Even if we can’t easily spot changes to cannabis law on dispensary shelves, state policies are constantly in flux. As in years past, 2024 brings a slew of new policies that impact consumers and businesses alike, from coast to coast and in both adult-use and medical states.
Read on for a list of some of the most impactful and imminent changes, from revised employment rights for cannabis consumers, to revamped licensing policies and even a potential statewide unionization effort.
California
Residents have new and improved employment rights
Hippie Hill on April 20th, 2023. (David Downs/Leafly)
Folks, this is a biggie! Starting on January 1, 2024, thanks to state bill AB-2188, most employers in California will no longer have legal standing to refuse to hire, fire, or penalize an employee if they test positive for marijuana on a hair or urine test. The bill similarly ensures that an individual applying for a job cannot be required to divulge documentation of prior consumption. There are some caveats: Federal employees and Californians working in construction do not qualify for these protections (but folks in state or local law enforcement sure do!), and work sites remain drug-free places. Let’s celebrate the end of 50 years of unjust, unscientific marijuana urinalysis!
Florida
Could double its dispensaries
Thanks to an existing policy that stipulates that the state’s number of dispensaries operate in proportion to the number of registered medical cardholders, Florida officials have begun to review nearly two dozen new dispensary applications. If the state accepts all of those licenses, they would almost double the amount of existing medical dispensaries in the state (Florida refers to them as “treatment centers”). State Office of Medical Marijuana Use Director Christopher Kimball believes those dispensaries could open as early as summer 2024.
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New York
Will offer tons more licenses in Q1
Times Square visitors have a legal tested weed store in the neighborhood for the first time since legalization. (David Downs/Leafly)
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 union, which represents more than 30,000 individuals, hopes to expand into the cannabis industry in 2024 via a ballot measure that would facilitate cannabis workers’ union rights. They have until July to collect about 117,000 signatures to put it on the November ballot. If passed, the measure would “ensure that businesses licensed to sell or process cannabis enter into an agreement that allows their employees to organize and speak out without fear of retaliation.”
Pennsylvania
Expands medical patients’ purchasing power
Right at the end of 2023, on December 15, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) signed Senate Bill 773 into law. The bill allows the state’s ten independent grower-processors (as opposed to out-of-state companies doing business in Pennsylvania) to operate as retailers, and sell straight to the state’s medical marijuana patients. As Marijuana Moment points out, out-of-state companies have a near monopoly on the PA market, and this bill could give homegrown folks a real boost.
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Virginia
A pathway to retail sales opens up
OK, this one isn’t guaranteed, but it’s too exciting not to flag, Leafly Nation: Nearly three years ago, in early 2021, Virginia lawmakers voted to legalize adult-use cannabis, and planned on launching a rec market on January 1, 2024. Yet residents of the Old Dominion State still can’t actually buy it, and efforts to create a regulatory framework have failed due primarily to opposition from Republican lawmakers.
This November, however, Democrats re-took control of both houses of the state legislature (albeit by very narrow odds), re-igniting optimism that change could come soon. (Granted, any legislation would still need to clear the desk of cannabis-wary Republican governor Glenn Youngkin.)
“What Democrats controlling both chambers does is [create] a path to the governor’s desk for an adult-use retail sales bill,” JM Pedini, development director of NORML, told MJBiz Daily. Yet “without the supermajority required to overturn a veto, any serious legislation must be both pragmatic and palatable in order to succeed,” Pedini added.
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Washington State
Protecting job applicants from cannabis testing
Thanks to Senate Bill 5123, Washington employers will be prohibited from testing most job applicants for weed. The law contains more exceptions than its California counterpart: it does not apply to some first responders, some firefighting and law enforcement positions, the airline or aerospace industries, and more. But hell, let’s call it a victory all the same!
Did we miss any new 2024 weed laws in your state? Comment below and we’ll add them.
It’s time to roll up the thickest joints, pack the biggest party bowls, and charge the Puffco for oversized dabs.
Millions of weed lovers nationwide have record amounts of flavors and pounds to smoke through this fall and winter. Bright, hot sun and no wildfires mean the full-sun outdoor weed crop in America’s Emerald Triangle simply killed it this year. Drying rooms have overflowed into guest bedrooms, growers report, and the flavors have never been more advanced.
“It’s been a great season. Everyone is bringing their A-game,” said Mia Moore, retail sales director for Redwood Roots—an Emerald Triangle brand packager and distributor.
