Author: Angel Mills

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Cannabis Guides

Meet Ecto Cookies, the Strain Made for Sweater Weather

Woman in a black beanie exhaling smoke outdoors against autumn trees during a fall smoke session.

Meet Ecto Cookies, the Strain Made for Sweater Weather

Cool mornings, crunchy leaves and something sweet in the oven. That’s the feeling the Ecto Cookies strain brings to the table this fall. It tastes like a lemon cookie fresh off the baking sheet, with a little spice and gas underneath to keep things interesting. You can find it at every NatureMed in Missouri as rosin gummies, live badder and more. Its balanced feel fits the way fall days tend to go. They start out busy and productive, then wind down into a cozy night at home.

There’s a fun bit of history in the name, too. In 1986, a green Hi-C drink called Ecto Cooler hit shelves alongside The Real Ghostbusters cartoon. It became a cult favorite and stuck around in people’s memories long after it left stores. Years later, a breeder named a citrusy cannabis strain Ecto Cooler as a tribute. Ecto Cookies comes from that strain, so it carries a little ’80s nostalgia with it. It’s a light Halloween wink without being scary.

Woman in a black beanie exhaling smoke outdoors against autumn trees during a fall smoke session.

Where the Ecto Cookies Strain Comes From

Ecto Cookies is a cross of Ecto Cooler and Cookies N Cream. Ecto Cooler was bred by Seeds of Compassion from California Orange and Gorilla Biscuit. It’s known for a loud citrus and fuel smell, which is where Ecto Cookies gets its bright lemon side. Cookies N Cream brings the sweet, doughy dessert notes. Together they make a hybrid that’s usually listed as an even 50/50 split. That balance is a big part of why it works for so many different people.

The smell leans on the heavier side. Most people pick up a spicy, gassy note first, followed by sour lemon and a bit of woody pine. The taste is where the cookie shows up, with a sweet and sour lemon flavor that’s easy to like. The buds even look like fall. They’re forest green with lots of thin red-orange hairs, a lot like a tree that’s just starting to turn. A coat of bright white crystals sits on top, like the first frost of the season.

Burning Ecto Cookies pre-roll joint held outdoors with curling smoke in natural fall sunlight.

How Ecto Cookies Feels on a Cool Fall Day

People who try Ecto Cookies often describe a slow build. It starts with a happy, creative lift that creeps in over time. That’s followed by a soothing body feel that relaxes you without knocking you out. Most of the Ecto Cookies here comes as gummies and concentrates, so start low and take your time. Gummies can take an hour or more to kick in, and live badder is much stronger than flower. Our budtenders can help you pick an amount that fits your plans.

That creative first stretch is perfect for cozy projects around the house. Bake a batch of cookies, put together a fall wreath or finally start that puzzle that’s been sitting in the closet. A backyard fire pit with friends and a few blankets fits right in, too. As the calm body feel settles in, slow it all down. Throw on your coziest sweater, warm up some apple cider and settle in with a good book or a favorite fall movie. Plan to stay in for the night so you can relax without anywhere else to be.

Proper Dialed In high-dose full spectrum rosin gummies packaging surrounded by fall pumpkins and autumn leaves.

Ways to Try Ecto Cookies at NatureMed

The Dialed In rosin gummies are the easiest way to try Ecto Cookies, and every NatureMed has them. Each pack is 300mg, so you can portion out a small amount and see how it feels. For concentrate fans, Proper’s 2g live badder is also at all five stores. Some locations carry a Proper live rosin disposable vape for something easy to take along. If your store has the Daily Driver flower, it’s a great one to grind up and pack into a DaySavers cone. Selection varies by store and moves fast, so check your local menu before you head in.

Ecto Cookies is a sweet, easygoing way to settle into the season. Grab a pack of gummies for a cozy night in or try the live badder on a chilly weekend. It’s in stock at all five NatureMed locations in Kansas City, Gladstone, Independence, St. Louis and O’Fallon. Before you stop by, take a look at our daily deals to see what’s on sale this week. Then find your nearest NatureMed and browse the online menu to order ahead for pickup. Our team can’t wait to help you find your new fall favorite.

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Cannabis Guides

DaySavers Pre-Rolled Cones Make Rolling Easy

DaySavers Perfect Pack automated joint roller machines in black and yellow floating against a blue sky cloud background with finished pre-roll cones.

DaySavers Pre-Rolled Cones Make Rolling Easy

If you love a fresh joint but hate rolling one, DaySavers pre-rolled cones are worth a spot in your stash. Each cone comes already shaped and ready to fill, so all you do is grind, pack and twist. There’s no rolling skill needed and no wasted papers when your hands aren’t cooperating. Cones come in refined white, organic hemp and natural brown papers, so you can pick a clean burn or a more earthy, traditional feel. DaySavers also makes blunts, hemp wraps and a Perfect Pack tool that uses a screw design to fill a cone all the way to the filter. That makes the lineup a great pick for beginners and anyone who wants an even joint without the fuss.

DaySavers launched in late 2023 as the consumer brand from Custom Cones USA. That company makes pre-rolled cones for cannabis brands across the country. If you’ve bought a pre-roll at a dispensary, there’s a decent chance the paper came from a cone maker like this one. The team took that production background and turned it toward the people actually doing the smoking. Their goal was to make papers you can trust as much as the flower going inside them. In 2024 the brand also landed in Urban Outfitters stores, which brought tested smokewares to a much wider audience.

An open box of DaySavers ultra-thin natural brown paper pre-roll tubes resting on green grass, showcasing the spiral filter tips and eco-friendly packaging.

