The cannabis plant has a lot to live up to. People praise it for a myriad of health benefits, including managing chronic pain, reducing opioid dependence, improving mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, and supporting PTSD therapies. 

Beyond healthcare, many other industries have shown interest in the plant since legalization. One of those is the beauty realm.

Skincare, beauty, and anti-aging is a beast of a sector worth US $8.3 billion—nearly $10.5 billion CAD—as of 2022. Unsurprisingly, the skincare industry is keen to get in bed with sweet lady Jane. After dabbling in hemp seed oil for years and are looking for more weed-y waters.

“We know oxidative stress is the number one cause of skin aging, so it makes complete sense to have topical applications of cannabinoids to reduce the oxidation processes in the skin.”

Dr. Sana-Ara Ahmed, medical director of Genuvis Health

CBD and anti-aging: Is it hype or science?

It appears to be a hybrid of both.

There are opportunities abound, or so it seems, as batches of new cannabis-infused beauty products crop up each month. Beauty brands are often quick to promise wrinkle-free skin (and there’s always wise to be discerning of new “miracle” products, whether they contain cannabis or not). 

Dr. Sana-Ara Ahmed founded and currently serves as medical director of Genuvis Health, a multifaceted cosmeceuticals clinic in Calgary. She has specialty training in cannabinoid medicine as well as experience in therapeutic topicals.

Her dual practice means she’s been watching the gap between the two industries shrink for years now. An expert in cannabinoids and skincare (both beauty and healing topical compounds) Dr. Ahmed tells Leafly she’s cautiously optimistic about the possibility of merging cannabis and skincare.

Stress, genetics, and the elements all prematurely age our skin

“When it comes to skincare in general, the main thing that people complain about is the loss of elasticity in their skin, which is because of depleting collagen,” she says. “So, anything to stimulate collagen will help make the skin appear more youthful.”

Skin goes from smooth and line-free in our teens and 20s to wrinkled and covered in dark age spots in our 30s, 40s, and beyond. Part of the way we age is genetic. If your mom or grandma had great skin at 60, chances are you will, too.

However, your teen tanning years will come back to haunt you, no matter how great your genetics are. Free radicals, like those from sun damage and stress, are majorly responsible for breaking down collagen in the skin, thus causing premature lines, wrinkles, and a decrease in firmness and tone.

The more free radical exposure, which can be environmental (pollution, UV rays) and/or lifestyle-driven (smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol), the more damage your skin endures.

The body can only regulate so many free radicals until it becomes too much, and something called oxidative stress begins to happen—a place where cannabinoids like Cannabidiol (CBD) and others have the chance to shine.

“We know oxidative stress is the number one cause of skin aging, so it makes complete sense to have topical applications of cannabinoids to reduce the oxidation processes in the skin,” says Ahmed. “Anything with antioxidants helps to fight oxidative stress.”

Cannabis for inflammation and anti-aging

Most cannabis-infused skincare products in Canada rely heavily on CBD, which research has shown can help reduce inflammation, as well as THC, which readers say is better for aches and pains.

There is also promise in CBG, a lesser discussed cannabinoid, it has shown anti-aging properties as it’s a strong fighter of inflammation and oxidative stress.

Using cannabis on the skin as a way to reduce the appearance of something like wrinkles works quite differently than smoking a joint. You don’t just apply it one night and magically wake up and see results the next morning.

There needs to be a way to get the cannabinoids into the skin to see effects.

“The most potent molecule for improving skin elasticity is hyaluronic acid (HA) and that’s why many of the topical creams have some HA in them,” explains Ahmed. 

When skincare products use a carrier like HA, active ingredients won’t simply sit on top of the skin once applied, but can actually penetrate it to create meaningful results, like fine line reduction, over time.

Ahmed says that for products that only use oil as a carrier, for example, the chance of the cannabinoids affecting change in the appearance of the skin lessens. It isn’t penetrating the epidermis, which would be needed for any sort of therapeutic properties.

While cannabis topicals joined the legal weed world in 2019, it’s still very early days. Plenty of anecdotal evidence supports the efficacy of cannabis in skincare, but the industry needs more long-term clinical trials on humans to better understand exactly how cannabinoids can be blended into beauty products and their long-term effects.

5 cannabis skincare products to experience

CBD Cream by WholeHemp

THC 15.00 mg; CBD 200.00 mg

Natural Clay CBD Face Mask by Proofly

THC 25.00 mg; CBD 500.00 mg

Nuveev Restorative Facial Cleanser

THC 0.00 mg; CBD 150.00 mg

CBD eye cream by Emprise Canada

CBD 500 mg

Extra Strength Body Cream by Apothecanna

THC 100.00 mg; CBD 100.00 mg

Lisa Felepchuk

Lisa Felepchuk is a seasoned lifestyle editor, writer and digital nomad based in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia.

View Lisa Felepchuk’s articles

Now that April showers are over, it’s time for some May flowers, May edibles, May drinks, and May dabs. Most of us are vaxxed and boosted, and we deserve to enjoy that safety all spring and summer with only the finest cannabis charcuterie.

The last year, however, hasn’t been all rainbows. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebrations occur amid a record uptick in hate crimes. These communities, who we have to thank for so much, still need support and recognition. For one—cannabis evolved in Asia, and Asians domesticated and spread it. Chinese medical texts first documented cannabis use 2,000 years ago, and India’s seminal Atharva Veda calls it a sacred plant. 

