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Schenecta-BLAZE Needs a Real Canna Lounge

Published

1 day ago

May 26, 2026

OG Strain

By OG Strain for Plugs Pages Magazine

There’s a strange disease spreading through the 518 this spring.

No, not pollen allergies.
Not seasonal depression.
Not even that mysterious condition where your dealer suddenly “fell asleep” right after you sent the money.

I’m talking about Lame-itis.

And Schenectady might officially be patient zero.

Now don’t get me wrong — there’s still some solid people holding it down for the cannabis community. The Growers Gathering by Damn Sam was a good time. Crisxotics always got motion. The Canna Mafia got events popping almost every weekend. There’s raffles, prizes, smoke sessions, music, networking, and enough weed floating around to make Willie Nelson forget where he parked his horse.

But here’s the problem nobody wants to say out loud:

Half the people showing up aren’t there to vibe.
They’re there to vend.

Everybody got a table. Everybody got a QR code. Everybody got business cards. Everybody selling something. Which is cool — that’s part of the culture too. Hustling is respected.

But where are the people just showing up to support?

Where are the people who come out with no agenda besides hanging out, smoking, laughing, and showing love to the community?

Because lately it feels like if you ain’t selling eighths, T-shirts, mushrooms, exotic soda, glass pieces, moon rocks, moon dust, moon shoes, or moon-flavored oxygen… people act like there’s no reason to leave the house.

And honestly? That sucks.

Memorial Day really drove it home for me.

I literally invited people over to review weed with me. That was the entire mission. No cover charge. No catch. No pyramid scheme. No “opportunity.” Just come smoke free weed and talk about strains.

You didn’t even need to bring weed.
You barely needed to bring pants.

Just lungs.

That was it.

I had strains lined up like a cannabis buffet. Different flavors, different highs, enough variety to make Snoop Dogg tear up emotionally. I put the invite out publicly. Open door. Pull up.

And somehow…
nothing.

A couple people tried to come through and had stuff happen last minute, so respect to them at least. But overall? It felt impossible just to get people together to smoke free weed.

FREE.

WEED.

Do you understand how insane that sentence sounds in 2026?

At this point, if you can’t get people to come smoke free weed, either the economy is broken or everybody secretly became Amish.

That’s when it hit me:

Schenectady doesn’t just need more events.

Schenectady needs a real cannabis lounge.

Not a smoke shop with LED lights and one folding chair in the corner.
Not some place pretending to be “420 friendly” because they sell incense and a Bob Marley flag.

I mean a REAL canna lounge.

A place built specifically for the cannabis community to gather, chill, smoke, laugh, network, trade buds, review strains, freestyle, play games, watch movies, and exist together without everybody trying to sell each other something every five seconds.

Picture this:

You walk in and instantly get hit with that warm cloud of loud. The lighting is dim with black lights glowing purple and green. Old-school stoner rock mixes with underground hip hop in the background. There’s lava lamps bubbling in corners like tiny psychedelic volcanoes.

Couches everywhere.

Not cheap waiting-room couches either. I’m talking dangerously comfortable couches. The kind you sit in and immediately forget your social security number.

Coffee tables covered in glass art. Ashtrays on every table. Giant dab rigs bubbling like chemistry experiments. Hookahs. Gravity bongs. Rolling trays the size of cafeteria lunch trays.

One room got old-school video games.
Another room got movies playing on projector walls.
Another room is just bean bags and vibes.

Maybe there’s a “Flavor Chamber” where people sample different terpene profiles like wine tasting for stoners.

“Ah yes… this one has notes of citrus, diesel, bad decisions, and unpaid parking tickets.”

Maybe there’s a “Moon Room” — some wild sealed chamber where people step inside while smoke fills the whole thing like a Cheech & Chong spaceship. Ten minutes later you walk out speaking fluent reggae and trying to high-five furniture.

Maybe local growers host taste-test nights.

Maybe local artists perform live.

Maybe there’s comedy nights where half the comedians forget their jokes halfway through and everybody laughs harder because of it.

Maybe there’s membership cards.

Maybe there’s lockers for your glass pieces.

Maybe there’s a giant terpene menu on the wall like a restaurant.

“Tonight’s specials include:
Garlic Funk, Banana Melt, and a strain called Divorce Papers that’ll have you reorganizing your entire life at 2 AM.”

