Vape cartridges are a popular consumption method thanks to their ample variety, relative ease of use, and delicious, terpy clouds. But it’s easy to get sticker shock when browsing vape carts online or at the store.

Since they are highly concentrated weed, a gram (or even half gram) can cost upwards of $100. Don’t worry, there are plenty of cost-conscious 510 thread vape cartridges out there for under $50.

Whether you like indicas, sativas, high-CBD, or balanced strains, there’s a little something for everyone on our list.

CBN:CBD Lemon Skunk X CKS & CRM

Brand: Northbound Cannabis

Licensed producer: Medipharm Labs

THC: 0.20 – 0.60%  |  2.00 – 6.00 mg/g

CBD: 46.00 – 52.00%  |  460.00 – 520.00 mg/g

The CBN:CBD Lemon Skunk X CKS & CRM is a solid option for those who are looking for a cartridge heavy on the CBD and low on the THC. It is a sativa-dominant cross of Lemon Skunk X CKS & CRM (Cookies & Cream), made with individually selected terpenes nerolidol, limonene, beta-caryophyllene, beta-myrcene, and terpinolene, with a focus on the minor cannabinoid CBN.

Mango Haze Live Resin

Brand: Color Cannabis

Licensed producer: Entourage Health Corp. (formally WeedMD)

THC: 28.00 – 34.00%  |  280.00 – 340.00 mg/g

CBD: 40.00 – 46.00%  |  400.00 – 460.00 mg/g

For those seeking a more balanced experience, Dosecann’s Mango Haze Live Resin cart offers just the ticket. This sativa-dominant formula is made using pure cannabis extract with a rich mango aroma and hints of spice and pine.

Mango Haze Live Resin carts offer a 2:1 CBD|THC ratio, crafted from the Mango Haze strain, which boasts Northern Lights, Skunk, and Haze in its lineage. This live resin is crafted from freshly frozen cannabis flower and contains no diluents.

Jack Flash

Brand: Mood Ring

Licensed producer: Neptune Wellness

THC: 80.00 – 86.00%  |  800.00 – 860.00 mg/g

CBD: 0.00 – 3.00%  |  0.00 – 30.00 mg/g

Mood Ring products often drop to rave reviews, selling out in whatever market they sell in. The Jack Flash 510 Thread Cartridge is no exception—this cart is a popular pick among consumers. It is crafted from the sativa-dominant hybrid strain Jack Flash , a cross of Jack Herer, Super Skunk, and Haze.

Made using a cold ethanol extraction process, botanical terpenes are blended with the live resin concentrate. Jack Flash offers flavours of lemon off the start, followed by notes of red berries, juniper, sandalwood, and spice.

CBD Mint

Brand: Foray

Licensed producer: Auxly

THC: 2.10 – 2.80%  |  21.00 – 28.00 mg/g

CBD: 62.50 – 67.50%  |  625.00 – 675.00 mg/g

The CBD Mint 510 Thread Cartridge is another excellent budget-conscious choice for those looking for a cartridge option without a lot of THC. This minty vape cart features CBD-dominant distillate and botanical terpenes with eucalyptus and menthol, for a fresh-tasting cart with a sweet, earthy, minty flavour.

Sour Apple

Brand: Back Forty

Licensed producer: Auxly

THC: 79.00 – 82.00%  |  790.00 – 820.00 mg/g

CBD: 0.00%  |  0.00 mg/g

Back Forty is another brand retailers can’t seem to keep on the shelves due to demand. The Sour Apple 510 Thread Cartridge offers a heavy hit of THC in an indica-dominant strain.

Prominent terpenes include limonene, linalool, and pinene. This cart starts off with a fresh burst of sour flavour before moving into a sweet finish. It is made using the Sour Apple strain, also known as Sour Apple Diesel, using an ethanol extraction process.

Jean Guy Liquid Wax

Brand: Good Supply

Licensed producer: Aphria

THC: 79.00 – 85.00%  |  790.00 – 850.00 mg/g

CBD: 0.70 – 0.80%  |  7.00 – 8.00 mg/g

A popular strain among smokers, the Jean Guy Liquid Wax cart is conveniently available in a 510 cart from Good Supply. It is made using the sativa-dominant Jean Guy strain, using a butane extraction process.

