Our Favorite DC Edibles

When DC first legalized weed, it was super interesting to see the local community enthusiastically raise the bar for what cannabis edibles could look like. I attended pop-up events with infused chicken wings, pizzas, ice cream, cotton candy, and way, way more. Those are the ones that made an impression on me because I eat like a child. As the pop-ups went, so, largely, did the work of these ingenious chefs (though I’m sure you can still find some on Instagram to cater your next hootenanny). Now firmly in the storefront era of I-71, embers of that original fervor can still be found, and I want to share some of my personal favorites with you. 

This list is in no way exhaustive or in any particular order. What I want to do here is give you peace of mind about some common edibles you’ll find at I-71 services today, the ones I’ve tested personally and can confirm are effective. Y’know, just in case you want to avoid smelling like weed around your family this holiday season. 

How Cannabis Laws in DC May Be Shifting - 2022 Update!

All these great storefronts and delivery services that gift cannabis in Washington DC could be going away very soon. After several failed attempts to outright ban them by statute by DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and his allies, a Joint Task Force (I think that’s supposed to be a pun) of various regulatory bodies in the city will work together to inspect I-71 stores for compliance along all lines of their purview after Labor Day. They’ll make sure these businesses are properly licensed, don’t present fire hazards, and pay taxes, which sounds fine and fair on the surface. However, the announcement from ABRA (which regulates medical cannabis in DC) seems purposefully vague on the most important question- will these businesses be penalized for gifting cannabis? It is a foregone conclusion amongst these legacy business owners that the Department of Health will penalize edibles not made in a DC-licensed kitchen, so that product class will disappear, as may concentrates and vape cartridges, which are not specifically legalized by Initiative 71. The second question is what kind of penalties are these bodies capable of levying? It has been noted by the DC Council that ongoing raids by the Metropolitan Police Department typically only derail operations by a few days. I think the intent here is obvious- these agencies will be tasked to carry out their inspections with an eye towards even the smallest infractions in a bare-faced attempt to end the most equitable cannabis market in the nation. What this means for you, dear reader, is that we expect to see more services move to delivery and meet up models in the near future. Stay tuned, it’s going to get crazy next week!

Quick Reminder on How to Get Cannabis in Washington DC

Whether you casually consume edibles from time to time or even if you eat them regularly, finding the best weed edibles in DC can feel like a never-ending mission. Without the proper knowledge, you may find yourself on the wrong side of the law. 

If you're a first-time buyer, it is important to understand that the I-71 law allows anyone in the DC area to gift up to an ounce of cannabis. 

When you purchase a product in DC from a cannabis delivery service, you are receiving the marijuana as a gift. Here is everything you need to know about getting cannabis the legal way in DC. 

With a Medical Card

There are six licensed dispensaries in DC where you’ll need a medical marijuana card to visit. However, most dispensaries accept out-of-state cards or use DC's I-71 gifting services. 

When purchasing cannabis or cannabis products at one of these licensed dispensaries, you will need a state-issued photo ID, current state-issued medical marijuana card, or other state-issued documents. 

Keep in mind that if you forget your documents, these licensed DC dispensaries will not let you shop. While medical marijuana patients may visit their local dispensary as much as they'd like, they may not purchase more than four ounces within a 30-day period. As soon as your previous purchase becomes more than 30 days old, you will be able to purchase cannabis again. 

Without a Medical Card

While cannabis is now legal in Washington, there are no licensed recreational businesses or dispensaries to purchase marijuana products. Initiative 71 was passed by the city with a rider that prevented recreational DC dispensaries from being set up. 

Despite this, DC's I-71 gifting services give any adult over the age of 21 the opportunity to possess, grow, or receive cannabis as a gift. Adults over the age of 21 may only grow up to six marijuana plants at a time, three of which must be mature or flowering. 

Adults may carry up to two ounces of cannabis on their person in public. You may only share up to an ounce of marijuana with another adult 21 years or older. No medical card is required to order Washington DC weed delivery, and you can get edibles delivered to your hotel, apartment, or even a nearby café.

The consumption and sale of marijuana are legal in Washington for recreational and medical use, but the commercial sale of cannabis or cannabis products is still illegal. Marijuana was approved for recreational purposes in 2015 following the passage of Initiative 71, which allows DC residents and tourists who do not carry a medical card to receive cannabis products like edibles as a gift. 

Some weed shops in the DC area have taken it upon themselves to help DC residents sell small items like pencils or art and gift customers with free cannabis to show their appreciation. If you're visiting a DC dispensary for medical purposes, you will have to provide them with your medical card. 

