You may or may not be aware that Craigslist closed its Personals section after the passage of SESTA in 2018. 

Contrary to lawmakers’ assumptions, people used Craigslist for totally legitimate reasons, including meeting people in their area, whether for friendship, casual hookups, or dating. 

Now that Craigslist Personals are no more, you may find yourself looking for alternatives in 2022. Well, look no further, as we’re about to share twenty of the best Craigslist Personals alternative websites so you can still meet people in your area online. 

There’s quite a large variety here, so you’ll want to be sure to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have similar issues to the ones that plagued Craigslist (and ended up getting them taken down). So, please take into account the following disclaimer.

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that may have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

That said, many of these sites can be a perfectly safe and easy way to meet people, so let’s get right into it!

1.) Reddit Personals

You’ve probably heard of Reddit. If not, it’s one of the largest communities online where people can post about anything and everything on what’s known as “subreddits.” One popular subreddit, which can serve as a Craigslist alternative, is r/r4r. Known as “Reddit Personals,” the subheading is “Activity Partners, Groups, Dating, Hanging Out, Soulmates, FWBs.” So, you can simply make your own ad here, let people know about yourself and what you’re looking for, and see if you get any kind of response. As Reddit is free, it’s pretty much a no-lose option. 

2.) Adult Friend Finder 

When it comes to Craigslist Personals alternatives for casual hookups, Adult Friend Finder is definitely a top choice. Self-billed as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Community,” this might very well be true as they have more than 100 million people with accounts. Similar to Ashley Madison, there’s a limited free option as well as paid tiers. With a paid subscription you can get access to features such as “Stories,” which gives you a chance to discuss your ideal dating life so that other people can easily see if you might be a match based on your goals or general vibes. 

Want more info about Adult Friend Finder? Check out our full review.

3.) Ashley Madison

It’s highly likely you’ve seen ads for Ashley Madison at some point, at least if you frequent *ahem* certain websites. That’s because Ashley Madison is bold about its purpose, as evidenced by its motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.” In essence, this is a site for connecting adults who are after casual hookups in a discreet fashion. For example, if you’re a paying subscriber, your credit card bill will simply read “Online services.” If you’re intent on taking advantage of all the features offered on the site, then you may want to be subscribe. There’s a handy feature, for example, called “Traveling Man” that lets you reach out to people from an area you’ll be visiting before you actually get there.

Need some more info about Ashley Madison before making a decision? Check out our full review here.

4.) Locanto

Locanto is very similar to Oodle and many other Craigslist lookalikes. For example, you have a category called “Casual Encounters” with a number of subcategories. There, you can post a personal ad to let people know what it is exactly that you’re hoping to find. As with Oodle, it appears to be mainly men posting in my area, with some of the female postings looking fairly suspicious. Be sure to use your best judgment, and Locanto could end up being a decent option for you to meet people. 

5.) Tinder 

Tinder likely doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction, as it’s become one of the most popular “dating” apps around. I put dating in scare quotes because, let’s face it, pretty much everyone knows Tinder’s reputation as an app for casual flings rather than serious dating. Not that that can’t happen, of course. Super popular with millennials and gen Z’ers in particular, Tinder is a fairly simple app. You see profiles of people in your area, then you swipe right if you’re interested or left if you aren’t. Then you’ll get matched up with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on you. From there, you can start messaging and see what happens. There’s a basic free version as well as a paid tier called Tinder Gold that gives you extra features and unlimited swiping. 

6.) Kasual (fka Yumi)

Formerly known as Yumi, Kasual is a nice alternative to Craigslist and the other sites mentioned here because it has a pretty unique premise. Instead of being matched up with other people by swiping or algorithms, Kasual connects you with other people randomly and you can just start chatting right away to see if you might be a fit. Available for iOS (iPhone) and Android, the app comes with a free version that’s pretty complete as is. You can always go for the Premium membership, of course, if you want to unlock more features. All in all, Kasual is kind of a cool alternative compared to Tinder and other dating sites because it’s primarily focused on casual hookups (hence the rebrand) and pairing people randomly. 

7.) Plenty of Fish 

POF, or Plenty of Fish, is a reference to the classic idea that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—put differently, don’t worry about being single or getting broken up with because there are tons of other people out there to meet. POF works as both a website or app, which is nice as some of these are only available as one or the other. As a dating site, it’s pretty typical in that you get matched up based on shared interests. You can also use a video-date feature, which is a nice way to get a feel for someone before you take the plunge with an in-person date. 

