Ok, I never get into these my hood things no matter what the subject, but this is just too obvious and too one sided for me not to chime in on.
Nor Cal and Bay Area dominate the world, at least for the last ten years or so. Though to be fair some great talent has spread out to LA and oregon just because of the saturation level that exists. No insult to BC but they are primarily high grade factory farm operations now, with the emphasis on quantity. And the Dutch haven't been a real factor in a long time.
It's not the clubs/medical, though I have to admit the clubs have done a lot in terms of raising grower's income (of which a decent amount has gone back into their operations) and giving them at least a partial stable market that has let many concentrate on quality and strains.
But honestly, the thing most folks talk to me about away from the pacific is the mythical "medical grade" which is really nothing more than a club marketing gimmick. These super premium strains existed in california before prop 215, and honestly most of the clubs are less picky than your friendly neighborhood independant.
Selection is obviously a big plus, but it's the family and attention to detail and quality that makes so much of california special. _the_ premium cuts and clones of many big name strains - you may think you can just buy a seed mail order and duplicate it, but they usually don't hold a candle to the exact genetics that are norcal's jewels,, if it's even the same strain at all. Impeccably trimmed and manicured bud that's never been outside of glass between the curing room and you. Dealers that can tell you the ins and outs of every strain because the growers took the time to make sure they know. Growers that will mulch a whole cycle when it's not up to standards because they have a reputation.
Speaking of strains, there are a lot of genetics that just aren't the same outside of cali & oregon just because you're not only getting a name but plants from a mom that came from an exact cut - a specific plant sometimes decades ago that was hand picked as the best of the best. And a great community that supports it by making sure the right clones make it to the right people. And constant, premium innovation in strains - the best new hybrids are almost all coming out of norcal. Strains now are becoming too numerous to lis, maybe one of the only negatives as growers strive for differentiation when some of the classics still surpass. But chances are, outside of the "famous" la, ny, bc and dutch strains if you're smoking something that just melts - the breeding happened here these days.
Oh and as a consumer it's great too - the price of a solo zip has fallen like 33% in the last 5 years with no sacrifice in quality. And that was already a bill or perhaps a couple than the rest of the country is paying.
...so did i make my case?...
