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High Passage: where to shop for cannabis on your way to Vermont
High Passage
Where to shop for locally grown cannabis on your way to the high country of Vermont
Above: Around 750 marijuana plants are ready to be harvested in the greenhouse at The Pass dispensary in Sheffield, Mass. Specialized grow lights automatically turn on to supplement the amount of the light that the flowering plants need each day. Berkshire Eagle file photo Right: A Canna Provisions staffer holds some freshly trimmed flower. Canna Provisions photo
By BrooKe geery
UpCountry Magazine correspondent
Vermont is known for its green — license plates,
mountains, and of course, cannabis. But while many Vermont farmers have perfected their own buds, for the general consumer, the ability to stop and shop for them is still about a year away. Until the first recreational retail outlets open in October 2022, visitors to the high hills of the Green Mountains should plan to come prepared. Luckily, neighboring Massachusetts has already cultivated a thriving marijuana market, with no shortage of locally grown products to choose from.
We’ve put together a guide with a few of the best locales on each route to make sure you’re fully prepared with herbal refreshment for whatever adventures you might enjoy. (Don’t forget your government-issued ID proving you’re of legal age.)
The Pass
1375 N. Main St., Sheffield, Mass. 413-644-6892 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week thepass.co
Surrounded by cornfields and next to a spirits tasting room, The Pass is the closest dispensary to New York, making it a convenient first stop if you just can’t wait to start your vacation. Open since July 2020, The Pass is a “vertically integrated” company, which means they do all of their cultivation, processing, lab testing and retail right on site at the Sheffield campus. All the flower you’ll find there was literally grown next door. If smoking isn’t your thing, The Pass also offers a large edible menu, including chocolates, gummies, mints, sours and toffee-like consistencies, and its bud tenders are armed with knowledge to make sure consumers know as much as possible. In addition to its own homegrown products, The Pass curates third-party goods from around the state. The Pass also offers pre-orders on its website, which will get you in and out as quickly as possible. There’s no shortage of parking, and you can’t miss the large blue building right on Route 7.
Jocelyn Moody, a cannabis “journey guide,” lets Vincent Gironda and Kristin Heenan smell some product during opening day of Lee’s first recreational marijuana shop,
394 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, Mass. 413-650-5527 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week 672 Fuller Road, Chicopee, Mass. 413-595-2011 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday theorywellness.org
Much like the canna-biz itself, Theory Wellness is ever-growing and changing, since being established in 2015. At the Great Barrington location, customers are encouraged to snap a selfie on their way out, and the small room is layered with polaroids, featuring visitors from near and far, proof that those normalization efforts are working. All the products offered at Theory are all closely controlled and monitored in-house, from seed to sale. Theory’s latest venture is Hi-5, a cannabis infused seltzer that has zero calories. Theory offers both medical and recreational shopping opportunities across its three Massachusetts locations. The Great Barrington location is located right on the main drag and is open to all customers; Chicopee is just off the Massachusetts Turnpike at Route 291 and offers a convenient drive-up pick-up window. If you’re in a hurry, pre-orders are available at all locations, with 24-hour-aday ordering, and same day pick-up for orders received before 8 p.m.
Canna Provisions
380 Dwight St., Holyoke, Mass. 413-650-2500 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week 220 Housatonic St. Lee, Mass. 413-394-5055 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week cannaprovisionsgroup.com
With two unique locations in Holyoke and Lee, Canna Provisions has lots to offer you on your journey. CEO Meg Sanders is truly a stand-out in the male-dominated world of cannabis, with over a decade of experience in the industry before bringing her expertise east to Western Massachusetts. Unlike most dispensaries, visitors are treated to an immersive shopping experience, with creative displays and access to view products before purchasing. One of Canna Provisions’ other claims to fame is its partnership with legendary grower Greg “Chemdog” Krzanowski. It is the only dispensary in Massachusetts where Chemdog’s Smash Hits strains, including the highly popular Chem 91, are available. For drive-thru purposes, Lee is especially convenient, located a mere 300 yards off the Mass Pike, with ample parking and a spillover lot. Canna Provisions in Holyoke is located downtown along the canals, about 10 minutes off highway I-91, with no shortage of lot and street parking. Pre-orders are available in both stores.
Silver Therapeutics flower held against the sky in Williamstown, Mass.
Silver Therapeutics photo
Elev8 Cannabis
243 Main St., Athol, Mass. 978-830-1420 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday elev8cannabis.com
Elev8’s first location in Athol is just the start for the burgeoning brand founded by Seun Adedeji, a DACA dreamer who started his first retail dispensary in Eugene, Ore., at 25. This made him the youngest African American ever to do so. Now focused on the market in Massachusetts, Adedeji fought hard to secure three licenses and has set his sights on border towns — Athol, Orange and Williamstown — to provide an inclusive experience with his diverse, hard-working and talented staff at the helm. Elev8 brings diversity to an industry that is unfortunately led by rich, white men. The Athol store is open for business about 5 minutes off Route 2, while the crew readies the forthcoming locations in Williamstown and Orange. Visitors will find a large variety of wholesale products from companies such as Curaleaf, Resinate, Holistic Industries, Levia, Cantrip and Freshly Baked. Elev8 is also one of the only retailers in Western Massachusetts to carry all Airo Vape pods, Jerry Garcia’s “Hand Picked” cannabis brand, B-Nobel pre-rolls and EOS farms flower (one of the first outdoor grows in Massachusetts). Elev8 customers are able to order ahead from elev8cannabis.com, iheartjane.com or leafly.com, but are encouraged to stop in to the store to interact with the knowledgable budtenders.
Silver Therapeutics
238 Main St., Williamstown, Mass. 413-458-6244 5 South Main St., Orange, Mass. 978-633-4225 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week Silverthera.com
In April 2019, Silver Therapeutics in Williamstown became the second adult-use retail shop to open on the East Coast. It has since expanded to Orange and has plans to open additional locations in Boston and Maine. Its motto “always take the high road” makes it a fitting location to wrap up this piece. At the OG location in Williamstown — directly on Route 2 — visitors will find a clean and cozy location in Colonial Plaza with lots of parking, but more important, the finest flower available in Massachusetts. Products are sourced from GTI, Holistic Industries, RevClinics, Gibby’s Garden and The Pass, just to name a handful. The majority of Williamstown locals choose to pre-order before stopping in, and it’s recommended for visitors, too.
