Since Proposition 64 passed back in 2016, Orange County has become more supportive of cannabis–buying weed is much easier now than it used to be. Gone are the days where you had to visit “Dr. Dank” for a medical marijuana prescription and give a “donation” at a dispensary. It’s not just the shopping experience that’s changed, however–the available choices have grown.

Since cannabis became legal in California for recreational use, more products have become more available on the market. From classic marijuana flower to skin products, gummies, and much more, weed stores are starting to look more like grocery stores. So, with all these choices, which weed products are hot in Orange County?

  • Cannabis flower;
  • Pre-rolls, for those looking for a convenient and classic way to enjoy marijuana;
  • THC and CBD edibles for the culinarily adventurous; and
  • Vaporizers, as an alternative to smoking that still offers all the variety of flower.

 1. Cannabis Flower: Choosing Strains When Smoking Weed

The most conventional and classic way to consume cannabis is by smoking flower. Since I believe in soulmates, that means that I think there’s a perfect weed strain out there for everyone. The right one for you depends on your needs, lifestyle, and individual brain chemistry, so it might take some time to find your match.

If you’re looking to relax into a full-body high or have trouble shutting off your brain for sleep, try indica strains:

  • The King Louie strain goes by many names, but it always has the same effect: a rush of euphoria, followed by overwhelming sleepiness. If you’re looking for a natural sleep aid, this is a good one to try.
  • Uplifting yet relaxing, the Ice Cream Cake strain can help you unwind after a long, stressful day. Pack a bowl, then dish yourself some of your favorite gelato for a relaxing night in.
  • Heavy OG is available from Cali Fresh year-round, so don’t be afraid to get attached to this indica strain. With surprisingly high-energy vibes and notes of tangy citrus, it’s perfect for every season. Bring this to a summer campout or a winter walk on the beach.
  • The GMO strain, sometimes called “Garlic Cookies”, is a powerful flower that will make you giggle yourself to sleep. This is a good one to enjoy with your favorite nostalgic comedy.

Looking for a more high-energy experience? If you enjoy smoking weed in social situations or if you’re looking for a post-work pick-me-up, you might enjoy one of these sativa-dominant hybrid and full-sativa strains:

  • If you need to clean your place but don’t quite have the energy, try out the XJ13 strain. Uplifting and energizing, this is the strain to smoke if you’ll be knocking things off your to-do list, going for a run, or working on your side hustle.
  • Sweet, aromatic, and a little spicy, the popular Animal Face strain is surprisingly hard to find. I found some at People’s OC in Santa Ana, and highly recommend picking some up yourself if you like getting a little stoned and playing video games with your friends.
  • With a bright lemon scent and smooth taste, the Jack Herer strain will make you feel just like its marijuana activist namesake: happy, friendly, creative, and ready for anything.

Image courtesy of Starch Creative

Hybrid strains are crossbreeds of sativa and indica strains. If you love the euphoria and couch-lock of an indica, the uplifting energy of sativa flower, or something in between, try one of these marijuana strains:

  • Like a casual backyard wedding, the Wedding Pie strain is relaxing and fun. It’s smooth, delicious, and easy to smoke. If you’re having a picnic or going on a camping trip, this is a mellow mood-booster.
  • If you love fruity vanilla flavors, try the Wedding Crasher strain. There’s nothing better if you want to feel focused and chill. Sit down with a bowl of this and your sketchbook or journal–you’ll create something beautiful in no time.
  • The Gelato strain has been bred into too many popular strains to count. Even though it has a famously high THC content, it won’t knock you out. If you’re trying to get in a peaceful mood or you want to get creative, add the Gelato strain to your marijuana delivery order and give it the old college try.

2. Pre-rolls – Ready-Made Marijuana Joints

If it’s your first time trying marijuana and you don’t have any smoking accessories, don’t worry! Weed dispensaries now have a wide range of pre-rolled marijuana joints ready to smoke, so you can smoke and enjoy your cannabis with ease.

