From the arrival of a New Jersey shop co-owned by a member of the Wu-Tang Clan to a dispensary located just minutes from San Francisco International Airport, here are the notable new dispensaries that opened in the past month.

Got a new shop? Put it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise. 

California

Embarc—San Bruno, CA. Opened Nov. 15. Travelers of San Francisco’s SFO Airport had early reason to give thanks with the opening of San Bruno’s first dispensary — located just minutes from the bustling international travel hub. In addition to its sublime convenience, the location means Embarc now has an impressive total of 16 dispensaries across California. 120 El Camino Real, San Bruno.

The Showcase—Fairfield, CA. Opened Nov. 27. Located east of Vallejo, the Showcase provides Fairfield customers with a wide array of top-shelf cannabis products. Proving its name is no fluke, Showcase stocks premium flower, edibles, and more. They also offer a Compassionate Use Program in addition to a menu stocked with daily deals. 101 Grobic Ct, Fairfield.

Colorado

The Buzz—Grand Junction, CO. Opened Nov. 9. The arrival of the Buzz makes a total of seven retail dispensaries now operating in Grand Junction, Colorado. Family-owned and operated, The Buzz — the chain’s fourth store to open thus far — boasts a menu of unique strains at “competitive prices” made even more convenient thanks to the store’s drive-through option. 1022 N 3rd St, Grand Junction.

Connecticut

Sweetspot Farms—Stamford, CT. Opened Nov. 11. Founded by two Stamford natives, Sweetspot Farms prides itself on its “community-focused values, local discounts, and a commitment to consumer education.” Sweetspot’s second location also features an “innovative digital bud bar” and “licensed pharmacists on staff and available to answer questions.” 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamford.

Illinois

Mystic Greenz—Belleville, IL. Opened Nov. 6. You can cross Belleville off the list of cities in Illinois without a cannabis dispensary. Since early last month, Mystic Greenz has saved locals the drive to Collinsville or Sauget by offering quality cannabis products in Belleville proper. The location is the fourth for Mystic Greenz and is run by store manager Tabitha Brinkman: a lifelong Belleville resident. 360 S. Green Mount Rd, Belleville.

Massachusetts

EMBR Cannabis—Springfield, MA. Opened Nov. 27. More than $2 million was invested to build Springfield, Massachusetts’ first dispensary fully constructed “from the ground up.” Now open for business, EMBR represents the final product of a reclamation project that saw a long-time vacant lot transformed into a new dispensary that is also set to feature new green space in the form of a forthcoming “pocket park.” 461 Boston Rd, Springfield.

Michigan

Mango Cannabis—Lansing, MI. Opened Oct. 21. Known for their chain of medical dispensaries in Oklahoma, family-run Mango Cannabis has expanded to Lansing, Michigan to open its first retail location. With a second store set to arrive in Waterford early next year, Mango Cannabis is landing with a splash in the form of a new, 4,000-square-foot “flagship superstore” that features “sleek design elements” and an “intentionally minimalist layout” intended to “showcase products as the focal point.” 5620 South Cedar St, Lansing.

Simply Loud—Detroit, MI. Opened Nov. 1. Detroit’s newest dispensary is proudly Black-owned and absolutely stocked. Visit Simply Loud and choose from hundreds of products, including “260 types of vape cartridges and disposables” and “150 kinds of infused prerolls” while enjoying an interior “unlike any other dispensary in metro Detroit” complete with “stylish Herman Miller furniture” and sculpture work from local artists. 216 E. Milwaukee Ave, Detroit. 

New Jersey

Hashtoria—Newark, New Jersey. Opened Nov. 13. It was a true party at the grand opening for Newark’s newest dispensary, Hashtoria. That tends to happen when your shop is co-owned by Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon and Charlamagne Tha God, who both turned out to celebrate the debut of an adult-use cannabis retail space which is set to “evolve into a premier consumption lounge” early in the new year. For now, customers can enjoy loyalty rewards via the Hashtoria app and marvel at the physical space: the result of a collaboration with award-winning architect Rachael H. Grochowski. 799-805 Broad St, Newark.

Main Street—Highland Park, New Jersey. Opened Nov. 22. Main Street was created “with the intention of bringing a truly local feel to the cannabis business.” That makes sense considering the store’s owners include both second-generation and third-generation Highland Park residents.  Providing an “upscale establishment” located in the suburbs of New Jersey, Main Street’s menu features a curated list of premium cannabis products available for purchase seven days a week. 311 Raritan Ave, Highland Park.