And most importantly:

NO ALCOHOL.

None.

This ain’t a bar fight environment.
This ain’t people screaming over tequila shots and punching vending machines.

This is a cannabis sanctuary.

A chill zone.

A place people actually WANT to be.

Because the truth is, the cannabis community in the 518 has something special already. The people are here. The growers are here. The talent is here. The passion is here.

What’s missing is a home base.

A place where community matters more than transactions.

A place where people can build real friendships instead of just exchanging Instagram handles and disappearing into the smoke like a side quest NPC.

And whoever creates this first in Schenectady?

They’re going to print money.

Because people are starving for connection right now. Everybody’s isolated. Everybody’s trapped online. Everybody’s liking posts instead of living life.

The first person who creates a real, comfortable, creative, safe cannabis lounge in Schenectady is going to accidentally build the hottest spot in the entire 518.

And honestly?

I’ll probably be there so often they’re gonna start charging me rent.

If you build it, we will blaze it!

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2026 Grower’s Gathering: Cannabis, Clones, Cheap Ounces, and Enough Dogs to Start a Wolf Sanctuary

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2026 Grower’s Gathering: Cannabis, Clones, Cheap Ounces, and Enough Dogs to Start a Wolf Sanctuary

Published

2 weeks ago

May 10, 2026

OG Strain

By OG Strain for The Plug’s Pages Magazine

There are cannabis events… and then there are Damn Sam events.
And if you’ve ever attended a Grower’s Gathering hosted by Rob Robinson and Emily Harper — better known throughout the canna community as Damn Sam — then you already know you’re not just showing up for weed.

You’re showing up for a full-blown cannabis carnival where somebody’s grandma is buying clones, a guy dressed like Ozzy Osbourne is screaming into a microphone, somebody else is carrying a deer skull through the parking lot like it’s perfectly normal, and at least fourteen dogs are emotionally supporting everyone simultaneously.

This year’s Grower’s Gathering in Palenville, New York was another unforgettable celebration of cannabis culture, community, and controlled chaos in the best possible way.
Held at the beautiful The Griffin House, the event brought together over 50 vendors from all over the region, offering everything from premium flower and hash to genetics, clones, body care products, art, apparel, oddities, and enough cannabis deals to make your wallet nervous before you even parked the car.

And despite windy, overcast weather that looked like Mother Nature herself forgot her lighter, the turnout was massive.

Families came out. Friends came out. Growers came out. Smokers came out.
Even the dogs came out.
Seriously — there were dogs everywhere. Big dogs, little dogs, fluffy dogs, old dogs, dogs that looked like they definitely knew where the hash table was located. If you love cannabis and dogs, this event basically felt like heaven with food trucks.

Vendor Heaven for Cannabis Lovers
One of the highlights of Grower’s Gathering is always the incredible vendor lineup, and this year absolutely delivered.
If you were hunting for quality flower, Higher Beings powered by Hudson Valley Green had people stopping in their tracks with premium buds and good vibes. And of course, the legendary Kevin Graham dropped what may have been the quote of the entire event:
“Every day is a good day OG — every day we wake up breathing is a great day.”
Honestly? That man deserves to have that printed on a rolling tray immediately.
Meanwhile, if genetics are your thing and you enjoy talking terpenes like stockbrokers talk Bitcoin, No Mountain Higher had killer genetics that had growers hovering around the booth like moths around a porch light.
Need clones? No problem.
Smuggles 518 came prepared with clones and genetics for growers ready to kick off the 2026 season, while Haywood Buds also brought healthy clones that had growers acting like proud parents at a plant adoption center.
For people looking for wellness products, Stickman Body Care offered quality flower along with body care products that probably smell better than most people’s apartments.
Fashion lovers had plenty to spend money on too.
Hippiefunland brought colorful tie-dye shirts loud enough to be seen from space, while The Good Sheppards had hats and family silver that looked like something a stylish outlaw wizard would wear while trimming plants under moonlight.
And then came the ounce wars.

