NUWU Sessions: Vegas Trees Moderators - On the Challenges of Moderating a Cannabis Forum, and a Mini NuWu Cup Challenge
Welcome to NuWu Sessions, where we invite guests to enjoy one of our top-shelf table packages in Las Vegas' first and only cannabis consumption lounge: The Vegas Tasting Room. In today's episode, we've invited three moderators from the popular Reddit thread r/VegasTrees to come by and get high. Join us as we discuss their cannabis backgrounds before having them test some of the most popular strains we have available in the Vegas Tasting Room.
What is Reddit & What are Moderators?
As cannabis grows from a highly criminalized substance across the U.S. into a widely discussed and consumed product, the platforms where people discuss these topics are also increasing. The popular online discussion forum Reddit, where people form communities or "subreddits" to share ideas, opinions, and knowledge, has become a hub for cannabis beginners and enthusiasts. Moderators are the creators of Reddit communities. They help their communities stay on topic while maintaining the rules and guidelines to keep engaging in a collaborative and respectful way.
What is r/Vegas Trees & who are the Moderators?
Today we meet with three moderators from the popular Reddit community, r/Vegas Trees. Vegas Trees is a local online community of cannabis lovers in Las Vegas. Their community discusses everything to do with cannabis, including the best prices, how to grow from home, and any special events happening in town. The moderators for Vegas Trees and our special guests for today are Jeff, Jake, & DJ Matt.
Jeff, known as Public Persuader on Reddit, created the Vegas Trees community over ten years ago and has been moderating the community with other moderators ever since. Jeff's focus is on open discussion and making sure that cannabis lovers know where the best deals in town are.
Matt, also known as DJMattL on Reddit, enjoys the growing Reddit community, where he gets the opportunity to make friends and impact their cannabis experience. Watching the community grow is the most rewarding part of his experience with Vegas Trees. Matt looks forward to meeting fellow Redditors in person.
Jake, known throughout Reddit and the cannabis industry as DoooobieSnax, started in cannabis back in California during Prop 215, also known as the "Compassionate Use Act." At the time, Jake grew cannabis for many people. Because of Prop 215, the cannabis community flourished and came together in California.
Jake's passion comes from seeing the Vegas cannabis community grow and being part of a community where you can affect what happens in the industry. Jake states that in the early days of cannabis, "you would get people's medical recommendations, and you would grow their medicine. They would come and get it from you, and that's how the legal system worked."
He also mentions using Vegas Trees as his Compass in the cannabis industry, stating,
Jake: I have to use Vegas Trees as my Compass to go out and even purchase flower because I've been burned so many times with flower. I've gotten home and said, "Oh, dude, I'm not smoking this; there's no way. This is absolute garbage, like smoking grass on the ground."
What is California's Proposition 215?
Some of you may be wondering what California's Proposition 215 is. Proposition 215, or the "Compassionate Use Act of 1996," was a citizen-initiated ballot proposed in 1996. The Proposition "exempted patients and defined caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana for medical treatment recommended by a physician from criminal laws which otherwise prohibit possession or cultivation of marijuana."
In other words, Proposition 215 absolved those who need to grow cannabis for medical purposes from suffering any criminal charges. Proposition 215 was the landmark legislation that marked the decline of "The War on Drugs" and what allowed other states to follow along and pass similar regulations decriminalizing cannabis growing and consumption.
Thanks to changing legislature across the states, the cannabis community in Las Vegas has grown immensely, and customers now have a more comprehensive selection of products than ever before. The Vegas Trees Moderators frequently discuss their favorite products, consumption methods, and more online. Here are a few of their favorite types of cannabis products and the best things to do while stoned.
Q& A Section: Getting to know the Moderators
So my first question is, what is your preferred method of consumption? Let's start here with you, Jeff.
Jeff: Mine will probably be an electronic vaporizer, a Dr.Dabber Switch Unit.
Host: Nice, good choice.
Jake: Man, I'm old school; it's got to be all Boro. It's glass all the way up with the fat propane torch.
Matt: I'm a flower guy. I prefer water pipes.
My second question for you guys is which do you lean more towards, Indica, Sativa, or Hybrids?
Jeff: I'm going to go with the Hybrid leaning Indica. I like something that just lets me focus and clears my mind without too much anxiety.
Jake: I'm gonna mirror that; I got arthritis when I was really young, so the Myrcene and stuff like that tends to help; I also don't like a racing mind. I already have ADHD.
Matt: See, I'm actually the opposite, I preferred the pinene and all the uppers, so any Sativas, anything that gives you a good focus, good daytime high, is the stuff I usually tend to gravitate towards.
Host: Good choices, productive smoker, right?
Matt: Absolutely
And what is your favorite activity to do while stoned?
Jeff: Gosh, mine will have to either go with photo editing or just video games. I don't do much of either, but when I do get a chance to, it will be either of those two, and I will be stoned.
Jake: I'll be honest with you, man, discussion. When I get stoned, I like to talk.
Host: There we go. This is why we started this podcast!
Matt: I usually like to go through my music, organize stuff, so like anybody typically would just get stoned and listen to music, I'd fall in that category. It just falls into my profession, being a DJ where I have to do those things, so it works out being that effective daytime stoner and productive.
Lastly, what is the purpose of Vegas Trees?