“Everything honestly looks fucking amazing. It was a wonderful year!!!” said owner and farmer Mary Polson at Seed 707. “I’m stoked about everything. I can’t wait to smoke it.”
How does Leafly pick just a dozen exemplars? We smoke hundreds of strains, walk the fields, and talk to farmers. We ask the cloners that stocked the fields in spring, and the buyers vetting all the pounds to pick out gems this fall. We survey the biggest, best, most influential growers, and probably spend too long liking bud photos on Instagram.
Here are 12 top cannabis strains of Harvest 2024.
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Stone cold classic
Blue Dream
(David Downs/Leafly)
Just in time for an anxious fall, the anti-anxiety hybrid Blue Dream is back on top out west.
This 1990s Santa Cruz, CA strain goes through waves of peak interest and decline. In 2024, it rides a tide of nostalgia sweeping through the stoner nation.
“Blue Dream is back and better than ever. It’s flying off the shelf at 17% THC,” said Eli Melrod at California’s leading outdoor store Solful.
Farmer/retailer Marjo Lak at Humboldt Nation said “Blue Dream is huge. It just flies off the wall. Haze, too.”
Blue Dream is a model outdoor variety—withstanding the test of time and trends. A top outdoor strain has to work outdoors, and not just inside. It has to yield. It must withstand weather, stress, mold, and pests. It must dry and cure true without turning into hay. It has to trim up nicely and sparkle in the bag. That’s Blueberry x Haze.
Farmers again over-grew Lemon Cherry Gelato and bulk prices will be brutal, growers say. Northern California remains awash in this type of Gelato #33. Why? LCG has become the Taylor Swift of trees. So-called ‘candy-gas’ tasting dessert strains are the dominant genre in the market. LCG typifies what customers craze. It’s got that loud creamy berry smell, pretty look, and stress-killing indica hybrid effects. This year, large-scale outdoor farmer Honeydew touts its cross of LCG to Apple Fritter—LCG Fritter—which should add some tart, pastry notes to the LCG. So many LCGs and friends await your grinder. See also: Miracle Candy, Jelly Donutz
Modern crusher
Governmint Oasis
Governmint Oasis bred by Purple City Genetics. (Courtesy PCG)
GMO Cookies x Gush Mints aka Governmint Oasis has hit big yet again this year, said the leading clone provider Purple City Genetics of Oakland, CA.
“Governmint Oasis continues to crush for people. Just inundated with pictures of huge plants.”
Auryn, Purple City Genetics
Both the GMO and Gush Mints set records for fatness in the fields, and combined with the perfect weather this season—expect a crazy, gorgeous, bumper crop of this potent, versatile hybrid to drive prices through the floor. Berkeley Patients Group advertises 3.5 grams for $7—that’s $7, not $70.
Perfect for before a big meal—Governmint Oasis leaves folks tingly, hungry, and relaxed.
New zaza
Ridgelion
Ridgelion. (Photo by Ginja Club, courtesy Ridgeline Farms)
One of California’s most award-winning outdoor growers Ridgeline Farms is excited to debut this new cross of Ridgeline Lantz to Cookies’ top cat Cheetah Piss.
“Ridgelion came out next-level beautiful,” said Ridgeline’s Jason Gellman.
Lantz is Runtz crossed to Ridgeline’s proprietary Green Lantern. Cheetah Piss is Lemonnade, Gelato, and London Poundcake.
Ridgeline leads the way with a slew of Lantz crosses, including the superb Blackberry Caviar (Grape Gas x LANTZ); and Blueberry Caviar for Woody Harrelson’s LA lounge, which specializes in outdoor.
Top hasher
Honey Banana
Hash rules more and more of the flower market these days, and as much as half of all cannabis flowers get frozen instead of dried. Leading the pack of hashers are strains like Papaya, Wilson, as well as Honey Banana. Though it’s this old cross of Strawberry Banana and Honey Boo-Boo from this old-school brand Elemental Seeds. Many breeders now work with it. Hit or miss as dried flower, Honey Banana shines as live rosin with a pronounced honeyed banana smell and taste. It’s considered a good ‘washer’—meaning the flower yields upwards of 5% hash when agitated by ice water and seized through a fine screen.
