Visiting a Cannabis Store

What a wonderful thing to be able to walk into a store and purchase cannabis legally without sweaty palms and constantly looking over your shoulder to see if you’re about to be busted.

If you live in a state where dispensaries and weed stores are now on the local street, you probably have a wide selection of places to get quality bud. If it’s your first time buying over the counter, there are a few things to know beforehand.

Firstly, it’s important to know the difference between a cannabis dispensary and a cannabis store. A dispensary is solely for patients who need to buy medical marijuana and a cannabis store is for those who want to buy recreational goodies. A public cannabis shop is typically bigger than a dispensary because there is a wider range of products and they cater for more people. The amount of cannabis you can buy (possess) in one visit will differ between US states, so find out what the limits are specific to your area.

To visit a dispensary, you will need a medical card or prescription and in a cannabis store, you need to present your ID, and, in some states, other paperwork may be required. Recreational cannabis is not sold to people under the age of 21 years and medical cannabis can be purchased if you’re 18 years or older. Cash is king in most cannabis shops as a lot of places don’t accept bank cards…yet.

Choosing a Quality Cannabis Store

It’s natural to feel intimidated when first visiting a cannabis shop, so to ensure you have a comfortable experience, look for places that offer the following qualities.

Knowledgeable and Friendly staff

A place with patient, friendly, and knowledgeable staff will make a huge difference in your first experience. Their purpose is to serve and connect you with quality bud. Well-trained budtenders will know their products inside and out and will be willing to guide you through your purchase and offer advice on what to buy, whether it’s edibles, flowers, tinctures or concentrates. They can also provide advice on the best way to consume them, the proper dosing, and also answer any of your questions. You will also find cannabis seeds available for purchase so if you keen on starting your own homegrown, budtenders at top-rated shops will be more than willing to share their knowledge with inexperienced cultivators.

Broad Selection

Walking into a cannabis shop is equivalent to a kid walking into a sweet shop. The aroma, colors, and variety of products will have you paralyzed with choice. You should be able to find absolutely anything you want whether it’s consumables or equipment, quality stores will have an exciting inventory. In most cases, you should be able to browse a menu, which you can also do online while researching the stores in your area.

Product Quality

Good bud isn’t cheap so before you blindly hand over your cash, take your time to check out the strains you keen to buy. You’re looking for a product that looks good and smells fresh. Avoid buying anything with a disagreeable smell or anything that shows signs of mold. Cannabis products should be properly stored in clear containers for buyers to easily see what the buds look like. If it’s not obvious where the products are sourced from, then ask. Budtenders should be open and honest about what they sell and will usually share that information freely.

Ambiance

While different outlets will have different atmospheres, you want to feel comfortable yet excited when you set foot in the door. Some places have spa facilities, coffee shops, and lounging areas to make you feel at ease to enjoy the entire experience.

Web Research

Another way to start with choosing a store is by doing some research online. Look at what products they offer, location, operating hours, and customer reviews. Good reviews is a great indicator that you will find helpful staff who positively engage with their customers.

Top-rated US Cannabis Stores

Some cannabis shops have outlets across the country in different states such as MedMen and Have a Heart.

Alaska

• High Expedition (Talkeetna)
• Great Northern Cannabis (Anchorage)

California

• Apothecarium (San Francisco and Las Vegas)
• Harvest (San Francisco)
• Cookies (Los Angeles)
• Exhale Med Center (West Hollywood)

Colorado

• Oasis Superstore (Denver)
• Native Roots (state-wide)
• Silverpeak (Aspen)

Massachusetts

• NETA Northampton (Northampton)

Nevada

• Planet 13 (Las Vegas)
• Essence Las Vegas Strip (Las Vegas)

Oregon

• Tokyo Starfish (Bend)
• Kings of Canna (Portland)

Washington

• Lux Pot Shop (Seattle)