New York

Northern Lights—Canton, NY. Opened Nov. 14. Northern Lights is a family-owned and operated dispensary named for its location in northern New York. Serving residents of St. Lawrence County and the greater Canton area, Northern Lights offers a menu ripe with all the latest brands to hit the market. The dispensary’s current offerings include premium products from the likes of Camino, Jetty Extracts, and Rolling Green. 51 Main St, Canton.

Strain Stars—Riverhead, NY. Opened Nov. 29. Clocking in at an impressive 14,400-square-feet, Strain Stars’ new location in Riverhead marks the second store for the chain previously credited with opening Long Island’s first dispensary — in Farmingdale — last summer. Strain Stars also puts a big emphasis on local community, having recently donated $100,000 to Farmingdale State College to help establish a new endowment. And get ready to browse because the Riverhead location boasts “nearly 2,000 products, including flower, concentrates, edibles, topicals, vaporizers and accessories.” 1871 Old Country Rd, Riverhead. 

Did we miss any? Leave a comment with a new one.

Got a new shop? Get it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise. 

This September, the nation’s budtenders give us their Budtender’s Choice 2024 picks for the best strain and brand in the state, but you don’t have to wait for the results to come in to smoke that fire.

Leafly Buzz flew up and down California, scooping up tasty nugs and seeing which jars we finished first. After scouring strain search trends and menus—we find ourselves deep in the hype stuff: Blue Gushers, Cherry Gushers, Permanent Marker Bx1, and the like.

Here’s your monthly cheat codes to the best bong loads of September. Here’s September’s Leafly Buzz.

Data grinder

We broke out our calculators, plugged into the Leafly strain database, and ran a scan for zaza. Here’s what the stats tell us.

Lemon Cherry Gelato

No. #2

So popular you love it or loathe it, Lemon Cherry Gelato climbs into the number two strain spot in the western states this month. For newcomers, it’s a hybrid indica that’s relaxing, soothing, and silly. As popular as a pinot noir, fine cannabis brands each claim their own cut of this cultivar—popularized by Backpack Boyz. Some say LCG is re-branded Gelato #33, others Gelato x Z. 

GMO

No. #8

GMO Cookies charges into the No. 8 spot out west this month with a stanky, somnambulant stone. Chemmy, gassy, and dank—GMO nugs come super-size for bag appeal. Oregon and Michigan both specialize in GMOs.

Gary Payton

No. #9

Gary Payton hits a slippery spot and drops to No. 9 this month. The dessert strain is built from The Y and Snowman, with a jammy floral fuel note. Bred by Powerzzzup Genetics in the Bay Area, growers coast-to-coast rock Payton in their lineup.

White Runtz

up 22.4%

Rounding out an all-cookie fam Data Grinder we see White Runtz doing numbers. It’s up 22.4% month over month, with really similar traits to Lemon Cherry Gelato. It’s just a little more calming, and more dense. Both test high in caryophyllene, limonene, and linalool.

New in the Leafly strain database

Cherry Pie x Z x Biscotti

Old-school Cherry Pie gets the candy of Z and the cookie of Biscotti in this 3-way cross. Dark, icy, striking, and dank—this flavor is another end-of-day reward. High-end indoor flower grower Bosky won the Transbay Challenge qualifier of San Diego with Cherry Pie x Z x Biscotti this summer.

Blue Gushers

California and Arizona brand Made grows the Blue Gushers a type of Triangle Kush x Gelato 41 with a blue hue and sweet, gooey, berry taste. Blue Gushers is a sweet hybrid for getting creative or tripping on a nature video.

Pink Froot

Colorado-based Green Dot Labs is back with another exclusive cannabis strain drop, coming in October, GDL’s Pink Frōōt strain has a tropical taffy candy and euphoric, yet functional buzz.

Sour Elvis

Sour Diesel and the strain Elvis (AK-47 x Skunk #1) combine in Sour Elvis, spotted at Hall of Flowers from the East Coast brand Nature Always Wins. It’s a really unique mix of old-school sour with more fuel and dank from the Elvis.

