There's no better way to let go of that holiday tension than the gift of ganja—at least for those of you who have gotten legal with the state. And with the relentless innovation of the cannabis community, you have a cornucopia of options for any cardholder on your shopping list. Here are some of the finer products on dispensary shelves:
• Herbal Alchemy candies. No stocking is complete without candy—and Desert Bloom (8060 E, 22nd St.) carries a house line of Herbal Alchemy hard candies packing the punch you need to glide right on through the holidays. The 35mg candies are available in assorted flavors and there's a 12:1 CBD option if you're looking for something that's less elevating. While you're there, splurge on one of their high-end pre-rolls as an extra treat.
• Love Carissa chocolates and candies. Delight the sweetheart on your list with a treat from Love Carissa. This Phoenix-based brand's signature craft candies come in heart shapes, from 40mg lollipops (including a sugar-free cinnamon) to 25mg chocolate hearts (two per box). You'll find your widest selection at Hana Med in Green Valley (1732 W. Commerce Point Place), but other Tucson dispensaries that carry Love Carissa candies include Downtown Dispensary (221 E Sixth St. #105) and GreenMed (6464 E. Tanque Verde Road). You can also consider one of Love Carissa's brownies, but don't leave one out for Santa, or he may not finish his appointed rounds!
• Pack of Dutchies. Forget the high tech gadgets, the crumbles, shatters, cartridges and candies, the moon rocks, lolly pops and patches. This Christmas, stuff the stockings of your favorite cardholder with the weed future they always imagined.
To call Dutchies "pre-rolls" doesn't quite do them justice.
At first glance, the appeal of the six-pack of pre-rolled half-gram joints is mostly in the packaging.
The clean white and green design of the slim cellophane-wrapped box, complete with government warnings about the dangers of smoking marijuana, would be enough to land the product on our stocking stuffer list.
But for generations, marijuana users have dreamed of a day when the plant is legalized, regulated, taxed and mass produced in little boxes by Philip Morris or Starbucks—a day when the local convenience store sells pot by the pre-rolled pack, as normal as a pack of American Spirits. Dutchie pre-roll packs are a simple and much needed reminder that the moral arc of the universe may be long, but indeed bends toward justice.
But, at $40 for three grams, Dutchie pre-roll packs—which come in indica, sativa and hybrid strains—offer more than a pretty package. Sure, you could stuff stockings with $6 pre-rolls from the local discount pot shop. But Dutchie packs their pre-rolls with primo pot. (Seriously. We dare you to finish one alone.) It's a much classier options, and still gives you plenty of bang for your buck.
Pick up a pack at Hana Meds in Green Valley.
• Global Xtracts products. If someone you know is looking to ease pain, Earth's Healing's Global Xtracts line of hemp oil balms makes a fine gift. With a beeswax base mixed with CBD and essential oils, this is just the sort of thing to make you forget all about all those aches that come with preparing for the holidays. Or if you know someone who is struggling to get a good night's sleep, consider Global Xtracts's CBD softgel pills with a touch of melatonin. It's just the thing to relax you as you slip beneath the covers after a long day. Available at Earth's Healing (2075 E. Benson Highway and 78 W. River Road).
• Delta 8 THC. When you smoke or eat cannabis, you are taking in a healthy dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or what is more commonly known as THC. But as plant scientists are learning, cannabis is loaded with a lot of other natural chemical compounds that affect your high. One of these is Delta 8 THC, which occurs at a much lower level than THC 9 in the natural plant form. Downtown Dispensary has now developed a Delta 8 oil extract that provides a relaxing effect on the body without clouding your head as much as today's strong flower strains often do. You'll still feel a pleasantly uplifting feeling, but you won't feel your mind racing or any attack of the giggles. If you're looking for relief while keeping your wits about you, Delta 8 is a wonderful option. Available at Downtown Dispensary at various prices for various strains.
• Earthvape flip battery. There's always someone on your list who loves gizmos—and just in time for Christmas, Earth's Healing has its Earthvape flip battery back in stock. Designed to work with the Earthvape's premium concentrates, this device allows your oil cartridge to fold safely inside the battery, until you push a button and the cartridge pops right out like a switchblade. It makes carrying your medicine a breeze and you'll be talk of all the New Year's Eve parties when you pop this one out. $12, available at Earth's Healing (2075 E. Benson Highway and 78 W. River Road).
