Anyways, I'm asking because I unfortunately live in a state where it's still illegal.
Shortly after it became legal (speaking for WA only here), it felt like every manufacturer chased the highest THC first.
Many years after, we now have the other side gaining a large presence. All sorts of things from high thc to 50/50 blend thc/cbd to high cbd/almost no thc concentrates. I can confirm that it isn't just a marketing bs, tried one of those low thc/high cbd carts before, and it didnt give me the feeling of high almost at all, even after about 10 hits (normally, 1-2 hits of a typical thc cart is plenty enough for me to feel it strongly and be done).
Low thc stuff is getting very high presence/prevalence among users and in advertising as well, it isnt reserved for the backshelf as "oh yeah, if regular stuff is too strong for you, we got a shelf in the back just for lighter stuff." It is sold and presented (in marketing and among customers) equivalently to how beers are sold in terms of varying percentages. Some like 4-5% alcohol, some like 7-8%, others prefer imperial versions (typically 9-11%), etc, but there is no "this is the one type of beer for everyone, the rest is just weaker/stronger alternatives."
However, I've only noticed this type of a push for promotion and popularity gain of less-thc-strong oils at dispensaries start gaining momentum only since around 2019. However, that area has been growing heavily and feels larger than ever now, so I can only see it gaining more footing in the future.
Here is a hemp seller that sells strains that don't have enough THC to be classified as cannabis: https://holycityfarms.com/product-category/flower/
The only solution I have found is to buy gummies and cut them up into smaller doses. I’ve found a local company that does a hybrid (sativa/indica) gummy and I vastly prefer them to the unspecified gummies which tend to be stronger than I am looking for.
I’m tempted to get seeds for a low THC strain but I’m not such a connoisseur as to make that a priority.
It was very typical to see older folks and very light smokers to request the smaller dosages. They also seemed to trend towards vapes in the younger lighter smokers because the dosage can be fairly small.
They don't show up in dispensaries much, because why go through all the hassle to meet regulations on a product which doesn't have to meet those regulations, unless they're being sold at a dispensary?
Even before my state legalized, I hadn't run into anything besides high grade strains in years. I imagine it would be really hard to find low quality weed anywhere in the US at this point.
Depends on the state, even among those where weed is legal. WA has a pretty terrible duality - buying is very easy, and i like how that part was handled. Growing your own recreationally (i.e., not as a registered producer/manufacturer)? Not allowed at all, unless you are a medical user, and you are limited to only 4 plants.