This is something I wonder myself. As I have said many times, back in those days, we used to get bags of shake at times, I have even had sucker leaves at times when things got really dry. So when average smoke was pretty much brown mexican bud and all of a sudden you would get fresh, American grown that was actually trimmed and manicured, even if it were just average smoke today, it would knock your socks off back then. So as far as the buzz part goes, I can give credit to it being overhyped. As far as the smell of skunk goes, there is absolutely nothing like it that I have seen today. It was absolutely 100% unmistakable and anyone who regularly smoked pot during the late 70s- mid 90s knew exactly what skunk was.
I don't buy that for a dollar!!
We used to get ounces of that stuff! Spent all I had when that came around. And it would be tasty and potent through the whole ounce or more.
Today to smoke one kind in an ounce form, and it taste excellent and be just as potent all the way. Not that easy to find.
Only thing that used to affect the potency and affects for me, was when I would smoke outside, and the temperature was 100 degrees and super high humidity.
Then it would make me a little grouchy.
But when I quit for a month nowadays and start smoking again, i can get that affect, but after a day it goes back to regular.
That and other older varieties had some serious punch, and much longer legs!!