There’s one strain everybody in Michigan is talking about this summer. And it’s named after a psychedelic toad. I finally tracked some down and you can find my full review below.

Plus, the Michigan Supreme Court just made it harder for cops to search your car, weed prices have hit an all-time low, a Detroit dispensary is trading weed for backpacks, and we’re only a few weeks away from finding out who won the country’s biggest cannabis competition. 

Roll one up and read on. 

Every year or two, one marijuana strain takes over the whole conversation.

Lately, that strain is Toad Venom from Seed Junky. I’ve heard it talked about in grow rooms and at dispensary counters. Michigan stoners on Reddit have also raved about it like it’s the second coming of Permanent Marker. One of you even emailed me asking where you could buy it. 

So, I drove 40 minutes from Lansing to Owosso to find some.

And the verdict is in: 

This is some of the weirdest weed I’ve smoked all summer. 

SNIFF TEST: Michigan cops can no longer search your car just because they think you have weed, according to a new ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court. The case reportedly stems from a Kent County traffic stop where a trooper smelled marijuana, searched a vehicle because of it, and found a handgun—resulting in a felony charge that could soon be dropped altogether.

BOTTOM OUT: State reports show the average ounce of recreational cannabis sold for $58 in June, down from $63 a year ago, marking the cheapest ever price point for weed in Michigan. Industry experts keep pointing to the same thing: There’s simply too much pot on the market.

CLEAN SLATE: Choice Labs is relaunching in August under the name “Intrinsic.” The rebrand will reportedly involve scrubbing the old names from its products entirely, with one exception: Choice Chews will keep its name because it’s still the best-selling gummy in the state.

REPEAT OFFENDERS: State regulators cited more than 20 cannabis businesses in June, spread across 20 communities from Detroit to the Upper Peninsula. And for the second month in a row, seed-to-sale tracking violations topped the list with several companies failing to log their products into the statewide system that’s supposed to keep track of all licensed sales.

HEAVY LOAD: State police reportedly pulled over a tractor-trailer on I-75 in Monroe County and found 213 pounds of processed weed and $346,000 in cash. The truck was en route from California to New Jersey. The driver has not been arraigned on any criminal charges.

GROW RAID: Almont police reportedly seized more than 200 marijuana plants and a pile of growing equipment during a July 21 raid in Lapeer County. No arrests have been made.

DISPOSABLE INCOME: The Detroit Metro Times published a fresh guide to the best disposable live rosin vapes in Michigan. And as usual, the author is spot-on with identifying some of the most reliable cannabis brands in the state—including Growing Pains and Wojo.

ICYMI: If you missed last week’s newsletter, I put several years of shopping experience together to write the official list of 10 things I learned from shopping at 100 Michigan dispensaries. Among the most useful tips? How to score free weed even when there’s no deal for free weed.

Last week, I asked which terpene you’re chasing.

Limonene, known for its lemony aroma and mood-lifting reputation, ran away with it—pulling in nearly half the ballot and twice as many votes as the second-place contender, myrcene.

So, this newsletter is full of citrus people. That explains some of the hype surrounding Toad Venom, too. It tastes like key lime pie, so it makes sense that you guys keep asking about it. 

This week, I have a practical question. Since I drove 40 minutes to hunt down this one strain, I’m wondering whether that’s normal or if I’m taking my favorite hobby a little too seriously. 

How far are you willing to drive to pick up good weed?

Cast your vote. I’ll have the results next week. 

Back in May, I told you about how the country’s biggest weed competition needed about 3,000 judges. Some of you took the assignment. And now it’s time to find out which brands won. 

Best in Grass is hosting its annual awards ceremony on Aug. 13 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. If you bought a judging kit and scored every entry, your ticket is already sitting in your inbox. If you skipped a few reviews or never got a kit at all, tickets are on sale for about $35. 

I judged two categories in this competition and I’m stoked to see who comes out on top—especially because this contest is decided by real stoners, not some elite panel of judges. 

Fair warning: This is strictly a suit-and-tie affair. So dress up in your finest cocktail attire, come find me in the crowd, and tell me your hot take about which brand got robbed this year. 

Detroit’s North Corktown neighborhood is short on school supplies this year and one local dispensary has figured out the fastest way to fix that: trade weed for backpacks.

Liberty Cannabis is running a “Backpacks for the Block” supply drive through Aug. 24. Just bring in a new backpack and walk out with a free half-ounce of weed. Plus, if you bring in school supplies, you’ll earn smaller discounts along the way for up to $10 off your next purchase.

Every donation also comes along with an entry for a chance to win a free ounce. And all the supplies go straight to local students through the North Corktown Neighborhood Association.

The best part: It’s a relatively even trade. A decent backpack costs about the same as your average half-ounce. So stop at Meijer, buy a backpack, trade it in, and then get stoned knowing somebody’s kid starts the school year with a bag that isn’t held together by duct tape.

I can’t think of a lower-effort way to be a decent person.

Last week, I took a drive out to the west side of the state to take a tour at Indigrow, a microbusiness in Muskegon that’s largely known for its old-school genetics—like Blue Dream, which I took with me for a little stroll before heading back home to Lansing.

Muskegon is cool. You get some real architecture, public art sitting right in the middle of the sidewalk, and the Frauenthal marquee adds a nostalgic, 1930s charm to the whole block.

I don’t get out this way often enough. Every time I do, I wonder why I don’t visit more often.

For now, I’ll just say Indigrow’s products are as classic as that marquee. It’s all high-quality throwback stuff—the kind your uncle used to talk about before every strain on the market was named after a dessert. I’ve got a lot more to say about this place, and I’ll say it next week.

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.