This process creates a full-spectrum liquid wax product that’s rich in terpenes with wider cannabinoid retention. The strain is known for its energizing and uplifting properties.

Organic LA Confidential

Brand: The Green Organic Dutchman

Licensed producer: The Green Organic Dutchman

THC: 76.00 – 82.00%  |  760.00 – 820.00 mg/g

CBD: 0.00 – 1.00%  |  0.00 – 10.00 mg/g

For those who prefer their cannabis organic, the Green Organic Dutchman has the Organic LA Confidential in a 510 thread cartridge. Made from only organically-grown LA Confidential cannabis oil and organic terpenes, this cart contains no synthetic flavours or additives. This strain is an indica-dominant flower with aromas of pine, black pepper, and subtle hints of citrus.

Up In The Sky Liquid Wax

Brand: Broken Coast

Licensed producer: Tilray

THC: 63.75 – 86.25%  |  637.50 – 862.50 mg/g

CBD: 0.00 – 0.99%  |  0.00 – 9.90 mg/g

Made from premium, BC-grown cannabis, Up In The Sky brings liquid wax into a standard 510 cartridge. The resulting vapour is packed full of citrus flavour, with consumers noting the prevalence of lime and orange zest.

Using a high-THC, sativa-dominant strain, the cart is made using an ethanol extraction. Up In The Sky is known for its strong and unique terpene profile. It has notes of citrus and spice, from caryophyllene, myrcene, and limonene.

Leafly editors and contributing writers choose products based on personal experience, consumer feedback, and overall quality. At times, we take samples to inform our reporting but receive no commission from any resulting sales.

Caitlin McCormack

Caitlin McCormack is a writer based in Toronto. Her work has appeared in MSN, Lift & Co., HuffPost, What to Expect, and Mashable, among others. When she isn’t writing, she’s busy chasing after her two sons, testing out new recipes, and working on her century-old fixer-upper.

View Caitlin McCormack’s articles

NY officials are making a mess of their efforts to legalize cannabis—here’s what’s at the eye of the latest shitstorm.

Back in February, New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced that they sent cease-and-desist letters to dozens of shops across the state that they suspect of selling cannabis without a license. Failure to comply with the request could prevent a store from acquiring a legal license once they become available later this year, the letters warned.

But last week, a Freedom of Information request filed by The Gothamist forced the OCM to release the letters. Within them, plain for all to see, were the names of the businesses told to cease operations.

Of the 66 letters, two went to businesses that claim they’ve never heard anything from the OCM or received any letters. One business claimed that they don’t even sell cannabis.

State officials say they want to help ease gray market operators into the fast-approaching legal market. But these cease-and-desist notices, and the public disclosure of who received them, have only created new questions as the state eyes a fall or winter opening day for adult-use sales. 

NYC Mayor Adams sends mixed signals

In June, New York City mayor Eric Adams further complicated the situtation by telling millions of residents and visitors to light up without fear of repercussions. Mayor Adams said unlicensed operators could expect slaps on the wrist for now. But the former NYPD officer hinted that harsh consequences could come to those who ignore initial warnings to stop unlicensed sales.

The day before the mayor told New Yorkers to “light up,” New York’s Senate passed a bill that would crack down on unlicensed possession and sales. That bill needed approval from the state Assembly before June 3 to move forward. But the date passed without a vote. On the same day, NYC’s Mayor encouraged everyone to smoke more weed from the shops, trucks, and legacy sellers that were told by the OCM to cease and desist.

With state officials estimating that New York State will generate $1.25 billion in revenue over the next six years, lawmakers and regulators from the state and every local municipality need to get on the same page, and fast. But only if they’re serious about launching a successful and equitable legal weed market in America’s most populated city. 

If they continue to send legacy providers and users mixed signals, much of that billion and change they project to generate could leak into the illicit market and neighboring states like New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Gray-market providers should proceed with caution

The drama surrounding the letters underlines a paradox of the state’s own making: How can they support the legacy market and bring it into the new system, if they think it’s operating outside of the law?

The letters effectively “out” many of the businesses mentioned. While some are out in the open, others are now exposed to an increased risk of robbery or bodily harm.

