Best dispensaries I’ve been to in New Mexico

Hello, my name is Ty McDuffey. I am primarily a writer by trade, but I also work remotely in the forests of northern New Mexico, running a media platform called Duff Radio via Starlink.

I’ve spent the past year living in and exploring New Mexico. After a two-year stint as a journalist in southeastern Montana, I moved down here to the Land of Enchantment. I thought Yellowstone County and the Gallatin-Custer National Forest in Montana and the Big Horn and Pryor Mountains stretching across Wyoming would be the most amazing places I’d ever lay eyes on. That was true until I came to New Mexico. The land and the people here have an incredibly unique spirit. The food is obviously among the best in the country. I’d even place it above some of the amazing Cajun food I’ve had in historic New Orleans. I’m a pasty white Irishman from the Midwest, but I’m cultured and unafraid to slap some green chile on my meals.

I also happen to love cannabis. I think it’s one of the most interesting plants on Earth, and I use it to inspire a lot of my work. The terpenes found in marijuana flowers are of particular interest to me. For example, terpenes like myrcene, limonene, linalool, and pinene are also found in peppermint, mangoes, pine needles, lemongrass, thyme, basil, lavender, and many citrus fruits, making cannabis one of the most unique and effective plant medicines available.

I think New Mexico is the best state for marijuana, even competing with Colorado. These are my favorite dispensaries I’ve been to in New Mexico:

Hashtag Cannabis at 2460 Missouri Ave in Las Cruces

Hashtag Cannabis was the first place I visited after moving to Las Cruces because I read online that they sold clones. For $40, I picked up a heavy indica clone that I named Jazzy. I grew her from June to October and got a huge yield of flowers. I grew her outside from the house I rented by Red Hawk Golf Course and moved her inside once the temperature reached 80 degrees (which does not take long in Las Cruces during the summers - maybe until 11 a.m.).

Jazzy grew some big purple buds despite me being on a learning curve during my first time growing. The guy who cultivates the plants in the back of Hashtag is knowledgeable about all aspects of growing and harvesting marijuana. I’d highly recommend that anybody talk to him and check this place out.

Cannaverse at 2305 Nevada Ave in Las Cruces

Cannaverse is another dispensary I frequented during my summer in Las Cruces. They’re open 24/7 and have recently remodeled. I went there on many mornings before my first times hiking in the Organ Mountains at Aguirre Springs and Achenbach Canyon.

Small world story - I’m from Camdenton, Missouri. On the Aguirre Springs trail, I ran into two guys who were stationed with the army in El Paso. They were from Bolivar, Missouri, about an hour from where I grew up. I thought it was crazy that all 3 of us young men found our way from Mid-Missouri down to the same part of the desert.

Bighorn Weed at 536 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte in Taos

I picked up some local Don Lemon strain clones at Big Horn Weed. Bighorn Weed uses great flowers in their pre-rolls and doesn’t skimp you on a gram - they stuff them and make them thick, from my experience. The Don Lemon plant I picked up from Big Horn Weed appears to have the best genetics of any plant I’ve ever grown. It has a thick and sturdy stem. It’s tall and has flowered quickly. I’ve already taken clones from this plant.

High Horse - located on Main Street in Las Cruces, but they have another location on S Valley Dr

High Horse has a 24-hour drive-thru and good prices for quality flower. I used to hike last summer in the early mornings to beat the heat at the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument (I got lit up by mosquitos here, but hiking here and going off the beaten path is incredibly worth it). I always wanted to beat the heat, so I’d stop at High Horse on the way. There are pretty girls working at High Horse if you’re into that sort of thing. They have a scannable menu and fast service. Drive-thru dispensary windows were recently opposed in New Mexico via Senate Bill 6, but the New Mexico Senate ultimately voted in favor of an amendment allowing drive-thru cannabis sales to continue. I’m glad this service remains available.

Rocky Mountain Cannabis at 412 Silver Heights Blvd in Silver City

I got the best sativa preroll here. Smoking it while writing on the porch of an Airbnb in Silver City helped me spark ideas that led to a full-year business plan for Duff Radio.

I highly recommend going to Rocky Mountain Cannabis and visiting the Gila National Forest. While driving my truck through the backroads in the forest, I saw some wild pigs running around.

I stayed at this Airbnb in the early spring, which had an unbelievable view of the snow-packed Baldy Peak. I would love to go back and explore the forest more. It’s the oldest national forest in the US, once home to jaguars.

Cinder Weed Dispensary - 4420 Sonoma Ranch Blvd Suite C, Las Cruces

Cinder is a newer dispensary. I frequented it after its grand opening because it was close to my home in Las Cruces. The best dispensary is the one that’s close to home and work. They sell pre-rolls for only a few bucks, and the employees are cool. I made friends with a guy named Monte, who was an ex-border patrol agent. He had some incredible stories about the tactics people used to come over the border. We also talked a lot about psychedelics, technology, and God. If you’re ever in the area and get a chance to talk to him, I’d recommend it.

Matchbox Farms - 641 Thorpe Rd in Las Cruces

At Matchbox Farms, you can get an ounce of organic gas for $100. I haven’t been to any other dispensary that offers this deal. Their flower is grown in the Mesilla Valley without preservatives or pesticides.

I’ve only been to so many, but these are the ones that have stood out to me. These are not in any particular order, and I haven’t spent a lot of time in Albuquerque because I spent four years of my life in Kansas City, so I try to stay away from the big cities now. However, wherever you are, and especially if you’re close to one of these dispensaries, I encourage you to support the industry in our state.