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."
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:
- 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
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