“It’s weird. It’s confusing,” Ryan Lepore, a member of Empire State NORML’s Board of Directors, told Leafly. “Anyone in the legacy market should proceed with caution. I don’t say this to fearmonger. I think the state is trying to figure out a way to do this. They’re trying more than a lot of other states have tried at the inception of a program,” he added.

Gray area shops live in pot purgatory

New York State is home to a robust, and dynamic, gray market; New York City allegedly smokes more than any other city in the world. But when NYC legalized marijuana in March 2021— via the Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA)—things got sticky very quickly.

The bill makes it legal for adults to “transfer” cannabis up to three ounces of cannabis to each other, as long as “no compensation” gets exchanged. (It also legalizes most public consumption.) As a result, many “gifting” shops began to sprout up around the city. Sure, customers couldn’t buy pot outright. But anyone could pay $40 or $50 for an NFT, and get an eighth thrown in their bag, free of charge.

Some of these shops stand boldly in the open, for all to see, while others take a more clandestine route. 

New York has shown intermittent support for legacy businesses while building out their adult-use program. Most substantially, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) announced this spring that the state would allocate $200 million to help the first 100 adult-use license holders—who, by law, must be victims of the War on Drugs, or members of disenfranchised communities—to open up shop.

But with the cease-and-desist letters, they’ve muddied their stance on supporting existing businesses.

“There are no businesses currently licensed to sell adult-use cannabis in New York State. Selling any item or taking a donation, and then “gifting” a customer a bag of untested cannabis does indeed count as a sale under New York’s Cannabis Law,” said Tremaine Wright, Chair of New York’s Cannabis Control Board, in a recent press release.

What weight do these letters actually carry?

The cease-and-desist letters suggest that the state will eventually start punishing businesses that continue adult-sales without a license. But the OCM doesn’t appear to have the power to sanction any punishment at the moment (hence the warnings). And even when they can start cracking down, regulators should be careful not to hassle the legacy providers they claim to be supporting for social equity.

“The state has not done a great job of defining what legacy is, or providing protection [to those businesses],” Lepore, of Empire State NORML, told Leafly.

“[But OCM] is trying to do anything and everything. A lot of people on their staff are not trained and versed in this market. Some of them are. They’re finding their rhythm at the same time,” he added.

“This could be way worse,” Lepore notes. He feels the state has demonstrated restraint by not jumping into attack mode and immediately raiding shops or seizing assets. But that could just mean they are sitting back and allowing targets to build their cases for them.

Syracuse.com reported that the OCM’s view that gifting is illegal is “not unanimously shared by DAs across the state.” In March, the Erie County DA’s office told NY Cannabis Insider that “the current criminal penal law does not prohibit” gifting. NYC mayor Eric Adams has further complicated the situation with his laissez-faire approach.

“There needs to be a system of not heavy-handedness, but going in and explaining to that store that, ‘Listen, you can’t do this,’ give them a warning,” Adams told reporters in June at a cannabis industry expo.

OCM did not respond to a request for comment for this story clarifying whether they have taken punitive actions against any of these businesses yet. Mayor Adams’ office also left Leafly’s request for comment unanswered.

Naming the shops could put them at risk

Lepore believes outing these shops could put them in real danger. “Once you out someone’s location, there are plenty of people that would take advantage of that and try to do nefarious things to those people, knowing there’s cannabis and money there,” he said. “Some of these people could actually get hurt.”

Lepore cited one recipient of the letter, a smoke shop, where employees have balked at coming to work since the warning. He also noted a shop upstate where robbers broke in armed with assault rifles.

Deadly robberies on the West Coast have become more common as businesses must juggle protecting their cash-only operations from both cops and robbers.

With such high stakes riding on New York’s next cash crop, state officials aren’t inspiring confidence. Nicole Reynolds, the owner of an events business that got a warning letter despite never selling or advertising cannabis, told the Ithica Voice that the way the OCM bungled this initial enforcement campaign is a discouraging sign of its ability to handle the massive new industry they’re about to unleash.

Reynolds said “the social media fallout, gossip, questions relating to my/our commitment to this community, and whether we are practicing illicit and illegal activity stings.” The LakeWatch Inn owner added, “the legal ramifications will take time… I have fielded calls from concerned hosts.”