Why Tested Rolling Papers Matter

Most people don’t think twice about what their rolling papers are made of. In Missouri, flower sold at a licensed dispensary has to pass lab testing before it reaches the shelf. Rolling papers and wraps don’t fall under those same rules. That means a paper could carry heavy metals or pesticides and nobody would be required to check. When the DaySavers team started testing papers already on the market, they found plenty that failed. Since you burn and inhale the paper right along with your flower, that gap matters.

DaySavers closes that gap by holding its products to the same standards used for regulated cannabis. Every cone, wrap and paper is tested for heavy metals, pesticides and microbials like mold and bacteria. Heavy metals can show up when the plants used to make paper pull them from the soil. Pesticides can carry over from how those plants were grown. Microbials can build up during production or storage if conditions aren’t clean. Testing for all three gives you a clearer picture of what you’re actually smoking. That kind of transparency is still rare for a rolling paper brand.

Scattered DaySavers pre-roll cones with custom floral patterns and spiral tips laid out on a wooden table next to raw cannabis flower buds and packing tools.

Spiral Tips, Artisan Tubes and Limited Edition Looks

DaySavers puts real thought into how its cones look, not just how they smoke. The artisan tubes come in unique shapes with spiral tips that look good before you even light up. Some packs come with a decorative cigar band wrapped around the cone for a finished, gift-ready look. The brand also puts out limited edition artist series designs and holiday-themed filters throughout the year. For group sessions, there are party cones and eye-catching shapes like the pan flute. Sister brand Smoke Temple even makes a cross cone that looks more like a piece of art than a joint. Little touches like these make a regular session feel a bit more special.

Why Glass and Ceramic Tips Are Worth Trying

Some of the most popular DaySavers cones come with glass or ceramic filter tips already built in. A tip sits at the mouth end of the joint. It keeps the end from getting soggy, holds the shape steady and stops bits of flower from slipping through. Glass tips are smooth and clear, and the 11mm Fusilli glass tip has a pretty spiral design running through it. Ceramic tips use DaySavers’ Ceramicool design, which is made to help cool the smoke before it reaches you. Wood tips are another option, with natural, vanilla and sugar flavors that add a light sweetness to each pull. When you’re done, a glass or ceramic tip can usually be rinsed and saved, which makes it a nice upgrade over paper.

DaySavers Perfect Pack automated joint roller machines in black and yellow floating against a blue sky cloud background with finished pre-roll cones.

Cones for a Cause

DaySavers also uses its products to give back. Its Cones for a Cause line features themed tips tied to charitable giving. Cones with a rainbow flag tip send 10% of proceeds to LGBTQ charities. Cones with an American flag tip support veterans. The brand also works with 40 Tons, a group focused on cannabis social justice. Together they’ve run letter writing campaigns for people still incarcerated for cannabis offenses. It’s a simple way to make an everyday purchase count for something bigger.

Find DaySavers at NatureMed

At NatureMed, we want every part of your session to be something you feel good about, from the flower to the paper around it. That’s why we’re glad to carry DaySavers next to the brands you already know. Stop by any of our Missouri locations and ask a budtender which DaySavers products are on the shelf right now. They can help you pick a paper style, a tip you’ll love and a strain to pack it with. Before you head in, check out our daily deals to see what’s on sale. You can also find your nearest NatureMed and browse the online menu to plan your order ahead of time.

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Holidaze

Five Spooky Strains Haunting NatureMed Shelves This Halloween

Galactic Cannabis pouch featuring the Boo Berry strain, displayed in a spooky, foggy graveyard setting for Halloween.

Five Spooky Strains Haunting NatureMed Shelves This Halloween

Halloween brings out the best strain names in the cannabis world, and this year the shelves at NatureMed are leaning all the way into it. From a cereal mascot turned indica to a cherry-flavored nod to the dark side, these spooky strains earn their names honestly, not just with a catchy label slapped on a jar. Each one brings a real terpene profile and a real set of effects, so the fun is more than skin deep. If you want a Halloween lineup that actually delivers on flavor and feel, here are the Halloween cannabis strains to look for on the shelf this season.

A strain name usually comes from the breeder, and it often hints at the parent plants or the smell. That is why so many names end in “breath,” “mints,” or “berry.” Most of the flavor behind those names comes from terpenes, the aromatic compounds that also give lemons, pine needles, and black pepper their scent. Newer lab research shows terpenes are not the only players, though. Tiny amounts of sulfur compounds can add sweet tropical notes, and a compound called skatole can push the smell toward savory and funky. So when two strains with scary names smell nothing alike, chemistry is the reason. Checking the label for strain type and terpene notes tells you more about the experience than the name alone.

Galactic Cannabis pouch featuring the Boo Berry strain, displayed in a spooky, foggy graveyard setting for Halloween.

Boo Berry is the Friendly Ghost of the Bunch

Boo Berry borrows its name from a classic monster cereal, and it is the sweetest pick on this list. The best documented version is an indica-dominant cross of Blueberry and Afghani from Lost River Seeds. It smells like berries with a diesel edge and a hint of lemon. Its top terpenes are caryophyllene, myrcene, and humulene, and people often describe it as relaxing and pretty heavy by the end of the night. Our Boo Berry comes from Galactic as a 3.5g eighth, listed as an indica-leaning hybrid. Growers can run different cuts under the same name, so give the label a look at the counter. Right now you can find it at our O’Fallon location.

