What does a Dispensary in Illinois Sell?
Since January 1st, 2020 recreational and medical dispensaries are open for business, and more and more are continuing to pop up all around the state of Illinois. They are legal, state-licensed, and full of marijuana products to use both for pleasure and medicine. The nice thing about physical stores is that they provide jobs, like budtending and marketing, for locals in your community. They are also valuable spaces where you can explore a myriad of products and access customer service representatives who can support you in finding exactly what you need. There are quality control measures in place to ensure you are getting amazing products and ideal doses for safe and effective consumption. The dispensary menus in Illinois include a wide range of products including smokable flowers, tinctures, vape cartridges, edibles, and topicals. They also supply concentrates including dabs, wax, and shatter. If you are looking to purchase pot seeds though, Weed Seeds is one of the reputable seed banks that ship to Illinois. Our seeds are the best on the market and are guaranteed to germinate so you can confidently grow at home. You can order from home and have them delivered right to your door. Buying ready-made products is a nice option sometimes, but there is nothing quite as fulfilling as cultivating your own flower from seed and using it to make your own creams, gummies, and concentrates!
Edibles
Eating cannabis products is a relatively new phenomenon that has only developed over the last couple of decades. Despite it being relatively new to the market, it is now a vast and essential part of the marijuana industry. The major appeal of using products like pot Candies is that you can get the benefits of the THC, CBD, and terpenes found in the ganja plant without having to potentially damage your throat and lungs by smoking. They are easy to take, and the effects are long-lasting. They can support various conditions like pain, sleep disorders, and anxiety making them an ideal option for medical patients. While you can find all sorts of superb products in dispensaries, it is also pretty easy to make your own Gummies and Taffy. The first step is to decarboxylate your buds to activate the THC. Grind up your herb and roast it between 230 and 248 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Next, cover the baked flower with high-proof vodka or vegetable glycerin and let it sit for 2 weeks to 2 months before straining out the plant matter. This serves as a potent base for making your edibles. Another option is to buy or make Capsules. To make your own, you go through a similar process of baking the flower. Then you mix it with coconut oil and soy lecithin and slow cook the mixture for 3 to 6 hours before cooling it and portioning it into your capsules. Drinks with microdoses are also available and have a faster onset of mild, therapeutic effects.
Topicals
If you are looking at cannabis as a solution to physical pain, you may want to explore a category of products called topicals. These are things like Lotions and Oils that are infused with cannabinoids and terpenes that can be applied to the skin to relieve aches and pains without the potential of experiencing a high. This is ideal for customers who suffer from conditions like arthritis, headaches, and sleep disturbances. There are a lot of great ready-made products to purchase online or through local dispensaries, but they are equally easy, and often less expensive, to make at home. To create an oil base, you can use on its own or add to your Creams and salves, simply start by decarboxylating your flower. Once your flower is baked, you can heat it with oil and then strain it through a cheesecloth to remove all the plant matter. You will want to use low heat to avoid cooking off the active ingredients of terpenes and cannabinoids. You can put this oil into a roller bottle to apply to your head, feet, or sore spots, or you can use it as a base to add to other products. There are plenty of magnificent DIY recipes out there for skincare products, and when you make your own, you can choose which other healing ingredients you want in the mix. Things like vitamin E and rosehip oil are lovely additions that will contribute to the health of your skin.
Flowers
Marijuana flowers have their own grading system, comparable to the system used for grading the quality of beef. There are four tiers, the bottom being A. This is considered bad weed. It often includes the flowers that were harvested before they were ready or that were mistreated in the curing process. Sometimes they have residual chemicals, pathogens, and impurities that impact the quality of the high or deliver adverse reactions like nausea or headaches. These buds are often light and airy with a dark coloring and low cannabinoid content. They often smell musky and weak and have damaged trichomes. AA is the next level. This is the lowest that you will likely find in a dispensary. They are decent nugs that are light in color and have a low odor. Generally, they will get the job done and are perfect for making edibles, but they leave something to be desired. The next tier, AAA, used to be the best. The buds are potent and have a high THC content. They are flavorful and aromatic and have a more vibrant color and spongy, sticky texture. Their effects tend to have a quick onset and are delivered on a smooth high. The high tier is AAAA. These are the best flowers on the market. They have the most diverse odors and flavors and the most vibrant colors. Their THC, CBD, and terpene content are noticeably higher and they deliver an exceptionally potent high! Depending on your budget, you can find some decent, or exceptional, buds for your stash!
