Dispensaries and Clinics
Best Delivery Service
Earth's Healing, 2075 E. Benson Highway, 78 W. River Road
While both Grassp Delivery and Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center provide solid delivery of fresh bud and locally crafted edibles, it's Earth's Healing's delivery that wins the top spot in this category, which has been more important than ever in the last year. While delivery services in Arizona are only available for medical patients at the moment thanks to state law, cardholders can order anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily (9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays) and later that day, a friendly courier will turn up at your place with your meds. You'll have to pay through Alt Thirty Six, which is kind of a PayPal for the cannabis community, so be ready to set up an account. Earth's Healing covers most of the metro area with a simple fee: If your order is between $40-$100, it'll cost you 10 bucks; if it's between $101-$200, it'll cost you five bucks; and if you're splurging on more than $200, it's free.
Second place: Grassp Delivery (Powered by The Green Halo)
Third place: Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center
Best Certification Center
Dr. Reeferalz, 4120 E. Speedway Blvd.
Even though you can buy weed without a license now, carrying an MMJ card still has its privileges: You can evade a 16% tax that recreational buyers pay; you can slip into a shorter line at some dispensaries; and you can buy edibles in much bigger doses. So depending on the degree of your chronic pain or other qualifying condition and how much cannabis you purchase, it may pencil out for you to hang onto your badge, especially since you only have to renew it every two years now. Whatever your ailment, the friendly docs at Dr. Reeferalz will likely find a reason to get you square with The Man. Plus, you may just get a coupon for some free Baked Bros. candies and syrup, so there's a little rebate as part of the deal.
Second place: Tumbleweeds Health Center
Third place: Natural Healing Care Center
Best MMJ Doc
Dr. Heather Moroso, 548 E. Speedway Blvd.
Perennial winner and Weekly favorite Dr. Heather Moroso is once again atop the voting as Moroso Medical Center reaches dizzying heights this year. Dr. Moroso has become a legend in the local medical cannabis community. A licensed neuropath and holistic healer, she brings empathy and alternative treatments to patients as well as providing relief to those suffering from debilitating diseases. The waiting room in the Moroso Medical Center holds a collection of unusual and appealing art alongside a wondrous display of Dr. Moroso's homeopathic potions, while friendly staff members answer questions to put patients at ease. But the best part about the practice is Dr. Moroso herself, who brings an aura of calm and good vibes to her work in the clinic and in the community. With fair pricing and fast service from that first call for an appointment to receiving your patient card, Dr. Moroso and her staff truly care about every patient who walks in the door. Her services include acupuncture and naturopathy as well as healthy lifestyle planning, homeopathy and various other alternative forms of medicine for people looking at health solutions beyond traditional western medicine. And we can't wait to see her upcoming wellness center in South Tucson, which promises to expand Moroso's offerings of alternative care with naturopathic consultation, massage, yoga classes and nutritional advice along with smoothies blended in the building's large kitchen with fresh ingredients grown on-site.
Second place: Dr. Debbie Jacques
Third place: Dr. Alicia Miller
Best Waiting Room
Earth's Healing North, 78 W. River Road
While waiting rooms have been open and closed over the last year because of pandemic precautions and new protocols related to the emergence of adult-use customers, our readers still have their favorites. Green Halo is particularly wonderful on the days when the lobby is rich with the aroma of those mega-brownies baking in the kitchen, while Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center features a giant Jenga game and walls of old-school psychedelic artwork. But Earth's Healing North, located in Zona 78's old River Road location, is filled with comfy couches and chairs in a spacious and well-lit lobby.
Second place: Green Halo
Third place: Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center
Best Customer Service
Earth's Healing, 78 W. River Road, 2075 E. Benson Highway
Thanks to the ol' coronavirus, Earth's Healing is now only accepting phone-in and online orders, but they have an easy-to-navigate website and friendly staff working the phones, so it's easy to place your order and drive over to pick it up at the front door—and honestly, most of the time, it's quicker than popping in to browse the showroom used to be. (With a new southside dispensary on the way, Earth's Healing expects to be welcoming people into the showroom again soon.) Plus, if you don't want to drive over, Earth's Healing also took top honors in delivery this year, so you don't even have to leave the house if you don't want to. Now that's customer service!
Second place: Green Halo
Third place: Prime Leaf
Best New Patient Special
Earth's Healing, 78 W. River Road, 2075 E. Benson Highway
One reason you might want to hang onto a medical card even though any adult can shop show: You'll be eligible for the ever-changing selection of deals at various dispensaries that may or may not be available to the rec crowd. First-time medical patients at Earth's Healing can avail themselves of three options: A buy-one, get-one special on a $25 prepacked eighth of an ounce; a 500mg Premium Earthvape with equal parts THC and CBD; or one of Earth's Healing's Cannabis Bowl Award-winning house pre-rolls. On top of that, you get a free pre-roll on your second visit as long as you spend 20 bucks—and how hard is that?
