Whether you identify as a diehard football fan or just like watching the commercials, the Super Bowl remains one the best days of the year to kick back, relax, and enjoy time with friends and family.
This year, the Kansas City Chiefs will play the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII (57) at 6:30 PM ET. And while there’s plenty to look forward to at this year’s Super Bowl, there are still just a few things that we don’t want you to forget as Sunday approaches.
With just a little preparation and planning, every weed lover can have fun during the Big Game. Ready to learn how? Check out the tips below.
Prepare to be a great friend and guest
(SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe Stock)
Okay, so we established that you want to get high and watch the Super Bowl, but what about a plug to the main event?
In case you want to actuallywatch the Super Bowl (and not just Rihanna’s performance on Youtube after the fact), you should already be sweet-talking your friend with all the premium channels and streaming accounts.
If you don’t have a friend like this, start asking your other stoner friends what they’re doing for the day, and see if you can snag an invite to get-togethers where you can hang and sesh.
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Make sure you show up with enough weed to contribute to the rotation. For a four-hour-long event with lots of people, you’ll want to bring a decent amount of bud. This is a great segue to our next tip.
Cop an ounce of team weed or encourage guests to BYOW
An ounce of aromatic, fresh, tasty small indoor-grown buds. (David Downs/Leafly)
It’s usually a good idea to have enough weed to share if you’re hosting a Super Bowl party. Weed is a popular plant, and you’d be surprised who might be interested in a puff or a low-dose gummy.
Plan for the worst (or best) case scenario and stock up for the day. Letting folks know to bring their own weed also takes some responsibility off yourself as a host and leaves your stash for backup.
If you really want to be prepared, cop an ounce and have everyone throw $5 on it. Yes, throw $5 on it.
We’re in a recession, and inflation is sky-high!
Brush up on your sports talk
Unless you want to remain blissfully high and unawarehis is the last year that you have to be clueless about the rules of football. These days, you can use new technology like ChatGPT AI to learn the basics of the game.
The artificial intelligence chatbot can explain the rules to just about anyone. Plus, the AI will have a lot more patience than your uncle, the professional mansplainer.
You can also begin learning the players’ names and a little more about the league if you want to connect with football fans at the party. Don’t know what to say? Pick one of these interesting tidbits to start a convo.
Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jalen Hurts is the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. The pair will make history as the first two Black players starting and leading their teams as quarterbacks in the Big Game.
The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and The Eagles’ Jason Kelce are brothers playing on opposing teams. What are the odds?
NFL players are strictly prohibited from smoking marijuana during the season. Players are allowed to have weed between April and August with fewer restrictions.
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Set snackers up for success
(Olesya/Adobe Stock)
Putting your snacks and munchies near actual THC edibles can turn your Super Bowl Sunday into snack-fueled chaos.
A label, post-it note, or colored skewer will not cut it, especially if the game’s a nail-biter. WE REPEAT. Even if you label everything perfectly, chances are high that someone could still get confused as they navigate your Super Bowl food set-up.
Keep the edibles and the munchies in distinctly different locations where they can’t be confused or overindulged in. And, of course, make sure everyone who is ready to leave your party is sober enough to drive or has a designated driver.
If you’re headed to someone else’s party, consider bringing munchies or edibles to share, and don’t forget to line up your ride home in advance.
Choose the right strains to get you through the long day
Super Bowl Sunday isn’t the time for strains that make you want to sleep. Find strains that will help you have a good time by looking through our lists of strains by effect.
Look out for Super Bowl smoke signals
Weed commercials have already been rejected in the past, but the future’s still bright for weed sightings as more and more states legalize cannabis. Just take last year, when Snoop Dogg snuck a blunt on stage just before his Super Bowl LVI performance in Los Angeles.
Times are undoubtedly changing, so keep your eyes peeled for any 420-friendly additions to the show —including from Bad Gal RiRi herself.
After all, the game is in Arizona, a legal, adult-use state. If you see someone on the screen toking up, it’s your sign to light (another) one up yourself.
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Whether you like football or not, free food, great weed, and good vibes are in your future. The sad news? Most of us have work on Monday morning! But when did that ever keep a good stoner down?