Smoking in public in DC is illegal, and if you're caught, you will incur a fine. Because cannabis is not yet federally legal, weed delivery services won't deliver to any federal ground or building, and many do not operate east of the Anacostia River. Tourists and out-of-state visitors may utilize DC's cannabis delivery services to buy edibles.

Best Edibles in DC

Athena’s Gifts Baked Goods

It’s rare to find weed edibles infused with marijuana flower in 2021. The industry as a whole has moved to distillate, as it’s far easier to ensure accurate dosages. My personal preference is for flower-infused edibles, as the experience tends to be a lighter, brighter, more organic high. Athena’s Gifts honors these ancient ways, so when the Gentleman wants to get thoroughly stoned, this is what I reach for.

Puff Kings Gummies

What I like most about Puff Kings’ edible selection is the many options that include THC and CBD in the same product. This eases the weight of a THC-only edible high considerably, making it a more relaxing and long-lasting experience. It’ll still help you sleep at night, but it won’t knock you out in the middle of the day at responsible dosages. In my experience, this synergy is also better at relieving pain and anxiety. There’s some research that indicates CBD acts as a neuroprotectant against the side effects of THC, like memory loss. I really can’t stress enough what a beneficial combination these cannabinoids make.

Puff Kings typically offers impeccably crafted gummies, chocolates, cake pops, rice krispy treats, and brownies. Every so often, they come up with something really unique, like infused buffalo sauce in the summer and infused cornbread kits in the fall.  Commendably, they’ve offered giveaways of their CBD-only edibles frequently throughout the pandemic. Great folks, great products, what’s not to love?

Adose Wellness Gummies

Adose Wellness is a solid new addition to Washington DC’s weed edibles scene! Their core menu features some unique takes on crisped rice treats, like Churro and Strawberry White Chocolate, along with a wide selection of gummies to satisfy the sophisticated palate of any candy connoisseur. Blue Raspberry, Blackberry Lemon, and Peach Bellini are but a few of the many options available for your consideration. 

Adose Wellness’ infused treats are then categorized by potency and cannabinoid profile. Precise dosing, therefore, is of paramount importance, so naturally these are distillate-based products. Newcomers can feel at ease with low-dose THC at Level 1 or the CBD dominant combo at Level 2. Level 3 is a balanced 1:1 dose with 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD, still not intimidating. Level 4 edibles contain what is becoming the industry standard, 10mg of THC per serving, and Level 5 caps us out at 20mg THC/dose. No matter which gift you choose, you get 10 servings- so a S’mores crisped Rice Treat at Level 5 will contain 200mg total.  

I got to try out Adose Wellness’ gummy edibles myself recently. I ended up taking 60mg THC from half a dozen Level 4 Sour Watermelon gummies, which, yes, I know I could have eaten three Level 5s, let an old man have his candy, dammit! Then I supplanted that with a single Raspberry Level 2 (7.5mg of CBD, 2.5mg of THC). And then I fell asleep on the couch at 9pm, watching Matlock reruns, I presume. Ok, so maybe 62.5mg of THC is too much for me these days. I tried again, this time just 30mg, and had a nice, manageable buzz for the next couple of hours. Oh, and aside from their perfectly balanced flavor, the texture on Adose Wellness’ gummies is better than store-bought.

District Elixir Syrups

District Elixir is one of my favorite new DC edible finds and I’ll tell you why- their products are full-spectrum, flower-infused, strain-specific, and they take great strides to accurately measure dosing despite the inherent challenge. They offer classic baked goods like snickerdoodles, ginger snaps, and chocolate chip cookies in mini- and full-size options along with their cannabis syrups packed in medicine droppers. That’s a really great detail, because once you’ve figured out the right dose for you, you can dial it in with extreme precision. Syrups can be added to drinks to work as an edible- District Elixir suggests adding theirs to hot beverages like coffee or tea- but they’re sweet enough that you can drink them straight. 

While my own tolerance is still higher than the average bear, I know someone that has a terminally low threshold for ingested cannabis, so of course I ply them with edibles to find out how effective they are at low dosages. In this case, our tester was significantly stoned from eating a quarter of a miniature ginger snap, which equates to roughly 6mg of THC from Gary Payton flower. Personally, and especially on weekends, if it’s flower-infused then I’ll throw projected potency concerns out the window and just go for it. In this case, I ate a 150mg+ THC snickerdoodle made with Bubba OG. Onset took about 45 minutes, after which I enjoyed a relaxed and upbeat mood for the next couple of hours, a nice little window to get some quality time in with the Playstation and advance my quest for the Elden Ring.     

