Let’s talk dry herb vapes for chronic consumers AND beginners.

Smoking cannabis is a part of my daily life, and has been for over a decade. Sometimes I also like to enjoy a cannabis bevvie or edible, but nothing is quite as cathartic for me as hitting my bong or smoking a joint.

When it comes to Cannabis, lots of folks believe that it is the THC percentage solely that will determine how high you will get. I am here to share with you that this is not the case and may not have ever been. 

I’m writing to you about bong hygiene, as a former nasty bong user. I’m not ashamed to admit it, because I know I’m not the only one out here not cleaning their bong daily. We would clean it maybe once or twice a week, but use it a few times a day.

What CBG does when consumed, and its mechanisms for acting on our bodies, is still in the early days of research. Simply put, the research landscape on CBG is lacking, especially when compared to the relative abundance of research into its cannabinoid cousins, THC and CBD. Still, hypotheses are in the many and the research that is getting done is getting fascinating early results. Because this cannabinoid is increasingly showing up in the recreational market, we wanted to do our due diligence in seeing what the research is currently saying, and what it has not been able to say, yet.

2022 is upon us and for most Canadians it means we are once again allowed the opportunity to grow up to 4 cannabis plants outdoors. While growing your own cannabis can seem intimidating, with the right care and maintenance, it is honestly no harder than growing tomatoes! As a grower of both cannabis under an ACMPR licence and a small-scale vegetable farmer, I feel I can say that!

Have you ever found yourself gravitating towards certain cultivars (strains) because of past experiences, only to one day have a not-so-fun time consuming the same thing?! Maybe you’re finding that once upon a time a certain THC range was the perfect potency for you, but you’re now consuming more grams with a higher percentage of terpenes without it offering the same effects you are accustomed to, meaning you’re burning through your cannabis faster than ever before? First off, let me say you are not alone! This is a totally normal occurrence for daily partakers like myself. Don’t stress! We are in luck!

We love to draw on the incredible depth of expertise and experience our budtenders came to us with. If you’ve been by the shop, you’ve probably been helped through a weed purchase by Madison, but did you know she’s also a certified skincare buff?? We love having her insight on topicals and asked her to choose some favourites off our menu to share what she loves about them!

The infamous pre-milled flower has taken the country by storm with its popularity. Coming in more and more single-strain and blended options, we can't seem to bring these guys in fast enough! Conveniently pre-ground, for the busiest of bees - just scoop and smoke. 

Cannabis, like anything in our lives, can become mundane and repetitive over time, especially when we allow it to become a routine without intention. At this time of the year, especially, I find my consumption becomes less in-tune with my personal needs and more of a mindless practice that I don’t even give a second thought. Smoking as quickly as I can before my lighter hand freezes isn’t exactly the intentional experience I would like it to be. It’s easy to find quick comfort, letting myself get swept up in what the high allows me to do, rather than staying present in the moment and appreciating the high for what it is.

Pre-sesh intentions are a great way to set the stage for a conscious session. Asking ourselves, how am I honouring myself and the plant that I am consuming? Why am I seeking cannabis at this moment? How do I want to feel once I consume? How can I better nurture myself? Whatever your intentions may be in that moment, bringing your awareness inwards and tuning into the why, can be an immense help when attempting an intentional sesh.

Okay, these little juice shots are so cool that we wanted to share a little about why we chose to bring them in. Firstly, we really love the producer’s focus on sustainability and diverting food waste. Loop Parallel collaborates with major food industry actors to save perfectly good produce that would typically be discarded before it reaches grocery stores, for aesthetic reasons. Their juices are made in small batches and, to close their circular economy project, Loop goes as far as to outsource their byproducts to create nutritious, high-fibre pulp used in Wilder Harrier vegan dog treats. Truly a company with a vision that makes us super happy to support. 

One thing we sometimes hear in the shop is folks looking to cut back on their smoking, but not necessarily their cannabinoid consumption. Towing that line between the benefits cannabis is bringing to our lives and the risks associated with smoking any combusted product is a tricky balance. We’ve been really excited to see more non-smoking options, besides your typical edibles, coming over from the medical market to recreational shops like ours.

Cannabis plants are made up of multiple compounds that when broken down and consumed interact within our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Second to THC, CBD is the most prevalent cannabinoid within cannabis plants (Jikomes., 2021). CBD and THC alike, are derived from the plant, therefore they’re called phytocannabinoids (Jikomes., 2021). Our body generates its own naturally occurring cannabinoids called endocannabinoids (Jikomes., 2021).

I believe that we need to support menstruators with a widened margin for care and love, and provide each other with the space to support our bodies in ways that feel right. A connection with the gifts of plants has been just one way that I have been able to experience this, but we can continually inspire new ways for menstruators to access care and create their own. A care that feels safe, understood, and even respected. Choosing to care for yourself during cycle highs and lows is a pathway towards global healing. 

And from this, ripples of care flow from menstruators to our community as a whole.

For over 20 years I have enjoyed the benefits of cannabis through smoking joints….lots and LOTS of joints! And recently discovered a new love for concentrates and vapes. The joy of being able to discreetly pull out my pen wherever I am and take a few quick puffs, without having to stress about smelling up the space like a Snoop concert (not that there's anything wrong with it, buuuut not always practical in public spaces or when I’m in professional or mom mode). Also, if it’s just too freaking cold to venture outside for a quick pre-roll, my vape pen comes in VERY handy.

Have you ever noticed certain strains have you craving all the yummy snacks in your cabinet? Maybe you even have a couple of go-to strains that you like to consume before enjoying your dinner or ice cream treat at night like I do. But, maybe you never gave a second thought as to why that is?! Well not to worry, because I did some sciencey research for the team and have broken it down into much more digestible ( get it?;) ) pieces for you to read below! 

We have all greened out once or twice ourselves. When these negative sensations come on after consuming too much THC, it can feel overwhelming and very intense. End of the day, it's a drug and it can get spicy. And legal weed is lowkey really strong now!! So we asked Tiff (forever toker, current store manager) to do a blog post for us on best practices for how to avoid and what to do if it happens!