By OG Strain

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Let’s get one thing straight right out the gate—OG Strain does not play about his flower.

I’m not the guy grabbing mystery eighths from behind bulletproof glass while someone who’s never smoked a joint in their life reads me terpene notes off an iPad like they’re ordering wine at a five-star restaurant. Nah. If I’m spending my hard-earned money, I want quality, I want selection, and most importantly—I want that “open the jar and forget what you were saying mid-sentence” type of experience.

So if you’ve ever wondered where I actually shop in the 518… I’m about to put you on game. No gatekeeping. No fluff. Just the real spots that consistently deliver.

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Legal Dispensaries: Where Compliance Meets Gas

1 – Stage One (Rensselaer)

If dispensaries were judged like the Olympics, Stage One already took gold, did a backflip, and lit a joint on the podium.

The owner, Mirk, isn’t chasing a bag—he’s chasing bragging rights. And let me tell you… mission accomplished. This place is easily one of the best dispensaries in the 518, and it’s not even close on some days.

The vibe? On point.
The selection? Dangerous.
The convenience? They deliver up to 25 miles—so yes, you can literally have fire pulled up to your doorstep like it’s Uber Eats for your soul.

And it’s not just a dispensary either—Stage One is really a full-on experience. They host legit concerts, run a studio/podcast setup, and have built something that feels more like a cannabis culture hub than just a place to buy bud.

If you live within an hour and haven’t been here yet, I don’t know what you’re doing… but stop doing it and go.

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2 – Electric City Cannabis Co. (Schenectady)

Now THIS right here… this is how you sell weed.

Electric City Cannabis Company said, “What if customers actually see and smell what they’re buying?” Revolutionary concept, right? Apparently.

Their bud tables are A1. I’m talking magnified views, full aroma access—you can actually meet the strain before committing. It’s like speed dating, but instead of heartbreak, you leave with an eighth of something that changes your life.

No long lines.
No awkward waiting rooms.
No “uhhh let me ask my manager.”

And the staff? They actually know what they’re talking about. That alone deserves a round of applause.

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3 – Upstate Canna Co. (Union Street, Schenectady)

Respect where it’s due—Upstate Canna has been doing this since before it was cool.

They’ve got experience, consistency, and that “we’ve seen it all” energy. When you walk in, you’re not dealing with rookies. These are vets. And in the cannabis game, that matters.

They didn’t just open—they set the tone.

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The People’s Joint (State Street, Schenectady)

This spot feels exactly like the name suggests—for the people.

Super friendly staff, chill atmosphere, and it’s never overwhelmingly packed. It’s one of those places where you walk in stressed and leave like, “You know what… life ain’t that bad.”

Always a solid stop.

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Cannabis City (Near the Casino, Schenectady)

Newer on the scene, but already making noise.

Good selection, clean setup, and I gotta give them props for their rewards system. Spend $200, get $20 back. It might not sound life-changing—but trust me, that adds up faster than your snack bill after a heavy indica.

Every little bit helps… especially in this economy.

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Pop-Up Vendors: Where the Real Hustle Lives

Now let’s talk about the heartbeat of the culture—the pop-ups. This is where relationships matter, quality speaks loud, and reputation is everything.

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1 – Higher Beings x Hudson Valley Green

This isn’t even a debate.

Whether you catch Higher Beings or Hudson Valley Green, just know you’re dealing with the same powerhouse energy. Danni Burns and Kevin Graham are basically the LeBron and D-Wade of this lane—different jerseys, same championship mindset.

The quality? Elite.
The selection? Crazy.
The prices? Arguably the best in the state.

You want top-tier flower without feeling like you just financed it? This is where you go.

They’ve mastered the balance of quality, quantity, and price—which, let’s be honest, is the holy trinity of cannabis shopping.

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2 – Buddah Brothers

If you know, you know.

Buddah Brothers consistently brings top-shelf strains, and yeah—the prices can lean a little higher. But here’s the thing… they’re willing to work with you.