Alice Kuo, founder and lead designer of the architecture firm Caisson Studios, found her niche designing dispensaries in which to house these goodies. She believes embracing diversity (especially in an industry that needs some work in that area) can only make us and our products better.

“I was born in Taiwan and came here when I was 16. For dispensaries opening up now in so many different communities, it’s really really important that the physical store is tailored to the end user, the consumer,” she says. “Being Asian, I think that’s a huge plus to bring into this, to be more open and understand different cultures and also implement that to different communities.”

There are innumerable ways to stand up right now, and that includes standing in line at your favorite dispensary to pick up an AAPI-owned product.

Potli shrimp chips

One of the most beautiful things about cannabis is that you can connect with your inner child as an adult, namely through products like this. Known for their line of infused honeys and award-winning Sriracha, Bay Area-based culinary brand Potli kicks it up a notch with both THC and hemp-infused shrimp chips. You can also get them spicy! Potli’s founder Felicity Chen is a Bay Area native with generations of experience in the food industry, with flexibility in dosing. You can get the OG chips at 10mg a bag (no need to share), or go big and bold with the 50mg spicy bag. 

“They’re a real nod to childhood,” says Chen. She admits the pandemic and ongoing violence has shifted her worldview, and what she wants out of life. “It used to be so much about the fast life. Now it’s about enjoying. I’m excited to live big.” And to those wondering how to step up, “go out and spend money on cannabis; put your dollars where your mouth is.” 

Find hemp-based Potli products at their website.

For the THC versions, check out:

Honestly, I have tried just about every Sunset Connect product and, I don’t say this lightly, they are all amazing. We featured their sweet and sour gummies last year, and this year I’d like to introduce you to their infused dogwalker joints. They come in a very cute, recyclable 8-pack tricked out with that classic SF transit vibe, which make them perfect for waiting for the bus. They combine two things that only experience can yield: tasty weed and good hash. Founder Ali Jamalian was born to Iranian parents in Germany, and has lived in the Bay since his college days. 

As an equity operator and San Francisco Cannabis oversight Committee member, he’s far more interested in making accessible and consistent products for his community than chasing Instagram clout, and you best believe he’s getting high on his own supply.

“There’s been a lot of opportunity for equity; we’ve all become more sensitive to social justice. That is something we should all take advantage of.” Considering less than 20% of cannabis executives are nonwhite, Ali operates under the notion that fiscal support is crucial. “If we want to foster equity, how do we make sure [these brands] stay in business?”

Find Sunset Connect products at:

What began as stoner streetwear has evolved into a one-stop shop to look and feel like a cannasseur at the cutting edge. Sundae School’s sibling founders Dae and Cindy Lim from South Korea now offer California-exclusive edibles with unique flavors and prerolls packs in indica and sativa varieties, now with live resin. As a boba lover myself, their milk tea gummies (a Taiwanese creation that has exploded since its debut in the 1980s), combine the sugar rush of adolescence with a grown-up (indica) high at 10mg a pop. If you prefer a more zingy buzz, they offer yuzu-flavored sativa and hybrid lychee varieties as well. 

Find Sundae School at:

The data is in: Gen Z loves their bevies, and K-Zen founder and CEO Judy Yee knows it. Yee founded the brand in 2019 and launched during the summer of 2020 to approach cannabis in a measured, accessible, and fun way with low-dose sparkling beverages. As a working mom, incorporating cannabis into her routine made everything easier, and she wanted to make sure everyone who needed a little pick-me-up could get it. 

The Mad Lilly line of spritzers contain 5mg THC and 5mg CBD with fruity varieties like Ginger Pear and Passionfruit Mango, the latter of which took 3rd place at the 2022 Emerald Cup for beverages. If your tolerance hovers closer to three figures than two, don’t worry, they have something for you too; their 100mg mixers called S*shots* won the Emerald Cup’s first place for best beverage enhancer, and are easily dosed out. Yee grew up in the US but was born in Taiwan. Her father was in the military. Cannabis was framed to her as a dangerous schedule I substance, and she recognizes that sharing her personal experience with her community is just as important as part of running a successful company.

“Representation matters. As a first-generation immigrant, I have a responsibility.” She believes that Asian Americans have a unique generational and cultural stigma with cannabis. Asian immigrants feared running afoul of the US’ War on Drugs, and asian nations continue to prohibit cannabis in 2022. But even in her lifetime, it’s changed a lot.

“I have a 10-year-old daughter. When I started this company, she was seven. Her perception of the plant is so different from mine growing up.”

Find K-Zen drinks at:

I’m biased, but just like me, some of the best buds come from the Bay. Asian co-owned Grizzly Peak of Oakland, CA is no exception, and was on my radar well before the pandemic. They specialize in indoor weed grown in coco coir, a more natural rockwool alternative, with a mix of more zaza and mainstay strains. They also have some impressive celebrity collaborations under their belts from different ends of the stoner spectrum. Within the last couple years alone they’ve partnered with Soulja Boy on his boutique Soulja Exotics line, and former Grateful Dead road manager Steve Parish. 