Some businesses will fight the cease-and-desist letters

Some “gifting” stores remain adamant that they are operating within the law. And they’re not being quiet about it. Empire Cannabis Club, in the heart of the NYC neighborhood Chelsea, for one, refuses to close up shop.

The shop’s attorney, Steve Zissou (no, not that Steve Zissou) argues that since the shop sells memberships, not weed, directly, they cannot be shut down. Zissou insisted to CBS New York that “there [is] no compensation for the cannabis that’s distributed.”

During the same event, Adams noted that he’d like to see these illicit businesses join the legal market. If they don’t, he warned there might be repercussions. 

“If they refuse to adhere to the rules, then you have to come back and take some form of enforcement actions, such as a summons,” he said.

Adams regularly touts the burgeoning New York cannabis industry as a potential windfall. Earlier this year, he made headlines by suggesting that the city convert public housing rooftops into ganja greenhouses.

Before thinking that big, city and state officials should come to agreement on the proper way to roll out their next big cash crop.

Max Savage Levenson

Max Savage Levenson likely has the lowest cannabis tolerance of any writer on the cannabis beat. He also writes about music for Pitchfork, Bandcamp and other bespectacled folk. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. His dream interview is Tyler the Creator.

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America’s hash holiday 7/10 went off bigger than ever this year, with concentrate sales jumping 66% above average, according to Headset data. And there’s every reason to keep on the gas, Leafly nation. 

Concentrates have had a wild decade. For years, many were enamored with the latest hydrocarbon extraction tech (aka BHO). People loved dabs. 

Eventually, an accident with a hair straightener would introduce us to solventless dabs (aka rosin). By 2017, they were all the rage.

These days, taxes, red tape, and competition make it more complicated than ever for hydrocarbon companies to survive. One recent former BHO world champ told me they closed up shop due to the economics of it.

There is certainly more hash than ever. Just go look at all the press releases over the last year that want the world to know they make hash now. But once you get through the flood of mids with questionable commercial viability, you’ll find your way to the heat.

We’re wildly confident that all of the extracts on this list sit at the mountaintop of excellence. From cookie dough to pre-rolls, to the meltiest melts, we’ve got the goods to keep 7/10 going all summer long. 

Hassan’s Strawberry Limeade 159u – 90u

Heading to Europe this summer? The first thing many will notice when they get exposed to Catalonia’s cannabis scene is the hash is generally a higher quality across the board than much of the flower. But then you meet the guys who actually have the best flower—like California-competitive—and you see the real European mountaintop for concentrates. Hassan was that guy. Not only was every jar of hash he showed us amongst the best we saw at Spannabis, but Iberian Runtz was also probably the best flower we saw after the Ego Clash-winning Z-Cube. 

Kiva Hash Infused S’mores bar

Kiva moving towards hash-infused edibles and away from distillates and all the other weird concoctions people have come up with to put weed in things is awesome. Why? It shows the biggest dogs can do it. Hash-infused sounded bougie just a couple of years ago, but now things like Kiva’s S’mores bar are making it the norm. It’s a much better body high than the cheap oils many edible companies use.

Cosmic Edibles Hash Infused Cookie Dough

Not since the voters of California forced the 100-milligram edible ban on us has there been such a hype edible in the cannabis game. Even worse, we would have had this cookie dough years ago if the founder’s friends hadn’t convinced him to cook it. You’re probably asking yourself salmonella questions, fair. But fear not! It’s vegan and perfectly fine to consume raw. It’s also loaded with hash from the multiple-time world champions over at Kalya Extracts!

22Red Arizona Papango Punch

Shavo Odadjian has taken his act on the road but he’s leaving his bass at home. The System of a Down bassist continues to expand his three-year-old company into multiple states. Our pick for 22Reds inaugural concentrate drop in Arizona is Papango Punch. 22Red noted it was crafted from three purple strains Modified Grapes, Grape Milkshake, and Purple Apricot. While the world is starting to lean towards solventless, great purples are one of the things that don’t wash. They didn’t do well during the shatter era, either. But when it comes to wet hydrocarbon terps they do well, and Arizona should be ready for a full-bodied, indica-leaning high. 

