What are Mids and Should You Smoke Them?

Like so many other aspects of culture, cannabis fans are often competitive and opinionated about their hobby. Just like we all have friends who won't drink light beer or friends who won't eat fast food, so too do some people who refuse to smoke anything but top shelf weed. You can find no shortage of arguments about good weed vs bad weed, and you may prefer to escape the conversation altogether for your own sanity. However, one thing about most cannabis fans is that they are usually eager to experiment and find what fits them best. What's more, there's quite a deal of leeway between "good" and "bad" cannabis, with lots of points along the way. Increasingly, the quality of average cannabis, usually referred to as regs weed or mids weed, is rising steadily without the price rising in turn. What are mids, and should you be smoking mids to get a good buzz without paying too much?

Low and High

What's in a Name

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One of the most enjoyable aspects of cannabis culture is the naming conventions of cannabis. The most famous strains of cannabis have colorful names as well as colorful effects. The cannabis "tiers" of quality also have their own names, and are ordered from most powerful and expensive to least powerful and expensive:

Top Shelf (30% THC or more)

Schwag or Dank (15% to 30% THC)

Mids (10% to 15% THC)

Regular or "Reggie" (5% to 10% THC) 

Ditch weed or Skunk weed (anything goes - you get what you pay for)

As their name suggests, mids are indeed in the middle of this ladder, neither high grade weed nor the low quality weed that is half stems and seeds. As cannabis has become legalized for both medical and recreational use, the quality has risen astronomically from the days of brick weed, much as the liquor you buy on a store shelf is of far higher quality than bootleg moonshine made in a basement. A rising tide lifts all boats and the quality of weed in a dispensary that is marked as "mids" might have been some of the very best on the underground market a decade or two ago. Mids, however, have plusses and minuses even if their quality has risen over time.

The Good, the Bad and the Cost-Effective

Easily the most promising aspect of mid-tier cannabis is its price point. Waltz into a dispensary in search of the highest-end Schwag weed, and you may find you have to shell out fifty or sixty dollars for a single gram of good weed. Mids tend to be easier and/or faster to grow than the brain-busting high-end pot, requiring less soil, water, light, fertilizer or crossbreeding between different strains. As a result, you might be able to buy an entire ounce of mids in a recreational dispensary for about two hundred dollars, enough pot to last weeks or even months at a time.

However, this price point reflects tradeoffs. First and foremost, mids are much more likely to underperform if you want to get high as a space station. 15% THC isn't as much for hardened cannabis fans, who may need higher-end strains or even concentrates to feel like they've gone through a timewarp. Additionally, mids have less contact between buds, meaning that airflow is higher and the nuggets will dry out faster. Finally, mids are often sold in the same manner as day-old donuts: cheaper because their freshness has dropped, sometimes considerably.

When Mids Make Sense

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The financial cost and the THC content of weed maybe the two only factors that you consider when making a purchase. In that case, mids might make sense, or they may be a waste of your cash. However, consider a few other factors in mids' corner: 

• Great for sharing: novice cannabis smokers should not, repeat not, smoke moon rocks or top-shelf weed. Mids offer a stepping stone for newbies, while if there's a situation where you reluctantly have to share any of your stash, they are a great option so that you don't have to dole out your high-end bud.
• CBD content: if your end goal is to feel better instead of getting blazed, mids can be an attractive choice. CBD levels are relatively stable throughout most strains even if THC levels vary widely. If you want to relax, ease anxiety or sleep well, mids can be a great choice for an occasion where the end goal is not melting into the couch.
• Quantity over quality: throwing a big party, giving a gift, or ensuring someone has access to weed so they don't snitch yours may all demand buying in bulk. Mids help do the job by providing quantity even if the quality isn't the highest. You already save money buying in bulk, so save yourself some extra bucks by choosing the mid-tier price point.

Do you have lots of opinions about the quality of marijuana that you smoke? Are there any cannabis strains in the mid-tier list that you find particularly enjoyable? Let us know in the comments below!