Certified organic cannabis is currently booming and Apothecare on North Campus in Ann Arbor has become a flag-bearer in Michigan.
While choosing local dispensaries for The Green Screen column, we have been drawn to frequent ones that are based on the care-giver model. These dispensaries tend to have their own on-site or Michigan-based grow. While Apothecare’s grow operation is based in Jackson they’ve upped the ante in terms of purity: no chemicals, no pesticides, no salt-based fertilizers and nothing synthetic in all of their grows.
Steve Karapandza, Apothecare’s regional wholesale director, is a knowledgeable ambassador for the certified organic cannabis movement with decades of caregiving and growing experience.
Karapandza shared that Apothecare uses a certifier out of Washington called Certified Kind. Their standards for cannabis are more stringent than the federal certification for food.
“So we say all our cannabis is certified kind, certified organic using living soil,” Karapandza said.
In response to a question about the proliferation of Big Weed, Karapandza said,“Mom and pop shops are the way to go, they care about the products they sell. With small batches, you get more care and more time and that love that goes into the product.”
Apothecare is sleek and modern but it feels more like a cool high-end commercial space than a shiny dispensary with a Big Weed veneer (we’ve mentioned this before, discerning cannabis consumers prefer not to shop at an Apple Store-looking establishment).
Steve gave us a rundown of Apothecare’s extensive wares. All flower strains come from their Jackson-based grow operation, such as Blue Nina (a hybrid named after popular strain Blue Dream and a nod to musician Nina Simone) and Vanilla Bean.
Ultimately, a dispensary stands primarily on the strength of their product and Apothecare’s menu features top quality flower, pre-rolls, tinctures and vaporizer carts. The edibles are the only menu item that’s outsourced, but whatever your preferred consumption method, Apothecare has you covered with a firm emphasis on the care of the product.
The buying experience is also undoubtedly important and Apothecare is one of the best in the business in terms of making the customer feel comfortable. Knowledgeable, friendly staff willing to educate you only to the extent you inquire. Low-pressure salesmanship in a unique environment:
When it comes to getting the best smoke for your buck, dispensaries like Apothecare are the only way to go. This is the evolution we set out to espouse at The Green Screen and we hope the care-giving dispensaries survive and prosper.
We want to end this chapter with a song and this one foots the bill with a feature from our brother-in-smoke, Post Malone. We’ll catch you round the bend, fire one up from Apothecare and spring will be on the way, any day.
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