Cannabis concentrates and extracts give great benefits! The theory is more is better. Increased cannabinoids in concentrates and extracts mean more relief for medical users. For recreational smokers and tokers, the highs are often stratospheric!

Concentrates and extracts are created by removing oils from plants. The terms are often used interchangeably but are somewhat different. Concentrates are sometimes processed by mechanical pressing. Extracts are always made by separating the cannabinoids out using solvents. Then these extracts can be used to create concentrates.

There are a couple of ways to chemically isolate cannabinoids. Both methods have their plusses and minuses. One way is to make butane hash oil, commonly called BHO. This uses butane as a solvent. The other method utilizes carbon dioxide for extraction.

Once you separate out cannabis oil, it can be used to fill vaporizer cartridges. Or you can make wax solids. Waxes can be wax itself, obviously, or crumble, butter (also called budder), shatter, and live resin. Extracts can be tinctures or RSO.

Let’s delve deeper into the differences between the two extraction methods. Then we’ll discuss getting great deals on BHO and CO2 products.

What is BHO?

BHO production utilizes butane. Butane is a liquid fuel or accelerant. It’s a byproduct of natural gas. Butane is easily obtained. Many stores carry it. After all, it is what makes lighters light and torches flame. If you’ve ever barbecued, you’ve likely used it on your charcoal to help the coals light and burn.

When processing cannabis, butane is first refrigerated so that it is cold. Then it must pass through plant matter to release trichomes. After that, the solvent is removed from the mix of plant and chemical agents. To do this, heat is applied to evaporate the solvent. Cooling then condenses the vapor back into a liquid. What’s left is BHO.

Manufacturers use processed BHO to make the varieties of concentrate we listed before. So, how then do you consume concentrates?

Dabbing is the most popular method to enjoy BHO. You just place shatter, wax, or whatever on the nail of a dab rig. A dab rig is a modified bong with a nail or banger instead of a bowl. The nail is preheated with a butane torch. The hot nail vaporizes the solid and then you breathe in the hot gas. Vape pens or other vape devices can also be used to smoke BHO. Further, a small piece of the wax can be placed in a pipe along with some leaf or rolled up in a joint.

That’s the skinny on butane as a solvent. What about CO2 extraction then? How is it different?

What is CO2?

CO2 is carbon dioxide. It’s a gas that’s in our atmosphere. You exhale it when you breathe. Consequently, it’s everywhere.

In the extraction process, supercritical CO2 removes the trichomes from plants. This happens as temperature and pressure are adjusted to high levels. Supercritical means that the CO2 is balanced between its gas and liquid states. Specialized equipment is available to utilize CO2 in this manner. Inside these machines, fluid CO2 passes through the plant matter. This separates out the cannabinoids. Then in another chamber, the fluid becomes CO2 gas again. The gas is reusable time after time.

At the end of the procedure, the distilled cannabinoids are removed from the equipment. They can then be made into various concentrates just like with butane. The products made with CO2 are also smoked or dabbed in the same way.

CO2 extractors can be purchased online or at specialty stores. They can be expensive. If you want to make a lot of cannabis concentrates, it might be worth the financial investment.

So, which way should you go if you want to buy or make waxes?

Which is Better, BHO or CO2?

Both BHO and CO2 processing will produce similar results. Which is preferable? That will depend upon your budget and your concern over working with butane. As mentioned before, butane and its fumes are flammable. That’s a danger that would be wise to keep in mind. Yet the startup cost for CO2 extraction is higher. These are things to think about when deciding which method is preferable.

There are methods, like pressing hash, that don’t use either of these methods. Hash is a concentrate made by compression of plant matter. That’s something else to consider. 

Let’s delve into the differences between the two chemical extraction processes.

Pros and Cons of BHO vs CO2

Soaking plant material in butane is a very popular method of creating concentrates. Wide availability means butane is fairly inexpensive. Therefore, products made with BHO tend to be less costly at dispensaries. And often you can get some good deals on BHO products – like here on Cannasaver!

With BHO you can get THC levels of up to 90%! Unlike other methods, like soaking in alcohol, there’s no residual plant matter.

There are downsides to using butane to extract cannabinoids. It’s really flammable. An accumulation of vapors could result in an explosion or fire. There is also concern about products containing leftover amounts of the chemical solvent. You don’t want to be sucking unnatural fumes into your lungs.
Those are the upsides and downsides of butane.

CO2 processing requires specialized equipment. That’s an investment of money at the get-go. However, CO2 is recyclable, so the cost over time does go down. Using specialized equipment does sometimes require learning about it or being trained.

CO2 leaves no residue in the final product.

When purchasing products made via either method, the biggest concern is residual butane. Some people prefer hemp wicks when lighting even a bowl of cannabis leaf. That's because of concern over butane fumes. Something to think about.

Before we go, let’s look at some super deals on concentrates made using both extraction processes.

BHO Deals on Cannasaver

Want to save some dough on BHO-made products? Check these deals out:

$12.95 WAX & SHATTER - MIX-N-MATCH at Pure Marijuana Dispensary

Robhots BOGO 50% OFF at Rocky Mountain High

1000mg Gummies Starting at $33 OTD at Spark Dispensary

CO2 Deals on Cannasaver

And if you want to find deals on CO2 extraction products then take a look at these:

$17.95 for 1000mg Distillate Syringe at Pure Marijuana Dispensary

16 - 500mg Distillate Cartridges for only $175 at Pure Marijuana Dispensary

$10.95 for 500mg Distillate Cartridges at Pure Marijuana Dispensary

(Monday) - $25 CCC 500mg Distillate Cartridges at Organix
 

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I will always remember a one John Cooper for (at least) three things:
1) The way that Brit could strike a football. Seriously, that mofo could kick.
2) The "Tamla Motown" shirt he gave me (which I think came from his brother) that I still own and wear to this day
3) "My Girls"

During my former life as a TEFL teacher, one evening in 2009 I found myself sitting in a high rise apartment in Xi'an, China, and while the legendary Rob "Potato" Ansell lurked about, Mr. Cooper and I were sharing musical preferences with each other. During the exchange, Animal Collective's recently released Merriweather Post Pavilion was given the spotlight. The aforementioned "My Girls" caught my attention, but the rest of the album was captivating enough to maintain my intrigue. I've been waiting for an effort from the band to match it since. Whether under the collective (no pun intended) name or via solo offshoots, the members of Animal Collective have continued to pump out music since that 2009 LP. Most of it has done little for me. The announcement of each subsequent release has been the pairing of piqued interest followed by disappointment. Rinse and repeat. Until Time Skiffs. 

I am more surprised than anyone to be writing about the eleventh, (or seventh, kind of) release from the Baltimoreans, given that the output following Merriweather Post Pavilion has largely left little worth re-listening to. Unfortunate, yes, but it also makes Time Skiffs that much more of a treat. This latest will most certainly not be for everyone, but it incorporates the best of Animal leaders Avey Tare and Panda Bear, while embracing the occasional Brian Wilson influence, along with moments of early 70s Grateful Dead, Syd Barrett-era Floyd, and even a certain aquatic animal, all of which results in the most cohesive effort from the band in a dozen years. While I may undertand where those other artists come from, I make no such proclamations for Animal Collective. There's is a different wavelength, yet my curiosity will continue, much like it has this past decade. Time Skiffs.

