Walk into a cannabis store today and you'll find a whole lot more than jars of flower.
Washington's cannabis market has grown to include flower, pre-rolls, infused pre-rolls, vape cartridges, disposable vapes, concentrates, edibles, beverages, tinctures, topicals and plenty of products that didn't exist, or weren't nearly as common, during the early days of recreational legalization.
That's great if you love having options.
It can also be a little overwhelming if you don't already know what you're looking for.
At Seattle Cannabis Co., we carry cannabis from a wide range of Washington growers and producers, including brands like Bondi Farms, Mama J's, Harmony Farms, Crystal Clear, Ooowee, Rochester Farms, Hustler's Ambition, Constellation Cannabis, Full Spec, MicroBar, Journeyman and more.
Our inventory changes constantly, so what's on the shelf today won't necessarily be what's there next month. That's part of the fun.
If you're new to cannabis, haven't been inside a Seattle weed store in a while or just want to branch out from your usual purchase, here's a breakdown of the major cannabis products you'll find when you shop with us.
Cannabis Flower
Flower is the classic.
It's the dried cannabis bud that most people picture when they hear "weed" or "marijuana." It can be smoked in a pipe, bong or joint, or used with a compatible dry-herb vaporizer.
But there's a lot more variation in flower than you might expect.
At Seattle Cannabis Co., our flower selection includes Washington growers like Bondi Farms, Mama J's, Harmony Farms, Rochester Farms and Hustler's Ambition, along with plenty of other producers that rotate through our menu.
When you're comparing flower, you might look at:
- Grower
- Strain and genetics
- THC and cannabinoid content
- Terpene profile
- Package size
- Freshness
- Price
One thing we don't recommend is automatically choosing whatever has the biggest THC number on the package.
Higher THC doesn't automatically mean better weed.
How the cannabis was grown, genetics, freshness, terpene profile and your own preferences can all matter.
If you don't recognize any of the strains on the shelf, that's completely fine. Tell your budtender what you've liked before, what kind of experience you're looking for and what you want to spend.
That's a much better starting point than simply asking for the highest THC in the store.
Pre-Rolls
Don't know how to roll a joint?
You really don't have to.
Pre-rolls are ready-to-smoke joints that come already filled with cannabis. You'll find everything from individual joints to multi-packs containing several smaller pre-rolls.
They're convenient for people who want to smoke flower without buying a grinder, papers and loose cannabis separately.
They're also an easy way to try something new without committing to a larger package of flower.
Infused Pre-Rolls
This is where it's important to actually read the package.
An infused pre-roll is not necessarily the same thing as a regular joint.
Infused pre-rolls combine cannabis flower with some form of cannabis concentrate or extract. Depending on the product, that might mean oil, hash, kief or another type of concentrate.
The result can be considerably more potent than a traditional flower-only pre-roll.
Brands like Ooowee are part of the wide range of products that move through our Seattle store, and infused products have become an increasingly popular part of Washington's cannabis market.
If you're used to ordinary flower and haven't tried an infused pre-roll before, ask what you're buying.
A tiny joint can still pack a pretty serious punch.
Vape Cartridges
Cannabis vape cartridges have become one of the biggest alternatives to smoking flower.
A standard cartridge contains cannabis extract and connects to a compatible battery. The 510-thread cartridge is one of the most common formats, and reusable 510 batteries can work with many different cartridges.
But what's inside the cartridge can vary quite a bit.
You may encounter terms like:
- Distillate
- Live resin
- Rosin
- Full-spectrum extract
- THC
- CBD
- THC and CBD ratios
Brands such as Crystal Clear, Constellation Cannabis and Full Spec represent some of the variety you'll see in Washington's vape and concentrate market.
If those terms don't mean much to you yet, don't worry.
You don't need to study cannabis extraction before walking into a dispensary.
Ask your budtender what's actually inside the cartridge and how the options differ.
Disposable Cannabis Vapes
Disposable vapes combine the cannabis extract, heating element and battery into a single device.
Brands like MicroBar have helped make the compact disposable format a familiar sight on cannabis menus.
The appeal is pretty straightforward: there's no separate cartridge or battery to assemble.
But don't assume every disposable is the same.
Different products can contain different types of extracts, cannabinoids, terpene profiles and amounts of cannabis oil.
Instead of choosing entirely based on THC percentage or whichever package catches your eye first, look at what you're actually buying.
Cannabis Concentrates
Concentrates are exactly what the name suggests: concentrated cannabis products.
This category can include products described as:
- Wax
- Shatter
- Badder or batter
- Crumble
- Hash
- Resin
- Live resin
- Rosin
The terminology gets confusing because these products aren't all made the same way.
Different extraction and processing methods can produce very different concentrates.
Concentrates also tend to contain much higher concentrations of THC than traditional cannabis flower.
If you're new to cannabis, this isn't the category where we'd recommend blindly grabbing something because the name sounds interesting.
Tell us your experience level.
Seriously.
We're much happier explaining what something is before you buy it than having you discover afterward that you picked something dramatically stronger than what you're used to.
Cannabis Edibles
Cannabis edibles have come a long way from the stereotypical homemade weed brownie.
Today you'll find professionally produced cannabis products in all kinds of forms, including:
- Gummies
- Chocolates
- Candies
- Mints
- Chews
- Baked goods
- Capsules
- Other infused treats
Brands like Journeyman are examples of the Washington producers you'll see represented in this part of the market.
