The Cannabis Gift Guide, for Adventurous Users Only
This gift guide isn't for beginners
This past year was, let’s be honest, pretty terrifying and kind of surreal. While it sort of feels like the world is ending, there is one industry that’s just getting started: legal cannabis. And although stoners of yesteryear may scoff at the new ways to get high, here at Playboy, we’re excited about all the innovative ways greenery is being served.
Cannabis and creative thinking tend to go hand-in-hand, yet we’ve come a long way since thinking making a pipe out of fruit or recyclables is fresh. At the same time, original cannabis products are only just beginning to surface and most dispensaries still carry, basically, the same line of products: flower, concentrates, vape pens, weed lotions, and edibles in the form of either candy or pastries. But it's the gap between the new and the accessibility of the new that has inspired us this holiday season to present only the most cutting-edge (and sometimes downright bizarre) cannabis goods available. So whether you're thinking of buying something green for Mom or a neighbor, why not make it something state-of-the-art that’s a far cry from the stereotypical stoner products of the past?
Foria Empower and Explore
You’ve heard of Foria’s cannabis lube, and if you haven’t, you can read probably too many personal details about how it made me feel here. But did you know Foria makes a rectal suppository meant to enhance anal play? For men and women, Foria “Explore” relaxes that area with 30 mg of THC and 20 mg of CBD to enhance pleasure and decrease discomfort. Plus, Foria’s about to release their own vape pen called “Empower” designed to increase intimacy and arousal. This 4:1 CBD to THC vape is meant to be gentle so you and your partner can still relax and get in the mood without getting too stoned to get it on.
Quest AeroInhaler
The Quest AeroInhaler is an aerosol inhaler–just like that one you used in elementary school for asthma–but this one holds a pure THC distillate. Each puff of the AeroInhaler contains 5 mg of THC with medical precision, so it takes the guess work out of getting high. Besides being totally discreet, this product also stands out because the distillate is infused with live resin terpenes. Unlike other distillates that lack the signature weed flavor that we all know and love, the AeroInhaler tastes like the greens, but it’s also completely odor free. Without any smoke or combustion, this product gets you where you need to be without damaging your lungs or irritating your throat. It’s a great gift for those who value discretion and their lung health, but still enjoy a little THC.
Cannamojo
At the moment in cannabis, there are quite a few female sexuality products, like lubes and edibles meant to increase a woman’s sex drive and libido. Cannamojo, on the other hand, is the first male enhancement pill that contains weed. But this isn’t your average boner pill. Cannamojo contains 10 mg of THC distillate in order to utilize some of THC’s medical benefits to combat erectile dysfunction. The theory is, because THC is a vasodilator, it can increase blood flow down there. Plus, THC’s relaxing and aphrodisiac effects can help increase men’s sensitivity and desire resulting in “rock hard erections” and “intense orgasms,” according to their site.
Stillwater Ripple
My favorite way to serve cannabis to curious but inexperienced users is by serving microdosed cannabis “mocktails.” The problem is, it can be hard to find decent water soluble cannabis products. That’s why we’ve added Stillwater Brands’ Ripple Dissolvables to this list. These packets of powder are accurately dosed with different ratios of THC to CBD, and they can be added to literally anything. From your water bottle at work to the hummus your serve at your holiday party, you can make anything an edible with this powder. The best part? It’s totally flavorless, odorless and calorie-free.
The Discreet Cannabis User's Survival Guide
There are better ways to consume weed
Dosist Holiday Gift Set
Remember dosist, the one-time use vape pens that were part of Time’s 25 best inventions of 2016? Since 2016, disposable vape pens’ popularity has soared, but dosist’s emphasis on accurate dosing still makes them stand out. Their pens vibrate once you’ve inhaled 2.25mg of cannabinoids, so unlike other vapes out there, you’ll know exactly how much cannabis you’ve consumed. Their pens come in a variety of “moods” like bliss, passion, arouse, relief, among others, with either 50 or 200 mg per pen. Just in time for the holidays, they’ve released a limited-edition gift set that includes either their signature bliss or calm pen paired with an aromatherapy candle to really help that special someone who finds the holidays a bit overwhelming.
Hora Skin Care
2018 was the year CBD became an international phenomenon. And the one industry that’s embraced CBD with open arms the fastest is beauty, wellness and cosmetics. While there’s tons of CBD face creams and anti-aging serums out there, the one everyone’s talking about is Hora. They make an overnight mask made with CBD for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties. They also make a popular CBD “Super Serum” that’s good for anti-aging as well as acne, skin hydration and firmness. It could be an easy way to nudge your mom towards the healing powers of CBD or a nice addition to the collection of anyone obsessed with skin care in your life.
Ardent NOVA Decarboxylator
The NOVA is a neat little gadget that would an awesome addition to the kitchen of any cannabis enthusiast. This purple device that’s hardly larger than a thermos perfectly decarbs cannabis without a hint of weed smell in an hour. Decarboxylation is the process of activating the cannabinoids in your bud so they’ll have more effect when added to homemade edibles or topicals. If you’ve ever tried this at home, you know it can make your whole apartment building reek of weed because you have to put your bud in the oven on a low temp for an hour. Not to mention, legal cannabis products are pricey, so if you know someone that needs edibles, tinctures or topicals, with this gift, they’ll be able to make their own at home. Honestly, just get one of these bad boys for yourself and then you can easily make your friends and family weed gifts, like tea bags or weed infused rum, and become everyone’s favorite secret Santa.
Extract Labs CBD Tincture
Let's pivot and focus on the perfect gift for the adventurous gift-giver. CBD products are flooding not just pharmacy shelves but also bar menus and beyond—but we'd like to spotlight one company for one important reason. Launched by Colorado-based combat veteran Craig Henderson this year, Extract Labs offers full-spectrum CBD products ranging from tinctures to crumbles and creams. Better yet, all of its CBD products are made in-house. With the therapeutic benefits of CBD becoming more widely accepted among veterans to treat anxiety, inflammation and body pain, it is important to Henderson that he has complete control over production and to make as pure a line of CBD products for wellness as possible. Kudos to that. We all know well-being is as much a state of mind as it is a physical output; no matter your lifestyle, the gift of Extract Labs' CBD is sure to intrigue, impress and soothe. Wider adoption of CBD products will of course do wonders in the march toward normalizing medicinal marijuana therapy (CBD-focused or otherwise). Trust us, even Aunt Pam will want to give this stuff a try.
