By Salina May
With more Canadians using legal cannabis this year compared to last, it’s no surprise many brick and mortar shops continued to stay busy leading up to Christmas.
As some surely were shopping for “me” gifts, many cannabis companies adapted swiftly to those looking to purchase for friends and family, adding gift cards to their offerings this holiday season.
The revival of cannabis has brought in a “green rush” of companies, producers, and craftspeople hoping to prosper in the new and increasing cannabis market, which has advantages for consumers in the sheer number and variety of cannabis and related items and merchandise.
The disadvantage for consumers is the sheer number and variety of cannabis-related gift options now available that can be difficult to navigate.
Before purchasing anything, be aware of the legal and ethical implications for cannabis gift giving. The gift giver should be aware of the age of majority for cannabis and CBD users in their province or territory, and gift givers should ideally have intimate knowledge of a giftee’s use, dosages and preferences for cannabis if giving inhalable, vapeable, or edible THC products.
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If these details are not known, it may be safer to give CBD skin products or cannabis-related merchandise than to purchase cannabis products with active constituents for a special someone.
Accessories, too, can be tricky to gift unless you know the recipients tastes and preferences. Someone who prefers vaping cannabis or rolling it in joints may not get much use out of a bong – no matter how beautiful it looks.
Giving a gift to a cannabis lover in your life is not impossible to navigate, however. There are plenty of options that can make great gifts for almost anyone with an interest in bud.
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Here are some suggestions that could spark holiday joy this season:
Cannabis-related clothing is available in a wide variety of places, from local cannabis shops, novelty stores or clothing stores, such as Zumiez.
From novelty socks, to T-shirts or hoodies, to toques and hats – there are a ton of options and designs from psychedelic to subtle such as a stylized clock with hands pointing to 4/20.
For unique, handcrafted cannabis clothing and accessories, such as jewelry, Etsy has many options for the marijuana lover in your life, including face masks sporting pot leafs to rings and bracelets made of hemp.
Other safe options include accessories and adornments like cannabis decor mugs, fashionable smell-proof bags or pouches, and weed leaf coasters.
There are even throw pillows that look like massive bags of bud. Local cannabis retailers and headshops will likely have an abundance of unique gift ideas on hand.
Cannabis-related books are another solid gift idea, such as the Bong Appetite cookbook by the Editors of Munchies, The Vegan Stoner Cookbook by Sarah Conrique and Graham I. Haynes, or the Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook by Robyn Griggs Lawrence.
CBD-infused bath and beauty products are another option: The Milk Makeup’s Kush line sold through Sephora uses hemp-derived oils in their products, and many topicals such as LivRelief’s Transdermal CBD Cream are available in local dispensaries or online.
Other products that could make great gifts include hemp-infused soaps and bath bombs, or beard oil such as the Hazelnut and Hemp Beard Oil from Mammoth Beard Oils.
The last piece of advice for those looking to green up their Christmas season: If you’re unsure about purchasing specific items, you can donate to a cannabis-related charity or non-profit in someone’s name, such as Hope for Health, providing “compassionate coverage of medical cannabis costs in Canada.”