8.) Pernals

Logo

This is a great Craigslist substitute because it’s all about personal ads. Pernals gives you the opportunity to create your own personal ad for free. This means you can put exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a serious relationship, casual hookup, even a friend, etc. Pernals advertises itself as a Craigslist alternative, which is relatively uncommon among many of these alternatives reviewed here. Just like Craigslist you have the same types of categories: women seeking women, women seeking men, men seeking women, etc. As of now it’s only available as an app, and you can download it for both iOS or Android. 

9.) Bedpage

Bedpage, as you might guess from the name, is more of a direct Backpage alternative. That said, it also has the same types of categories as Craigslist Personals had: women seeking women, men seeking women, etc. For casual encounters, you’ll want to check out the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. Just be careful, though, because a quick browse in my area revealed some people posting who are definitely scammers. 

10.) Doublelist

Doublelist is quite similar to Craigslist. One thing that’s a little frustrating is that you have to sign up to browse the site. Their motto is “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious,” so it isn’t super hard to figure out what most people using this site are looking for. With more than three million users in the U.S., though, there’s a solid chance you might just find someone who’s a good match for you. As always, take care to watch out for scammers. 

11.) Oodle

Oodle is in many ways very close to Craigslist’s old personals page, with the usual categories like “Men Seeking Men,” “Men Seeking Women,” etc. You can use some handy filters on this site, which can help you easily narrow your options down. At least in my area there don’t appear to be a ton of people using Oodle, so it might not be your best bet. Depending on what you’re into, there were more men posting than women, so it might be worth your time or it might not be. 

12.) Ebackpage

Once again, Ebackpage is a clear Backpage/Craigslist copy. You can post and browse personal ads, with all the usual categories under “Dating” and “Adult” for people who are interested in casual encounters. The site doesn’t seem to have a large body of active users, however, so this might not be one of your best options. As with Bedpage and some of these other sites, you’ll need to be careful as there are some scammy looking postings on it. 

13.) Classified Ads

Classified Ads is, well, exactly what it sounds like. This is a solid Craigslist alternative because it’s super similar. Simply select “Personals” on the front page and you’ll see the classic categories: “Men Seeking Women,” “Missed Connections,” etc. There’s not a whole lot to tell you about this site—it’s quite straightforward and either you’ll find some options in your area or you won’t. 

14.) Grindr

Grindr is basically Tinder but specifically for gay men. In other words, there’s a focus primarily on hookups, but that doesn’t mean that that’s the only possibility. If you’re a gay man after casual encounters, this might very well be the only app or site that you need. If you’re not a gay man, however, Grindr won’t be of much use to you. 

15.) HealthyFling

HealthyFling, like Ashley Madison, emphasizes discretion. As you can see on their website, their tagline is “Discreet Hook-Ups.” Like many of these sites, you have the option to post a personal ad so that you can get yourself out there and see if other people respond. You can also browse and see if anyone appeals to you. Unfortunately, you have to sign up in order to browse or post an ad. All in all, this is a decent option and has some positive reviews going for it online. 

16.) OkCupid

OkCupid has been around for ages and it’s survived until today, so it must be doing something right. You can download it for iOS or Android, which is always nice. Another solid aspect of OkCupid is that it doesn’t require a paid membership in order to look for matches or message people. That said, like most dating sites nowadays, you may be tempted to pay in order to unlock certain features. Another plus is that OkCupid tries to be as inclusive as possible, meaning there’s pretty much something for everyone on there. 

17.) FetLife Classifieds

With over 10 million members, FetLife might very well be the biggest social network out there for kinky people. This is a nice draw as many people may feel insecure or ostracized by their kinks. Well, you can pretty much count on finding at least one other person who shares your interests on FetLife, which works as solid Craigslist ad if you want to find your freaky soulmate. 

18.) Kijiji

If you’re in Canada, you likely already know about Kijiji. It’s a platform where you can find just about anything, from pets and cars to services and vacation rentals. That said, it also works as a Craigslist alternative if you go to their “Community” section. There, you can check categories like “Friendship & Networking” and “Missed Connections” to post an ad or see if there are any there. That said, it doesn’t appear that these categories are nearly as active as others, so it might not be your best bet. 

19.) Alt.com

Alt.com is similar to FetLife in that it’s a site specifically for people who are into BDSM and kinks/fetishes. That said, its site has a kind of old-school vibe to it, and not in a good way. It looks rather clunky and the kind of thing you would see advertised on a porn site rather than the more elegant looking FetLife. It also looks like they take random fake profiles and put your city’s name underneath them on the home page in order to entice you (much like porn site ads often do). So, while you’re free to explore Alt, I would try FetLife first if you’re looking for people to get kinky with. 