Kalya x Alien Labs Sherbanger f2 #11

Some of the finest hash collaborations in recent memory came from Alien Labs and Kalya pairing up to make the heat. Their latest efforts that will be hitting shelves soon across California are no different. Among the new lineup, inside sources tell us the Sherbanger F2 #11 (Sunset Sherbert x Headbanger) is the one to keep an eye out for. Since Kalya has been the world champs a few times and Ted from Alien Labs has been helping judge the hydrocarbon side at The Emerald Cup the last few years, if they’re excited, you should be excited.

Hash and Flowers Honey Banana

In the hurricane of hype that was 2021, few brands rocketed to the top faster in any sector of the cannabis industry than Hash and Flowers. There is an argument to be made that only Flower Mill grinders had a bigger year in terms of exploding onto the scene. This rise was backboned by the candy terps of their Honey Banana pheno they went on to pair with a lot of other great stuff. Some of the other recent standouts from them include the Wilson F3 and the best Watermelon Zkittlez hash I have seen to date. It’s also all competitively priced compared to rosins of similar quality.

Sunset Connect Temple Ball

In honor of the late, great Frenchy Cannoli we’ve got some Temple Balls in the mix. Before his passing Frenchie was the best solventless hash extraction teacher in the world as he taught about the tech and traditions he brought back from the high mountain passes of Asia. The Sunset Connect team is among Frenchie’s pupils and the best representation of old-school hash processing techniques available in the recreational marketplace in California. It’s a lot different from BHO and rosin, but a temple ball hookah party is undeniably an experience any true hash enthusiast must cross off their bucket list. Rest in peace, Frenchy! 

Heritage Whitethorn Rose rosin

If not for one of the best runs of Papaya ever, Whitethorn Rose would have taken home first place in both the Rosin and Water Hash categories at The Emerald Cup. The Whitethorn Rose that Heritage processed into some of the terpiest hash of the year came from Huckleberry Hill Farms. It’s a family cut that the farm cut they passed through the generations and its sister pheno has tested for over 50 different terpenes. Now that it’s so coveted if you see any Whitethorn Rose hash anywhere pull the trigger quick, there isn’t much to go around. 

Fidel’s Hash Hole

The era of the Barcelona-inspired hash hole is upon us. What’s the story? Fidel watched some local enthusiasts roll one in celebration of their weed making it from America on a trip to Spain before the pandemic. He brought the concept back to California and now collaborates with some of the state’s best cultivators. Despite being the most expensive, they fly. Fidel is launching his new facility in Adelanto. Once the cultivation is on point the rosin-loaded pre-rolls will be a lot more accessible to the masses. 

The Original Z Zeuz Pod

If there was a last supper portrait of the people that brought us the terpenes of the generation, The Original Z team would have a couple of the seats at the table. What the point of having some of the best flavors in the world if you’re going to skimp, though, so for their inaugural vaporizer effort they went with C-cell’s best technology to bring their terps to the wider masses. The Zeuz pod has been firmly entrenched at the top of the vape market since launching last fall and doesn’t look to be knocked from the mountaintop any time soon.

Paisley Acres Tagalong Truffle

Thin Mint x (Bruce Banner x Apollo) bred by @TheDankyBank is an absolute heater and some of the best hash we’ve seen out of the midwest this year. It has the wildest cheesy funk you could imagine. It is honestly hard to believe it’s a cookies cross and not something from an exotic dairy case where the cows only drank beer or something.

Unobtainium Artisan Floristry (UAF) Z-Cube Hash

More commonly known as @Sativa_Engineering on Instagram, UAF is producing some of the finest flowers in Spain. And given the best flowers produce the best hash, it’s no surprise the water hash they showed us from their Z-Cube that won Ego Clash Barcelona this March. The actual wash was done by @__dochazed__ who placed second at Masters of Rosin this year. It was probably the best Z concentrate I’ve ever seen that wasn’t directly from Mendocino County and was truly artisanal hash in every sense of the phrase. 

Suprize Suprize Infused Pre-roll

The team at Suprize Suprize and sister company Royal Key reigned supreme from the top of the hydrocarbon podium for years. They’ve now moved away from the dabs that made them famous to focus on their equally exotic flower, while taking their solventless game to the next level. The infused pre-roll is made with in-house tech they say allows them to infuse the joints with live trichome heads before packaging. Expect these to gain steam in the marketplace quickly. 

