Fellow Michigander,

Michigan’s weed scene just unlocked a new level with a dispensary-lounge combo in Utica that practically shares a parking lot with Dave & Buster’s. I was there for the grand opening to soak in the novelty and the smoke—and yes, to blow my paycheck playing dumb arcade games.

Also in this week’s newsletter: coast-to-coast price crashes, a Chicago family cashing in on our border towns, a $500,000 weed tax payout heading to Grand Traverse County, and more. 

Utica’s newest cannabis lounge isn’t just a place to spark up. It’s perfectly positioned for post-sesh shenanigans. You can buy a joint, light up, then wander next door to play skee-ball until the high fades off. Lounges like this are still unicorn-rare in Michigan, and pairing one with an arcade feels like someone finally figured out how to engineer the perfect contact high.

GREEN GLUT: It turns out Michigan’s dirt-cheap weed isn’t so special; it’s just part of the great American cannabis fire sale. Since 2020, prices have reportedly tanked from $394 to $145 an ounce in Massachusetts, $449 to $206 in Maine, and from $419 to a laughable $84 here in the Mitten. The culprit? There’s just way more weed out there than anyone can possibly smoke.

WEED RESCUE: Jerry Millen, co-owner of Greenhouse of Walled Lake, reportedly dropped nearly $1 million to film the pilot for CannaBiz Rescue—a “Bar Rescue”-style reality show aimed at saving struggling dispensaries. The new series is aiming for a 10-episode run in 2026.

GANJA GIVEBACK: Grand Traverse County is reportedly putting $500,000 in marijuana tax revenue back into the community this year, with grants of up to $100,000 for local service groups and nonprofit organizations. The county pulled in nearly $1 million from weed sales in 2024—which was part of nearly $100 million that was collected statewide through excise taxes.

MAXED OUT: After years of watching dispensaries multiply like dandelions, Menominee voters have officially capped the city at nine retailers. The measure passed in a landslide vote, and the city is already at that limit. Four more dispensaries may still be approved (bringing the total to 13), but any other new brands looking to move to town will have to wait for other stores to close.

CHICAGO CASH COWS: A politically connected Chicago family is quietly making bank off Michigan’s border-town weed boom, according to new reports from Crain’s Detroit Business. The O’Brien family owns prime real estate in New Buffalo Township—and has reportedly had dispensaries bid against one another for leases that can cost as much as $55,000 a month.

REEFER MADNESS: Chicago Tribune columnist Laura Washington is out with a new piece linking cannabis dispensary billboards in Michigan to dangerous driving—but the crash stats she cites lump weed in with alcohol and other drugs, making it impossible to pin the blame on THC alone. She also skips over the fact that alcohol is still the top cause of impaired-driving deaths.

Talking to your doctor about weed can be intimidating—but it’s also one of the most important steps that you can take for your health. This week, Dr. Litinas breaks down why that conversation matters, what information to bring, and how sharing details can lead to better care.

Got a question about weed?

Send it in here and Dr. Litinas will find you an answer. 

Lume’s THC-infused BUZZN drink just hit a wild milestone—a whopping 1 million cans sold since it debuted on 420 last year. That’s a lot of weed seltzer moving through Michigan fridges.

The lineup started with strawberry, cherry, and watermelon before expanding to raspberry lemonade and peach. And now they’re rolling out a new, seasonal apple cider flavor on Sept. 5.

At 7.5 mg THC a pop and made with real fruit juice, BUZZN has clearly found a place in Michiganders’ hearts—and it’s somewhere between “crack a cold one” and “pass the joint.”

If you’ve never been to Doja, this might be the week to change that. 

First-time customers get 50% off their order—which is easily one of the best new-customer deals in Michigan right now. The special only works once, either in Watervliet and Portage. But both locations are stocked with top-shelf weed and staffed by folks who actually know their stuff.

Already been there? There are plenty of other dispensaries that offer cheap weed to first-timers—so many that we had to make a whole directory of those discounts. 

Last week, I brought along one of my favorite strains from Hytek on a trip to Ann Arbor. And naturally, we had to stop and pose for a quick photo together beneath the marquee of the historic Michigan Theatre—a spot that’s been lighting up Liberty Street since the 1920s.

The late-afternoon sun was hitting just right, the sidewalks were buzzing with locals, and the air had that unmistakable Ann Arbor mix of espresso, patchouli, and somebody’s very fresh joint.

And with its lemony punch and creamy finish, Gelonade is the kind of sativa-leaning hybrid that pairs just as well with a matinee as it does with a slow, sunny walk through campus.

Got your own MichiGanja in the Wild moment to share? Send in your best Michigan-made cannabis product pics out in the world for a chance to be featured in next week’s edition.

Last week, we reached out on our social media channels to ask:

What’s your go-to munchie?

Here’s a taste of what you said:

Personally, I’m a chocolate-soft-serve-in-a-cup-with-extra-peanut-butter-topping kind of guy. It’s rich, salty-sweet, and usually way cheaper than a full-blown sundae.

Want your answer featured here next time? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and weigh in on our next community question. I’ll keep spotlighting some of my favorite responses.

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.