If you wanted dense budget-friendly flower, East Coast Remedies was moving $50 ounces that had people checking their pockets twice just to make sure reality hadn’t glitched.
Meanwhile, Shaka Joe’s — famously known as the Home of the Hundred Dollar Ounces — was doing exactly what they’re known for.
And for those wanting premium quality with delivery options nearly everywhere, Backwoods Beauties had $120 ounces and enough interest around the booth to make you think they were handing out winning lottery tickets.
Then, just when you thought the event couldn’t get any more interesting…
You turn a corner and suddenly somebody is selling skulls.
Because of course they are.
Central Oddities brought deer skulls, human skull replicas, furs, and enough strange collectibles to make the entire event feel like a cannabis festival collided head-first with a medieval curiosity shop.

And for hash lovers, Experienced Hashish was serving up quality hash that had seasoned smokers nodding in approval like judges on a cooking show.
Live Music, Great Food, and Ozzy Apparently Returned from the Dead
As if the cannabis itself wasn’t entertaining enough, attendees were also treated to live music and food throughout the day.
But one of the biggest crowd-grabbers was the Ozzy Osbourne cover band Garth.
And listen…

These guys didn’t just play Ozzy.
They looked and sounded so much like Ozzy that half the crowd probably checked the calendar to make sure it wasn’t 1983.
At one point, between the music, the smoke clouds, the barking dogs, and the smell of food in the air, the entire place felt less like an event and more like a cannabis-powered alternate universe where everybody somehow got along.
Which honestly says a lot.

Because unlike the typical drunken bar scene where somebody inevitably argues about nonsense and punches a jukebox, cannabis events like Grower’s Gathering have a completely different energy.
People were friendly.
People were helping each other.
People were laughing.
Growers were sharing advice.
Strangers were becoming friends over jars of flower and conversations about terpenes.
It was community in its purest form.

Damn Sam Does It Again
None of this happens without the hard work of the hosts.
Special thanks go out to Rob Robinson and Emily Harper for putting together another outstanding and memorable event and helping kick off the 2026 grow season the right way.
And major appreciation also goes to The Griffin House for allowing the community to gather there and create another unforgettable day for cannabis culture in New York.
Grower’s Gathering wasn’t just a cannabis event.
It was a reminder that the cannabis community is filled with good people, positive energy, creativity, laughter, support, music, food, friendship, and apparently an unlimited supply of dogs.

And honestly?
That’s exactly how it should be.

Much love,
OG Strain

Want to attend future Damn Sam events?

You can find upcoming events, details, and information at
Damn Sam Official Website⁠: www.damnsam.com

Watch the full event coverage from OG Strain
The full video premiere is available now on
Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis) on YouTube & the Channel⁠ link is below:

www.damnsam.com

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Community

Disconnected, But Not Out: A 4/20 Message From OG Strain

Published

1 month ago

April 18, 2026

OG Strain

By OG Strain

If you’re reading this, you’re already ahead of the curve. Whether you found your way here through theplugspages.com, had the link sent to you, or came across it another way—you’re one of the few still tapped in right now. And that matters.

Because at the moment, I’m operating a little… off-grid.

As some of you may or may not know, I’ve been temporarily restricted from Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger since April 3rd. As of now, I’m still in the appeal process with no real update or change in status. Not exactly ideal timing—especially with 4/20 right around the corner.

Normally, this is where I’d tell you to reach out through the usual channels—but clearly, this year requires a different approach.

The truth is, social media isn’t just about content anymore—it’s how we stay connected. Conversations, plans, everyday check-ins… a lot of that lives in those apps. So when that access disappears, even temporarily, it creates a real gap in communication.

And if you’re someone I talked to regularly—daily or weekly—you’ve probably felt that just as much as I have.

I’ll say it simply: I miss that connection.

But we’re not here to dwell—we’ve got a holiday to talk about.

With 4/20 right around the corner, the question is simple:
What’s the move?

For those of you in the 518 and surrounding areas, consider this an open call. I’m still active, still outside, just a little harder to reach than usual. Whether it’s an event, a link-up, or just good company—I’m open.

Right now, the most direct way to reach me is through X (formerly known as Twitter). I’ll be including my profile link at the end of this article.

And this part matters, so read it carefully.

If you were someone I stayed in regular contact with—and you value that line of communication—then don’t leave it up to chance.

If you don’t already have my number, and you don’t currently have a way to reach me, then it’s on you to take that extra step. Create an account on X. Reach out. Even if it’s just a simple “what’s up.”

Not because there’s something urgent to say—but because keeping that line of communication open matters.

