2021 is coming to a close, and we’re pulling back the curtain on the strains and products wowed the Leafly staff this year.
Team members from across ten different states chimed in to give our readers the real scoop, including input from Washington, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Nevada, Missouri, Maryland, and Ohio.
Dig into this recap of 2021 from some of the stoniest in the biz, beginning with our favorite strains.
Favorite strains of 2021
25 strains smoked by our team of stoney pros
2021 cannabis brand and product highlights
Not only were we digging these strains, but many Leafly staff members also turned to the following cannabis products to help them ease on down road in 2021.
10 weed brands and products our team loved
- Kiva Confections gummies
- Good News disposable vape pens
- Cann cannabis tonic
- Punch edibles
- King Palm’s minis
- Claw concentrate cartridges
- Humboldt Farms pre-rolls
- Kin Slips sublingual strips
- Stone Road hash joints
- Keef sodas and mocktails
4 weed consumption trends in 2021
The weed trends we noticed this year
This was a year of defining individual consumption styles and figuring out what weed products helped us chill out and optimize our experiences to the fullest.
From our account executives, our software engineers, customer success managers, product designers, and more, here are some cannabis trends we noticed amongst our own inner circles that had an impact on our year.
Trend 1: We busted out of our old habits
2021 was a big flower discovery year for me. I stuck traditionally with vapes and edibles as they were easy, discreet, and predictable.
Flower opened up so many new options for me, and there are tons ways to consume it – not just in a bong.
I started dabbling again with edibles, and I have to say they have come a long way in the last couple of years. The dosing seems to be more accurate and the ‘weed taste’ has been non-existent in the few brands that I have tried.
I’ve noticed my friends have really gotten into flower and edibles, especially for winding down after workdays.
I shifted my primary consumption from cartridge vapes to dry herb as flower prices in my state have started to tick down, available strains are much wider for flower, and the flavor is so much better.
Trend 2: Weed bevs won us over
I have noticed that many folks are leaning more toward edibles and drinks for both tolerance reasons and to protect the lungs a little bit more during this “unprecedented time”.
We’ve all been recently enjoying drinking our cannabis like cocktails using brands like CANN and Purejuana.
In Vegas, I got an 100mg elixir shot in a bottle the size of a small energy drink. I shared with two friends and it took our high to a whole new level.
Trend 3: Rolling joints was a beloved activity
2021 was the year of packing cones for consumption for me — I got addicted to these pink cones that are adorable and make me feel like I’m a Hollywood actress from the 20s.
During the last year and especially during pandemic-time in general, I’ve moved somewhat away from glass as my go-to consumption method and spent more time hand-rolling joints.
I’ve found it adds some nice ritual and time to the preparing to smoke and smoking process that I enjoy and paces well with a bit of a general slowing down of life’s hustle & bustle.
I fell back in love with buying sugar wax and rolling it with my jays that I smoke. Not much of a trend, more of the ‘I have been home for 2 years because of Covid, how can I save money on infused joints?
Learn how to roll before 2021 is over
Trend 4: Strain selection and terp exploration reigned supreme
I just started buying my own weed this year. Working at Leafly has convinced me that everyone can have at least one strain that works for them, so I’ve been trying out different terpenes.
So far, pinene is one that has the best effects for me.
Definitely began rotating more strains this year and playing matchmaker between activities and strains that play well together.
I’ve also branched out into other consumption methods to understand what works best for me medicinally and recreationally
I noticed that my friends and I started caring more about the strains we’re consuming and actively shopping different strains/brands to try new products.
I started to really identify which strains I enjoy most and came to realize they all have the same dominant terpene – myrcene!
Happy New Year, from Leafly.