“It did great outside,” said Harry at hashmaker Errl Hill. “It’s becoming a standard—everyone kind of got that one. If it doesn’t yield, people won’t wash it over and over, year after year.”
Sour waves
Double OG Sour
(Courtesy Rebel Grown)
Maybe it’s the bitter election. Maybe it’s New York’s ‘sour’ influence making itself known. Maybe we all just want to feel something again. Either way—2024 has been a banner year for Sour Diesel-related weed. Our pick goes to Rebel Grown seed’s Double OG Sour. It bested the competition in California to win 1st place at the Emerald Cup 2024. Double OG Sour grew well outside on both coasts—built off the time-tested genetics of OG Kush and Sour Diesel. It’s (OG Kush X (OG x Sour) F5). It’s green, pungent bud with lemon, pine, fuel, and sour notes; and zingy hybrid effects. There are so many good sours to get at this year.
See also: Booney Acres’ Sour Bears (Symbiotic Genetics’ Kombucha #6 x Sour Diesel BX3), Sour Trop x Lime Sour (from CHA Genetics), PCG Sour Peaches (AJ’s Sour x Moroccan Peaches), and classic Headband.
A Z to beat
4 Z’s
4 Z’s bred and grown by Lempire Farmaseed. (David Downs/Leafly)
The tropical taffy candy-smelling and lip-smacking strain Original Z offers some of the best indoor tree around. But it can be tricky outdoors, where one must harvest it early to avoid mold in the spongy bud. Medical marijuana-era brand Lempire Farmaseed has persisted into the recreational age with their standout 4 Z’s. It’s this killer cross of Dirty Z x ZOZ back-crossed to the Dirty Z. See? Four “Z”s. Easy. That’s the kind of intense Z work that pushes the culture forward.
Lempire’s Wes tells Leafly: “The selection we bred is brighter, faster, and highly resistant to pests and mold. The terps lean heavily towards the Original Z but retain the neon chunk of the Lem OG, and finishes in an amazing 40-45 days. Lab results hit high in THC and shops love the 4 Z’s.”
4 Z’s stood out among the crowd at Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa, CA in September, and it’s so heartening to see a true legendary grower/breeder on fully legal shelves.
Rose’s moment
Whitethorn Rose and crosses
Huckleberry Hill Farms’ award-winning, floral-smelling, and tasty sativa hybrid Whitethorn Rose is the belle of the harvest ball this year. After breaking out over a series of Emerald Cup wins, Whitethorn Rose has made its way into many gardens and the first crosses of it are starting to hit as well. Whitethorn Rose is a selection from a cross of Paradise Punch x Lemon OG but it smells completely different than a punch or an OG. It’s got this floral, rose, funk with a sweet terpinolene back. Sick of the LCG ‘candy-gas’ dominance in weed, seek out this increasingly popular strain, as well as all its new crosses. See also: Ridgeline Rose (Whitethorn Rose x Lantz); Country Rose (Whitethorn Rose x Canna Country 38).
New and influential
Pineapple Mojito
Weed diversity improves even more this season with the new Pineapple Mojito from California State Fair award-winning Higher Heights in Mendocino, CA. Both the grower Nate and buyers like Eli Melrod at Solful are psyched about this loud, modern pineapple and mint weed. Higher Heights has been laser-focused on breeding unique stuff through his Broze line, into his Carambola, and now the Pineapple Mojito. Unpack the world-class selection going on here. Pineapple Mojito is Carambola x Lemon Limez from Enzo the 420 Nomad. Lemon Limez is (Sour Diesel x Biker Kush) x Key Lime Pie. Carambola is (Sunburn x Green Tea) x Brozé with a crazy-loud citrus/incense/myrrh/gas smell. Nate always selects for terpy loudness and feel-good effects, and his unique work commands 3 to 4 times the going rate for outdoor in 2024.
Savory counter-point
Ooh Mami
Savory weed like GMO Cookies has a special, stanky place in our hearts. This year’s savory to search for comes from Phinest—one of California’s biggest cloners out in Sacramento. Originally dubbed “Gravy” by its creator Cannarado of Colorado. Phinest renamed it Ooh Mami to help it sell better. Ooh Mami mixes Lemon G, OG Kush Breath, and Sour Kush smells “exactly like a bowl of warm turkey gravy” with a sour lemon finish. Super-weird. It washes great for rosin and carts. Ian at Phinest describes it as “a 3-day pho broth with shameless amounts of hoisin sauce added in. Big yielder, beautiful giant sun worshiping monsters.” Ooh Mami—Daddy like.
