Winter is coming, and it’s best to be prepared. Every winter, I pull out my electric blanket, find the snow shovel, and stock a little cannabis, too. When it’s freezing outside, I just want to be a snuggly storybook bunny under blankets and feel cozy. Since recreational cannabis use was legalized in Illinois, the available products have improved over time, definitely in terms of taste, but there are so many products on the menu at dispensaries that it can be overwhelming.
This list covers cannabis four ways: yummy gummies for a good night’s sleep, flower that’s helpful to focus on tasks, a drink to bring to a soiree, and something for relaxation. In Champaign-Urbana, we are blessed with four dispensaries that offer a plethora of cannabis products including these ones, but do please rely on dispensary budtenders for answers to specific questions. The hours, addresses, and websites for C-U dispensaries are included at the end of this article.
Cannabis for Sleep Aid
Gummies: Elderberry Indica by Wyld
Each infused with 10 mg of THC and 5 mg of CBN, these little sugary squares are like little weighted blankets for my mind. Three of these indica gummies give me restful night’s sleep because I’m not stuck worrying about the stupid shit that keeps me awake some nights. Thirty minutes after eating this THC bedtime snack, my eyelids got heavy. My mind — and my whole body — felt relaxed and really sleepy. I fell asleep so easily, and the next morning, there was no crummy feeling of fogginess or hangover, just a satisfying wake after a good slumber.
This yummy gummy was sweet like candy, and that jammy elderberry berry flavor tasted delicious. Wyld’s gummies have a good chew and a little bounce, and the gritty sugar exterior added extra sweetness. The pack of ten THC gummies ($24) includes a small dose of CBN, a cannabinoid known for sedating effects. To know CBN from other cannabinoids like CBD and CBG, remember CBN because N is a sideways Z, like the Z-z-z that sleeping people snore out in cartoons. Wyld is a reliable brand for gummies if you’re looking for other effects because every gummy I’ve had from them tastes yummy. Get this pack of gummies at Cloud9 Cannabis in Champaign or nuEra Urbana.
Something for Focus
Flower: Rainbows & Cherries by Cresco
My favorite strain of flower is this one, Rainbows & Cherries by Cresco. Almost an instant high, this particular sativa gives a sense of euphoria and happiness. The flower has a funky, fruity aroma with lovely woodsy notes, and the smoke tastes both fruity and of gassy diesel. But the best part of Rainbows & Cherries is the blissful feeling it gives. A little of this, and I feel so good, really happy, and kind of playful. Not a sink-into-a-couch high, this serves more of an everything-is-awesome high that, for me, sparks energy. Usually, this inspires me to indulge in creative things like baking from-scratch muffins or rearranging a living room, but I also like to use it a cheat code to make annoying household chores seem tolerable if not somewhat enjoyable.
The only place to get Rainbows & Cherries is at nuEra Champaign at this time, but other Cresco sativa strains (which probably deliver similar effects) are available at Cloud9, nuEra Urbana, and Sunnyside as well. This Cresco strain is pricier at $55 than other flower options, but this one is worth the splurge.
Cannabis for a BYOB Social Gathering
Beverage: THC-Infused Sparkling Mango Ginger Spritz by Artet
At the next winter party, crack open a cold mango-ginger cannabis-infused spritz. Not that sweet, this had a big, fruity mango flavor, plus some sour from grapefruit and lime juice with a great gingery finish. Some canna-beverages have a skunky cannabis flavor, but the bold zing of ginger covered the cannabis oil aftertaste, so it was a refreshing bubbly sip. THC infused beverages hit (me) faster than gummies, and I felt a buzz quickly after drinking it. With a 1:1 ratio of 5 mg THC and 5 mg CBD, it served a full body melt that compounded with each can. After enjoying this drink, I could sit on a couch and watch movies for hours, happily put together a puzzle, or listen to any ole relative tell stories of yore — as long as there’s snacks for the munchies.
This mango ginger spritz could compete with fruit-flavored alcoholic spritzes and those sparkling waters that taste like tv static. With 5 mg of THC in each can, it’s not too much (if one has cannabis tolerance), making it easy to finish the four-pack at a soiree. For people avoiding alcohol for any reason or simply wanting to drink something different, this cannabis spritz is an option. Right now, the only place to get Artet THC-infused beverages is Cloud9 in Champaign.
Cannabis for Relaxation
Cereal bar: cookies & cream bar by enliven
Of all the cannabis in this list, this is the most delicious one. With breakpoints for five pieces, this cookies & cream crispy cereal bar by enliven ($25) has a total of 100 mg of THC. Super sweet, sticky marshmallow glued together crispy, crunchy puffed grains and occasional crumbles of chocolate-sandwich cookies. So yummy, it was heavy on marshmallow, which is, in my opinion, one hundred percent the correct proportion. There’s some cannabis taste, but the sweetness of chocolate cereal and marshmallow tasted stronger than cannabis oil. The little cookie pieces added a nice texture and even more sweetness to the treat. It was so delicious that I wanted to eat the whole thing in one sitting, but I didn’t because each hunk had 20 mg which is a serious dose of cannabis for how small each portion was.
The effect was subtle; I didn’t feel an elevated, clear focus or a face-melting high. After two squares, I felt pretty much like myself with a clear head, just more relaxed in general. It gave me a full body relaxation, and I felt zero motivation. I was happy to be lazy at home, absolutely thrilled to lounge and do nothing. Get this bar at Cloud9 Cannabis, nuEra in Urbana, and nuEra in Champaign.
Where to Buy Cannabis in Champaign-Urbana
Cloud9 Cannabis
503 W Town Center Blvd
Champaign
Su-Th 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
F+Sa 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
nuEra Champaign
102 E Green St
Champaign
M-Th noon to 9:45 p.m.
F+Sa 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Su noon to 7 p.m.
nuEra Urbana
105 E University
Urbana
M-W 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Th 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
F+Sa 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Su 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunnyside
1704 S Neil St
Champaign
9 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily
For more lists about tasty cannabis products to buy in C-U, read this, this, this, this, and this.
