We’ve got a lot to unpack this week.

I tried some weed from a small cannabis farm in Vassar that’s flying under the radar. A Lansing grow operation is shutting down and putting 95 people out of a job. A Dodge Challenger is up for grabs. Plus, the weirdest cannabis product I’ve ever smoked.

Let’s get into it.

This week’s top story is a love letter to small cannabis.

Near the base of Michigan’s Thumb, two best friends named Dan and Steve are quietly growing some of the most interesting weed in the state. Six employees. About 2,000 plants. Thirty-seven years of growing experience between them. And until a few weeks ago, I’d never heard of them.

I tried four of their strains. And it’s some of the best weed I’ve smoked in Michigan. 

LIGHTS OUT: Ascend Wellness Holdings is closing down its cannabis cultivation facility in Lansing and laying off 95 workers. Laid-off employees have cited a competitive market for recreational weed and a recent fire that left the facility in need of costly renovations.

PRICE CHECK: Michigan weed prices have leveled out after three months of steady price increases following the implementation of the state’s new wholesale cannabis tax in January. The average price of an ounce was $59 in April, down slightly from $62 in March.

ARMED AND MEDICATED: A recently proposed federal change could allow some of Michigan’s 55,000 medical marijuana patients to legally own guns for the first time in decades. A US Supreme Court ruling on the underlying federal ban is expected this summer, MLive reports.

YOUNG AND HIGH: Cannabis use among Michigan teenagers is reportedly on the rise, particularly among those aged 15 to 25, according to the Mental Health Association in Michigan.

BIG BROTHER: Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency hit at least 39 cannabis companies with disciplinary actions last month, citing violations that ranged from basic inventory tracking failures and improper sales to more serious security lapses and packaging violations.

SMOKE SIGNAL: A former fire station in Pinckney is being converted into a High Profile dispensary after the village planning commission approved the final site plan this month.

GOOD NEIGHBORS: A new dispensary called Blue Sky Cannabis Co. is now open in downtown Ann Arbor next to Spores Cafe, a popular mushroom cafe. The soft opening was on May 6. No word yet on whether they’re planning the coolest joint happy hour in the city.

ICYMI: If you missed last week’s newsletter, I went inside Society C’s Lake Orion facility to find out how a team of former medical marijuana caregivers—including Eminem’s half brother—is still standing when bigger operations have already left the state. Read the full story here. 

Last week I asked about your favorite outdoor smoke spot.

Your backyard won—and it wasn’t close. 

A handful of you said camping or a fire pit. A few more split between the beach and the trails. And exactly four of you are out here pissing off the groundskeeper at your local golf course.

This week, let’s talk about the munchies. 

What’s the best fast food when you’re stoned?

Stay tuned. I’ll report back with the results next week.

I’ve smoked a lot of weird stuff over the years.

This is the weirdest.

They’re called Cyborgz. I got a free sample from the folks at Goldkine at The Exchange earlier this month. I didn’t know what I was expecting. I was still somehow surprised.

Essentially, it’s a tiny vape pen affixed to the end of a pre-rolled joint so you’re forced to hit both of them at the same time whether you want to or not. No button; just light it up and toke.

Goldkine calls it “electric filter technology designed to boost airflow for smoother draws and bigger flavor.” I’d describe it as two products stapled together with no obvious reason to exist.

And yet, it was incredibly smooth. Nobody asked for this, but someone built it anyway, and I admire the audacity. Maybe there’s a market for it. Maybe not. We’ll find out.

Michigan’s cannabis brands are getting creative with their promotions.

And now someone is about to win a Dodge Challenger by buying a vape pen.

Muha Meds is running a new giveaway through July 30—with a new Dodge Challenger and $25,000 cash up for grabs. Every all-in-one vape comes with a “golden ticket” inside. Just scan the QR code, download the Muha Members app, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win.

Their marketing team tells me they’ve already convinced 264,000 people to download the app in less than a year. The house always wins. But someone’s still walking away with a Challenger.

I went to Detroit last weekend to pick up a box of drugs.

It was a whole thing.

That’s because I was selected as a featured judge for The Billy Awards, which means for a few hours on Saturday evening I got to feel like a real VIP—relaxing on the roof of the Shadow Gallery near Eastern Market, legally smoking a free joint of Seed Junky‘s Pineapple Fruz.

The whole judging thing sounds impressive until you realize the job is just smoking weed and filling out a form. Still, it was a surreal experience. Normally when I’m visiting that part of Detroit, I’m smoking my joints in the alley downstairs.

The weed was excellent. Pineapple Fruz is a cross of Animal Mints and Zkittlez. It’s a syrupy, sativa-leaning strain that has won several awards. I’ve smoked it before; I’ll smoke it again.

If you want to know more about what’s actually inside that box of drugs—and how to get your own—I wrote a whole feature about the competition a few weeks ago. Read it here.

Tomorrow, I’m putting down the weed pen and picking up a microphone.

I’m moderating a free, livestreamed town hall for The ‘Gander on regulating Big Tech and protecting kids online. We’ve got state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, Dr. Jenny Radesky from Michigan Medicine, and advocate Charay Gadd set to join the conversation.

It’s free. Click here to RSVP. 

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.