Beezle Grape Octane

If you’re a BH-NO and you’re still here, get ready to celebrate this year’s Emerald Cup Champions, the long-time killers at Beezle Extracts. For 7/10 we’re recommending that you check out Beezle’s Grape Octane live resin badder. It’s a collaboration they put processed with fresh material from Luma Farms out of Petaluma, California. Expect to enjoy an earthy, grape/purple flavor reminiscent of some Granddaddy aromas from a decade ago. It also brings a highly sedative high.

And that’s it—14 banger, must-try hashes from this side of the Atlantic to the other. Hope you had a stoney 7/10, may the terps be with you. Leafly Buzz returns to round up west coast fire flower in August!

Jimi Devine

Jimi Devine has been involved in cannabis law reform since 2005, and has worked in the Berkeley cannabis industry since 2009, when he moved to California from Lynn, Massachusetts. Currently serving as LA Weekly’s cannabis columnist, he’s also written for the San Francisco Chronicle’s Green State, Cannabis Now Magazine, High Times, 7×7 Magazine, and in Ed Rosenthal’s recent book, This Bud’s for You. Jimi has a BA in journalism and media studies from Franklin Pierce University.

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Take a trip on the good ship Leafly to RISE Mundelein in Illinois

With the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Illinois, Chicago has become a cannabis destination hotspot within the Midwest, especially given all the other fun shit to do in Chicago while you’re stoned.

RISE’s innovative on-site cannabis experiences put it at the forefront of the evolving social cannabis scene in Illinois.

Whether you’re a visitor looking for fun weed experiences in the Chicago area or a local resident looking for something new, there’s a must-do Illinois cannabis experience you should take in.

It’s just a little bit north of Chicago at RISE dispensary’s Mundelein location, where you can purchase adult-use and medical cannabis, and also smoke it on the premises at one of the state’s only cannabis lounge experiences.

On-site consumption is technically legal in Illinois if a dispensary has a license for it. However, locations are exceedingly rare in Illinois thanks to property costs, staffing needs, and mandatory approval by local authorities. In fact, 18 local businesses wrote to the village board to oppose Rise’s on-site consumption license in Mundelein, but not even that could stop this exciting location from becoming a reality.

Making the trek to Mundelein 

Prior to adding the bright, social lounge experience to celebrate 4/20 in 2022, RISE dipped its toe into providing people with a consumption experience with a smaller, more moody “smokeasy” at their Mundelein dispensary location. Today, the location remains the only one for miles and miles where you can also buy your weed.

My fiancé and I decided to make a reservation (a must, which you can do through their website) and hopped in our car on a sunny Saturday afternoon to make the most of a weekend day trip.

Mundelein is just 35 miles to the north of the city, and depending on where you live in Chicago, takes about an hour.

If you don’t own a car, don’t want to spend the gas money getting up there, or don’t have a sober driver (which you need if you’re planning on consuming cannabis at the lounge), you can also take a North Central Service (NCS) Metra train to Mundelein, then catch a bus or rideshare the rest of the way.

The drive was relatively easy after we hopped off the bustling highway, especially for me in the passenger seat, as I took my fiancé through a painfully detailed, six-album retrospective of my favorite Kanye West songs. A treat for her, I am sure.

An impressive, organized dispensary experience

RISE’s attention to detail was evident as soon as we rolled up. They had designated and convenient parking (be still, my Chicago heart!) for both recreational shoppers and medical patients, with the latter getting priority parking closer to the dispensary.

After parking in the adult-use lot just across the street, we strolled over to the fast-moving queue of people at the front entrance. Check-in was swift, and after walking through a museum-like corridor of cannabis history, we entered a cavernous room filled with natural light, RISE-branded smoking accessories, and folks buying weed.

Like many dispensaries, RISE has different checkout areas for recreational and medical purchases, which helped keep the fairly large crowd moving. Employees stationed throughout the dispensary were very helpful, ushering us through the purchase atrium to the lounge’s host stand.

One standout part of the experience I noticed was that you can skip the lines and purchase cannabis within the lounge itself. You can also make your purchase with a debit card which was truly clutch.

