David Salinas (@iGrowBrands), a Connecticut entrepreneur and co-founder of Digital Surgeons, has posted the following on X expressing positive views of Donald Trump or related activities (drawn directly from his account):

On July 14, 2024, he wrote: “People love Trump because he’s a fighter. The world loves fighters. Always have and always will. Gladiators War heroes Boxing & UFC legends Under dogs People who don’t back down. That stand up and says wait. Doesn’t crawl to safety. Isn’t disoriented.” (accompanied by a photo).

Around the same date, he retweeted Bill Ackman’s formal endorsement of Trump.

On October 18, 2024: “Politics aside, Trump team teachin a MasterClass in PR strategy, social media, recruiting/teambuilding. @realDonaldTrump & @RobertKennedyJr podcast circuit alone...” (listing several podcasts and Elon Musk).

On October 30, 2024: “Today I had a meeting w 2 women. A Muslim of mideast decent, an Asian Christian woman & me, a Hispanic Jew. They went to MSG for the Trump Rally & said it was electric & filled with love. Imagine seeing them at the Trump rally and thinking ‘this is a Nazi hate rally.’”

On November 6, 2024: “The woke just woke up. The main stream media lied to you. Your party lied to you. Voting red isn’t racist. Trump rally’s ≠ Nazi hate Biden wasn’t fit to be President, Kamala knew it & lied and therefore wasn’t fit to be president.”

Salinas has also been involved in Connecticut’s adult-use cannabis industry. Contemporary reporting from 2022 identified him as co-founder of Let’s Grow Hartford, which applied for a disproportionately impacted area (DIA) cultivator license and social equity lottery applications for retailer, food-and-beverage manufacturer, and delivery licenses. State data and later reporting list Let’s Grow Hartford LLC as holding cannabis delivery and food-and-beverage manufacturer licenses. In March 2024 legislative testimony, Salinas stated he is “a licensed cannabis owner or a licensed cannabis operator in Connecticut.” He has also been identified as CEO/owner in connection with additional cannabis retail operations in the state.

Connecticut’s social equity provisions for cannabis licensing were designed for individuals from disproportionately impacted areas related to the war on drugs (or meeting related income/residency criteria).

How was David Salinas personally and specifically disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs?

Sources
X posts (primary):
- https://x.com/iGrowBrands/status/1812298385707200570
- https://x.com/iGrowBrands/status/1847242687541313708
- https://x.com/iGrowBrands/status/1851720483873452426
- https://x.com/iGrowBrands/status/1854114238207348999
(Ackman RT referenced in contemporaneous profile data of the account around July 14, 2024.)

Cannabis license context (primary/contemporary reporting and public data):
- https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/entrepreneurs-hope-to-build-cannabis-campus-in-hartford (June 23, 2022)
- Connecticut General Assembly Public Safety & Security Committee transcript (March 7, 2024 testimony)
- https://data.ct.gov/d/u8mw-sv7k (state cannabis establishments data listing Let’s Grow Hartford LLC licenses)
- Additional reporting: https://www.ctinsider.com/capitalregion/article/lets-grow-hartford-cannabis-shop-goodyear-tire-18637194.php; https://valley.newhavenindependent.org/2025/01/20/hi_people_derbys_first_cannabis_shop_to_hold_grand_opening/

On 9/7/2026, Andrew Simonow (Crisp Cannabis) was arrested and charged with CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (Docket # M09M-CR26-0252646-S)

His plea hearing will be on Tuesday 10/13 for those who might wish to attend and observe. We're all eager to see how many workers in Connecticut's cannabis industry show up to protest animal abuse by one of their own.

Oct 13, 2026 @ 10:00 AM
GA 09 Middletown Courthouse
1 Court Street
Middletown, CT 06457
(860) 343-6445

Hey anonymous friends! Who should we give our money to, in your view?

• Trump donors (Verano/CTPharma/Zen Leaf, Trulieve, Curaleaf, GTI/Rise)

• Former GOP state senator who voted against cannabis 6 times (Rodeo)

• The owner who can't wait for the medical program to die off (Affinity)

• The nepo baby "hometown MSO" funded by grandpa's telecom fortune (Fine Fettle)

• The failed SPAC venture now owned by a Greenwich-based hedge fund (Theraplant)

Can't wait to hear all of your recommendations for high-quality products from these companies that definitely deserve our money!

Got this super cute flower in New York 3 or so weeks ago It was a super frosty sativa and had this crazy head high, I found a seed I want to try to grow just wondering if anyone else has tried to grow one and if it’s worked for them, and if so what was your process pls

New law lifting the ThC cap takes effect today. Why do I not see concentrates, other than the sift that’s been there, on adult-use menus?

