Fellow Michigander,

There’s a lot happening in Michigan weed right now. 

Stoners are getting ticketed in Ann Arbor, millions of dollars have allegedly gone missing in Grand Rapids, and a tiny border town is being overrun by dispensaries.

I’ve also got a new strain getting a lot of hype, an easy way to score some free weed, and a closer look at what separates good weed from the stuff that just doesn’t hit the same.

Spark up and scroll on. 

Growing good weed isn’t the hard part anymore.

Keeping it from going to shit after harvest? That’s where things get dicey.

This week, I’m taking you behind the scenes at one popular Michigan cannabis company that’s trying to fix that problem—and showing why so many others are still getting it wrong.

HASH BASHED: Thousands of stoners showed up for the 55th annual Hash Bash in Ann Arbor on Saturday—despite a noticeable crackdown from University of Michigan police that left several attendees ticketed or booted from campus for smoking weed, MLive reports.

GREEN GRAB: Several cannabis companies are suing Grand Rapids, accusing the city of pressuring them to hand over millions of dollars for a social equity program or risk losing their licenses. The lawsuit claims that more than $4 million has been collected for a nonprofit that hasn’t done much of anything. Some say they don’t even know what the organization does.

LICENSE LAPSE: Doja was hit with a $15,000 fine and a two-week license suspension after one of its stores sold products under an expired license. As a result, both Doja dispensaries in Battle Creek and Watervliet are temporarily closed while the company sits in timeout.

BORDER BOOM: New Buffalo is quickly becoming the unofficial weed capital of the Midwest with nearly 30 dispensaries now packed into the tiny township along the Indiana border.

SMALL TOWN WEED: Dispensaries are paying off for Buchanan, where local leaders say the industry is helping support local jobs and bring in tax revenue. Mayor Mark Weedon says the industry has also brought more people—and spending—into other businesses in town. 

PEN PROBLEMS: Disposable vape pens are booming in Michigan, but most of them aren’t worth your money. In case you missed last week’s MichiGanja Report, I tested a few popular options and the verdict was clear: cheap distillate vapes belong in the trash.

Last week, I asked what actually matters most when you’re standing in a dispensary trying to decide what to buy. And the results were pretty telling.

Strain and genetics took the top spot with 32% of the vote—followed by THC percentage (22%), price (20%), brand reputation (16%), and budtender advice trailing way behind at just 11%.

So, it seems most of you are putting real thought into what you’re buying. But it also confirms something I’ve been saying for quite a while now: Too many folks are still leaning way too hard on THC percentage when it’s really the strain-specific terpene profile that matters most.

The bigger surprise? How few of you are actually listening to your budtender. 

Which leads me to this week’s question: 

How often do you actually take a budtender’s recommendation?

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

The folks over at Lume won’t stop talking about one of their newest strains. 

And while I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, it’s officially on my to-do list.

Purple Starfruit is a cross between Cake Mints and Platinum Girl Scout Cookies.

On paper, it sounds legit. Lume is pitching it as an indica with “a bright fruity pop with a little tang and sweetness layered in, plus a subtle grape-like finish.” Company officials have even described it as a “Nerds Grape-Tropical combo,” which, honestly, is enough to get my attention.

But before I grab a bag this weekend, I’m curious: Have you tried this strain? 

Shoot me an email and let me know how it actually smokes. I trust your feedback a lot more than anything coming out of Lume’s marketing team.

Here’s one way to do something good—and get free weed in the process.

The Greenhouse of Walled Lake is sponsoring a local blood drive and offering a pretty solid perk: Sign up to donate blood on Friday, April 10, get a $50 gift card to the dispensary.

I know donating blood isn’t usually how most folks plan to spend a Friday. But if you’ve been meaning to do something decent—or just want a very easy excuse to feel like a good person—this one checks the box. Save a life. Restock your stash. It’s not a bad trade.

Just register online to claim a time slot.

Sometimes the best smoke spot in Michigan is your own couch.

This week’s pick: a pre-roll of Randy Watson from 710 Labs.

I’ve got a personal rule: The less I spend out and about, the more I can spend at the dispensary. 

That’s how I justified dropping $20 for a one-gram joint last weekend. But 710 has a reputation for growing some of Michigan’s finest cannabis. And their pre-rolls live up to the hype. 

This strain hit with a deep, earthy funk that really set it apart. It’s the kind of skunky, loud weed that actually smells like weed—not whatever mystery dust is packed into pre-rolls these days.

My favorite part? The brand’s signature “noodle doinks” literally use a rotini noodle as the filter. I don’t know why it works. I just know it works. It’s always a smooth pull and an even burn with this weird little spiral airflow situation that somehow makes the whole thing hit better.

Lately, I’ve been spending my free time parked on the couch, fully locked into Pokémon Pokopia. And it’s bad. I woke up early before work the other day just to play it for a bit. I never do that. At this point, I’m not sure if I’m controlling the game or the game is controlling me.

420 is coming! If you or your company want to showcase your products or services to an engaged audience of more than 19,000 cannabis enthusiasts, contact kimberly@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.