You buying bulk? They’ll talk.
You trying to build a relationship? They’ll remember you.

And let’s talk about that Halle Berry strain… purple, pretty, and had me feeling like I had my life together for a solid two hours. A rare experience.

This is quality with personality—and that goes a long way.

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3 – The Gas Station (Not an Actual Gas Station… Relax)

Before y’all start in the comments—no, you are not pulling up next to pump 3 for an eighth.

“The Gas Station” is just the name. And the man behind it, Jmo? He’s pushing some of the highest quality flower in the state. Period.

Now… let’s address the elephant in the room.

$50 eighths.

Yeah… I said it. That’s premium pricing. That’s “special occasion” pricing. That’s “I just got paid and I’m feeling irresponsible” pricing.

BUT—and this is a big but—the quality backs it up.

This is the type of bud that doesn’t look crazy at first glance… but then you smoke it and suddenly you’re questioning reality, your plans for the day, and whether you’ve been underestimating this man your whole life.

If the prices ever come down?
This might be the #1 vendor in the state. No exaggeration.

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Farms & Private Growers: The Hidden Gems

Lazy Day Farm

Outdoor done right.

Lazy Day Farm is proof that you don’t need fancy indoor setups to produce absolute heat. Their flower is clean, flavorful, and priced more than fairly.

This is that “back to the roots” cannabis—grown with care, not rushed for profit.

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Johnny “Fed” Federighi (Private Grower)

Now this… this is one of those “if you know, you know” situations.

Johnny, aka Fed, isn’t out here vending or promoting. He’s not chasing attention—he’s perfecting his craft.

Small batches.
High quality.
No shortcuts.

If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on his flower—whether it’s gifted or purchased—you already know you’re smoking something special.

This is passion-grown cannabis. And it shows.

And while we’re talking about growers moving like that—respect also goes to John Gilboy of Gilly Greens. I haven’t had the chance to dive as deep into his catalog yet, but from what I’ve tried so far, it’s clear he’s cut from that same cloth. Small-batch quality, real attention to detail, and from what I’m hearing… he’s got some serious fire on deck that’s about to be ready. I’m definitely looking forward to getting my hands on more of his work soon.

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Final Thoughts: No Gatekeeping, Just Gas

I’ve bought weed from just about everywhere you can think of—legal, underground, farms, pop-ups, you name it.

But as of right now, today, this is the list.

These are the names that consistently deliver quality, experience, and value. These are the spots I trust with my money—and more importantly, my high.

So whether you’re a dispensary shopper, a pop-up regular, or someone chasing that small-batch magic… you’ve now got the blueprint.

I’m OG Strain…
And these are the places I recommend.

Now go get yourself something that makes you forget why you walked into the kitchen in the first place.

OG Strain

Let me paint you a picture.

You’re scrolling Facebook. Boom—somebody posts a nug shot. It’s glowing like it just got baptized in diamonds. Purple, orange hairs, frosty as a snowstorm in January… the kind of bud that makes you stop mid-scroll like, “Hold up… what is THAT?”

And then—right on cue—the experts arrive.

You know the ones.

“Yeah, that’s mid.”
“I wouldn’t pay more than $120 a zip for that.”
“Looks like it was rushed.”
“Definitely PGR.”

All from a blurry, over-sharpened, filter-heavy picture that was probably taken on a phone with a cracked lens.

Congratulations. You’ve just witnessed the Keyboard Cannabis Connoisseur in their natural habitat.

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The Illusion of the Instagram Nug

Here’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud:

The way cannabis looks is the LEAST reliable indicator of quality in today’s game.

Yeah, I said it.

Back in the day? Sure. Looks meant something. You saw brick weed, you knew what time it was. You saw something frosty, you got excited.

But this isn’t the ‘90s anymore.

Genetics have gone absolutely insane. Growers have mastered bag appeal like it’s a marketing degree. These days, everything looks good. Some look unreal.

