I’ve been writing this newsletter for years now, and I’ve never asked you to do much homework.

This week, I’m making an exception.

Election Day is Nov. 3. So, I put together the official stoner’s guide to Michigan’s 2026 election. It covers how to vote quickly and efficiently, with a look at what’s at stake for your stash in the races for governor, attorney general, the Legislature, the US Senate, and more.

Don’t worry, it’s an easy assignment.

Plus, an Illinois man caught a felony charge in Indiana over a bag of weed from New Buffalo, the NFL let a Lions player off the hook for pretending to smoke a joint, Hytek dropped its take on the hottest strain of the year, and I found top-shelf organic ounces for $99 in Ann Arbor.

Roll one up and make a plan to vote.

The 24% wholesale tax. The proposed caregiver crackdown. The cameras in dispensary parking lots. Every one of those issues traces back to someone we elected. 

And now, we get to pick the next batch.

This week, ahead of early in-person voting kicking off on Saturday, I put together a guide to every race that matters for Michigan marijuana, plus the easiest way to cast your ballot with as little human contact as possible.

PUFF, PUFF, PASS: The NFL has rescinded a fine against Lions receiver Jameson Williams for a recent touchdown celebration where he pretended to smoke something with teammates. In his appeal, Williams reportedly argued the gesture wasn’t offensive and pointed out that weed is legal in some states—including Michigan and New York, where the game was being played.

BAG CHECK: An Illinois man is facing a felony charge in Indiana after police say they spotted a bag from a New Buffalo dispensary in the man’s car during a traffic stop. He was pulled over for changing lanes without a turn signal. The search turned up more than an ounce of weed. 

HAUL OF SHAME: Six Detroiters are facing armed robbery charges after police say they hit a commercial cannabis facility in Warren and tried to drive off with more than 200 pounds of weed in a U-Haul. Each got a $500,000 bond and must wear a GPS tether if they end up posting it.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Two Upper Peninsula men have left Michigan’s cannabis industry to set up shop in Minnesota—partly because taxes on marijuana are lower there. Their new dispensary, Dankz, is now open in St. Cloud. One of them says most of the customers at the UP dispensaries where he used to work had Minnesota license plates, so he followed them home.

POISON CONTROL: Another Michigan cannabis company is growing Toad Venom, the cult-favorite strain that’s been taking over dispensaries this year. Hytek dropped its version last week, joining Seed Junky (which I reviewed in July) and at least three other brands. Steve Neavling at the Detroit Metro Times says Hytek’s is the most potent cut he’s tried in Michigan.

THINK PINK: Detroit-based MKX Oil Co. says it has now raised $100,000 for breast cancer causes since teaming up with Blazy Susan, the brand best known for its pink rolling papers. And this month, the family-owned company is handing out $50,000 of it to charity—including $10,000 checks to Michigan’s Gilda’s Club in Detroit and the Shades of Pink Foundation.

ICYMI: If you missed last week’s newsletter, I announced the results of our latest readers’ choice contest, where thousands of you voted for the brands growing the best weed in Michigan. Information Entropy took the top spot, followed by Hytek and 710 Labs.

Last week, I asked about the most you’ve ever spent on a single trip to the dispensary.

About half of you said under $300. Maybe I set the bar a little high. Then again, buying in bulk is usually the best deal in this market—as long as you’ve got the self-control to make it last.

The rest of you landed between $300 and $599. And a few of you have dropped more than $1,200 in a single visit. That’s not easy to do. The average ounce in Michigan is only about $60 right now and there’s a 2.5-ounce purchase limit. So, you’re either shopping exclusively on the top shelf or you’ve got a serious thing for high-end concentrates. Either way, I’m impressed.

This week, I want a quick gut check:

Are you high right now?

Be honest. I’ll have the results next week.

Most dispensary drops are one strain in one jar. 

Wojo’s latest release is basically a hash flight.

Wojo Co., the Pinconning-based solventless operation that’s become shorthand for good hash in Michigan, just released something it calls “Impressions.” It’s their take on a live rosin “thumbprint.” Each jar holds two grams of live rosin, one creamy and one saucy. 

You can dab them separately or mix them together, depending on your mood.

They come in five-jar boxes, 10 grams total, with five pairings picked by the Wojo team. The price is $420. That’s not cheap; it works out to about $42 a gram. But it’s 10 grams of some of the cleanest hash in Michigan. And I’d rather spend more than settle for mediocre hash.

The boxes are only sold at Wojo’s dispensary in Bay City—so call ahead.

And to be clear, nobody is sponsoring this section. I just like Wojo.

I toured their facility last year and saw how they work up close: a pesticide-free grow with every jar dolloped by hand. I’ve been a fan ever since. You can read the full feature story here.

Michigan has no shortage of cheap ounces.

Good ones are a different story.

Apothecare’s Ann Arbor dispensary is running “Big Flower Friday” all month, with select ounces for just $99 apiece on Fridays. And this isn’t some bag of smalls. Apothecare says all of its weed is certified organic, grown in living soil with beneficial insects and no synthetic fertilizers.

This week’s lineup includes Purple Mintz, Vanilla Bean, Blue Mason, and White Fire OG.

I keep hearing great things about this brand, and $99 for an ounce of top-shelf, organic flower is a hard deal to pass up. In fact, since our readers’ choice results came out last week, I’ve gotten more emails about Apothecare missing the top 10 than about any other brand. 

To everyone who wrote in: I hear you. But the results are the results. I’m just the messenger.

If Ann Arbor’s a haul, Apothecare also has stores in Cheboygan, Houghton Lake, and Benzonia.

It’s officially cold in Michigan. Like, actually cold. 

That means soup season, chili season, and book season. 

And in my house, it’s also puzzle season.

My wife and I usually knock out about one puzzle a month through January. We smoke, we sort pieces, we chat, and then we do it all over again. It’s not the most thrilling hobby on the planet. But it beats going outside when Michigan reminds us why we own so many hoodies.

This weekend, it was a Harry Potter puzzle with the movies playing in the background—an October rewatch tradition we never skip. We went all in.

The joint was Sour Melons from Hytek, which just finished second in our readers’ choice poll for Michigan’s best weed brands. There was a hint of melon, but the Sour Diesel notes did most of the talking. It was bright, flavorful, and smooth—like just about everything I’ve had from Hytek.

The best part? I’m pretty sure this joint only cost me about $5. Zero complaints. 

Ten points to Gryffindor. And another 10 to Hytek.

Stay safe out there ‘Ganders. Remember that recreational cannabis is only legal in Michigan for ages 21 and up—and it’s NEVER OK to get high and drive.