Ask a Former Budtender: What’s the Best Weed in the US?
When I was a budtender, the question I got the most was, “What’s hot right now? What do you love?”
Staffing the pharmacy bar in California meant my answer to that question could change each day based on what I smoked or consumed after work and what the sales reps brought in from the back. One of my favorite parts of the job was hearing from regulars how my recommendations made their day.
Budtenders have a unique perspective in the industry, especially when it comes to what’s hot and what’s all the hype. Not only do they talk, they also smoke the smoke.
The US has yet to legalize cannabis federally, meaning states will establish laws within their jurisdictions. That means businesses need multiple licenses if they want to operate in different states — store menus in California often look very different than those in Oregon, Nevada, or New Jersey.
I tapped into my network to find out what products keep popping up with customers and patients, no matter what market they’re in. Here’s what’s currently convincing from coast to coast.
jealousy
If you don’t pick up an eighth of this new Seed Junky hybrid, you’ll be feeling like the green-eyed monster. A gelato and sherbet cross, Jealousy embodies the best traits of a strain from the Cookies family: a vanilla-gassing nose, deep euphoric effects, and all-round smoothness. People are feeling “jealous” coast to coast.
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You’ll find Jealousy on menus in Maine, Oklahoma, Oregon, New Jersey, California and Washington.
Rosa Certz
Will Compound Genetics ever be absent? No, they won’t, and Pink Certz is the proof: A crossbreed of The Menthol and Grape Gasoline for ages, this hybrid has found fans among recreational smokers and medical patients alike. You get euphoria without sedation and a taste infused with sweet and pungent terpenes.
You can find Pink Certz on menus in California, Oregon, Washington State, Massachusetts, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Apple Tartz
It’s apple harvest time, so be sure to pick up Apple Tartz. The flavor of Apple Fritters pairs beautifully with Runtz, especially for seasoned smokers who may have had enough of pure Runtz. It’s all gas, no smoke.
You can find apple tartz on menus in California, Oregon, Montana, Oklahoma, and Maine.
Stiiizy solvent-free pods
When I asked for vape recommendations, they came back with multiple fire emojis. I’m wary of most vaporizers, but I can never turn down a solvent-free product. Stiiizy’s solvent-free capsules use proprietary technology, but they make up for it with potent capsules with a strain that works like rosin should, smooth and sabored.
You can find Stiiizy products in Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, Washington State and California.
Infused pre-rolls
I couldn’t decide on one! Most prerolls can be disappointing, shall we say, and it’s difficult to find one that consistently delivers. I personally love a little hash or solvent-free extract in my joint for an off day, so here are a few options.
- That Farmer and the criminal x Kalya Extracts Collaborative joints combine high quality rosin with a brand with a mission to break people incarcerated for cannabis out of prison. (California)
- sun god‘s Herbal Blunts combine flowers, THC diamonds, kief, and some additional medicinal herbs for a true full-spectrum herbal medicine experience. (Oregon)
- heritage of nature know that you love flowers and hash. They infused their prerolls because “why not both?” (Massachusetts)
- rove Infused pre-rolls pack a punch and come in pairs. (Nevada)
Wylde Gummis
Sometimes cannabis products find themselves in a chicken-and-egg situation – is it widely available because it’s popular, or is it popular because it’s everywhere? Wyld gummy candies shot to the top of the menu almost immediately because they tasted good and worked. They also include a number of niche cannabinoids in their formulas, including CBG and CBN.
You can find Wyld Gummy Candy in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, California, Nevada, and Arizona.
710 Labs Extracts
Close your eyes and point to one of 710 Labs’ extracts. All of them. Literally. I’ve never had a bad 710 Dab, although it wasn’t exactly cheap either. Whether you like diamonds, batters or rosin, 710 Labs has it – they’ve got the juice.
You’ll find 710 Labs in California, Colorado, and Florida.
Amelie Williams
New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program and a former budtender. Williams has contributed to GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews and The Bold Italic of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Check out Amelia Williams’ articles
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