What are your must-have items before a sesh? Good Grades and Leafly asked your favorite smokers what they need before sparking up.
Every week, Leafly and Good Grades Dispensary in Queens, New York ask a cannabis lover to name the three essential items that they can’t smoke without. Check back each week to see how our favorite New York stoners do their thing.
162-03 Jamaica Ave, Queens, NY — recreational
4.6(10)
Good Grades dispensary is Queens, New York’s first woman-owned dispensary. Follow Good Grades on Leafly for more products and reviews.
Dab mother Queenee from House of Queenee told Good Grades the 3 things she needs before dabbing up:
“The first thing I can’t dab without is high quality terps. Keep it at the right temperature, and make sure there’s a great terp in their for my pain management.”
“The second thing I can’t dab without is good glass, or my PuffCo. And I’m gonna add the hot knife, because who wants to lose their terps to a metal dab tool. Having good quality glass ensures that your sesh is gonna go off without a hitch.”
“And the third thing that I cannot dab without is iso and q-tips. Always make sure you clean the mouthpiece of your glass before you use it or share. Always make sure you have q-tips to take take off your residual dab, and always make sure you have something to monitor the temperature of your dabs before you take it.”
Cora from NOWAVE: 3 things I can’t smoke without [September 5, 2024]
Cora from NOWAVE Extracts told Good Grades the 3 things she needs before lighting up:
The first thing I can’t smoke without is gonna be my PuffCo. I’m definitely a concentrate girl, I love my hashes. Live rosin, live resin, I love it all. The water also adds another level of smoothness. And as everybody knows, concentrates are gonna be the cleanest way to consume.
The second thing I can’t smoke without is gonna be my cannagar for sure. If you know me, I like to smoke the best flower in the room at all times. These are custom, hand-rolled. This is from my boy Bad Services. He can even put your name in the spliff. It’s super dope, and I love a creative smoke.
“Last but not least, I’m gonna need my kief at all times. I don’t use any grabba or anything with my spliffs, so this is a great way to add some extra trichomes and terpenes to the great flower that you’re already smoking. I usually grab this in the zip (ounce), and I’ll dose it out in little gram jars to make it easier to travel around with.
Baby Osama: 3 things I can’t smoke without [August 26, 2024]
New York musician Baby Osama told Good Grades the 3 things she needs before lighting up:
“The first thing I cannot smoke without is grabba. It’s gotta be the hot grabba, too. I don’t even care if it’s fake or real. It’s just gotta be grabba. I cannot smoke without this.”
“Second thing is my papers, bro. I need my Bob Marley’s bro.”
“Third thing is my Za, bro. This is Third Eye Organics. Straight pain, I need that.”
Shiest Bubz: 3 things I can’t smoke without [August 2, 2024]
New York cannabis pioneer Shiest Bubz (founder of Legacy Adventures) told Good Grades the 3 things he needs before lighting up:
“First, I need that good ole pack. I need it to be in a glass jar. No mylar. And I need my buds looking like that (points to Venom Runtz by Doobie Labs).”
“Second thing I’m going to need is some unflavored tobacco wraps.”
“A lighter’s a given, so the third thing I’m going to need is water. Gotta stay hyrdrated. And not only that, but no plastic, only glass.”
Leafly teamed up with Trends Dispensary to address common stigmas about cannabis. We brought experts, activists, and growers together to help answer questions from the community.
Trends Dispensary in Long Island City, Queens is changing the narrative about cannabis. Trends stands for “The Real Experience Needs A Different Story.” Leafly is proud to partner with Trends for Shattering the Stigma, an interview series featuring pot pioneers from across the industry. Keep reading to hear from activist Dana Beal, researcher Dr. Sha-Ron Pierre, and some of New York’s brightest growers, grinders, and activists.
“It’s so important for us to gather and share our stories. I want to thank Leafly and Trends for setting up this forum.”
Dr. Sha-Ron Pierre Kovler, Glenmere Farms
Dave Hernandez is a marketing guru who’s helped build Happy Munkey into one of New York’s most popular cannabis brands. With Happy Munkey’s first legal dispensary location opening this month in Manhattan’s Dyckman neighborhood, Hernandez and his team are shepherding legacy cannabis culture into the mainstream.
