Is Industrial Cannabis Better Than Homegrown Cannabis?

As regulations become less stringent, the marijuana sector experiences a new stage of development. All the parties involved in the cannabis production process do their best to manufacture safe, consistent, and high-quality products. In this article, we lay down the ways industrial cannabis is cultivated and analyze whether it is better than a home-grown weed.

Industrial cannabis industry today

In general, the industrial cannabis realm undergoes a massive shift towards a more ecological, user-friendly, and safe production. All the industrial farmers now test their products for contaminants such as bacteria, mold, heavy metals, and pesticides. Cannabis analytical labs are becoming more professional as well.

As the industry extends, the role of science within it increases. Companies rely on qualitative methodology and analytical chemistry. Weed-oriented businesses are quickly embracing strategies and technology established by farmland and agronomists. As cannabis production is no more forced to remain underground, the scientific community and industry leaders are directly communicating and sharing best practices. Big corporations are mainly avoiding the cannabis market so far, making it an excellent opportunity for small enterprises to participate. 

Industrial cannabis market in 2022: Industry forecast

Leading cannabis industry experts anticipate strong sales growth this year as legalized cannabis markets expands. In fact, legal cannabis sales reached $19.5 billion in 2020, with experts predicting that sales will reach $30 billion by 2022.

Washington State, which legalized cannabis in 2012, is expected to generate $1.5 billion in sales, up from $1.2 billion in 2020. However, when compared to California’s projected sales of $7.6 billion, Washington’s projected sales are small. And as more states legalize cannabis, sales will undoubtedly increase.

Another factor influencing increased cannabis sales is increased demand and a growing number of product types. More people are becoming aware of the benefits of cannabis, such as better sleep, reduced stress, reduced pain symptoms, and recreational use. Furthermore, with so many products on the market, cannabis consumers have a wide range of options, including edibles, tinctures, topical ointments, and more.

Cannabis experts foresee an increase in cannabis consumption lounges, which are similar to bars or restaurants in that they enable customers to use cannabis on-site. The popularity of these lounges is growing, according to the Cannabis Industry Journal, since they give users a legal and safe place to consume cannabis.

How do breeders select and grow new industrial strains?

Plant breeding is an essential part of the cannabis cultivation process. Breeding is a highly sophisticated process generally done commercially. However, with a massive trend for cannabis legalization, it is now becoming popular among amateurs as well.

Industrial marijuana breeders seek to purify and strengthen strains, mix strain qualities, or improve specific attributes like greater yields, different fragrances, potency, etc. Thus, keep in mind that a hybrid you purchase from a dispensary has gone a long way of crossing, backcrossing, and a selection procedure. All meant to create the greatest phenotype of that strain.

After selecting two parent strains for breeding, a male and several females are placed in a breeding chamber to confine the pollen. A breeding chamber can be as essential as an enclosed space with plastic sheeting on the sides or as complex as a specifically constructed sterile environment for large-scale breeding.

What is a lab-made marijuana?

One of the elements accelerating cannabis’ entrance into the pharmacological and consumer-wellness businesses is lab-grown marijuana. Using synthetic biology, cannabis scientists genetically produce a critical component of marijuana that is a precursor to two of the plant’s most well-known compounds: THC and CBD. Such an innovative approach to cannabis cultivation opens up unique possibilities for the cannabis realm.

The Berkeley researchers, for example, have recently outlined how to make both types of marijuana compounds — well-known ones like THC and lesser-known ones like THCV in a lab. You can find the full study published in the journal Nature. This discovery is likely to have significant implications for startups and pharmaceutical companies looking to develop new marijuana-based drugs for conditions ranging from epilepsy to pain and arthritis.

Pros and cons of industrial cannabis

Dispensaries offer cannabis grown by proven breeders or farmers who produce marijuana on a larger scale. And here comes the key advantage of industrially developed weed. Industrial cannabis has undergone all the inspections and certifications to meet the standards of your country. As a result, you have a quality guarantee.

Such a well-established process with control of all stages of cultivation means that the buyer can also assess and analyze the content of the product and learn about the values of the company that offers it. The large production scale also allows you to expand the spectrum of cannabis-derived items and provides multiple strains with different characteristics.

The key disadvantage of buying industrial cannabis is the price. When you grow weed at home, you can save extra by cultivating buds yourself.

Pros and cons of home-grown cannabis

Growing hemp at home, you are 100% sure that no chemicals have been involved during the cultivation. Plus, you can experiment with crossing different strains of cannabis to develop unique species that fit your taste palette and personal preferences most. For instance, you can cross your favorite strains or cultivate those species that have a higher Indica ratio to enhance your sleep. Your creativity is only limited by your gardening skills. If you develop as a professional, you can literally create the cannabis of your dream.

The key disadvantage of growing weed at home is a potential lack of gardening skills, which might result in an unsatisfying yield. Different types of plants have different flowering periods, fruit time, bush growth, and needs for soil, light, and water. By not doing profound research in advance, you risk losing money.

Finally, ordering buds from a trusted dispensary is way more time-efficient than cultivating a plant on your own. If you’re interested to know more about home-grown weed, visit AskGrowers. It’s a popular cannabis website dedicated to homegrowing, cultivation, as well as weed products and lifestyle in general.

Summary

All in all, industrial cannabis production is experiencing its tech-fueled moment. Scientists and growers work together to enhance production, as well as to make it more safe, ecological, and effective. With the growing trend for cannabis legalization, we might soon see new strains cultivated.

Both industrial and home-grown cannabis production has its own benefits, and the choice is completely up to you.