Nadir Pearson
Nadir is a dynamic cannabis leader and entrepreneur from the East Coast. He is the founder of SMART (Student Marijuana Alliance for Research & Transparency,) a national collegiate cannabis organization and a co-founder of Hybrid Co. Nadir also serves as a project lead for Cannaclusive.
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What an era to turn age 21 as a cannabis initiate. The plant is in a Golden Age, with freedoms blossoming from sea to shining sea. Flower, cart, dab, tincture—a myriad of modalities boggle the mind. But this begs the question—where do we store it all?
We hear you, Leafly Nation, when you lament grappling with exactly what to do with our cornucopia of clean, tested, potent, and affordable cannabis products. So we’ve responded with 15 stash solutions for back-to-campus stoners.
Fancy boys and girls—time to ball out. Cookie lovers—get ready to floss. Hash heads—let’s keep those terps cool. Doomsday preppers—well, we got your vault.
And we’re not leaving terps behind at any tax bracket. These picks run from $10 neoprene bags to $299 Terp Kooler hash fridges that run on USB-C. So keep it secret. Keep it safe. Keep it fresh.
Alien Labs Travel Stash
(Courtesy Alien Labs)
One of the most useful stash bags on the market today, with a top-notch level of odor protection. Alien Labs created a dopp kit-style stash bag with five layers of smell protection and customizable dividers that holds around an ounce of weed in up to eight standard-sized jars. Along with your herb, the zipper pouch on the side holds glass tips and papers. The heavy duty zipper and smell proofing do the job so well, you can toss it right into your bag without any worry—even stuffed full there’s still enough room for a small rolling tray nestled on top.
If you’re heading out for the day, the Terp Chiller made by TERPS is a refrigerated cooler that you can take on the go. It’s about the size of a classic Igloo and holds an impressive eight 2-gram myron hash jars at a time. You can bring its interior temperature down to as low as 32ºF in half an hour. Bigger than anything of its kind, the unit has a fold-down top handle, and gives you 6-8 hours of performance on a full charge. The Terp Chiller comes with both a wall and car charger but you can purchase additional batteries to change out during a long adventure.
One of the most unique bags the Bay Area-born brand has ever created. The cylindrical shape has a padded main compartment to sit your dab rig and a zipper pocket for swabs. Underneath, an insulated compartment holds an ice pack and cooling puck with space to store a couple jars—but don’t take anything that might roll around in the jar. For that, you’ll want to use the insulated mini-cylinder that attaches via a locking carabiner and has its own ice pack and puck, or just use it to stash a small container of alcohol.
Do you love wrestling and smoking hash? Mendocino solventless brand Real Deal Resin has released four different models of their padded, insulated Terp Cooler. Each one offers a take on some of your favorite wrestlings heroes. These have a single, spacious compartment that fit up to nine eighths of weed (that’s over an ounce!), or your rig, ice pack, cotton swabs, concentrates, and iso. It doesn’t have any interior pockets or compartments, but it’s spacious, versatile, fits over your shoulder, and never fails to get a response when you enter the room.
For the hash communities on the West Coast, these are a mainstay for backpacks and refrigerators. Each Kalya neoprene cube holds an impressive number of jars, with a pocket in the back for wax paper or q-tips and they stack or line up nicely on a shelf. Soft, square ice packs fit in nicely, but I often find these are best for organizing your home hash collection without taking over large sections of fridge drawers. Speaking with Scott from Kalya in Oregon, it seems like the team has a 2.0 version on the way.
Hittin’ the road: Summer travel cannabis gear guide 2023
Zig Zag Crossbody Bag
(Courtesy Zig Zag)
Here’s something for the mylar crowd, from one of the oldest and most respected brands to sell picks and shovels to all us weed miners. This Zig Zag bag comes with a combination lock for the zippers, smell-proof layering, and enough pockets to keep everything you need to roll up and roll out. Note the Zig Zag logo stylishly emblazoned on the strap, and their classic icon on the front. I managed to fit four Grove bags, my Flower Mill, some Proper Doinks glass tips and three packs of Zig Zag’s signature rolling papers without worrying that anything might get squashed.
