Michigan Stoner’s Guide to Edibles

Numerous new dispensaries have opened up in Michigan with the legalization of recreational marijuana in Fall 2019.  The state that already had a well-established medicinal base decided to expand their market to please the eager adults willing to experience the euphoria of the bud. 

We only moved to Michigan a couple of months ago. In that short time, we managed to make many newbie mistakes, and I wouldn’t want anybody else to do the same. Therefore, these guide series are going to serve as a welcoming introduction to new Michiganders. 

What is the difference between Medical and Recreational Markets?

Although Michigan legalized marijuana in 2019, the transactions are still expensive and heavily taxed, unlike the medical side. For example, an eighth (3.5 g) of a flower can cost anywhere between $45-$80, whereas the medical side would have the same strain for $30-$45.

Medical menus also have a wider selection of higher-quality strains with no limit to the amount of flower bought at once. Recreational users have only two options: a gram or an eighth (3.5 g).

Stoner’s Guide to Edibles in Recreational Michigan

Cannabis is a very versatile plant. It can be smoked, ingested, vaped, and ‘dabbed,’ among other things. 

Whichever method you decide to use, if you live in Michigan and older than 21, you can easily acquire cannabis products by driving to the closest dispensary in your town. 

Just make sure to confirm that the dispensary that will come up in your Google search caters to recreational users. Call them before making a trip. 

Also, official dispensary websites usually give an option between medical and recreational menus. If yours didn’t, then it might be exclusively medical. 

It is likewise better to give them a call if their menu uses Weed Maps. While Weed Maps is an excellent resource to find dispensaries and great discount offers, it does not specify if the place that you are looking at offers recreational products. Even if it does indicate that the dispensary caters to adult individuals, Weed Maps do not provide filters that separate the products (and prices) between medical and recreational menus. 

When it comes to edibles, medical cardholders get a higher dosage (up to 200 mg of THC per edible) and more choices. A glance towards the medical shelves always fills my heart with wishful thinking that someday the demand for edibles grows to a point where companies can offer the same selection for adult users and medical patients.

Is it healthier to eat cannabis than smoke it?

When you inhale weed, the fumes go through your circulatory system and end up clouding your brain and inducing the euphoric effect. However, when you ingest weed, your liver processes the THC and creates a more potent and deeper high. I would take an edible over smoking any day. 

If you do not enjoy the smoking aspect of cannabis, skip it and go for the edibles instead. There has not been a lot of research done to test the side effects of smoking cannabis instead of eating it. As an experienced stoner, I will warn you that regular smoking may induce coughing. So, if you would like to avoid it, then edibles is your answer!

Indica? Sativa? Hybrid?

Just like smoking a new strain of cannabis can induce new emotions, the edible high can vary between Indica, Sativa, or a Hybrid formula. Most edibles use a pure THC extract when making their sweet treats that give you the same relaxing, upbeat high. 

However, when you decide to pay a little extra and choose either an Indica or Sativa edible, the difference is unimaginable. 

Indica edible makes you sleepy and relaxed, a perfect choice for a lazy Sunday or a quiet evening with friends. On the contrary, a Sativa edible makes you hyper and energetic, perfect for a night of video games, socializing, or even cleaning. Finally, a hybrid edible is more like a toss of a coin. The high can either be a sleepy Indica or an active Sativa, depending on your mood and intentions.  

It is all about dosage (and your tolerance)

Choosing the right edible for your night can seem like a less important task than finding a dispensary nearby and checking the menus, but more regular users look at it as a daunting task.

Because unless you make your edibles or live in an old-time recreational state like Colorado, the market for edibles displayed at dispensaries can be slim. 

We use cannabis recreationally and regularly. Not a week goes by without us enjoying a night of intense body and mind high like the edible high. 

Upon discovering the legal cannabis edible market, I was super excited to try all the cookies, brownies, and gummies offered at my local dispensary. A simple bite into a delicious chocolate or snickerdoodle cookie ensured a long and steady high for the rest of the evening. My tolerance was low enough that even one dropper from a THC tincture made me stoned for several hours, at least. 

Sadly, the intense high started lessening after regular use (3-4 times a week), and I had to increase my dosage. Two months in and the thoughts of fudges and brownies did not sound so thrilling. That is why I started to expand and explore my options to pick and choose brands based on a specific activity I plan today. 

Therefore, I decided to rate all the edibles I usually see on the shelves of my local dispensaries and share my recommendations. I could not include all of the edibles, with so many companies opening up every month. The market will always have many choices, and I will probably have to start working on part 2 pretty soon. 

I will rate their flavor choices, taste, dosage, price, and whether this particular selection is better for newbies or hardcore stoners. 

Finally, edible choices depend on your tastes and preferences. Whether you like sweet treats or simply want to get high, this guide is going to help you make your choice. 

Edibles on the Recreational Michigan Market (from low dosage to high)

Levitate

Levitate gummies are delicious! Their problem? It is $6 for a 10 mg gummy. It is very convenient only when you have a low tolerance and do not need a lot to get high, then Levitate gummies are for you! 

Flavors: pineapple, key lime, grape, cherry, watermelon

Taste: sugary and delicious!

Dosage: single 10 mg gummies

Price: $6

Tolerance Advice: Great for beginners. Not cost-effective for heavy users.

Dream

These beautiful handcrafted caramel cubes are delicious. They have a higher dosage than Levitate and can be an excellent treat for venturing beginners. 

