Going to a marijuana dispensary is going to be a different experience depending on who it is that’s going. Some people have more than enough experience that there would be no culture shock to be found at such a place, while a lot of others have this impression of marijuana dispensaries that prepares them to have certain expectations of what it would be like to go into one.
Marijuana dispensaries take rules and regulations seriously
Marijuana dispensaries are not what I would call stuffy by any means, but you should not anticipate running into shenanigans, japery, or tomfoolery while in there, much less be the one to initiate any of that. Anyone who saw fit to behave inappropriately while at a marijuana dispensary will not be staying in the establishment for very long. Much like how you can expect that anyone causing trouble in a bar would be thrown right out on their butt, no questions asked.
When going into a marijuana dispensary, you should expect that whoever is minding security will have the opportunity to look at your photo ID, probably more intensely than you would expect to happen in a bar even. One of the reasons for this is because dispensaries know that marijuana has a negative reputation to a lot of people, and as such, they go to extreme lengths to ensure that there is no avenue for anti-marijuana advocates to harm their longevity or brand. Another aspect of the security comes in the form of armed guards, as many marijuana dispensaries have difficulty getting banks to work with the dispensary due to a lack of federal approval for marijuana. Because of this barrier, the dispensary often deals with cash.
Marijuana dispensaries tend to not meet the weed stereotype
Marijuana (and marijuana use) has a lot of stereotypes surrounding it, some earned and some not. Marijuana users are stereotyped as being criminals, lazy, dangerous, or rebels. In truth, people who use marijuana are… Well, they are normal people. Basically, imagine that you assumed this about everyone who smoked cigarettes, or everyone who drank alcohol, even recreationally. Despite marijuana being more mainstream than it used to be (marijuana decriminalization is a deeply popular thing for a lot of Americans), a lot of these stereotypes continue to persist, and they have attached to marijuana dispensaries as well.
Dispensaries are surprisingly neutral in design, sporting a sleek, professional look. To be honest, if you didn’t already know that it was a marijuana dispensary, you would not be able to tell that it was one just by the aesthetic of the business on its own. Heck, some of them have such a good aesthetic that they beat out your average liquor store’s. Perhaps a better comparison than to a liquor store or a traditional bar is to compare it to a pharmacy: it’s a little sterile, more sterile than one might expect a business dispensing marijuana would be, but they pull off the look well.
Marijuana dispensaries make a point of helping you pick your ideal product
First thing’s first here, you should understand that the marijuana dispensary does not necessarily provide a simple process to pick out your ideal product. However, that does not mean that they are simply trying to overcomplicate things and give you a headache. Rather, their goal is to ensure that you are able to find exactly the kind of product that you are looking for.
A good marijuana dispensary makes a point of ensuring that you are able to understand the qualities of each and every strain in full. They accomplish this by creating detailed menus of the kinds of strains available. However, it is not only limited to the types, and also includes edibles where available. Gummies, cookies, brownies, what have you. Using Weedmaps to find a marijuana dispensary is a solid way to find what you need.
If you have trouble figuring out what you want from the menu, you will usually not have to worry about being upstream without a paddle. This is because they try to make sure that the people working for the marijuana dispensary know the first thing about what they are doing there. Rather than simply doling out whatever products the person is legally allowed to purchase, a good marijuana dispensary makes sure that they can give detailed advice and recommendations from the menu. Additionally, they seek to get a better understanding of what you are looking to get out of the experience. For example, a common question they will ask is what kind of high you are looking to get, specifically a head high or a body high, as well as what these kinds of highs mean (a head high is more about getting your mind going, while a body high is meant to help you relax). The process of learning how to understand and sell cannabis products is so complex that it even necessitates the existence of educational institutions that aim to provide higher education (pun definitely intended).