The serious hash acolyte needs a dedicated fridge to hold all those precious flavors. Nothing is quite as suited for the task as the Terp Kooler. The unit is about the size of an air fryer, but looks just as good in the office as it does in the kitchen. Adjustable from 46-64ºF, you can monitor temperature and moisture levels through its front-door display, which also locks to keep people out of your hash while you’re away. Terp Kooler also has three USB ports so you can keep your e-rig and your phone fully charged.
The cannabis community has its own staple fashion objects, with names that ring out a lá Louboutin or Marc Jacobs. Truly Red Panda is one of those names. His embroidered Carhartt bags feature key slogans that tell people: “I have this Carhartt bag because I’m working on myself.” The duffel bag is the largest offering and can hold all your distilled water, alcohol, Pelican case, dab accessories, and still have room for a hoodie and a couple mason jars of flower. While not smell-proof, this gear bag is super rugged and made by a company that’s been supplying pants for hill workers since hill work began.
Bergy Bags were designed to keep your cosmetics cool inside your bag during hot afternoons, but work just as well with weed. Along with a main interior pocket, these insulated pouches have a special pocket that fits a custom-molded cold pack. Made from scratch-resistant, Italian Saffiano leather in white, black, or pink, these have a high-end department store look to them. The interior has a wipeable poly liner, so tossing a dab tool inside isn’t a big worry. The company says that you can keep items cold for up to four hours under normal conditions. For lighter storage options, this is fashion and function.
The “Super Saiyan” of bag options. When a bag says “bear-proof,” you know the smell-blocking power is next level. If you tend to travel with your cannabis items (including those smelly pipes and bubblers), you need a strong, odor-blocking and inconspicuous storage solution. These thick polyethylene OPSAKs have a hermetic seal that keep strong smells from leaking out when you have to get into your bag in public or stay somewhere while keeping things under wraps. If you’re outdoors, they’re also watertight and airtight.
An ultra-modern and easy way to keep your weed in a humidor. Cool to look at and fun to use, Lokkboxx boasts an impressive, handmade maple wood construction and five glass bell jars that each hold up to 3.5 grams of cannabis. These glass chambers connect to a central spot where moisturizing hydro beads maintain a consistent, controlled humidity. There’s also a dedicated stash spot for your grinder, pollen press, and even labels. What’s amazing about this device is how easy it is to introduce yourself to the concept of keeping a weed humidor.
The number-one stylish way to store your cannabis goodies is, without a doubt, the Jonathan Adler ceramic druggist canister. Right below its gold and blue accents are the colorful, almost circus-themed high-fired porcelain canisters, available in both large and small versions. Besides “Weed,” “Hash,” and “Ganja,” they also have versions for your edibles, peyote, LSD, mushrooms, or quaaludes—if you know someone with a stash from the ’80s. These are high-end housewares for the fancy smoker who owns a Houseplant ashtray.
There’s something about these highly organized stash boxes that just make your brain happy. Bright and bubbly, the easily labeled, airtight stash containers hold 21 grams of flower, with space leftover for concentrates, vape pens or even some RSO. Each SESH has a rolling tray stashed in the lid and a little scoop you choose to keep any ground up flower in there. While there isn’t a lock and key, it is smell-proof and could easily pass for a storage kit from IKEA in six different colors.
The ultimate doomsday vault for your stash. The Vault by Kulbi is made from carbon fiber-infused fabric, making it crush-proof, slash-proof, shock-proof, heat-proof and water-resistant (and the company still offers a lifetime guarantee). Inside, you can customize the compartments to fit around an ounce of flower or any combination of edibles, concentrates or vape cartridges. The Vault has a triple layer odor protection and a brass combination lock for security. This is the kind of bag you could drop off of a building and know that your glass jars are safe.
A classic solution to keeping your stash secret. Discreet Smoker’s hollowed out “dictionary” looks totally unassuming—until you flip it open to reveal the 9×6 zinc-alloy metal box inside. There’s the standard combination lock on here plus a grinder, doob tube, and a selection of smell-proof bags so you can seal up your goods to store inside. Perfect for people who want that murder mystery vibe when they go to roll a joint, keep a stash at work, or parents who need a spot where small hands won’t go.
Welcome to Virgo season, Stargazers! It’s time to sweat the small stuff—get your to-do lists, budgets, and plans in order.