3. Cannabis Vapes: a New Frontier

If you love the sensation of smoking but you want to be a little more discreet, marijuana vapes might be the method for you. There are many types of vaporizers:

  • Disposable vapes are a low-commitment way to try vaping, and vapes from Nuvata and other brands even come in fun flavors like Strawberry and Tropical Fruit. Bloom vapes, which come in strains like Pineapple Express and Super Lemon Haze, are another favorite disposable brand.
  • For a true-to-flower experience, live resin vape carts from New Normal and other vape companies have a full range of terpenes and minor cannabinoids, and will get you high just as quick as smoking a bowl.
  • Most vape carts fit onto the universal battery, which is also called a 510 thread. Some of our favorite options here are Raw Garden and ABX Cannacraft.
  • Many vape carts use proprietary batteries, which means that they won’t fit on a 510 thread. Being able to create their own batteries can mean that they last longer or work better, so it’s definitely worth trying out STIIIZY carts and other brands.

4. Marijuana Edibles for People with Taste

You may be familiar with them from the old days of grinding up weed and baking it into brownies, but they are so much better now. With delicious flavor combinations and whole new ways of infusing food with THC, they’re on a higher plane. If you’re into marijuana edibles, the legal weed market has great options for you:

  • Weed gummies with all sorts of fruit flavors for those craving chewy pineapple-habanero, yuzu lemon, or peach desserts;
  • Pot-infused popcorn, or “potcorn”, for those craving salty, savory, and healthy sweet snacks;
  • Cann Social Tonic and other marijuana drinks for anyone who likes their THC and CBD fix to come in delicious botanical flavors;
  • Cannabis tea for relaxation, sleep or play; and
  • Cinnamon or citrus marijuana mints for those who like to keep their dose on the DL.

If you’re not sure what to try first, give weed gummies a go. Because they’re the most popular form of cannabis edible, they come in a wider variety of flavors and effects than other types.

While my opinion is only my own, I will say that I’ve tried quite a few different marijuana gummies over the course of 2020. In my opinion, here are some of the best edibles in that category:

  • Wyld Edibles may have been invented in Oregon, but California loves them. If you’ve ever lived in the Pacific Northwest, you might recognize some of their more unusual options from foraging: Huckleberry, Marionberry, and CBN Elderberry are among their many flavors.
  • Kiva edibles. This one’s an easy choice–honestly, you just can’t beat the variety. With Lost Farm, their new line of strain-specific gummies made with live resin, terpene enthusiasts can finally enjoy a full range of cannabis compounds in their edibles. Despite that, my favorite products from them are the Kiva Camino edibles, which come in a variety of concentrations and flavors inspired by California landmarks.
  • Smokiez edibles have the most flavors on offer, with everything from “Sour Jamberry” to sweet Blackberry and Green Apple. Each individual gummy has 10 milligrams of THC per serving compared to the typical 5 milligrams, so these are strong!
  • Plus Gummies. These have always been wildly popular with all of my older family members, so I try to keep a good stock of these at home. My grandmother always picks up a few packages of their Blackberry Lemon gummies, and I take their CBN gummies whenever I need a good night’s sleep.

Where to Find the Best Marijuana Selection in Irvine

If you live or work in Irvine (or nearby), I recommend checking out People’s OC, which is just just over the Santa Ana border. If you’re off the 73, 55, or 405 freeways, it’s conveniently located, and the friendly budtenders have helped me find a few new products I wouldn’t have otherwise tried. If you’re staying home these days, ordering weed delivery from them is also a good option. Since People’s OC has free delivery (no fees or promo codes needed), it won’t add to the cost.

In general, buying weed online is pretty simple, especially from their website. All you have to do is make sure that you have the cash to pay for your order, place it, and it can show up at your house within an hour.

Living in Orange County has its benefits, and direct weed delivery is definitely one of them. I always enjoy getting my order, then heading out the beach or going for a hike. There’s nothing for stress relief like a good marijuana high and a nature walk–I highly recommend you try it.

See you on the trails!

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