Cannabis Journal
Trying to Find the Perfect Bud? Start Writing a Cannabis Journal
Ever go to a dispensary near you and try a strain that’s new to you? You end up loving everything about it. You finish the jar that day and then in a fuzzed-out haze, immediately forget what it was called.
The good news is: most shops keep track of what you buy. Always ask your budtender as the first line of recall. They should be able to tell you a little bit about your history of purchases at that store.
But what if you bought a lot of strains that day and only really loved the one?
Or what if you bought it out of town? You may not be able to get back to the dispensary to review your previous purchases.
You could find yourself in the unenviable position of mumbling to your budtender “It was purple something, I’m sure of it!”
This can happen to any of us, but there’s an easy way to avoid it. Start keeping a cannabis journal.
The method is pretty simple. Buy a journal. Any journal will do although there are specific journals for cannabis logging now available at bookstores and online. You can even open a note in your phone to keep track.
Not only is a weed diary great for specifying and remembering what you like, but it’s also great for what you don’t like. You’ll never have to experience that bummer strain or dud dab again!
Journals are also great for being detailed about your use. How often you’re consuming, what kind of strains you prefer in the morning, afternoon, or evening, as well as how much you needed to get you where you wanted to go.
How Should I Track?
This lies in your personal preferences but for me, these ways have been effective.
Product/Strain name
This is pretty straightforward and seems intuitive, but it’s so important that I have to mention it. The only way to accurately log what you consume is by having a title for your entry. It should always be the product name.
Consumption Method
Is it flower? A vape cartridge? Stiiizy pod? Dabable? Edible? Be sure to specify what the product is so that you don’t ask your local budtender for a Rainbow Sherbet and he comes back with pot-flavored Ice Cream (although that sounds delicious).
Rating
I use a star rating like I would use if I was rating a movie or professional wrestling match. 5 stars are elite, 4 stars are very good, 3 stars are good, 2 stars are fair, and 1 star isn’t worth your time or another look.
You can get creative here and use 1/2 stars as well if you want. Live a little.
Strain Type/Brand
Is it an indica, hybrid, or sativa? If it’s a hybrid, does it lean one way or another? What is the terpene profile? These details are super beneficial to see patterns about what kinds of flower/vapes/edibles seem to work the best or worst for your particular endocannabinoid system. Everybody is different.
Be sure to write the brand down. Not all brands are created equal and oftentimes some brands even have different lineage genetics for popular common strains.
Taste/Aroma
A very underrated part of enjoying cannabis in all of its forms is the taste and aroma. Is it sweet or gassy? Skunky or fruity? These details can help create a more complete profile of what it is that you’re into.
Notes/Other Details
This is where you’ll muse on anything else you found notable about the product. How long did it take to kick in? How long did the effects last? What time of the day did you consume? The more detailed the better.
Using these steps to start creating your cannabis journal, you might find that not only does it help you keep track of what you’re consuming, but it’s also a lot of fun.
