News Catch-Up & Valentine’s Faves
It’s been a minute!
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Time to read: About 7 minutes. Contains 1,523 words.
Hiiiiiii, dear readers!
How are you? I missed y’all.
A lot of the time since my last dispatch was dominated by a 2,000-word commission turned 4,068-word opus on Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown/formerly Japantown neighborhood. The lengthy historical research was ultimately a welcome reprieve while processing horrific disasters, natural and manmade. I hope everyone is taking care as best they can, and highly recommend a stroll back in time if you need inspiration for navigating the present.
I’ve also been working on a special newsletter for you. A spicy deep dive on the bane of every entrepreneur’s existence: copycats. More specifically, when some other brand releases a product suspiciously similar to yours. I spoke to Another Room, Gossamer, and Session Goods about their experiences with copycats, and researched how similar instances played out in other industries of late. When to get lawyers involved, the pros and cons of a public IG post, the pros and cons of addressing it at all—we’re getting into all of it. It drops this Friday.
This will be a post for paid subscribers only, but if you recently canceled and were a paid subscriber at any point in January, I’ll honor it. I know it’s been a minute. Just reply to Friday’s email, and I’ll send you a link.
Today, let’s start with the stickiest bits of cannabis news and culture that stayed with me over recent weeks. Keep scrolling for my dream Valentine’s box of moderately-dosed edibles.
One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance
It’s not looking good for federal cannabis reform in the next four years. Rescheduling hearings put on indefinite hold. Oregon Representative Earl Blumenhauer, one of weed’s loudest champions on Capitol Hill, just retired. The new DEA head hasn’t expressed a gram of support for rescheduling (and the DEA gets the final sign-off).
The “hemp” free-for-all isn’t over yet. In case you missed it, the Farm Bill update got postponed for a third time in December. That means 2018 rules still stand, allowing for intoxicating products (so long as they contain <.3& THC by weight) to be mailed across state lines, except for the states with individual bans. But even those aren’t strictly enforced, and with DoorDash agreeing to stock hemp-derived THC goods, the momentum is still feeling positive for that side of things. On the other hand, Oregon’s legal market is collapsing in on itself with millions of pounds of unsold product. California’s bracing for more taxes. In a perfect world, cannabis regulation moves towards a system somewhere in between the two realms, with more accessibility and trust in the safety of age verification at delivery (as we do with alcohol) and less prohibitive costs of doing legal business.
Does the New York Times hate weed? Nah, but a cursory glance at recent headlines doesn’t look great: “As America's Marijuana Use Grows, So Do the Harms.” “Stories of Marijuana’s Little-Known Risks.” “Should We Be More Concerned About the Growing Use of Marijuana?” “Marijuana Dependence Linked to Higher Risk of Death.” It’s a lot when you see it all together—it also feels all too familiar, like the 100% negative coverage we grew up with. But 100% of their coverage isn’t negative—recent stories also include an interesting look into Rastafarian religious practices bumping up against New York’s legal market and a piece on shifting trends across demographics, including the reports showing underage use has dropped since legalization. When it comes to regular, high-THC consumption over long periods of time, I don’t deny that real risks are on the table, and I see the need for honest, balanced coverage. I also know that media outlets invest in high-engagement stories, and the comment section on every Reefer Madness-y post is always lit.
Legal cannabis gets a spotlight in a new Studs Terkel-esque book on work. In the new book, 99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life, author Adam Chandler (journalist and former staff writer at The Atlantic) explores the myth of American self-reliance and the notion of hard work as destiny. In Chandler’s cross-country travels talking to people about their work, one figure he focuses on is a young dispensary operator and infused-sauce maker in Oklahoma who’d grown to become the largest operator in the state by revenue—a rare success story for a mom-and-pop business. Although likely not the end of that story, considering the premise of the book.
A clinical trial studying the effects of a cannabinoid-based formula to treat symptoms related to menopause is recruiting (paid!) test subjects. Spearheaded by acclaimed researchers Dr. Ethan Russo and Nishi Whiteley of CReDO Science, this 12-week, US-only, randomized placebo controlled clinical trial will investigate the efficacy of a hemp-derived cannabinoid and terpene-rich formula. Peri/menopausal women are invited to head here for more info on participating.
