Summer is right around the corner, and for all of our friends who like to dabble with cannabis as they soak up the sun, being equipped with the ideal equipment for a stellar, stoney summer day is essential. The industry is ever-evolving, with more available than ever before to give a solid buzz as we all burst out of our spring cocoons.
We rounded up some of the latest trends in cannabis products to help you narrow down your dispensary shopping list heading into this summer.
Vaporizers
Vaporizers come in abundant shapes and sizes and have evolved dramatically since they first creeped onto dispensary shelves. They are a great, discreet option, but to fully understand what is available, let’s break things down a little:
If you are just looking for something quick and casual to snag at the store and puff on as you go about your day, a disposable pen is right up your alley. There are usually a number of milligram options available for disposables, starting at 250mg to 300mg and sometimes going as high as a gram of concentrate. Anymore, designs usually range from an e-cigarette style to more compact designs, some only an inch or two long.
Anyone already accustomed to using vape pens knows about cartridges. Buying a cartridge and a battery is overall a more cost-effective solution for folks who want to reuse their pen and vape consistently. As with disposable pens, you can get cartridges in a variety of sizes; just ensure that you know what battery you need to fit with whatever cartridge you buy—some are more universal; some are more brand-specific.
You can also find most disposables and cartridges with specific strains (or at least point to indica, sativa or hybrid) to hone in on the type of high you want.
Not enough? Consider a vaporizer that can also vaporize concentrate or flower. Bear in mind that these are often more expensive, but for folks who like to dabble with a variety of options, it might be worth it in the long run.
Edibles
Just like vaporizers, edibles have changed and evolved abundantly over the years. No matter what type of cannabis consumer you are, there is likely an edible for you.
To start, edible highs no longer have to be synonymous with being glued to the couch or caught in a canna-coma. Many brands are now introducing high-cannabidiol (CBD) options, with different ratios to control how little or much tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) you will receive with each dose. Typically, a little THC helps to bring out the CBD in a product, but many dispensaries will have edible options with ratios ranging anywhere from 2:1 CBD:THC to 10:1 CBD:THC, to perfectly plan and dose your experience.
On top of that, companies are also paying better attention to the tolerance of a variety of cannabis consumers and what folks hope to get out of an edible experience. While the standard dose starts at 10mg, you will be hard-pressed to step into a shop that doesn’t have options starting at 5mg, some products even beginning with 2.5mg servings.
If you haven’t dabbled in edibles for a while, we recommend leaning toward anything distillate-infused or using full-spectrum THC oil, because those options typically have less of a hashy taste than edibles made with flower and usually the high is a little more consistent each time you use the product. Ask your budtender what distillate-infused or full-spectrum oil edibles they might recommend.
If you are looking to get a little buzz in a little time, might we recommend a drink edible, or tincture? These products metabolize differently than an edible you would eat and will hit your system faster. Sometimes, this can also be good for people who aren’t exactly sure how much they want or need—you can take a half or full dose, and rather than waiting a full two-to-four hours to observe the effects and decide whether or not you want more, the wait is typically more like 20 to 40 minutes.
As with vaporizers, many edible companies are now offering their selections as strain specific (or an indication of sativa, indica or hybrid). If you aren’t into smoking or vaping but still want to have a good time, there are abundant edible options at your disposal.
Flower
Some folks just like to stick with the classics, and we say stick with what works! For anyone keen on flower (the selection of which will completely vary based on the shop you visit), we still have some tips to keep in mind.
For one, accessorizing is everything. Hitting up a head shop before or after your dispensary visit is a great way to enhance your smoking experience by grabbing some delicious, flavored blunt wraps (often available without tobacco in hemp form), and there are plentiful smoking pieces that can absolutely enhance the experience.
Many seasoned flower fans are aware, but a word to the wise when shopping with flower is to look at it as a well-rounded experience in making your ideal pick: While THC percentage is often an indicator for many folks on which strain to choose, might we recommend opening up a bit more?
THC is just one of many cannabinoids and it in itself is not necessarily an indicator of a quality high. In fact, for folks who react with anxiety more often than not when they smoke, higher THC percentages might intensify those negative responses. Not to mention, there is often a testing variance, so that percentage might be a good indicator, but it should not be the main one in making a flower choice
It’s worth looking into what other cannabinoids a strain might have and how the presence, or lack of, might affect your experience. In addition, “the nose knows!” What does that mean? Cannabis flower has terpenes, basically a flavor profile to the individual strain, and your body is going to respond to those terpenes. So, though it seems silly, more often than not, if you instinctively are drawn to the scent of a certain strain, you will likely enjoy that high.
Regardless of how you are getting toasty this summer, there are plenty of options. Be equipped during your trip to the dispo so you have more time to enjoy the season!
