Switching to Medical & Buying Bulk
My Top Picks So Far
If you're thinking about switching to a medical card in Illinois, let me just say: do it. Especially if you're someone who shops for bulk flower or consumes daily—it’s a major game changer in both savings and access! Here’s what I’ve discovered after making the switch and grabbing my first few bulk flower buys under the medical program.
Context: when I am shopping for bulk flower, I am searching for large buds that won’t crumble into dust when I am rolling joints at home. I love flower and consume multiple times a day, I require something extra for my tolerance.
🥇 #1 – Otherside (14g & 7g)
This is my top choice for anyone looking to get premium quality in bulk. If you see the Premium label on an Otherside bag, GRAB IT. You’re getting NEZ level quality: huge buds, super fresh, dense nugs, not a dry and dusty mess.
14g Gelato #33 (Premium Label) – $120
7g Sherb Cream Pie (Premium Label) – $70
The 3.5g NEZ jar of this same strain was the best flower I’ve ever smoked from the Illinois market. No lie, I still think of her to this day.
The 7g was right behind it in terms of quality—incredible structure, terps, and a true hybrid high.
💡 Pro tip: Wait for a sale on Otherside and stock up. You won’t regret it. Revolution seems to have awesome 30% off sales on this brand.
🥈 #2 – Island (7g Lemon Fatman)
Island’s 7 gram flower was super terpy and high quality, with bud size that wasn’t popcorn, but not massive either—just nice, cleanly trimmed, and potent!
Price: $92
It’s a little pricier for a 7g, but if you want to change things up from Otherside and go for another quality brand, Island is a solid choice. The effects hit well, especially since the brand is focused on it’s grow operation in a sense of creating rich terpene profile flower. This sativa was great and I would recommend it to my “functional” stoners.
🥉 #3 – ROAM (7g Wifey #6)
Price: $64
ROAM caught my attention with a unique genetic profile I hadn’t seen anywhere else—Wifey #6 (Amber Rays x Heart Stopper). Honestly, the effects really delivered. I felt relaxed yet functional, and it had a profile that stood out from the same old Illinois strains.
The bud quality was a little dry and by the time I got to the bottom of the bag, it was mostly breaking down into a powdery substance. The quality of the bud did not match Otherside but the effects/genetics was the highlight.
Would I try ROAM again? Yes, but I will be careful about buying what is fresh in harvest for the sake of bud quality. The genetic potential is definitely there. Keep an eye on this brand for future drops—they’re experimenting with interesting stuff.
Next Roam strain hunt: Paris Breath (Paris OG x Grateful Breath) and Dual OG (True OG x Banana OG).
#4 – Good Green (14g Head Cracker Smalls)
Price: $100
I grabbed this one out of pure nostalgia—I’ve been a fan of Rythm’s Head Cracker since before I worked in the cannabis industry. So when I saw Good Green offering a 14g bag testing at 32% THC for $100, I had to give it a try.
Here’s the verdict:
It was alright. The effects were good—but not what I’d expect from something labeled 32%. The bud structure was decent (larger than expected for “smalls”), the taste was more earthy compared to the top-shelf 3.5g jars from Rythm. It just didn’t have the same punch that I remember.
That said, it’s a decent budget option if you're shopping bulk and already love GTI products. But here’s my advice: don’t shop based on THC % alone.
That Sherb Cream Pie from NEZ tested at only 18%, and it absolutely rocked my world as an Indica. Flavor profiles, freshness, and cure quality matter more than numbers.
Would I buy this again? I'd rather put the extra $20 toward an Otherside Premium 14g, where the quality, taste, and bud size feel worth every dollar.
👎 Disappointments & Mixed Feelings Side Weed
Binske – Jungle Pie Popcorn (14g) – $120
This one hurt. The bag started off promising but ended up filled with crumbs, not even popcorn size. Same price as Otherside, but nowhere near the quality of bud structure. The effects were there and what you would expect from Binske craft cannabis. However, my disappointing experience shapes how I feel about buying in bulk from this brand again.
Granted, the binske flower was harvested on September 10th 2024 and I purchased this in the beginning of June 2025.
💥 Best Treat Yourself Purchase
On a more positive note, the most standout product I grabbed with my medical card was:
93 Boyz: Hot Chipz Infused, Kief-Coated Blunt 1.5g (1ct)
Worth every penny. If you love a heavy hitting, flavorful smoke and want to treat yourself, this is it. I would never buy this item without a medical card because the tax is insane! I also received this product 50% off thanks to Sunnyside. More on that later.
🍓 Bonus Pick: NEZ Strawberry Guava (1g)
Price: $16 before tax/discounts
Sometimes you just want to try something extra on the side, and this single gram of Strawberry Guava by NEZ hit the spot. The buds were bright green, super fluffy, and covered in vivid orange hairs—a visual standout the moment I opened the baggy.
But the real win? The taste. Sweet, fruity, and smooth.. this was one of the most flavorful single grams I’ve had recently. For just $16, I was 100% satisfied. It’s the kind of small purchase that reminds you why NEZ hits, even at the 1g level.
💡 Next time you’re browsing for a little something try grabbing a gram of NEZ. You won’t be disappointed.
Let’s Talk About First-Time Medical Discounts
Switching to medical not only gives you access to lower taxes, using these first-time discounts in combination is a HUGE win when dealing with Illinois market prices.
Here’s what I used:
Sunnyside (Wrigleyville Location)
50% off your first two purchases!
My subtotal was $308.00
→ After discount and tax: $157.95
Revolution (Mount Prospect Location)
30% off your first purchase
My subtotal was $272.00
→ After discount and tax: $194.59
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been sticking to recreational because the med process seemed complicated or not worth it: I promise you, it is. Especially if you’re buying on a weekly to monthly basis or looking for better deals on top shelf.
Switching to medical saved me hundreds in my first month and helped me discover premium bulk options like Otherside and Island that I might not have reached for otherwise.
💡Budtender tips: whenever I am shopping flower in the state of Illinois, the harvest date is more important than the percentage of THC%. I always aim for bigger buds versus smalls. The less leaf on the bud, the better. Every brand treats bulk flower differently.