I’m talking:
    •    Colors like a bag of Skittles
    •    Trichomes sparkling like they pay rent
    •    Buds so photogenic they could have their own influencer page

And guess what?

Some of that same “model weed” smokes like a wet napkin.

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Personal Experience: The Pretty Disappointment

I’ve brought home flower that looked like it belonged in a museum.

I’m talking centerpiece weed. The kind you don’t even wanna break up—you just stare at it like it owes you money.

Expectations? Through the roof.

Reality?

Meh.

No punch. No flavor that matched the hype. Effects? Forgettable. It was like dating someone who looks like a 10 and has the personality of drywall.

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The Ugly Duckling That Knocked Me Out

Now flip it.

I’ve had strains handed to me for review—stuff I would’ve NEVER picked myself. Why?

Because it looked… rough.

Not ugly-ugly, but definitely not winning any beauty contests. No crazy colors. No “diamond drip” trichomes. Just… regular-looking bud.

And then I smoked it.

BOOM.

Flavor outta nowhere. Effects that hit like a freight train. Terps singing. High lasting longer than your last relationship.

Some of the BEST flower I’ve ever had in my life came from stuff I almost judged off looks alone.

That right there? That’s the lesson.

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Dear “I Know Everything From a Picture” Guy… Sit Down

Let’s talk directly to you for a second.

You’ve never:
    •    Smelled it
    •    Smoked it
    •    Tasted it
    •    Felt the effects
    •    Seen the grower
    •    Known the cure

But somehow… from ONE picture… you know:
    •    What it’s worth
    •    Whether it’s gas or trash
    •    If someone got ripped off

That’s not expertise.

That’s imagination with confidence.

You’re basically reviewing food by looking at a menu picture and telling people how it tastes.

Relax.

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You’re Not an Expert Because You Grew Once

And don’t get me started on the “I grew one plant in my basement, now I’m a cannabis sensei” crowd.

Listen… respect for growing. Seriously.

But if the only thing you’ve ever smoked is your own harvest, and you’re out here critiquing everyone else’s flower like you’re hosting the Cannabis Olympics…

Stop it.

Experience matters.

Variety matters.

Trying different growers, regions, styles, genetics—that’s what builds real knowledge.

Not one harvest and a loud opinion.

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The Realest Rule in Cannabis

Here’s the only rule that’s 100% foolproof:

If you haven’t tried it—you don’t know.

That’s it.

Not 90%. Not “pretty sure.”
You. Don’t. Know.

And you definitely don’t know more than the person who actually smoked it.

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Final Hit: The Most Deceptive Indicator in the Game

So let’s bring it home.

Visuals?

They matter—but not the way you think.

They can tell you:
    •    If it’s mature
    •    If it’s frosty
    •    If it was grown with some level of care

But they CANNOT tell you:
    •    How it smells
    •    How it tastes
    •    How it hits
    •    How long it lasts
    •    Whether it’s worth your money

In today’s cannabis world, looks are marketing.

And some of y’all are getting sold… hard.

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OG Strain’s Advice (Take It or Don’t, I’m Still Smoking Good)

Before you call something trash…
Before you say someone got ripped off…
Before you crown yourself a nug Nostradamus…

Try it.

Or at least admit you’re guessing.

Because if all you’ve got is a picture?

You don’t have an opinion.

You have a guess with attitude.

And trust me… the real ones can spot that in about five seconds.

By OG Strain

There’s something I don’t talk about much on Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis).

I’ve shared parts of it on my other platform, but not often in the cannabis space — and maybe it’s time.

Twenty-six years ago, at 22 years old, I survived a house fire in a four-family apartment building. It happened early in the morning while the adults were still asleep. My son and stepson were toddlers at the time and inside the home.

I got them out safely.

I was the only one injured.

By the time I made it out, over 30% of my body had been burned. The skin on my back and shoulders was destroyed. I was rushed to Albany Medical Center and then airlifted to the burn unit at Upstate University Hospital.

I was placed on full life support. A tracheostomy tube was inserted so I could breathe. I remained in a coma for nine weeks.

Skin was grafted from my thighs to rebuild my back and shoulders. A rotating medical bed designed to prevent infection caused severe nerve damage in my hands. My left hand became permanently disabled — what doctors call a “claw.” Today, it has very limited function.

I survived. That alone is a miracle.

But surviving the fire was only the beginning.

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From Patient to Dependent

After years of surgeries and physical therapy, I was left permanently disabled — and permanently in pain.

Doctors prescribed powerful opioid medications. OxyContin. Oxycodone. Hydrocodone. For years, I was legally prescribed large amounts because my injuries were obvious and severe.

Then the opioid epidemic changed everything.

Prescriptions were cut back across the board. It didn’t matter who had legitimate pain and who didn’t — the system tightened overnight. My body, however, was already dependent.

To avoid withdrawal and manage pain, I turned to the street.

As prescription pills became harder to find, my addiction escalated to heroin and eventually fentanyl. I never injected drugs, but I developed a serious fentanyl habit — approximately half a gram a day, sometimes more.

It took me to very dark places.

Places where I began to understand how someone could lose hope completely.

Half of my graduating class from Scotia-Glenville High School Class of 1996 is gone — fentanyl, overdoses, COVID, cancer. The opioid crisis didn’t just make headlines. It erased people I grew up with.

By the grace of God, I am still here.

And three things helped save my life.

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What Actually Saved Me

First: My Lord Jesus Christ.
Through every phase — the fire, the coma, the addiction, the recovery — I believe He never left my side.

Second: Treatment.
Rehab programs. Medication-assisted treatment. I tried both Suboxone and methadone. Methadone was what finally stabilized me and kept me off fentanyl for good. It has been years since I’ve touched that poison.

Third: Cannabis.

Yes — cannabis.

And I don’t say that lightly.

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The Plant That Helped Me Reclaim My Life

Cannabis helped manage my chronic pain. It helped regulate my mood. It helped reduce depression. It helped me function day-to-day without returning to substances that nearly killed me.

I truly believe it is a gift from God.

Every time I use cannabis, I say grace — the same way I do before eating. I thank God for providing something that eases my pain and improves my quality of life.

And here’s something important:

Cannabis did not replace my faith.
It did not replace treatment.
It supported both.

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To Those Who Judge

There are people who don’t use cannabis — and that’s perfectly fine. No one has to.

But some choose to judge without knowing the story behind the use.

They see cannabis and assume weakness, irresponsibility, or moral failure.

They don’t see the scars.
They don’t see the nerve damage.
They don’t see the addiction survived.
They don’t see the lives helped.

I have personally spoken to people who were trapped in fentanyl addiction and encouraged them toward safer alternatives and treatment. Some of them are alive today because they stepped away from deadly opioids.

So before labeling someone because they use cannabis, consider asking why.

Not everyone who uses cannabis is intoxicated. Many use it medicinally and function normally. Some of us have built careers, families, and platforms while managing real pain.

Cannabis users are not a stereotype.

We are veterans.
We are parents.
We are business owners.
We are survivors.

And yes — we are made in God’s image too.

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Less Judgment. More Understanding.

This article isn’t about convincing everyone to use cannabis.

It’s about asking for understanding.

It’s about recognizing that people have stories you may never see at first glance.

It’s about remembering that compassion should come before criticism.

If someone chooses not to use cannabis, that’s their right. But dismissing or condemning someone who uses it for legitimate pain relief says more about the judge than the person being judged.

My journey took me through fire, disability, addiction, and recovery.

Cannabis is part of how I stayed alive.

That’s not rebellion.
That’s survival.

And if sharing my story helps even one person choose treatment over fentanyl — or choose compassion over judgment — then telling it is worth it.

Stay lifted. Stay loving.

• OG Strain