“My mom is Dominican and Puerto Rican. She used to make fun of the smell when she would see people smoking in our building. She worked at Columbia University all my life. So when I went to school, got a degree, and wanted to sell weed, she was like, ‘I’m gonna tell people you’re going to law school.’ I got arrested, but even then she was a very supportive mom. Now, she’s proud of Happy Munkey and what we are doing in the legal space.”
Dave Hernandez, Happy Munkey
151 Dykman St., New York, NY — recreational
Dr. Sha-Ron Pierre Kovler, Glenmere Farms
Dr. Sha-Ron Pierre Kovler grew up believing the stigmas about cannabis. “I was born and raised in South Jamaica Queens,” she told Shattering the Stigma. “I grew up during the War on Drugs. So obviously, cannabis was known as a gateway drug to another harsh drug. And who wants that? So I said I’m gonna leave it alone. And my entire adult life, I didn’t partake at all. Because of growing up with that connection to my childhood. Because you saw what happened to people.” (Calvin Stovall / Leafly)
Dr. Sha-Ron Pierre Kovler is using her research background to help engineer strains with therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammation.
“I’m the first cultivator in New York state with my background–I completed my PhD in biology. I did my post doctoral studies at Columbia University. I study how cannabis can help with inflammation. Most of the diseases that will take you off of this planet come with inflammation. When you utilize the plant, it’s a form of medicine because outside of THC, other cannabinoids are responsible for regulating an inflammatory response in your body. I believe actually having the research to support will help remove that stigma and shame.”
Dr. Pierre Kovler told Shattering the Stigma, “At Glenmere Farms, our intention is to grow cultivars that have a plethora of cannabinoids with therapeutic uses. For me, those uses have been validated in peer-reviewed research. So our go-to is to reference the published research, because that’s where my training begins, and my level of comfort. I am not a cultivator by trade. My research background helps me work with a multidisciplinary team–a cultivation expert, a processing expert, and dispensaries. We fine tune our choices for consumers.”
“Back in 2018, with the passing of the farm bill, I became interested in the cannabis plant. A friend of mine said there’s an initiative with a $10 million endowment for research on hemp–That rung a bell. I began to understand the hemp plant, CBD, and there were so many other cannabinoids that had tremendous potential to really benefit patients. I was blown away. I didn’t understand why we hadn’t made more progress or research.”
After doing the research, Dr. Pierre Kovler is all in on the healing benefits of cannabis. She told Shattering the Stigma, “If you think about cannabis versus an FDA-approved drug– at the end of the FDA-approved commercial, there’s all these horrible side effects. But if you were to make a commercial for cannabis, the side effects are euphoria. Since the side effects are so well tolerated, it’s actually wise for people to indulge in the plant.”
Amy Chin, Consultant at Better Days and High Exposure NY
“Through my business Calm Better Days, people come to me for anxiety, insomnia, looking to find the right flower. That to me was amazing, because I’m doing something that I believe in that can help others.” – Amy Chin, consultant at Better Days (Calvin Stovall/Leafly)
Amy Chin is a cannabis consultant with Better Days and the High Exposure Agency. Chin and her team work with New York brands and dispensaries to address stigmas and cultural borders that still prevent people from enjoying the benefits of cannabis.
“My first time was sophomore year in college. Some friends offered cannabis to me, and I got the munchies. I did not return to it until my mid-twenties. I was never exposed to it often. I was used to being on a natural high. I’m allergic to alcohol, so my vice became cannabis.”
Amy Chin, Better Days
Chin’s parents were not fond of her love for cannabis early on. “My parents found cannabis in my room, in my purse,” she remembers. “I told them it was oregano. I was in my twenties when this happened. It was the only thing I could come up with. Now I tell them what I do, and they don’t understand it. So they just don’t ask me questions about it. I have given them CBD samples. But my parents are very old school, very stubborn. They don’t like Western medication, they don’t like Eastern medicine–they don’t like anything.”
“As a cannabis coach, I can work with the end consumer or the business that is looking for consumers. That includes consumer treatment plans, guides on how to consume . I’m also a consultant at the High Exposure Agency. We do consulting in the industry for retailers and business development. We also do events and fun projects that aim to push the needle in the industry.”
