‘Black Friday’ for weed: Check out Sacramento dispensaries, cannabis-infused recipes

Green Wednesday, Black Friday’s cannabis counterpart, is expected to bring the U.S. $90 million in marijuana sales the day before Thanksgiving, a 78% spike from daily averages, according to a recent report.

For the first time last year, Green Wednesday beat out Black Friday in cannabis sales, confirming its title as the second-highest sales day of the year after April 20 (420). And this year is no different as experts predict that U.S. cannabis shoppers will spend $251 million between Wednesday and Saturday, according to an Akerna flash report.

Consumers reach for cannabis for several occasions and the holidays are no different. Almost half of the adult U.S. population has tried marijuana, up from 45% in 2017 and 2019.

More than 50 years ago, it was only 4%. While a much smaller population of U.S. adults, 12%, describe themselves as regular smokers, a steady increase in recent years.

In short: cannabis consumption is a popular pastime and it’s expected to make the U.S. a lot of money over the next couple of days.

Thanksgiving Day is predicted to bring $4.6 million, the lowest in this week’s sales predictions, partly because of the shortened hours and closures of dispensaries and retail locations.

But Black Friday might garner around $88 million, up 71% from daily average sales — and probably become another top 10 sales day for cannabis this year. Saturday is expected to gross $68.4 million in sales.

Men are expected to bring in more than half of the U.S. cannabis sales, while those between the age of 30 to 40 are expected to be responsible for buying the most product at 31%, according to the report. Those under 30 are expected to trail behind by only 3%.

Here are other Akerna predictions for the U.S. cannabis industry between Wednesday to Saturday.

SALES BY AGE GROUPS

40 to 50 - 20%

50 to 60 - 12%

Over 60 - 9%

AVERAGE ORDER TOTAL

Adult use - $81.20

Medical use - $127.30

CATEGORY SALES

Flower - 48%

Cartridge or pens - 32%

Concentrates - 10%

Infused Edibles - 9%

Other - 1%

Here’s are a few nearby dispensaries offering discounts ahead of Green Wednesday and some cannabis-infused Thanksgiving recipes:

Sacramento-based dispensaries

Check with your preferred dispensary for holiday hours and prices.

A Therapeutic Alternative

Address: 3015 H St

Contact: 916-432-8353

Green Solutions

Address: 1404 28th St.

Contact: 916-706-0489

Abatin Wellness Center

Address: 2100 29th St.

Contact: 916-822-5699

Two Rivers Wellness

Address: 315 N. 10th St.

Contact: 916-389-0083

Delta Health and Wellness

Address: 2416 17th St.

Contact: 916-756-9851

The Sanctuary

Address: 2500 Grand Ave.

Contact: 916-340-8725

Cannabis-infused Thanksgiving recipes

The amount of cannabis oil specified in this recipe is a very loose suggestion and the actual amount you use should be modified based on the strength of your cannabis oil and the potency you desire.

According to Leafly, a website focused on cannabis education, making homemade edibles can be tricky. So the best way to test for potency is to start with one portion of a serving, wait one to two hours, then make an informed decision on whether to consume more.

So whether you want to cook with the marijuana you picked up from your favorite dispensary or take from your indoor grow stash, here’s a couple of recipes to get you baked.

Here is how to make a raw, vegan and paleo cannabis-infused pumpkin pie, according to Leafly.

CANNABIS PRODUCT

• Eight servings of cannabis oil

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

• 1 ½ cup almonds
• ⅔ cup raisins or dried cranberries
• ¼ cup coconut, shredded
• 1-2 teaspoons vanilla or water

Filling:

• 2 cups pumpkin, cubed
• 2/4 cups dates, pitted
• 5 tablespoons almond milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 4 tablespoons cannabis oil and coconut oil, melted

If eight servings of your medicated oil aren’t 4 tablespoons, add coconut oil until you have 4 tablespoons full.

HARDWARE

• Food processor
• Blender
• Pie tin

DIRECTIONS

1. Using a food processor, blend the almonds into the flour. Add the raisins. Finish with coconut and vanilla.
2. Add up to a teaspoon of water to adjust the consistency (the mixture should hold when pressed).
3. Press the mixture into the bottom of a pie tin.
4. Using your blender, combine the pumpkin, almond milk, spices and vanilla into a liquid. Add the dates and finish by blending in the oil mixture.
5. Pour the filling into the crust. Refrigerate for a minimum of six hours.
6. Bon appetit!

Here’s how to make cannabis-infused mashed potatoes, according to Leafly.

Servings: 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS

• 5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes (cooked and mashed)
• 2 (3 ounces) packages of cream cheese
• ¼ cup cannabis-infused butter
• ¼ cup regular butter
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
• Ground white pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Place potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain, and mash.
2. While potatoes are still warm, in a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cannabis-infused butter, milk, butter, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder and pepper.
3. Sprinkle fresh rosemary on top. Serve and enjoy!

For more cannabis-infused recipes, visit the official Leafly website.