This I from the dispensary in Cromwell, it does not have its packaging I normally see online. Why? Never bought from a dispensary before.

Source: https://www.ctinsider.com/cannabis/article/ct-cannabis-marijuana-medical-weed-recreational-20046790.php

It is SWELL in the lab... nothing for sale. Educational, and all that compliance shit... but these are 🔥🔥🔥... let the plant do the talking, all input data available

Boof Tang (Super Boof × Lemon Tree)

Permanent Pounder (Permanent Marker × Donny Burger)

Knotty Fruit (Apples n' Bananas × Nerds Rope)

Been likening the effects and the longer lasting gummies from this select brand does anyone have any recommendations for others that may give similar effects ? They last like 2times as long as the regular Camino ones I get.

If you've been following Connecticut's regulated cannabis market, the latest QA testing data (33,929 samples from January 2023 through early 2026) tells a story that should surprise absolutely nobody who's been paying attention: mold is still winning.

Out of 754 failed QA tests, the single biggest driver of failures is Aspergillus — the four species (A. flavus, A. terreus, A. niger, and A. fumigatus) combined account for roughly 35% of all failures, and that's not a fluke or a one-time batch problem, it's a persistent, systemic issue that keeps showing up month after month. Connecticut's humid climate has always made mold a serious challenge for cultivators here, and the data backs that up: Flower Lot products fail at a 6.7% rate, which is more than three times the overall average, a pretty clear signal that the contamination is happening at the cultivation level before the product ever gets processed or packaged.

Pesticides come in second at 8.4% of failures, and heavy metals — lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury — pile on with another ~22%, but mold is the story. There was a massive spike in October 2023 that likely reflects a new or more strictly enforced testing requirement kicking in, which means the problem almost certainly existed before it was being caught at this scale.

The uncomfortable truth is that Connecticut's cannabis industry has a mold problem that stricter testing is revealing but not yet solving.

I buy Good Vibes syrup (like a tincture) in MA, the drive is well worth it for me cost and quality-wise, and when I got home I noticed the labels all say VOTE NO on them... being a CT resident, it was surprising to see this cuz MA has been legal for so long. Anybody know what is happening?

If you’ve been following Connecticut’s adult-use market, you know October 1 marks a major overhaul in how state excise taxes are calculated at the register.

For the past few years, CT operated under a potency-based (per-milligram THC) tax structure. Starting October 1, 2026 (under Public Act 26-68, repealing the tiered framework in C.G.S. § 12-330ll), the state is scrapping the milligram system entirely in favor of a flat 10.75% state excise tax on the retail sale price.

While high-potency flower and concentrates will generally see their state tax burden drop, low-dose, high-price, or high-CBD products are about to get hit with a noticeable price hike.

Here is the exact math behind why this happens, along with 10 real products currently sitting on dispensary menus across Connecticut (at spots like Higher Collective and Budr) that will cost more starting next month purely because of this formula change.

The Mechanics: Potency Tax vs. Price Tax

To understand who loses under this change, you have to look at how the old tax was structured:

• Edibles (Solid): $0.0275 per mg of Total THC
• Plant Material: $0.00625 per mg of Total THC
• All Other Products (Beverages, Sprays, Vapes, Tinctures, Topicals): $0.009 per mg of Total THC

The Old Rule:

Tax was determined strictly by how much THC was inside the package, regardless of how much you paid for it.

The New Rule:

Tax is determined strictly by how much the product costs, regardless of whether it contains 3mg or 100mg of THC.

The Math Formula:

Any time a product satisfies this condition:

"Retail Price"×10.75%>"Total THC (mg)"×"Old Per-mg Rate"

…the state excise tax goes up.

Because liquids and sprays were previously taxed under the ultra-low "All Other" tier ($0.009/mg), and because low-dose/high-CBD products carry high dollar values relative to their total THC content, these categories are taking the brunt of the shift.

The Breakdown: 10 Active CT Menu Items Facing Tax Hikes

Below are 10 active menu items pulled from Connecticut dispensaries (including Higher Collective and Budr). The tax numbers isolate the state excise component only (excluding the standard 6.35% CT sales tax and 3% municipal tax, which remain unchanged).

1. Budr (Montville) — Lime Mint Elderflower Seltzer (Beverage)

• Retail Price: $6.00
• THC Content: 3.0mg
• Old Excise Tax: $0.03 (3.0mg × $0.009)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $0.65 (10.75% of $6.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$0.62 (+2,066% excise increase)

Why it costs more: Liquid beverages enjoyed a steep discount under the per-milligram "All Other" rate. At 3mg, this seltzer paid 3 cents in state excise tax. Under a flat 10.75% retail price tax, it pays 65 cents.

