The first time I tried a commercial cannabis-infused beverage, many moons ago, it made a lot of promises: fast-acting, consistent and controlled dosing, a euphoric and short-term experience; a bona fide alcohol replacement. If you were also part of this early cohort of weed-drink guinea pigs, you’d agree that these lofty marketing promises were not met. 

Sure, the liquid carrier may have led to a faster onset, if the formula had been properly incorporated, and I might have been inclined to put down a beer if I could expect a consistent buzz. But more often than not, I ended up with a mouth coated in oil droplets and sediment that didn’t really make me feel anything. 

Thankfully, legalization and scientific application have made it easy these days to infuse everything, from seltzer water to coffee to fake beer, with the cannabinoids of your choosing.

While the options are abundant, canna beverages are beholden to state regulations. Many brands consider a can or bottle to be a single dose, so they usually max out at 10 mg, and often go lower to ensure consumers aren’t overwhelmed. After all, a drink or edible high and a smoking high vary greatly. 

But what if you want a beverage based on a specific strain, or flavors not yet found on shelves? Plenty of people still make edibles at home to better control the experience they want to have. A cannabis drink shouldn’t be any different, so we asked the experts on two different methods.

How to make a cannabis simple syrup

Maybe you’ve got a soiree to host or want to try a different kind of cocktail experience after a pandemic that catalyzed an increase in drinking at home across the US. 

Jamie Evans, also known as the Herb Somm, has been exploring the intersection of cannabis, wine, and fine dining since 2017. Evans worked for years in the wine industry before recognizing the parallels of wine pairings and profile evaluation with weed, and has even launched her own alcohol-free cannabis wine, Herbacée.

“As I started learning about cannabis, I started seeing that there are so many similarities, and we can approach cannabis from a gourmet angle, thinking about flavors, aromas, and how you can incorporate it into a meal,” she told Leafly. “A lot of times you’re seeing these commercial bevs, and you don’t get to pick. At home, it caters to what you need.”

Evans’ favorite method, by far, is infusing drink staples like bitters and simple syrup, which she recommends making from cannabis flower. This not only incorporates into most drinks without texture or taste issues, but also gives you, the amateur mixologist, the power to make a drink tailored to your preference. A Mimosa-infused mimosa, anyone? 

“You can infuse bitters, simple syrup, things we normally combine into a cocktail, and tie them into a drink pretty seamlessly. It takes a lot of experimentation,” she said. But don’t worry: “Once you know the techniques, it gets simple.”

Adding a commercially-made cannabis beverage to a tried-and-true recipe is easy, but you might not live in a state with a market for them. Adding a tincture dose or dehydrated cannabinoid isolate to your drink means you know exactly how much you’re getting, but the formula may disrupt the drink’s texture and taste. And with isolates, you don’t get the entourage effect. Evans recommends drinks that can be blended or shaken if you go this route, like smoothies. 

Her new book, Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home, breaks down some additional methods of cannabis infusion in any beverage of your choosing. Each method has its pros and cons, and readers will find some better than others depending on the kind of drink they want to shake, stir, or muddle up.

Cannabis-infused simple syrup recipe

Depending on your preferences, this recipe can be modified with other ingredients of your choice. Evans recommends using mid-grade cannabis flower to start, so you aren’t shelling out $60 an eighth in case there’s a kitchen snafu. These infusions can last for months. This is adapted from a recipe by Jamie Evans.    

Yield: about 15 to 16 ounces (465 to 480 ml)

Target Dose: 16 mg CBD | 4 mg THC per ounce (using a flower infusion)

Equipment

• Digital scale
• Peeler
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Small saucepan
• Thermometer
• One 16-ounce (480-ml) sterilized Mason jar
• Cheesecloth
• Fine-mesh strainer

Ingredients

• 3 grams decarboxylated flower of your choice
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 1 cup (340 g) honey
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) food-grade vegetable glycerin

Directions

Step 1: Prep

Weigh out 3 grams of decarboxylated flower. Decarboxylating your flower involves exposing it to controlled heat in order to activate the THC and other cannabinoids and impart the desired euphoric effects. Set aside. 

