There’s Yelp for restaurants and TripAdvisor for hotels. So it was only a matter of time before cannabis got its own user-generated database of reviews. 

Just in time for legalization this fall, Lift & Co., “Canada’s medical marijuana marketplace and community,” is launching Cannabis Concierge, an online platform to help consumers find strains and products that are right for them. 

Part of that means tapping into “the world’s largest review platform of federally legal cannabis products” – namely, the Toronto-based cannabis-tech company’s database of more than 1,000 cannabis strains and products and more than 60,000 user reviews.

For now, Cannabis Concierge is available as a tablet-based app for private and public retailers, and used to help train staff on product-specific information on the effects of weed strains.

Licensed producers are also able to read user reviews of their products, and Lift & Co. collects data on the popularity of products from demographic and geographic standpoints.

But once in the hands of consumers, the app will likely appeal to both novice users and seasoned potheads. For beginners, it provides a starting point for exploring the myriad uses for cannabis, and for veterans, it’s a way to dig deeper and try something new. Think of this as a “choose your own adventure,” but for weed. 

To get started, cannabis users are prompted to select from a range of desired effects. Wanna get relaxed, energetic or creative? They’re then asked to input a few more data points about themselves, including their age range and experience with cannabis. And presto, you get a personalized list of product suggestions. 

Let’s say you’re recommended to try Tweed’s Boaty McBoatface, Canna Farms’ Girl Scout Cookies or Emblem’s Sour Kush, tapping on any one of the strains provides more detailed information on the effects and their average duration. There are also suggestions on how to consume the product and what time of day its effects may be most enjoyable. 

For example, Lift & Co.’s review of Boaty McBoatface recommends vaping during daytime to relieve stress, anxiety, headaches and depression. Girl Scout Cookies, which helps with anxiety and insomnia, is best consumed in a joint at night.

But wait, there’s even more information available in these detailed reviews. After all, when you’re combing for a suitable hotel online, you want to know more than just its location and price. You want to click through traveller photos, ensure that there’s WiFi and read thorough descriptions of the hotel’s decor and ambience. 

Likewise, with Cannabis Concierge, there’s a breakdown of the product’s CBD and THC content (so you know just how high you’ll get), photos of nugs uploaded by reviewers and even tasting notes, which are the scents and flavours of different strains. Yes, for a lot of people, enjoyment of cannabis is following the route of wine, beer and coffee.