The Role of the Cannabis Critic
Every established industry has critics - knowledgeable people who have spent years cultivating their knowledge and palate, giving brands feedback and consumers direction amid a sea of similar products. Consider craft beer, spirits, coffee beans, tea or wine. Even cheese production has critics to guide selection based on occasion and pairings—called a turophile, if you’re curious!
Critics help elevate the conversation, establishing quality standards and carefully delineating the universe of connoisseurship in their area of expertise. As the cannabis industry continues to develop and legalization spreads throughout the United States, and around the world, cannabis critics are essential to help the industry evolve and mature.
The role of the cannabis critic is an important one, providing value to cannabis consumers, brands and retailers, because they:
- Establish quality standards;
- Bridge the information gap between producers and consumers;
- Foster product appreciation and connoisseurship;
- Help consumers make confident and informed purchasing decisions.
We built Budist to serve as a home for a new generation of cannabis critics, giving them a platform to share their knowledge and passion with the world.
Our Selection Process
While the Budist community is open to any and all plant lovers, becoming a professional critic takes more than just enjoying cannabis.
Many people enjoy wine, but few spend the time and effort to become a sommelier, a true connoisseur and expert of wine. Those who dedicate themselves to this profession develop a deeper and more nuanced appreciation, honing their knowledge and palate to discern the unique qualities that make up each varietal.
Budist is creating a platform and community that fosters this professional pathway for cannabis enthusiasts — people who have spent years developing a deep understanding of, and appreciation for, the cannabis plant. There is no one certification that qualifies a Budist: it’s about the cumulative time spent researching, educating, and most importantly, consuming cannabis with heightened appreciation and attention to detail.
Our Budists come from a range of cannabis backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common - they have spent years getting to know the cannabis plant, on a personal and professional level. Qualifications for Budists include a background or certification in one or more of these areas:
- Certified Ganjiers
- Cannabis Cup Judges
- Cannabis Journalists
- Seasoned Connoisseurs
- Cannabis Researchers
- Cannabis Sommeliers
- Cannabis Chefs
- Cannabis Mixologists
- Cannabis Educators
As dedicated and knowledgeable as these cannabis lovers are, you don’t have to be an official Budist to share your reviews and experiences on the Budist app. Our community is open to everyone who is willing to share their cannabis preferences, insights and experiences in a respectful and honest way. Every seasoned cannabis critic began as a weed lover who’s excited to share their personal passion and love of the plant.
Why Diversity Matters
Cannabis is a diverse plant: in its method of expression, how it can be cultivated, the many ways of consumption, and the demographics to which it appeals. There is no proper judgment of quality in cannabis without considering all factions of this diversity.
This is why Budist kept diversity at the forefront of our search for cannabis critics. It is not enough to consider one perspective, consumption method, or use case—like dabbing solventless concentrates. Our commitment to diversity is rooted in the plant itself and the countless ways it expresses its potential.
With this in mind, we selected a diverse group of critics to accurately reflect the diversity in:
1. Cannabis products and categories
Cannabis flower is judged on a certain set of criteria, cannabis concentrates on another, and still topicals on another. What makes all products high-quality is starting with the best cannabis flower - but with processing comes a shift in judging criteria. For instance, it’s one thing to judge a topical on its texture, but that wouldn’t make sense for flower. Knowing the differences between these categories, and how the assessment criteria varies for each, is critical.
2. Cannabis consumption methods
There are so many ways to enjoy cannabis: joints, dry bowls, water pipes, dab rigs, vape carts, edibles, beverages, tinctures and topicals are some of the most common ways, but certainly not the only ways to enjoy this magical plant. To focus on only one of these methods is to miss the beautifully diverse ways cannabis comes to us and can be enjoyed, depending on your needs and preferences. By considering all these consumption methods, we can create thoughtful quality standards and forms of appreciation across every category.
3. Cannabis consumer segments
Contrary to what popular media may show, cannabis consumers run a gamut of diverse demographics, spanning generation and gender lines as well as race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Cannabis has applications and benefits for almost everyone — nature is not exclusionary in who can gain value from this plant. To truly move the cannabis conversation forward, we must include the perspectives of everyone who enjoys her gifts. Everyone’s endocannabinoid system is unique, but there are patterns and commonalities that can be found when we look at a wide enough consumer base.
4. Cannabis use cases - recreational, medicinal, and spiritual
Cannabis’ long, intertwined history with human development means there are a plethora of reasons someone may come to this plant - medical healing and traditional spiritual use are just as important to consider as recreational enjoyment. The role of the critic is to thoughtfully evaluate and understand each of these use cases, identifying the products that best satisfy them.
To serve the needs of the cannabis-consuming public, Budist has created a space for diverse people to get together and have discussions about the diverse ways in which cannabis reveals itself. It is on this basis that we will be able to most effectively and reliably guide consumers as they seek to find the best products for their needs.
Creating a Unified Standard that Celebrates Diversity
Diversity in perspective, preferences and opinions is a good thing. But ambiguity and arbitrariness in criteria for assessing cannabis products is not. In order to reliably and consistently assess cannabis products based on agreed upon standards, everyone needs to be on the same page as to what constitutes a high-quality product and what does not.
The best reviews are done from a consistent, unified standard that every critic uses: this ensures fairness in judging criteria from product to product, and that all products are held to the same standards. This is where Budist’s 100-point rating system comes into play. Our Budists take their diverse background and perspective and apply the same assessment standards, methods and criteria. A certified Ganjier and a cannabis researcher smoking the same blunt must grade it on the same scale.
Having an open and transparent grading criteria with clear standards for each category makes it easy for you to begin to assess your cannabis products by this scale too.
Democratizing cannabis reviews means opening the door for everyone, but using a unified standard and assessment criteria. This allows our community to share thoughtful and respectful feedback with brands seeking to improve their product quality, encouraging them to listen to the feedback of their customers.
Budist is leading the process of establishing unified cannabis standards and creating a community that respects and practices them. Our focus on diversity across all aspects of cannabis products and critics is just one way we’re pushing to elevate the conversation and foster product appreciation. Unified standards are a vital part of creating a culture of connoisseurship: one that allows for the true expression of the plant to shine and for every cannabis lover to have a voice in the conversation.
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At Budist, we believe that cannabis deserves the same level of thoughtful critique, appreciation, and celebration as any other craft. By building a diverse community of knowledgeable critics and establishing clear, unified standards, we’re creating a space where everyone—from curious newcomers to seasoned connoisseurs—can explore the plant with confidence, curiosity, and respect.