Amy Chin, Better Days
How cannabis helped me become a better mother
“My relationship with cannabis changed when I became a mom. I had anxiety and postpartum depression. At that time, life really sucked. Every day, I would wake up and feel like I’m living Groundhog Day. And I wished that I didn’t wake up, as an easy way out. My therapist diagnosed me, and she also recommended CBD. This was 10 years ago. So I got my medical card. I did see the changes in myself. Drastically. It gave me a moment to pause. And made me realize, ‘Wow, what a difference in myself.’” – Amy Chin, Better Days (AdobeStock)
As a mother who consumes cannabis, Amy Chin told Shattering the Stigma: “When I was pregnant, I did look at the Jamaica study on pregnant moms. At that time, that was the only study on that. With my first pregnancy I did not smoke, with my second one I did. That’s a personal choice. Now that it is legal, I advise moms to check regulations in your state. Because the state can come and take your kids away. So I was very discreet about my consumption until it was legal. Now that it is legal, I talk about it openly, because I want for people to understand that you can consume CBD, not feel a high, and to still reap the benefits of the plant. I am on it all day. There is nothing I don’t use CBD for. Daytime anxiety, I use THC at night when I need to really unwind. I use facial oil, I use intimacy products, and tinctures as well.”
“I was researching everything I could about cannabis. Then the Farm Bill was passed, and CBD was everywhere. People said it was snake oil. So I saw that there was a need to guide people. Consuming THC and CBD and knowing all the different effects and living through them, I decided I’m going to solve that problem and educate people on cannabis and how it helped me.”
Dana Beal, Activist, Co-Founder of The Cannabis Parade
“We did the levitation of the Pentagon, where we gave out four pounds of joints and levitated the Pentagon. We started doing smoke-ins every year in 1973. Then we did the Pot Parade. And last year I got an award from Mayor Adams. NYC Cannabis Czar Dasheeda Dawson honored me for keeping it going through the dark days of Giulliani. In one year, Giulliani had 325 people arrested at the Pot Parade.” – Dana Beal, cannabis legalization pioneer (Calvin Stovall/Leafly)
Dana Beal is a world famous cannabis pioneer and activist. He told Shattering the Stigma about his days fighting for legalization in the 1960s, 1970s, and beyond. Even today, Beal is facing a charge in Idaho for trafficking cannabis to medical patients. Click here to contribute to his bail fund.
Beal told Shattering the Stigma, “I got arrested for weed earlier this year, and I’m facing eight more months in the clink in Idaho. It’s the last state in the area that has not legalized. And they want to say, ‘we’re different.’ But they have dispensaries in Montana, Washington, Oregon, Nevada–every bordering state with the exception of Wyoming. And we think Idaho is the next domino to fall. Because everybody in the state is saying, ‘we have to go to Oregon to get our weed!’”
The long road to legalization and normalization
Cannabis pioneer Dana Beal at Democratic National Counter Convention in 1976. (Instagram/@DanaBealOfficial)
Dana Beal remembers various movements to legalize the plant during his life. Beal told Shattering the Stigma about one 420-friendly politician who he remembers openly endorsed cannabis in the 1960s.
“So many times, they almost legalized weed. John F. Kennedy was a medical marijuana user who had a back brace and severe back issues. And RFK was friends with Alan Ginsberg. And he said on national television that cannabis is less harmful than tobacco. They assassinated him right away. This was the month that he was assassinated that he said this. It had a very significant stigma back then.”
Dana Beal, cannabis legalization pioneer
Beal said he was convinced that cannabis was a force for good when he saw a few joints deescalate a potential riot in downtown Manhattan. “We were tripping on mescaline once on 2nd street,” Beal said, “and we were coming down, by the precinct. The cops had busted a peace picnic for having blankets and food on the grass. And it enraged the locals. The police pressed a woman against a wire fence. So a big crowd went down to the police station. And they were all yelling and screaming. The Grateful Dead was playing their first time in New York City. And they were playing a free concert in Tompkins Square park. So we broke out the weed. And this wave of peace descended over everyone. The one thing the hippies and the locals had in common is they all smoked herb. And they could pass joints. We started having regular smoke-ins in the park.”