“Go out and spend money on cannabis; put your dollars where your mouth is.” 

Felicity Chen, Co-Founder Potli

These buds are dropping at:

Elefante’s pineapple strawberry gummies

In a market overrun with gummies, it’s hard to stand out. San Francisco-based Elefante has set themselves apart by focusing on a great consistency and tasty, niche flavors. Their gummies, which come in pineapple-strawberry, watermelon and orange flavors, are vegan (which is hard to do) and corn syrup-free, colored with natural food-derived dyes. As an SF native myself, this tracks. At 10mg a pop, you can gauge your experience. They also make topicals, including a Ginger Sports Rub, made with ginger and arnica.

Find Elefante at:

All Natural in Shingle Springs

If Willie Nelson endorses you, then you’ve made it, no questions asked. Tina Gordon’s Moon Made Farms in Humboldt County has stood the test of time, through trends, regulation changes, and hype galore, but she and her team know that good weed is timeless. 

Her curated strain garden currently includes Cherry Moon, Gelonade, and Orange Valley Sun, offered in flower packs and pre-rolls. While you may not find their own branded products that easily, she works with brands all over California, including Chemistry vapes, Nasha hash, and Kikoko teas.

Find Moon Made Farms at:

Mellows black sesame marshmallow treats

Admittedly, I’m not the biggest marshmallow fan, but I am a huge fan of putting weed in anything and everything. Chef and cookbook author Stephanie Hua saw a void in the munchie market, and, with an artisanal sensibility, struck white, fluffy gold. Their original treats clock 5mg per square, so these marshmallow truffles don’t hit hard, unless you want to have more than one (and trust me, you will). There are accessible flavors like chocolate malt and birthday cake, but my favorite is the savory black sesame. They now also offer a hash-infused “super-strength” 100mg bite to really mellow you out for the day.

Find Mellows at:

I’m not a big vape person, and I indulge only if I know exactly who it’s coming from and what their actual weed is like. Having smoked my way through Permanent Holiday’s Humboldt-grown flower library during pandemic lockdowns in the Bay Area, I felt just fine seeing if their dank buds would yield tasty diamonds. Well, let’s say my instincts are seldom wrong. These babies are tasty, strong, and strain-specific. My favorite (I’m biased) is “The City,” their sativa option inspired by San Francisco, with a rotation of strains like 24K Gold and Banana Split.

Find Permanent Holiday at:

By this time next year, I predict there will be a new slew of brands to cover and even more people making the cannabis space the melting pot it should be. Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know.

Amelia Williams

New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program, and a former budtender. Williams has contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle’s GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine, and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews, and The Bold Italic.

View Amelia Williams’s articles

For Humberto Ramirez, his family, and many other Americans, the War on Drugs was simply a ‘war on us’

There are roughly 40,000 non-violent cannabis prisoners in the United States, according to the Last Prisoner Project. Yet with recreational cannabis now legal in 19 states and Washington, DC, and medical marijuana legal in more than half of US states and territories, something isn’t adding up.

President Joe Biden and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy ran on promises to free and forgive these prisoners. And they’ve delivered some victories, including 9 non-violent cannabis offenders being granted clemency by the president last month. But both still run administrations that criminalize the plant.

While state governments and licensed sellers finalize billion-dollar plans, prisoners are still carrying the weight of unjust enforcement and sentencing. The current green rush of legalization only compounds the pain, which trickles down to families and communities who are mostly blocked from joining the brave new weed markets opening across the nation.

‘I’m still a prisoner’

The juxtaposition is especially striking to Humberto Ramirez, a New Jersey native who is watching his state’s new legal weed market boom while he sits behind bars.

Over a series of phone calls with Leafly earlier this year, Ramirez and his partner Brooke Popplewell shared their experience as victims of America’s failed War on Drugs. They also shared their hopes to run a legal cannabis business one day soon.

Read Humberto and Brooke’s first-person accounts below.

My name is Humberto Ramirez

My loved ones call me Bert. I’m from Cape May County, New Jersey. But right now I’m in a Kintock state prison in Bridgeton.

In 2019, two weeks after New Jersey voted to legalize cannabis, I was sentenced to seven years (two minimum) after I was stopped by police with six pounds of cannabis. I’m up for parole in November.

Last month, they let the state’s first dispensaries start selling legal weed to all adults. In month one of sales, seven corporations brought in $22 million from over 200,000 legal transactions.

That’s my partner, Brooke. She’s been supporting me through this entire thing. If I get access to a phone, I call her every afternoon. The past few months, I haven’t been able to call as much. That’s because I tested positive for COVID a couple times. The last time I had to quarantine, I was found unconscious with a head injury from dehydration. When I’m not on lockdown, I’m still in a cage for 23.5 hours per day.

Quarantine is basically like lockdown. When we test positive, we get sent to a different facility in Crosswicks, New Jersey, not far from the state capitol building.

A few miles from that cell, politicians are in the state capitol building patting themselves on the back, calling the legalization of cannabis in The Garden State a huge success.

Watching it all happen from here doesn’t feel like a stoner’s dream for me and my loved ones. The dream that legalization represents for so many smokers still feels like more of a nightmare.

How I started smoking weed

When I was young, it was a fun thing. And then after I got older, it helped me deal with anxiety, depression, and just to stay focused.

