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On my recent visits to Puffin Store in New Brunswick and Queen City Dispensary in Plainfield I saw a few brands that were new to the New Jersey legal weed market.
One of them was Flower x Edie Parker. Seeing these pre-rolled joints on their menus intrigued me because I recognized the brand name, but hadn’t previously associated it with actual weed.
Edie Parker, as far as I knew at that point, is a fashion designer. Before this year, the brand was known for handbags and accessories. They also offer eccentric glassware for smoking and joint-shaped purses, as I had suggested them as gifts in a post-holiday gift guide earlier this year.
The first time I saw this new line of Flower x Edie Parker branding while I was in line at Curaleaf Bordentown, the orange-and-blue striped package of the Nudist Peach crush cones caught my eye. There was also a pink and green box for the Strawberry on Top flavor. I grabbed both to test them out.
The peach flavor is released when you crush a bead in the filter of the cone — it is very subtle, mostly tasted on the exhale of each puff of smoke. I found them easy to use and they made me feel hip and trendy as I stuffed the peach-printed sheet in front of my friends. Most importantly, I could still taste the terpenes in my weed. It didn’t interfere with its aroma.
So naturally when I came across pre-rolled joints ($24, 1 gram) by the same name, I was curious. The very experienced budtender at Puffin who helped me choose a product based on effects suggested the Early Bird variety, a blend of strains Mandarin Zkittles and Rollie.
The terpene profile of this blend — limonene (citrus), beta caryophyllene (pepper), linalool (floral), humulene (hoppy) — suggests that it will make me feel calm and sleepy, kill my anxiety and inflammation, and elevate my mood.
I was looking for a cannabis product that would raise my spirits and manage aches without making me feel jittery or put me to sleep. My tolerance is very low, as I took a 10-month hiatus from consuming.
These days, I either microdose with edibles (consume less than 5 mg at a time) or time my moment for consumption perfectly.
Right after I ran a couple of errands, I stepped onto my patio to open the stylish lime green package. Inside, I found two clear doob tubes with a half gram joint in each. I popped one open, ran the joint under my nose, then lit up.
By the second puff, I was potently high; I could feel the back and neck pain melting away, and the floating feeling setting in. It might be my low tolerance, but I found this blend to be very strong. I puffed just three more times to really take in the flavor before I called it quits. I put the joint back in its tube to contain the smell.
I tried to go about my day, doing small chores around the house. After about 20 minutes, I could tell I was no good at focusing on any one task. The floating feeling was inhibiting. I needed to lay down. So I stayed in bed for about three hours, but I didn’t sleep.
When I got up again, I felt the more positive effects. My mood was elevated; I found myself singing aloud and thinking more creative thoughts. I felt refreshed and reflective.
This pre-roll had done everything I expected and needed it to do for me. While I didn’t enjoy the high itself (I just don’t like the floating feeling as much anymore), I enjoyed the effects and the aesthetic of the packaging.
For women, we make our shopping choices based on functionality and aesthetics. They are equally important. The whole experience felt delicate and feminine.
This is when I knew Edie Parker was more than just an accessories designer. The Flower x Edie Parker line is so much more than ashtrays or keychains. It’s more than joint-shaped barrettes or candles. It is a fully conceptualized lifestyle brand.
From high-end glass table pieces that double as lighters, pipes or ashtrays to lighters, stick batteries and weed storage options, the brand’s mid-century style aesthetic is fully embodied. Their motto, “where fashion meets flower” and the catchphrase for this particular line of products, “for a good time”, are telling.
Have a question about consuming weed? Ask me anything.
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Gabby Warren is NJ.com’s Cannabis Life reporter. She’ll be covering all things weed retail, commerce and culture.