After decades of fighting the stigma. Beal is as optimistic as anyone about the future of the cannabis. He cites recent studies about the increasing popularity of cannabis with pride.
“Right now for the first time, the number of people smoking pot has exceeded the number of people drinking alcohol. That means despite being illegal, and bad-mouthed to the extreme, people prefer the superior alternative!”
Dana Beal, cannabis legalization pioneer
Papi Santos, Vibe Tribe NYC
Papi Santos is a Queens native who shoots content, organizes Vibe Tribe events, and studies cultivation. Santos told Shattering the Stigma: “I do videos and marketing with cannabis companies on both sides of the business.”
“I started using cannabis when I was 16. Coming from a Pentecostal and Catholic household, it was kind of instilled in me that weed is the devil.”
Lupita is a New York native who runs a channel called NYC POV 420, which does marketing, education and events for brands and dispensaries.
“It’s a love and hate relationship with cannabis in my family. I grew up in a Hispanic household. So smoking weed was very stigmatized in my house. They’d rather have you drinking alcohol and taking tequila shots rather than smoking weed… Now, it’s a nice relationship I have with cannabis. I still live in that Spanish household. But I went to the doctor and became a medical card holder. That helps quiet my family when it comes to that. Hopefully I become one of those advocates for Spanish households to help break the stigma.”
Lupita told Shattering the Stigma, “My first time trying cannabis was at the age of 16. Weed didn’t really get my attention until I was 25. I had two car accidents at an early age, which left me with chronic back pain. I went to the hospital, and they prescribed me hard pain killers. That was ongoing for a year. I didn’t like it. I left it, and my chronic back pain came back.”
“I started freelancing and doing content for small businesses in cannabis. I wanted to meet more 420-friendly people. I didn’t really grow up smoking weed, I mostly grew up drinking. So I didn’t hang out with a lot of cannabis consumers. I wanted to do consumer-based content, where you could see yourself in it–experiential content for brands and dispensaries in New York.”
“I learned that there’s many people out there who have no idea what they’re putting into their body when they consume. I created and published a cannabis journal that’s now available at some licensed New York dispensaries.”
The cannabis industry is on edge as it waits to see how the federal government acts. On one side is the slow moving Biden/Harris administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) slow walking rescheduling. The DEA is having to wade through overwhelming positive support for fellow agencies and the general public. On the other side, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has allowed groups from his party to protest and try to stop the process and issuing statements on the dangers of marijuana. Coupled with a mess in California and a significant drop in investment in the industry as everyone waits the outcome, things are tough. But there are positive signs for NY legal marijuana.
New York was one track to be the biggest single market perhaps in the word in the when they approved recreational marijuana. But a last minute major overhaul of the process a few weeks before it rolled out ended in a massive chaos. January 2023 launch the first legal store, but at year end there were roughly 25 legal dispensaries and ultimately 2,800 illicit ones in the Empire State. While consumers may or may not have known or cared about the legality of where they shopped, they should. The products in the stores are unregulated, which is a strong health issue as ingredients and dosage could vary significantly.
Summer Lifestyle Photos 2023
Wana Brands is the largest gummy company in the industry. They are in 20 states, Canada and Puerto Rico and are backed by Canopy and the alcohol giant Constellation Brands. Highly respected, they are the most mainstream major product company in the industry. Entering the New York Market, is a sign things are starting to normalize. NY has closed over 800 illicit stores and is working toward 200 legal ones.
Joe Hodas, President of Wana shared “Wana’s entry in the New York market has been a move that’s been in the works forquite some time. We’ve already established a strong presence in over 20 stores,including The Travel Agency and Housing Works. Orders are rolling in and morelocations will be coming online soon. While our initial focus is on the New York City area,we’re working on expansion into upstate as well. We believe New York will be one of themost important states on the map for us and we are excited to get more products intothe hands of New Yorkers and all those who visit from around the world.”
When asked about why enter the NY market now, Hodas responded.
