G........s

My wife and I decided to stop in here on a Saturday morning when we'd driven to Bandon on a whim, instead of our normal weekend trip to North Bend. Having been bombarded with constant radio ads for Herbal Choices - all about how they have the best selection and best prices in all of the Southern Oregon Coast - we decided to give them a try and see if they lived up to the hype. If you want to skip to the end, the short of it is that no - they do not live up to the hype. They fall so short of the hype as to cross into the realm of hyperbole. For those of you interested in the full story - here it is. Upon approaching the storefront of Herbal Choices, Bandon, the first thing that I noticed was that there was no signage whatsoever to indicate that I was about to enter a cannabis dispensary. There were no signs prohibiting me from consuming cannabis on the premises, nothing telling me that the products inside were for adult use only, not even a sign telling me to have my photo ID ready. This last thing, it transpired, was a warning of what was to come. Slightly concerned by the obvious lack of signage and any sign of security to check my ID - like every other dispensary has had... pretty sure there's a regulation about it or something - I turned the handle on the blank, industrial metal door and stepped into a small, clinically over-lighted, slightly sanitized-feeling room with jars of flower in one corner and spoons, bongs, and extracts in glass cases scattered about the corners. Still, there was no sign of anyone being interested in my age and no inquiry about seeing my license. Maybe the employees behind the counter could tell I wouldn't be staying long. The product itself was almost as well advertised as the rest of the signage in the building - which is to say, there wasn't any information displayed about any of the product, aside from the occasional price tag. After clearing up some confusion with one employee who seemed very interested in selling me a grinder - maybe they make commission on accessories? - I finally managed to get her attention turned to their flower menu. The menu itself was posted above the jars, in print so small as to be difficult to read, on big TV screens, with the strain name, the price points per gram/eighth/quarter, and whether the strain is a Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid - and, I think, the THC percentage. Here's where things really went sideways for Herbal Choices. After asking to see their Blue Dragon - a strain my wife was very fond of in the past - we were told that it was one of their "Okest" strains (out of a list of strains that ranged from "OKer" to "OKest", with prices to match) and that since it was on sale that day, we could get it for the for a rather high price per quarter ounce. First, that's not the price listed online, and second - why would I pay that much for your OKest flower? Someone should tell Jim Belushi that his chosen dispensary isn't doing him any favors.

I've been coming to Coastal High Ways off and on for the last 10 months, and - due to some recent changes at my other dispensary of choice - it looks like they're going to become my number one choice, and that's just fine by me. Joe and his family run a nice, clean, friendly shop. They care about their customers, getting to know their repeat customers' buying habits, making recommendations based on past purchases, researching the strains and growers/processors that they sell. These are all things that separate great budtenders from good salespeople.

I've picked this strain up a few times from Stonies LLC, in Coos Bay, OR. No one seems to know the genetics behind the strain any more than "some cross of Blueberry and Snow, and if anyone tries to tell you they know more, they're full of it," a frustratingly common occurrence with some of the med strains from SW Oregon. Regardless of the exact lineage, it is a powerful medical strain for insomnia, stress, and pain relief - even at the relatively low THC range of 10 - 15%. The terpene profile combines berries and eucalyptus/menthol in a very pleasant fashion. I recommend it for nighttime use or day-off use only. In small doses it's great for a lazy night on the couch watching something mindless, but in larger doses tends to put me to sleep.

I picked up an eighth of this from Stonies LLC in Coos Bay, OR; but in that case it was sold as a straight Sativa, and those were certainly the effects I got. It was all head-high, and very uplifting/energizing. It took care of some social anxiety that I was dealing with at the time, and helped with the chronic pain I deal with on a daily basis from a car accident 20 years ago. At around 17 - 19%, this was plenty potent. The tropical flavor really comes through well, too.

I'm on the fence about this strain. I picked up an eighth from Stonies LLC in Coos Bay, grown/distributed by Trichome Farms. At 25.6% THC and .20% CBD, it's some of the stronger flower I've seen in Southwest Oregon, though I try not to be a percentage snob. On the plus side, Black Widow provides me with a decent amount of pain and stress relief; but on the negative side, it makes me a bit too sleepy to be a really good daytime strain, but isn't quite relaxing enough to be a nighttime strain. It's like this run got the downfall of both sides of a 50/50 hybrid, instead of the positives.

It's a nice, clean, welcoming location. it was also relatively easy to find for two frustrated out of towners. The budtender we worked with was friendly, informative, and upbeat.

I picked up 3.5g of this, grown by Green Chief Co., harvested on 12/22/2016 and consumed on 2/11/2017. There are no notes about how it was grown or any pesticides used. Forum Cookies is an indica dominant phenotype of the famous Girl Scout Cookies strain. The buds on this strain were big, fluffy, and covered in crystals. The aroma is sweet and sour, while the taste starts with a strong cherry note before easing out to a subtle earthiness. The high is euphoric, giggly, and relaxed - but too high of a dose can put you to sleep, so consume wisely.

I picked up 3.5g of this, grown by Harmony Farms, harvested 3/9/2016!!, and consumed it on 2/10/2017. The total (active) THC listed on the jar is 18.5%, but I have no idea how much of that has dissipated in the almost full year since harvest. There are no details on the jar about the growing style/location or any pesticides used. The buds are light and airy, generously covered in resin, but extremely dry. The aroma is dead flowers soaked in skunk, and the flavor is like what you would get if you cleaned up a diesel spill with lavender flowers and then smoked them with some chilis. But despite all of that, it's not completely unpleasant. As for the high, well, it has Trainwreck right there in the name. Even after a year of sitting around, this still hit like a train, she's just a little sneakier from the Lavender Kush side of her genetics.

Northwest Cannabis Connections is quickly becoming my go-to shop. The people are friendly and knowledgeable (except some of the new hires, but they're getting there), and the prices are good. They even have a smallish selection of bongs, pipes, and dabbing rigs that are very reasonably priced. The selection is huge, and the brands that NWCC carries are great - Doc Croc, Forte Farms, Harmony Farms, Avitas, and more. The only concern I have about this location is the sheer volume of choices. Normally, I expect to see at most two growers per strain on a recreational shop's menu - one somewhat budget and another that's mid- to top-shelf. Here though, you can have up to 5 or more individual growers per strain (Cinex, for example), and that can get confusing - should I buy the 3.5g of Cinex that costs $35, or $40? Selection is great, but the practical purchaser in me worries that this shop will close under the weight of its own options.

I picked this up in cartridge form, produced by Harmony Farms NW, one of my favorite cartridge manufacturers (along with Avitas). There is no doubt about the potency from this cartridge, or about the name of this strain. The high comes on fast and will knock you out. Use this after your day is done for a relaxing slide into a deep sleep. Great for insomnia.