Hopefully, with recent legislative efforts like the CLIMB Act, streamlined payment like this will become a reality at dispensaries across the country.

Getting settled and ready to smoke

The host seated us inside the bright, airy lounge room, decorated with lush emerald green tones, neon signs, and art-deco flourishes. You can tell that RISE put a lot of care into designing the onsite consumption experience. This isn’t a bunch of rickety card tables in a basement. This is an atmosphere.

After a couple of minutes, our fabulous server, MK, arrived. She walked us through a tablet menu, telling us her favorite flower and extract products and giving us recommendations based on our preferences, tolerance levels, and mood. Note: you can purchase edibles there, but they respectfully ask that you do not consume them.

Deciding that extracts were a little too intense for our day trip (especially with my partner driving), we opted for flower. We chose RYTHM, a brand also owned by RISE’s parent company, Green Thumb Industries. Specifically, RYTHM’s Space Cream and Florida Cake strains.

MK then ran us through a variety of ways to smoke our weed, from cones to bongs to the extremely cool Stüdenglass Gravity Pipe, the table-top gravity bong experience we ended up ordering.

Once our cannabis was ready at the pickup station, adjacent to the gorgeous rig- and bong-lined bar on the back wall, we paid and made our way back to the table where the Stüdenglass Gravity Pipe and an array of luxe smoking accessories awaited us.

Enough taking in the sheer modernity, aesthetics, and seamlessness of the Lounge. It was time to get high as hell!

Smoking weed, but in a fancy way

In all senses of the word, the Stüdenglass fucked me up.

It looks beautiful on the shelf, but seeing it in action is a totally different thing—it’s the most sophisticated take on a gravity bong I have ever seen. It has a rotating glass chamber that fills with thick smoke upon flipping, sending an intense-yet-smooth hit shooting out of the mouthpiece.

Was I ready for just how hard it would hit when our server loaded it up with a fat bowl of Florida Cake? Absolutely not.

Even as someone who loves a scrappy DIY gravity bong, I was not quite prepared. Was I absolutely spellbound by it? 100%. It was completely breathtaking (pun intended), and a very cool and mesmerizing smoking mechanism fit for social media bragging.

Despite coughing my lungs out in front of our server, (MK, if you are reading this, I promise I am a freelance writer for Leafly. I’m not an imposter slash cannabis newbie, despite that embarrassing display.) I really loved it!

I see why this thing retails for $600. Later in our session, we packed a cone with the Space Cream cannabis, and I had a nice (and much less cough-y) time with that, too.

The room was filled with smokers of all experience levels and methods, so don’t feel pressured to try something that feels a little too intense or unfamiliar. We found the lounge to be an upbeat and approachable place, so you won’t feel odd leisurely puffing a preroll, even if you’re next to a table of half a dozen bros absolutely ripping dab after dab, as we were.

Sit back and enjoy the high

Something that really impressed us was the way the smokeasy experience was so much more than just a bar-but-make-it-weed.

With Mario Kart stations, carafes of water, and a full selection of board games, the lounge is about more than just getting high. It’s about really savoring your high in a way that is distinctly different than the experience at your traditional booze-soaked bar.

At this point in our two-hour reservation, I was well and truly baked. After some good in-depth conversation with my (very patient) fiancé, a couple of glasses of water, and some riveting coral reef action via the nature documentary streaming on the mounted TVs, we grabbed a deck of Uno cards. We played a few extremely entertaining rounds, laughing and carrying on until our time was up. I also saw several people writing, drawing, and even reading around us in the lounge – all phenomenal ways to spend an afternoon.

Once we reached the end of our lounge adventure, we packed up our leftover cannabis and headed out towards the sun-soaked gravel lot, having had one of the most pleasing and curated cannabis experiences I can remember. 

On our way out, we passed the entrance to the Smokeasy room, and while the Lounge definitely felt more like our scene, I recommend checking out the Smokeasy if you want more of an intimate and dramatic vibe. If it’s anything like the Lounge, you’ll have a great sesh there, too.

Cannabis culture is about more than just getting stoned. It’s also about the welcoming environment cannabis can instill in our homes, our house parties, and now in public consumption venues.