Second place: Green Halo
Third place: Harvest
Best Pre-Roll
Earth's Healing house preroll, 78 W. River Road, 2075 E. Benson Highway
While we love the packaging of the Dutchie's (they come six to a pack that could be mistaken for a Marlboro box) and the heavenly lift we get from a Green Halo pre-roll, Earth's Healing's house mix takes the top spot in the pre-roll category among our readers. Earth's Healing sells one-gram, hand-rolled pre-rolls with premium flower. $10.
Second place: Green Halo house preroll
Third place: Dutchie's
Strains and Brands
Best Soft-Drink THC Edible
Pure & Simple Prickly Lemonade
One of the best things about legalized cannabis is the tremendous variety of edible products that's on the shelves. Halo Infusions and Extractions, headquartered at the Green Halo, partners with local roaster Yellow Brick Coffee to offer various coffees and teas and makes a variety of juice drinks squeezed fresh from organic fruits and loaded with 100mg of THC. Our readers gave the highest marks to the brand's Prickly Lemonade, which pairs lemonade with the local flavors of prickly-pear fruit. If your day is clear on your calendar, we'd call this the breakfast of champions.
Second place: Infusion Edibles Soda
Third place: Happy Hour
Best THC Brownie
Aunt Ellie's Medical Fudge Brownie
Aunt Ellie's is another brand that comes to us from the good folks at the Green Halo, who bake up some of the finest artisan brownies in town at one of the lower price points. This year's winner is the medical fudge brownie, which combines a rich chocolate flavor with 150mg of THC goodness. Be sure to know your dose before you eat more than you can handle.
Second place: Sublime Simple Brownie
Third place: Revival Infused Edibles Brownie
Best Craft Baked Edible
Aunt Ellie's Super Mega Brownie
One of our reviewers thought Aunt Ellie's Super Mega Brownie was a mere 100mg. He's no lightweight, so he thought he'd eat a fourth of it and absorb 25mg. Instead, it was around 60mg and he didn't get much work done that day, although we did receive a number of odd dispatches. The moral of the story: Know your dose and read the packaging. The Super Mega Brownie is definitely not for lightweights and even if you medicate on the regular, you probably will get nine or 10 doses from one of these bad boys.
Second place: Sublime Tea Cake 100MG
Third place: HI KETO Chocolate Chip Cookies 200 MG
Best Candy THC Edible
Pure Gummies
There are so many gummies and other medicated candies on dispensary shelves these days that it's hard to rise above, but Pure Gummies' candies have clearly made an impact on our readers. A small-batch artisan confection maker, Pure offers gummies in watermelon, mango and tropical fruit flavors with strain specific options.
Second place: Cannabliss Medical Star Gummies
Third place: Wana Brands/Assorted Flavors
Best THC Topical
Halo Pain Relief Ointment (Green Halo)
Aches and pains are so personal and mysterious that you never know what's gonna work to ease your mind and body. We have sampled and found great results with all of our finalists in this category. Downtown Dispensary/D2's iLAVA Touch cream and Desert Bloom's Re-Leaf Body Balm have both delivered when we apply them to tender areas, but this year's cream crown goes to Halo Pain Relief Ointment. However, you'll need a medical card to get it, as Green Halo is not yet serving recreational patients.
Second place: Re-Leaf Body Balm (Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center)
Third place: iLAVA Touch 250mg CBD /300mg THC (Downtown Dispensary/D2)
Best Indica Concentrate
Earth Extracts (Earth's Healing)
There's nothing like smoking fresh aromatic bud, but the extract revolution has transformed the cannabis industry. Chefs now use a process to extract THC, CBD and more from the plant in the form of an oil that can be used in vape cartridges or in baked goods. But in its most potent form, it comes in a waxy or goopy form called crumble, shatter or a number of other handles depending on its texture. When you dab it—that is, ignite it via a rig on a water pipe or some kind of e-rig, you can get very, very high. Our readers give top marks in this category to Earth Extracts. From our sampling of their goods, we are sure we'd agree if we can just remember what happened during those two hours after we hit it.