The ’90s, we had kinda good weed. You wanted to get Chronic, cause of Snoop. But you’re not getting chronic back then. You’re getting regular, Arizona. And every now and then, some shit called hydro would come around every now and then. That was pretty much the best you could get back then.

My favorite strain of all time is Sour Diesel. And I like OG Kush. Pretty much any kind of Kush. I know this is Leafly. But I’m not really technical when they come to weed. I just smoke. But I also like GSC and Green Crack.

As an adult, cannabis was like my therapy after work. Brooke never smoked with me. But her parents did. She was cool with me smoking in the shed or in my man cave. I started getting pounds to keep my expenses low. I would supply friends and family at a low price or for free.

7 years for 6 pounds

February 19, 2019, I was 43 years old. I was driving my Dodge Charger in Middle Township, New Jersey, when police stopped me and searched the trunk. I could have gotten a pre-trial intervention program. Then I wouldn’t have to serve time. But I had two prior convictions from when I was 18 and 20 years old. I made it almost 25 years staying out of trouble. Now I was facing two minimum, seven max.

When I was 18, it was cocaine. That’s what I started selling. I wasn’t selling weed. I just went straight to the hard route. You couldn’t tell me nothing back then. I was trying to get rich. A lot of those young dudes were into the gang life, but not me. I was going hard trying to make money.

Nothing violent, though. I have no violence on my jacket. I always told myself I would never do something violent over drugs because that’s what they bought them over here for. For us to kill each other. So if I got mad about stuff in the streets back then, I would just move on.

Punishing ‘just us’ is not justice

Even back then, we knew what the War on Drugs was really about. Richard Nixon said it himself. Joe Biden and the Clintons did, too.

So in 2021, when New Jersey gave a directive to rescind all mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenders, there were 32 people in Cape May County who had already been sentenced, me being one of them.

Cape May’s Middle Township Police Department reported in 2020 that its Street Crimes Unit made eight arrests and seized $925 from the sale of substances like cannabis and synthetic weed. Somehow, I was one of those eight.

“Even the judge (Joseph Levin) could see he made a bad decision as a kid, and he was still paying the price for it. He didn’t wanna send him the prison. Those were his exact words. He took out the book. He was licking his fingers, trying to read things. And the prosecutor, a young ambitious lady, she just wasn’t having it. She kept saying, ‘Under statute, yada yada, yada.’ I wanted to ask her, woman to woman, ‘Are you a mother? Because no mother wants to take a parent from their child who hasn’t actually hurt anybody.’”

Brooke Popplewell

Growing up in New Jersey

My cousin and my mother, they were originally from Puerto Rico. They moved to Vineland, New Jersey first. But my mother always said Vineland was like the country. So when she later moved to Wildwood, she loved it. She always wanted to live the city life. She grew up in the country in Puerto Rico.

That’s how I ended up in Wildwood, New Jersey. Ninety percent of the students in my graduating class were white. It was technically a nice place, but I went through racism every day until I left in 2001. The police out there, they’re the worst, like, really prejudiced. I can see their hate. I can smell it. ‘Cause I’ve been through it my whole life. So I’m kind of used to it. But I’m not prejudiced at all.

‘Not in my backyard’

Even with the people of NJ voting for legal weed, conservatives in these smaller areas are blocking weed companies from coming to their towns.

In New Jersey, you can go right over to the next town and your reality will be completely different. Like, I got a saying: You make two right turns in Wildwood, they’re pulling you over.

These local municipalities are very powerful. The state votes blue overall, but many of these towns are very Republican. The towns we’ve lived in are a perfect example. Middle Township, you have one mostly Black area in it. Whitesboro, that’s where my family is from. But if a Black person drives through the Crest in north Wildwood, you’re getting pulled over. You better not even cross the bridge.

“If you’re a white person in the underground cannabis trade, and you do business with people of color, it become clear pretty quickly the disparity in cannabis enforcement, and the punishment… That was evident to me, from the beginning. I had a childhood friend, he didn’t do anything that i didn’t do in the way of selling cannabis. But he got busted. They would handcuff him, they would take him down to the station, they would process him, and they would take him to juvie hall. So my friend ended up not being able to get a job anywhere other than the local strip club… When the cops would come up to me, it would be ‘Alright kid, empty the baggie out, get out of here.’”

Steve DeAngelo, Last Prisoner Project founder on Cannabis Lab podcast

Trauma that trickles down

Before my incarceration, I never missed a school meeting, dance, recital, or competition. I was the only dad in the dance team carpool. I did and will still do anything to take care of my daughters and Brooke.

I’m stuck in a room all day, but Brooke is really suffering, too. Her father just finished chemo and had his bladder removed. She works around the clock. I used to be there to help with all of that. So I feel like she’s stuck doing 20 in a maximum security out there.

Brooke is so bothered by this that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her doctor even recommended she try medical cannabis. That’s why it’s so crazy to see it be legalized and applauded.

What it’s like to watch the plant become legal

I saw how much they sold so far and just had to shake my head. I don’t know what Gov. Murphy is up to. But how can you legalize something before dealing with all of the people who are still locked up for it?

It felt hopeless to me, to be honest. But Brooke found some help by contacting the Last Prisoner Project for me. She said she didn’t expect them to write back. But LPP founder Steve DeAngelo and his team have come through so far.