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I had the odd epiphany that should make medicated Gyro meat (when I was stoned the other day), so I thought, how can I turn it into a little appetizer that would be cute and fun? We're making cups out of meat!  

Start with:

1 lb 85/15 ground lamb
1 lb 85/15 ground beef

In food processor or bowl with hand-mixer, combine both meats to a pasty consistency. 

Add in the following: 

2 tbsp medicated oil 
1 tbsp ground Marjoram
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground rosemary
4 tbsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp black pepper 
4 large pinches chopped cilantro
1/4 oz thyme leaves stripped from stem
1 small onion, finely-chopped

Again mix in to the pasty consistency. Your choice of strength/potency, but 1000mg is probably sufficient. Adjust to smaller amount of thyme if using dry ingredient. 

Cover and let sit for an hour in fridge to let flavors set in. Set oven to 325°. Turn over a mini muffin tin (this makes 24 cups at 3 scoops per bowl). Press and form the meat carefully around each. In center rack, set another overturned pan or tin to the right. Place the loaded pan just off to left so it lays on an angle downward to allow draining. Place another pan below to catch drippings. Bake for 30 min and let sit for 15 in the closed oven.

Remove let cool, then fill with toppings:

Hummus
Pita bread
Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes
Goat cheese crumbles
Tzatziki sauce

Cut pita bread into 3/4" to 1" squares. I filled each with hummus, pita square, half circle of cucumber, strip of cherry tomato and some goat cheese. Serve w tzatziki sauce on side. 

At 1000 mg you'd get around 40mg each. For appetizers, you could cut that down to 500mg, for 20mg each. They're delicious!

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I was excited to stumble upon a new release from what I thought was a French group I have previously written about called Husbands. It quickly became clear that Full-On Monet, despite the title, was not crafted by the same band, and minimal research (thanks, google) informed me that the album I was hearing was from an entirely different Husbands, this one being a duo out of Oklahoma City. (The French trio appear to have fallen off the earth since 2015.)

As someone who isn't typically drawn to synths, the reliance on them in the opening tracks made me question whether to carry on. Yet those keys combined with a DIY nuance made the catchy vocal melodies and quirky lyrics all the more infectious. Ultimately, Full-On Monet will be worth revisiting as a perfect relaxer in the dog days of summer, but plenty of year-round intrigue is on display on this January release.

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After years of having to trudge through the miles in the mud, especially in chilling rain, Cannatown residents are investing new infrastructure dollars into a monorail for the Cannatown Hole, the gigantic expanse of exposed earth in the heart of the city. Planners say the “Brown” line will open for use around the start of digging season.

The service will hopefully solve the age-old problem facing diggers from amateurs to trained trail guides, who’ve lost many a boot in the thick and viscous topsoil. Although outfitters have tried for years to sell snowshoe-type muddin’ flippers to enthusiasts, those who dig in the hole often have decried the lack of traversible ground, and have routinely brought the issue before city council during rainy climes.

Avid diggers say they are relieved by the initiative. “I used to have to crawl through the muck just to get to my favorite ditch, that I went through a pair of pants every week,” says digging hobbyist Walt Peters. “I even tried a canoe once!”

Local blogger @CTDitchDigga hailed the rail line as the biggest thing to come to central Cannatown since the concession frenzy of the 70’s. “Boy do I miss those footlong hotdogs,” she wrote in a post, “but I can’t wait to rest my Dungarees on a freakin’ train after a hard day’s dig.” 

It isn’t the first attempt at a transportation system for the sodden crevasse. The city installed a bus route in the early 80s, only to lose three vehicles into “Big Pitty,” the giant central sinkhole, within three weeks of operation. An outfitter also launched a local Segway rental business during the early noughts, but the venture failed miserably and some people died. 

The Brown line will take and pick up passengers at the hole’s four corner stations, each named for a pioneer who perished digging the original hole. A fifth stop, to Big Pitty in the middle, will open later in the year when engineers can figure out how to reach the deep and fairly inaccessible chasm. According to the city website, specific hours of operation will begin each day “when Charlie wakes up,” and conclude “when it’s his dinner time.”

Although not technologically-advanced by any means, the stations are set to have barrels and lantern systems, outhouse plumbing, and up to 20 boot-scrapers on each platform. Patrons may bring their shovels and other implements of excavation, provided they bang them on the cement first. 

“Let’s face it,” says city planner Laura Barnes, “these trains are going to be filthy as hell.”

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If you’ve made it through yet another long week, then a nice Shatterday may be just what you need! “What’s Shatterday?” you ask. It’s a Saturday with some concentrated cannabis deals! On “Shatterday” Saturdays you can often get great prices on concentrates!

Here, we break down shatter and shatter prices specifically.

Dabbing Concentrates

If you know your way around a dab rig, then you know that high-quality concentrates are the only way to fly. If you’re unfamiliar with dabbing, it’s not too different from using an old-school bong. 

The main difference is that instead of a flower-filled bowl there is a nail. 

A dab nail is a metal spike. If it’s made from glass or ceramic, then it’s called a banger. 

The spike is heated with a hand torch. 

While it is hot, a piece of concentrate is placed on the hot nail, and you inhale the vapor produced as it melts. 

It’s pretty simple.

There are a number of different kinds of concentrates that can be used in a dab rig. Each has its pros and cons. There are hash oils, waxes, budders (or butters), live resin and shatter. The last one is what we want to take a closer look at.

What Is Shatter?

Some concentrates are soft and pliable, like butter and crumble. Shatter is rigid like glass. In fact, to use it, you simply break or snap off a piece. Then you place it on the heated nail, which converts it almost immediately into vapor. Breathe through the mouthpiece and inhale the concentrated cannabinoid cloud. Ta-dah!

Shatter is made with butane as a chemical agent that separates cannabinoids and terpenes from plants. You start with dried marijuana. Butane solvent is added and then evaporated through low heat. The resulting liquid is processed into a hard, brittle, amber-colored material. 

That’s shatter.

The final product is pretty potent. Shatter can run about 80 percent THC content! That’s pretty high - but legal - for recreational or medical use in states such as Colorado and Washington. So if you’re in a recreational state, no worries – you can legally buy shatter. If you’re in a medical state – and have a card – then you can also get shatter. Getting yourself some of the good stuff is something that we’ll get into shortly.

Shatter can be added with weed in a pipe or regular bong bowl. It can be added to a hand-rolled joint. But most folks are gonna dab it.

How Is Shatter Sold?

Shatter is sold by the gram. That means at your favorite dispensary you can get this concentrate in lots of 1g, 2g, 4g, or even 8g. In some places, you can even buy a pound of shatter if you so desire – though that would be very expensive! There may be local limits so check before you buy in bulk.