20.) Craigslist

Wait, what? Didn’t Craigslist ban the Personals section? Yes. Nonetheless, people are always adept at bending the rules and finding workarounds. So, although there’s no “Personals” section per se, you can still find people posting in order to meet up on Craigslist. For example, you can try the “Activities” section or the “Missed Connections” section in your area and you might very well see postings by people looking to meet up for casual encounters. 

Final Thoughts 

Although Craigslist Personals were banned, luckily there are plenty of alternatives available. That said, there’s a lot of variety to these options (as you can tell if you read all the reviews above). So, ultimately, whatever you end up choosing to use will depend on what you’re looking for, where you are, etc.

For the most part, if you’re in the U.S. you may want to stick with one of the major dating or hookup apps—Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, AshleyMadison, etc. If you’re in Canada, then you can try Kijiji, but it doesn’t necessarily have a lot going for it as a casual hookup site. 

The main thing is that you use good judgment and stay safe. A lot of Craigslist alternatives are loaded with scammers looking to take advantage of lonely people. It’s sad, yes, but true. Remember to follow basic common sense and never send anyone personal information or money before you’ve actually met them and verified that everything is legitimate. If you’re ever in doubt, you should probably recognize that and listen to your gut!

Ultimately, there are still plenty of ways for people to meet other people online via social media and the above sites. So long as you’re careful, there’s plenty of fun to be had. 

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Cannabis has never been more popular in the United States, with an overwhelming number of Americans expressing support for legalization, according to the Pew Research Center. With some 37 states having legalized cannabis for medical use, and sixteen for recreational purposes, more Americans than ever are considering growing their own cannabis.

Buoying this surge further is the 2018 Farm Bill, which helped dramatically boost both cannabis and hemp production in the U.S. Now, demand is higher than ever among Americans looking to grow their own. So, where are they turning? Most likely, to the hundreds if not thousands of cannabis seed banks found online, just a Google search away.

Seed banks, for the uninitiated, are repositories that store seeds to maintain and propagate genetic diversity. Cannabis seed banks online thus provide would-be growers with the seeds they need to get started growing cannabis. The problem, however, is that not all of these are reputable, and there is a wide range in overall quality among these vendors. So many options might leave beginning growers understandably scratching their heads.

Well, that’s where we come in! Today, we’re looking at ten of the very best seed banks from which U.S. citizens—at least in states that have legalized growing your own—can order seeds and start producing their very own cannabis.

Top 10 Cannabis Seed Banks To Buy Cannabis Seeds Online

RankBrandBest For1.I Love Growing Marijuana (ILGM)Best overall2.Crop King SeedsBest for global shipping3.MSNL SeedbankBest delivery4.SeedsmanBest seed variety5.Quebec Cannabis SeedsBest for promotional offers6.HerbiesBest for convenience7.Ministry of CannabisBest for dependability8.Seed SupremeBest for crypto9.Amsterdam Marijuana SeedsBest for guaranteed delivery10.Weed Seed ExpressBest “new kid on the block”

Click here to go straight to the reviews.

Ranking Criteria

To some extent, your choice of cannabis seed bank will depend on whether they have the strains that you want to grow. We obviously could not consider that in our rankings, as it varies from person to person. Instead, we focused on the following equally important factors.

Quality of Seeds

Perhaps the most important consideration in our rankings is the quality of the seeds. You need high-quality seeds if you want to maximize your chances of successful germination. High-quality seeds also optimize the quality of your plants, including the buds.

Satisfaction Guarantees

For a seed bank to be considered one of the top options, it needs to have a satisfaction guarantee. Even seed banks with a high quality of seeds will occasionally have lower-quality seeds. The best ones acknowledge that this can happen and take steps to remedy any issues customers have. Of course, a satisfaction guarantee also shows that the seed bank in question has a high level of trust in its products.

Discreet Shipping

Even if cannabis is legal in your state, it may not be in the states your package passes through. And there are still some negative connotations and stigma associated with cannabis. Because of this, we prioritize seed banks that use discreet packaging. Many of the best seed banks not only use discreet packaging but also purposely package it to look like something else, like a DVD case or toy.

Why Trust Us

You should feel comfortable taking our advice when it comes to cannabis seed banks. We’ve helped cannabis growers find reputable seed banks online for years. Over this time, we have reviewed most of the largest and most popular stores, along with many of the smaller ones. We have taken the time to thoroughly compare and contrast each based on the above ranking criteria. 

Simply put, our rankings are the result of years of knowledge, experience, and research, along with a careful point-by-point comparison. 

Types of Cannabis Seeds

Autoflower

Autoflowering seeds will begin to flower after two or four weeks of growing. Importantly, growers don’t need to change the light schedule to start and continue the flowering phase of growth. 

Beginner

This refers to seeds that are easy enough for beginners to grow. They tend to be resistant to mold, powdery mildew, disease, and pests. 

CBD Hemp or CBD

These seeds are for plants legally considered hemp. As such, they have less than 0.3% THC. They tend to be higher in CBD, but that is not always the case. 

Fast or Fast Flowering Strains

Fast strains, fast flowering strains, or quick strains reach the flowering phase one or two weeks more quickly than other strains. 

Feminized

Feminized seeds will only produce female plants. This is important as most growers want female plants due to their buds. Feminized seeds save you the hassle of growing seeds and then going through them and removing the males.

High CBD

These are strains that are particularly high in CBD concentration. What each seed bank considers to be high CBD varies. 

High THC

These are strains with higher-than-average concentrations of THC. As with high CBD strains, the definition of high THC depends on the seed bank. 

High Yield

High-yield strains produce more buds for every square meter. They let you get the most buds in the smallest amount of space. 

Hybrids

Hybrids have genetics that combine indica and sativa strains. 

Indica

One of the two main categories of cannabis strains, indicas tend to have full-body effects. The plants tend to be short and stocky, featuring broad, wide, and chunky leaves. They grow more quickly and produce more buds than sativa. They tend to have higher CBD levels without sacrificing THC levels. 

Indoor

These seeds excel at growing indoors. They are ideal for anyone looking to grow inside a greenhouse or other space. 

Low or Extra-Low THC

These are strains with lower THC levels. Remember that what qualifies as “low” or “extra-low” will vary by seed bank. The THC will typically still be above 0.3%; otherwise, the plant would be hemp. 

Mix and Match or Mixed Packs 

This refers to when seedbanks sell packages of multiple types of seeds. They are ideal if you want variety in your growing.

Outdoor

These seeds flourish only when grown outdoors, so they are not ideal for indoor growers. You should only consider them if you have ample outdoor growing space. 

Photoperiod 

Unless otherwise specified, all cannabis seeds are photoperiod, with autoflowering seeds being a notable exception. Photoperiod seeds require you to change the lighting conditions for the seeds to enter and maintain the flowering phase. 

Regular 

Regular cannabis seeds contrast with feminized seeds. They include both male and female seeds. This means that you have to grow all of the seeds and wait for them to reach the stage where you can tell whether they are male or female. Then, you can remove the males and continue growing the females. You must do so promptly, however, or you risk your female seeds becoming fertilized. 

Sativa 

Sativa is the other major category of cannabis strains. They tend to deliver a mind high, reducing anxiety or energizing the user. They grow tall and thin, and their leaves are finger-like. They take longer to mature compared to indica and tend to have less CBD and more THC. 

1.) I Love Growing Marijuana (ILGM) — Best Overall Seed Bank (*Top Pick*)

There’s a reason that ILGM takes the top spot in not only our review but many others. In addition to fantastic customer service and a wide variety of seeds to choose from, they also provide tons of sales and discounts while educating customers through an extensive library of growing resources.

As far as their seeds, the quality is excellent and, importantly, backed by a germination guarantee. They have a variety of classic cannabis strains as well as some you may have never heard of before. As far as safety, ILGM has an extremely solid reputation and their customer service easily competes with the best out there. In fact, on TrustPilot they have more than 4,000 user reviews with an average rating of 4.8/5.

Considering how reputable ILGM is, coupled with an extensive collection of top-quality seeds, it was not at all difficult to select them for the top spot on our list. The only real downside—and it’s a minor one—with ILGM is that it will cost a pretty penny if you want tracked shipping, as it costs $25 (compared to their standard shipping, which is free).

Pros

Monthly deals and promosExtremely reputable and highly ratedGermination guarantee (money back)Discreet packagingFree standard shippingFeatures all the best-known strainsGrowing resources and 24/7 support

Cons

Delivery with tracking will set you back $25

Seeds Offered

Beginner, High THC, High Yield, CBD Hemp, Autoflower, Indoor, Outdoor, Sativa, Indica 

2.) Crop King Seeds — Best for International Customers

Crop King Seeds gets points for its easy-to-use site—some of its competitors still feature clunky sites, which can be unappealing to the modern cannabis grower, skewing younger every year. Crop King Seeds also wins points for being a beginner-friendly site, with germination guides to help you grow (literally!).

With a massive variety of strains, Crop King has received thousands of positive reviews for its seeds, and its reviews are regulated, helping keep out biased or paid reviewers and showing you who are regular customers. Their reviews frequently indicate high germination rates, from 80 to even 100 percent.