Concentrates
Perhaps you want a smoother and more pure smoking experience? Concentrates are a superb option for getting a condensed combination of the healing constituents of the marijuana plant, cannabinoids, and terpenes, without the harshness of smoking. They are created by burning off the organic matter using solvent-based or mechanical extraction processes. These products started to become popular in the early 2000s and hit the market when they were brought into the infamous High Times Cannabis Cup in 2010. Solvent-based products consist of things like Shatter and Crumble. These are both created by spreading slurry, which is a mix of solvent and resin, onto parchment. Once the solvent remnants are purged, a glass-like product remains that is broken up for the packaging. Budder and Wax are other solvent-based products. These are whipped to create a cloudier product with an aesthetic that is most comparable to whip cream. Wax is drier and more brittle, while budder is moist and malleable. Hash Oil is another popular solvent-extracted product. It is a potent, translucent liquid that comes in several colors and is what is found in things like vape cartridges. Diamonds and Distillate are more highly processed products that are stripped of their terpenes. However, terpenes are later added back in to add therapeutic value and unique flavor. Live Resin, Hash, and Bubble Hash are all made using mechanical extraction. This involves manually manipulating the trichomes free of the plant matter, usually with a temperature element to help them separate.
Testing Kits
Testing kits are used by medical professionals, employers, and sometimes landlords to check an individual's system for the presence of certain drugs. Some tests will detect a specific drug, while others test for several and show the results on a panel. There are different types of tests, many of which you can buy online for home use. There are drug testing cups, or dipsticks, and oral swabs which all show results in just a few minutes. These instant testing methods are called Point of Care Testing (POCT.) There is also the option to test hair and that can show results from up to 90 days previous. However, this needs to be conducted in a laboratory and does not have as rapid results. There are tests for stimulant drugs like a Cocaine Testing Kit or Methamphetamine Testing Kit and there are tests for sedatives such as a Fentanyl Testing Kit, MDMA Testing Kit, or Opiates Testing Kit. You can also find a Cannabinoids Testing Kit for testing to see if it is in an individual's system. However, you can also find kits to test the composition and concentration of your flower. This is helpful for those using marijuana for medical purposes, as the dose and content are imperative in its effectiveness. They are really easy to use, too. Simply stick a small piece of flower in the testing solution and wait for the results! Once you know the cannabinoid profile and potency, you can take your medicine with confidence!
Vapes
Vapes are the newest trend to hit the marijuana scene. These contraptions allow you to discreetly smoke cannabis products. You can benefit from the relaxing recreational effects and healing medicinal benefits without the smoke and smell. They are easy to use and deliver speedy effects. A Vaporizer consists of several components that work together to deliver potent CO2 extracted Vape Oil into your system. The Atomizer is the main section of your vape that transforms the liquid into mist by heating the oil. There is a coil that heats when the power button is hit and that hits a wick soaked in oil. The coil heats the oil at a low temperature so as not to affect the potency, and then the vapor is cooled before it hits your lips. The oil is held in a Cartridge, which is defined as a pre-filled container of cannabis oil. You can find ones that have high THC levels or potent CBD content depending on your needs. One of the most popular vaporizers is the Vape Pen. There are many different ones that you can choose to suit your personal preferred aesthetic, but they are all small and cylindrical. They are so well-loved, in part, because of their size. They can easily fit in your pocket so you can sneak a puff of your favorite oil almost any time! And unlike smoking a joint that dispels pungent smoke into your surroundings, these can be used with little indication that anything happened!
Seed Starts
The first step in the home cultivation process is Germination. This refers to the process of a seed sprouting after a period of dormancy, using water, time, temperature, oxygen, and light. You will be happy to know that most of the seeds you can purchase from Weed Seeds come with a germination guarantee, so there is no need to stress too much about which method you employ to encourage a seedling out of its shell. Having said that, there are a few techniques we will go over for you to choose from. In nature, a plant sprout will spring forth from a seed simply set in soil. This is an option here as well, though other methods are more consistently effective. A popular option is the paper towel technique. You will need distilled water, absorbent paper towels, and two dinner plates. Simply dampen the paper towels and place your seeds between them. Sandwich this wet bundle in the space between the two plates sitting face to face. This moisture bubble is ideal to bust your seeds open in a short 24 to 48 hours. Soaking your seeds in water for 14 to 18 hours prior can speed things along, as it gives the shells a chance to soften or crack. Once the taproots are half to three-quarters of an inch long, your germinated seeds are ready to carefully transplant! Soil cubes are another option that creates a safe transfer of this delicate growth. Simply press your seed directly into the damp soil and wait!