Picks of the dispensaries

New on shelves

Double Rainbow

Happy Trails

Double Rainbow will leave veteran smokers cooked on a 37% THC indica hybrid cross of Rainbow Cookies and Purple Hulk. Happy Trails’ jar of it got me uncomfortably high and yet I’d come back for half-bowls and ride the rainbow, holding on through deep breathing and water. Sometimes you just want a journey. Woman and social equity-owned flower company Happy Trails from Oakland, CA keeps crushing it.

Burning up the charts

Pineapple Jack

Happy Trails

Phew, we broke the cookies spell with some classic Pineapple Jack, jarred by Happy Trails in California. It’s got pineapple, tropical and pine notes and zippy, focused daytime effects. Pineapple Jack is going to make that art project crank by.

Best-sellers

Ballin out

Cherry Gushers

SF Canna

While Made grows Blue Gushers down south, SF Canna has Cherry Gushers (Acai x Black Cherry Funk) for the Bay Area. Candy, gas in a gorgeous, multi-colored, resinous package—Cherry Gushers is great after a meal in the back yard with the gang.

Ballin’ on a budget

Permanent Marker Bx1

Made

Leafly Strain of the Year 2023 Permanent Marker keeps on charging with Permanent Marker Bx1, which stands for backcross. It’s even more of what makes Permanent Marker a winner—magic marker fumes and a dramatic dark look. Bred by Seed Junky and grown at scale by Made—it’s another perfect after-work treat.  

High Note

Puffco’s new Storm Peak and Proxy

The annual Puffco party Puffcon has arrived and with it—the latest color for their hit lineup. This time, it’s the smokey, blue “storm” colorway for the New Peak and the Proxy. The Puffco offers the nicest way to onboard a friend who wants to start dabbing. Yet the advanced settings are not to be trifled with.

OK, we’re heading into the fray at Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa. We’ll be back with even more hot, hot heat from the weed beat.

Growers, breeders, brands, stores—got buzz for Leafly? We’re all ears. Email us at david.downs@leafly.com

Colorado Springs has recently become home to Colorado’s first psychedelic church dedicated to the use of magic mushrooms. The church, officially named the Sacred Tribe, represents a significant milestone in the broader acceptance and exploration of psychedelics within spiritual and religious practices. This development follows the state’s progressive stance on psychedelics, particularly after the passing of Proposition 122, which decriminalized the possession and use of certain natural psychedelics, including psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms.

The Sacred Tribe: A New Frontier in Spiritual Practice

The Sacred Tribe was founded with the belief that psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, can play a vital role in spiritual awakening and personal growth. The church aims to provide a safe and supportive environment where members can use magic mushrooms as a sacrament in their spiritual practices. The founders of the Sacred Tribe believe that these substances can help individuals achieve a deeper connection with themselves, others, and the universe, facilitating profound spiritual experiences and healing.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

The opening of the Sacred Tribe raises important legal and ethical questions, particularly in the context of the United States’ complex relationship with psychedelics. While Proposition 122 decriminalized the personal use of psilocybin in Colorado, the establishment of a church centered around its use pushes the boundaries of current legal frameworks. The church operates under the protection of religious freedom, but it remains to be seen how this will be interpreted and enforced by state and federal authorities.

The Role of Psilocybin in Religious and Spiritual Contexts

Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, has been used for centuries in various indigenous cultures for religious and spiritual purposes. The Sacred Tribe seeks to integrate these ancient practices into modern spiritual life, offering ceremonies and rituals designed to guide members through their psychedelic experiences. These practices are intended to help individuals explore their consciousness, heal from past traumas, and find meaning and purpose in their lives.

Community and Education at the Sacred Tribe

In addition to its religious ceremonies, the Sacred Tribe places a strong emphasis on community building and education. The church offers workshops, seminars, and group discussions on the safe and effective use of psychedelics, the history of their use in various cultures, and the potential benefits and risks associated with their consumption. By fostering a community of like-minded individuals, the Sacred Tribe hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding psychedelics and promote their responsible use.

Implications for the Future of Psychedelics in Colorado

The establishment of the Sacred Tribe is a significant development in the ongoing conversation about psychedelics in the United States. As the first psychedelic church in Colorado, it could set a precedent for similar organizations across the state and potentially the country. The church’s success or challenges could influence future legislation and public opinion on the use of psychedelics in both religious and therapeutic contexts.