Close Encounters with Alien Mintz

Alien Mintz from Vivid is a cross of Alien Cookies and Kush Mints. Expect vanilla and mint up front with a little cherry sweetness, then an earthy, gassy finish on the exhale. Its main terpenes are limonene, caryophyllene, linalool, and myrcene. That mix tends to start with an upbeat head feel before settling into body relaxation, which makes it a good pick for a scary movie marathon. Vivid carries it in live rosin, live badder, liquid diamond vapes, and pre-roll five packs. It also shows up in Vivid x Proper moon rocks and a few infused pre-rolls. You can find Alien Mintz at all five NatureMed locations.

Vivid Cannabis jar for the Alien Mintz strain being abducted by a UFO tractor beam in a dark, moonlit forest.

Martian Melon, a Treat from Another Planet

Martian Melon from Galactic keeps the space theme going, and it is listed as an indica at our stores. Galactic has not published the genetics, so the name is your best flavor hint. It comes as a 1g disposable vape and a 1g terp vape. Terp vapes pair cannabis oil with added terpenes, so flavor is a big part of the draw. Disposables are ready to use right out of the box with no battery needed. That makes this one easy to bring along to a costume party or a late bonfire. Martian Melon is stocked at all five NatureMed stores.

The Monster Mash Afterparty: Monster Breath

That would be Monster Breath from Headchange, and it comes as a 0.5g live disposable vape. “Live” means the oil was made from plants frozen right after harvest instead of being dried and cured first. That process holds onto more of the original terpenes, so live products usually taste closer to the fresh plant. Plenty of strains with “breath” in the name come from cookie-style family lines, which tend to bring earthy, nutty, and doughy notes. Ours is listed as an indica-leaning hybrid. That fits a cozy night in once trick-or-treating wraps up. Monster Breath is available at our Kansas City store on Vivion Road.

Vibe Cannabis container representing the Cherry Deathstar strain, stylized as a UFO spaceship shooting red lasers in outer space.

The Dark Side has Cherries: Cherry DeathStar

Cherry DeathStar from Vibe Cannabis is the upbeat pick in this group. Reviewers describe it as a hybrid that leans sativa, with pineapple, berry, and diesel flavors. Its name points to Death Star, a well-known cross of Sensi Star and Sour Diesel, though the cherry side of the family has not been confirmed. Most people report feeling happy and energetic rather than sleepy. That makes it a better match for a haunted house or pumpkin carving than for the couch. We carry it as a 1g live vape at our Gladstone location.

Trick or Treat Yourself at NatureMed

A spooky strain name is half the fun, but the real win is finding one that fits your plans. Alien Mintz and Martian Melon are easy to grab at any of our stores. Boo Berry, Monster Breath, and Cherry DeathStar are worth the trip while they last. Our budtenders can walk you through each one and point you toward something similar if a pick sells out. Before you stop by, check out our daily deals to see what’s on special this week. Then find your nearest NatureMed and browse the online menu to order ahead. Happy Halloween from all of us at NatureMed, and remember our products are for adults 21 and older.

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Cannabis Guides

NatureMed E-Gift Cards: How to Buy & Use Yours

image of the store front of the NatureMed dispensary located on Vivion road in Kansas City, MO

NatureMed E-Gift Cards: How to Buy & Use Yours

NatureMed now offers e-gift cards, giving you an easy way to send someone cannabis products without guessing what they will like. You can buy one from your phone or computer, send it straight to their email or phone, and it works in store exactly like a physical gift card once it is active.

How to buy a NatureMed e-gift card

Head to our e-gift card store and you will be able to:

  • Choose the gift card amount
  • Select a card design
  • Send it through email or text, with recipient and sender information
  • Schedule the card for a later date, if you want it to arrive on a specific day
  • Pay through Aeropay, a secure way to pay straight from your bank account instead of using cash or a card

One thing to plan around: e-gift cards take 48 hours to activate after purchase. If you are buying one for a specific date, like a birthday or holiday, scheduling the send in advance is the best way to make sure it is ready and active when it needs to be. Buying one last minute for same-day use will not work.

Using your e-gift card in store

Once your card has activated, using it is simple:

  • Pull up your digital barcode, either from the confirmation email or a saved screenshot
  • Have it ready before you get to the register
  • Hand it over to be scanned, just like a physical gift card
  • The balance applies to your order like normal

E-gift cards are a good option if you want to give someone the freedom to pick their own products, whether that is a friend new to shopping with us or someone who already knows exactly what they like. Check out our daily deals to see what is currently discounted, or find your nearest NatureMed location and browse the full menu before you buy.

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Cannabis Guides

Fall Cannabis Essentials for the First Day of Fall

Hand holding a 2g Bambino Orange Cream pre-roll blunt over its black and orange packaging against autumn trees.

Fall Cannabis Essentials for the First Day of Fall

Fall officially starts on Tuesday, September 22. The equinox lands at 7:05 p.m. Central time, the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator heading south. After that, the nights start running longer than the days. That shift changes how most of us spend our free time. Backyard fires come back and weekends fill up with pumpkin patches and trail walks. This guide to fall cannabis essentials pairs each of those moments with picks from our shelves at NatureMed.

Missouri doesn’t change color all at once. Sassafras, sumac, and Virginia creeper start turning in mid-September, followed by black gum, bittersweet, and dogwood in late September. Color starts in northern Missouri and moves south, with maples, ashes, oaks, and hickories usually peaking around mid-October. By late October, the colors fade and leaves start to drop. That gives you most of the season to plan outings around. It also means your stash has to last through changing weather, which we cover further down.

Person holding a blue Amaze Cannabis flower jar outdoors, featured in NatureMed fall cannabis essentials.

Pick your fall mood

Bonfire night

Bonfire night is about friends, a fire pit, and something good to pass around. Proper’s 1g Marshmallowz preroll leads this lineup, and the name fits right next to a tray of s’mores fixings. Marshmallowz is a hybrid, which makes it an easy middle ground for a group with mixed tastes. Plume’s Blueberry Cream infused preroll comes in a half gram size. Infused means concentrate has been added to the flower, so it’s stronger than a standard preroll and a little goes a long way. Bring a torch lighter too, since a regular lighter struggles once the evening wind picks up. Keep the fire and the session in your own backyard or on private property where it’s allowed.

Pumpkin Patch

A day at the pumpkin patch means hay rides, cider, and a trunk full of gourds. The flavors of the season can carry right into your evening at home. Notorious Black Maple has a name that belongs next to pumpkin bread and maple candy. Rooted’s Apples and Bananas Mints preroll adds an orchard feel to the lineup. If you like to roll your own, Blazy Susan king size slim rice papers are thin and burn slow and even. Rolling a few at the kitchen table with friends is a fun way to close out a busy fall Saturday.

Sunset hike

Missouri trails look their best when the light turns gold and the leaves start to change. Plan on enjoying your picks once you’re home, though. Cannabis use is still against the law in parks and on sidewalks in Missouri. This lineup leans citrus, starting with Amaze Orange 3.5g flower. The Bambino 2g infused blunt in Orange Cream keeps the theme going. Dixie Peak Tangerine gummies round it out for anyone who would rather skip smoking. Edibles can take 30 minutes to 2 hours to kick in, so start with a low dose and wait at least 2 hours before having more.

Lit Bambino Orange Cream blunt emitting smoke outdoors, featured as a top fall cannabis essential.

Fall Care for Your Stash

Cooler nights mean the heat comes on, and dry indoor air is hard on flower. Cannabis should be stored between 55 and 65 percent relative humidity. Too much moisture raises the risk of mold, and air that’s too dry breaks down trichomes and lets terpenes evaporate. Terpenes are the natural compounds that give each strain its smell and flavor. So a jar left near a heat vent can lose that Black Maple or Amaze Orange flavor before you finish it. An airtight glass jar with a humidity pack is the simplest fix. Keep it in a cool, dark cabinet away from windows, since UV light breaks down terpenes faster than any other storage factor.

The rest of your fall care is about keeping things safe and legal. Missouri law bans public consumption, and smoking in a public place can bring a civil fine of up to $100. Driving after consuming is also against the law, so plan a ride if you’re heading to a friend’s fire. With Halloween candy showing up in every house next month, store gummies in their child-resistant packaging and well out of reach. Keeping cannabis secured matters, since calls to poison control for kids and pets eating edibles have gone up where edibles are legal. A locking box on a high shelf is a small step that saves a lot of worry.

Hand holding a 2g Bambino Orange Cream pre-roll blunt over its black and orange packaging against autumn trees.

Celebrate the First Day of Fall at NatureMed

Every part of this guide comes back to one thing. Fall is better when you plan for the moments you look forward to most. Stop by any of our Missouri locations and our team can help you build a lineup for bonfire night, pumpkin patch day, or your next sunset hike. You can also save during Happy Hour, Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m., with 20% off Franklin’s, Buoyant Bob 3.5g for $20, Kushy Punch Connect 0.5g live resin disposables at 2 for $120, and Amaze 3.5g flower jars at 2 for $70. Happy Hour wraps up just before the equinox on Tuesday, so it’s a good excuse to welcome fall with us. Browse our daily deals to see what’s on sale at your store, then find your nearest NatureMed and shop the menu to order ahead. Gladstone and O’Fallon customers can also get delivery within 10 miles of the store. Must be 21+ with valid ID. Please consume responsibly.

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Cannabis Guides

What Makes NF1 One of Missouri’s Most Talked About Flower Strains

Amaze Cannabis NF1 strain product lineup on a wooden table with fall leaves, featuring a blue flower jar, pre-rolls, and concentrate jar.

What Makes NF1 One of Missouri's Most Talked About Flower Strains

NF1 is one of those strains that gets talked about more in dispensary lines than in marketing copy, and there’s a reason for that. This indica leaning hybrid comes from a cross of Northern Lights and Chemdawg, two of the most respected names in cannabis breeding, and Amaze is now bringing a 3.5g flower version of it into NatureMed. If you’ve smoked either parent strain before, NF1 gives you a sense of both without leaning too hard into either one. It’s dense, resinous, and built for people who already know what they like in a nightly smoke.

Northern Lights carries a reputation as one of the most influential indicas ever bred, tracing back to Afghani and Thai landrace genetics. Chemdawg brings the chemical, fuel forward edge that a lot of diesel leaning strains borrow from today. When you cross the two, you get a plant that keeps Northern Lights’ heavy body relaxation but picks up some of Chemdawg’s sharper, louder smell. That combination is part of why NF1 has built a loyal following even though it’s not a strain you’ll see plastered across billboards. It’s more of a word of mouth pickup, the kind of flower regular customers ask about by name once they’ve tried it.

Person in an olive green parka exhaling smoke outdoors near a quiet lake, enjoying the Amaze Cannabis NF1 strain in nature.

What NF1 Actually Smells and Tastes Like

The smell is the first thing people notice, and it’s not subtle. NF1 carries a loud mix of chem fuel, lemon, and skunky diesel notes with a peppery edge underneath. That peppery quality comes largely from caryophyllene, a terpene also found in black pepper and cloves, and it’s one of the main terpenes inherited from the Northern Lights side of the lineage along with myrcene, which contributes the earthy, musky base note under all that fuel. Myrcene is also linked to the heavier, more sedating body feel that shows up once the high settles in, which lines up with how people commonly describe NF1 after the first ten to fifteen minutes.