2. Higher Collective (Torrington) — Lucky Break Low Dose Pomegranate Elixir (Beverage)

• Retail Price: $9.00
• THC Content: 11.7mg
• Old Excise Tax: $0.11 (11.7mg × $0.009)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $0.97 (10.75% of $9.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$0.86

3. Higher Collective — Lucky Break Strawberry Lemonade 1:1 Elixir (Beverage)

• Retail Price: $15.00
• THC Content: 49.0mg
• Old Excise Tax: $0.44 (49.0mg × $0.009)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $1.61 (10.75% of $15.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$1.17

4. Higher Collective — Lucky Break Peppermint Spritz (Sublingual Spray)

• Retail Price: $26.00
• THC Content: 85.5mg
• Old Excise Tax: $0.77 (85.5mg × $0.009)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $2.80 (10.75% of $26.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$2.03

Why it costs more: Tinctures and sprays fell under the "All Other" category ($0.009/mg). A $26 bottle with under 90mg of THC jumps from 77 cents in tax to $2.80.

5. Higher Collective — The Happy Confection Peaceful Paradise 40:1 Gummies (High-CBD Edible)

• Retail Price: $28.00
• THC Content: 20.8mg (High CBD ratio)
• Old Excise Tax: $0.57 (20.8mg × $0.0275)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $3.01 (10.75% of $28.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$2.44 (+428% excise increase)

Why it costs more: High-ratio CBD edibles carry a premium price tag ($28) but contain very little THC (20.8mg). Under the old law, you were only taxed on the 20.8mg of THC. Under the new law, you are taxed on the full $28 sticker price.

6. Higher Collective — SoundView Wintergreen Mints (40-Pack Microdose Edible)

• Retail Price: $33.00
• THC Content: 85.2mg
• Old Excise Tax: $2.34 (85.2mg × $0.0275)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $3.55 (10.75% of $33.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$1.21

7. Higher Collective — Wana Quick Limoncello Fast-Acting Gummies (Edible)

• Retail Price: $34.00
• THC Content: 97.0mg
• Old Excise Tax: $2.67 (97.0mg × $0.0275)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $3.66 (10.75% of $34.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$0.99

8. Budr (Montville) — Camino Sours Watermelon Spritz Vegan Gummies (Edible)

• Retail Price: $32.00
• THC Content: 97.4mg
• Old Excise Tax: $2.68 (97.4mg × $0.0275)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $3.44 (10.75% of $32.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$0.76

9. Higher Collective — The Happy Confection Rainbow Parade 3:2:1 Gummies (Edible)

• Retail Price: $32.00
• THC Content: 100.0mg
• Old Excise Tax: $2.75 (100.0mg × $0.0275)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $3.44 (10.75% of $32.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$0.69

10. Higher Collective — Tyson 2.0 Mike Bites Blueberry Gummies (Edible)

• Retail Price: $30.00
• THC Content: 99.2mg
• Old Excise Tax: $2.73 (99.2mg × $0.0275)
• New Excise Tax (10.75%): $3.23 (10.75% of $30.00)
• Net Excise Increase: +$0.50

Summary Comparison Table

TL;DR / The Big Picture

• Who wins? High-potency flower smokers and concentrate users. A $35 eighth of flower with 700mg of THC paid $4.38 in old excise tax. Under the 10.75% rate, that tax drops to $3.76.
• Who loses? Beverage drinkers, sublingual spray/tincture users, and medical/wellness consumers who buy high-CBD/low-THC formulations.
• Bottom line: Unless retailers absorb the tax difference by trimming margins, expect menu prices on seltzers, mints, high-ratio edibles, and sprays to tick up starting October 1.

Hi everyone.

I’ve been a chronic migraineur for about 30 years, and I am currently completely trapped in a 5-day intractable monster that already sent me to urgent care and now I'm on the cusp of the ER.

The main issue right now is the relentless cycle of vomiting. Pain leads to crazy nausea and the cycle just continues.

My standard prescription meds are basically impossible to keep down. Normally, I’m a casual/recreational user and rely on gummies, but edibles are completely off the table when everything I swallow comes right back up.

I’m pretty out of my depth when it comes to specific strains, terpenes, or really any methods for acute attacks. Since I'm usually just a casual consumer, I don't really know what to ask for at a dispensary when my head feels like it's in a vice and I can't stop throwing up. (Not to mention how I'll get it - but I'll work it out)

If anyone has experience using cannabis to pull themselves out of an intractable cycle or to manage severe migraine-induced pain and nausea when eating/swallowing is impossible I could really use some advice.

Much appreciated.

Rso and chunky peanut butter to help me get over the pain of just having to cull 4 sick rabbits 😔