Flavors: peanut butter caramel, dulce de leche caramel, sea salt caramel, 

Taste: full of caramel flavor melting on your tongue

Dosage: 20-25 mg

Price: $6

Tolerance Advice: great for beginners with low tolerance. Not cost-effective for heavy users. 

True North

These gummies are the best solution for regular cannabis users. They offer in various dosages, with my favorite being the two 50 mg gummy packs. That means I can get my 50 mg high in a single delicious gummy. 

Flavors: blue raspberry, strawberry banana, grape, watermelon, apple, orange, strawberry.

Taste: sweet and sour

Dosage: 2 x 45 mg, 2 x 50 mg

Price: $18 – $20

Tolerance Advice: The best choice for experienced users seeking the high and not the flavor. Although True North has a wide variety of flavors, single 50 mg gummies add a faster-eating experience.

Treetown Baked Goods

Originating from Ann Arbor, Treetown has many popular baked goods like brownies, cookies, and crispy rice squares.  You can find it in any recreational dispensary. The brownie comes in a sealed package that can be closed after a bite. The company also makes tinctures, gummies, and capsules.

Flavors: chocolate brownie, crispy rice square, snickerdoodle cookie, fruity, crispy rice square, oatmeal cookie, dark chocolate brownie

Taste: Brownie has a delicious chocolate flavor without being overpoweringly sweet. Snickerdoodle and rice crispies are a little too sugary for my taste, but your palette can be different.

Dosage: All baked goods have a standard 100 mg dosage and hybrid origin without specifications.

Price: $18-$20 depending on the dispensary.

Tolerance Advice: Treetown baked goods are a small compact size that is easily shareable. So, it can be suitable for both a newbie taking his first bites or a stoner experimenting with doses. If you don’t know your tolerance, start slow and take small bites.

Detroit Fudge Company

Flavors: Rocky Road Fudge, Fudge Bites, Brownie Square, Pumpkin Spice Fudge

Taste: Sweet and chocolaty edible that is a little heavy to chew in large portion sizes. 

Dosage:  Bites (50 mg), Fudge and Brownie Squares (100 mg)

Price:  $15-$28 

Tolerance Advice: The fudge and brownie squares are great for edible first timers looking for a high dose since the brownie is a little hard to split in smaller portion sizes. However, a little too intense for regular users. 

Detroit Fudge Company Barracuda Bar

The Detroit Fudge Company also has another product type, which is their chocolate bar collection. For people who enjoy dark chocolate bars, this edible is your dream come true. 

Flavors: Milk Chocolate, Mint Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate

Taste: High-quality dark chocolate flavor (my personal favorite among sweet edibles)

Dosage: Comes in two options – 1:1 THC to CBD – 100 mg or a 100 mg Pure THC 

Price: $28 for the THC bar, $30 for 1:1 bar

Tolerance Advice: The bars are easy to consume for any chocolate lovers. It is compact and does not have an overpowering and overwhelming flavor. However, for those who don’t enjoy chocolate bars, better to look for other choices like UBaked chocolate bars.

UBaked

Chocolate bars produced by this company require an acquired taste in sweets. Their edibles have a distinct cannabis flavor and offer a very intense sugary flavor. Definitely recommend for people with a sweet tooth! 

Their products come in a variety of flavors in either a fudge or a chocolate bar. If you are looking for an occasional treat with a thrill, then UBaked is for you! However, if you are looking to take around 50 mg at once (5 pieces of chocolate), this edible might be too overwhelming.

Flavors: 

Fudge – chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, dark chocolate mint, peanut butter, cherry cheesecake.

Chocolate bar – cookies and cream, peanut butter bliss, super baked, strawberry.

Taste:   Sweet, sugary, and distinctly weedy. 

Dosage: usually 100 mg of THC per bar, sometimes can be 75 or 85 mg.

Price:  $20 

Tolerance Advice: Not recommended for heavy users. Best for people who do not plan to consume more than 10-20 mg per serving.

Kushy Punch

Kushy Punch is my go-to brand. It is cost-effective and delicious. Great for people who are seeking the high rather than a sweet treat! Kushy Punch has a lot more options and flavor choices for their medical clientele. Hopefully, soon it will be available to the recreational side.

Flavors: Strawberry, Blue Raspberry, Orange

Dosage: 90-100 mg separated into tiny cubes.

Price: $20-$26

Tolerance Advice: Great choice for both newcomers and regulars! Kushy Punch gummies are easy to eat, split, and dose. The high depends on the type of gummies you choose. Indica will make you sleepy and lethargic, Sativa is going to bring energy and motivation, and Hybrid is a variation of both. 

Dixie

Flavors: Tropical Twist, Citrus Blast, Sour Smash, Berry Blaze

Taste: Delicious gummies! (Reminds me of Sour Patch Gummies.)

Dosage: 100 mg THC dosage per pack

Price: $25

Tolerance Advice: I will say the same thing I said about Kushy Punch. Dixie gummies are very easy to dose, store, and enjoy. One pack has ten medium-sized gummies that are chewy, sweet, and tasty.

These eight brands are regulars on the shelves of almost every recreational cannabis dispensary in Michigan. The majority of the companies are based in Michigan and test with local cannabis laboratories in Michigan. Although the choices are not as versatile as in Colorado or California, it is still a wide selection for every taste and preference!

Michigan is also a great state to grow cannabis. You can easily purchase clones and specialized gardening stores are present in almost every town. So, stay tuned for more of the Stoner’s Guide Series. 

By CannaGypsy

A Michigan-based freelance writer with a passion for growing and consuming cannabis.