Flavor wise, NF1 tends to taste a bit softer than it smells, more citrus and sour diesel on the exhale than the intensity of the smell alone would suggest. That gap between how loud something smells and how it actually tastes is common in Chemdawg leaning genetics, since a lot of that pungency comes from volatile aromatic compounds that don’t always translate one to one into flavor. If you’re used to a fuel forward strain smelling stronger than it tastes, NF1 will feel familiar in that regard, and it’s part of what makes it easy to smoke through a full bowl or joint without the flavor getting overwhelming.

What to Expect Effect Wise

NF1 is known for a slow build rather than an immediate hit. The high tends to creep in gradually, which is part of why people describe it as sneaking up on them if they’re not paying attention to dosage. Once it does settle in, the effects run heavy on the body side, with a relaxed, sometimes couch locked feeling paired with a calm, happy headspace. It’s not usually described as a strain for getting things done, this is more of an end of day or weekend wind down flower, especially in a 3.5g format that’s meant to last through a few sessions rather than get burned through in one sitting.

Because of that heavier body profile, NF1 is worth pacing yourself with, especially if you’re newer to indica dominant hybrids or haven’t tried a Northern Lights or Chemdawg cross before. Going slower with a strain like this isn’t a knock on it, it’s just the nature of a flower that’s built around deep relaxation rather than a light, functional buzz. Waiting between hits to see how it’s actually sitting with you is a better approach than judging the strain off the first few minutes, since the creeper effect means the real picture doesn’t show up right away.

Person relaxing on a dark brown leather sofa holding a lit joint, showcasing the relaxing effects of the Amaze Cannabis NF1 strain.

Why Amaze’s Growing Process Matters Here

Amaze grows its flower in living soil at a sealed facility in Moberly, Missouri, and stays away from synthetic pesticides across its cultivation process. Living soil growing works with the natural microbial activity in the soil itself rather than relying on bottled nutrients to force growth, and that approach tends to show up in the finished flower as a fuller terpene expression. For a strain like NF1, where the smell and flavor complexity is a big part of the appeal, that cultivation style is part of why the batch coming through NatureMed carries the kind of loud, layered aroma the strain is known for rather than a flatter, less distinct version of it.

Each batch also goes through hand inspection before it reaches the shelf, which matters more with dense, resin heavy indica flower like NF1 since improper drying or curing can flatten both the smell and the smoke quality fast. A well cured NF1 should have a tacky, sticky texture without feeling wet, and the bud structure should hold together instead of turning to dust when broken apart. If you’re picking up this 3.5g and comparing it to other indica leaning flower you’ve had, those texture details are a good way to judge whether a batch was handled right from harvest to jar.

Amaze Cannabis NF1 strain product lineup on a wooden table with fall leaves, featuring a blue flower jar, pre-rolls, and concentrate jar.

If you want to see how NF1 holds up against a Friday night in, this is a strain worth adding to the rotation, especially if heavier Northern Lights and Chemdawg crosses have worked for you before. NatureMed carries the Amaze 3.5g flower alongside a rotating lineup of other indica, sativa, and hybrid options, so it’s worth checking daily deals before you head in, since flower pricing shifts often. You can also browse the full menu and find your closest NatureMed location to see what’s in stock at the store nearest you.

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Hemp vs. Licensed Cannabis

Missouri Hemp Ban Update: What You Need to Know About HB 2641

A close-up shot of a wooden gavel next to a single cannabis bud on a wooden table. The image represents the intersection of law and cannabis.

Missouri Hemp Ban Update: What You Need to Know About HB 2641

Missouri lawmakers passed their own state law this year to crack down on intoxicating hemp products, and it is set to take effect on November 12, 2026. The bill is called HB 2641, and Governor Mike Kehoe signed it on April 23 after it cleared the Missouri House 126 to 23 and passed the Senate the night before. This is a Missouri law with a Missouri enforcement plan, built around the state’s existing marijuana licensing system, not something being handed down from Washington. It just happens to share its effective date with a similar federal ban, which is part of why the two get talked about together so often. The Missouri law targets what lawmakers call intoxicating hemp, meaning any hemp-derived product with more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. That covers a lot of the delta-8 gummies, THC seltzers, and vape products that have been sold at Missouri gas stations, smoke shops, and even some grocery stores with no age checks and no lab testing required.

It helps to keep the two laws separate in your head, because they are not the same thing even though they share a deadline. The federal ban comes from a provision Congress tucked into a spending bill last year, and it applies nationwide with its own definitions and its own 0.4 milligram THC threshold. Missouri’s HB 2641 is a completely separate piece of state legislation that Missouri lawmakers wrote and passed on their own, using Missouri’s existing marijuana licensing system as the enforcement mechanism. The two laws happen to land on the same date and use a similar THC cutoff, which is why people talk about them together, but HB 2641 would still take effect in Missouri on November 12 even if Congress delayed or changed the federal rule. That is actually written into the Missouri bill itself, if Congress pushes back its ban, Missouri’s law stays on track regardless.

Here is the part that trips people up. HB 2641 does not ban hemp itself or CBD in general, and it is not a national mandate reaching into Missouri. It is a Missouri statute that reclassifies hemp-derived products crossing that 0.4 milligram THC line as marijuana under Missouri law specifically. Once something is legally marijuana in Missouri, it can only be grown, made, and sold by businesses holding a Missouri marijuana license issued under Article XIV of the state constitution, which is the same licensing system dispensaries like NatureMed already operate under. Missouri officials have pointed to more than 40,000 restaurants, bars, and smoke shops across the state that sold these unregulated products in 2024 as the reason state lawmakers pushed this through. The bill also adds a Missouri-specific 21+ age requirement for intoxicating hemp and new privacy protections for people who shop at licensed Missouri dispensaries, and it puts Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway in charge of enforcing it.

