I am about to experiment with something that I didn’t think would affect me. I’m on record saying that edibles don’t pack the same punch for me as burning cannabis. To fully test the theory my editor has invited me to take a reasonably high dose while recording my journey. So in honor of our favorite celebration this month, I decided to take 100 mg of THC in a brief amount of time.

The idea for this month’s column came to me while at a dispensary here in the city. I overheard a fellow customer talking about how Twitter will soon let cannabis advertising on their site.

You did it! You made it through the holidays and a new year celebration. It’s the obligatory time to look at your life and figure out how to make this year better than the last. Like most people I could probably benefit from losing some of my chub and flub here and there. As an avid cannabis user I too fall victim to the unfortunate side effects of our beloved herb. I’ve tried a few ways to combat the munchies but far too often I succumb to that intense urge to snack attack post session.

Happy holidays to my pot smoking compatriots. We have found ourselves once again in the middle of that wonderfully hectic time of the year. Maybe you, like me, have found yourself in need of finally purchasing presents.

A rainy April day was the perfect opportunity to visit Mayflower, and cross another local shop off my list. I took a spin down Park Ave and easily found parking outside of their fairly plain looking building. When I first walked in, the vibe was more clinical than cannabis.

Happy April friends! Also, happy 4/20 to those who celebrate. With our holiday upon us, it felt like a good time to go through some great available options for those looking to celebrate correctly. Included in my list are things for the classic smokers, the modern munchies, and even some ideas for those who can’t hang with THC.

Willie Nelson has been fighting the good fight for years as a vocal supporter of national legalization. Thanks to a new ad that ran during the recent sportsball showdown, it turns out he was actually just pushing Sketchers the entire time. Obviously kidding. It was a fantastic use of euphemism, about how it’s not “a little illegal”.

Are you feeling stuck on what to do for the weed lover you love this Valentine’s Day? One of the favorite gifts I received for the holiday was a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup heart box with some of the candies replaced with nugs of flower. It felt as obvious as the combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

As we enter 2022, here are some things I’m hopeful about, regarding our favorite weed. By many accounts, it appears that Democrats are looking to move on some initiatives aimed at decriminalizing marijuana this spring.

One of the major oppositions to widespread cannabis legalization has been people estimating a rise in vehicular crashes caused by impaired drivers. However, thanks to a recent report in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, we now have real data to help understand the issue.

Through a partnership with New Día, LLC, the popular international cannabis brand, Cookies recently expanded their operations to the East Coast for the first time. They’ve taken over and transformed the storefront at 118 Cambridge St. and have created a cool spot for travelling stoners and local potheads alike.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission released a report showing that gross sales of recreational marijuana topped $2B in August 2021. It’s been about three years since the opening of the first recreational dispensaries and we’re really just seeing this money making machine getting into motion.

I was lucky enough to get an early tour of the new cannabis retail space opening up at 76 Millbury St. called Major Bloom. Owner Ulysess Youngblood describes it as a cannabis establishment because what they’re looking to offer the public is far more than just a dispensary shopping experience.

"We love getting people emotional about these murals," said POW! WOW! Worcester board member and artist Travis Duda. He recalled that at a newly painted mural at Great Brook Valley depicting the late baseball legend Roberto Clemente, there was a man who got "really emotional. He wasn't making a show of it or anything, but it was just very special," Duda said.

In June, Connecticut became the latest state to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for all adults bringing the total to 18 states + DC. Now that the Nutmeggers are on board, only Rhode Island and New Hampshire are the New England holdouts. It seems like both States have strong support for reform, so it should only be a matter of time.

In a recent survey LawnStarter ranked Worcester as one of the top 20 Best Cities to Get Stoned. They compared 94 U.S. cities (where recreational cannabis is currently legal) based on 12 key indicators of a smoking good time.

A few weeks back, on a day where my stash was particularly low, but busy enough where a mid-day trip to the dispensary was too much time away from the computer, I was forced to make a choice. I have a medical card so it felt like a right opportunity to try the free delivery service some of the dispensaries offer.

Well, hey there fellow stoners. Hope you had a fun and safe 4/20. Don’t forget to smoke one in honor of the 508 on May 8.

Alright Everyone… Chill Did you see they’re making infused ice cream?! Cloud Creamery, based out of Framingham, plans to hit the dispensary shelves this summer.

"At some of Insane51's art gallery showings he's had large scale 3D glasses like this, and we all agreed that's what our city needed as part of this wonderful mural experience. Now any viewer can come. They don't' need to remember their 3D glasses and they can see the full spectrum of the artists intended work,” said Travis Duda, Graphic Designer for POW! WOW! Worcester.

It’s a New Dawn, It’s a New Día Worcester’s newly-opened recreational dispensary, New Día, is a hidden gem. Tucked away in the corner of a strip mall on Cambridge Street is the first dispensary to open using the economic empowerment benefits.