In my years as a pothead (and casual drug user), there have been only a handful of moments where I have smoked laced weed without knowing it was laced. The majority of drug dealers won't add anything to cannabis, simply because it tends to cost more to do so—and because it's very bad business to sell laced cannabis to people who want the pure stuff.

The legalization of cannabis has sparked a brand new, booming industry. Startups in "legal states" are now becoming increasingly common, and among them are some seriously impressive innovators. The following companies currently rank among the best new cannabis startups to watch for this year—and we can't help but be impressed by their ingenuity.

There are many reasons why weed is so popular in America. To start, weed is used for medical reasons. It treats insomnia, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and more. In addition, weed is a big problem solver when it comes to cancer treatment. Weed can be used to set aside the pain that comes from Chemotherapy. In fact, some patients have said that without weed, they wouldn’t have survived their cancer. Getting high causes most people to feel pleasure and feel a certain sense of ease. With all the advancements in medicine, weed will only play a bigger role in the future of our country.

With only 50 years of history, growing stabilised indoor cannabis strains is a fairly new innovation. But that half a century of hydroponic horticulture is brimming with a rich heritage of stories and ancestry. From Afghanistan to Colombia, Thailand to Russia, intent humans have bred some of the most astounding cannabis plants and we are now tooting the fruit of their victories. For that is all marijuana is, a fruit. The humble plant has fed the brains of our kith and kin for centuries but now we are entering a new potent world of weed.

Most potheads remember the first bong they ever had or smoked from. It's often a bong that one of their friends managed to buy from a head shop without their parents noticing. It may have been a hand-me-down from an older brother, or maybe just a "communal bong" that everyone in the frathouse used.

If there's one huge debate that always seems to get stoners going, it's the sativa vs. indica argument. At first glance, you'd expect it all to be the same. After all, most non-smokers would just assume that pot is pot.

I remember when I first heard the term "ruderalis" mentioned among my circle of friends. It was during a smoke session with my then-boyfriend, his DJ setup crew, and a couple of exotic dancers who were working the club that night.

At 34 years old, Jared Mirsky has built an empire all his own – one that most people would never have believed could exist 20 years ago – primarily because his clients wouldn't have been able to legally sell their products in the United States.

Recently, West Virginia legalized cannabis - marking one of the very first red states to actually change cannabis' legal status from illegal to decriminalized. (More technically, it's now allowed for medical reasons only.)

When most people think about cannabis culture, it's not a good look. They see teenagers who pretend to smoke it so that they look "edgy," stoners who are more into getting high than anything else, and people who are obsessed with high CBD percentages - even though they don't need the weed.

Newspaper headlines recently pointed out that the support for marijuana legalization has never been higher. As of now, 58 percent of all Americans believe that marijuana should be legalized. To give you an idea of what a big change that is, it's worth saying that in 1969, 84 percent of Americans believed marijuana should stay illegal.

Cannabis culture has an amazing way of finding new ways to upgrade your smoking experience, show off your cannaseur status, and just flaunt your personal style. Whether it's a nice grinder or a brand new smoke set, inventive potheads always can find ways to make smoking even better.