As we say goodbye to scorching summer days and anticipate the mysterious allure of the upcoming spooky season, September brings with it a number of noteworthy celestial events. Mercury, the planet of communication, is still in retrograde until September 15. This means that all zodiac signs might experience some glitches in their communication, so make sure to double check plans, revisit old projects, and avoid making impulsive decisions.
Like Beyonce on the Renaissance tour, Virgo season is in full swing, catalyzing practicality, organization, and attention to detail. Those born under this sign might feel a surge of energy and clarity, while others can harness this Virgoan energy to declutter, plan, and set intentions for the upcoming months. It’s a period during which meticulous planning and a grounded approach will serve everyone well.
Lastly, Jupiter, the planet of expansion and luck, enters retrograde until the end of the year. This longer retrograde phase encourages introspection and re-evaluation of our goals and aspirations. While it might seem like progress is slow, this period is crucial for realigning with our true desires and ensuring that we enter and/or stay on the right path. Embrace the unhurried pace, reflect on your journey, and trust that the universe has your back.
Happy Birthday, Virgo! Virgos, ruled by the planet Mercury, are known for their meticulous attention to detail and strong sense of duty. Those born under this sign are practical, reliable, and analytical. Need something done right? Call your closest Virgo friend!
September shines a spotlight on Virgos, as it’s your season—a time when your natural traits of precision, organization, and introspection amp up. However, with your ruling planet of Mercury in retrograde until the mid-month, you may start second-guessing decisions or overanalyzing situations more than usual. It’s essential to trust your intuition during this period and avoid getting bogged down in the minutiae. Remember, sometimes the bigger picture is just as crucial as the details.
Virgo season encourages all signs to embrace a more methodical approach, but for Virgos, it’s like coming home. This month practically begs you to set intentions, declutter your space, and focus on personal growth. Jupiter’s retrograde complements this introspective energy, prompting a deeper reflection on your aspirations and life’s direction. While you might feel the urge to push forward, this is a period of preparation and alignment. Take this time to ensure your actions resonate with your core values, setting a solid foundation for the months to come.
September strain: Sometimes you can’t help but see the world in black and white, Virgos, but we have a strain that helps you see the world in its full spectrum. Oreoz has an aroma reminiscent of campfire s’mores, with additional delicious hints of chocolate and diesel. The name and its creeping effects remind one of cozy indoor moments, perhaps enjoying some cookies with a warm beverage while the leaves turn outside.
Libra
(Savina Monet)
As September unfolds, you Libras might find yourselves seeking balance more than ever, especially with the influence of Mercury’s two-week retrograde. This planetary shift throws a wrench in communication nuances; for Libra, a sign that prizes harmony and clear connections, this means listening will be essential to navigate conversations with patience and understanding to keep relationships in equilibrium.
The grounding energy of Virgo season gives Libras an anchor to their airy tendencies. This month, consider focusing on tasks that require attention to detail, or delve into organizing aspects of your life that have felt a bit chaotic. Another retrograde in Jupiter makes introspection all the more necessary, encouraging you to reflect on your personal growth and future aspirations. While the world might seem to move at a slower pace, this suits Libras in aligning their actions with their heart’s true desires for a harmonious path forward.
September strain: September can be a transitional month, with the shift from summer to fall leading to potential stress, especially for Libras, who strive to keep balance. You need something sweet and relaxing, so try some Maple Leaf Indica, a strain that has stood the test of time and traveled far from its origins in Afghanistan. Its body-focused effects help with stress and insomnia, ensuring that Libras get their beauty sleep with a mind free of worries.
Scorpio
(Savina Monet)
September offers Scorpios a chance to delve even deeper (if possible) into their introspective nature, especially with Mercury in retrograde until September 15. This planetary movement can stir up intense emotions and bring unresolved matters to the surface.
For Scorpio, notorious for depth and passion, approach situations with a calm demeanor and seek clarity before making decisions. While your instinct might be to probe and investigate, sometimes letting things unfold naturally is the best course of action.
Virgo season brings organization and practicality, and provides a counterbalance to your intense energy. This month, Scorpios can benefit from making an effort towards meticulous planning and methodical execution in all endeavors. Jupiter in retrograde further invites rumination on broader life goals and personal growth. Embrace this slower-paced energy as it guides you in reassessing your path and ensuring that your actions align with your deepest desires and values.