What were we talking about? Oh yeah, I tried District Elixir’s syrups, too, which is a good option if you’re counting calories. The package of 5 droppers, 1mL each, contained approximately 90mg of Zookies-infused syrup altogether, which I drank straight. It tastes almost like..hemp and honey? Regardless, onset was faster with this method of ingestion, closer to 30 minutes before my mind started to mellow and my anxieties all floated away. What was I doing again? Ah, right. Elden Ring. Excuse me.

Treats by Tre Ice Cream

Treats by Tre has been around the DC cannabis scene since the early pop-up days of I-71, but I finally got a chance to try them out and learn how long, regrettably, I've been missing out. Their edibles are all full-spectrum infused coconut oil created with flower from TbT's own garden. They offer dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free options across their menu of baked goods, chocolates, candies, and their most unique product line, frozen treats like ice cream and gelato. Fantastic so far, yeah? What really takes Treats by Tre to the next level is the lengths they've gone to ensure accurate dosing despite the challenges flower-based edibles present, by calibrating their in-house potency testing equipment's results against a trusted lab. Single-serving dosages are geared toward casual users, but there's no law that says you can't eat an entire pint of ice cream to yourself and I'm certainly not going to tell anyone.

That's a bit much for me, so I went hard on a Treats by Tree Cheesecake Brownie instead, downing the lot in-between meals. I started buzzing before I even made it up to kickstart the mental festivities with a joint, about 30 minutes later. Post-smoke and I found myself once again in The Zone, enthralled by the new Yu-gi-oh Master Duel game for the next 2.5 hours. The comedown was smooth and organic- no KO at the end of this ride, I just slid slowly back out of that altered state of consciousness and went about my evening, though I did enjoy a great night's sleep after.    

MOTA Tinctures

Don’t let the fancy new packaging with the candy skulls fool you — the MOTA brand of edibles has been around since the early days of I-71, supplying this city with some of the most consistently potent products around. I’ve tried just about every type of their locally-made distillate-based edibles and they all work: the hard candies, the gummies, the rice krispy treats, you name it. Their tincture, however, is the best I’ve had anywhere.

Tinctures can function like an everyday edible when added to a drink, with a typical onset between 25-60 minutes. But you can also take a tincture sublingually, which means under your tongue if you don’t feel like Googling it. When I tried a sublingual application with MOTA’s tincture, I was high AF in five minutes, and it subsided after a couple hours, like I had smoked a joint (ingested edibles usually last much longer). Mercifully, MOTA tinctures do not burn, so you can keep them under your tongue long enough to get every precious molecule of THC in your bloodstream. 

These days, you can find MOTA edibles at almost every storefront in town. I know for a fact that The Garden and All the Buzz keep them in stock!

Georgetown Kushcakes Truffles

Georgetown Kushcakes creates upscale desserts to delight foodies and cannaseurs alike. They concentrate primarily on two products that you’ll find in I-71 storefronts across the city: truffles and gummies. The gummies come in exotic flavors like pomegranate, lime, and tangerine. The everyday truffle lineup is Chocolate Chip, Milkshake, Mint Chip, and Peanut Butter, but they also release seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Spice and Red Velvet Cake. Speaking of seasons, they’ll break out some special treats every now and again to spice things up. Earlier this year they had jars of crème brûlée available and for the holidays, they’re breaking out the fudge!

Jackpots Gummies

Jackpots are vegan and gluten free gummy cubes that you’ll find in some of DC’s favorite I-71 shops like Gifted Curators, Legacy, and Peace in the Air. They come in brightly illustrated jars of 20 weighing in at 20mg of THC per piece, so you end up with 400mg. I had the chance to try these out myself recently. I had a 7 hour Amtrak ride, 'cuz I hate the whole experience of flying so much that I’d rather my trip take twice as long to avoid it. I’m not scared of crashing, I just loathe being rushed, taking off my belt so that my pants fall off my ass, my shoulders being cramped in the seat, and on top of all that, it doesn’t even feel like you’re moving. I mean, sure, you’re going faster than a train, but it feels like you’re in stasis. Shark’s gotta swim, man! What were we talking about?

A Cure by Design Plus Gummies

Talk about a blast from the past! If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you might remember me talking about A Cure by Design Plus from the old pop-up days and how their CBD tincture was a godsend when I got back from my cross-country roadtrip. My leg was jacked the hell up and A Cure’s tincture was the only thing that relaxed my muscle spasms long enough to sleep. I was slapping it on three times a day for the first month, at which point I was able to reduce it down to an as-needed basis.