Craft cannabis store celebrates 4-20 with giant joint

An Edmonton cannabis company believes they've rolled the world's biggest reefer, despite being one of Canada's smallest growers.

Alberta Bud, an Edmonton cannabis grower and retailer, celebrated its 4-20 grand opening by rolling a six-foot-long, seven-pound joint.

"There's been a lot of bad news lately out there in the world, especially in the cannabis industry. It's hard times," said Tim Mallett, Alberta Bud master grower. "Hopefully a few people have a laugh when they see this, that's all we're hoping to do today."

Alberta Bud staff used their own hybrid strain of weed to fill the super spliff, using five-metre long papers and beer and cereal boxes for the filter.

Tim said he asked the Guinness Book of World Records to come to Edmonton to measure the joint, but he was told it does not keep records for cannabis. So the team went to the next best source.

"We asked the internet," he added. "Everybody agrees on the internet that the world's largest doobie – until today – was a two-kilo watermelon shaped doobie."

While the massive marijuana cigarette was made for fun, Tim said staff won't be having too much fun with it.

"Regulations don't allow us to smoke it, unfortunately," he said. "We're all very interested in doing that, but we're going to keep [it] for posterity so everyone can see what was the world's largest doobie on 4-20, 2023."

CRAFT CANNABIS

Dan Mallet, Alberta Bud store manager, hopes the skunky showpiece will attract local weed lovers to the shop to experience locally-grown pot.

Alberta Bud started growing in 2019 and it's the first company in Alberta to receive micro-cultivation and micro-processing licences. The designations limit how much mary-jane the company can grow, but Dan said it's not a bad thing.

"That really pushes the craft growers to focus on quality over just sheer volume and the end result is a lot more love pushed and cultivated into the cannabis," he added.

Opening in an oversaturated market is a big risk but Dan and Tim believe Alberta Bud differs from other dispensaries in its local, small-scale approach to cannabis – minus the jumbo joint outside, of course.

"We're excited to be part of what's hopefully the big rebound of weed in this province after the big slide we've seen the last two years," Dan said. "The best thing we have going for us is a focus on the quality bud from growers that really put their heart and soul into their craft." 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach