With so many Vancouverites embracing cannabis, it’s likely you’ll have at least one pot consumer on your list this year—but don’t count on them for gift ideas. Let’s face it: cannabis users, though often creative, resourceful, and outgoing, aren’t exactly known for being decisive.
The good news is we’ve taken the guesswork out of shopping by curating a list of items suitable for everyone from your pot-obsessed friends to your canna-curious grandma.
For the techy
Its slick appearance isn’t the only thing separating the intelligent IQ vaporizer by DaVinci ($370) from other portable units. It’s made just for vaporizing dried cannabis, and its precise temperature control gives users the option of choosing between four preset settings or dialling in their own specifics. Tech geeks will love the IQ for its Bluetooth-app integration, which allows users to track their sessions. Plus, the IQ’s ceramic zirconia air path makes for some of the purest, most flavourful vapour we’ve ever inhaled.
Available at the Village Bloomery (206–1540 West 2nd Avenue) and online.
For the advocate
There are several ways to communicate to the rest of the world that you’re a cannabis enthusiast, and while some prefer to go the way of the pot-leaf-emblazoned T-shirt, most self-respecting cannabis users a) know full well that that trend fell out of fashion in the ’90s, and b) would prefer something a little more subtle.
Enter local artisan Kristin Lamont of Koko and Kai, whose line of handmade gender-neutral ganja jewellery pays homage not just to the plant itself but to the compounds within it. Her individual THC and CBD molecule necklaces ($25 to $35) come in silver, gold, and black, while other pieces bearing the ever-recognizable pot leaf can be ordered on a chain or a choker.
Find more molecules and jewellery at the Koko and Kai website.
For the first-timer
If you happen to be the cannabis enthusiast in your circle of family and friends, you’ve likely answered a few questions about “CBDs”. The good thing about cannabidiol, the second-most-common compound in cannabis after THC, is that it doesn’t cause feelings of euphoria, which makes it more friendly to those who might be interested in the medicinal properties of cannabis but don’t want to get high.
Local brand Cannalife Botanicals has harnessed the power of CBD in its new collection of products, with tinctures and salves made for both humans and pets. With our favourite, the CBD Healing Salve ($70 for 60 mL), a little goes a long way. It’s handcrafted with ingredients like pure hemp oil, shea butter, beeswax, and lavender for a topical that looks, smells, and feels nothing short of heavenly.
Available at local dispensaries and at the Cannalife Botanicals website.
For the health nut
We’ve grown weary of Instagram’s obsession with tea cleanses, but one Vancouver-based company has found a way to make them a little less tacky by bringing cannabinoids into the picture. FLEURS tea ($30 for 10 servings) combines healing herbs with full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD in three different blends: Woke, an energizing focus tea; Clean, a detoxifying tea; and Doze, an antistress sleep aid. And because CBD isn’t psychoactive, these soothing teas won’t interrupt your day with an unwanted wave of euphoria.
Available at local dispensaries and online.
For the foodie
Those who have braved the stovetop decarboxylation process will know all too well that making your own cannabis-infused oils is a hassle in every sense of the word: it’s costly, time-consuming, messy, and often leaves you wondering how strong your end product is. But with the LEVO oil infuser ($199.99), the guessing game ends. With precise temperature settings, easy operation, and complete creative control, experienced bakers and cooks won’t miss the painstaking process of stirring and straining.
Available at the LEVO website.
For the purist
No matter how many vaporizers make their way onto the market, some cannabis users will always prefer to smoke. For this, we like SilverStick’s modern take on an old favourite: the one-hitter. Instead of ceramic, the SilverStick is made of aircraft-grade alloy pipe and features a compartment for cotton filters. We like SilverStick’s Bubinga Dugout ($55), which comes complete with a large SilverStick one-hitter, 15 filters, a stainless-steel poker, and a handcrafted wooden dugout.
Available at the SilverStick website.
For the busybody
Vape pens make discreet consumption easier than ever, especially when you’re on the go, but with so many different options on the market, it can be hard to figure out which one provides the most bang for your buck and buzz for your brain. The Flyte pen kit ($70 for a battery pen and one cartridge plus charger) is a locally made distillate vaporizer boasting thick vapour and tasty flavours like blueberry, sour diesel, and tangerine. Plus, Flyte’s oil is made using a proprietary technique that removes all impurities.
Available at local dispensaries and online.
For the urbanite
Our proximity to nature is just one reason residents like to take pride in our beautiful city, but why not acknowledge another reason, like its incredible access to some of Canada’s finest sticky-icky? This ultra-Vancouver collab between South Van dispensary The Healing Center (THC) and street wear line Vancity Originals combines the legendary UnDMC logo with a screen print of some dank B.C. bud for a collection of hoodies ($85), T-shirts ($40), ‘dad’ hats ($35), and lighters ($5).
Available at The Healing Center (6416 Main Street) and Dipt (819 Hornby Street).
For the dog lover
Before you freak out about people trying to get their pets ‘high’, consider what we mentioned above about CBD: Unlike THC, it doesn’t lead to a heady high. In dogs, this means they’ll feel relaxed without being intoxicated. While quantitative research into the area of cannabinoids and canines is just beginning, anecdotal evidence has shown that CBD can help with chronic conditions like arthritis, as well as anxiety, aggression, and digestive issues. At just 5 mg per treat, Bully Bites by Miss Envy ($25 for 120 grams) make supplementation easy, and in flavours like fish, turmeric and pumpkin, and venison and blueberries, they’re treats your dog will love. Plus, these fair trade, organic treats are gluten, grain, and soy-free.
Available at local dispensaries and online.
For the yogi
It’s no secret to yoga practitioners who already use cannabis: Combining the two can help quiet the mind, promote deep relaxation and mindfulness, and enhance the mind-body connection. In Dee Dussault’s book, Ganja Yoga ($24.99), the long-time instructor discusses the value of combining one practice with the other. She writes of their long shared history in Asia and India, as well as her own experiences with cannabis and how she came to appreciate it.
Available at the Village Bloomery, Chapters Indigo, and online.
Looking for more gift ideas? Check out the Georgia Straight’s 2017 holiday gift guide here.