Step 2: Boil liquids

Combine the water and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a soft boil, stirring until the honey dissolves into the water. 

Step 3: Mix together

Reduce the heat to around 160°F to 180°F (71°C to 82°C) and add the decarboxylated cannabis.

Step 4: Infuse the cannabis

Simmer over low heat for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and add the vegetable glycerin—this will give the CBD and THC something to bind to. Continue to heat and stir for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Step 5: Strain and start mixing!

Pour the infused simple syrup into a 16-ounce (480-ml) mason jar, through a cheesecloth placed in a fine-mesh strainer to remove the solids. Let cool. This syrup can now be added to any cocktail or mocktail of your choice. 

Seems simple (wink, wink) enough, right? Evans also shares two recipes with Leafly from her book for summertime sipping, below. One of these does call for alcohol, which not everyone may want to mix with cannabis, but it can easily be made as a mocktail. As with other intoxicating substances, Evans says the rule of thumb is “start low and go slow.”

How to make a cannabis emulsion

One of the first things you learn in high school chemistry class is that oil and water don’t mix, at least not without some scientific intervention. An emulsion is a liquid concoction that combines water and an oil, which are bound together by an emulsifier to stabilize the mixture. Some popular emulsifiers include soy lecithin, eggs, and mustard, but don’t worry, there are no eggs in these drinks. 

Dr. Harold Han, President and Chief Science Office of Bay Area-based emulsion infusion company Vertosa, says that despite how complicated it may seem, anyone with the right equipment, patience, and a healthy serving of curiosity can make an emulsion at home. He didn’t try cannabis until he was 30 years old, but the shift in his perception was immediate. With a PhD in emulsion chemistry, Han helped found Vertosa to ease consumer access to and appreciation for cannabis beyond fearmongering and enduring stigma.

“As a consumer, if you have some interest or chemistry background and you have some equipment and emulsifiers, you can definitely make a homebrew or home emulsion that you can put into your beer or coffee. I actually encourage people to try it, because it’s fun,” said Han.

In addition to producing emulsion formulas for dozens of cannabis companies across the US and Canada, Han breaks down how he and his team at Vertosa turn weed into wine (or coffee or gummies or soda) on the Vertosa YouTube channel. Essentially, an emulsion requires a basic understanding of chemistry (the ingredients and how they interact) and physics (the energy needed to sustain that interaction).

While the emulsion method requires some investment and practice, it’s one of the quickest ways to infuse your favorite water-based drink with a controlled dose of cannabis. 

Cannabis emulsion recipe

Ingredients and equipment

• High-speed mixer 
• Food-grade emulsifier (like sodium citrate)
• Oil-based cannabis tincture
• Water

Directions

Different emulsifiers will call for different amounts in your emulsion, but Han says it really is as easy as mixing the water, oil, and emulsifier together, throwing them into a high-speed mixer or sonicator (a machine that uses ultrasonic vibrations), and mixing until you reach the consistency you want. 

Keep in mind this is a highly perishable product, and you may need to remix it between uses as it can separate. It also might not gel well with your beverage of choice, but half the fun is finding that out.

Spicy melon margarita cannabis drink recipe

Recipe by Jamie Evans, The Herb Somm, featured in her latest book, Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home (published by Fair Winds Press of Quarto Publishing Group)

Yield: 1 Drink

Equipment

• Blender or food processor
• Fine-mesh strainer
• One 8-ounce (240-ml) sterilized Mason jar
• Saucer
• Citrus juicer
• Old-fashioned glass
• Shaker tin
• Jigger
• Hawthorne strainer

Ingredients

• Watermelon Juice
• 1/2 small seedless watermelon

Chili Salt Rim

• 1 tablespoon (9 g) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder or standard chili powder
• 1 lime wedge

Spicy Melon Margarita 

• 3 ounces (89 ml) watermelon juice, pulp removed
• 1 1/4 ounce (38 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 ounce (15 ml) Infused Rich Simple Syrup (page 89 in Cannabis Drinks book, or use the recipe above)
• 1/2 ounce (15 ml) tequila blanco
• 1/2 ounce (15 ml) mezcal
• 1/2 teaspoon Aperol
• 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced into rounds (set 1 slice aside for garnish)
• Ice
• Jalapeño or lime round, for garnish

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the watermelon juice 

Place the watermelon flesh into a blender or food processor and purée for 1 minute or until the watermelon chunks

turn into juice. 