“Entering the New York market for us was all about timing. In the past, the prevalence of illicit stores in the city made it a challenging environment for a brand like ours. But during my recent visits, I noticed a shift—there’s now a more robust network of regulated, legal stores. We felt it was finally the right moment for Wana Brands to bring our products to New Yorkers. We couldn’t have made this move without our partner, urbanXtracts. Their state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and shared commitment to quality have made this launch possible and we’re excited to see what the future will bring.”
“The Travel Agency is thrilled to partner with Wana in this vibrant New York cannabis market, that we’ve helped grow since its launch. Wana is also one of this industry’s pioneers, building their business through consistent products and the exploration of new formats and flavors. We look forward to collaborating with Wana in providing New Yorkers with safe, high-quality cannabis experience.” stated Paul Yau, The Travel Agency, Co-Founder and CEO. One of the larger, legal dispensary brand in NYC.
I’ve been on the gummy beat a long time, Leafly Nation, and I’ve had my fair share of flops and fabulous treats—from cup winners that send me to the moon to oily, gelatin-based trips that barely registered. I’ve found that no matter the consistency, the nano-techonology, or the flavor, the single greatest indicator of your gummy experience is how they get the weed in it. And the best extraction process, by far, is rosin.
In dab communities, rosin (call it hash, call it hash rosin, call it whatever—you know what I’m talking about.) Solventless cannabis extraction isn’t the most efficient, but it keeps all the terps, ‘noids, and entourage compounds intact to elevate you well beyond distillate oil. I’ve scoured coast to coast for the best iterations of rosin and hash-based gummies for you all to make the most of these last weeks of summer.
California
Lost Farm THCv Mango Amerelo rosin gummies
(Courtesy Kiva)
How to make a product stand out amongst crowded dispensary shelves has long plagued cannabis brands. How to make a new product stand out when nearly all your bags are bangers appears to be no issue for Kiva. They have awards, word of mouth, and sales in multiple states to prove that people will pick up what they put down, from espresso beans to mints to their ever-growing line of gummies and chews. I have tried dozens of Kiva products at this point, and I always come back to these, particularly with the high-THCv strain here that will keep you uplifted and away from too many munchies.
You think Simone Biles won Olympic Gold in Paris by coasting on her laurels? No, she worked even harder to be better than before. Edible brand Camp have done the same, working on their popular resin-based gummies to make them more potent, more flavorful, and with a more multifaceted experience. So now, they’re made with rosin! Consumers get three flavors to choose from—orange, blackberry, and peach—to enhance the mirages they may see in the Nevada desert.
Massachussetts
Suncrafted live rosin gummies
(Courtesy Suncrafted)
Even across multiple states, the Massachusetts-based Suncrafted Cannabis Co beat out all licensed gummy manufacturers and took gold with their Blue Raspberry rosin gummies at the 2024 NECANN cannabis awards in Boston earlier this year. They also took multiple awards for their solventless concentrates, proving that the proof really is in the solventless pudding.
Maine
Landrace Hash Co rosin jewels
(Courtesy Landrace Hash Co)
Maine admittedly isn’t the most conveniently located hash Mecca, but it’s worth the trip. The Pine Tree State has an abundance of trees, and they know how to press them. Landrace Hash Co makes strain-specific rosin “jewels” because the edible experience is so valuable. And the strains they choose are elite, including Pineapple GMO and Waterlemon Road Dawg.
Michigan
Bursts rosin gummies by Sauce
(Courtesy Sauce)
Michigan has led the Midwest in product innovation and, Sauce’s rosin gummies are a testament to continuing to push the envelope. Think of it as pulling a piece off the ol’ slab, as these come packaged as one giant, 200 mg THC gummy ready to be divided into as much or as little as you can handle.
Maryland
SunMed + Airo Oria live rosin gummies
(Courtesy Oria)
SunMed is one of the biggest cultivators in Maryland, and one of the few committed to exclusively sungrown cannabis. Their relatively “crunchy” approach translates to flavorful flower that doesn’t sacrifice potency—and by extension, edibles that take consumers above and beyond. This collaboration with the vaporizer brand Airo brings consumers a citrus and blackberry gummy dubbed “Black Mamba” for an edible experience that stuns on impact.