One of a kind terp
Strawberry Pop
Strawberry Pop. Grown by Talking Trees. (David Downs/Leafly)
Ready for a different candy strain? Check out Talking Trees’ Strawberry Pop—a selection of Red Runtz bred by Washington breeder Exotic Genetix. Exotic Genetix Mike crossed Red Pop into Runtz, but we didn’t get any of the Runtz, rather a record amount of the strawberry soda pop flavor—a refreshing surprise. One hit and we’re back in Kansas City, MO sipping on a tooth-crackingly sweet strawberry soda to wash down some barbecue. Love it. “We just harvested our 2nd round and it’s more fire than the first,” said Talking Trees’ Matt Weston. See also: Booney Acres’ Redvine (Tractor Fuel #14 x Strawberry Meltshake #24).
Best effect
Canna Country 26
Canna Country #26. (David Downs/Leafly)
The best herb comes down to the effect, and one standout from 2024 will always be the proprietary Canna Country #26 from Canna Country. Why? It has such a great color and smell and the effect beats about 90% of the weed out there. Canna Country says “She is So cool,” and describes the high as “Texturing perception,” with a “hug from grandma” high. Facts. Canna Country 26 grows into gorgeous, purple, outdoor weed that reminds us of old-school Afgooey, and Jah Goo. You can smoke it from breakfast till dinner, and it’ll always feel right, and never make you anxious or edgy like many other modern maximum-THC strains will. Canna Country 26 is Forbidden Fruit crossed to the breeder’s proprietary Cherimoya.
And that’s a swing through some of the best and brightest trees from the fields this harvest season. The pace of innovation keeps accelerating, so we’re bound to leave something out when we have to settle on just 12 out of the hundreds or thousands of strains out there. Did we miss a bona fide champion? Make your reader’s choice below.
Reader’s choice: Pick a top strain of the 2024 harvest
What strain crushed it outside for you? We’ll add a 13th strain based on reader responses to make it a cool baker’s dozen harvest strains.
The West Coast is awash in za-za whether you’re into indoor or outs. As Croptober dries in barns and rooms, the indoor growers keep pumping out near-flawless gas, candy, cake, and classic strains.
The last 30 days of reporting took us from Hall of Flowers seshes with Wiz Khalifa, to hash hookahs deep in Mendocino County, CA, to road-testing the new Puffco Pivot high up in the fall trees of Montana.
Here’s your monthly cheat codes for the best bong loads of October. Here’s October’s Leafly Buzz.
Data grinder
Which strains are on the move in Leafly’s 9,000-strain database? (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
We broke out our calculators, plugged into the Leafly strain database, and ran a scan for zaza. Here’s what the stats tell us.
Connie Chung
This rare strain jumped from No. 3,769 to No. 120 after the iconic female anchor mentioned her namesake strain in an interview to promote her new book. Connie Chung is a DNA Genetics LA Flavor x G13.
Moroccan Peaches
Watch out for Purple City Genetics’ Moroccan Peaches—it’s up from #983 to #287 in just a single month. So much good Moroccan Peaches is being made into hash right now. It’s a cross of Spanish Barbara x Lemon Tree Skorange.
Street Tarts
Here comes the next new thing. Street Tarts is a cross of cross of Guava Tart x Street Guru by Purple City Genetics. It’s up more than 200 places in a month to No. 521.
Amnesia Haze
A 20 year-old classic stays strong this October. Amnesia Haze jumps up 25 spots to No. 108 in our 9,000-strain databse.
New in the Leafly strain database
Leafly adds or fixes 1,000 strains in its database each year. Here’s some of the new-new. (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Dark Web
Hack into this. (Courtesy Lindsey Bartlett)
Zoap bagseed is out there in the wild seeding whole new adventures. Among them, Alien Labs Dark Web—everything we’d want in an OGZ x Sherbert.
Gotti and Rainbow Beltz makes for a more aggressive candy strain in Gotti Beltz, which is taking off from Phinest/Dubplatez. Gotti Beltz held court amid a table of zaza at the Phinest booth at Hall of Flowers.
Ridgeline Throbber
One of California’s top growers—Ridgeline Farms is working on new crosses of its hit LANTZ. We got our hands on Ridgeline LANTZ x Gushmints, known as Ridgeline Throbber. If you like your LANTZ even bigger and more minty—this is it.
