Where the word ‘mids' comes from
‘Mids' is short for ‘mid-grade' or ‘middle-shelf' — cannabis quality tier vocabulary that came from the illicit market of the ‘80s and ‘90s, where growers sorted product into three tiers: top (loud, dense, high-THC), mid (average commercial flower), and reggie (low-quality). The word survived legalization intact and now describes the dispensary mid-shelf tier.
What mids look and smoke like
Mid-tier flower is fine — decent trichome coverage, decent aroma, dense enough. Not sugar-frosted like top-shelf. Not sad and dry like reggie. THC usually 15–22%. Effects are functional but not memorable. Perfect for daily use when you don't want to burn through $70 eighths.
Mids vs top-shelf vs reggie
Top-shelf: $55–$80 eighth, 25%+ THC, loud, dense, exotic. Mids: $30–$45 eighth, 15–22% THC, decent, workhorse. Reggie: $20–$30 historically, 8–14% THC, brown, seedy — largely extinct in legal NY markets.
Is buying mids worth it?
Absolutely — for most consumers, mids are the right daily-driver purchase. You save 40–60% vs top-shelf, get consistent effects, and don't burn out on chasing exotic aromas. Save the top-shelf for weekend sessions or when a friend's coming over. Buy mids for Wednesday nights.
Buying mid-shelf flower in NY
At Good Grades — a licensed New York adult-use dispensary in Queens — every gram on the menu is lab-tested through the state's Office of Cannabis Management compliance chain, tagged from cultivator to shelf, and delivered same-day across Queens, Nassau County, and much of the NYC metro. 21+ with valid ID at delivery. Browse the live menu to compare THC content, terpene profile, and grow method before you order.