Cannabis product rating platform Budist is launching with a selection of California cannabis products, with additional markets to be added in coming months.

The platform centralizes and shares product reviews from cannabis experts and mainstream consumers with a 100-point rating scale. Designed to catalyze product premiumization while uplifting the cannabis community, Budist stokes a culture of connoisseurship, blending industry insider knowledge with appreciation of cannabis in its many modern forms.

“The entire cannabis community — consumers and businesses alike — greatly benefit when multiple points of view are celebrated and everyone has the opportunity to share their unique voice and experience,” said Jocelyn Sheltraw, co-founder and CEO. “We’ve brought together a team of expert ‘Budists’ — including certified ganjiers, cannabis cup judges, journalists and connoisseurs — who all have an incredible breadth of knowledge to contribute. We empower consumers to learn from them and share their own experiences, giving brands valuable insight into consumer preferences.”

Led by Sheltraw and Claudio Miranda, Budist allows consumers to learn from cannabis experts, discover products and share recommendations in a safe and transparent environment. It operates with a dual rating system akin to entertainment and film sites where reviews by professional critics and the general public are aggregated and shared.

Reviews of established brands within the California market are presented in long-form, while detailed biographies of expert Budists are showcased on the app. This transparency aims to circumvent the anonymity that drives trolling on other platforms and foster a sense of community.