How to Find a Reputable Dispensary in Your Area
Now that many states have legal programs for marijuana, you would think that finding a reputable marijuana dispensary would be straightforward.
The thing is that there are a few challenges that make finding a legit dispensary oddly problematic.
If you didn’t know, most local governments lack official records with full information regarding certified dispensaries. There’s also the issue of unapproved shops cropping up.
Also, many dispensaries close shop and others emerge in their wake, creating a constant fluctuation that makes it challenging to track active and regulated dispensaries.
If you’re not sure where to begin to locate a good, licensed, and regulated marijuana dispensary, here are some tips you can use:
1.Your Medical Provider
The first point of contact you have in the medical world is your healthcare provider. That could be your GP, dentist, or specialist you see often.
These individuals know about the happenings in the industry and have connections. Tapping into their network of medical professionals is the fastest way of getting the assistance you need, even if it has to do with medicinal marijuana.
As you probably know, access to medical marijuana requires an evaluation by a doctor eligible to offer approvals. Your doctor would be in a good position to know a few marijuana doctors who have knowledge of the cannabis industry and available dispensaries.
2.Check with People
There’s likely someone you know who’s already using medical marijuana, which means they get their product from a dispensary.
You can’t know if one of your family members, friends, or workmates is using legal cannabis or has info on local dispensaries if you don’t ask.
Go around asking, and chances are you’ll find someone to guide you. Your friend or neighbor may not be able to help, but they may know someone who can.
Also, one thing to consider is whether the person guiding you has a medical marijuana card. That would mean they follow proper channels to get their weed.
You shouldn’t just buy from any store recommended by a smoker on the street. It may turn out to be an unlicensed business, and there are plenty of those.
3.Check Online Databases
Going online is an easy way to find a marijuana dispensary in your locale. You could start with sites that host databases specific for locating cannabis shops.
Veriheal is an excellent resource if you’re looking for a detailed directory listing approved dispensaries from all over the country.
4.Try Apps
These days there are apps for almost everything.
If you were wondering whether there are apps designed to assist marijuana users, there are, and not just one or two. The best part is that the apps we’re about to show you have helpful info about weed, including licensed shops near you.
●Weedmaps (App Store | Play Store)
Weedmaps is one of the most reputable marijuana apps available, with a large following and a wealth of information. You can use the app to learn more about cannabis products and find doctors and stores near you.
●Leafly (App Store | Play Store)
Leafly is the next best app offering pretty much everything weedmaps offers, from suggestions and reviews to assistance in locating legal pot shops. You can also browse real-time menus to find which shop suits your needs.
●Puffy (App Store)
Unlike the other two, Puffy is more of a social platform for the cannabis community. However, it’s still a great resource since you’ll be interacting with many weed users within and outside your locale. With such a community, it would be easy to access industry information.
●PotBot (App Store | Play Store)
While not as big as Leafly and Weedmaps, PotBot is the most beneficial of them all, especially for patients using medical cannabis.
The app is like a budtender slash doctor as it uses AI to find strain info and recommend strains suitable for your medical condition. It calculates the ratio of chemical composition so that you know what you’re taking. And it shares details on the closest dispensaries.
Conclusion
The cannabis industry is booming, but it’s still young and bound to have challenges. Some dispensaries are unlicensed and unregulated, contributing to the difficulty in finding a reputable dispensary in your area.
Using the above tips eliminates the groundwork when it comes to locating dispensaries.