To help narrow your choices, use the site’s filters to find what’s best for you. Crop King is also reasonable in terms of shipping, with $10 and $30 for regular and express, respectively, plus free shipping on orders over $300.

Pros

Germination rate of 80 percent or moreSpecial review systemGermination guidesHelpful infographicsFree shipping for larger ($300+) ordersGlobal shipping

Cons

No free shippingOne- to two-week shipping time is among the slowestTargeted to beginners, which might turn off more experienced growers

Seeds Offered

Feminized, Regular, Autoflower, Mix and Match, CBD

3.) MSNL Seedbank — Best For Quickest Delivery

MSNL has been in the game for a long time and is definitely among the most reliable seed banks out there. It also offers one of the fastest processing and shipping times, so if you need seeds right away, MSNL should be at the top of your list.

This reputable seed bank also runs frequent promos, enabling you to save some money (especially over the long haul). Although they have a great range of male and female seeds to order from, MSNL does lose some points due to its lack of a germination guarantee.

One thing that does keep it toward the top of our list is its lightning fast and discreet shipping, which has helped make it one of the most popular seed banks online. Another nice feather in MSNL’s cap is the fact that their seeds have won High Times and Cannabis Cups.

Pros

Fast and discreet shippingLot of promos/freebiesSolid strain variety

Cons

Subpar customer supportNo germination guarantees

Seeds Offered

Autoflower, Feminized, Regular, High CBD

4.) Seedsman — Best for Selection

Seedsman—true to its name—offers an amazing variety of seeds, many of which are top quality. Whether you’re after feminized seeds, auto-flowering seeds, or rare seed strains, Seedsman will almost certainly have you covered. OG Kush, White Widow, Purple Haze, Girl Scout Cookies—they’ve got all your favorites.

Another nice aspect of Seedsman is they tend to give out a lot of free seeds when buying in bulk. So if that’s you, you’ll reap some additional seeds by going through Seedsman. They also offer worldwide shipping, which makes them a solid option if you’re outside of the U.S.

Although Seedsman is one of our top picks overall, thanks in particular to its extensive seed variety, it does lose some points due to its questionable customer service and somewhat clunky website.

Pros

Worldwide shippingMassive seed varietyFree seeds with bulk purchases

Cons

Subpar customer support

Seeds Offered

Autoflower, Feminized, Regular, Fast strains

5.) Quebec Cannabis Seeds — Best Deals

Quebec Cannabis Seeds is a great seed bank overall, but particularly if you live in the U.S., as its proximity makes for quick deliveries compared to some other seed banks.

Although Quebec Cannabis Seeds lacks the variety of many of the other seed banks on this list, it helps make up for it in a variety of ways—namely, fast delivery, awesome discounts, and high-quality seeds. They’re an especially good choice if you’re on a budget, as their weekly discounts offer big savings—sometimes up to 50 percent, although often in the still-great 10-25 percent range.

A few other things about this French-Canadian seed bank: It carries a germination guarantee but also has a no-return policy, which seem to kind of cancel each other out, and it also allows for payment in USD—so no need to do any conversions, but be mindful of their 3.8 percent credit card fee.

Pros

Germination guaranteesWeekly discountsFast deliveries to the U.S.

Cons

No return policy

Seeds Offered

Autoflower, Feminized, Outdoor, CBD, Mixed Packs

6.) Herbies — Best for Convenience

Herbies also makes our list in large part thanks to its site’s convenient layout. It’s really easy to navigate and figuring out what’s discounted and what’s highly rated is a breeze, thanks to their intuitive, color-coded system.

In addition, Herbies also shares many similarities with the other seed banks listed here in that it has a wide range of top-quality seeds. They also have reliably quick processing and shipping, which can be really important when you’re trying to get a grow operation underway quickly.

Thanks to how easy the Herbies site is to navigate, as well as its solid value in terms of variety, quality, and shipping, it easily makes our list of the best overall online seed banks. Unfortunately, like a fair number of seed banks online, its customer support is sorely lacking.

Pros

Easy-to-navigate websiteReliable and fast shippingTop-quality seeds

Cons

Weak customer support

Seeds Offered

Autoflower, Feminized, Regular, Photoperiod, Fast flowering, High THC, Extra-low THX, High Yield, High CBD, Beginners, Indoor, Outdoor, Indica, Sativa

7.) Ministry of Cannabis — Best for Reliability

Ministry of Cannabis is super reliable, which has helped it gain a lot of happy customers, even though it lacks the number of promos offered by many other seed banks. This seed bank tends to attract serious customers because they have a unique feature: rotating seed stocks.

