Fellow Michigander,

The votes are counted and the bragging rights are on the line. This week, I’m revealing Michigan stoners’ all-time favorite dispensaries—straight from nearly 1,000 reader votes.

I also cracked open some pre-rolls from my local dispensary to see what’s really inside, flagged some dank deals and events, and rounded up the latest weed news from across the state.

Spark up and scroll on.

Nearly 1,000 Michiganders cast their votes in our latest readers’ choice contest to track down some of the best dispensaries in Michigan. And a few shops clearly rose above the rest.

We tallied the numbers and ranked the favorites. 

Now, it’s time to see who earned bragging rights.

PINCKNEY POT: The village of Pinckney is getting closer to its first dispensary, with local officials holding a special meeting this week to award a retail license to one of two applicants.

THIN ICE: Cannabis is still one of Michigan’s biggest job creators, but some insiders say that boom may be short lived. A new column by Chris Silva argues layoffs and automation are squeezing workers, with trimming machines and pre-roll robots replacing entry-level gigs.

EDIBLE MIX-UP: Five East Lansing elementary students were taken to the emergency room after reportedly eating marijuana gummies that another child brought to school. Police called it a non-criminal incident. The district says the kids are now safe and the case was isolated. 

CASHLESS CANNABIS: Frankenmuth Credit Union is rolling out a new closed-loop payment system to Michigan cannabis businesses through a recent partnership with Lüt, giving customers another cashless way to buy their weed that doesn’t involve any surprise fees.

BORDER BATTLE: Some Ohio dispensaries are hoping that Michigan’s new 24% wholesale weed tax will raise weed prices enough to take a bite out of their cross-border competition, keeping Buckeye smokers closer to home instead of making the usual weed runs north.

SOUTHERN EXPANSION: Heavyweight Heads is reportedly teaming up with a Florida cannabis company to roll out their acclaimed Michigan-bred genetics at a newly approved grow site down south.

Pre-rolls are supposed to be convenient. But after trying one too many harsh, headache-inducing joints, I wanted to get a closer look at what I’ve been smoking. 

For this week’s MichiGanja in Review column, I tore open and gutted three different pre-rolls at three very different price points. And what I found inside wasn’t always pretty.

Industry folks, listen up: 

Registration is now open for The Exchange, a business-to-business meetup event that’s rolling into East Lansing on May 6-7. Cannabis retailers, brands, and other industry professionals are invited to swap cards, pitch products, network, and try to lock in the next big business deal.

Everyday stoners can’t buy a ticket. But the ripple effects of this biannual event usually show up later in the form of new brands, better products, and whatever starts trending at your local shop.

Retail buyers get in free. Vendors and exhibitors pay to play. I’ll likely be roaming the floor, chatting up folks and seeing what brands are trying to break through next.

Need to restock? 

Sapura in Coldwater is offering a pretty good excuse this week.

Through Sunday, Feb. 22, the dispensary is running a solid deal on bulk, deli-style flower. All Sapura-branded strains start at 10% off. That jumps to 20% off when you buy a full ounce. And it climbs to 25% off when you grab two ounces or more. 

Because sometimes the smartest move is buying weed the same way you buy paper towels.

Most weeks, you see the finished shot.

This week, you’re seeing how the sausage gets rolled.

This is what MichiGanja in the Wild usually looks like in real life: me crouched down with my phone, trying to line up the perfect shot while balancing a pre-roll in my mouth.

Last week, I was in Arizona dodging Michigan’s winter and sampling some local brands. The one here in hand is Birdies—little cigarette-style joints that were great on the go.

But the real point of this photo isn’t the brand. It’s the ritual, the hunt for a good backdrop, and the search for the next joint that’s worth sharing with fellow Michigan stoners like you.

Got a recommendation for a good spot to capture the next Michiganja in the Wild? Email me.

Do you or your company want to support The MichiGanja Report’s mission and showcase your products or services to an engaged audience of more than 15,000 cannabis enthusiasts at the same time? Contact advertise@couriernewsroom.com for more information.

Stay safe out there ‘Ganders. Recreational cannabis is only for use by individuals 21 years of age or older. Keep out of reach of children. It is illegal to drive a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana. Contact the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.