No longer just rolling papers, Raw is now selling weed too
No longer just rolling papers, Raw is now selling weed too
Greta Cross, USA TODAYFri, October 2, 2026 at 5:59 PM UTC
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Raw is no longer just in the business of rolling papers. The decades-old smoke shop brand is officially selling marijuana now too.
Raw, stylized as RAW, announced on Sept. 29 that it has finally entered the marijuana market with Raw Genetics, offering a variety of flower and rosin products. The brand soft launched in New Mexico dispensaries in early September, Raw founder Josh Kesselman told USA TODAY via email.
Kesselman, who is also the publisher of long-time marijuana magazine High Times, said he is constantly receiving pre-rolls to try and "80% to 85% of them are heartbreaking."
"For decades, Raw has helped people enjoy cannabis with our rolling papers without ever being plant-touching ourselves," Kesselman said in a news release. "I love this industry, but I have personally seen far too many awful pre-rolls packed too tight or too loose, made with poorly or incorrectly rolled cones and filled with trim, lows and stems. That hurts the reputation of all pre-rolls. It was time for us to step up, lead by example and give the industry something worth copying."
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But Raw Genetics is not new. The California-based marijuana brand was founded about 12 years ago by brothers Bradly Van Gundy and Mason Yerger, who have made a living creating popular strains like Stuffed French Toast, Z Pie, Zlushiez, Kami Kush and Pineapple Pi-Chew. Kesselman announced Raw's house of brands, HBI Innovations, was acquiring the brand in July.
"When we started the company, I never fathomed an exit, but this feels like my baby is being drafted into the major leagues," Van Gundy said in a July news release.
For those ready to toke up, here's what to know about Raw's new marijuana venture.
What marijuana products is Raw releasing?RAWthentic
RAWthentic is the brand's marijuana flower-focused line of products:
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RAWthentic Dog Walker: 10 0.5-gram premium flower pre-rolls, 5 grams total
RAWthentic 98 Special: 10 1-gram premium flower pre-rolls, 10 grams total
RAWthentic Glass Tip Single: One 1.5-gram premium flower pre-roll with a reusable 10 mm glass tip
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RAWsin
RAWsin is the brand's line of vapes and pre-rolls made with rosin, a solventless marijuana concentrate:
RAWsin Bar: A solventless rosin vape offered in 0.5-gram and 1-gram sizes with C-Cell technology, dual air vents, USB-C charging and a design engineered to help prevent clogs and burnt oil
RAWsin Dog Walker: Five 0.5-gram rosin-infused pre-rolls, 2.5 grams total
RAWsin 1 1/4: Four 1-gram rosin-infused pre-rolls, 4 grams total
RAWsin Glass Tip Single: One 2-gram infused pre-roll containing 1.65 grams of flower and 0.35 grams of rosin, finished with a reusable 12 mm glass tip
Where are Raw's marijuana products available to buy?
As of Oct. 2, Raw Genetics products are exclusively available in marijuana dispensaries in Arizona, California and New Mexico, Kesselman told USA TODAY. Final product testing is underway in New York and Oklahoma, he added. Customers can search Raw Genetics products on Weedmaps, a website and mobile app that shows nearby dispensaries and available products.
In the coming months, Raw Genetics products will be available in Rhode Island, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, Colorado, Michigan and Montana, Kesselman said.
Where is marijuana legal in the US?Medical marijuana
Forty states and Washington, DC, allow medical marijuana use, according to 2025 data from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL):
Alabama*
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas*
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida*
Hawaii*
Illinois
Kentucky*
Louisiana*
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi*
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska*
Nevada
New Hampshire*
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota*
Ohio
Oklahoma*
Oregon
Pennsylvania*
Rhode Island
South Dakota*
Texas*
Utah*
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia*
*States that only have medical marijuana programs.
Recreational marijuana
Twenty-four states and Washington, DC, allow recreational marijuana use, according to the NCSL:
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No longer just rolling papers, Raw is now selling weed too
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