The reason that shatter is sold by grams is the power in each puff. With high amounts of THC there’s a lot in each little bit of shatter. When you take a rip from your rig, you only need a little bit at a time. Concentrated cannabis means small amounts are plenty! 

How Much Does Shatter Usually Cost?

Because of the popularity of dabbing, Shatterday specials abound. Prices on concentrates will vary depending upon the particular strain, availability, and by geographic location. 1 gram can run around $60 in a legal state like Colorado.

Saturdays are a good day for dispensaries to drive business. They do this by offering specials on concentrates. Hence Shatterday.

A usable amount of shatter doesn’t necessarily cost you an arm and a leg. Again, dispensary deals are everywhere. A little searching can go a long way! There’s nice pricing to be found, especially on the weekend! 

What Kinds of Deals Does Cannasaver Have on Shatter Prices?

Since you’re here, we’re assuming you’d like to get some good Shatterday – or any day – bargains. 

Well, you’ve come to the right place! 

Tons of dispensaries use Cannasaver to share weed coupons. This helps you understand what you’re looking for before you go to your nearest dispensary. You don’t have to go from store to store looking for the best dabbing deals. That's because we put them all in one place for your convenience!

Bargains are searchable by strain, location, method of smoking or toking, and more! You can search coupons by quantity. Additionally, you can look for medical deals or recreational deals. 

Our site is frequently updated so that you can find the best deals close to you.

Here’s a smattering of some shatter steals you can find:

ALL SHATTER & WAX 2g for $24, 4g for $44 or 8g for $75!

8g Wax & Shatter for $85+Tax!

$12.95 WAX & SHATTER - MIX-N-MATCH

$38.92 (Pre-Tax) for a 4g Bucket of Kayak Wax or Shatter

Where Can You Get Good Prices on Shatter?

Medical and recreational dispensaries are the best places to get yourself some shatter. Legal states that have been doing this for a while are able to bring down prices a bit more since supply is high and demand, while still high, is attainable. Lucky for you, Colorado is one (and the first) of those states. 

Word of mouth and dispensary reviews are two good ways to determine where to shop. 

Couponing can also lead you to where you want to go to get some weed!

For experienced dabbing enthusiasts or beginners, affordable shatter can be found. Decent pricing is out there. 

A little goes a long way, so you don’t necessarily need a lot to get the effects you’re after. 

Remember – concentrates are called that for a reason. Just a tiny bit applied to a nail or topping a weed pipe will give you a good buzz! 

But if you want to buy in bulk, discounts on quantity can also be had.

Once you’ve determined where to go, then all you have to do is get there. 

Shatter in hand, you can then try a little at a time of whatever strain you’ve selected to see how it works for you. It isn’t rocket science, though you may go into orbit. 

Buy, try, and, if you like it, then you are all set! 

Enjoy your Shatterday!

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As you may know, it can be difficult to explain the experience of getting high to someone who’s never tried weed. If you ask a seasoned stoner how many different ways cannabis can make you feel, they’ll generally tell you the myriad effects fall under a few umbrellas, such as energizing, uplifting, euphoric, relaxing, or sleepy. There are many different types of "weed highs" if you will.

If you ask a scientist how many different ways cannabis can make you feel, they’ll tell you an infinite amount that depends on multiple factors both relating to the strain and your mood. What is it about cannabis that makes you feel so many different effects?

General consensus is that the varied, subjective effects are due to THC causing different patterns of functional connectivity in the brain. The different effects come from how much these different patterns and connections talk to each other on any given day. 

So, once you consume THC, your brain changes the way it talks to itself. Some parts of it may become more active than usual, causing you to feel energized or uplifted; others parts of it may become less active, causing you to feel relaxed or sleepy. 

One interesting way to think of consuming marijuana and its effects is as a home stereo system. You’ve got one dial for the bass, one dial for the treble, one for the volume, and so on. Every dial is always tuned to something, and you’re just tuning them to different ratios depending on the strain you choose.

And with that, here are five of the best strains to set your dials to feeling energized, uplifted, euphoric, relaxed, or sleepy. We'll also categorize them by the types of weed highs they give off.

Energized Weed Highs

For those of you looking for weed to give you a sense of energy, look no further. This energized weed high feels like a green tea energy feeling.

• Green Crack

  • Green Crack is a great example of a cannabis strain that usually adjusts a person’s knobs to a more energizing experience. Initially bred way back in the 1970s, it’s a legendary sativa that tastes like earthy citrus terpenes and is great for daytime use. Its three most common terpenes are myrcene, pinene, and caryophyllene. 

• Jack Herer

  • Jack Herer was created in the Netherlands in the mid-1990s, where it was later distributed by Dutch pharmacies as a medical-grade strain. Since then, this spicy, pine-scented strain has taken home many awards for its quality.

• Durban Poison

  • Durban Poison has gained popularity worldwide for its sweet smell and energetic, uplifting effects. This is the perfect strain to help you stay productive through a busy day, when exploring the outdoors, or to lend a spark of creativity. 

Uplifting Weed High

Feeling like you need to be uppity when you're not feeling up for it. There are some strains that will help with that.

• Sour Diesel

  • If you want something uplifting, Sour Diesel is highly regarded by the medical cannabis community for its mood-blasting abilities. It’s a potent sativa-dominant hybrid created by crossing Chemdog and Super Skunk. Sour Diesel’s sour and gassy terpene profile features caryophyllene, myrcene, and limonene. 

• Super Silver Haze

  • Super Silver Haze is made by crossing Skunk, Northern Lights, and Haze. This creates a beautiful, sticky strain boasting an energetic, long-lasting body high. The uplifting effects are great for high stress or when suffering from a lack of appetite or nausea.

• Tangie

  • Tangie is a sativa marijuana strain made by crossing California Orange and Skunk-1. This strain is a very popular choice in Amsterdam and is spreading elsewhere.

Euphoric Weed Highs

Looking to get on Pink Floyd's level? These weed strains are your jam. They're more of a full-body high, which will have you feeling like you are floating to the Dark Side of the Moon.

• OG Kush

  • Though it can be extremely potent, OG Kush is still the perfect example of a long-lasting euphoric high that doesn’t much teeter toward feeling energizing or sleepy—you’ll just be stoned. OG Kush is the OG hybrid that swept California by storm in the 1990s and set the bar for many high-potency strains we smoke today. It has a flavor of earthy, sour, gassy, and skunky terpenes that we’ve come to identify as “kush,” which give way to an intense experience. 

• Girl Scout Cookies

  • GSC, also known as "Girl Scout Cookies," is an indica-dominant hybrid marijuana strain made by crossing OG Kush with Durban Poison. This popular strain produces euphoric effects, followed up by waves of full-body relaxation. One hit of GSC will leave you feeling happy, hungry, and de-stressed.

• Wedding Cake

  • The Wedding Cake strain provides relaxing and euphoric effects that calm your body and mind. This strain has a rich and tangy flavor profile with undertones of earthy pepper. Medical marijuana patients choose Wedding Cake regularly to help relieve symptoms associated with pain, insomnia, and appetite loss.

Relaxed Weed Highs

It's been a stressful day/week/month/year. Here are some full-body types of weed highs that will help relax you and your body. A muscle and mind-relaxing remedy.

• Blue Dream

  • Blue Dream is another legendary hybrid that people use for its relaxing qualities, morale-boosting euphoria, and overall quality that brings a smile to your face. It’s a cross of Blueberry and Haze that produces a sweet, berry, terpene profile. 

• Apple Fritter

  • Apple Fritter, a true hybrid strain, is known for its powerful and relaxing high. Put out by Lumpy’s Flowers, Apple Fritter is a strain with unknown origins. Those who enjoy Apple Fritter say this strain allows you to enjoy your evening without losing your cool.

• Purple Punch

  • Purple Punch is a delicious dessert strain best suited for after dinner. Its effects can help with managing nausea, stress, minor body aches, and sleeplessness.

Sleepy Weed Highs

Nyquil in a cannabis flower - that's what we're looking at with these weed strains. A head AND body high, these strains will cradle your entire nervous system to sleep.

• Granddaddy Purple

  • If you’re talking sleepy strains, Granddaddy Purple is one of many that will tuck you in for a few hours. This indica crosses Purple Urkle and Big Bud and is famous for its purple appearance, and maybe more famous for its usually sedative high. Its most common terpenes are myrcene, pinene, and caryophyllene. 

• Blackberry Kush

  • Blackberry Kush produces relaxing effects and is often recommended for pain management due to its strong body high. Blackberry Kush offers a hashy flavor profile with a jet fuel taste and aroma that is balanced out with sweet berries.

• Bubba Kush

  • Bubba Kush, also known as "BK," "Bubba," and "Bubba OG Kush" is an indica marijuana strain that has gained notoriety for its heavy tranquilizing effects. From head to toe, muscles ease with heaviness as dreamy euphoria blankets the mind, crushing stress while bringing happy moods.

Cannasaver: High Feelings, Low Weed Prices

As many of us know, legal marijuana can get expensive.

At Cannasaver, we help you find weed deals on bud, wax, edibles, concentrates, & any other marijuana products you can think of.

Right now, a couple of deals we have are $8 dollar eighths of flower (if you’re looking to try a new strain after this article) or $79 dollar ounces, if you’ve got a tried-and-true favorite strain.

Click here for a full list of our deals at partnering dispensaries, and happy blazing!

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Since I first heard "It's Over" back in 2016, I've been fascinated by the London-based quartet Palace. While the fourth track from their debut drew me in, both So Long Forever and the 2019 follow-up Life After left me feeling like I was witnessing a band searching for their own sound, stuck somewhere between visions of Jeff Buckley and early Coldplay, yet headed in the right direction and only in need of just a little more time to wholly manifest themselves as a musical entity. 

Shoals may not be the foursome fully realized, but it is a leap forward and easily their best LP from top to bottom. As with much of their previous work, a melancholy lingers over this 12-song set, but here it seems to cut deeper, the songs and arrangements more dialed in, a band nearly eight years into their recording career putting the pieces together into something more grand and exquisite than ever before. The January release date is likely no coincidence; Shoals is perfect for this time of year, or whenever you're feeling blue and want a moment to indulge in lament. A fine album that has grown on me with each listen, it also leaves me with nothing but optimism about the future of Palace.
 

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A group of sweaty, somewhat dirty men in flannel shirts gliding across the ice might not sound like gold-medal level entertainment, but a local group of commercial blunt-rollers are hoping to change that. After a year in training, the fine chaps at Barry's Big Blunts are ready to show off their graceful moves at the Winter Olympics, representing Cannatown in the synchronized skating competition in February.  

The group has skated competitively for years, but only this year exceeded International pool scores at preliminaries in Resinville and Spliffington Heights. The scores automatically qualified them for the championship appearance, which came as a surprise to the whole team, especially store manager and group leader, Spencer Franson. 

"This all started as an embarrassing hobby," he admits. "Only after Covid began did we started throwing Lutzes and Axels in the routine, practicing between rolls."

Group sponsor, proprietor and employer Barry Bluntsworth says he was not immediately sold on the competition, until his wife berated him upon his 50th birthday for not amounting to anything but rolling blunts. “I was stoned silly and up against the wall, so I pulled this one out of the bag,” he now claims. “I told her I had a figure skatin' team!” 

The team credits their victories to strong relationships built on mutual understandings and personal boundaries. “We don’t hold hands,” Franson explained. “We absolutely don’t talk about anyone’s feelings. Skatin’ and smakin’. That's all we do."

"And to be absolutely frank, nobody really likes skatin’, we just do it,” he added.

As Team Cannatown, the group is proud to compete for the gold, but say they are also pretty much in it for the "free airplane ride."

“It’s all still a little embarrassing,”Franson says, “but at least we ditched the leotard idea before things got too awkward.”

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If you‘re a regular cannabis user and live in a state that permits legal cannabis consumption (THAT'S US, COLORADO!) finding quality products can be a difficult task.

According to the New Frontier Data, cannabis will likely generate $1.3 billion in sales this year. This steady growth of the cannabis industry has also increased the number of suppliers, retailers, dispensaries, and wholesalers. 

Unfortunately, not every weed supplier sells you the quality product you’re looking for. 

This is when you need to have an in-depth knowledge of weed strains to evaluate their quality. It is especially true when you’re looking to buy weed products like top shelf and private reserve. "Private Reserve" and "Top Shelf" are common terms that confuse many cannabis buyers.

Dispensaries sell many qualities of flowers, such as graded, top, mid, low shelf, and private reserve. Whether you’re looking for Marijuana buds or searching for quality Top Shelf products, educating yourself on these classifications is important if you want to save time, money, and frustration. 

Let’s get some details to help you understand the key differences between Private Reserve vs Top Shelf.

What is Private Reserve?

Private Reserve is the most popular cannabis flower and is the highest and purest cannabis available in dispensaries.

Though all cannabis flowers go through growing, drying, and curing processes, Private Reserve has special care procedures. The exclusive curing methods for Private Reserve help restore and preserve the cannabinoids and terpene content levels. 

Cultivators leave small cannabis batches for Private Reserve cannabis products to retain the quality. The most popular type of cannabis flower comes with appealing colors, a strong aroma, and a unique bud structure. Typically, it has the highest price tag. 

In the cannabis market, products are divided into four categories:

Compassion or White Horse Bud is the first-tier.

The mid-grade comes next, and Top Shelf is the third tier.

Private Reserve tops all tiers with its high quality and price.

Private Reserve is considered high-quality if it includes a rich trichomes coating, deep and bright blues, greens, purples, and ideal texture. The moisture level is also high to provide the best smoking experience to users.

Note that the strains of Private Reserves are fairly rare. This is the reason why they are the most celebrated product among cultivators. The premium Private Reserve is lab tested for metals and pesticides. 

The tests are also important for determining cannabinoids and terpenes. Most consumers and users seek out Private Reserves because of the high levels of THC.

What is Top Shelf?

Top Shelf is a fantastic variety of cannabis flowers that many consumers prefer over other varieties. It has a different aroma, typically pungent and stronger.

The buds on the Top Shelf are fat and dense. The cannabis product is completely coated in unique trichomes. 

As the Top Shelf contains rich trichomes and a complex terpene profile, it offers consumers a pleasant experience when they get high on this weed. Typically, the bud of Top Shelf has a bright color and is stickier than Private Reserve. 

The smell is also not consistent and varies depending on the strain and terpene profiles. Regardless of the strain, the smell of Top Shelf is powerful.

The taste of Top Shelf is good but doesn’t have the rich flavors Private Reserve has. Top-shelf marijuana contains substantially higher THC content than Private Reserves. 

The Top Shelf has a THC level of around 20 to 30 percent. Concentrates can have a THC potency of around 40 to 80 percent. That is why the weed smokes and tastes better. You may get really high on Top Shelf weed. But the synergy from different cannabinoids gives a balanced feeling. 

The high-quality, top-shelf weed doesn’t use any fertilizers or chemical pesticides. However, you must buy from reliable suppliers and know how to separate the high-grade weed from its low-grade counterparts.

Characteristics of Private Reserve vs. Top Shelf

One feature that sets Private Reserve from Top Shelf or any other weed is the quality of care provided to the cannabis plant.

It is definitely a higher grade than Top Shelf as the materials and conditions growers use for these flowers are controlled. Plus, Private Reserves are grown in smaller batches than Top Shelf. The growers are much more experienced.

THC levels are also different in Private Reserves and Top Shelf. Private Reserve is a potent product that comes with THC levels of around 20 percent. The percentage isn’t ideal for new users, but if you’re a seasoned user, it can give you a deep, comforting, and blissful experience.

On the other hand, Top Shelf has a 40 percent THC level which is higher than Private Reserve. It is also not ideal for new consumers. Private Reserve is the most expensive type of cannabis.

However, many consumers are fine with buying mid-grade weed like Top Shelf. If you don’t smoke much and want to save money, mid-grade weed such as Top Shelf is the right choice.

You can save up to $10 on buying flower by using weed deals here on Cannasaver. 

Also, you can get the best deal for Mix & Match 8 Gram’s of Top Shelf to save $149.

If you’re looking to buy high-quality marijuana, our site has a comprehensive collection of deals and discounts. All you need to do is keep an eye on the deals on the site to find the best offers on top-shelf and Private Reserve cannabis without going over budget.

Finding premium quality weed is challenging if you don’t know the primary differences between the most used varieties, such as Private Reserve and Top Shelf.

Ask your budtender for private reserve and top shelf options!

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Color me amazed by the frequency with which Broken Social Scene has been putting out music since 2017. Schubert they are not, but for a group that dropped three albums between 2001 and 2005, then proceeded, more or less, with a five-year break, followed by an even longer one of seven, the last four and a half years have been a godsend for fans of the Canadian collective. Hug of Thunder was a welcome return, and 2019 saw the release of two EPs, the first of which was thoroughly enjoyable. 

Here we are in the early days of 2022, and while Broken Social Scene celebrates its latest release, the title most certainly does not belie its components. Old Dead Young: B Sides & Rarities is exactly what it says it is. That said, the record is far more impressive than the post-colon portion of the title might lead one to believe. By no means perfect, overall, it largely feels cohesive, more like a collection of songs written in the same album cycle and less like the career-spanning project it is. Diehard Scenesters (I don't think anyone calls them that, but why not) may find little novelty here, but for those less well-versed, Old Dead Young: B Sides & Rarities represents something between a catalogue completer and a decent introduction. Color me even more amazed if they put out an LP of new material before 2024. The way their career has unfolded, who the hell knows.
 

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Consuming concentrated cannabis, also known as dabbing, continues to increase in popularity thanks to the legalization of recreational and medical cannabis use in several states. Wax dabs are a concentrated form of cannabis that comes in a variety of textures. It can be an ideal and cost-effective way to reap the benefits of cannabis so keep reading to learn more about it! 

Wax dabs can be consumed by using a dab rig (which requires a blowtorch), electronic rig, or vape pen, which vaporizes the wax in extremely high temperatures to be inhaled. Dabs are more potent than other cannabis products and can contain up to 80% THC whereas flowers typically contain 10-20% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Because of its potency, it's recommended to start slow and work your way up.

How Are Wax Dabs Made?

Wax dab concentrates can range from thick oils all the way to thin, fragile, and glass-like shatter. They are created by extracting compound-rich oils from trichomes using specific extraction processes that give different types of wax dabs their unique characteristics such as texture and appearance.

The most popular extraction method includes pouring butane over marijuana, which extracts THC from the plant and dissolves it into the butane, creating Butane Hash Oil or BHO (Dab wax falls into this category). This results in a wax-like product that contains potent levels of THC. It’s important to note that not all concentrates can be dabbed, like kief, bubble hash, and other solventless extracts. 

Different Types of Wax

Wax can take on many forms and each comes with its own name. Here’s a quick summary of the different wax dabs and their characteristics:

Shatter

Shatter is the most popular choice when it comes to dabbing. Its appearance has a hard, glass-like texture and is brittle, hence its name. It’s typically a golden color and has a transparent composition. It can easily be broken into small pieces using a dab tool and is easy to store. Additionally, shatter one of the purest forms of concentrates available on the market. 

Check out Shatter deals here:

$12.95 Wax & Shatter - Mix & Match at Pure Marijuana Dispensary (Edgewater)

2 for $20 in house shatter at Strawberry Fields (Downieville & Dumont)

$15 1g OTD Harmony Shatter at Xclusive Cannabis (Aurora)

$14 Shatter at Organix (Breckenridge)

Crumble

Similar to shatter, this type of wax dab displays a brittle consistency and easily crumbles. Again, hence its namesake.

The difference between shatter and crumble is that crumble has more air, making it fall apart easily when hit with a dab tool.

Crumble can be anywhere from a yellow to orange color and has a matte finish.

Noble Herb Crumble Shatter 3 Grams for $45

Sugar and Sauce

Sugar has the consistency of damp sugar crystals, much like a sugar scrub. Sugar can easily be picked up on a dab tool and heated on a dab or e-rig. Sugar is best stored in a () container. Similar to sugar, sauce will have a more consistent and thick texture compared to sugar. You’ll notice crystals melted within the “sauce” whereas sugar showcases a finer texture.

Here are some of our favorite deals on Sugar and Sauce wax:

Denver Dab Co. Sugar Wax 2g for $20 at Mana Supply Company Denver

$9 grams of Blaze Blend Sugar Wax at Rocky Mountain Blaze (Pueblo West)

Medical Sauce $10 a gram at Denver Kush Club

Badder/ Budder

Similar to wax, badder, or budder, is a form of butane hash oil (BHO) that has an opaque consistency.

It has an oily and softer texture and can be bright yellow to orange in color. Badder can be used in a variety of ways including in joints, blunts, and dabbed.