Mike Tyson’s weed brand opened a coffeeshop in Cape Town, South Africa. What a surreal sentence to write. I didn’t realize it was legal legal there, but this is, in fact, a full-service cafe offering flower, vapes, those awful/iconic ear-shaped edibles, and apparently pretty decent coffee.
Black Girls Smoke is back in NYC. After going dark for most of last year, Black Girls Smoke, the New York-based weed-friendly community helmed by Victoria Sanders, marked its return with an edible-fueled museum meet-up at the Met last weekend. She’s also launched a Substack, The High Note, and this Thursday, the FOMO continues with a “High Frequency Night For Us” at Sweet Fire Cafè & Studio in Brooklyn. You can read more about Victoria’s inspiration and how Black Girls Smoke came together in the New York chapter of my book, Green Scenes.
High Finds: The Sweetest
I love Valentine’s Day. Single or attached, I go for a garish pink and red eyeshadow moment every year and treat myself to a pastry or three from somewhere special. In light of my edible-heavy consumption habits this winter, I’m sharing my current favorites. None of these are paid placement or affiliate links. Some have sent me free samples over the years. All are delicious.
Touch Grass gummies by Potli. Such great honey, passionfruit and matcha-dusted flavor in a tiny package. These 5 mg pieces are maybe too tiny for how great they taste, but it’s a light dose—a gentler 5 mg experience than most. I comfortably eat two before cooking dinner. Bonus points for the honey coming from founder Felicity Chen’s family’s hives. Available online.
KIVA Milk Chocolate. I love the flavor of pure chocolate so much, I rarely reach for infused versions. I got this as a sample around the holidays and found myself relying on it to get through extended family time. It’s a really pleasant, happy high (5 mg/piece, 100 mg/bar). It’s made with cold water hash, and I’m now wondering if that more full-spectrum extract factored into the buoyant vibe. 1.5 pieces was a really strong, satisfying high for me. The weed flavor is there, but the chocolate quality is very good. Available in dispensaries in CA, AZ, MA, OH, MI, OK, IL.
Mochi Gummies by Sundae School. Although these gummies actually don’t contain rice flour, they nailed the mochi texture. The chew is so satisfying. Lychee Dragon is my favorite—such a refreshing flavor in the grand scheme of gummies—I go through a tin too fast. This one’s also on the more mellow side of a 5 mg experience. Available online.
Mesobis Gomitas. The Mango Con Chile flavor in particular. Perfect heat! I’m also obsessed with the pyramid shape (the founders designed the custom molds to reflect Teotihuacan’s Pyramid of the Sun). It takes a while to feel anything, and then the 10 mg of happy buzz lasts long and fades slowly. Nothing sudden about it, which is ultimately really nice. Available online.
Offfield High-Performance Energy Gummies. This Watermelon Mint flavor and sporty branding has probably increased my gym visits by 30% this winter. I can’t get suuuuper high and still get a good workout in anymore (I end up just stretching and giggling at podcasts in the corner), but this 3 mg THC gummy is just the right amount of float. Nice ‘lil boost from Yerba Mate, a hearty dose of CBD and CBG as well. Available online.
Rose Delights by Rose Los Angeles. These rosin-infused culinary gummies remain a beloved commodity in my recreation supplies. Maybe it’s the literary romance I associate with Turkish delights, but I’m partial to the original sweet and botanical Rose Hibiscus flavor. And I don’t know if this has to do with the flower rosin, but I feel like I don’t build up a THC tolerance as fast with these as I do with CO2 extract infusions. Available online.
A new nano gummy from [redacted brand] I got to help name, formulate, and build out a world for coming very soon. 👀 Excited to share.
Bon appetit,
Lauren Yoshiko
Further V-Day Reading
Relationship Advice: Surprising cannabis + sexual wellness trends. (January 2022)
Trend Report: Weed Lube. Products, brands, and collateral benefits. (March 2021)
I quit smoking, but still use edibles, so I appreciated the links to all those options, especially since the dispensaries are shutting down left and right in my city 🙃