September strain: You’re a rare one, Scorpio. As September, the new autumnal season, and its mysteries unfold, Rare Darkness seamlessly aligns with your profound depths. Embrace the month’s tranquil moments, allowing the strain to be your grounding anchor with its soothing effects and grape-flavored palate.
September brings a blend of introspection and action for you, Sagittarius. Mercury in retrograde until September 15, you might find your usual forward momentum slightly tempered. Keep cautious with communication and avoid jumping to conclusions. For Sagittarius, a sign known for its adventurous spirit and optimism, this period is a (hopefully) welcome reminder to pause, reflect, and ensure that your actions are well-considered.
The grounding influence of Virgo season gives Sagittarians a fresh focus on the details—a contrast to their typical big-picture approach. This month, consider dedicating time to organizing your space or refining plans for future adventures. Additionally, with your ruling planet, Jupiter, in retrograde, you’ll feel drawn to reevaluating personal aspirations and beliefs. This might feel too slow at times, but this valuable period helps Sagittarius realign with their true north, ensuring their journey is both meaningful and fulfilling.
September strain: What haven’t you tried, yet, Sag? Sometimes a classic strain trumps even the most beguiling new genetic crosses. So reacquaint yourself with the flavorful Biscotti. This Cookies family strain gets its name after a baked good, and offers that creative kick perfect for those chilly fall mornings with a cup of coffee before the thrall of the day begins.
Capricorn
(Savina Monet)
September ushers in chilly temps and a period of reflection and recalibration for you, Capricorn. With Mercury in retrograde for the first half of the month, prepare for disruptions in your usual methodical approach. It’s a time to exercise patience, especially in communication and decision-making. For Capricorn, lovers of structure and discipline, this period will show you the importance of flexibility and adaptability, reminding you that an occasional detour can lead to valuable insights.
The influence of Virgo aligns well with Capricorn’s natural inclination towards order and diligence—call it an earth sign advantage. Tap into that Virgoan energy to refine your strategies, set clear goals, and perhaps even reorganize aspects of your personal or professional life. With Jupiter in retrograde, your broader ambitions and life’s trajectory might need an update. Embrace this languid energy as it guides your reflections and ensures that your efforts are in harmony with your core values and long-term aspirations.
September strain: Capricorn, we know you won’t settle for less. As autumn leaves begin their dance, rolling up some Cap Junky, a strain made in collaboration between two of the best breeders in the industry, will bring out the best of your steadfast nature this September. Cap Junky, also called Miracle Mints, offers a tranquil companion for your autumn reflections that’s bursting with creamy, menthol, and pastry terps.
Aquarius
(Savina Monet)
September presents a blend of introspection and external shifts for Aquarius. The influence of Mercury in a two-week retrograde foresees unexpected changes in plans and a need for clearer communication. You love innovative thinking and independence, Aquarius, so this period is a reminder to stay receptive to feedback and pay attention that your ideas are conveyed with clarity. Time to revisit past decisions and perhaps make adjustments where necessary, ensuring that your path forward works in favor of your intentions.
Virgo season, with its focus on detail and organization, offers a grounding counterpoint to Aquarius’s free-spirited nature. This month, consider channeling the Virgoan energy to better structure your creative endeavors and streamline your routines. Jupiter’s retrograde motion further amplifies the need to reflect on your personal growth and future aspirations. While the pace might feel more contemplative than usual, this period provides Aquarius with a valuable opportunity to ensure that their actions and goals resonate with their true self and vision for the future.
September strain: Aquarius, as autumn’s golden hues unfold, Gold Leaf resonates with your unique spirit this September while proving a little mystery—after all, its exact genetic heritage has yet to be publicized. Ground yourself in the season’s gentle transformation, feeling harmony with each mellow moment while letting this decant indica strain bedeck your brain in a golden glow.
September brings a gentle ebb and flow of energies for you, Pisces, with your natural deference to the rhythms of the universe. The presence of Mercury in a weekslong retrograde might stir the waters of communication, leading to obstacles to clarity in conversations. For you dreamy fish, this period invites you to get grounded and work so that your feelings and thoughts are expressed with both empathy and precision.