Step 2: Strain

Using a fine-mesh strainer, separate the pulp from the juice over an 8-ounce (240-ml) Mason jar. Discard the pulp and set the jar aside.

Step 3: The chili rim 

Combine the salt and chili powder in a shallow saucer. Rim the glass with a lime wedge, then dip the glass into the salt mixture. If you have Tajín on hand, this works great, too!

Step 4: Bring it all together

Add all the ingredients into a shaker tin, including 3 ounces (90 ml) of watermelon juice and the jalapeños.

Step 5: Shake

Add ice, cover, then shake for 25 seconds. 

Step 6: Pour 

Fine strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with jalapeño rounds or a lime wheel.

Ginger Rabbit cannabis drink recipe

Recipe by Jamie Evans, The Herb Somm, featured in her latest book, Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home (published by Fair Winds Press of Quarto Publishing Group)

Yield: 1 serving

Target Dose: 8 mg CBD | 2 mg THC per drink (using Infused Ginger Simple Syrup, find the recipe in the book) or your preferred dose (using a commercially made CBD or THC tincture of your choice, see note below)

Equipment

• Muddler
• Shaker tin
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Collins glass
• Bar spoon
• Reusable straw

Ingredients

• 1 (1-inch or 2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2 ounces (60 ml) fresh-pressed apple juice
• 4 ounces (118 ml) fresh-pressed carrot juice
• 1½ ounces (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ½ ounce (15 ml) Infused Ginger Simple Syrup (find the recipe in the book)
• Ice
• Splash of ginger beer (Q recommended, see note)
• Carrot greens, edible flowers, and a slice of lemon, for garnish

Directions

Step 1:

Muddle the ginger and apple juice at the bottom of a shaker tin. Muddle well to extract as much ginger flavor as possible. 

Step 2:

Add the carrot juice, lemon juice, infused ginger simple syrup, and ice. Cover then shake for 15 seconds or until very cold.

Step 3:

Using a fine-mesh strainer, separate the solids from the liquids over a Collins glass filled three-quarters with fresh ice. Top with a splash of ginger beer, give it a good stir with a bar spoon, then garish with a sprig of carrot greens, edible flowers, and a slice of lemon.  

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

Rosin is a popular cannabis concentrate that is known for it’s potency and flavor—without the use of chemicals. Because of the way it’s made, rosin carries over a lot of aroma and flavor from the original plant used to make it. Just like essential oils, rosin is solventless, meaning it’s not made with ethanol or alcohol. Instead weed material is pressed between two heated plates, squeezing out a gooey oil- or honey-like extraction.

The low heat used to press rosin means terpenes are better preserved, making rosin more terpy and flavorful. Because rosin is made by hand it is usually more expensive, but it is also considered to be “cleaner” without the chemicals. 

Rosin is often sold in globs in individual packages meant to be dabbed in a dab rig, but more and more, companies are putting rosin in cartridges for easy, discreet consumption through a vape pen or 510 thread rechargeable battery. 

Check out our video on how Nevada producer CAMP makes rosin carts, above.

Types of weed used for pressing rosin

Rosin can be made from flower, kief, or hash. The quality of the starting material will determine the quality of the finished, pressed rosin—fire in, fire out, as they say. 

Trim or shake will produce low-quality rosin that will be low in potency and flavor, as trim and shake don’t have much THC and are harsher when smoked than buds. The same is true for low-grade kief or hash. 

When flower is used for pressing rosin, it is often dried, but the above video from CAMP uses fresh frozen flower to produce ice water hash—this makes their product live rosin, since frozen plants are used instead of dried. Buds are flash frozen in their prime, before terpenes have time to degrade, making the final product incredibly terpy and flavorful.