Clones
Have you finally found the perfect plant? You have brought it to maturity with little fuss and the results are abundant, potent, aromatic, and flavorful nugs? Rather than hope to stumble upon another gem, there is the option of cutting clones from this exceptional mother. This is not only easy and fast, it is essentially a free way to get your hands on more plants. Cloning cannabis may seem intimidating, but it is very simple. All you need to get started is a sharp pair of scissors or a razor. Find a spot on the parent plant where you can see new branching, trace this section down about 5 to 8 inches, and cut. It is ideal to seek a piece in the lower half of the plant, as it will develop those precious roots faster. Scraping or splicing the bottom of your cutting can help the root development to be more vigorous as well. By trimming away leaves and nodes that have grown on the section you removed, you allow its energy to move towards the splaying of roots. Using an aeroponic cloner can support having a healthy clone, rich in nutrients, that will produce amazing results. This is one of the most advanced hydroponic systems and involves exposing the cut end in a soilless medium and then spritzing it with a nutrient-laden water solution. This is relatively easy as well, as you can purchase kits that include all the necessary components, such as a tent, grow light and hanger, duct fan, rooting gel, and water conditioner.
Headshop Merchandise
Headshops, or dispensaries, are the best place to find all the various paraphernalia that could enhance your cannabis use. While few items are essential, there are lots of fun items out there to try. If you prefer to keep it simple and smoke a joint, you can buy tools like Grinders to keep the sticky resin off your hands, Rolling Papers to hold that freshly busted bud, and Lighters to spark up your blunt. If you prefer to explore other modes of consumption, you could check out Pipes and Bongs. There are ceramic, metal, and Glass Pipes all of which use Screens to keep ash and plant matter from entering your mouth and lungs. Bongs provide another level of purification by the smoke being filtered as it moves through bubbling water and then is cooled before it reaches your mouth. Both of these tools provide a cleaner and smoother smoking experience. Bongs or Water Cooled Pipes have narrow pieces called Down Pipes which are fairly easy to break. Fortunately, they are often in a standard size and can be replaced. This is a treat, as bongs are the more expensive of the options so it would be a bummer to have to replace the whole unit! Dab Rigs are another option. These are contraptions that have a heated surface to dab concentrates on. Torches with Butane are a splendid way to ignite your bud or oil, and a variety of aesthetically pleasing options can be found in both physical and online pot shops.
Kratom
Cannabis is quickly becoming destigmatized as the benefits of its use are proven and laws are shifting to allow for its use. Kratom is another plant that has the potential to become mainstream thanks to its therapeutic value. This is a product that is derived from a tropical evergreen tree that has its roots in Southeast Asia, where it has been used for thousands of years. It is native to areas like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. It is also known as Mitragyna speciosa and it is part of the Rubiaceae family which also includes coffee plants and gardenia. There are three different species currently available on the market, including the red vein Borneo Reserve from mainland Borneo, the fast-growing, broad-leafed, red-veined, Bali Reserve, and the unique, green-veined, Enhanced Malay. There are several ways to consume this product, including drinking Kratom tea, chewing or smoking the leaves, and ingesting Kratom capsules or tablets. All of these products contain two active ingredients, mitragynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Depending on the dose, these components provide a variety of experiences. Kratom effects range from a euphoric stimulant that increases alertness, boosts physical energy, and instigates talkativeness in small doses, to acting like a sedative comparable to an Opiate in high doses. The most common applications for this healing plant are in the management of pain and the treatment of symptoms that accompany opioid withdrawal.
Psilocybin Mushrooms
Magic Mushrooms are another natural, healing option that is gaining in popularity as the benefits are researched and explored. The active ingredient is psilocybin, which is hallucinogenic. The experience is comparable to drugs like LSD, in that they alter our consciousness and shift our sensory perceptions. Shrooms have been used for thousands of years, in various capacities. There are 200 species in the world, but the most common one sold in the United States is Psilocybe semilanceata. These can be used in a multitude of ways, including eating them raw or cooked, grounding them up to make teas or tablets, or swallowing them in capsule form. Once consumed, the effects take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes to kick in and last between 4 and 6 hours. The cognitive effects consist of things like heightened emotions and senses and mental and emotional clarity. They tend to distort the senses resulting in experiencing things like hearing and smell or seeing sound. Psybin Mushrooms are not yet legal in the country, but they have been decriminalized in Denver, Colorado, and Oakland, California. We predict, as evidence mounts for their therapeutic benefits, legalities will continue to shift. So far, there have been studies showing their effectiveness in the treatment of conditions like anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. They have also been used to aid people in the withdrawal process from heavy substance abuse. Be mindful that, as with anything being used for therapeutic relief, dosage plays a vital role in how effective it is.
