Amid the ongoing stress of a global pandemic, summer has arrived. Some days that might mean hitting it hard on the water or trails. Other days, it might mean coping with lingering stress and worry about finances or physical and mental health. At Bend's cannabis dispensaries, budtenders dole out a lot of emotional support while they help people choose products that meet their current needs.
We checked in with a few local 'tenders about what they're recommending for these competing—and sometimes concurrent—priorities of summer 2020.
Dana Catt, Tokyo Starfish West
For getting out on the trails: "I'm loving the new formulas for Magic Number sodas," said Dana Catt, a budtender at Tokyo Starfish. The sodas offer some hydration as well as a mellow high, and she says she likes to mix them with other juices to make a "cannabis cocktail."
For pandemic stress: Catt recommends Tokyo Starfish's CBD daytime tincture, a 10:1 formulation of 10 parts CBD to one part THC, which she said helps to relieve her stress.
Maggie Fry, Dr. Jolly's
For summer fun: "The Cherry Vanilla soda and Ginger Beer from Magic Number," recommended Maggie Fry of Dr. Jolly's. "The flavor is awesome and the high is super pleasant—less hard than edibles, and perfect for hikes or taking it to the river." The sodas, made by a local company, come in varying dosages, from 10 milligrams to 25 or even 50.
For pandemic stress: "I smoked a lot during quarantine," Fry said, with mostly indica flower. "The Dr. Jolly's Sunday Driver, an indica, is one I like to smoke throughout the day to calm down and mellow out. Happy to have flower there to keep me sane."
Justin Pohll, Top Shelf Medicine
For summer fun: Whether he's fishing, working on motorcycles in his garage or taking the dog out for hikes along the Deschutes River, Justin Pohll of Top Shelf Medicine enjoys sativa-dominant hybrids. "You get that uplift and drive to go out and do things," he said. "Durban Poison is one I really like—a great flavor, great effect that is overall euphoric."
For pandemic stress: "Hybrids or indicas," Pohll recommends. "There's lots of flower being smoked right now—lots of edibles, too. Now that people have time at home, they're getting creative with their baking and experimenting with other types of cannabis products—trying their own recipes. I also like the Highland Provisions gusher gummies—great flavors. What's really cool is they're using an agave tincture as the liquid, so your body is going to feel the effects more quickly."
