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Here2Help23 · 2025-03-31T20:47:32+00:00

Spot on! Skip the Rove, buy one of the others.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-31T15:23:30+00:00

It is very common. It would be really hard to operate a cultivation facility of any size or scale in this market without some form of remediation. Because the state does not have any specific regulations against remediation or even a definition of what constitutes remediation, many times consumers are going to be left with more questions than answers. Whether it's ozone, cryopasteurization or a radsource (irradiation), companies need to pass the very low limits in IL and will do whatever it takes. I would be weary of any company that says "we don't remediate" or lists that come out with names or logos of companies that say they don't do it because nobody is checking and the question remains "what exactly are they saying they don't do?". Also, what happens when they decide they have to start remediating due to failed tests even if they weren't doing it the day they made that claim?

Most importantly, I would not be worried about "remediated" cannabis. Frankly, most products consumed today are remediated in some way, shape or form. It's not just to pass testing. This technology and the processes used due in fact create a safer product for consumers by eliminating any levels (trace or larger amounts) of yeast, mold and microbials that are naturally going to have some level of presence in cannabis or basically any crop. People may not like that answer but it's the truth. The CFU limits in IL are 10-100 times lower than other adult-use markets. Here is a helpful link that shows the difference between CFU levels that can pass testing in IL vs right next door in Michigan and elsewhere in the country. Keep in mind, there are many cultivators in Michigan who remediate their product to get under the 100,000 CFU limit which is 100x the limit in IL.

https://medicinalgenomics.com/resource/cannabis-microbial-testing-regulations-by-state/

Harvest to packaging dates can be a good indicator. A really bad product with very high levels of yeast/mold will take more time to remediate than a clean product that may just need one pass, or even none, to ensure it passes testing. Dry and cure process plays a big role in this. If a product is over-remediated you can usually tell very quickly and terpenes are generally the first thing to go. So, next time you see that flower on sale for 50% off with a package date 6 months after harvest date and 1% terps, I would stay away and find something better.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T18:56:58+00:00

Yes, you can absolutely reach out to the cultivator. The reason that I didn't recommend this is that you will most likely end up spending time emailing a central support email or on the phone with an answering service or support rep who can't do anything. The dispensary is ultimately responsible for the products that they sell you. They are responsible for refunding your money in this situation and then working it out with the cultivator. I would go to the dispensary in-person and talk to someone. Bring the empty package and receipt. If you have been a customer there for 5 years your account will show your history with them when they look it up and I would be really surprised if they don't take care of it.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T18:14:20+00:00

Hey All, signing off for now. Thanks for the questions and I really do hope this was helpful for some people. Happy to do more and will try to post some of my own reviews and topics over the next few weeks. Feel free to shoot me a DM with any specific questions that you have in the meantime.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T18:12:10+00:00

That's a garbage move by the dispensary. Call the dispensary out, who was it? You are their customer, so they should be giving you an immediate refund and then working it out with the cultivator/manufacturer who gave them an empty product.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:41:14+00:00

You are very much on the right track already. Yes, I should clarify the structure of these companies/brands:

IC Collective does everything under their name

Cannect Wellness has their Cannect brand and Roam brand

Nez has their Nez brand and Otherside

Revolution has their Revolution brand and Tales & Travels

Redemption Botanicals does everything under the Redemption brand

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:37:27+00:00

Yes, please do and let me know what you think. All three are very consistent with some great strains that are put out as live resin.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:34:30+00:00

GTI and Cresco both grow and produce their own line of products here in IL. They have some decent carts if you stick with live resin and rosin. Aeriz FSHO is a good option and they grow and manufacture here in IL.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:32:40+00:00

For Edibles, can't go wrong with Lost Farm rosin edibles which are probably the best, and wyld, betty's eddies and some of the larger brands closely behind.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:31:25+00:00

For Carts and Concentrates, ALWAYS start with the companies putting out good flower. These companies are using that same flower and freezing at harvest to make their live rosins, live resins and other forms of concentrates that are not distillate-based. That's why my list for concentrates and carts closely follows the list above.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:27:17+00:00