“They are what I refer to as my earth angels. And they’ve all been so supportive. I can message anyone on the team at any time. They’ve given me hope.”

Brooke Popplewell

How Last Prisoner Project is helping

So far, LPP helped us financially, and with my commissary for food and books. The lawyer they hired has been more efficient and helpful than the two Brooke had to pay for herself.

In an interview, the founder of LPP said he’s been incarcerated, so he knows what it feels like. And that he has a lot of friends, some who are still incarcerated to this day. He said he’s not gonna stop until everybody gets full freedom out of this legalization deal. The governor and the president should both talk to him. Maybe he can get through.

What I would do if I was free today

The Last Prisoner Project is going to help me get a dispensary started. That’s what I’m basically focused on. And I’m planning on getting my commercial driver’s license and driving a dump truck to make money outside of that.

Hopefully I get work with a good company, so I can get a good offer, the perks, the benefits. I get a good job, good paying job with good benefits. I’m sticking to that. I don’t just want to do my own little thing ’cause there’s a lot that comes with it that I don’t know yet. So I’m gonna start crawling first.

And then me and Brooke both decided we’re going to help with any type of advocacy that we can for other people like us. It would feel great to send letters, help a family with Christmas gifts, and way more.

A petition on change.org urging for Humberto’s release is nearing 1,500 signatures.

Leafly will continue to parter with Last Prisoner Project and other organizations dedicated to freeing and forgiving all nonviolent cannabis prisoners, including Humberto.

To join us, visit LPP’s site and contact your local, state, and federal representatives to demand an end to the prohibition and criminalization of the plant.

Leafly Staff

Leafly is the world’s largest cannabis information resource, empowering people in legal cannabis markets to learn about the right products for their lifestyle and wellness needs. Our team of cannabis professionals collectively share years of experience in all corners of the market, from growing and retail, to science and medicine, to data and technology.

View Leafly Staff’s articles

There’s nothing quite like getting stoned in nature. Something about it just says, “this is how it was meant to be!”

Sure, a good toke while relaxing at home is great, but what can compare to getting stoned and watching the way the leaves on a tree gently sway in a summer breeze, the sunlight reflecting off the water cascading down a riverbend, or flames crackling while climbing the air in a campfire?

Cannabis and the great outdoors just make sense, and if that’s your vibe, you’re going to want a smoking kit that just makes sense too.

Below, you’ll find choice products for that outdoorsy stoner lifestyle including earth-friendly and portable smoking accessories you can buy online.

Pocket ashtray

Let’s get right into it and talk about how to keep the Earth clean and safe while enjoying our favorite herb outdoors. There’s nothing worse than people who leave their butts behind – and yes that includes joints as well. Not only is it unsightly, but it can pose a fire hazard as well.

“Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints,” as they say.

A pocket ashtray is a great way to stick to that motto, by ensuring your cannabis remnants are tucked neatly away in a smell-proof and easily storable pouch, ready to be safely emptied the next time you return to civilization.

Antler pipe

If you really want to feel one with nature, you might enjoy a pipe carved straight from it. Antler pipes like these may seem alarming at first glance, but they are made from naturally shed antlers – meaning they are cruelty-free. One benefit of a pipe like this is avoiding taking glass out in nature. Accidents happen, and broken glass left in the wild is a hazard to animals and other people.

Plus, if anyone stumbles upon you in the woods smoking this, they’ll assume you’ve definitely climbed right out of the mountainside, and will be sure to steer clear – leaving you to enjoy your bud in peace.

Wooden pipe

Of course, if a pipe made from an antler gives you the ick, you can always opt for a nice wooden pipe and receive the same benefits. Biodegradable, natural, and not easily broken – a good wooden pipe will be a solid addition to any outdoorsy smoking kit.

Another perk to wooden bowls is the ability to find them in all manner of designs and styles, including ones with a swivel lid — perfect for keeping your cannabis flower packed and ready to go as you move from scenic spot to scenic spot.

Not only does that make it convenient and practical, but also more Earth-friendly.

Dangle bong

Let’s keep the momentum going with outdoor-friendly smoking vessels. This titanium bong is nearly indestructible and will let you rip your bong in the great outdoors without worrying about shattering glass. You can get it in classic titanium or blue speckle for cutesy camping vibes.

Waterproof weed bag

If you’re less the “relax by the riverside” type, and more the “splash in the river” type, then it’s good to consider ways to keep your flower stored safely while you adventure.

Backpacks like this are water-resistant and keep your bud fresh while you trek through the unknown in search of a private smoking oasis. Plus, with multiple compartments, you can store multiple strains, concentrates, or small edibles– the sky is the limit.

Waterproof joint storage

Okay so you’re not splashing in the river – you’re white water rafting and you have one joint that you’d like to smoke under the night sky.

Don’t fret, keep your joint dry and smokable with storage that is fully waterproof. This tube won’t be able to store quite as much, but what it does fit will stay safe and secure, meaning that when you get back to dry land you’ll be able to spark one up to celebrate and reminisce over the great time you had.

It’s the perfect accessory for the planned adventure or the adventurer who knows their plans may take them off the beaten path.

