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spotlight
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 5.1.19 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
California’s green rush
Legalization of marijuana finds mainstream market, floods local dispensaries with popularity By Michael Santone editor-in-chief
msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com
Over the decades, California’s cannabis culture has faced an onslaught of battles that have wounded, but also reinforced, its mainstream popularity and monumental achievements. From being the first state to legalize the medical use of marijuana in 1996, to the annual 420 celebration at Hippie Hill in San Francisco, weed, pot, grass, ganja or,
simply, marijuana has been a way of life in California. After many failed attempts to legalize marijuana for recreational use, most notably in 2008, voters finally gave in to the idea of packing their bowls with legal cannabis. Since the legalization of recreational cannabis back in January 2018, Californians have flocked to their local dispensaries to indulge in the once taboo act of purchasing and consuming marijuana. Under the Adult Use of Marijuana Act,
those ages 21 and older can visit one of the 261 cannabis clubs throughout the Golden State to purchase a variety of products ranging from traditional flowers, edibles or concentrates. Under the new law, experienced tokers and first-time smokers visiting a dispensary, with a government issued identification, can purchase up to 28.5 grams of luscious green buds or eight grams of concentrates. Concentrates are exactly what they sound like they are, a condensed form of tetrahy-
drocannabinol (THC) that is more potent than garden variety cannabis. There are four dispensaries in Richmond, with one off of Central Avenue across the street from the Pacific East Mall. The clubs offer a variety of products, each with a distinct niche in the market and varying selections. However, with emerging brands and new dispensaries pruning buds and stocking shelves, what makes a good cannabis club?
Insight into local cannabis clubs Holistic Healing Collective If you’re looking to have the total cannabis club experience, then Holistic Healing Collective (HHC) in Richmond is by far the best dispensary in the area. Whether you wish to dabble with edibles or take a toke of flowers, HHC has a variety of options including household and emerging brands offered at a lower price than any of the other four local cannabis clubs. This includes traditional flowers with every day eighths of sativa, indica and hybrids for $20. Concentrates and different forms of edibles, like cookies, gummies and hard candy, are also available. One downfall, however, is the limited parking due to its location in a busy strip mall. If you find yourself visiting this cannabis club after 4 p.m., be prepared for a parking headache and at least a 10-minute wait in line.
HHC makes up for this though, with its large, organized showroom and knowledgeable budtenders. Visibly beautiful display cases with featured products line the well-lit showroom as large menus categorize in detail the variety of brands offered. If patrons have any questions, each budtender is more than willing to explain and even provide smelling samples and details of their own personal experiences with the different cannabis mediums.
7 Stars In comparison to other local dispensaries, 7 Star cannabis club in Richmond is the more expensive sister of Holistic Healing Collective. It offers a variety of options including household and emerging brands, except its products are $2 to $5 more costly. Even the eighths of the same brand of cannabis flower that are offered at Holistic Healing Collective for $20 are more expensive at 7 Star. But that’s only a minor flaw with this dispensary. Before the legalization of marijuana, 7 Stars was housed in Pacific
East Mall with a small showroom with a maximum capacity of up to10 people. Although it has found a new home directly across the street, the showroom still remains small, cluttered and intimidating. What’s worse, the budtenders still give off a “better than you” attitude. Instead of visibly organized display cases, products such as edibles are tossed in different baskets on bookcase-like shelves that tower almost too high to see what is in them. 7 Stars is a reasonable dispensary, if patrons are willing to spend a little more money and are able sift through the scattered menu.
One Plant Over the years, One Plant, located in El Sobrante, has remained obscured from the average recreational cannabis smoker. That was until its new mainstream direction and name change in lieu of California’s legalization. Similar to Green Remedy in product choice and expensive concentrates, One Plant only provides a handful of edible options and eighths no cheaper than $30. However, this cannabis club makes up for its lack of variety and costly top shelf flowers by offering a loyalty program that rewards its customers with discounted gifts once they meet the threshold. Since the revamp, which has revived this dispensary from its dated 90s decor and display, customers are invited into a modern showroom that also includes a vending machine packed with grams and eighths for quick and easy access with no wait.
This vending machine feature, which is absent at the other three cannabis clubs, creates more of an added attraction that over time will become a necessity for dispensaries throughout California. Overall, One Plant lands in the middle of the road. At One Plant, slightly higher prices and lack of variety are remedied by a reward program that can yield a pre-roll, or a 10 mg, for a penny.
Green Remedy At one point, Green Remedy, located across the street from Hilltop Mall in Richmond, was one of, if not THE best local cannabis club in the area. However, since the legalization of marijuana, it has fallen to the bottom of the list. Once the destination for deals and quality products, Green Remedy has re-stocked its shelves with overpriced flowers and low dose edibles that have emerged from a “make money market” that corrupted the vibe inside the dispensary. It’s rare to find an eighth for cheaper than $30 or any familiar brand of edibles known for offering quality cannabis. When making a selection from the slim variety in stock, the possibility of it being available is rare. Although it offers a large showroom and friendly budtenders, the display cases are almost always
empty or seem to be missing some essential products that make a cannabis club, well, a club.
ILLUSTRATION BY JANET LIRA / THE ADVOCATE
Michael Santone