CBD Delta-9 dispensary sign illuminated at night, highlighting hemp product retail market.

The Missouri Lawsuit Trying to Stop It

This is not settled yet, and the fight over it is happening right here in Missouri courts. A coalition of hemp businesses, including the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, filed a federal lawsuit in July asking a judge to block the state law before it takes effect. Their argument is that HB 2641 defines the same product as both legal hemp and illegal marijuana depending on which section of Missouri’s own law you read, which they say leaves Missouri businesses and even Missouri law enforcement unsure what is actually legal. The state of Missouri has pushed back hard, telling the court in a motion to dismiss that the law is straightforward, if a product meets the definition of a hemp-derived cannabinoid product over that THC threshold, Missouri treats it as marijuana, full stop.

As of late August, the case is sitting with Judge M. Douglas Harpool in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, and he has not ruled yet on whether the lawsuit moves forward or gets dismissed. That means right now, there is no injunction in place, so Missouri’s law is still on track to take effect November 12 unless something changes in the next couple months. This is a genuinely unsettled situation specific to Missouri, and if you sell or use hemp products outside of a licensed Missouri dispensary, this lawsuit is the thing to watch. A ruling could come down any time between now and the deadline, and it could go either way.

A set of old-fashioned brass scales of justice with a large cannabis bud in each tray, perfectly balanced. The image symbolizes the legal considerations and fairness surrounding cannabis.

What Actually Changes for Missouri Shoppers

For someone who already shops at a licensed Missouri dispensary, the honest answer is not much changes for you directly. Everything on our shelves already goes through Missouri’s marijuana regulatory system, which means lab testing, tracked seed-to-sale compliance, and age verification are already standard under state rules that predate this new law. What this law really reshapes is the stuff sold outside that system entirely across Missouri, the THC seltzers at a bar, the delta-8 vape at a gas station counter, the loosely labeled gummies with no batch testing behind them. Once November 12 hits, if that product has more than 0.4 milligrams of THC in the container, Missouri law says it cannot be sold anywhere except a licensed dispensary, and most of those unlicensed Missouri sellers do not hold a marijuana license and cannot get one under the state’s current cap.

That last point is actually central to the lawsuit itself. Missouri has already issued the maximum number of marijuana licenses the state currently allows and is not accepting new applications, so existing Missouri hemp retailers who want to keep selling these products legitimately do not have a clear path to get licensed even if they wanted to. Whatever happens with the court case, the practical reality already points toward Missouri’s licensed dispensaries becoming the only lawful place in the state to buy anything over that THC threshold. If you have been picking up hemp-derived THC products somewhere other than a Missouri dispensary, this is a good year to already know where your nearest licensed option is.

A close-up shot of a wooden gavel next to a single cannabis bud on a wooden table. The image represents the intersection of law and cannabis.

We will keep watching how this plays out and update our customers as the lawsuit and the November deadline get closer. In the meantime, our shelves are already stocked with lab-tested, properly regulated products across every category, from flower to edibles to vapes, all sold the way this new law says it should be. If you want to see what is on sale this week, check out our daily deals before you head in. And if you are not sure which of our five Missouri locations is closest to you, our locations and online menu page makes it easy to find your nearest NatureMed and see what is in stock before you go.

Categories
Cannabis Guides

September Strain of the Month: Apple Tartz

Apple Tartz cannabis nugs served alongside a slice of apple pie topped with edible flowers

September Strain of the Month: Apple Tartz

Fall doesn’t officially start until the equinox, but the shift shows up early in Missouri. Cooler mornings, shorter daylight, and that unmistakable pull toward anything that tastes like an orchard. This year NatureMed’s September strain of the month leans directly into that craving. Apple Tartz is a hybrid strain built on a genuine sour apple and pastry flavor, and it’s stocked at every one of our five Missouri locations right now, from Kansas City to St. Louis.

Apple Tartz comes from a cross of Runtz and Apple Fritter, two parent strains that each bring something specific to the final result. Runtz contributes its sugary, candy-forward sweetness and a dense trichome coat that gives the buds their frosted look. Apple Fritter is one of the most recognizable apple-flavored strains in cannabis. It’s known for a rich, dessert-like profile that genuinely reads as tart green apple with a baked, pastry-adjacent finish. When those two genetics combine, the result is a strain that tastes closer to an actual apple tart than most fruit-named flower ever manages to pull off.

Man smiling while loading a bowl of apple tartz strain in a bong outdoors in a forest setting

Why Apple Tartz Tastes Like Fall

That apple flavor comes down to terpenes, the aromatic compounds in cannabis responsible for how a strain smells and tastes, and that also shape how the effects feel. Apple Tartz carries a terpene profile led by caryophyllene, limonene, and myrcene. Caryophyllene is the same compound found in black pepper, and it adds a warm, slightly spicy undertone that shows up as that cinnamon-adjacent note underneath the fruit. Limonene brings the bright, citrus-leaning sharpness that makes the apple taste crisp instead of flat. Myrcene rounds things out with an earthy, almost tropical base that keeps the whole profile from tipping too sweet.