The influence of Virgo season emphasizes practicality and organization—a welcome balancing energy for Pisces. This month, harness the Virgoan traits to structure your dreams and turn them into actionable plans. With Jupiter (a co-ruling planet for Pisces) in retrograde, there’s a deeper call to reflect on personal aspirations and spiritual growth. Embrace this introspective energy as it guides your journey and ensures that your path aligns with your heart’s true desires and the greater cosmic dance.
September strain: Pisces, as autumn unveils its gentle palette and shortens the days, Misty Morning aligns seamlessly with your introspective September energies. This whimsical strain has unique earthy flavors and effects that wash over you like waves. Embrace the season’s transition, finding balance and serenity with each calming inhale.
Aries
(Savina Monet)
September marks a transitional phase for you, Aries, as the warmth of summer fades and the allure of the spooky season lurks on the horizon. With Mercury in retrograde until September 15, get ready for some minor communication challenges. It’s a time to practice patience, especially when expressing yourself or making decisions. Double-checking (even triple-checking) plans and revisiting past conversations will help you navigate this period smoothly.
During Virgo season, the energy shifts towards organization and practicality. For Aries, this means tapping into a more methodical side, which doesn’t always come naturally. Use this time to declutter your space, set clear intentions, and plan for the months ahead. With Jupiter in retrograde, make time to reflect on personal growth and aspirations.
While the pace might seem slower than what you’re used to, this presents a valuable period for Aries to realign with their goals and ensure head in a direction that truly resonates with them.
September strain: To mentally prepare for the autumnal transition, roll up some of Lumpy’s Apple Fritter. This hybrid strain evokes the feeling and palate of warm apple pastries, perfect for the crisp fall weather and waning days. After a busy summer, September is the time for Aries to wind down and reflect, making this strain a perfect companion for introspection, evaluation, and planning for the rest of the year.
Taurus
(Savina Monet)
As September unfolds, Taurus will find themselves at the crossroads of summer’s end and the beckoning of the cooler season. The presence of Mercury in retrograde until the middle of the month induces a need for caution in communication. We know you value stability and clarity, bulls, so this might mean taking a moment to pause before speaking or acting. It’s a favorable time to reevaluate decisions and reconsider some paths you’ve been exploring in your professional and personal lives.
Virgo season, with its emphasis on organization and practicality, aligns well with Taurus’s natural inclination towards order and structure. This month, harness the Virgoan energy to refine your surroundings, streamline your routines, and set tangible goals. Meanwhile, Jupiter’s retrograde motion prompts a deeper introspection about personal aspirations and growth. Taurus should embrace this slower tempo, using it as an opportunity to ensure that their efforts align with their true desires and values.
September strain: You love the creature comfort of a rich meal, Taurus, and nothing goes better with the flavors of fall than Cornbread. This stony strain bred by Rare Dankness is known for its heavy, tranquilizing effects that deeply relax the body—it has a savory palate connoisseurs and casual consumers will love. After a busy summer, September is a time for Taurus to unwind and rejuvenate, and Cornbread makes the perfect companion for those cozy nights in.
September ushers in a period of reflection and recalibration for always-on-the-move Gemini. With your ruling planet, Mercury, in retrograde for the next two weeks, you might find your usual quick wit and adaptability tested. Communication, a strength for most Geminis, may require a bit more care and focus this month. We advise a pause to think before making any major decisions or commitments, ensuring that your choices are well thought-out and in line with your long-term goals.
The grounding energy of Virgo season offers a counterbalance to Gemini’s airy nature. This month, Geminis benefit from embracing a more organized and methodical approach, in both personal projects and daily routines. Jupiter’s retrograde further emphasizes introspection, nudging you to reevaluate your aspirations and the paths taken to achieve them. While the pace might feel more meandering, this period is valuable for realigning with your true desires and setting a clear course for the future.
September strain: Treat yourself to a piece of the pie with Elderberry, a strain from Spain with flavors reminiscent of berries, wood, and tree fruit. This unique combination of sweet and astringent gives your taste buds a unique experience, perfectly suited to Gemini’s taste-making nature. As September marks the transition from summer to fall, the calming and relaxing effects of Elderberry can be perfect for those cooler nights when Geminis want to take a break and reflect.
