i beg to differ, but it does depend on the type of plant. some will naturally grow branches and others are more resistant, so it can increse the yield. also, topping is better outdoors than indoors because the sum light will reach the bottom of the plant much better than HID lights. i easly get colas 10-15" long on plants topped several times. indoor, however, the buds do get quite smaller when topped, but most states punish growers for the amount of plants rather than the amount of weight, so a few plants topped could fill the same amount of space as many more plants grown S.O.G method, thus giving the grower less jail time in the worst case situation. moreover, larger buds are more susceptible to mold, and are usually cut into smaller buds to cure any way.