Sawadee Everyone,
Growing up in sunny Southern California and experiencing life there for most of my years was a privilege I'll forever cherish. However, my journey has taken me far from those familiar shores, leading me to interact with people from around the world who claim to exclusively smoke "Cali weed." It's a curious phenomenon, as the sheer number of individuals who insist on smoking this particular strain seems implausible.
When I reflect on these claims, I can't help but recall my younger days when I'd buy weed from street-level dealers who would spin elaborate tales about their product's origin, whether it was imported from Acapulco or Maui or even Thailand. I would take their word for it, even though they were merely middlemen in the intricate web of drug distribution, and none of them had ever set foot on the actual farms.
Yet, today, many folks seem convinced that they're smoking genuine Cali weed simply because their "plug" assured them of its authenticity. This raises a question: What is the actual source and quality of the weed being sold as Cali weed?
Contrary to popular belief, most of the cannabis smuggled out of California is destined for other U.S. states, not international markets. The risks associated with international drug trafficking hardly seem justified when the same profits can be made by crossing state borders. Smuggling cannabis across international borders is costly, making exporting it overseas an economically questionable venture.
Even if people are purchasing cannabis grown in California, it's doubtful whether they are getting the high-quality Cali weed they believe they are. California has a rigorous seed-to-sale tracking system for licensed growers, but there's always room for manipulation or diversion. What's more likely is that consumers are acquiring subpar products—either failed lab-tested weed that should have been destroyed or cannabis from illegal grow operations with no quality control.
Why drug dealers would care about the quality of weed half a world away, given their profit motive? As a result, the "Cali weed" they're peddling abroad often falls far short of what residents of California can access.
To add another layer of complexity, some dispensaries may subtly mislead customers by claiming to sell "California genetics." While the seeds may indeed originate from California, the end product's quality depends on the grower's expertise and resources. This means that not all "California genetics" yield the same results.
I suspect that much of what Europeans refer to as Cali weed is, in fact, American genetics grown in Europe, particularly in countries like Albania or other Balkan states. European law enforcement agencies have even coined a term for this phenomenon— "import substitution," where countries become less reliant on imported cannabis as local cultivation increases.
So, what's the point of this exploration into the mystique of Cali weed? The answer, my dear readers is that it's a fascinating journey into the world of perception, authenticity, and the global cannabis trade. It underscores the importance of skepticism, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of the products we consume, whether they're labeled as "Cali weed" or something else entirely.
As cannabis moves from stuff we buy from drug dealers in alleys to a medicinal product, we need to also move away from this culture where we create an aura around whatever lie your dealer tells you.
You never know where your weed comes from unless you actually visit the farm where it’s grown and buy it direct or there’s a chain of custody showing what path it took from the farm to you.
Outside of that, it’s all faith and a willingness to believe.
Stay lifted and enlightened,
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