Rochester

Law Enforcement

Rochester had a lot of cops, but drug sellers and harder drugs seemed to get more attention than a small amount of weed. People did get possession tickets. Other encounters ended with confiscation, a broken pipe or a blunt ground under a shoe. A few friends’ parents were cops and barely reacted to smoke. The joking local legality rating was a four. Parks and some downtown streets had visible smoking, though doing it regularly could draw attention. The business district was under more scrutiny after a new mayor took office. Henrietta and some side streets felt quieter than Brighton, Pittsford, Fairport and the city’s wealthier areas, where people noticed plentiful patrols, especially toward month’s end. New York has since introduced regulated adult use, as covered in Marijuana Laws.

Where to Buy Marijuana

Kutzky Park downtown came up, including the people who drank there, along with a tattoo shop on Broadway where a buyer might get shorted. MCC, SUNY Brockport, the University of Rochester and RIT all added to the college scene, and Monroe Avenue had a reputation for better flower. Dime spots were described as plentiful. North Clinton toward Avenue A or D, nearby side streets and Clifford came up in street-market accounts, mostly for schwag. Some sellers would approach a car, and visitors felt conspicuous. People who knew the area preferred daytime and worried about being followed or hassled after dark. Suburban departments sometimes had more time for minor offenses.

Marijuana Prices

• Bistro: US$10 for a dime, US$25 per half-eighth, US$40–50 per ⅛ oz, US$140 per ½ oz or US$280–300 per oz. Other flower was quoted at US$15 for a dime, US$30 per half-eighth, US$60–70 per ⅛ oz, US$165–170 per ½ oz or US$300–320 per oz.
• Nugs: US$35–45 per ⅛ oz. Some US$10 dimes weighed 1.1–1.2 g and two could go for US$15. ‘Dime’ could also mean a bag of crack, depending on who was talking.
• Schwag: US$5 per gram, US$10 per dime, US$25 per ⅛ oz, US$25–40 per ¼ oz, US$50–60 per ½ oz or US$70–115 per oz.
• Mids: US$10 bags ranged from 0.8 g to 2 g, with 7.2 g quoted at US$40.
• Beasters: US$10 for 0.7 g, US$20 for 1.7 g or US$40 for 3.5 g. US$60 bags were also mentioned, without a weight.
• Headies: US$20 per gram. Rare purple could cost US$20 for barely two bowls.

Types of Marijuana

Minneapolis and Canada were mentioned as sources. Bistro was common, along with headies, Green Crack, Blueberry varieties and some Kush. BC bud was rare. Purple Haze was good but expensive, and Cotton Candy turned up in spring. Strong commercial mids and dro were often available side by side. Whether Rochester even had true schwag depended on who you asked.

More Information

Rochester is the Flower City, with cultural events and friendly people, and the feel can change fast from one block to the next. One-way streets and dead ends made it easy to get lost, especially at night, and some blocks were said to be outside pizza delivery areas. The account quotes around 50 murders a year and calls that a high rate for a city its size. Sidewalk card games, US$60 ‘gold’ chains and US$200 ‘Rolexes’ were familiar scams. Weed could be cheap, though some found better flower for the money in the suburbs. ‘Homegrown’ didn’t necessarily justify a premium. Even growing it yourself could turn out badly.