This attention to the freshness of their seed supply helps make Ministry of Cannabis one of the most reliable seed banks out there. After all, the last thing anyone wants is to get bunk seeds. Another feature that helps them win “best dependability” is their above-average customer support.

Overall, Ministry of Cannabis is a solid choice, even if we’d appreciate seeing more promos offered like many of its competitors. Their fresh supply of seeds is probably why they feel as if they can get away with not having a germination guarantee like many other seed banks.

Pros

Solid varietyFresh seed supplyReliable customer support

Cons

No germination guaranteesFew promos

Seeds Offered

Feminized, Autoflower, CBD

8.) Seed Supreme — Best for Digital Currencies

Seed Supreme is our “best for crypto” pick because not only do they accept cryptocurrency, like many of the other seed banks featured here, but they even have special discounts for Bitcoin. This makes it an appealing choice in particular for Bitcoin holders, as they can save quite a good bit of money.

In terms of the other usual suspects, Seed Supreme does well. They have a good strain variety and, although their customer support is subpar, they do offer loyalty rewards that pay off over time. You might be better off with a different option if you don’t care about paying in crypto (and specifically Bitcoin).

Pros

Discounts (up to 30 percent!) for paying in BitcoinAbove-average strain varietyLoyalty rewards program

Cons

Lacking in customer service

Seeds Offered

Autoflower, Feminized

9.) Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds — Best for Prompt Delivery

Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds insists on having top-notch quality. Although it may lack some of the seed variety of its competitors, you’re guaranteed to receive seeds of the highest quality, making it one of the more reliable suppliers for serious growers.

Another aspect that helps it win “best guaranteed delivery” is the fact that customers have claimed that their orders were guaranteed, even in the event that customs confiscated their packages. This helps make up for the fact that Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds has one of the slowest shipping speeds on this list. This stings a little less though if you’re on a tight budget, as shipping is free.

Pros

Free shippingHighest quality seedsGuaranteed orders

Cons

Slow shipping speeds

Seeds Offered

Autoflower, Feminized, Indoor, Outdoor, High CBD, High THC, Indica, Sativa, Hybrids

10.) Weed Seeds Express — Best New Bank

Every industry has its up and comers and, over time, some of them even manage to supplant the oldest, most well-established companies. Weed Seeds Express might just accomplish this tough feat.

Why? Because they are proving themselves to be one of the most reliable seed banks online, with fast, discreet shipping and a huge variety of high-quality seeds. They also ship worldwide and boast a lot of promos.

The only thing holding back Weed Seeds from claiming one of our top spots is the fact that it’s simply really new to the industry. As long as it continues to do what it’s doing, it will no doubt establish a great reputation and continue to grow (yes, pun intended).

Pros

Frequent promosStealthy worldwide shippingTop-quality seeds

Cons

New on the block

Seeds Offered

Autoflower, Feminized, High CBD

Cannabis Seed Bank FAQ

Q: Is it illegal to buy cannabis seeds in the U.S.? A: Yes and no. That just depends on where you are! Since each state has their own specific laws, and cannabis has not yet been fully decriminalized/legalized on a federal level (although it’s looking more likely than ever), it depends on your specific state. That said, seed banks usually use an antiquated law to help surmount legal hurdles and conduct their business. This works, in essence, by framing the seeds as either a souvenir or fish bait/bird food. You can see disclaimers about this on their websites.

Q: Which seed banks have the best genetics? A: The award here goes to the seed banks that have built a great reputation for delivering high-quality seeds: Seedsman, Crop King Seeds, and Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds. These banks, it would seem, test their seeds to ensure that the strains are of the highest quality. Stick to these three if acquiring top-quality seeds is your main preference.

Q: Does it matter how I pay for my seeds? A: Once again, it depends. Many seed banks actually offer discounts for crypto payments because of the discreet, decentralized nature of how cryptocurrency transactions function. While most accept credit cards, which does offer you some protection through your credit card company, many have a strong preference for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Two that offer discounts for Bitcoin payments are Seed Supreme and I Love Growing Marijuana. With these two, it can definitely add up to solid savings—assuming that Bitcoin doesn’t eventually skyrocket in price one day (clearly this is another factor in the acceptance of Bitcoin by many seed banks).

Q: What’s “stealth shipping” and why should I care? A: The last thing anyone wants is to have issues with their order in terms of customs/government involvement. As such, it’s nice to order from a seed bank that guarantees discreet shipping. A common method is to include other, inexpensive items with the seeds, such as DVD cases. This helps the package seem less suspicious. Another way to keep a low profile is to resist the urge for expedited delivery or a delivery option that requires your signature.