Dugout and one-hitter

For the solo smoker and explorer, a combination dugout and one-hitter is the perfect accompaniment to your time outdoors. Dugout/one-hitter combos like the one linked here are made of bamboo are eco-friendly in addition to being the perfect practical smoking tool.

Simply store your pre-ground cannabis in the herb chamber on one side, and use the taster on the other to pack a hit whenever the mood strikes you as you journey forth. It’s discrete, compact, convenient, and made from primarily biodegradable materials.

Mini keychain grinder

When you’re on the go, whether it’s hiking, camping, a day at the beach, or exploring your local park, you don’t want to have to carry a full-sized grinder everywhere you go. All you need is something compact and lightweight that can get the job done in a pinch, so you can stop and enjoy the scenery while rolling one up.

A mini grinder with a keychain attached will also ensure it is never too far and won’t slip out of a pocket while digging for your lighter. It’s the perfect accessory if you don’t plan to grind your bud before you go.

Lighter leash

Speaking of your lighter, last but definitely not least, is a way to keep a safe grip on your fire when you’re outdoors. Not only is it important to keep your lighter on hand for toking, but also for camping needs, and ensuring it does not get lost in the woods and discovered by a child or someone who could potentially start a wildfire.

A lighter leash will keep your lighter secure on your person or bag while still being easily accessible and usable. No one wants to waste time digging for a lighter in their pack while enjoying the view of a mountain peak.

For those who enjoy nature, cannabis can be another way to feel connected to the world around us. However you decide to enjoy the great outdoors, it pays to think ahead and plan your toke just as well as you plan your journey.

Keep utility in mind, but also think about the Earth, and opt for eco-friendly and biodegradable products whenever possible out of respect for the places you visit.

Rae Lland

Rae Lland is a freelance writer, journalist, and former editor for Weedist and The Leaf Online. With a focus on culture, music, health, and wellness, in addition to her work for Leafly, she has also been featured in numerous online cannabis publications as well as print editions of Cannabis Now Magazine. Follow her on Instagram @rae.lland

View Rae Lland’s articles

State reports massive first month sales for 7 companies and awards dozens of new licenses

The Garden States legal weed market is doing massive numbers one month into adult-use cannabis sales. On April 21, 12 of New Jersey’s 13 approved dispensaries opened their doors to long lines and thrilled customers.

Today, the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) released sales figures from the first month of the state’s legal weed market.

Here are Leafly’s Jersey-fresh takeaways from the raw data:

• Total sales were clocked at $24,201,875 from 212,433 orders. For reference, New Mexico’s weed market totaled about $22.1 million in its April debut. New Mexico has almost 7 million less residents than New Jersey, but retail sales were not as strictly regulated as in NJ. Montana counted only $12.8 million in its first month this past January.
• Opening weekend (April 21-23) saw $3.5 million from almost 25,000 transactions.
• Week 1 totaled $5.5 million from almost 46,000 orders; Week 2 (May 1-7) netted another $5 million for the state; Week 3 (May 8-14) saw the first dip in total revenue to $4.75 million; NJ bounced back Week 4 (May 15-21) with almost 52,000 orders and $5.3 million in sales.
• 3 new licenses were granted to storefronts in Eatontown, Union, and Woodbridge, owned by Ayr Wellness. They should open within 70-90 days. Ayr was also approved for a second cultivation facility in Lakewood.
• Ascend Wellness added another retail location (Montclair) on top of existing store in Rochelle Park.
• TerrAscend added a retail location in Lodi to support its already expanded Apothecarium locations in Maplewood and Phillipsburg.
• Ascend Wellness in Montclair will make 13 open stores starting Wednesday (May 25), despite being approved to join the recreational market back in April.
• Columbia Care (MSO behind Cannabist dispensaries) was awarded a second cultivation license in Vineland.
• The board awarded new testing, cultivation, manufacturing, and retail licenses, bringing total number of approved licenses to 152.
• Shoppers report limited selections and prices ranging from $45-$60 per eighth of flower, or 0.5 grams of concentrate. The state’s 6.625% retail sales tax, plus local and excise taxes mean about $1.6 million should go to taxes.

What’s next for the new ganja state?

The state’s cannabis board is reviewing retail license applications from micro-businesses and social equity applicants who will get the first shot to open recreational- only dispensaries.

The commission only began accepting applications for retail dispensaries in March and is close to greenlighting NJ’s first 11 adult-use only locations. New Jersey’s currently open dispensaries were already operating as medical providers, known as ”Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs).”

The limited rollout strategy means Jersey’s debut numbers are far lower than they could have been.

Ayr joins expanding MSOs

Ayr Wellness shared excitement about being approved to serve adults in central New Jersey, in a release. “We are thrilled to be approved for adult-use sales in New Jersey and to have all three dispensaries cleared simultaneously to open for adult-use,” said Jonathan Sandelman, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Ayr.

In April, Ayr was not approved to expand with the state’s other ATCs. “We are disappointed with today’s NJ CRC decision to not grant Ayr approval to begin adult-use sales of cannabis,” the company tweeted April 11. “We were notified that our submitted application was complete & had every expectation that we would be part of the initial cohort approved,” the social media account added.

Regulators delayed day one of sales in March fearing that ATCs were not ready to handle the flood of demand. But a drama-free opening week should inspire more confidence in the industry’s capacity to expand. New Jersey is home to about 128,000 physician-certified medical marijuana patients, according to Bloomberg.

