as today. I loved the erb then and loved smoking it. Today I have to stop I dont like the taste everything taste like skunk. The tastes where much more diverse then now. skunk,skunk,skunk. We had a variety of sweet strains that taste so good we could not put it down. I dont use skunk in any of the stuff I grow or smoke. The only skunk that was good was RKS and thats not around anymore lost to improper breeding.

No need to toot your own horn here, I'm just saying that yes, we'll have to agree to disagree because many old heads I know who were very into the cannabis culture in the 60s and 70s will say, without a doubt, that today's weed by far blows the 60s and 70s weed out of the water as far as variety, taste, potency, etc. Again, you and your little circle of weed growers may not believe this, but it's a trend I see with the older generation thinking they had it 'better' back then, regardless of what anyone says. It's also a fact that when you are younger you are much more impressionable and your body does change over the course of 40 or 50 years.

PS: You Californians think that because of the lax weed laws that somehow the plant grows "differently" on the west coast than it does the east coast...LOL! The only thing different is availability. Potency doesn't change based on what region you live in. People on the EC grow the same 'elite' strains as people in cali do, but again, the only thing in question is the availability due to weed laws. And Amsterdam may not have the best weed around in the world but when you know what shops to hit and what strains are good at that particular time, YES, it is comparable to the weed grown in the US. I smoked some northern lights and new york city diesel haze over there and both blew my mind, unlike anything else I smoked over there (aside from NYCD and SSH)

 

[Hammerhead]

No need to toot your own horn here, I'm just saying that yes, we'll have to agree to disagree because many old heads I know who were very into the cannabis culture in the 60s and 70s will say, without a doubt, that today's weed by far blows the 60s and 70s weed out of the water as far as variety, taste, potency, etc. Again, you and your little circle of weed growers may not believe this, but it's a trend I see with the older generation thinking they had it 'better' back then, regardless of what anyone says. It's also a fact that when you are younger you are much more impressionable and your body does change over the course of 40 or 50 years.

PS: You Californians think that because of the lax weed laws that somehow the plant grows "differently" on the west coast than it does the east coast...LOL! The only thing different is availability. Potency doesn't change based on what region you live in. People on the EC grow the same 'elite' strains as people in cali do, but again, the only thing in question is the availability due to weed laws. And Amsterdam may not have the best weed around in the world but when you know what shops to hit and what strains are good at that particular time, YES, it is comparable to the weed grown in the US. I smoked some northern lights and new york city diesel haze over there and both blew my mind, unlike anything else I smoked over there (aside from NYCD and SSH)

I know and have had discussions with the people that started growing here in Cali. growing up here in cali everything was from Santa Cruz, Humboldt, And the local growers where I lived so im not speaking out of my ass. these where and are my experience's. My main complaint never said anything about potency thats what everyone was breeding for and thats where they went astray. High potency cannabis is not what I'm looking for. Im looking for a well balanced cannabinoid profile. Smell,Taste and potency. I dont need 30% THC WEED to enjoy it. and imo does not need to be any stronger then it is. Also you insinuating I have a small little group of grows is complete bullshit. Or maybe 100 if not thousands of growers is a small group to you. Ok this was a waste of time you obviously dont want other opinion's. I will leave you to it.

 

[InvisibleEmpire]

I know and have had discussions with the people that started growing here in Cali. growing up here in cali everything was from Santa Cruz, Humboldt, And the local growers where I lived so im not speaking out of my ass. these where and are my experience's. My main complaint never said anything about potency thats what everyone was breeding for and thats where they went astray. High potency cannabis is not what I'm looking for. Im looking for a well balanced cannabinoid profile. Smell,Taste and potency. I dont need 30% THC WEED to enjoy it. and imo does not need to be any stronger then it is. Also you insinuating I have a small little group of grows is complete bullshit. Or maybe 100 if not thousands of growers is a small group to you. Ok this was a waste of time you obviously dont want other opinion's. I will leave you to it.

It has nothing to do with me not wanting other's opinions, it's called a discussion. When confronted with a certain opinion, there's a thing called a counter-opinion... but when you come in here on a high horse talking about how you know thousands of growers and have grown hundreds of strains...you make yourself look egotistical and of course you are going to get an aggressive response.

Honestly, I couldn't care less if you smoked 10,000 strains and Marc Emery flew you around the world in your own personal chartered jet. You do your thing, and I'll do mine.

You aren't the only one who knows people from the 60s movements who were very into the culture and prominent, you are attempting to make it seem that every single grower you know agrees with you on the fact that weed doesn't taste as good as it did back in the 60s and 70s.

This is not something you can attribute to fact, it's a mere opinion. In this thread alone people have said the exact opposite that the potency was in the 60s and now we have good taste...so it's all about your frame of reference and your opinion, that's it. I don't agree with the fact that weed (mostly grown outdoors) in the 60s and 70s surpasses the weed in taste or the general 'cannabinoid' profile, and people agree with me on this. It's simply my (and many others) opinion. Agree to disagree.

 

[Hammerhead]

I hate mark emery. You are young. Me talking about my experience is not on any high horse . All of us oldtimers talk about or lifes experiences. Someday u can to. I cant have a discussion with someone that has never even tried the cannabis your discussing. iTS A MUTE POINT. I guess anyone that has more experience then u is on a high horse. There no point in me to continue with this at this point. I will not aswer anymore of your questions whats the point. I was there dude I was one of then I grew up in the 60's. I dont just know them.

Have a great night

 

[RandomUser420]

If the weed we smoke today is so inferior to the weed from the 60's and 70's what does that say about all the people who have been growing and breeding for 20 or 30+ years....

I find it hard to believe such a step backwards is possible. With the amount of resources available today anyone with an internet connection can start a grow. As we all know, not every pot head is a burnt out loser. There are some really clever, intelligent people who smoke and grow and breed cannabis. The simple fact that these growers can now share results and techniques instantly with other like minded growers while still maintaining anonymity makes it a tough sell to me.

If you are old enough to remember (or forget) smoking weed in the 60's 70's as a kid chances are you are a long time smoker. Tolerance is the limiting factor here. Even if you take a week or 4 off, you body is still pretty used to having weed in your system. Yeah you will get higher than before you took a break, but nothing like when you first started smoking and your body was unaccustomed to drug and it's effects.

That is my 2 cents.