September brings a gentle shift in energies for you, Cancer, and your deep resonance with the ebb and flow of emotions. With Mercury in retrograde for the first half of the month, you might find yourself reflecting more on past interactions and memories. Approach communication with a touch of caution, ensuring that your words are both kind and clear. While revisiting the past can be comforting for many Cancers, set intentions to stay present and avoid getting too caught up in nostalgia.
Virgo season offers a burst focus on order and practicality to whimsical Cancer, and an opportunity to ground their emotions and create a stable environment. This month, consider organizing your living space or setting clear boundaries in relationships to cement your sense of security. Jupiter’s retrograde further encourages introspection, so don’t slack on assessing your goals and how to achieve them. Embrace this period of reflection, allowing it to guide you towards a path that resonates deeply with your heart and aspirations.
September strain: You’re a sensitive soul, Cancer, and the changes in the planets and weather can take their toll. To stay alert and present in your day-to-day life, the sativa-dominant Apple Jack has a reputation for helping users feel focused and energetic. It has the zesty pep of Jack Herer and the creative juices of White Widow wrapped up in a mouthful of skunky, apple terps. This strain will make the transition to shorter, cooler days easier while keeping your eye on the prize.
As September dawns, Leo, you might feel a shift from your typical fiery energy to a more subdued and introspective mood. The influence of Mercury in retrograde until September 15 can lead to some communication challenges. Leos thrive on clear expression and the intensity of the spotlight— so listen as much as you speak and be patient with both yourself and others. Taking a step back and reflecting before making decisions will serve you well during this period, we promise.
With the onset of Virgo season, you’ll get to channel organization, planning, and attention to detail through your innate vivacity. Take time to channel your creative energies into structured projects or refine ongoing endeavors. Jupiter in retrograde, as the planet of growth and expansion, nudges you to reevaluate your ambitions and ensure that your goals align with your true passions. While the pace might feel more measured than usual, it’s a valuable time for Leo to recalibrate and set the stage for future successes.
September strain: We know you don’t slow down for hardly anything, Leo, and you love the finer things in life. If you’re looking for a strain that can help you relax, reflect, and recharge as you transition from the fiery summer months to the cooler autumn season, Peach Crescendo awaits. This Ethos Genetics hybrid has a palate as complex as you, with peach, chem, and citrus notes on top of a balanced high that keeps you focused on the future.
Maryland is looking pretty hazy, Leafly nation, and we don’t mean the weather. Over a month into adult-use sales, the Old Line state has seen a huge increase in demand for cannabis flower, prerolls, edibles and vapes. Between July 1 and July 30, data from Maryland’s Cannabis Administration shows sales totaled just under $85 million, double what the medical-only market raked in throughout June—on July 1 alone, total sales exceeded $4.5 million.
While medical patients appear to have stocked up in advance, Maryland was uniquely positioned for a bud boom. Surrounded by medical-only states or states with no form of legal cannabis, a holiday weekend, and a low 9% cannabis sales tax, Maryland has to contend with not only local demand, but an influx of out-of-towners and tourists who want to join in on the action. On Day 1, Leafly met a number of consumers who’d crossed multiple state borders, or just walked in from down the street. The common denominator is they wanted an accessible way to acquire quality cannabis and cannabis products.
… we’re selling out of our strains every week, and we have inventory rolling in for the next week right behind it.
“We steadily see more consumers coming through the door and the continued growth of cross-border purchasing and overarching curiosity in the different dosage forms. Flower, vapes, prerolls, and edibles continue to be the most popular product category,” says Curio’s Chief Revenue Officer, Rebecca Bronfein Raphael. “With respect to our flower supply, we’re selling out of our strains every week, and we have inventory rolling in for the next week right behind it. Our thesis about opening up our additional canopy and making sure that it was ready for the back half of 2023 was correct.”
Kip Cannabis dispensary on Day 1 of Maryland’s adult-use sales. (Leafly)
No surprise, flower still reigns supreme for sales—the Washington Post reported that Maryland dispensaries sold over 19,500 pounds of cannabis in July, versus 8,000 in June. According to data from cannabis market data platform Headset, flower was about 50% of Maryland’s July dispensary sales, followed by vape pens. Prerolls saw the greatest increase in sales throughout the month relative to medical-only data, with a 172% jump. Some operators believe this has to do with new consumers, many of whom may have never visited a dispensary before, who want to sample strains and purchase smaller amounts before committing to an eighth.
