There’s nothing to be ashamed of, you’re one of hundreds of thousands of people across the nation visiting at least one marijuana dispensary for medical and recreational reasons. And these dispensaries aren’t backdoor, black market operations – they’re upscale and professional, and in many cases have to meet rigorous standards set forth by the government before they can open their doors to the public.

Registering (and being approved) for your medical marijuana card is exciting and also a little terrifying; weed may be experiencing a bit of surge in popularity at the moment, what with all the politicians across North America pushing for legalization, but decades worth of negative associations still leave patients tiptoeing around the idea of consuming pot for any reason, even though it may be medically beneficial. It stands to reason, then, that you’re probably super nervous about walking into your first medical marijuana dispensary, worried you’ll look out of place or ask the wrong kind of question.

You could literally spend all day in a medical dispensary, chatting with the staff and other patrons (cannabis is a culture with an enthusiastic following) but if you want to shave a little time off your first visit, there are a few things you can prepare before your visit.

What to Know & What to Bring to a Marijuana Dispensary

Bring Your ID/Medical Card

The first thing you’re going to be asked before you can start perusing the wares of your local marijuana dispensary is some form of identification, any standard, and a valid government-issued ID like a driver’s license or passport. There is an age restriction in place on the sale of cannabis, whether medical or recreational, in most, if not all, jurisdictions. Usually, this ranges from 18-21 and is dependant on the region you are in.

Edibles are Tasty but Powerful

For people who don’t like to inhale, edibles – marijuana-infused products like cookies, brownies, candies, gummies, and concentrated cannabinoid tinctures that can be taken sublingually – prove an excellent alternative, and in fact, the sale of edibles makes up about 50 percent of all cannabis sales.

It’s not necessarily common knowledge that a marijuana high from an edible is different from inhaled cannabis. The reason lies in the way cannabinoids are broken down in the body. When you inhale cannabis, THC and CBD have a direct path to the endocannabinoid system (which runs throughout the brain and body) via the bloodstream. When you eat cannabinoids, first, they have to pass through the digestive system, which takes time (about 30 mins to an hour), and then they are broken down by the liver and converted into something else. Specifically, we look at THC, which becomes an enzyme called 11-hydroxy-THC, which is much more potent than THC and provides a longer-lasting high.

You don’t need to buy a 12 pack of cookies, one or two should do the trick, especially if you have never used marijuana in the edible form before. It’s recommended you start with about 5-10 mg at a time and wait for at least 30 to 45 minutes before you increase the dose. A well-stock marijuana dispensary should have a wide variety of sweet and sour edibles from cookies to crackers and gummy bears.

Know a Little (or a Lot) About Weed

To the layperson, weed is weed is weed, but marijuana is an incredibly complex plant. You won’t need to know the exact history or origin story, but it will do you well to know at least a little bit about what you’re getting into to give the budtender a chance to help you choose the right strain.

First things first, there are three different strains of cannabis:

Sativa – these strains offer stimulating, uplifting, mostly cerebral highs that are good for creativity, energy, focus, stress, anxiety, etc.
Indica – the polar opposite of sativa, indica cannabis strains are for people looking to relax. They’re characterized by a “couchlock” that is often great for relieving physical stress and tension, improving appetite, and helping patients to get a better night’s sleep.
Hybrids – cannabis on a whole new level. Breeders figured out that combining the characteristics of indica and sativa in different percentages can produce new and amazingly different, potent, flavourful varieties, and there are plenty of them. At last count, there were over 800 (not including the ones us “plebes” will never hear of), with new strains being added to the list every year.

You should also know the difference between tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). While both have beneficial clinical applications, THC is going to get you that euphoric high (great for parties and social situations), while CBD is not psychoactive, which is why so many physicians are comfortable prescribing pot products high in CBD to a wider range of patients, including children and the elderly.

You will also find that, while a lot of dispensaries carry dried and cured bud, some stock cannabis seeds, especially shops in states where the right to cultivate your own weed for personal use has been legalized, like California, Oregon, or Nevada. You can bet that any store stocking Pacific Seed Bank marijuana seeds knows their stuff.

And Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions!

Your budtender is there for a reason – friendly and knowledgeable, they will be able to give you tips and advice on the different strains of dispensary cannabis and cannabis seeds available, as well as ideas on what might work best for you.

Additionally, you may want to do a little cyberstalking of the dispensaries you’re planning on hitting up. Does their website have a lot of detailed information? Can you check out the menu before you get there? What about reviews, what are other people saying about? Word of mouth recommendations are still by far the most valuable kind of recommendation and, from customer service to the quality of the weed on-site, if other customers are satisfied, chances are you will be too.

You know what they say though: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Shopping for ready-to-use marijuana dispensary cannabis seeds may be a quick fix, but growing your own weed from high-quality seeds guarantees that you’ll always have a stock of all-natural and potent pot on hand. Is there anything more satisfying than savoring the fruits of your own labor?

For superior genetics and customer service, visit Pacific Seed Bank online – you’ll be as impressed with our process as you are with our products.