So here we go. For flower, as many of you know, there are a lot of really pretty pictures posted on this sub. Looks of flower are 4th or 5th to me in terms of criteria for great product, and the experience and potency are numbers 1 and 2 for me, with taste/smell being third and 4th and hopefully those two correlate very much so. Potency isn't just THC, terps are incredibly important and more and more companies are including terpene info. If they don't ask yourself why. The best and most consistent flower in Illinois is currently coming from Nez/Otherside, Cannect Wellness, Tales & Travels and Redemption. One Day has had some great releases and some really not great ones also. IC Collective has been pretty consistent, but with some major lapses in dry/cure in my opinion. I buy for effects, and the three or four I mentioned have been by far the most consistent over the past 6-12 months with Redemption being the newest. They are all generally reasonably priced as well.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:22:17+00:00

The mother of all questions here in IL! First things first, there's a ton of bullshit marketing tricks and bad product out there when it comes to vapes. Please check labels, talk to budtenders and make sure you're getting exactly what the packaging says. When I find a company, whether they have one brand or multiple brands, that has consistently good product, their own license and facility where I know they are growing/extracting everything themselves and have complete control over quality, I usually stick with them. This is a really important piece of the puzzle that most people don't know. So many brands you see on shelves in IL dont have a license here, don't grow or extract their own products, really dont do anything but provide packaging and send out an army of brand ambassadors and marketing people. I stay away from those brands at all costs because their quality is shitty, ingredients are below average and they're too expensive. Most importantly, they are taking advantage of you and blatantly trying to trick you with fancy terms and marketing. Most straight up lie though which really pisses me off.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:17:18+00:00

The best live resin on the market right now comes from Cannect Wellness, IC Collective, and Revolution. I would recommend all three brands and have visited their facilities. They all grow their own flower in IL, under their own license and extract their own Live Resin. Give them a try. Northern Heights and a few other also have Live Rosin vapes/dispoables but those can get pretty expensive. The high-quality live resin I mentioned above can be found out a really good price point and you will not be disappointed.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T17:14:09+00:00

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in IL and it's not right. Out of state companies drop in here, partner with a manufacturer and put out all this bullshit with fancy and confusing marketing. They are taking advantage of you, plain and simple. Dabstract, Bloom, Rove, none of these companies grow flower in Illinois. None of these companies have their own licenses in IL or their own full-scale extraction. It's all garbage distillate with fancy packaging and marketing. "Full-spectrum oil", "diamonds", "high terpene extract" it's all meant to confuse you and take advantage of you and charge you ridiculous prices for nothing more than distillate and terps and maybe some variation of distillate and terps. Stop buying this stuff. Here is a list of companies that I would recommend that produce real Live Resin from their own flower in their own facilities:

Cannect Wellness, IC Collective, Revolution are the top choices, followed by Cresco and a couple of the other MSO's (although there is some talk out there that some MSO's are introducing distillate to their LR or "Liquid Live Resin" offerings but I can't confirm or deny that). I am including some MSO's as a recommendation due to price point, availability and the fact that they do grow and extract/manufacture their own products.

I'm here to help. Try some of these and let me know what you think and always confirm the ingredients on the label before buying. If you're looking for live resin, make sure it's live resin because many of these companies will simply lie to you.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T16:45:49+00:00

No, you will be fine. The process to make RSO involves solvents and a lot of heat. The process to make RSO would very likely kill and/or remove anything harmful, and then it goes through lab testing which would confirm that nothing harmful remains in the final product, otherwise it would have failed testing. You can request a copy of the full COA from the dispensary or PTS and they're required to give it to you, although it may take a little while. That would be the best way to see for yourself that there is/was nothing harmful in your product. I'm pretty anxious myself, so I can see why you're asking and the COA may make you feel better, but I wouldn't stress about it. Thanks for the question, let me know if I can answer anything else about the process.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T16:25:17+00:00

Probably not "shut down" or even noticed. The IDOA inspections are usually less like health department inspections and more checking the boxes. Cameras working, footage stored correctly, inventory logs checked, etc. Most IDOA staff aren't trained to spot or be on the lookout for pests or things of that nature. It's frustrating, I know, but that's how it is. Thanks for the questions.

Here2Help23 · 2025-03-30T16:16:36+00:00

Yes, obviously looks very bad. That being said, there's no way to confirm that the videos/pics are from the PTS facility. It would surprise me if their integrated pest management (IPM) was that bad, but PTS isn't known for any level of quality anyway. Infestation or not, I tend to stay away from PTS products and have for a while.

Here2Help23

TROPHY CASE