I started consuming cannabis in Oregon in the early 90s. I have seen my state go through many transitions over the years, from a completely unregulated market with no dispensaries, to a state where dispensaries operated in the shadows, to regulated medical cannabis dispensaries, to full adult-use legalization. It has been a wild ride, to say the least.

Back in the earlier years of my consumption career cannabis was hard to find and if it was any good, it was really, really expensive. Ten years ago it was not unheard of to have to pay $300+ for top-shelf cannabis. In the early 2010s the price started to drop. It went down to $265, then $250, $225, and so on. Top shelf-ounces at Oregon dispensaries can still get up there in price, but that’s by far the exception versus the rule.

Medium-shelf cannabis is particularly cheap in Oregon. In decades past I would refer to it as ‘work’ or ‘beasters.’ These days the mid-range quality is often referred to as simply ‘mids.’ Whatever you call it, there’s a market for it. Whether it’s just veteran consumers looking for a deal or someone with low tolerance that prefers lower potency flower, the demand for mids is surprisingly growing with the continued rise of the modern day cannabis economy.

I often get into discussions on various social media platforms about what part of America has the cheapest dispensary ounce. That means that the final price has to include tax, the flower has to be lab tested, and the deal has to be ongoing – meaning no one-weekend deals. I heard of a dispensary selling $28 ounces in Eugene, Oregon last weekend, but that was just a flash sale from what I understand. I have been on the hunt for the cheapest standing-deal ounce in Oregon and I may have found it.

One of my best friends lives in Keizer, Oregon which for those that are not familiar with the town, it’s just north of Salem. It’s a standard working-class town with a growing number of dispensaries. When I was driving to my friend’s house I passed a dispensary called ‘Kush’ which had a sign on the side of their building with ‘$40/$50/$60 ounces. I had heard of $50 ounces before, but I have never heard of a $40 ounce prior to passing the building. I became very curious, for obvious reasons.

How good could a $40 ounce be? Prior to going into the dispensary, I posted on my Facebook about the desire to check the deal out. The replies ranged from optimistic to skeptical to trolling to ‘I get a better deal than that in the illegal state I live in!’ While I don’t doubt that someone can get a $40 ounce along the Southern U.S. border, I HIGHLY doubt that the ounce is seed free, lab tested, and free from contaminants.

The dispensary that sells the ounces is small but has everything a consumer would want. I personally prefer smaller dispensaries over mega dispensaries because I find the purchase experience to be less overwhelming. Rather than look at jar after jar and bug a budtender to the point that they get annoyed, I prefer to look at a decent selection of options but one that is moderately sized so that I can spot what I want in a reasonable amount of time. That’s how I would describe the Kush dispensary in Keizer. They are likely known for their $40 ounce, if for any reason because it’s on the side of their building. But they also had plent of top shelf options too.

The budtender on duty was extremely helpful. I explained to her that I was there for research purposes on behalf of internet stoner nerds everywhere. Even she seemed blown away that $40 ounces existed. I was surprised to find out that the deal was for an outdoor Jack the Ripper strain which tested at 14.13% THC. That was higher than I expected. I won’t sugarcoat it, the flower was obviously mid-level, but it was decent mid-level. It had a faint smell which perked up when I ground it up for the Volcano.

The nugs color was not too vibrant but it had decent crystal coverage for an outdoor flower. The structure of the ounce itself was solid. There was not a flake of leaf or shake in the entire ounce. The buds were tight and dense, but perfectly dry so it broke up nicely. It was a bit stemmier than upper shelf flower, but nothing too concerning. I would describe the vapor flavor as being a bit like beats. It wasn’t stellar but it wasn’t bad either. I puffed two full bags on the Volcano and felt relaxed after a very long, stressful day of work.

Overall I would definitely recommend the deal to people that are on a budget and/or have low to mid tolerance levels. Even as a seasoned consumer that has a decent tolerance level I was beyond satisfied with the deal. It wouldn’t be the first jar of cannabis that I grab but if I need to roll a handful of doobies for a hike or party or something, this is a solid deal. I wouldn’t say that I would ever crave this type of flower, but I would definitely make the purchase again. The flower may not be an A+, but the deal certainly is!