Happy 4/20! Are you a marijuana enthusiast celebrating today?

For 420 Day, I’m going to visit a local dispensary for the launch of the High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan: People’s Choice judge kits. I’ll share more about the festivities from 420 in a separate post but click here if you’d like to learn more about Michigan’s Cannabis Cup. It will take you to the Cannabis Cup official site for Michigan and give you the details on how to get a judge kit.

The High Times judge kits are a great way to discover Michigan cannabis growers and vote for your favorite cannabis products. There are over 70 brands participating in this year’s competition and 284 entries were submitted for an estimated 290,596 grams of cannabis products.

You have the option to choose how you would like to consume your cannabis– flower, pre-reroll, edibles, concentrates, and more!

A “Happy People, Happy Plants” sign on display at Skymint Hazel Park dispensary

THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS SEEING SIGNIFICANT GROWTH

The cannabis industry has really come far within the last few years, hasn’t it? A few days ago, I was talking about this with a few friends of mine. We remember how things were really different in the 90s. Now, more dispensaries are popping up in metro Detroit and throughout Michigan.

“Girl, I’m still amazed I can have weed delivered to my house,” my friend Toya said to me the other day on the phone. “Things sure have changed, but you know what? I’m glad because it’s about time! Now there needs to be more focus on legalizing it everywhere!”

We are starting to see states make significant changes and legalize marijuana for recreational use. Remember, just 2 years ago, Michigan became the 10th state to legalize recreational cannabis. And earlier this month, Virginia became the 16th state to legalize recreational marijuana. While in March, New York also legalized weed for recreational use.

Through education and awareness efforts, more people are beginning to embrace the many benefits of cannabis.

What about you? What are your thoughts on cannabis? 

Two Joints is the cannabis brand and Skymint are supporters of The Last Prisoner Project. It’s a cannabis-based nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing restorative justice to the cannabis industry.

HOW I EDUCATED MYSELF ABOUT CANNABIS

About three years ago, I started researching the health benefits of cannabis. I wanted to learn more about how the plant could possibly help me with my anxiety and chronic back pain.

After reading many articles and literature on cannabis, visiting a dispensary for the first time, attending cannabis events, and connecting with other cannabis health experts, I decided to start using cannabis to help me with my health needs. 

Since then, I have been exploring the different dispensaries in Southeast Michigan. Skymint is one of my go-to dispensaries in metro Detroit and I always have a pleasant experience when I visit. Skymint’s team is helpful in answering any questions you may have about cannabis and will help you with finding the strain(s) perfect for you.

SHEEFY MCFLY X SKYMINT PRE-420 POP-UP

Last Friday, Skymint invited me to their “Pre-420 Pop-Up Party” with Detroit artist Sheefy McFly. The socially distanced celebration was held last Friday at Skymint’s Hazel Park dispensary located at 20940 John R. Rd. Sheefy featured some of his art prints for only $100 and he sold out of them within 10 minutes! 

Delicious food from Detroit, Black-owned The Lobster Food Truck was also available for purchase at the event. Curious to know what a lobster roll tasted like, I ordered a couple of mini lobster rolls and the loaded lobster waffle fries. They were SO GOOD! 

SIDE NOTE: If you ever see The Lobster Food Truck out in the D, make sure you pull over and grab you an order of lobster mac and cheese or a lobster roll.

Each week, the food truck travels to a different location so make sure you check out their calendar or follow them on Instagram to find out where the truck will be next. 


READ: HIGH TEA: CANNABIS TEA PARTY TEACHES WOMEN THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MEDICAL CANNABIS


“Wish you were here high.” Skymint Hazel Park 20940 John R. Rd.

4/20 INTERVIEW WITH DETROIT ARTIST SHEEFY MCFLY

Sheefy McFly has had a long-time partnership with Skymint. Last September, he painted a mural for the Hazel Park location and you can see it on the front of the building. Sheefy created the “Love and Peace” mural to raise awareness of citizens who are still imprisoned for marijuana convictions before cannabis became legal in Michigan. 

Perfect for a 4/20 blog feature, attending the 4/20 pop-up event gave me the opportunity to connect with Sheefy and ask him a few questions about the cannabis community.

During our talk, he shared his thoughts on why he prefers indica over sativa (“It helps me deal with my anxiety more”) and the decriminalization of marijuana in the United States (“Point blank– it’s gotta happen!”).

Sheefy McFly created the “Love and Peace” mural to raise awareness of citizens who are still imprisoned for marijuana convictions before cannabis became legal in Michigan. \
Sheefy McFly painting at the 2019 High Times Cannabis Cup

GOOD LIFE DETROIT (GLD): Can you tell me a little bit about your partnership with Skymint?

SHEEFY MCFLY: “I’ve kind of been teaming up with them. They’ve been telling me about community activities and everything. That’s pretty up my alley, you know like helping out Detroit as well, as promoting the positivity of cannabis. So we’ve kind of been going project by project. I feel like it’s a very organic partnership and friendship.”

GLD: What do you like about indica? 

SHEEFY MCFLY: “It calms my mind down. Calms me down a lot because I’m always moving, a mile a second. I like to have something that can just help me chill.”

GLD: We’re seeing more changes with the legalization of marijuana, specifically with the state of Michigan legalizing medical and recreational cannabis use. What are your thoughts on decriminalizing marijuana in the United States?

SHEEFY MCFLY: “It gotta happen. Point blank, it gotta happen. If rich white millionaires can make money off of something like a Black man or a brown man or woman trying to, you know, feed they house and home– you got people locked up for like 20 years, 50 years for stuff that they sell in their dispensaries right now. So I feel like it needs to be a level playing field where all of the crimes (referring to marijuana convictions) have to be expunged. And I feel like Black cannabis entrepreneurs need to have a hand in the development in the cannabis industry.”

GLD: How do you feel about how the new perception of people who consume cannabis is positively changing?

SHEEFY MCFLY: “You still got some stifflers, but I think a lot of people are coming around and seeing it’s an aid for nausea, anxiety, pain, and everything like that. I feel like people are seeing the benefits. It’s no side effects or anything like that so it’s not like the same thing as alcohol. I feel like until marijuana gets as dangerous as alcohol, we should let it in.”

GLD: Do you have any plans for for 4/20

SHEEFY MCFLY: “Every day is 4/20 for me! I smoke every day. (laughs) I’m doing the party at TV Lounge on 4/20. I’m doing the same thing I did here. Just like a pop-up with the weed, smoking characters, djing. 

Smoking just like everyday, though.”


Special thanks to Sheefy McFly and Skymint! Connect with Sheefy on Instagram and Twitter. You can also visit his official website here

Follow Skymint on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and click here to visit Skymint’s official website. 

All photographs are courtesy of Jennifer Hamra for Good Life Detroit.


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Written by

Jennifer Hamra

Freelance creative Jennifer Hamra created her blog Good Life Detroit in 2015 after relocating from Tennessee to Southeast Michigan.

Inspired by her love for personal blogging and photography, Jennifer likes to share her favorite Detroit things, from cool places to visit (the hidden gems are her favorite!) to the amazing people she has connected with over the years.

When she's not busy juggling family life and her creative projects, you can find her at an art gallery, community event, farmers market, or spending quiet time at home with a good book and cup of tea.

Jennifer lives in the metro Detroit area with her husband Travis and their six children.

Connect with Jennifer on social media @goodlifedetroit on all social media platforms or via email at [email protected].