Its runny texture makes it easy to handle and spread on other types of cannabis products. 

Check out the best Budder deals here:

2g for $20 or $280 an ounce for Budder at La Bodega Denver

$19.06 a gram of Live Budder at The Stone Denver

4 grams Budder for $100 at South Park Farma (Commerce City)

Resin

Live resin provides a powerful, and flavorful dab experience because this type of concentrate preserves the full terpene profile of its strain. Its stick consistency makes it easier to handle than shatter and typically appears as a dark yellow color. 

Find the latest deals on resin here: 

25% off any Live Resin at Strawberry Fields (Pueblo North)

Green Dot Live Resin 8 grams for $240 at The Lodge Cannabis 

Pax Era Live Resin Pods for $47.65 at Herbs4you Denver

Cannasaver Deals on Wax Dabs

Check Cannasaver for daily deals on all types of wax dabs, we update our website with new recreational and medical deals each day!

Use our search bar to your advantage, type in your location, your favorite dispensary, or any type of cannabis product, and watch the deals appear.

We continue to partner with dispensaries nearest you in an effort to provide you with money-saving deals and discounts on thousands of cannabis products including wax and other concentrates.

With so many different types of wax to smoke and deals on concentrates, we guarantee there’s a deal waiting for you.

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We're kicking off our foray into 2022 music with an album that is straight up lazy summer vibes. As it should be, when 'tis the season for Angus Stone aka Dope Lemon, the Sydney, Australia native. 

On his third LP, Dope Lemon does what he's always done under the moniker: create mellow soundscapes that set a mood and are in no hurry to move on. My only criticism of the record is that arguably none of the songs need to be stretched past the four-minute mark, which nearly all do, and this is coming from someone who has the patience for 20-minute versions of "Tweezer" and lengthy "Eyes of the World." Shit, now I just kind of want to go listen to the Dead. But I digress. 

Anyway, Rose Pink Cadillac is the follow up to albums titled Honey Bones and Smooth Big Cat, which, collectively, kind of explain the aesthetic the Aussie is going for. "Stingray Pete" and "Every Day Is a Holiday" recall previous Album Notes artists Balthazar and Glass Animals, respectively, but overall, Cadillac is Angus Stone through and through. The record just might hit you right, provided you've got some time and a relaxed mind.

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Oh! Cannatown will miss ol’ Mr. Farnsworth! He died like he lived, in CannaTown. He spent his whole life here, made a name for himself, had a family, a business. The only thing left to remember now, is the uproarious manner of his passing.

Not once when Farnsworth met the president did he stop to think he’d be remembered some day as one of the only people ever to die in the same room as half-inflated hot air balloon and over 50 gallons of fresh custard. Not once as a 1st division quarterback, or during his many years in Congress, did the thought of 2,000 screeching, rabid gophers ever strike fear into his heart, not once did he view the massive locks of a canal transportation port with the gaze of a man who might see them as a last sight on this earth.

What a hero! In his first platinum album we saw some of the wisdom and charity that made him a household name, though it was his second album that seemed to predict the harrowing excavator injuries and brutal interactions with narwhals he would sustain before the end. Like an encyclopedia to the future, his poetry and journals also foretold of the clown attack, the mysterious swimming bunny sightings, the allergy to milk, and even the infamous confrontation with Alexzonder, a vengeful ambassador from Greece who spent much of his life trying destroy Farnsworth.

When we gaze at the ten-foot monument set to be raised in the town square, we must remember him for the good contributions to society, and not for all that stuff he supposedly did with the nacho cheese. RIP, you will be missed, Farnsworth.

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A team of Cannatown scientists is “totally stoked” about super-strong strains of cannabis they speculate could prevent or even treat Covid. In a recent study of ACE2 pathways, a “ton of dank nugs” showed some promise in doing something about the coronavirus, which would reflect, like, a major, unexpected medical advance, according to the Institute of Fancy Questions, formerly, the Institute of Higher Minds (formerly the Drum Circle of Whimsy-Butter Hill).

“At first it was like, ‘Woooah,’ and then it was like, ‘Whaaaat?’” said researcher Ida Smakit. “We’re all just like, so happy, so thankful.”

The results, though mostly-based on ripped banter and napkin sketches, indicate that strains high in diggity-dankness could like, block COVID-19 from doing stuff to host cells. The lead and egregiously-ripped researcher, Pinecone Harry, wrote that even a handful of blunts might even prevent Covid by, like 99 percent. “You gotta smake a ton for it to work,” he concluded in the report. “And then eat a whole platter of a ganj cookies, at minimum.”

“Our work here is pivotal” added Harry. “Anyone can just say ‘cannabis cures Covid.’ But we’re proving it.”

The study briefly mentions a need for more research--but if proven to fudge with the enzyme, the world could see a market rush not unlike those that led to toilet paper and Hydrocholoquine shortages. Preventative THC-packed products such as mouthwash and throat gargle had been proposed, but were quickly rejected after preliminary test subjects all insisted on swallowing the samples.

“Despite the various applications, the most important takeaway, is that not just any cannabis will do the trick,” reminded Smakit via telephone interview. “We’re talking rocket-out-of-the-universe nuggersh. We’re talking, white rabbit behind the looking glass grass, flower that’s so fire you float and wobble and puke rainbows all at the same time. To prevent Covid you literally have to go find the most potent stuff you’ve ever seen, and smake it or eat it all. All at once.” 

How will you know if it works? “All you can do is get blazed. Totally blazed to shreds. And then, if you don’t get sick, maybe it worked,” Smakit said. “At least, that’s the accepted conventional-approach to science these days.”

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We're starting off 2022 with an album from this past October, one I intentionally didn't include in my "enjoyed but didn't send out" in 2021 list last week, but nothing says "Happy New Year!" like a big ass tuba, am I right? Well, no, I don't think anyone has ever said that, but c'est la vie. Or literally not. 

Anyway, you may or may not know the name Theon Cross, but the sounds of his brass have been popping up in many places in recent years, most notably as a member of Sons of Kemet, but also backing Jon Batiste and Emeli Sandé, as well as Makaya McCraven and Little Simz, two artists previously featured in Album Notes.

Cross' sophomore effort is rooted in the Londoner's jazz instincts, but the electronic, dancehall, and hip hop leanings create a canvas that's so far removed from expectations of the tuba as to render the instrument imperceptible at times. All of which is to say Intra-I is an eclectically cohesive wonder.

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When you unbox the Source Turbo from Extract Craft, it's hard not to feel intimidated by how complicated it looks to make your own concentrates. For me, in all honesty, I gave up the blonde hair. I dyed mine blue-black just to make sure I could easily operate this unit. The blonde needed to go away so that a mad scientist could take her place.

In reality such a drastic makeover wasn't necessary to operate this baby. It's actually a very simple process, the machine itself. What you need most is patience and the ability to follow instructions (for all the steps!) before and after using the Source.