Oregon
Happy Cabbage BLOX rosin gummies
(Courtesy Happy Cabbage)
Sometimes a single gummy is all you need—one enormous, potent gummy. Happy Cabbage make regular-dosed gummies, but they are known for their BLOX, 100mg of rosin-based THC in tasty, fruity flavors like Passion Orange Guava (sativa) and Midnight Melon (indica). Plus they’re vegan, gluten-free, and low-sugar to accomodate different dietary needs.
When Washingtonians want to shoot for the moon and land among the stars, they find a constellation. Constellation’s Gravity gummies use solventless hash oil in a broad range of flavors and formulas, including high-CBG and CBD options for those who’d rather stay below under cruising altitude.
Colorado
Canyon Cultivation rosin gummies
(Courtesy Canyon)
It’s hard to stand out in one of the country’s oldest cannabis markets, but Canyon Cultivation has done it. Their expanded roster of “chew-its” include three new flavors, Paradise Punch, Blueberry Pomegranate, and Blue Raspberry, all with a live rosin formulation. Each gummy clocks in at 5 mg THC, and contain no gluten and minimal amounts of sugar.
See also: Northern Standard live rosin gummies
Arizona
Baked Bros hash rosin gummies
(Courtesy Baked Bros)
Get in the ‘zona with Baked Bros’ growing line of rosin-based gummies. Each flavor is meant to pair with the single-strain extraction, i.e., Frozen Guava rosin goes with the blood orange gummies. They’re also adding an Arizona punch flavor with Prickly Pear OG flower later this year, so stay tuned.
See also: Copperstate rosin gummies
New Mexico
Verdes live rosin gummies
(Courtesy Verdes)
New Mexico has proven its cannabis industry is all about the new. Verdes brand gummies pair their rosin formula with contemporary, cutting-edge flavor combinations, like blackberry gummies with a lavender-infused sugar coating, or watermelon gummies with a dusting of Tajin chile.
Missouri
Honeybee solventless gumdrops
(Courtesy Honeybee)
The Show Me State continues to show out in the infancy of its adult-use cannabis industry. The edible brand Honeybee makes many succulent flavors of their vegan gumdrops, and now add two solventless SKUs to the roster. Available in Tangerine Dream and Strawberry Basil Mojito, these rosin-fueled drops have just 5 mg of THC each, allowing you to munch on as many or as few of them as you can handle.
New York/New Jersey
MFNY rosin gummies
(Courtesy MFNY)
The more cannabis knowledge crosses state lines, the better all cannabis lovers and medical patients will be. Marijuana Farms of New York, or MFNY, have taken some cues from California for their artisanal, small-batch approach to flower, prerolls, concentrates, and edibles. Their line of vegan gummies pair strains to the flavanoids in their fruit-based flavors—i.e., the cherry gummies pair best with Poddy Mouth’s savory terps.
See also: Rezinators by Jaunty
Oklahoma
Mindful Indulgence Lodoz rosin gummies
(Courtesy Lodoz)
Don’t let the name fool you—these rosin gummies feel anything but “low dose.” Mindful Indulgence partnered with local cultivator Tribe to concoct these rosin-based, nano-powered gummies in flavors like Peach Hibiscus and Strawberry Rhubarb to deliver a more vibrant experience without the dreaded edible wait time. They also produce a higher, 25 mg THC per gummy dose for those needing more efficient medicine.
Montana
Cannabis Counter rosin gummies
(Courtesy Cannabis Counter)
The Big Sky State wants to be known as the Big High State. Their adult-use industry rolls out more and more beguiling products and formulas. Cannabis Counter have amped up their gummy line to a two-pronged approach, both made with live rosin and enhanced absorption. Consumers can choose between strain specific gummies like Papaya Bars, or a more effect-based approach with options like sleep and focus.
Illinois
On the Rocks rosin gummies
(Courtesy Verano)
Verano gets my nod for their new brand of solventless products including vapes, concentrated, and gummies, dubbed On the Rocks for its straight-up approach. Their rosin gummies deliver full-spectrum effects in tasteful flavors like Peach Mango and Sour Apricot Apple, the latter of which won third place at the 2023 Illinois High Times Cup.
This story must end, but your gummy journey is just beginning, Leafly.
Hit the Gummies Near You page on Leafly to see what’s chewy, gooey, and lit near you. (Just be sure to select your location in the top right corner.)