Q: Which seed banks offer worldwide shipping? A: Weed Seeds Express, Seedsman, and Crop King Seeds. These will need to be your first choices if you live outside of the U.S.

Tips for Using a Cannabis Seed Bank

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your seed bank shopping experience:

Browse a number of different sites so that you can take advantage of any special promos that might be going on.Check to make sure that the site has the payment option that you prefer to use (particularly if you are looking to pay via cryptocurrency).Make sure that they ship to your country/state.Check for a “germination guarantee” and, if they don’t have one, investigate their return policies and customer support. You want to make sure that you protect yourself the best you can.

Wrapping Up

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No matter what you choose, happy growing!

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Twenty years later, I still get chills when I think about the final line in Brett Neveu’s Eric LaRue, his drama about the aftermath of a school shooting, in which the mother of a teenage boy who killed three of his classmates tries to come to grips with the monstrous deed. 

Apparently I’m not the only one who can’t get that story out of their head. Earlier this month, it was announced that Michael Shannon, Neveu’s friend and longtime collaborator and fellow ensemble member at A Red Orchid Theatre (where Eric LaRue made its world premiere under Ann Filmer’s direction in November 2002), is directing the film version, using Neveu’s own screenplay. It marks the feature directorial debut for Shannon, who has become internationally famous (and earned two Oscar nominations) since his own salad days at A Red Orchid (which he cofounded in 1993 with Guy Van Swearingen and Lawrence Grimm) and other Chicago companies. 

Neveu says that his manager had been after him to write a screen version of Eric LaRue almost since he first wrote the play, in part because “unfortunately, this subject matter doesn’t seem to be disappearing.” Ironically, although Neveu was in Los Angeles from 2007-2011, it wasn’t until he returned to Chicago that the screenplay really came together. “I had a little window about five or six years ago to work on it, and it came out really quickly,” he says.

In 2018, Shannon was directing Neveu’s Traitor, his contemporary update of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, at Red Orchid. Neveu gave Shannon a copy of the Eric LaRue screenplay at the closing-night party.

“I give Mike nearly everything to read just to get some feedback,” says Neveu. “And it’s not like he tends to give me a ton of notes or anything like that. He just says that he loves it or he thinks it’s great or gives me a couple thoughts or something like that. And that’s kind of all I need in most cases. And so with [the screenplay] I was like, ‘Can you take a look at this and see if it’s anything?’ And then he did, and then like maybe three or four weeks later, he just texted me. He said, ‘Uh, I think I might wanna direct this.’ I was like, ‘What?’”

The original story in the play unfolds in four scenes, all involving Janice, Eric’s mother (memorably played at Red Orchid by longtime Chicago acting legend Kate Buddeke). In the first scene, she’s talking to her pastor. In the second, she’s with her husband, who has found solace in faith and keeps telling her, “Let Jesus into your heart.” In the third, her pastor has had the boneheaded idea to bring her together with the mothers of her son’s victims in an attempt to achieve some kind of reconciliation. Finally, in that harrowing last scene, Janice visits her son in prison and makes a confession that leads to that aforementioned last line. (I won’t quote it, because I don’t know if it will be in the film or not.) 

It’s easy to peg the story as being solely about school shootings and America’s unending history of gun violence. But as with a lot of Neveu’s work, I found Eric LaRue to be more about the American obsession with “closure” in the wake of a tragedy. (Perhaps most recently, we saw that with GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, who within hours of the Highland Park Fourth of July parade massacre, said, “Let’s pray for justice to prevail, and then let’s move on and let’s celebrate—celebrate the independence of this nation.”)

Neveu and I had talked about this aspect of his play before, when Eric LaRue played at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London in 2005 as part of their “Postcards From America” series. In our recent conversation, he recalled that Dominic Cooke, the associate director of the RSC, took Guardian critic Lyn Gardner to task in a letter to the editor. Gardner had unfavorably compared Neveu’s play to Lionel Shriver’s novel (later a 2011 film) We Need to Talk About Kevin. Cooke wrote, “Shriver uses the shooting narrative to explore mother-son relationships. Her approach is psychological; Neveu’s is sociological, showing how America’s therapy culture, trying to smooth away dark feelings, creates violence.” Throughout the play, Janice repeats that she doesn’t know how she’s “supposed to feel,” and the cack-handed attempts of her husband and pastor to smooth over the deep emotional wound left by her son’s actions only add to her own rage and sense of alienation.