At the time of this writing, I have only made shatter and pull n' snap. I have not tried Jar Tech yet to make EHO (Ethanol Hash Oil) or edibles. This is the part that still intimidates me just a hair.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Reclaims ethanol
• Makes smokables and edibles
• Price

Cons:

• Process requires patience
• Ethanol required isn't legal in all states (check your local laws)
• Ethanol is expensive
• Loud

In A Nutshell:

Patience is something this Squirrel lacks almost completely. At the age of 10 I unwrapped all my Christmas presents and rewrapped them. Nobody was the wiser until I confessed many years after. Now nobody wraps my presents. The best I can hope for in the way of wrapping is the shipping box.

While waiting for your Source Turbo to arrive you have to watch and read all the documentation, maybe several times. Take lots of notes and make a "Flight check list" for all the steps you will need to take in prep, extraction and post processing of oil.

Here are a few helpful links:

• Source Turbo User Manual
• Video - How to User The Source Turbo
• Extract Craft Facebook Group
• Guides to Extraction

All the steps might seem intimidating and they are, until you do it the first time. Then you are wondering why this all seemed so complicated in the beginning. In my case it's probably because I barely passed Chemistry in high school, probably due to the fact I was smoking weed. So it's a bit ironic that weed is to blame in rekindling my interest in the subject I failed to excel in so many moons ago.

After my 3rd batch of making the THC oil with my Source I don't need my check list anymore. Everything is pretty simple. The only tricky part that I am still trying to master is when to actually end my process. Getting that sweet spot for the oil takes time and experience to get it right.

If you have the right friends perhaps you can get trim or shake to experiment with until you get the hang of making your shatter. The only downfall with using trim verses bud is that it tends to hold onto more of the ethanol during the wash portion. At least that was my experience. For my second attempt at washing trim I was able to get more ethanol out by letting the mason jar sit longer upside down in the measuring cup, for almost an additional 1 1/4 cups.

For this review I am going to focus more on the machine use verses the whole process. A detailed account of the steps, from prewash to finish with journal of my first few sessions visit my personal reviews site, Racky's Reviews. 

Extract Craft was out of their buchner filter and flask so I had to order on Amazon. Personally, this is a must have as it really speeds up the process with the Source's vacuum assist and gets your wash clean. Some people use mason jars with coffee filters to do their filtering with patience and success too.

The hose that came with my Amazon flask was horrible. I needed to be a descendant of Kâli to use the vacuum assist on the Source with this rigid short tubing. I couldn't find anything local that worked either. So the first two washes I relied on gravity to filter my "tincture".

After much frustration at gravity intentionally deciding to move much slower under my watchful impatient gaze, I started plotting ideas to make my own vacuum hose. For once being on oxygen had it's perks. With my "no crush" green tubing, a swivel O2 male connector and racers tape *aka duct tape* I made an ugly but amazingly efficient vacuum hose. What took hours with gravity now only took a fraction of the time. The vacuum assist on the Source is easy to use and works great.

Now I was ready to use the Source. First set altitude, which is super easy. Hold the green button for 10 full seconds. Click out your elevation at 1 click per 1000FT. If at 300FT round up to 1k. Yes, their rounding rules are weird.

The written instructions are slightly different from the video. I think someone may have been smoking some weed when they wrote them out. Per video you hold for 4 full seconds to start turbo mode. Unit will give 2 slow flashes. To stop press button once. Unit will give you 3 *not 2* quick flashes.

Use a timer because the Source does not fully shut off at the end of the 120 min cycle. The fan still runs so you might not realize your session ended. On turbo mode, wash filled to Fill Line, it took about 2 hrs and 45 min to get my oil to the consistency I wanted. The last 30 minutes watch carefully, checking every 5-10 minutes. 

Their app is another great way to monitor your time too. This app has to be the most fool proof software I have ever used. It automatically connected to my Source without me having to push anything on the unit.

This wonderful little machine is loud. I think I would hesitate to use this in an apartment. Especially if female. When the pump kicks on, it's pretty loud and who knows what dirty images that might conjure in your neighbors heads. They might get the wrong idea on why you are so happy all the time! Oh my!

However, if you like distillate and other concentrates you NEED this unit. What better way to get the flower and flavors in the concentrates you love than make your own? Plus you know what all is in your concentrates. You can even add additional terps with companies like TrueTerpenes line of products. Custom blended and super yummy.

The unit really is "So Easy A Squirrel Can Do It." It consists of one button and one screw "knob," not much you can screw up there. The prep and post process are a little more complicated but if you visit the links above and familiarize yourself with all the steps, it really isn't that hard. Make sure to make use of their FaceBook Group too. There is a huge wealth of knowledge there with very friendly and helpful users. 

If you grow your own flower and have the money I would highly suggest getting the ETOH Pro, although there is something very therapeutic about doing the smaller batches in the Source. It helps to get my fluffy biscuit up and moving about. 

This unit due to it's simple, quality design and ease of use earns it a Wacky Racky Seal of Approval.

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​​The price of weed in the USA has been steady in recent years, but with more states legalizing recreational and medical marijuana use, we are seeing the marijuana industry boom. More dispensaries are opening and new innovative products are making their way to the shelves every day!

So how much does weed cost?

What determines its price?

Determining the Price of Weed

Many factors determine the price of weed. Costs per gram will vary depending on what kind of cannabis product you purchase, how much of it you buy and where you’re buying from. 

Cannabis is usually sold by weight, in measurements of:

• gram: 1 gram

• eighth: 3.5 grams

• quarter: 7 grams

• ounce: 28 grams

• pound: 448 grams

Availability and Supply

The price of weed is different in each state.

In the District of Columbia, an ounce of bud can cost up to $590 whereas, in California, it costs approximately $250. In Oregon, we see even lower prices for the same amount of weed, averaging at $200 per ounce.

The variations in supply account for this as areas with high marijuana production activity will usually have cheaper weed. On the contrary, areas with low cannabis availability will have higher prices for weed. 

Legal States vs Illegal States

The legalization of recreational cannabis use will also affect the price of both legal and illegal cannabis in that state. In states where marijuana is not legal, the cost of weed will be higher because of the extra risk that comes with producing and selling. 

In states where it is legal, you can expect to pay lower prices for street-quality weed, but it might be of lesser quality than what’s available at dispensaries. You may also find a difference between legal states, as some are new to legalized marijuana and some have been doing it for some time now. For example, Colorado's prices may have hit a plateau while other newer-legalized states are able to charge more.

Dispensary vs. Street Prices

Where you choose to buy your weed also determines how much you’ll pay. Dispensary prices will be much higher than weed street prices – this is because of markup and retail expenses such as wages and utilities. 

Street prices for weed will vary between each dealer, but it averages at $10-$20 a gram (smallest increment sold) and an eighth will cost about $30-$40.

Additionally, an ounce of cannabis will cost around $250-$300 and a pound will run you around $2,000-$3,000

Strains

Not all weed costs the same, if you’ve ever visited your local dispensary, you’ll notice that some strains are more expensive than others. Strains with lower yields will cost more because they are more intensive and require more resources to grow. Additionally, higher-quality strains with higher potency usually grow in small batches, resulting in their higher price tags.