I spent the rest of the weekend thinking about all the possibilities the expansion of on-site consumption holds for cannabis business owners and enthusiasts alike. It was, in so many ways, an inspiring trip.

Verdict: Check it out! 

With so many great dispensaries in Chicago, it can feel like the pinnacle of Illinois cannabis exists only within city limits. But the fact of the matter is—there are great dispensaries, events, and experiences all over Illinois, including in suburbs and small towns that wait outside of major tourist hubs.

RISE’s innovative on-site cannabis experiences put it at the forefront of the evolving social cannabis scene in Illinois. It should be on the map for any cannabis enthusiast not only in the Chicagoland area but in the Midwest as a whole.

Make a reservation, travel responsibly, and bring a little bit of cash to tip your server. It’s not mandatory, it’s just nice! Caring people like MK are going to make sure you have a great time, especially if you’re lighting up with that Stüdenglass, because damn.

C. Merten

C. Merten is a Chicago-based writer, creative, and cannabis enthusiast. Their passions include breakfast, 70’s music, pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain.

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Looks like there might be another green wave coming in November.

In the past week, residents of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and North Dakota submitted signatures to qualify adult-use cannabis legalization measures for their respective Nov. 2022 state ballots. 

And they didn’t just squeak by, either. Campaigns in all of these states turned in over 50% more signatures than they needed to qualify.

In similarly conservative Nebraska, activists turned in what they hope will be enough signatures to put medical marijuana back on the ballot. In 2020, the state Supreme Court killed a medical marijuana ballot measure on highly dubious grounds.

“As in past election years, voters in both traditionally ‘red’ and ‘blue’ states will have the opportunity to cast their vote in favor of ending the failed policy of cannabis criminalization,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said in a recent press release. “And, if past is precedent, voters in 2022 will once again demonstrate that legalizing and regulating marijuana is favored by the majority of voters, regardless of geography or party affiliation.”

Oklahoma knocks the signature drive outta the park

The group Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws needed to turn in 95,000 valid signatures to qualify adult-use legalization for the November ballot…and they submitted a full 164,000 signatures.

Assuming 95,000 signatures prove valid, Oklahomans will vote this November on Question 820. The measure would allow for the purchase and possession of up to one ounce of cannabis (or its equivalent in other forms), tax purchases at 15%, allow individuals to grow six plants at home, and create a pathway for expungement.

Medical marijuana is currently legal in Oklahoma, where the state’s program is both booming, and notoriously chaotic.

Big turnout in Arkansas

Responsible Growth Arkansas only needed to collect 89,000 signatures to get adult-use on the November ballot, but they turned in more than twice that: 193,000 signatures.

Their measure would not allow for home grow, and would cap licenses in the state: 20 cultivators, and 120 dispensaries.

The measure has faced criticism for creating an industry framework that could be prone to monopolization.

North Dakota sets up voters to succeed where lawmakers failed

Although North Dakota activists only needed to turn in 16,000 signatures—2% of the state’s population—to get their adult-use measure on the November ballot, they submitted nearly 26,000.

The measure would allow for the purchase and possession of up to one ounce of cannabis or its equivalent in other forms. Individuals could cultivate up to three plants at home.

Last year, the state Senate killed a bill that would have legalized marijuana. It contained provisions similar to the current measure.

Fingers crossed for Nebraska

Activists in Nebraska needed to submit 87,000 valid signatures for two separate measures to qualify medical marijuana for the November ballot. They submitted more than 90,000. In other words, if more than 3,000 signatures prove to be invalid, they won’t qualify for the ballot.

The same group, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, succeeded in qualifying medical marijuana for the 2020 ballot, but the state’s Supreme Court ruled that the measure was invalid (even though the Nebraska Secretary of State had already given it a green light).

“This is an outrageous and deeply flawed decision by a group of activist judges,” Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement at the time.

The 2022 measures, if qualified for the ballot and passed in November, would separately prevent the arrest of marijuana patients, and establish a regulatory body to create a framework for the state industry.

Max Savage Levenson

Max Savage Levenson likely has the lowest cannabis tolerance of any writer on the cannabis beat. He also writes about music for Pitchfork, Bandcamp and other bespectacled folk. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. His dream interview is Tyler the Creator.

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