The world of cannabis can be an intimidating one to newbies. Because of that, we’ve already covered some vital information for newer consumers, including some common weed terms you should know and how to differentiate between indica and sativa strains.
This information will definitely help you make your first dispensary visit a success. But that’s not everything you’ll want to know. In this post, we’re going to go over how you can prepare for your first trip to our Des Moines or Seattle dispensary so your first time is fun and easy, not stressful and confusing.
How to Prepare For Your First Trip to a Des Moines or Seattle Dispensary
If you just try to walk into a dispensary without a plan, you might hit some roadblocks. Speaking from experience: You don’t want to break into a cold sweat as the budtender asks what you want; your lips trembling while a line of customers, ready to make their purchases, forms an ever-expanding queue. The other patrons are mumbling, wondering why you aren’t asking questions to move things along.
Luckily, this doesn’t have to happen. Instead, you can make your first dispensary trip easy with just a little bit of background knowledge and some high-cannabis-IQ questions in your back pocket.
What is a Dispensary?
First things first: What is a dispensary, exactly? Put simply, it’s anywhere that you can buy cannabis products. While some may say that the term “dispensary” only refers to shops that sell medical marijuana, this isn’t the case. A Seattle or Des Moines dispensary may sell medical cannabis, recreational adult-use cannabis, or both. It all depends on what kind of state-issued licenses they have.
Can I Go to a Dispensary Without a Card?
Some Washington residents remain under the false impression that they must possess a medical marijuana card to purchase cannabis. This is a little complicated, so we’ll break it down for you:
- If You Don’t Have a Card: Anyone age 21 and older may legally purchase recreational cannabis from a dispensary without a card. However, a transaction is subject to strict purchase limits. Recreational buyers can only buy one ounce of cannabis flower, 16 ounces of solid infused edibles, 72 ounces of infused drinks, or seven grams of concentrates. That’s plenty of volume to get you started! All you need is a valid photo ID proving your age and identity. If you buy recreational cannabis, keep in mind that you must pay 37 percent in additional tax.
- If You Have a Card: If you’re a registered medical marijuana patient and cardholder, you’ll have certain privileges that non-holders don’t get. For one, card holders may purchase cannabis at 18 years old, three years sooner than recreational buyers. In addition, patients enjoy higher purchase limits. Patients can legally buy up to three ounces of cannabis flower, 48 ounces of edibles, 216 ounces of liquid-infused products, and 21 grams of concentrates. Essentially, card holders have triple the purchasing limit of non-holders. Finally, patients don’t need to pay the 37 percent marijuana tax, making each purchase significantly cheaper.
Know What You’re Buying Before You Go
We know, we know. It may be fun to browse the shelves at your local Seattle or Des Moines dispensary. Budtenders can provide inspiration, and you may discover new products you had never heard of before. The important thing is to come in with some direction for the budtenders so they can narrow their focus to what’s right for you. Three key questions they may ask you that you want to be ready to answer are:
- Would you prefer more or less psychoactive effects?
- Are you looking to alleviate a specific symptom?
- How are you interested in consuming your cannabis?
Knowing where you stand in these three areas will help you and the budtender form rapport that leads you to products that are a better fit for your interests.
Or, you can do your research, and even order, before you head to the store! Most dispensaries will allow you to browse their wares, and even pre-order for express pickup. If you need inspiration, you can check out our full selection of concentrates, edibles, and infused products before you stop by, or even order online.