New Cannabis Products

There are new and innovative cannabis products currently on the market and they all vary in their price ranges.

Concentrates per gram will cost more than bud per gram because concentrates have higher THC levels per mg. 

Cannabis edibles, which usually have around 10mg-150mg of cannabis per piece. The price per mg of cannabis in edibles is $0.17 to $0.23 making them more expensive than buying regular cannabis buds. Cannabis edibles are usually pricier because the price accounts for ingredient and labor costs.

Cannasaver Has the Best Prices of Weed! 

Who doesn’t want good prices for weed?

Thankfully, Cannasaver always has the deals ready for you, so check us out!

We update our website every day to ensure you’ll have the newest deals available to you.

Our Recreational Deals page will showcase hundreds of coupons ready for you to use at your favorite dispensary. 

Cannasaver is a cannabis-centered site that offers new deals and discounts every day.

We currently operate in several states such as Colorado, Arizona, and California, but most of our deals are available in the Colorado area right now. 

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Previously, I've used the last Album Notes each year to reflect on the preceding 12 months in music. The easy take is that the return of live music was undoubtedly welcomed and served as a cathartic release. Unfortunately, we find 2021 concluding in a manner far too similarly to where we were a year ago, and as 2021 comes to a close, I am left with a broader feeling of, "Wait, what really happened this year?" 

Music aside, last New Year's Eve feels like it was half a decade ago. The events on the January 6 seem as if from another lifetime. Or reality. Did the Tokyo Olympics actually take place this summer? What a blur. I find it almost unfathomable that we're about to turn the calendar over to 2022. With that, I have no grand observations and will attempt to make no pithy summaries on this current state of life. Too much retrospection leaves my brain feeling little more than a "wow" of disbelief. Thank goodness for music.

And on that note, here are my ten favorite albums of 2021, in alphabetical order:

Cheeckface - Emphatically No.
Aaron Frazer - Introducing...
Genesis Owusu - Smiling With No Teeth
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Butterfly 3000
Lord Huron - Long Lost
Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime
Ol' Buger Beats & Vuyo - Dialogue.
Turnstile - Glow On
Typhoon - Sympathetic Magic
White Denim - Crystal Bullets / King Tears

If I had to pick an absolute favorite from the above list, I would go with the one I've found myself spinning the most: Long Lost. Not only did Lord Huron's fourth album fail to leave my rotation following its May release, but it made me dig out their previous three LPs, all brilliant, and listen more intently than I have in years, which led me to conclude that these guys just might be my favorite thing in music over the past decade. There's a simplistic charm in their Americana stylings that is classic without being retro. Maybe that's why I find their music so enchanting when we're living in a time warp.

While we're at it, for more listening pleasure, here are ten other records, in alphabetical order, I enjoyed but didn't feature in Album Notes:

The Artisanals - Zia
Big Red Machine - How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last
Lee DeWyze - Ghost Stories
Douglas Firs - Heart of a Mother
The Felice Brothers - From Dreams to Dust
Mustafa - When Smoke Rises
quickly, quickly - The Long and Short of It
Andy Shauf - Wilds
Silk Sonic - An Evening with Silk Sonic
Yola - Stand For Myself

Finally, as has become tradition, below are two mixes of some of my favorite tunes of the year from albums not featured in this space, in no particular order other than the one I listen to them in. Part 1 is the more rocking, upbeat collection, part 2 more chill.

This Also Happened in 2021 - Part 1
Tracklist (Artist - "song" - Album) 

La Femme - "Paradigme" - Paradigmes
Altin Gün - "Yali Yali" - Âlem 
Grouplove - "Scratch" - This Is This
Carpool Tunnel - "Forget My Name" - Bloom
Good Morning - "Depends On What I Know" - Barnyard
Holiday Ghosts - "Told My Baby" - North Street Air
Jon Batiste - "I Need You" - We Are
Teleman - "Simple Like Us" - Sweet Morning EP  
Inhaler - "Cheer Up Baby" - It Won't Always Be Like This 
The Limiñanas and Laurent Garnier - "Promenade oblique" - De Película
Silk Sonic - "777" - An Evening with Silk Sonic
Islands - "Closed Captioning" - Islomania
The Bamboos (feat. Durand Jones) - "If Not Now (Then When)" - Hard Up
 

This Also Happened in 2021 - Part 2

The Notwist - "Into Love / Stars" - Vertigo Days
quickly, quickly - "Shee" - The Long and Short of It
Nick Hakim and Roy Nathanson - "Small Things" - Small Things
Monster Rally - "Imaginary Palms" - (Single)
Run River North - "Spiders" - Creatures In Your Head
The Wallflowers - "Maybe Your Heart's Not In It No More" - Exit Wounds
The Dodos - "Annie" - Grizzly Peak
Pino Palladino and Blake Mills - "Ekuté" - Notes With Attachments
The Artisanals - "Way Up" - Zia
Balthazar - "On a Roll" - The Sand Castle Tapes

Happy New Year everyone! 2022 will be better! 

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A dark cloud hung over Cannatown School for Puppeteering this week, as the doors shuttered by authorities, have kept both pupils and the larger public at bay since last week’s annual Winter Showcase turned violent. Investigators are still trying to get to the bottom of a feud between two warring factions of puppets that came to a dramatic climax at the otherwise typically-serene performance.

Reports from some pupils say tensions have been growing among the factions for weeks--even within the factions themselves. Others say the school fostered an atmosphere of survival and dominance, pitting puppets against each other. A string of roller-pin assaults, kidnappings and other strange events had led some school officials to consider canceling the Showcase altogether.

There are two major gangs of puppets within the school, notably the Woodland Creatures, led by an old wolf-like puppet named Meatclaw, and a group of farmers and laborers organized by “Granny,” reformed witch, and aged matriarch of the village, who had campaigned for their allegiance in scouring the Woodland realm. 

Their homes burned and some members torn graphically apart, Woodland survivors, led by Meatclaw, vowed to destroy the village once and for all. Despite the well-orchestrated and rehearsed showcase of puppetry, Friday’s performance quickly veered off-script in the second act as a backstage fist-fight poured out from behind the curtain. 

Puppets began clobbering each other and cursing, all of them gripped by madness, despite protests of teachers and audience members screaming in terror.

In dramatic fashion, the two gang leaders met in a penultimate duel at the height of the uprising between the groups, sparring in front of the crowd, with mics blazing such that their soliloquies echoed throughout the performance hall. All eyes were glued on the two, as they grotesquely fought to the death -- Meatclaw, attempting to devour the Granny, who did her best to beat him senseless with baking utensils. 

In the end, both adversaries had perished before officials arrived. Granny had been nearly devoured whole, leaving only remnants of ragged wool garments. The wolf, likewise eventually died from internal bleeding, sobbing quietly to himself in his final moments, in what was described as “some of the most haunting melodrama in the history of puppetry.” Even more chilling, was that  the two foes were related, each donning an opposite hand of the same puppeteer. 

Officials are unsure if the school will reopen.

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