NJ state law allows companies to own a maximum of three retail locations. Ayr’s official statement added: “Central Jersey has the lowest number of dispensaries per capita, leaving its population under-served compared with the rest of the state. New Jersey is expected to become a highly influential state for the U.S. cannabis industry, and we are honored to help shape the market landscape from its early stages.”

What’s next for conditional license winners?

New Jersey law and its regulators will require 30% of licenses to be given to people of color, women, and disabled veterans. According to data shared last month, the vast majority of newly awarded conditional licensees represent social equity applicants who were most affected by the War on Drugs.

Tuesday’s new licenses are “conditional,” meaning awardees will now have a few months to find permanent real estate via lease or purchase and gain local municipal approval. Applicants for conditional licenses must show annual earnings of less than $200,000, or $400,000 if filing jointly.

Cannabis-infused tea, like edibles, allows you to consume cannabis without the harshness that can come with smoking or vaping. But unlike edibles, your weed tea won’t contain most food allergens and is much faster to prepare at home. You can make it in a variety of ways using all kinds of different ingredients and parts of the plant, depending on your personal preferences. A few popular methods for making weed tea are:

• Infusing water with dry cannabis flower (less intoxicating because THC is not water-soluble)
• Mixing cannabis infused with a fat (e.g., coconut oil, butter, etc.) with tea leaves and water to make a latte-type beverage
• Adding a cannabis tincture to tea

It all depends on how you want to feel, so here’s everything you need to know to make the perfect cuppa. 

Does weed tea get you high?

If prepared correctly, marijuana tea absolutely gets you high. But making a marijuana-infused tea that consistently provides an intoxicating high isn’t as simple as you might think. Accessing THC in the plant can be a little finicky thanks to decarboxylation and cannabinoid solubility factors, but fear not; once you understand a few simple concepts, it’s all green fields from there!

Cannabis plants naturally produce the non-intoxicating compound THCA, which is THC but with an extra carboxyl ring that impedes the high we feel. Decarboxylation removes that ring via a heating process, converting THCA to THC and activating different medicinal and intoxicating properties. This may sound complicated, but the heat applied to cannabis when smoking or vaporizing to provoke decarboxylation requires no extra effort on our part. The process also naturally occurs when cannabis is cooked with butter or oils, or when hash or kief are added to a favorite recipe and then heated on a stove for edibles.

If you choose to decarboxylate your cannabis using a heating method before adding it to the tea, remember that the optimal time and temperature for decarboxylation will vary depending on the following factors:

• The amount of moisture (water) in your product
• How much product you use (i.e., dosage)
• The type of oven you have access to (e.g., gas or electric)

How long does weed tea take to kick in?

Like edibles, weed tea has to pass through your stomach for digestion, and then gets metabolized in your liver. This takes a lot longer than smoking weed, which hits you in a couple minutes via absorption in the lungs. You may have to wait an hour or two to start to feel the effects, but the tea’s effects will likely last longer and feel more intense than smoking.

When drinking weed tea, and consuming edibles in general, start low and go slow. Drink a cup and wait at least an hour; you can always make another one (or enhance it with our tips below) if you don’t feel anything.

How much weed do you need for weed tea?

How much weed you need for weed tea depends on how much you’re making and how intense you want it to be. If you plan to use one gram of cannabis flower that tests at 20% THC, that’s as many as 200 mg you could be imbibing, although it’s unlikely you’ll actually ingest the bud’s full potential due to digestion and decarboxylation. 

If you’re planning to use dry flower, you may need more than if you are using an infused fat-based product like butter or oils, as THC is fat-soluble and binds better to them than to water. The recipes below use a relatively low amount of cannabis flower, but they’re easily adaptable if you need to experiment to find your ideal dose.

How many grams of stems do I need to make weed stem tea?

We’ve all had those bad days that get worse when we realize “crap, we’re out of weed!” That’s when those piles of stems come in clutch. While weed stems do contain a little THC, you’re looking at about 0.3% at best, so you’re going to need a lot of them, especially if you have a high tolerance; we recommend you start with half a cup’s worth if you have it. Given they are more fibrous than cannabis buds, the steeping process may take longer, but you can make weed effective tea using stems. We do recommend, however, that you try to incorporate some amount of flower for best results.  

Can I use dabs for weed tea?

If you ever find yourself with some quality concentrates and no way to dab them, you can in fact steep them with your favorite tea blend. Like flower, any concentrate you plan to use in a weed tea needs to be decarboxylated either via the hot water or before use.  

Because dabs are oil-based, they will bind better to the lipids in coconut oil, cream, or butter rather than just directly mixing them in water. Many extracts use solvents, so you may want to use a full-spectrum and solventless dab like rosin to get the job done, which also has a lower temperature threshold than shatter or live resin diamonds.

Weed tea recipes

We’ve got two effective and tasty weed tea recipes to share, and two in-a-pinch alternatives if you’re in a weed bind. The recipe for cannabis tea with rose and chamomile can be adapted a million and one ways—simply use your tea leaf or flower of choice along with ground cannabis (or stems!) and steep your worries away. The cannabis-infused golden milk with coconut oil has ample anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits—the most luxurious way to end the night.