Gary Satan
Tiki Madman’s Gary Payton x Jealousy project Gary Satan enter the database this month. Look for it among the pack of hype, new-new.
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Picks of the dispensaries
(Sasha Beck/Leafly)
New on shelves
Headbanger by Wood Wide Farms
Burning up the charts
Permanent Marker by MOCA Humboldt
Best-sellers
Ballin out
Scotty’s Cake by CAM in Cali
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Scotties Cake—CAM, California, fall 2024
Ballin’ on a budget
Golden Pineapple by Phat Panda
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Golden Pineapple—Phat Panda, California, fall 2024
High Note
We end with something fuerte. (Sasha Beck/Leafly)
Puffco Pivot with Alien Labs Z-squared rosin
Dabs and globs go in, potent vapor comes out. (Courtesy Puffco)
The world’s leader in electronic dabbing tech, Puffco, returns to refresh thei dab pen for 2024. You load a glob of top-notch rosin into the silicone, flip-top chamber, then stash that thang in your jacket pocket until it’s time to really get zooted. Just double-click the sleek black button on the unit to unleash a huge heat cycle inside the micro-sized ‘360 chamber.’ When the Pivot buzzes, it’s time to sip fresh, bright, maximally flavorful vapor until you tap out.
It’s perfect for one-and-done dabbers who value traveling light.
The $130 device comes with little cotton swabs you use between dabs to keep the chamber clean and tidy. Be prepared—the black silicone tip gets a little gunky as you rip all those resinous dabs. But we’re not mad at it. The Pivot proved easy to master and a delight to experienced dabbers and novices alike. It’s perfect for one-and-done dabbers who value traveling light. Stick some brand new Alien Labs Z2 rosin in there to hit a new peak for a dab pen. Available on Puffco.
OK, we’re turning and burning into Croptober and Green Wednesday. Keep your notifications on.
About Leafly Buzz
So good they steal it—the popular, monthly strain review roundup Leafly Buzz is in its third year. We report independently on the connoisseur cannabis conversation, focusing on strains and branded flower of the US West. Reporting includes:
Our pick for Leafly Strain of the Year 2023 was so dead-on it could be Strain of the Year again. Permanent Marker is now a top 10 strain out west. It’s available in any modality—from bubble hash to flower to cart. Indoor soil growers MOCA Humboldt in Eureka, CA compete with the best Markers this fall. The package says 35.16% total THC and the iced-out nugs sure look like it.
Myrcene, limonene, and linalool cooperate to create that ‘Gelato times 1,000’ marker fuel fume smell. Peak cure, freshness, and flawless manicuring all worked in the bud’s favor. MOCA’s cut could technically be more marker-like, but only because the competition is so steep. Maybe it’s the sky-high THC, but this cut also felt more racey, and less chill than the average marker. We gamed with a twitchy, ‘I’m in danger’ edge instead of zoning out and giggling.
90-94 Outstanding: a cannabis product of superior character and style
85-89 Very good: a weed with special qualities
80-84 Good: a solid, well-made weed
75-79 Mediocre: a smokeable weed that may have minor flaws
50-74 Not recommended
How we rate
Dried, cured, packaged, and sold buds, reviewed from bag in tastings, are given a single score. We focus on aroma, taste, effect, look, pedigree, cultivation method, and more. Special Designations Our editors focus on excellent, widely available ganja at a reasonable price. Special qualities include:
Top-shelf: It ain’t cheap, or necessarily plentiful, but it’s really good. Welcome to the top shelf. Smart Buys: Fine, affordable, broadly available pot.
Leafly News cannabis ratings and ethics
Leafly News aims to retain and expand its expertise, authority, and trust.
Expertise is built through years of reviews, interviews with growers, visits to weed regions, and accumulated knowledge about cannabis horticulture, flavors, history, and culture. Leafly News’ editors and freelancers have a combined 50 years of experience with cannabis. We aim to be accurate and independent, with policies including:
Actual tastings—If we didn’t smoke it, we’re not reviewing it. At Leafly Ratings, all ratings come from multiple tastings.
Independence—Leafly expert reviewers are paid by Leafly and are independent. We accept review samples with no promise of coverage. Leafly rating staff cannot accept bribes. We generally pay our own expenses and report on what the readers want to see.