Edibles can be a great option for adults who don't want to smoke or vape cannabis, but there's one major thing to understand:
Eating THC is different from inhaling it.
Edibles generally take longer to produce noticeable effects, and those effects can last considerably longer.
That's why you should pay attention to the serving information on the package and give an edible time to work before deciding you need more.
You can always eat more later.
You cannot uneat the first three gummies.
Cannabis Beverages
Cannabis drinks have become another increasingly popular alternative to smoking.
Depending on what's currently available, you might find sparkling beverages, flavored drinks, shots and other THC or cannabinoid-infused options.
Like other ingestible cannabis products, the label matters.
Check how much THC is in the product and whether the entire container is intended to be a single serving.
A cannabis drink may look like an ordinary beverage, but it isn't one.
Store it accordingly, especially if children or other people who shouldn't consume cannabis could have access to it.
Cannabis Tinctures
Tinctures are liquid cannabis extracts that typically come in small bottles with a measured dropper.
They offer another option for people who aren't interested in smoking or vaping.
Different tinctures may contain THC, CBD or a combination of cannabinoids in different ratios.
Because formulas vary, don't assume two bottles are interchangeable just because they're both labeled as tinctures.
Read the cannabinoid information and follow the manufacturer's directions for the specific product you purchased.
Cannabis Capsules
Cannabis capsules provide cannabinoids in a familiar capsule format.
Like edibles, they're swallowed rather than inhaled.
One benefit is straightforward portioning. The package tells you the cannabinoid content of each capsule, so there's less guesswork than you'd have with something like a homemade edible.
That doesn't mean you should immediately take more if you don't notice an effect.
Ingested cannabis takes time.
Cannabis Topicals
Not every cannabis product is designed to be smoked, vaped or eaten.
Topicals are products applied externally to the skin.
Depending on what's available, you may see cannabis products such as:
- Lotions
- Balms
- Salves
- Creams
- Roll-ons
- Sticks
Different topicals can contain different combinations of cannabinoids and other ingredients.
Read the label and use the product according to its directions rather than assuming every cannabis topical works the same way.
What About CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the many cannabinoids found in cannabis.
Unlike THC, CBD isn't generally associated with the intoxicating high people usually mean when they talk about getting stoned.
But CBD isn't really one specific type of product.
You can find CBD in different forms, including products that also contain THC.
That's why it's worth looking beyond the giant letters on the front of a package and actually checking the cannabinoid information.
If you're specifically looking for CBD, tell us.
We can help you find the products on the current menu that fit what you're looking for.
Sativa, Indica or Hybrid?
You'll still see the words sativa, indica and hybrid all over cannabis menus.
They're useful for organizing products, but they shouldn't be treated like a guarantee of exactly how cannabis will make you feel.
Cannabis is more complicated than three categories.
Genetics, cannabinoids, terpenes, dose, tolerance and your individual response can all play a role in your experience.
If you've found a particular strain or product you love, tell your budtender.
Knowing that you loved one specific product gives us much more useful information than trying to guess what you'll like from the word "hybrid" alone.
What's the Best Cannabis Product for a Beginner?
There isn't one product that's automatically best for everybody.
A better question is:
What are you actually looking for?
Before choosing something, think about:
- Do you want to smoke, vape or eat your cannabis?
- Do you want something ready to use or are you comfortable with flower?
- Are you new to THC?
- Have you used edibles before?
- Do you want a traditional pre-roll or an infused one?
- Are you interested in CBD?
- How much do you want to spend?
- Are there products or strains you've enjoyed before?
You don't have to know the answer to every question.
And you definitely don't need to walk into Seattle Cannabis Co. already knowing the difference between rosin, resin, distillate, flower and every other term on the menu.
That's what budtenders are for.
Don't Shop for Weed Based on THC Alone
We see this one enough that it deserves its own section.
Someone walks in, looks at the flower and immediately asks:
"What's your highest THC?"
We'll absolutely show you what's available.
But the biggest number isn't automatically the best product in the store.
THC percentage is one piece of information about cannabis. It doesn't tell you everything about quality, flavor, freshness or how much you're personally going to enjoy it.
Sometimes the weed you end up loving isn't the package with the biggest number printed on it.
Give yourself permission to look at the rest of the product.
Washington Cannabis Has a Lot of Variety
One of the coolest things about shopping for cannabis in Seattle is just how much variety Washington's market has developed.
Brands like Bondi Farms, Mama J's, Harmony Farms, Crystal Clear, Ooowee, Peak, 2727, Constellation Cannabis, Full Spec, MicroBar, Rochester Farms, Journeyman, Hustler's Ambition and Momma Chans are just some examples of the producers you'll see represented at Seattle Cannabis Co.
And our selection doesn't stay frozen in time.
New strains arrive.
New products show up.
Brands release something different.
Popular products sell out.
Old favorites come back.
That's why we don't expect you to memorize our inventory before you walk through the door.
Find Cannabis in Seattle at Seattle Cannabis Co.
If you're looking for a cannabis store in Seattle, come see us at Seattle Cannabis Co. in Rainier Valley.
Whether you call it cannabis, marijuana or just weed, we've got a lot more under one roof than we did when Washington's recreational market first began.
You can browse our current menu before you visit, or come in and talk to one of our budtenders.
Tell us what you've tried, what you liked, what you didn't like and what you're hoping to find.
We'll help you narrow it down.
Because having hundreds of cannabis products to choose from is great.
Knowing what you're actually buying is even better.