Jake: I think Vegas Trees has done a good job guiding people towards those budget brands that are still worth it at that price point. So being able to help people find good smoke at a good price has been one of the main priorities of Vegas Trees. I think it's probably the main priority, and beyond that knowledge. I mean, it's Reddit, but there's a lot of knowledge there. We have a lot of industry professionals that come in and drop knowledge.
Host: Fantastic, now let's go ahead and dive into the NuWu Cup!
Introduction to the NuWu Cup Contest
From criminalized and heavily regulated to becoming essential businesses in a few years, dispensaries have grown into the new hub where people seek medicinal help and new entertainment outlets. At NuWu, we suggest to our customers what products may help with their medical concerns. We also provide entertainment through interactive experiences like the NuWu Cup.
The NuWu Cup is an opportunity for Vendors and cannabis lovers to connect and share their passion for the variety of cannabis products in the market. The NuWu Cup is an immersive experience where contenders get to try different cannabis products and rate the products based on Smell, Taste & Effects. Judges can try a vast selection of products and choose which product is the best in a particular category.
The Vegas Trees Moderators are familiar with the NuWu Cup since they were judges in December of 2021. The Moderators posted about their NuWu Cup experience on the Vegas Trees Reddit page, and community members flooded the comments section. "I mean, it's true discussion," says Jake. "It's not like any other social media platforms; people really drop what they feel on there, especially for the NuWu Cup. Some people were harsh, but overall, they come out with what they feel, and the reception was really good."
Now, without further ado, let's go on to the MINI NUWU CUP CONTEST!
Below are the highlights of each product's key features and the review it received by the Vegas Trees Moderators. Don't forget to watch NuWu Sessions on YouTube to listen to the Moderators go over their favorite ways to smoke, past experiences with different brands, and more!
Mystery Flower Strain 01
Smell: Earthy with some sweet tones
Texture: Very balanced texture, not too soft or moist but not bone dry.
Taste: Light sweet taste
Effect: Light head buzz, very calming effect, and great for focus
Review: The first Mystery Flower strain had a hint of sweetness to the smell but was mainly earthy. It was a smooth hit, with no coughing.
Mystery Flower Strain 02
Smell: Diesel smell, gassy strain
Texture: A little dry and crumbly to the touch, seems to have high trichomes
Taste: Spicy and hits the back of the throat. A harsher hit than the first flower.
Effect: Complete body high, very relaxing. The flower may have Myrcene and caryophyllene.
Review: This was a relaxing body high. It hit harder than the first flower. This product would be a tremendous nighttime high that relaxes you completely.
Mystery Flower Strain 03
Smell: It has a strong, pungent aroma, like the "stinky diaper" smell from what you would smoke in high school.
Texture: This flower had the best appearance, with plenty of trichomes.
Taste: Strong cough and great diesel flavor.
Effect: Heavy high, and immediate physical effect.
Review: Number 3 is one of the strongest. It makes you want to keep smoking it because of its rich flavor.
THE WINNER & STRAIN REVEAL
All 3 strains were unique and flavorful, but the Vegas Trees Moderators unanimously chose Mystery Strain 03 as the WINNER!
Now let's dig a little deeper and find out what these Mystery Strains are:
Mystery Strain 01 is Nepalese Kush by Matrix -
THC: 21.97%
Terpenes:
B-Caryophyllene: 5.55 mg/g
B-Myrcene: 8.05mg/g
Limonene: 3.65mg/g
Mystery Strain 02 is Katana OG by Fleur -
THC: 24.30%
Terpenes:
A-Pinene: 7.46mg/g
B-Pinene: 3.35mg/g
Limonene: 4.26mg/g
Mystery Strain 03 is Duct Tape by MPX -
THC: 23.93%
Terpenes:
B-Caryophyllene: 15.80mg/g
B-Myrcene: 8.17mg/g
Limonene: 7.91mg/g
After the Strain Reveal, Jake mentioned, "And that [the NuWu Cup Contest] is truly blind," which is the most significant part of the NuWu Cup Contest. It is meant to help recognize great brands because of their work in making top-quality products consistently. You'll be hearing more about this annual contest in the upcoming months!
Conclusion
The Vegas Trees Moderators concluded this episode by discussing what they like most about Vegas Trees. Here's what Jeff, Jake & Matt had to say;
Matt: The community, just having people collectively become a part of a big community and making friends, and being able to talk about the same things is what I enjoy most.
Jake: Las Vegas is notoriously known for not being warm to outsiders; I know a lot of people move here and never make a friend in all the time that they've lived here except for co-workers. Vegas Trees has facilitated a lot of relationships, and they're built around community. I love the discussions, and to be honest with you, it's created a lot of lifelong relationships.
Jeff: It really has, and I'll third that. Community over the top has been phenomenal through the pop-ups we've had and the future ones [pop-up events]. It's just meeting the people. Meeting the community that we're in touch with has just been phenomenal. Just to hear stories from people about how they're "an introvert, so let's go out, and this is the community that I want to be a part of, and let's have some fun for the afternoon." And that's what gets me out of the house, so community, spreading the love, spreading the joy that I appreciate, and allowing others to have some fun with us.
There you have it; thank you for joining us for another update of NuWu Sessions here in the Vegas Tasting Room! If you're curious about any of these strains, just click on their names above to view more recommendations of great flower you could try today!
This was another glimpse into the different personalities and strains that come through our Vegas Tasting Room here at NuWu Cannabis Marketplace. We'll see you back here soon at the next NuWu Session, and make sure to show the Vegas Trees Moderators some love on their Reddit page!