There are a lot of consumer rosin presses out there to make your own rosin at home, fresh and on-demand. But rosin carts typically need to be bought from licensed dispensaries because of the process of adding rosin into a cartridge. There are refillable vape carts out there, but most vapers find it easier (and less messy) to buy a pre-filled cart. 

How to make live rosin weed carts

Cannabis company CAMP uses fresh frozen plants as source material for their live rosin carts, and turn it into ice water hash, but rosin can also be made with dried cannabis, kief, or hash. Texture and consistency of the finished product may vary depending on the source material, and thick rosin may be difficult to put into a cart and properly vaporize.

CAMP grows all of their own weed plants, as opposed to sourcing starting material from another farm. Plants are grown to maturity and harvested. Buds are then put in a cryogenic freezer, keeping below -42°F/°C, which helps preserve cannabinoids and terpenes. 

Once frozen, buds are placed in giant buckets to make ice water hash. Ice water is added to the buckets and then buds are stirred, freezing trichomes and breaking them off. The water/trichome mixture is drained and the ice water hash separated through a series of sieves with finer and finer meshes. The hash is then dried in an oven. 

Once dry, the hash is then pressed into rosin, poured into vape carts, and ready for the dispensary. The rosin is not diluted and there are no additives introduced when added to the vape carts. This fresh frozen, ice water hash method ensures that a high level of terpenes and cannabinoids are kept in the final rosin, giving the consumer a terpy, flavorful experience. 

Pat Goggins

Pat Goggins is a senior editor who handles Leafly’s informational content and specializes in cannabis cultivation after working for a commercial grower in Oregon. When not fixing typos, you’ll probably find him on a boat or in the mountains.

View Pat Goggins’s articles

During a brief press availability last Saturday, July 16, President Biden shouted a few answers to reporters upon his return to the White House aboard Marine One.

A reporter asked him, among other questions, if he would be honoring his campaign pledge to release all marijuana prisoners in federal facilities. (Biden has the power to commute or pardon prisoners in the federal prison system, but not in state prisons.)

His answer: “I don’t think anyone should be in prison for the use of marijuana. We’re working on the Crime Bill now.”

Biden’s answer was…puzzling.

As President, Biden has the power to commute or pardon pretty much anyone for pretty much any crime or sentence within the federal justice system. He doesn’t need a crime bill. He doesn’t need a single vote in Congress to do it. All he needs is a pen to sign the decree.

Here’s the official transcript released by the White House:

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BIDEN AFTER MARINE ONE ARRIVAL

South Lawn (July 16, 2022)

Q: Is the Saudi foreign minister lying, President Biden? The Saudi foreign minister says he didn’t hear you accuse the Crown Prince of Khashoggi’s murder. Is he telling the truth?

THE PRESIDENT: No.

Q: Do you regret the fist bump, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: Why don’t you guys talk about something that matters? I’m happy to answer a question that matters.

Q: Will inflation go down from here, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: I’m hoping. We’ll know in the next few weeks.

Q: President Biden, will you be honoring your campaign pledge to release all the marijuana inmates in prison?

THE PRESIDENT: I don’t think there should—I don’t think anyone in pri- -anyone should be in prison for the use of marijuana. We’re working on the Crime Bill now. Thank you.

END

Bruce Barcott

Leafly Senior Editor Bruce Barcott oversees news, investigations, and feature projects. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and author of Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana in America.

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Presented By3CHI
Published on July 18, 2022

The popular hemp cannabinoid brand is bringing a baked party to you.

Making your own baked edibles, or partaking in a friend’s homemade treats, is a time-honored tradition for cannabis lovers. It seems like everyone has at least one story about that time with that friend and those brownies. And while some love the process of lovingly baking up their own homemade edibles, for lots of folks, it’s out of pure necessity with potentially unreliable results.

3CHI Party Packs are 20% off for a limited-time. Party on with a discounted box now through 7/25/22 at 11:59 p.m.

Especially if you’re living in a state still under cannabis prohibition, it’s not easy to source cannabis, properly heat it, and evenly combine it into a sweet treat recipe. If “baker” does not describe you, but “stoner who loves baked goods” does: listen up.

