Ngaio’s Canna-Best of Sacramento 2018

Hey, so what are your pics for “best cannabis things” in Sacramento?

—C.T. O’Trees

I’m glad you asked. I feel like Sacramento is doing very well when it comes to dealing with the new cannabis legalization. Sure, there are some things that can be smoothed out. (We hella need social clubs.) And although we aren’t as far ahead as San Francisco or Oakland, we are definitely doing better than Los Angeles and Fresno. Herewith, a few of my favorite things:

Best underground cannabis event: Sacramento loves a good farmers market. So do cannabis-users. There are plenty of “grey market” farmers-market-style cannabis events that use a small loophole from Proposition 215 to allow farmers and patients to interact. You have to be a medical cannabis patient to attend, so bring your letter of recommendation. Supersesh is cool. O.R.B.I.T.S. is out of this world, but my fave is the 1130 Club. Three days a week, this club lets people meet the growers and learn about their different growing techniques. I look forward to the day when a cannabis farmers market doesn’t have to be an underground event.

Best big cannabis event: I’m kind of cheating because there was only one, but the High Times Cannabis Cup was off the hook. Thousands of people, no violence and a great musical lineup. Hell, Lauryn Hill even showed up more or less on time. I hear tell that the Cup is coming back in late October. I am looking forward to it.

Best local(ish) growers: Space Monkey Meds have been producing great strains for years. You can find their little yellow cans all over Sacramento. Lab-tested and consistent, they offer a rotating array of delicious strains. I am waiting for them to bring back the Blueberry Muffin. You can find a list of their latest flavors at spacemonkeymeds .com.

Best place to blaze: The best place, of course, is in a van, down by the river. Kidding. Although the river is a great place to smoke. If it’s just one or two of you, there’s a bench deep in the heart of [a park that has asked not to be named] that is great for sitting and smoking and observing nature. I’m not gonna tell you the exact spot. Just walk around until you find it. Second place: In your car while watching movies at the West Wind Drive-in Movie Theater. And PSA: It’s illegal to smoke in protected nature preserves and many parks. Pay attention to signs, light up responsibly, and don’t go starting any wildfires!

Best good idea: The Sacramento Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) program makes it easier for people that have been targeted the most by the war on drugs (nonviolent drug offenders, folks that have an incarcerated family member, or people that live in a highly targeted ZIP code all qualify) to get into the legit cannabis industry by waiving certain fees. This is a good first step. Who knows, maybe one of these new entrepreneurs will open a social club.