Michigan dispensaries are selling THC pouches that look a lot like Zyn

A new, smoke-free cannabis product is borrowing a familiar format—and quietly changing how Michiganders get high.

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MICHIGAN—For the last several years, Michigan cannabis companies have been asking themselves the same basic question: How can we help get people high without all the smoke?

And the results are everywhere. Dispensary shelves are usually stacked with gummies, drinks, tinctures, lozenges, mints, capsules, topicals, and even the occasional suppository. If you’re looking to enjoy weed without lighting up, Michigan has ensured you have options. 

But last week, I spotted something I hadn’t seen before on the adult-use market: THC pouches.

If that format sounds familiar, it should. These look and function a lot like Zyn—small, discreet pouches you tuck between your gum and cheek—except instead of nicotine, they deliver THC. 

And since I’m already a big nicotine pouch guy, this felt like the stoner version of spotting a new menu item at my favorite greasy spoon. But it’s not just another flavor; this is a whole new lane.

What are THC pouches?

KSHN is a relatively new brand of smokeless, cannabis-infused pouches from the same folks who run Doghouse Farms. The cans come in a variety of flavors, each with 20 pouches that are made with real, cannabis-derived THC—and no sugar, no calories, and no nicotine.

To use them, just moisten the pouch, tuck it between your gum and your cheek, and let it ride. Most folks should feel it kick in within 20-30 minutes, with effects that last up to two hours.

I found them for $15 at Herbana and grabbed two flavors, Citrus and Tropical. And my honest review is simple: They’re genuinely unique, discreet as hell, and actually got me pretty high.

How are these different from edibles?

This part matters, because these are not just another type of cannabis-infused edible. 

Because the THC is absorbed through your gums, it comes with a much shorter, more controlled sort of high. I felt them start to work their magic in as little as 20 minutes and vanish within a few hours. With edibles, the high tends to come on much slower and last a lot longer.

That’s important because that format effectively changes the whole experience. This isn’t a party edible. It’s not a dessert. It’s not a drink you sip. It’s a low-key, keep-it-moving sort of product built for people who want to catch a quick buzz without turning it into a whole session.

On the company website, KSHN frames it like a short walk versus a long hike, a hit single versus a full album, or an episode of a sitcom versus a full-length documentary film. And as someone who generally prefers joints over gummies because I like having some control over my own destiny, that pitch makes a lot of sense. These are built for a more measured climb.

Putting them to the test

If you’re an experienced cannabis user, a single 10mg pouch isn’t going to change your life. 

It didn’t for me, at least; I barely noticed the first one. But after the second pouch, I felt a little something. By the third, I was settling into a groove. And by the fourth, I had a noticeable, legitimate high.

But don’t stuff four pouches in at once like some kind of woodland creature preparing for winter. I tried it; the flavor gets way too intense and your mouth just feels overcrowded. It’s not ideal.

The real sweet spot was slow-rolling them over an hour or two—one at a time, letting the high grow gradually, and riding that steady climb instead of trying to brute-force the whole experience. And honestly, it seems like that’s kind of the whole point of this product. 

As for the flavor, Citrus and Tropical both hit hard. They’re bright, punchy, and not weedy. But they’re intense enough that two pouches at once is overwhelming. If you’ve had a Zyn or Velo, this experience will feel familiar. But for the upperdecky newbies, I think it’s worth noting here that you can swallow your spit, but you’re never supposed to chew or swallow the pouch itself.

At home, the effects were great: mellow, controlled, and easy to steer. But for me, the real “oh damn” moment with KSHN pouches came when I brought a can with me to the movie theater.

Instead of demolishing a box of candy before the movie started like usual, I just popped in a pouch, chilled, and slowly got higher and higher as the trailers rolled. It was clean, discreet, and weirdly satisfying in the same sort of way as nicotine pouches—of course, without the nicotine.

It was here that I realized this also feels like a very specific travel product—something that would be great for an airplane ride, a long road trip (when you’re not the driver), or any situation where you want a controlled buzz without smoke, smell, or a four-hour edible commitment.

The bottom line

KSHN pouches are one of the first genuinely new cannabis formats I’ve seen hit Michigan dispensary shelves in quite a while. And if you like the experience of cannabis-infused edibles but hate the long, unpredictable ride that comes with them, they’re definitely worth trying.

The effects come on quickly, and the high is steady, controlled, and consistent. Just don’t expect a single pouch to totally rock your world if you’re a regular consumer.

Got a Michigan cannabis product worth reviewing? Let us know—right here.

READ MORE: 8 cannabis-infused drinks to help Michiganders survive Dry January

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