If you’d rather leave the baking to the professionals or you’re living in a place without access to legal weed, 3CHI is here for you and ready to supply a very baked party.

Party in a box

3CHI—a leading hemp brand with premium products from delta-8 gummies to HHC vapes—has taken its baked edibles to a new level, now offering Party Packs of incredibly delicious delta-9 THC treats.

Thanks to a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-based brands like 3CHI are able to include federally compliant, hemp-derived delta-9 THC in their products so long as they contain no more than 0.3% D-9 THC per dry weight. Delta-9 THC from hemp is the same compound as the THC we know and love from cannabis—the same thing you’d find in traditional edibles—but with the legal status of hemp. That means it’s now possible to get potent, hemp-based delta-9 THC edibles shipped to your door nationwide.

3CHI didn’t stop with simply creating a federally legal edible that customers are raving about. These 3CHI baked edibles now come in a party box—with a total of 200mg delta-9 THC per box, across eight sweet treats. These edible Party Packs stand out in a crowd of hemp-based products. In one box, 3CHI essentially caters the dessert portion of the best kind of party.

3CHI’s Party Packs each come with eight treats per box and are available in six different craveable treats: Krispy Treats, Fruity Cereal Treats, Chocolate Krispy Treats, Brownies, Sugar Cookies, or Chocolate Chip Cookies.

How is this possible?

It can seem crazy that these THC products are legal nationwide. But on the contrary, it’s quite plausible thanks to hemp-derived delta-9. The 2018 Farm Bill made it so that hemp-derived products containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight are federally legal to sell and consume. Because of this, the hemp industry has exploded in recent years, bringing the new availability of various other cannabinoids, including delta-8 THC and THC-O, to name a few. Now it’s hemp-derived delta-9 THC’s time to shine brighter than before.

3CHI uses independent, third-party laboratories to test their delta-9 in full-spectrum batches. This ensures only the purest delta-9 THC is included in their products. As a pioneer in the hemp-based THC industry, with some of the most advanced, intentional scientific methods in use today, the purity of 3CHI’s products is well-respected.

Get the party started

3CHI Party Packs are 20% off for a limited-time. Party on with a discounted box now through 7/25/22 at 11:59 p.m.

These edible Party Packs don’t just get the party started, they are the party. Whether you’re staying in for a game night or going out to party with the masses, these hemp products are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Super tasty and supplying a significant high per snack, they’ll be the highlight of any party, big or small. Sharing not your strong suit? You can always stick a box in the pantry to make sure you never run out and be your own hero.

The only question left: Which one are you going to try first?

Leafly novel cannabinoid disclaimer:

Use and possession may be restricted by law. This product may expose you to harmful chemical byproducts.

Ubiquitous for years, rolling paper brands selling pre-rolled cones are now upping their game to give smokers different sizes, paper materials, and flavorings. From experienced joint rollers to sausage-fingered fools, just about everyone is always down to puff on a super-inviting cone. Celebrate the free-spirited aura that complements utter simplicity with these updated takes on the classic cone.

RAW cones

Since the early ’90s, Josh Kesselman, the all-around paper-obsessed owner of RAW, has continued to innovate and build on the rich history of rolling paper products with his commitment to the excellence of his brands. 

“It’s just a different way of doing things,” said the RAW head honcho on a recent call with Leafly. “You bring the quality and craftsmanship as close as you can get it towards perfection, with the hope that the person after you can bring things even further.” 

RAW organic cones

To think Kesselman’s original RAW cone could ever be topped is crazy, but these slow-burning, boat-resistant organic cones have done just that – essentially leaving behind nothing but the full flavor of dank, ground-up bud in their wake. 

Smoke sessions with RAW organic cones exude the same dedication to natural and unrefined ingredients as the local sushi place you’ll probably hit up on DoorDash afterward. The natural tendencies of the hemp plant make for an optimal paper due to their lighter, yet virtually impenetrable paper construction. By combining those quality traits with the unique RAW watermark that ensures an even burn until the end of a session, RAW organics are easy to revere as a mainstay in your arsenal.

