Cannabis Dispensaries 101: The Best Tips and Tricks for Beginners

As Cannabis becomes legally available around the country more and more people are entering legal dispensaries for the first time. Ready to finally toke up without having to meet some shady dude in a grocery store parking lot at midnight. Dispensary rules vary from state to state but this guide will give you an overview of how to navigate your first trip.

1. Finding a local dispensary

If you live in one of the 22 states which have legalized recreational cannabis use, you’ll be able to find a dispensary within your state if not now then in the near future. Every state with recreational weed also has medical weed so you’ll want to make sure the dispensary specifies that it is recreational if you do not have a medical card.

2. What to Bring

After you’ve located your new bud HQ you’ll want to be ready with your ID showing you are at least 21 years old, before they let you in to see the goods you’ll have to get by the doorman and be ready to reproduce it again as you’ll often be ID’d again when you make your purchase. It is also a good practice to bring a good amount of cash with you, many dispensaries are cash only due to current credit and debit regulations, on-site ATMs are common but not guaranteed and typically will have a fee, you wanna smoke your green not give it to the bank!

3. The Fun Part

Once you’ve made it inside you’ll be invited to a counter with the budtender, most dispensaries will have one budtender helping each guest or group of guests so you’ll have their full attention and they are there to help you light up. It can be intimidating trying to navigate the menu by yourself but it is usually less complicated than it looks. I’m gonna break down the typical terms and quantities sold.

Flower

Flower is the term used in dispensaries for pure bud, the sticky icky is sold by weight and the most typical quantity is an eighth short for 1/8th of an ounce. Depending on quality and state before taxes an eighth is gonna run you $30-$60, if you just starting out but wanna get into to smoking this is gonna be your goldilocks amount. They will also usually have a “Q” or quarter of an ounce this will typically be $60-$120 dollars for people who know what they like and are trying to get more value from buying in bulk. A little frugal stoner tip is to look if they sell shake. Shake is weed that’s fallen off of larger buds during the cutting and packing process but it is still perfectly good weed even if its not pretty so dispensaries sometimes sell it at deep discounts.

Edibles

Edibles are the term for THC-infused products you eat or drink, the most common forms are chocolates, gummy candy, beverages, and baked goods. The particular food item is only really for taste preference and doesn't really affect the weed, so get what sounds good to you some things are gonna have a worse weed taste and others will be delicious so you got to experiment and find what you like. The key to having a good time with edibles is knowing your dose, edibles are sold usually in packages containing a total of either  50 or 100 milligrams of THC portioned out usually into little bize size pieces. For someone who is new to getting high or doesn't do so terribly often the proper dosage is gonna be 5mg or less which will usually be one gummy candy or one piece of chocolate. For the cooks and bakers, some dispensaries will also sell infused butter or cooking oil which you can substitute into your brownie or cookie recipes this will give you a lot more control over dosage but it may take some trial and effort to get it right.

Wax and Cartridges

This is the category that is probably hardest to understand if you’re new and requires a little more expertise. Wax is a highly concentrated form of THC distillate, it requires special equipment to smoke so I would not recommend it without some additional research. Cartridges are similar but more beginner friendly, it is a THC distillate you smoke with an electric vaporizer sold usually in half or full grams. The range of cartridge types is broad and deserves discussion on its own so I’m just gonna go over a few different types. A dispensary will likely carry a combination of three different types of cartridge the most common is an A10 thread these are the standard so if it doesn't say what it is this is probably the one, they all fit a universal vaporizer also called an A10, the dispensary will usually have these available as well and they’re pretty cheap typically $10-$20 though if you use carts consistently I would recommend a high-quality version. There are also disposables, these are all-in-one cartridge and vaporizer that you simply buy puff and toss when done. There are also proprietary cartridges that require a specific named brand vaporizer the most common being PAX these will only fit that exact vaporizer so make sure you only buy the ones that fit your vape.

Pre-Rolls

These are just pre-made joints perfect for quick sessions or for someone just starting to dip their toe in the water not wanting to commit to buying a bunch of flower and smoking gear. They’re also a fun way to try a variety of different strains cheaply.

Miscellaneous

Dispensaries will also carry a variety of less categorizable products like tinctures, balms, and lotions these are more specialized so I would rely on your specific budtender to walk you through them to see if they’re what you’re looking for. Most dispensaries will also provide a variety of smoking equipment, rolling paper for joints, hemp blunt wraps, and glassware so if you have nothing to start with you can leave with everything you need to get stoned in one trip.

Step Four: Time to Get Fried

After you’ve made your selections and journeyed home there’s only one thing left to do and that's to put on some music turn off your phone and get totally stoned. I hope this guide has helped prepare you for your first visit to a dispensary, one last piece of advice I’ll give is to trust your budtender in my experience they are always chill and there to help you get the exact high you want stoner culture is about being welcoming and hospitable to everyone and anyone who wants to get high.