This exact terpene combination is why apple strains tend to cluster on dispensary menus around this time of year, not just at NatureMed. Cooler fall weather actually helps preserve terpenes during curing, since heat speeds up the breakdown of the same aromatic compounds that create flavor. Flower harvested and cured heading into fall often holds onto a sharper, more distinct terpene profile than flower cured during a hot summer stretch. That’s part of why apple and pie-adjacent strains taste especially true to their name this time of year.

Apple Tartz cannabis nugs served alongside a slice of apple pie topped with edible flowers

What to Expect From Apple Tartz

Apple Tartz sits on the sativa-leaning side of hybrid, which shows up in how the effects actually feel. The high comes on with a clear, uplifted mood rather than a heavy or foggy one, and a lot of people notice colors and music feel a little sharper within the first several minutes. That mental lift stays clear rather than scattered. It’s a strain people reach for during creative projects or conversations, or anything that benefits from a little extra focus instead of a full slowdown. Physically, the effects lean relaxing without being sedating, easing tension in the shoulders or jaw without pulling you toward the couch for the rest of the day.

That balance is what makes Apple Tartz work as a fall pick specifically. Late summer and early fall in Missouri often mean outdoor plans that are still on the table. Football weekends, farmers markets, and patio hangs before the weather turns all call for a strain that keeps you sharp and social rather than one built purely for winding down at the end of the night. It holds its own during the day and still feels right easing into an evening.

Close-up of an Apple Tartz cannabis bud held up against a clear blue sky

Find Apple Tartz at NatureMed This September

Apple Tartz is in stock across all five NatureMed locations throughout September, so there’s no need to track down which store happens to have it. Whether you’re closest to Kansas City, Gladstone, Independence, St. Louis, or O’Fallon, you can check availability and grab it on your next visit. Stop by to pick up a jar, ask your budtender about it if you want a closer look at the terpene profile before you buy, or check out our daily deals for ways to pair it with a discount before you check out.

Shop our daily deals to see what else is stacking this month, or browse our online menu to find Apple Tartz at the location nearest you.

Categories
Cannabis Guides

National Dog Day: Cannabis and Pets Safety, Plus CBD for Your Dog

A husky dog licking peanut butter off a spoon held by its owner, next to a jar of Vlasic CBD Peanut Butter and a white bowl on a kitchen counter.

National Dog Day: Cannabis and Pets Safety, Plus CBD for Your Dog

National Dog Day lands on August 26, and if you’re a cannabis consumer with a dog in the house, it’s a good excuse to think about cannabis and pets safety, both the risks worth avoiding and the wellness products worth exploring. Dogs are curious by nature and their noses lead them straight to anything that smells interesting, which unfortunately includes flower, edibles, and concentrates. At the same time, more pet owners are turning to CBD specifically formulated for dogs to help with everyday stress, mobility, and comfort. Knowing the difference between what belongs in your stash and what belongs in your dog’s bowl is the whole point of this post.

A man sitting on a brown living room couch holding a small, long-haired dog on his lap while displaying a package of Vlasic CBD Soft Chews.

Dogs process THC very differently than humans do, and their smaller body size means it takes a lot less to cause a problem. According to the ASPCA, THC exposure can make pets appear dazed, disoriented, and confused, and they can have difficulty walking and maintaining their balance. Other common signs include a slowed heart rate, low body temperature, and urinary incontinence, and while urinary incontinence isn’t a symptom of most household toxins, it’s actually a helpful clue that points specifically to marijuana exposure. Edibles carry extra risk because dogs will happily eat an entire package of gummies or a pan of infused brownies without any of the self control a person would exercise, and many edibles also contain chocolate or xylitol, which have more serious health effects for pets than the THC itself.

What Responsible Storage Actually Looks Like

Responsible cannabis storage isn’t complicated, but it does take a little intention. Keep flower, edibles, and concentrates in a container that seals well and store it somewhere your dog physically cannot reach, a high shelf, a locked drawer, or a dedicated storage box works well. Treat cannabis edibles the same way you’d treat any other medication or chocolate in the house, out of paw’s reach and never left out on a counter or coffee table where a curious nose can find it during a moment you stepped away.

It’s also worth thinking about where you consume, not just where you store. If you’re smoking or vaping, secondhand exposure can affect pets too, especially in a smaller room with poor airflow. Cracking a window or stepping outside keeps the air clearer for everyone in the house, four legged or otherwise. And if you’re hosting people who consume cannabis, it helps to give guests a quick heads up about where things need to stay so nothing ends up on a low table within tail-wagging distance.

A black and tan dog sitting on grass outdoors licking its snout while an owner holds a bottle of VetCBD 500 tincture and a glass dropper.

CBD for Dogs Is Not the Same as THC

This is where it’s worth drawing a clear line. THC is the compound that causes the toxic reaction described above, but CBD is a different story entirely. CBD does not get pets high and is widely used by pet owners looking for natural support around stress, restlessness, and mobility, especially in older dogs. We carry two dedicated pet CBD lines in store, Vlasic and VetCBD, and both are formulated specifically for animals rather than repurposed from human products, which matters when it comes to dosing and ingredients your dog can actually process safely. Vlasic’s pet lineup includes CBD dog chews in a few different flavors along with an organic CBD peanut butter for pickier eaters or dogs who need something easier to work with than a treat, while VetCBD was developed by a veterinarian and offers full spectrum tinctures alongside calming and mobility focused formulas.

If you’re considering CBD for your dog for the first time, our budtenders are glad to walk you through what’s in stock and how each product is typically used, but for anything involving dosing, especially if your dog has an existing health condition or takes other medication, a quick conversation with your vet first is always the smart move. Every pet responds a little differently, and starting low and watching how your dog does is generally the right approach with any new wellness product.