Edibles and flower also saw big sales increases (138% and 145% respectively), while sales for concentrates, tinctures, and topicals appeared to drop. Part of this is consumer taste, and part is due to the fact that certain products, namely concentrates and infused prerolls, are still exclusive to medical patients.
Maryland currently has only 18 licensed cultivators to serve what is predicted to reach a billion-dollar state cannabis industry by 2025, but no need to fret. For months now, cultivators and manufacturers have been anticipating this increased demand, and scaling their supply accordingly. Operators told Leafly back in June that they had been setting aside additional inventory for months and ramping up operations, which has proved prudent.
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Justin Garcia, compliance and public relations manager for SunMed Growers, the largest cultivator in Maryland, says their team have planned for adult-use as far back as 2015, when they received their license. They’ve increased their cultivation space multiple times over the years (now measuring nearly 300,000 square-feet), and launched their processing arm, SunMed Labs, to produce a range of concentrates, and most recently, edibles. Garcia estimates they have products in around 70 of Maryland’s dispensaries at any given time.
“All of our partners are telling us it’s anywhere between two to three times their business before adult use. That means more volume on their shelves and more volume that has to come out of our facility. In the future, we’d be positioned to be able to keep up with what is going to be anywhere from two, three, four times the demand, he says. “Our big limiting factor at this point is ‘how quickly can we package it?’’
Buds on Flowering Cannabis Indica Plant Growing Indoors. (Adobe Stock)
Given the maturity of Maryland’s medical market, supply hasn’t been a major concern with operators that spoke with Leafly. Nearly 100 medical dispensaries in Maryland were able to convert their license type to adult-use in time for Day 1, which accounts for the huge jump in sales versus states like New Jersey, which opened with 12 dispensaries, or New York, with only one. Multistate operators like Curaleaf and TerrAscend with experience opening markets in other states said they scaled operations accordingly.
“To compare it to a typical Saturday, we had over a fivefold increase in sales for the day. And in the first month so far, we’ve doubled our sales; we’ve almost tripled the amount of customers that we continue to welcome into the Maryland market,” says Dinesh Penugonda, Curaleaf’s VIP of retail operations. “We invested ahead of the launch both from a capacity product supply standpoint, as well as in our facilities, to make sure that we were ready for the increased demand.”
Maryland as a state has some funky borders, and geography has proved to play a part in where consumers flock. Curio’s Baltimore County store, for example, has seen huge demand for gummies, whereas flower tops the list at their Elkton, MD, sister store. Chantelle Elsner, TerrAscend’s SVP of Commercial Operations, tells Leafly that their Cumberland store, which sits close to the border of West Virginia, saw significant growth in flower sales July with both adult-use consumers and medical patients, and an uptick in medical-only concentrates.
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“Our strategic approach when we enter new states is to set up our cultivation to support the market demand. Maryland is a more mature market; the consumers understand the product. From my time spent on the ground with the teams when we launched on July 1, everyone was very well-educated about the products, about the form factors, and pretty in tune with pricing and assortment. Overall, we’ve been matching our supply with our demand and focusing on new products, such as concentrates or different types of prerolls, to drive further penetration into the greater wholesale market.”
(HQUALITY/AdobeStock)
The biggest challenges, many sources repeated to us, are the current emergency regulations’ constraints on cannabis marketing and demarcation of products and services that are still exclusive to medical patients. Curbside pickup, for example, is still exclusive to medical patients, as are dabbable products, high-potency edibles, and infused prerolls. Marketing regulations are more conservative than before, and updated SOPs have created additional steps in processing and packaging; if you’re seeing a dip in supply, it’s more likely due to supply chain compliance rather than a lack of inventory.
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Operators agree that Maryland’s transition has been swift, and the numbers are promising for continued industry growth and consistent access for customers and patients to their favorite products and strains. But many also point out that a bustling first month can’t reliably predict the rest of the year, nor how the influx of new dispensaries, cultivators, processors, and microbusinesses will impact the market in the coming years.
“What we don’t want to do is use one month of data as the crystal ball for the rest of time, said Raphael of Curio.