Equipment

We highly recommend using a tea infuser and some form of sieve for these recipes to ensure the tea mixture steeps for the necessary amount of time, and to filter out any plant matter when you’re ready to take a sip. These are not necessary, but your tea may not hit the way you want without them.  

Cannabis tea with rose and chamomile

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Steep time: 5-10 minutes
Dosage: We recommend 2 tsp for this recipe, but it depends on the potency of your cannabis. You can always add more or less depending on your tolerance.

Ingredients:

• Cannabis infused honey (optional)
• 2 teaspoons ground cannabis trim, stems, or buds
• Coconut milk (optional)
• 2 teaspoons dried chamomile
• 2 teaspoons dried rose buds
  

Directions:

1. You can choose to decarboxylate your dried herb beforehand or not. (Again, this depends on whether you’re looking for the benefits of THCA or THC.)
2. Add all dried flowers to a tea infuser and steep in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
3. Remove the infuser and enjoy with additional cannabis-infused honey and/or coconut milk for added effects.

Cannabis golden milk with medicated coconut oil

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Dosage: This depends on the potency of your cannabis coconut oil. You can always add more or less depending on your tolerance.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 1” piece fresh turmeric, unpeeled, thinly sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
• 1 ½” piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (cannabis-infused or not)
• 1 Tbsp honey (cannabis-infused or not)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, for serving

Directions:

1. Whisk almond milk, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, honey, peppercorns, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a low boil.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the cannabis coconut oil.
3. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until flavors have melded together.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve (you can also use a cheesecloth or coffee filter) into mugs and top with a dash of cinnamon.

Bottoms up!

How to make weed stem tea

If all you have is stems, you can still follow our first recipe for making stem tea. However, because of the difference in potency, your ratio of ingredients will differ.

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Steep time: 10 minutes
Dosage: You won’t know for sure until you try it

Ingredients:

• At least 1/4 cup weed stems
• 1 Tbsp of a fat-soluble binding agent, such as butter or coconut oil
• Your tea leaves/blend of choice

Directions:

1. You can decarb your stems before steeping or simply grind them before boiling, depending on the feeling you’re trying to achieve.
2. Boil the amount of water you plan to use, i.e., 1 cup for a more concentrated tea, 2-3 cups for a diluted buzz. 
3. Add the binding agent to the water before you insert the stems with your tea of choice in a tea infuser. 
4. Steep the infuser in hot water for at least 10 minutes. You may want to steep the tea and stems in separate infusers or bags to avoid unpleasant stemmy flavor. 

How to make cannabis plant (compost) tea

Waste not, want not. If you’ve been hanging on to your home grow or just happen to have a bunch of weed you don’t want to smoke, one of the easiest ways to use it up is to make a weed compost tea. You can follow the same recipe for stem tea using the leaves, old buds and any other plant matter you have lying around. 

How to make weed tea more potent

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the tea just won’t hit you like you want or need it to. Luckily, there are numerous ways you can up the dosage if your initial tea is lacking in the THC department. 

Add kief

When in doubt, bust the grinder out. Kief is made up of fallen trichomes, so they’re an easy way to bump up your dosage. Add them to your stem, compost or flower material during the steeping process. Keep in mind that because it’s impossible to tell how much THC is in your kief, you won’t be able to predict the high.

Incorporate a tincture

The tinctures you find in dispensaries have been decarbed already, so you don’t need to do anything to activate the THC. Oil and water don’t mix well, so you may want to opt for a glycerin or alcohol based tincture rather than one made with oil.

Simply add your desired number of drops based on the potency (most tinctures recommend you start with half a dropper’s worth, equivalent to 0.5 ml) to your tea and stir. If you use any milk or creamer, you can also add an oil-based tincture to that for better consistency.

Use RSO

Many medical patients swear by Rick Simpson Oil for its laundry list of medicinal benefits and even life-saving properties. It’s also really strong, to the point where doctors recommend weeks-long regiments to acclimate one’s tolerance.

RSO has a thick, honey-like consistency and less-than-pleasant flavor, but its potency means you don’t need much; you can substitute the coconut oil with a half rice-grain’s worth of RSO in the golden milk recipe if you’re feeling bold, or add it to your tea infuser for the steeping process. 

Is cannabis tea more potent than smoking and edibles?

Everyone’s unique physiology means the same edible can have vastly different effects on each consumer. Additionally, since you’re making weed tea at home, you don’t know exactly how much you’re going to get. Concentrates are the most potent form of cannabis, and you can certainly brew a cup of dab-infused weed tea that knocks even the OGs on their ass, if that’s your prerogative.

Smoking cannabis limits how much THC you can inhale, but the intoxicating effect is almost instant and relatively short-lived. The slower onset of weed tea via digestion also leads to a high with higher dose potential, and you may opt for more intensity. Either way, we wish you a happy, hazy tea party. 

Monica Lo and Jessica Aragona contributed to these recipes. This post was originally published on March 11, 2014. It was most recently updated on May 23, 2022.

Leafly Staff

Leafly is the world’s largest cannabis information resource, empowering people in legal cannabis markets to learn about the right products for their lifestyle and wellness needs. Our team of cannabis professionals collectively share years of experience in all corners of the market, from growing and retail, to science and medicine, to data and technology.

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