A husky dog licking peanut butter off a spoon held by its owner, next to a jar of Vlasic CBD Peanut Butter and a white bowl on a kitchen counter.

If You Think Your Dog Got Into Something

If your dog does get into cannabis, staying calm helps more than panicking. Try to figure out roughly what and how much they may have consumed, since that information helps a vet assess the situation faster. It’s worth calling the professionals directly rather than guessing. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can be reached at (888) 426-4435. The Pet Poison Helpline is another 24/7 option at (855) 764-7661. Both charge a consultation fee, but it’s a small price for expert guidance that can save an unnecessary emergency vet trip, or catch a serious case before it gets worse.

None of this is meant to make anyone afraid to keep cannabis in a house with a dog. Millions of pet owners do it safely every day, and keeping cannabis and pets safety in mind is really just an extension of the same common sense you’d use with any other product that isn’t meant for animals, paired with genuinely useful wellness options built for them instead. A sealed container, a spot your dog can’t reach, a couple of phone numbers saved in your contacts, and a CBD product actually made for pets covers most of what a responsible cannabis household needs.

National Dog Day is as good a reason as any to give your storage setup a quick check, save those poison control numbers, and swing by to see what Vlasic and VetCBD have in stock for your pup this week. While you’re at it, take a look at what’s on sale, our daily deals change often and it’s a good time to stock up. And if you’re due for a restock or just want to see what’s in, browse our full online menu and locations to find the NatureMed nearest you. Give your dog an extra treat today, they deserve it.

Categories
Cannabis Education

How to Educate Yourself About Cannabis the Right Way

Gold herb grinder filled with ground cannabis flower sitting next to crystal pipes and a cannabis book on a wooden table.

How to Educate Yourself About Cannabis the Right Way

Walk into any dispensary and you will hear terms tossed around like everyone already knows what they mean. Terpenes, cannabinoids, entourage effect, live rosin. If you want to actually understand what you are buying and why it affects you the way it does, learning how to educate yourself about cannabis matters just as much as picking the right product off the shelf. The good news is that building real knowledge does not require a science degree, just a willingness to ask better questions and know where to look for honest answers.

The tricky part is that cannabis information online is a mixed bag. Some of it comes from people who genuinely study the plant, and some of it comes from marketing dressed up as education. A good first habit is checking who is behind the information you are reading. Is it a cultivator, a lab, a medical source, or a brand trying to sell you something? That single question filters out a lot of noise before you even get into the content itself. If a source cannot explain its own claims in plain language, that is usually a sign to keep looking.

Gold herb grinder filled with ground cannabis flower sitting next to crystal pipes and a cannabis book on a wooden table.

Start With the Plant Itself

One of the most useful things a new or returning customer can learn is how cannabinoids and terpenes actually work together, sometimes called the entourage effect. THC and CBD get most of the attention, but minor cannabinoids like CBG and CBN, along with terpenes like myrcene and limonene, shape how a product feels and functions. Understanding this helps explain why two products with the same THC percentage can feel completely different. Our own Cannabis 101 guide is a good place to start if you want plain language explanations of strains, cannabinoids, and terpenes without wading through a dozen conflicting blog posts first.

Learn to Read Your Product’s Own Paper Trail

Lab testing is another area worth understanding on your own, and Missouri makes more of this information available than most people realize. Every legal product sold in the state goes through mandatory testing for potency and contaminants like mold, pesticides, and heavy metals, handled by labs licensed through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Division of Cannabis Regulation. Products carry a license number beginning with MAN, CUL, DIS, MBW, MBD, or TES, which tells you exactly which regulated facility grew, manufactured, or tested it, and the state’s licensed facility lookup tool lets you verify it. Learning to read a certificate of analysis, even at a basic level, tells you what is actually in the product you are holding instead of relying on the label copy alone.

Vibrant green cannabis plants growing inside a large commercial greenhouse cultivation facility.

Use Sources That Actually Teach, Not Just Sell

Once you know what to look for, the next step is finding sources built around teaching rather than converting a sale. The DHSS cannabis page linked above is a solid starting point since it explains testing standards, purchase limits, and legal requirements in plain language straight from the regulator. University extension programs and public health departments have also started publishing straightforward, non biased cannabis education as the legal market has grown, and those resources tend to hold up better over time than a random blog post with no author listed.

Budtenders are also an underused resource for real education, not just recommendations. A good budtender can explain why a specific terpene profile might feel more relaxing or more energizing, walk you through the difference between live resin and distillate, or explain what a particular consumption method actually does in your body versus what people assume it does. Asking questions in the store, not just online, gives you information that is tailored to what is actually on the shelf that day, and it is one of the fastest ways to close the gap between what you read and what you actually experience.

Smartphone displaying digital cannabis education books and cookbooks next to a pre-roll joint.

Build the Habit, Not Just the Knowledge

The most effective approach is not trying to learn everything at once. Pick one thing to understand better each time you shop, whether that is a cultivation method, a specific terpene, or how edibles are dosed differently from flower. Over time those small pieces add up to a real, working understanding of cannabis that holds up whether you are shopping for yourself or helping someone else through their first purchase. This kind of steady curiosity is what separates a casual buyer from someone who genuinely knows the product they are using.

None of this education has to happen in isolation, and that is exactly what our team is here for. Next time you are in one of our stores, ask a question you have been sitting on, browse our Cannabis 101 page before your visit, and let our budtenders help fill in the gaps between what you read and what actually works for you. While you are putting that new knowledge to use, check out our daily deals, or browse our online menu to see what is available at the location nearest you.