jogro seems to think the old average 8 percentish thc tests were in part due to inferior samples with seed and stem (thats what i took from part of his post)
I'm not sure exactly where this 8% number is coming from, if you want to do a comparison, you have to define exactly what you're comparing.
If you're talking about then vs now, even if we stipulate that the testing is the same (which it isn't), the PRODUCTS are totally different. Before the late 1980s, the "standard" was outdoor grown seeded smuggled weed. Today its indoor grown, hand-manicured seedless top buds only, from strains usually selected for potency. So yes, the average bud available in many places today really *IS* a lot stronger than the average bud from years ago, even if the plants themselves aren't necessarily better today.
Again, the subject of testing is complicated. Remember, labs test SAMPLES, they don't test "strains".
So what comprises a sample makes all the difference. A non-chemically processed sample from the SAME EXACT PLANT could range from 0-55% THC, depending on what the sample is. Are you testing fresh totally dry hand-trimmed top buds picked at their absolute peak? Are you testing the same buds after they've sat in a shelf at room temperature for 8-9 months? Are you testing an "average" bud from the plant (not the absolute best bud). Are you testing dry rubbed hash or water hash made from the plant? Is your test looking at just THC, or are you counting other cannabinoids too? Etc.
At best, published numbers for strains represent the sort of best possible result from a given line, assuming optimum grow and trim.
which i believe was part of what i said maybe they arent using kief or extracts to raise the percentage but something is going on here because i refuse to believe that marijuana in the last 20 years has become twice as potent lol thats just ridiculous...to think no company out there is doctoring their samples in the way of removing seed and stem or removing more leaf than normal or selecting only choice nugs and so on is straight naive.
First of all, since there is no regulation of the cannabis ceed industry, sellers can basically make any claim they like, and I can state for a fact that at least some of the published number sellers claim are pure BS. There is no need for sellers to doctor samples, when they can just doctor their published numbers!
But assuming good-faith testing, not only has the nature of the samples changed, but the nature of testing has totally changed. 25 years ago, the only ones assaying cannabis were gov't agencies. Today, individual growers and breeders can pay for high-quality third party testing of their product, and most testing is of that nature.
Ultimately, this question is really two different questions:
-Are PLANTS (ie genetics) better today than 20 years ago? and
-Is the product (ie buds) better today than 20 years ago.
For the second thing, I've already answered. Yes, of course expensive hand trimmed specially selected indoor medical grade cannabis of today is stronger than the average commercial grade schwagg from 30 years ago. The marketplace has changed, and so has the product.
On the first question, about genetics, I think there is some room for debate there.
After looking at this issue pretty carefully, in my opinion the BEST of the strains from 20 years ago were nearly as good, if not absolutely as good as the best stuff from today. If you take the best of the "name" strains from the late 80s and early 90s, grow, trim, cure, and test them side by side with the stuff from today, they hold up. The biggest difference today is that top level genetics are much more readily available today, and more people than ever are growing them.
Anyway, there is a lot of good discussion on today's vs yesterday's weed in this thread. Here are some links to a few of my posts in there:
https://www.rollitup.org/seed-strain-reviews/526096-screw-good-ol-days-11.html#post8324101
https://www.rollitup.org/seed-strain-reviews/526096-screw-good-ol-days-11.html#post8324170
https://www.rollitup.org/seed-strain-reviews/526096-screw-good-ol-days-12.html#post8325355
https://www.rollitup.org/seed-strain-reviews/526096-screw-good-ol-days-14.html#post8342579