RAWkets ready for liftoff

“RAW papers and cones are designed to truly elevate smokers to the highest level,” Kesselman also noted as a clear distinction of his brand.

By that heady decree, it can also be said that it’s the care and over-the-top fun that RAW puts into their brand and products that separate them from the crowd. RAWkets are a prime example of that contagious joy–manifested into kits such as the Classic 5 Stage and 20 Stage RAWket Launcher Packs. 

The RAWket 5 Stage runs the spectrum from a 1¼-inch cone up to the 10-gram capacity of the Supernatural cone – a pre-roll that’s out-of-this-world with its commanding presence and ability to smoke out the better part of a class reunion. Meanwhile, the RAW 20 Stage RAWket Launcher Pack includes 20 pieces of seven different-sized cones – all within an oversized novelty box – making this adult construction set a consistent conversation starter and go-to for a wide variety of pre-roll sizes to explore.

VIBES pre-rolled cones

First launched in 2019, cannabis mogul Berner created VIBES pre-rolled cones to provide fans with multiple, high-quality pre-roll paper options such as Hemp, Organic Hemp, Rice, and Ultra-Thin varieties.

Organic Hemp VIBES are exceptional in how they allow the smoker to sit and meditate for a moment here and there without the joint constantly extinguishing or burning away like a lit fuse on a stick of freakin’ dynamite. VIBES Organic cones are also noteworthy for how the natural hemp paper makes the terpenes of the weed the main focal point.

Tobacco-free pre-rolled blunt cones

Terpene profiles have taken over the last decade or so and flavor rules. Enhance and complement the taste and terps of your stash with the best natural alternative to classic blunts – terp-infused, tobacco-free blunt cones that burn almost as long as a Tarantino flick and are just as gloriously sublime.

King Palm terp-infused palm leaf cones

Around since 2016, these game-changing stuffies now come in over 30 different flavors that include Berry Terps, Banana Cream, and Lemon Haze. Size-wise, you can fill anything from a half-gram Rollie cone up to a quarter zip into King Palm’s limited edition and appropriately-named XXXL offering. Stuffing some Grape Biscotti into the cannons that are King Palm Grape HD Mini 5 Packs is just one example of how to best pair your bud with the many varieties of King Palm Terp-Infused Cones. 

The slow burn of King Palm cones is as smooth as the hits that emanate from the unique pop and snap, terp-infused corn husk filter KPs are now famous for. Calling them blunts would be doing these real leaf cones a disservice—the lack of any tobacco after-taste puts natural and proprietary terps at center stage. 

Tyson 2.0 x Futurola ‘The Toad’ Blunt Cones

Tyson 2.0 X Futurola Tobacco-Free “The Toad” Blunt Cones are the result of a collab between the famous Amsterdam-based rolling paper brand and Tyson Ranch. Iron Mike has cannonballed into the weed game since starting the Tyson Ranch brand and opening his mind up to the psychedelic healing of “The Toad.” 

Tyson Ranch toad cones provide a glimpse into the singular taste of the toad venom experiences that have changed the former heavyweight champ’s life. The actual taste? Somewhat indescribably salty, sweet, and sensational “toad” terpenes applied to the tips and papers of these individual, glass-tubed cones. The unique terps nicely accentuate the flavors and heady highs of strains like Green Crack, Durban Poison, and Tyson’s own The Toad strain to create something of an even more stimulating experience.

See also: Zig-Zag’s Infused Cones; Edie Parker Crush Cones

Smoke Roses Goji Berry Cones

Exotic terps also abound with the Organic Goji Berry Cones made by Smoke Roses. Owner Charly Jordan got the inspiration for these goji berry fruit-infused blunt cones during her many travels. The experience of seeing how other cultures utilized unusual and unadulterated rolling materials translated into pre-rolled cones that delight the senses with their mouth-watering, tobacco-free goji berry essence.

The 1-gram capacity pre-rolls burn slower than just about most other pre-roll papers available on the market and ensure any procrastinators in the circle aren’t gonna cause a tiff. To the dome, it’s perfect to puff for what seems like all day.

