Written by Joshua Sosin

If you've spent any amount of time shopping for cannabis flower, you've probably encountered the term "shake weed" at some point.

This type of weed is polarizing among stoners. Some swear by it as a budget-friendly way to get high, but others say it's inferior to regular buds.

What is shake weed, and what's the real verdict on it? Let's take a look.

Table of Contents

• Shake Weed Explained

• Shake vs. Trim

• Pros and Cons of Shake Weed

• Is Shake Weed Worth It?

• How To Buy High-Quality Weed Online

• FAQs

Shake Weed Explained

"Shake" is a cannabis industry term for the small pieces of cannabis flower that break off of larger buds during the harvesting, handling, packing, and storage process for the cannabis plant.

In general, shake weed is considered a byproduct of cannabis rather than a product in and of itself. Because of this, it's not something we offer in the Mood Shop. Instead, we offer high-quality cannabis products sourced from USA-based farms.

Shake vs. Trim: What's the Difference?

Shake weed is often confused with trim, another term that cannabis enthusiasts often use. Here's the main difference between the two:

Shake comes from fully developed cannabis buds that break apart on their own, but trim consists of the leaves, stems, and other plant material that get removed during cannabis plant processing.

With this in mind, it's safe to say that shake is much more valuable (and better for smoking) than trim. Trim is generally discarded before weed reaches dispensaries.

If you're open to buying cost-effective (but lower-quality) cannabis products, make sure you still skip trim. In general, any source trying to weed shake might have a questionable reputation, but any shop selling trim is definitely not worth visiting.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Shake Weed?

Cannabis consumers are split down the middle in terms of opinions on cannabis shake. Here are the pros and cons of smoking shake that are worth considering before you try it.

Purchasing Shake Weed: The Pros

The biggest upside of choosing shake weed from different strains is its affordability. Since shake is technically a cannabis byproduct, it's often sold for much cheaper than whole buds.

Shake is also convenient. Since it's already broken down into smaller buds, it's easy to use for rolling joints or packing a bowl. In general, shake products don't really need to be ground before use.

As an added bonus, shake weed can be very potent if it comes from a high-quality strain. For this reason, many dispensaries use shake from cannabis flower in pre-rolls.

Finally, some cannabis enthusiasts buy shake weed for making edibles. However, this option is ultimately a matter of personal preference; if you prefer higher-quality cannabutter or canna-oil, you may want to use higher-quality whole buds for your DIY edibles.

Purchasing Shake Weed: The Cons

Overall, we're not big fans of buying shake weed. There are several cons to keep in mind:

First, shake is often a mix of small pieces of cannabis flower from several strains mixed together. This means the quality can vary widely. Mixing various strains is never something we recommend, even if you're combining premium flower.

In addition, shake weed often has lower terpene content compared to whole flower. This is because this cannabis byproduct is often exposed to air, heat, and sunlight, which can degrade the terpenes and make the buds less potent and flavorful.

The biggest downside of buying shake, though, is the possibility of finding stems and leaves in it. This is a big issue that can seriously affect the quality of your hits. Depending on where you find shake, you might end up rolling tiny pieces of trim into your joints, which can make them less potent and flavorful.

Is Shake Weed Worth It?

As you can tell, we don't really recommend buying shake weed, even though it is an affordable option for folks who smoke on a budget.

Shake typically is more inconsistent and less flavorful than regular flower, which can stop you from enjoying cannabis to the fullest. This is more than enough of a reason to stick with premium flower from a reliable source on the cannabis market. Even the best shake can't compare.

How To Find High-Quality Weed Online

If you've decided, after comparing shake and flower, that you want to go with higher-quality buds, we're here to help you find what you need.

The Mood Shop is a great alternative to your local dispensary. Our selection features many different strains with unique characteristics that lend themselves to distinct moods. Whether you want to feel happy, sleepy, inspired, aroused, or otherwise, we have a strain that was carefully cultivated for just that purpose.

Head to the Mood Shop to browse our full selection of premium cannabis flower. Use the code "FIRST20" to save 20% on your order.

FAQs About Cannabis Shake

Q: Is shake legal?

A: Buying shake is legal in the US in some cases. It depends on whether the shake comes from hemp plants. Federal regulations classify hemp as any cannabis plant that contains no more than Delta-9 THC by dry weight. Any shake above this threshold is considered marijuana shake, which is illegal.

Q: Is shake cheap weed?

A: You can often get shake for a low price, which is why some stoners see it as an attractive option. However, there's a cost that comes with the savings; you may not have as enjoyable or potent of a high.

Q: Does Mood sell shake weed?

A: We don't offer any shake weed in the Mood Shop because of our commitment to selling only the highest-quality cannabis-infused products.