Neveu describes it as “the culture of psychology around people wanting to fix things. ‘I’ll fix things for you. Everything’s gonna be OK. As long as we can get through this, it’s gonna be OK.’ We can’t necessarily fix things for people, especially something as big as murder. Or being ostracized.” He adds, “Let’s talk about what to do before any of these things happen. And that’s what hopefully people are talking about now.”

As for the film itself, Shannon’s long-standing relationship with writer-director Jeff Nichols (they’ve worked together on seven films, including Shotgun Stories, Mud,and Take Shelter) came in handy. Nichols is one of the executive producers, along with Sarah Green, another longtime Nichols collaborator. The film begins shooting in North Carolina later this summer; the original plan to film in Nichols’s home state of Arkansas was pulled when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, meaning that Arkansas’s “trigger law” banning all abortions except to save the mother’s life went into effect. As of now, the cast hasn’t been announced.

Neveu says that rewriting the play to open it up for a film version was made easier by the fact that he’s been teaching screenwriting at Northwestern for several years.

“I was thinking about structure a lot on how to adapt a story. And then I was thinking about all of the obstacles that Janice faces from people, from actions, from sort of life in general, and what the basic wants and needs are for Janice. And I was also just thinking about the visual language for this story, and reaching back into my growing up in Newton, Iowa, and remembering a lot of things from growing up in that town, and the people that were there, and trying to set those locations for myself. I know it’s a bit cliché, but I wanted to make sure that the town was a character unto itself, too. There are places that Janice could go that are safe. There are places that Janice could go that are unsafe. And 95 percent of the places that she could go are unsafe, as a result of what happened with her son.”

Small-town midwestern life and loss is also part of Neveu’s next play at A Red Orchid—The Malignant Ampersands, opening in late September. (It’s his ninth piece to premiere with the company.) Partly devised as an homage (or as the press release puts it, “a very unofficial sequel”) to Orson Welles’s 1942 cinematic masterpiece, The Magnificent Ambersons (itself based on a 1918 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Booth Tarkington), the play follows the descendants of a once-wealthy family that is now plagued by misfortune. 

Neveu notes that he and his wife and daughter “go to a lot of estate sales in these old houses and they look beautiful on the outside and you go in and it’s like a house that hasn’t changed inside since 1901. And you’re like, ‘What has been going on in here?’ There’s all of their stuff, like all of their wedding photos and bridal gowns and military uniforms and everything. Family pictures, paintings. Didn’t anybody want any of this? You think ‘Where is your family?’ And so it came from that and it also came from how as you age, there’s just a lot of illness in families these days—confronting a lot of cancer specifically. What happens when all that’s left is the disease, and everything else has been taken? Or has been given away or has been squandered?” 

Update on Pay Equity Standards

In January, I reported on the unveiling of the Pay Equity Standards for theater companies created by the advocacy group On Our Team, which provided a path for companies to achieve certification in the areas of transparency, working conditions, and accountability. 

On Monday, two Chicago companies announced that they were the first to meet the standards: 2nd Story and Collaboraction. Essentially, this means they can display the Pay Equity Standards badge, not unlike those used to highlight organic and fair-trade companies, which will hopefully lead to patrons finding out more about what fair practices in theater should look like—and perhaps using that information to help them make decisions about what theaters to support in the future.

It’s a first step toward what On Our Team and other organizations working on these issues hope will become more of an industry standard practice. In the press release, On Our Team noted, “The arts and culture industry added $919.7 billion to the nation’s GDP in 2019 and the industry includes 5.2 million workers with a total compensation of $447 million, according to a report by the NEA released in 2021. Yet, as a UNESCO study from 2019 titled Culture & Working Conditions for Artists stated, ‘the largest subsidy for the arts comes not from governments, patrons or the private sector, but from artists themselves in the form of unpaid or underpaid labour.’”

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The Chicago Blackhawks are losing some players in free agency by their own choice. Dominik Kubalik, Collin Delia, and Erik Gustaffson are all off to new NHL homes as they prepare for the 2022-23 season. Meanwhile, it is clear that Chicago will have a full-on rebuild.

One of the other players that Chicago decided to let walk was Dylan Strome. Since the start of free agency, we have been waiting for word on where he is going to go next. Well, we have our answer as he is headed to the Washington Capitals.

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The Chicago Cubs open a four-game weekend series against the New York Mets on Thursday night and there is a strong chance that the two teams will come together on a trade for the second time in as many seasons.

Last season, the Cubs fleeced the Mets when they landed top outfield prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong for shortstop Javier Baez and veteran starting pitcher Trevor Williams. Baez is no longer with the Mets and Crow-Armstrong has emerged as arguably the Cubs’ top prospect this season.

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