7 award-winning AAPI flowers, vapes, and edibles for 2023

Sometimes I admit, Leafly Nation, that when I look out at the vast crowd of cannabis lovers, I tend to see the same faces. Cannabis is for everyone (who wants to participate), yes, but it’s not always for everyone. And to the adage “seeing is believing,” I’d like to add that when you see someone like yourself, it means believing in yourself. Confident that you can make your vision of a cannabis experience, be it smokable, dabable, vaporized, edible or spreadable, resonate with people.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and for many of us the harbinger of Spring. Springtime is when things bloom, flavors emanate from food and the longer days mean we want to be outside to celebrate. While cannabis is now growing almost everywhere, we can’t pretend that its history existed in Asia and that the ingenuity of the people of East, West, and Southeast Asia didn’t allow the rest of us to make the same earth-shattering discoveries – weed rocks !

Asia invented the grass. They often forbid it. And yet, countries in Asia are re-establishing themselves as cannabis hotspots. I mean, Guam legalized it in 2019 and you can now buy cookies weed in Thailand. But if you don’t have time for an international flight right now, you can smoke well at your local store thanks to these excellent AAPI-owned brands.

TSUMo Snacks Lucky Pack

Lucky Bundle from TSUMo Snacks. (Courtesy of TSUMo)

Not all edibles are created equal, and not everyone wants a sugary gummy or brownie bite to get them where they want to be. Firmly established in the savory snack category, TSUMo Snacks, with their Snoop Dogg collaboration (he also co-owns it), mimics the umami flavors of Funyuns and offers the kind of cheese dust you want to lick your fingers off . For AAPI Month, they did their best with a community initiative that also includes other brands on our list.

The Good Fortune bundles include new offerings, the Spicy Cheesy Ramen and Spaghetti & Meatballs Puffs, made in collaboration with weed-loving chef Roy Choi. The pack also includes other AAPI-made weed goodies that vary by location: mini-prerolls from Pure Beauty, a disposable rosin vape pen from Bloom, and gummies from Elefante or Sundae School.

“Authenticity is incredibly important, especially when it comes to cannabis,” said Caroline Yeo, Founder and CEO of TSUMo. “I’m a big fan of Roy. He really appreciates the plant; He is very picky about the products he works on. So it is above all his personality and his style that prevail. We’re not well represented in the cannabis community. We run companies and participate in this industry. … Were here!”

Oakfruitland Flower

Oakland does it like no other. (Courtesy of Oakfruitland)

In the Bay Area, as E-40 once said, we remain “loyal to my soil.” Family-run growers Oakfruitland also live by this ethos – they grow their flowers indoors in Oakland, for everyone. Quality and value come first; You can browse their headstash eighths in varieties like Guava Runtz and Oak-lato, horny quarters and half-ounce bags of Zkittlez and Cookies family smalls.

Aunt Aloha gummy bears

Get island time. (Courtesy of Aloha Gummies)

If you’re tired of gummy bears flavored with strawberry, orange, grape or other common fruit flavors, Auntie Aloha welcomes you with a more tropical palate. Cannabis, also known as pakalōlō, has existed in Hawaii for centuries (Maui, who knows?) both medicinally and recreationally.

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Co-founder Pat Arora remembers her Thai mother introducing cannabis and its many benefits to her cooking. So it was to be expected that we’d turn the island vibe into something consumable for those of us on the mainland. Enjoy the juicy profiles of guava, pineapple, coconut and passion fruit, all in 5 milligram doses and 100 mg per sachet. All of their gummies are vegan and offer indica, sativa, and hybrid effect options for every time zone.

Pure Beauty pre-rolls

(Courtesy of Pure Beauty)

In a state that constantly strives for the biggest, most potent strains, it’s difficult to convince consumers to try mini-prerolls. But after toking countless joints and Pure Beauty buds, I find them to be an ideal “dogwalker” treat for busy days or to share with friends at the park. Pure Beauty collects its water from the air, grows its flowers on soil rich in good fungi and fertilizing critters, and prevents runoff into local ecosystems.

Adding to this is the compilation of a portfolio of luscious strains with varying effects, cannabinoid ratios, and flavors, including some personal favorites like Tangimal and Sea Star. Their latest release combines their small joints with rosin and ice water hash for a once-in-a-lifetime afternoon smoke as we head into summer.

Bloom Rosin Surf Vaporizer

(Courtesy of Bloom)

I will never again make it clear that rosin and solvent-free concentrates are the right choice regardless of the medium. Bloom has been making vaporizers for almost a decade, but they’ve upped the ante with their surfboard-style disposable rosin vaporizers. This new line of strains that require Pavlovian reactions, like Papayahuasca and Lemon Cherry Gelato, uses their proprietary “Surf” vaporization technology to prevent clogging, maximize terpene expression, and ensure your high tops look like the best waves .

Dolo x Felicia Ann x Emerald City Genetics

“There are voices in the AAPI community that need to be amplified,” says Bay Area-based visual artist Felicia Ann. East Bay equity brand Dolo Rolling Co. understands the power of collaboration and harnesses it. In the latest installment of their series, they’ve teamed up with AAPI-owned breeders Emerald City Genetics and neuroscience student and artist Felicia Ann to bring out a special release of Gelonade and Emerald Dream strains in flower and pre-roll form, adorned with Ann’s vibrant artwork. A portion of the proceeds will go to Oakland’s Chinatown organization, which has weathered the recent storm of pandemic grief and AAPI violence with grace.

Joke’s Up Pharmacy and Runtz Wraps

Yung LB, co-founder of Runtz and CEO of Jokes Up, told Leafly what he smokes during a trip to New York City in early 2022. (Jon Bain / Leafly)

One of the most popular and potent strains of the 21st century, Runtz is backed by an AAPI team. Yung LB von Runtz was born in California, but his motherland is the tiny South Pacific archipelagic state of Tonga.

“I have a story behind me… we came to America to find a dream,” he shared on a podcast, saying his parents left Tonga, where most people don’t have hot water, to give their children a home enable better life.

After a hectic childhood in Long Beach, he moved to the Bay Area to finish high school, and in Oakland he met the breeders who created the strain that would become Runtz, our 2020 Strain of the Year. And for There are no limits to Runtz. He has since opened Joke’s Up Dispensary in Los Angeles, dispensing only the most exotic Zaza and hosting a variety of cannabis culture events. And if you’re a nonsense lover, they now offer Runtz Wraps.

And those are seven superb weed goodies from our friends with AAPI backgrounds. We’ll keep an eye out for more. Let us know your favorites in the comments below.