Whether it’s king-sized organic cones, terpene-infused “blunt” cones, or pre-roll kits that let you stuff a doink the size of your forearm, set some important goals for yourself this summer. Achieve what’s possible with these pre-rolled cone brands and products that are currently hitting it out of the park and beyond!

See also: Zig-Zag Rose

And that’s it for our cones round-up this summer. Pack those cones, twist the top, and get out there!

Anthony DiMeo

Anthony DiMeo is a cannabis advocate and journalist who still believes countercultural evolution is possible. His work and advocacy has been featured in DOPE, Extraction Magazine, Terpenes & Testing Magazine, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

View Anthony DiMeo’s articles

Sweltering summer days bring, mercifully, temperate summer nights, and with them a bevy of possibilities for you and your weed stash. We live on a planet obsessed with progress, technology, and what’s new, but when was the last time you stopped to smell the flowers or look at the stars? Whether you live in a bustling city or a cozy town, there will always be a rooftop or grassy field nearby to lie back and marvel at Mother Nature’s cosmos. 

Recently, NASA released the first images from their swanky new James Webb telescope cameras, and man—they are something else. In unparalleled quality, nebulas now look like brooding amoebas, and swaths of deep space resemble desert mountains or a set from the new Thor film. Seriously, I didn’t know that swirling galaxies millions of lightyears away could be pink, or that I could gaze upon a meteor and see the texture as clear as the pimples on my teenaged face. I get why Matthew McConaughey and Buzz Lightyear would risk a devastating time warp now.   

How amazing would these images look with some inspiration from weed? What I wouldn’t give to share a joint with Neil deGrasse Tyson and pontificate about what it all means. He’s probably busy, so in the meantime, here are some of the best strains that suit a night out staring at the stars, or perusing pictures of planets and universes still beyond our understanding.

Space Queen

I, for one, have never forgotten the power of Space Queen. She’s not only a heady hybrid of Romulan and Cindy 99—both trippy, cerebral stains in their own right—she tastes good too! She’ll have you marveling at the depth of hues and scope of the stars, then wondering if aliens really did build the Egyptian pyramids.

Cat Piss

Do not let the name fool you—smoking this strain always makes me feel like I am blasting off to Pluto. As a pheno of Super Silver Haze, Cat Piss gives you the same buzzing euphoria and introspection from its Haze and Northern Lights parents, just stinkier. If you don’t mind the ammonia smell, this is a Neil Armstrong experience.

Northern Lights

If sativas aren’t your thing, Northern Lights is an excellent catalyst for wondering: ‘But, like, what is a black hole?’ This is a true indica made from some of the best landrace strains to grace Earth—the perfect companion for astral projecting to Neptune and seeing the northernmost lights that human technology allows.

White Widow

White Widow has been around since the ‘90s, and she endures because she makes us feel so damn good. She’s cerebral without inducing anxiety, and I’ve had some of the best contemplative conversations and joyful movie nights thanks to packing her in the bowl.     

Runtz

We know you love Runtz for its candy-coated terps and intense intoxication without the fatigue, but it can also inspire a new interest in meteor showers, red dwarves, and milky ways. Why else do you think it’s found its way into half a dozen rap songs?       

Supernova

Formerly known as “Chronic,” Supernova is an indica-hybrid that has been immortalized forever in stoner culture canon with Dr. Dre’s 1992 debut album of the same name. A supernova is a star exploding at the end of its life; your brain will do the same as you trace the sky’s constellations.  

Durban Poison

I warn you, this is not for a casual gazing session—Durban Poison is a full-throttle wormhole of a strain. This is a sativa for tracking shooting stars, though whether they’re really out there or just in your head is anyone’s guess. I think if Jupiter was a strain, and not a giant planet of toxic gas, it would be this one.

Bruce Banner

Don’t worry, you do not need to fight an infinity way or defeat Thanos to enjoy this hybrid. But Bruce Banner’s marvelous creative qualities pair smoothly with our galaxy and the next. You may just develop a hulking obsession with the stars.

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.

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