CULTIVATE WITH SCOTT SWAIL & DREW EMMER
Let’s talk pre-rolls. The classic joint has always been a staple of the cannabis culture. As more and more states go medically and recreationally legal, cannabis makers are responding to demand by mass producing pre-rolls. (And they ain’t always good ones.) Boveda secured some face time with the award-winning Buena Vista Premium Rolls. Find out what make a good pre-roll from Ben Falik, Buena Vista’s Director of Brand and Marketing.
Watch Cultivate’s pre-roll edition to learn:
- How pre-rolls fit into the cannabis market
- Where pre-rolls will be in five years
- What makes Buena Vista safe for cannabis patients
- Why not even Boveda can save moldy flower (but Boveda can prevent mold)
Subscribe to the Cultivate podcast on the Boveda Cannabis YouTube Channel or on iTunes.
Why is everyone so hot for pre-rolls?
When compared with other products on dispensary shelves, pre-rolls have a cloudy reputation. In the past, pre-rolls were often rolled with trim and sub-standard flower. Consumers who have been in the game for many years are often skeptical of the flower quality.
But the industry has come a long way from the raggedy “buy one get one” joints given away as an afterthought, explained Ben Falik, Director of Brand and Marketing for Buena Vista Premium Rolls. Preferences are more diverse. Palates are more refined. And many cannabis enthusiasts are willing to pay a premium price for a pre-roll that meets their quality standards, rather than accept a commodified, cheap roll.
Pre-rolls are huge because modern cannabis consumers crave convenience and portability. That growing popularity doesn’t mean that quality has to suffer.
Dispensaries are packed with a proliferation of newbies in the pre-roll space. Extra-long, hash-infused and kief-rolled creations are now the norm. They’re driving up the price point because they’re harder to make and challenging to keep fresh.
Buena Vista’s mission is to provide consistent product that retains its top-shelf qualities, even after the customer leaves the dispensary. This “brand promise” is already paying dividends with devoted brand loyalty for this maker of premium pre-rolls.
WHY Buena Vista OVER other packaged pre-rolls?
Buena Vista:
- Uses only single-sourced strain varietals rather than vague “blends” of plant material
- Packs only the freshest ground buds into unbleached Dutch cones
- Packages pre-rolls with Boveda in an innovative oxygen-resistant, Mylar® pouch, which sports a tamper seal and resealable zipper (Think mini travel humidor.)
Customers dig Buena Vista’s strategy, which is to provide full-flavored high flower quality rolled up into a trusted experience. In fact, San Francisco Chronicle’s GreenState editors and writers dubbed Buena Vista the Best New Pre-Roll in 2018.
(BTW, GreenState also recognized Boveda with an excellence award for exceptional performance in the cannabis industry.)
WHY IS LOW RH ESPECIALLY TOUGH ON PRE-ROLLS?
Why dry cannabis is bad cannabis:
- Gives a harsh smoke
- Reduces potency
- Negates therapeutic benefits, just to name a few
“Anybody that’s had an experience with cannabis where they’ve said, ‘Wow, I want to hide this smell, it’s strong, it’s so potent.’ That is terpenes–volatile cannabinoids–that are part of the cannabis experience [that] are going out into the environment” Ben said.
“If it smells like weed in your car, it means that terpenes are leaving the product.”
Pre-rolls dry out extremely fast. Not only are they wrapped in semi-absorbent paper, they’re also left exposed to the air for long periods of time. Until a customer picks up a pack from the dispensary, there’s really no humidity control for those poor little guys. And even then, most customers still don’t know that humidity control is the key to keep flower fresh.
How does Boveda fit in?
Boveda’s daily dosage size fits in easily, very easily. Every pack of Buena Vista Premium Rolls comes with Boveda 2-way humidity control. Boveda preserves overall humidity (and natural cannabis terpenes!) long after purchase, for a smoother, more flavorful, and more effective smoke. The best part? Many of Buena Vista fans love to remove Boveda from their finished package, and use it again and again to re-humidify their own stashes.
Reusing a pre-packaged Boveda? Boveda 1 gram keeps up to an 1/8 of flower fresh for up to 2 weeks in cannabis containers that are opened and closed frequently.
The Boveda 1 gram you see in Buena Vista pre-rolls tows the humidity control line–from start to finish. Boveda’s cannabis formulas are Boveda 58% RH and Boveda 62% RH. Since mold thrives at 65% RH and higher, even 62% RH prohibits mold growth by pulling moisture away from your flower.
BUENA VISTA LOOKS GOOD AND DOES GOOD
Buena Vista gives back to the cannabis community by donating product to Operation EVAC, a California Bay Area group, which educates veterans about cannabis. Pre-rolls are an easy and convenient way to medicate, especially for older veterans. Plus, patients can trust the safety and efficacy of a quality branded pre-roll like Buena Vista.
Through 16 peer-led social support groups that meet monthly in six dispensaries in five Northern California cities, Operation EVAC has facilitated more than 300 sessions serving almost 80 unique veterans since launching on Memorial Day, 2016.
GOT A QUESTION FOR DREW AND SCOTT? | Use #AskBoveda on social media
#ASKBOVEDA QUESTION:
@thegreenseed on Instagram asks, “If there is a trace of mold in the flowered product, can the added moisture [from Boveda] increase the mold?”
ANSWER:
Of course. Boveda cannot get rid mold that’s already contaminated your flower. In fact, if you have moldy buds, safely dispose of them—don’t smoke or press them. Moldy cannabis is dangerous, especially for MMJ patients, people with compromised immune systems and older folks (like Drew). Why risk it?
Here’s what mold needs to thrive:
- Organic material (like your flower)
- Warm temperatures (77º–86º F)
- Moisture (65% RH or higher)
- Oxygen
Boveda PREVENTS mold GROWTH on cannabis
Boveda’s cannabis formulas are Boveda 58% RH and Boveda 62% RH. So even Boveda 62% RH prohibits mold growth by pulling moisture away from your flower.
Keep your cannabis safe from the mold monster. Toss Boveda into your stash and store it in an airtight container, like a CVault or lidded jar.
Get yourself Boveda 1 grams for your own daily doses.
