Weed, when taken in moderation, is generally considered safe. However, the rise of laced weed — weed that’s been tampered with potentially dangerous substances — poses serious health risks to a lot of users. Depending on the substance, laced weed can lead to serious health complications or, in extreme cases, death.

That’s why it’s important to stay vigilant and informed about the weed you’re consuming — and that’s what we’re here for. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know on how to identify laced weeds and how to avoid them.

How do you test weed to see if it’s laced with fentanyl or other drugs?

The first step to avoiding laced weed is to recognize the signs of tampering. Here are the most common ways to check if your weed is safe to consume:

Color

Color can be hard to distinguish since different strains may appear differently. Normal weed is often dominantly a shade of green, interspersed with red, orange, purple, or blue hairs (depending on the strain). It’s usually good practice to read up on the physical characteristics of your chosen weed strain so you know what to expect.

On the other hand, laced weed usually has weird color spots or streaks that are unnatural to the cannabis strain. The bud’s color may also look unusually dull or bright. If you feel like something looks off, err on the side of caution and investigate the bud in more detail.

Smell 

If you’ve used cannabis for a long time, you’re probably very familiar with its distinct, skunky, and earthy smell. Of course, this may vary a bit depending on the strain, so it’s best to do prior research.

Laced weed can have an off-putting chemical smell, but it can also have no smell at all. Real and untampered cannabis should have a noticeable and potent aroma. If your weed smells off, it’s best to investigate further before consumption.

Feel

Normal weed buds should feel sticky and spongy due to the trichomes, which are tiny crystal-like structures that cover the surface.

Tampered weed will probably feel unusually dry or powdery. It can also feel “wet” like it’s coated with a different substance. Weed is sometimes coated with a different substance to increase the weight or imitate the feel and texture of expensive, high-quality weed.

Testing kits

When in doubt, just use a testing kit. Testing kits can detect the presence of specific substances, such as fentanyl or meth. Just take a small weed sample and follow the instructions on your testing kit.

While it may seem a bit extra, it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when you consider the potential risks of consuming laced cannabis.

Drugs that marijuana could be laced with 

Some people lace weed with dangerous substances for bigger profit margins, while others just do it out of pure malicious intent. Here are some drugs that are commonly used to lace marijuana, as well as their effects on your mind and body.

Phencyclidine (PCP)

Phencyclidine (PCP), also known as angel dust, is a potent hallucinogen that can significantly alter perception and mood. PCP-laced marijuana can induce intense hallucinations, aggressive behavior, severe mood disturbances, seizures, and worse, irreparable neurological damage. 

Heroin

Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine that’s used as a depressant for the central nervous system. Heroin-laced weed can lower your heart and breathing rate to dangerous rates, which may lead to fatal cases. Even just a small amount of heroin can cause an overdose, especially for those with low tolerance to it. 

Fentanyl

Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid that’s much stronger than heroin. Since it’s also a depressant, fentanyl can slow your bodily processes to a point where your breathing and heart rate can entirely stop. Even just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is enough to induce an overdose. 

LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide)

LSD is a powerful hallucinogen known to alter perception and induce vivid hallucinations. It’s often found in laced joints, popularly known as “rainbow joints.” Unknowingly consuming LSD-laced weed can result in long-lasting visual distortions or psychological effects that you wouldn’t normally experience with cannabis. 

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine, also known as ice or crystal meth, is a potent stimulant that’s highly addictive. It’s known to cause a boundless sense of euphoria, followed by increased levels of physical activity, violent behavior, and decreased appetite. It can also result in incredibly fast heart rates, higher blood pressure, and in some severe cases, irreversible brain damage. 

Cocaine

Cocaine (also called “crack”) is known to be a highly addictive stimulant for its euphoric feel. Since it’s a stimulant, it can cause high heart rates, increased physical energy, loss of appetite, and increased libido. If taken in high amounts, it can lead to kidney problems, seizures, heart attacks, and strokes. Long-term use of cocaine can cause psychosis, depression, and even heart disease.

Ketamine

Ketamine is known as an anesthetic and sedative drug, often used in medical practice and recreationally as a “club drug.” When laced in weed, ketamine can induce disorientation, increased anxiety levels, hallucinations, altered time perception, memory impairment, and increased sensory perception.

Frequently asked questions about laced cannabis

What does bad weed look like?

Bad weed that’s been tampered with or has poor quality is usually off-color compared to the usual deep green shade of normal weed. You might also notice discolored spots or streaks outside of the weed strain’s commonly described appearance. You may also notice some white powdery spots that easily flake off, which shouldn’t be the case as trichomes are sticky to the touch.

What does it mean to lace a vape?

Lacing a vape involves mixing substances that aren’t originally intended to be inhaled through the device, like illegal drugs, into vape oil. This can cause harmful effects and health risks, especially if users are unaware of the tampering.