In the “dark ages” before the legalization of cannabis in Canada there was an entire industry of covert-style head shops that sold smoking accessories to users looking to enhance their experience. Now that the fear of persecution for selling pipes and bongs has gone up in smoke, cannabis users are being treated to a whole new array of innovative accessories to go along with the traditional favourites.
“We still have regular waterpipes,” said said Sonia Rondon, Shift Supervisor at the Wyndham Street North location of Qbud Cannabis. “But bongs and bubblers are becoming popular items, especially with shatter becoming available at more reasonable prices.”
A quick glance through the QBud website speaks to the new generation of items specifically designed for cannabis consumption. One of the most popular items is the standard line of accessories targeting vape users, which not only offers a hassle free way to consume your favourite strain but also a safer way according to Rondon.
“According to my CANNSELL certificate, vaping is one of the safest ways to consume cannabis,” said Rondon, who says the certificate is the equivalent of earning a Smart Serve designation for people license to serve alcohol. “Using an herbal vape, you put your dry flower inside the vape. It doesn’t actually burn the flower. Instead, it heats it up and basically toasts it at the perfect temperature. You inhale that and it’s not a harsh smoke because it’s not actually burning the flower.”
Vaping accessories include not only the vape units themselves but also cartridges that come pre-loaded or empty for manual loading. For those cannabis consumers nostalgic for classic waterpipe-style smoking experiences, Rondon says the bubblers are extremely popular. The units come with a honeycomb-style filter at the bottom that catches residue in the water so the smoke that gets emitted is clear.
One product segment that hasn’t seen much innovation is in the classic rolling paper, which offers a more tactile experience for the DIY types who prefer the experience of rolling over buying pre-rolled joints and edibles.
“The papers have stayed fairly similar,” said Rondon. “There are some companies that manufacture hemp wraps. We also have gold papers that are actually 24-karat gold. The new generation of smokers have been gravitating toward bongs or herbal vapes, mostly out of the pure convenience of the herbal vapes.”
As for anyone out there looking for products that inspire a sense of nostalgia, Rondo says there are plenty of options. “One of the great things about our products is we still have a bunch of old coloured pipes and bongs, things that bring back the nostalgia of hitting a bowl. We also have a collection of pipes for people who like to collect such things.”
Explore the entire collection of available products through the QBud Cannabis website at www.qbud.ca. Visit them at 128 Wyndham Street North in Guelph. Or call 519.763.7837.