The 2016 Pot Lover’s Gift Guide
There was one big silver lining last month in a year many people would like to forget: marijuana legalization reached a tipping point when pot referendums passed in eight states, making the drug now recreationally legal in eight states (plus D.C.) and approved for medical use in a whopping 28. And if 60 percent of Americans really approve of its legalization, as polling suggests, we might also see weed and weed accessories start appearing on our holiday lists. But gifting someone a bag of green is about as original as putting a bow on a bottle of liquor, so what do you get for the pot lover in your life? Here, Rolling Stone's list of the best cannabis-related gifts – available in all 50 states.
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For the Technophile Pot Lover: PAX 3
There's a reason PAX's line of portable vaporizers has often been compared to Apple products – and it's not just the hefty price tag. Launched in 2015 by two Stanford Design Program grads, the company's elegant, simple units have become the standard for portable fresh-herb vaporizers, with perks like accurate heat control and a consistently smooth draw. But their newest model – the recently released PAX 3 – adds the ability to vape concentrates and boasts a lip sensor that cools down the unit when the user pauses from taking drags. An app that will let users control the vaporizer's heat down to the degree will launch later this month.
PAX 3 available here for $274.99
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For the Traditionalist Pot Lover: the SilverStick
Got someone on your list who still prefers fire over vape? Get them the SilverStick, a sleek, alloy one-hitter that cuts down on tar in the user's lungs and ash in their mouth. Unlike the cigarette-shaped mainstay of marijuana paraphernalia, this one-hitter has a chamber for a cotton filter and rubber cap to keep the pot in (and the smell out); a helpful feature given that it packs easily double what a traditional cigarette-shaped pipe can. The company also sells limited-edition, handmade dugouts, but the affordable basic product is a great pocket pipe suitable for use at home or on the go.
SilverStick kits available here, starting at $25
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For the Dedicated Pot Lover: Puffco Plus
For those looking to get the most bang for their puff, "dabbing" – the process of, essentially, freebasing concentrated THC wax – is by far the best choice. But the setups can be costly and elaborate, and given that the process requires a blowtorch, not conducive to portable use. Enter Puffco Plus, a (relatively) low-cost, beautifully designed, potent portable vaporizer that heats the same kind of concentrate used in dabbing, but with slightly more subtle results. Instead of heating the wax on a metal pin and filtering the smoke through water – the traditional dabbing method – the wax is stuck to a "dart" inserted into a ceramic chamber. When the chamber heats up, the THC from the wax vaporizes, providing a nice hit to the user. And since there's no metal coils or plastic parts used to heat up the wax, the user tastes the product, not the pen.
Puffco Plus available here for $99.99
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For the Curious Pot Lover: ‘Brave New Weed’
Former Details editor-in-chief Joe Dolce was never an avid pot smoker, and even after writing this deep dive into marijuana culture across the globe, he still claims not to be a stoner. Yet his book, which was released in October, is one of the most fascinating accounts of the state of marijuana. Dolce details his trips to Amsterdam (for the 25th anniversary of the Cannabis Cup), Denver (for a look at the first legalized American system) and Israel (where lax regulations have created, as he notes, the "nucleus of cannabis research") among other places, to understand how different cultures approach pot. The result is a charming, honest look into pot's past – and what that says about its future.
'Brave New Weed' available here for $25.99
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For the Design Freak: Marley Natural’s Large Grinder
Earlier this year, Bob Marley's estate launched a line of family-approved marijuana in California. "I wanted to have a strain of herb that represents integrity," Grammy-winning son Stephen told Rolling Stone at the L.A. launch party in February. Luckily for those outside the Golden State, the company also has a beautiful line of wood-and-glass accessories – from one-hitters to elaborate bubblers – each made with sustainably sourced black walnut and hand-blown glass. They're all aimed to get smoking devices out of the drawer and onto the coffee-table, but the standout product is the large grinder. The four-piece beauty sports a 27-tooth tiered grinding chamber that lets you control texture and a see-through, shatterproof window to see how much you've got. The only drawback? It'll take a lot of herb to fill it up.
Marley Natural's large grinder available here for $140
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For the Home Chef: Mota Pot Edible Maker
In legalized states like Colorado, the market for edibles has exploded, as users weary of lung damage figure out ways to get high. But for those in states not yet medically or recreationally enlightened, cooking at home is often the only option – and the Mota Pot makes it infinitely easier. The stainless steel contraption acts essentially like a stovetop espresso maker, forcing butter and water to steam through the ground herbs and into a chamber where it can be poured out, chilled and cooked. While there's still a laborious process to making the infused product – there's no getting around baking the fresh herb for nearly an hour before loading up the Mota – the device makes it less messy, eliminates straining and allows the user an easy way to regulate how much THC ends up in the final product. Perfect for anyone looking to expand their baking skills, as well as their mind.
Mota Pot available here for $49.99
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For the Achy Pot Lover: Apothecanna Beauty Products
It's the chemical compounds called cannabinoids in marijuana that are the active ingredients, attaching to special receptors in humans to, among other things, relax our body and get us high. THC – the one that causes a euphoric feeling that most would recognize as being "stoned" – is the best known, but over the past few years, another cannabinoid called CBD has been getting a lot of attention. While this one doesn't get you high, it does help with things like inflammation and pain – and that's where Apothecanna comes in. Since 2013, the company has offered a line of calming, stress-reducing beauty products combining various levels of CBD with essential oils like peppermint, lavender and chamomile. Best part of this over-the-counter stress reducer? Unlike THC, the FDA considers CBD a dietary supplement, and is legal in all 50 states.
Apothecanna products available here starting at $12
UPDATE: On December 14th, the DEA announced that domestic production of all marijuana extracts – including CBD – fall under Schedule I classification. You can read more about what that will mean here. At this time, Apothecanna is still able to ship nationwide.
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For the Outdoorsy Pot Lover: the Nuggy
The novelty of the Nuggy makes it a great stocking-stuffer for any smoker, but the design – a weighted plastic triangle with eight useful attachments, from a roach clip to a dabbing nail – is ideal for any hiker's backpack. While it doesn't offer a grinder, the small pair of scissors can shred pot in a pinch. And for those sick of constantly searching for a paper clip to clear a pipe, the Nuggy has a handy pokey device as well as a small spade-like tool, perfect for scraping out a bowl.
Nuggy available here for $29.70
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For the Health-Conscious Smoker: the Plazmatic Lighter
For years, the preferred way to get around inhaling butane with every puff was to carry around waxed hemp wick, light that off the lighter, then use the flaming wick to light your joint, pipe or bowl. But the Plazmatic lighter cuts out flames entirely, opting for a pair of electric beams that instantly hit 900 degrees to ignite anything in their path – or that even comes close. The devices are about the same size and shape as a Zippo, but instead of messy lighter fluid, the Plazmatic recharges via USB – and after just an hour on the charger, can go for 100 lights.
Plazmatic lighters available here starting at $30
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For the Budding Entrepreneur: Subscription to Green Flower
Less than a month old, Green Flower is a website that bills itself as the "Netflix of pot," though it's probably better described as an online university for budding members of the green rush. Some content is free, but "insiders," as the site's members are called, have access to a growing number of video courses, from tutorials on cooking with pot and rolling a joint to deep dives into the difference between indica and sativa strains, marijuana legislation and how to smartly invest in cannabis businesses. Members also have access to a community message board where they can ask (and answer) questions about medical uses, legal policy and how to get the most out of pot.
Green Flower memberships available here for $18/month