This isn’t about promoting another platform for the sake of it. It’s about maintaining real connections in a moment where the usual ones are temporarily unavailable.

The people who actually value staying in touch will make that small effort. And once that connection is there, it’s there.

At the end of the day, platforms change. Access comes and goes. But communication? That only exists if both sides are willing to keep it going.

So if you’ve been trying to reach me, or if you’ve noticed the silence—now you know where to find me.

And with 4/20 right here, there’s no better time to tap in.

Stay safe, stay elevated, and keep it real.

– OG Strain

⸻

You can currently reach OG Strain on X x.com/ogstraincontent.

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Community

Censored, Not Silenced: Why the Canna Community Needs to Evolve Beyond Facebook

Published

2 months ago

April 7, 2026

OG Strain

By OG Strain

⸻

Hey Canna family—it’s OG Strain here.

Let me keep it real with you right from the jump… if you’re reading this, it’s because I can’t post it where most of you are used to seeing me: Facebook.

Yeah. Again.

At this point, getting restricted on Facebook as a cannabis content creator feels less like a violation and more like a weekly subscription service—except nobody signed up for it, and the customer service is about as responsive as a brick wall with Wi-Fi.

But this article isn’t just about me being locked out. This is bigger than that. This is about all of us—the entire cannabis community—and the position we keep putting ourselves in by relying on platforms that clearly don’t support us.

⸻

The Reality We Keep Ignoring

Let’s call it what it is.

Facebook does not support cannabis culture.
And it definitely doesn’t prioritize free expression when it comes to our community.

Between automated moderation systems flagging harmless content and bad actors reporting posts, creators like myself are constantly walking a tightrope. One wrong move—or one strategically offended person—and boom… you’re locked out of your own platform.

And here’s the wild part: sometimes it’s not even strangers.

Sometimes it’s people who follow you… engage with you… laugh with you… and then report you.

Yeah. That part.

⸻

When Support Turns Two-Faced

Recently, I found myself restricted because someone who had been actively engaging with my content suddenly decided to take offense—over a simple tag.

Not a callout.
Not disrespect.
A tag.

Instead of reaching out like a normal human being—“Hey man, can you remove that?”—they went straight to reporting. Not just the post… the account. The whole thing.

Now I’m dealing with the fallout.

And while I’m choosing not to name names (because I don’t operate at that level), the situation highlights something important:

There are people who will privately support cannabis culture—but publicly run from it.

And worse… some will protect their image at the expense of your livelihood.

That’s not community. That’s cowardice.

⸻

The Bigger Problem: Platform Dependence

Here’s where I need you to really lock in.

As long as we keep building everything on Facebook, we are putting our voices, our businesses, and our movement in the hands of a system that can shut us down at any moment.

That’s not strategy—that’s vulnerability.

Think about it like this:

If your entire grow was in one tent… and that tent had a habit of randomly catching fire…
Would you keep putting all your plants in there?

Exactly.

⸻

It’s Time to Diversify—And Migrate

This is why I’m urging all of you—creators, supporters, smokers, growers, enthusiasts—to start branching out.

I’ve recently stepped onto a new platform: X (formerly Twitter).

And from what I’ve seen and been told, it’s far more open to cannabis content and free expression.

Now listen—I’m not saying it’s perfect.

But what I am saying is this:

We need options.

We need spaces where we can speak, share, educate, and build—without constantly worrying about being silenced.

Because let’s be honest…

You can’t grow a movement if every post feels like you’re sneaking snacks into a movie theater.

⸻

OG Strain Isn’t Going Anywhere

Let me make one thing crystal clear:

I’m not stopping.

Not because of a report.
Not because of a restriction.
Not because of any platform.

I will continue:
    •    Writing for The Plugs Pages Magazine
    •    Creating content on my YouTube channel “Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis)”
    •    Expanding onto new platforms like X
    •    Advocating for this plant and this culture every single day

Facebook might slow me down…

…but it will never shut me up.

⸻

A Message to the Real Ones

If you truly support:
    •    Cannabis culture
    •    Free expression
    •    Independent creators

Then now is the time to act.

Follow me on other platforms.
Stay connected beyond Facebook.
Build accounts elsewhere before you need them.

Because trust me…

The way things are going, it’s not if Facebook comes for you…

…it’s when.

⸻

Final Hit (You Knew This Was Coming)