Second place: Halo Concentrates: Yoda OG (Green Halo)
Third place: Live Resin/Kimbo Kush (Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center)
Best Sativa Concentrate
Gorilla Glue #4 Concentrate (Green Halo)
The Green Halo's Gorilla Glue #4 was our readers' choice for the best sativa concentrate, even though it's a bit of a hybrid that leans sativa. Still, the sativa takes center stage with this strain that you'll find in batter form at Green Halo.
Second place: Earth Extracts (Earth's Healing)
Third place: Releaf Brand Sugar Wax Tangie
Best Hybrid Concentrate
Earth Extracts (Earth's Healing)
Earth Extracts scores again among our readers, for good reason. Whether you're looking for shatter, batter or sugar wax, Earth's Healing has your concentrate of choice in a range of flavors.
Second place: Modified Grapes Concentrate (Green Halo)
Third place: Re-Leaf Brand Shatter Girl Scout Cookies (Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center)
Best Sativa Vape Cartridge
Earthvape (Earth's Healing)
Back in the Before Times, when we still went to rock 'n' roll shows or out for drinks with friends or maybe went to a movie, we loved our vape cartridges. They were stealthy ways we could elevate our mood without the skunky stink of a joint or the time commitment that comes with an edible. Earthvape, the house brand at Earth's Healing, was one of our absolute favorites. You'd catch a solid buzz but you'd be back to earth within a reasonable time. Earthvapes come in a variety of flavors and strains.
Second place: Gorilla Glue #4 by Halo
Third place: Durban Poison by iLAVA ClearGold (Downtown Dispensary/D2)
Best Indica Vape Cartridge
Earthvape (Earth's Healing)
You can't go wrong with any of the finalists in this category. Green Halo's Yoda OG and Downtown Dispensary's Granddaddy Purple are both fine oils that will ease your mind and body. But our readers put the Earthvape at the top of the heap for this category as well as the sativa cartridge, so you know Earth's Healing is doing something right.
Second place: Yoda OG by Halo Third place: Granddaddy Purple by iLAVA ClearGold (Downtown Dispensary/D2)
Best Hybrid Vape Cartridge
Earthvape (Earth's Healing)
And it's Earth's Healing for the sweep in THC cartridges, winning best hybrid, sativa and indica. A big round of applause for these saucy gents!
Second place: Larry OG 1000MG Halo Cartridge (Green Halo)
Third place: ILAVA ClearGold Cartridge 1000mg - Blue Dream (Downtown Dispensary/D2)
Best CBD Vape Cartridge
Earthvape (Earth's Healing)
We will tell you that the finalists in this category are all top of the line. Desert Bloom's Shirley Temple does indeed provide a certain relief while allowing us to keep our heads clear, while Nature Med's CBD Wellness may be the highest quality CBD we've ever come across. So it says a lot about Earthvape's CBD alternative that our readers put them at the top.
Second place: CBD Wellness Natural Vape (Nature Med)
Third place: Re-Leaf Brands Shirley Temple (Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center)
Best Sativa Flower Strain
Double Dream (Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center)
Longtime cannabis aficionados are always going to love the herb in its original form, especially now that they can purchase fresh buds rich with terpenes and flavor. This year's favorite sativa strain goes to Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center for Double Dream. The strain isn't a pure sativa, but the sativa is still dominant enough to ensure you don't slip into couchlock (unless that's what you're after).
Second place: Monday Driver (Green Halo)
Third place: Shangri La (NatureMed)
Best Indica Flower Strain
Vanilla Bean (The Green Halo)
Remember the days when we were just lucky to score some cheap, dry weed filled with sticks and seeds that tasted terrible and gave you a mild buzz after about two dozen bong hits? Things have sure changed, with so many choices of quality bud on the market. Vanilla Bean, named for its undertone of vanilla flavor, is an indica that will most definitely provide the relief you're after.
Second place: Mendo Breath (NatureMed)
Third place: Face Off OG (Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center)
Best Hybrid Flower Strain
Super Sherb (The Green Halo)
Super Sherb, available at Green Halo, is the big hybrid winner this year, although we've heard raves about Girl Scout Cookies at Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center and the Jenny Kush strain at Nature Med. With a sweet hint of pine flavor, Super Sherb is a joy to smoke. The strain is great for pain relief, anxiety reduction and an all-around mood enhancer.
Second place: Girl Scout Cookies (Desert Bloom Re-Leaf Center)
Third place: Jenny Kush (NatureMed)
Best CBD Flower Strain
Purple Kush (CBD Wellness)
If you enjoy the flavor of cannabis and want to have the benefits of CBD without the hazy feelings brought on by THC, then you won't find a more dedicated team than the crew at CBD Wellness. Their Purple Kush could very well help cure what ails you without getting you high.
Second place: Sour G
Third place: Cherry Mom
