My Top 5 Products That Helped Me Through 2020

Guest Writer: Ash Ketcher

Seasons Greetings! I hope everyone is having a cozy and safe holiday season.

Like many of you, I am in awe that it is December. This entire year has been nothing short of insane. Never in a million years did I ever expect to be living through a pandemic.

But a bunch of cool stuff happened too! Capitol Hill was dubbed an ‘anarchist jurisdiction’ by the attorney general of the United States, we made significant strides in cannabis legalization, many of us fostered or adopted animals in need, and we made it through the year. On a personal level I met and fell in love with a wonderful man, celebrated my 30th rotation around the sun, and left my office job for something I truly enjoy.

2020 has been filled with many ups and downs and through it all there was one thing I could count on: cannabis. I don’t think I have ever grown to appreciate a plant more in my entire life than I do the cannabis plant this year. Learning and experiencing the various cannabinoids has been life changing, and I would love to share some of my favorite products that provided both fun and relief during this life changing year. So, I present to you, in no particular order, my top five products of 2020!

5.) Beauty Sleep Tincture by Green Revolution

Let’s be frank: this year was extremely stressful and a multitude of levels. Before I started working at Canna West, I was working accounts payable for a local jewelry company. Once the pandemic hit and business halted, the stress of my job skyrocketed. With a racing mind I became easily irritable at the slightest inconvenience. I was not my best self. These habits would extend into the night and made falling asleep an absolute nightmare. That’s when I found Beauty Sleep. This was a game changer! The high CBN content helps me truly relax when it interacts with the CBD and THC…lights out! My only complaint is the taste but the effects far outweigh the inconvenience. I cannot recommend this product enough.

4.) Watermelon-Kiwi Pioneer Squares by Craft Elixirs

Remember when we were stuck in a smoke cloud for a couple of weeks in August? That was a trip…a disgusting, migraine inducing trip. Since we were already surrounded by smoke, the idea of smoking flower or doing a dab was not appealing on any level whatsoever. So what’s a stoner gal to do? Turn to edibles of course! And no edible is more consistently fabulous than my favorite, Pioneer Squares. The flavors are always en pointe! There is a variety of different kinds but my favorite is the watermelon-kiwi. The high has never overwhelmed me into panic. Also, it has a piece of dried fruit in there to make it extra tasty! What’s not to love?

3.) Blueberry Silvertip Cold Cure Concentrate by Oleum

I was never much into dabbing until this year. To be perfectly honest, it wasn’t until I got my job here that I began to explore this way to consume. I’m also always on the lookout for sativa’s that aren’t too intense or speedy. That’s when I found Blueberry Silvertip. This has easily become one of my favorite dabs. It’s definitely a sativa in the sense that I could focus on a task and accomplish it but the body high was strong enough that it kept me calm. It’s one of those strains where you have a big, goofy grin on your face that you can’t wipe off. It was and continues to be extremely helpful with the shut down ennui. It gets depressing when all you can do is watch TV, you know? Oh! And I can’t forget to mention the terp profile. This dab is absolutely delicious! True, I am a sucker for blueberry anything, but this one stands out. If you’re into dabs, I suggest giving this one a shot.

2.) Golden Pineapple by Phat Panda

This tried and true staple of Phat Panda lives up to the hype. I know, I’m definitely the type to aire on the reluctant side but I’m telling you: this is a great strain. The flavor is there every time. It also always delivers a fantastic high: bright, social, and happy. I smoked this on my 30th to celebrate during my drive-by birthday party. It made for a lovely time! This strain was also enjoyed when me and my roommates had game night. It was nice to have a sativa-hybrid that would perk me up but also calm me down enough so I could mediate on the positive things in my life. There’s not much more that can be said, this is some fantastic flower.

1.) Power Hour Lite Joint Pack by Raven

One of my all time favorite strains! Composed of Durban Poison and CBD-heavy, “The Lite” is 2:1 THC/CBD flower and it makes for a lovely, calm afternoon. If you have trouble with sativa strains fear not! The CBD calms down the speedy side effects. In turn, the THC helps to amplify the best traits of CBD. Raven hit a home run with this one! One of my favorite days from this year included these joints: it was a Sunday during the middle of summer when it was in the lower-mid 70’s. Everyone had left which meant I had the entire house to myself. If you’re an introvert like me, you understand how exciting this was. I was determined not to just sit in front of my TV during such a beautiful day so I decided to smoke a joint of the Power Hour Lite and think about how I would spend my alone time. From there, I made myself some lunch and decided to read outside on my porch. I grabbed ‘Uzumaki’ by Junji Ito and another joint for later. I proceeded to spend the next 3 hours enjoying the weather, reading an excellent horror manga, and taking a deep breath. It was one of the chillest days I’ve had. I cannot sing its praises enough, you just have to try it.

There you have: my top 5 strains that helped through 2020. What do you guys think, do you agree? What didn’t make the list that you think deserves a spot? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday!