How to Select High Quality Cannabis at the Dispensary
Cannabis dispensaries are for-profit businesses. They are not pharmacies and should not be mistaken for dealers in nice clothes. As a retail enterprise, they expect to make a profit. Even those with strong customer and community interests must profit to remain in business.
You can pursue a positive customer experience and select high-quality cannabis if you follow some tips.
Six tips on selecting high-quality cannabis at the dispensary:
Tip #1: Pick your dispensary wisely. Cannabis dispensaries are not all the same. Some sell medical cannabis only, and others sell both. Some have opened chains of stores with economies of scale and regional locations. Once the cannabis launch—a work-in-progress since legalization—has settled into some standardization, these chain stores will become models of organization, marketing, and operation. Until then, there is some reason customers should be wary.
Additionally, most states have adopted model litigation for dispensary owners and managers. Because the failure to comply can cost them the right to do business, most dispensaries have been following the mandates in the few years since the wave of legislation legalizing cannabis grow, process, sell, buy, transport, and use.
On the minus side, the potential for big profit will attract “black hat” owners willing to exploit their license for gain. Their greed will cut corners at the customers’ expense. They may mislabel and overprice products. Or, they may claim or exaggerate benefits.
Tip #2: Do your research. The internet offers volumes of information and data on cannabis strains, by-products, and edibles. First, research what is out there – independent of specific dispensaries – and prepare a shopping list for your planned purchase.
Second, you should check the websites of dispensaries that interest you. You can see what they offer currently and how their description compares with your research. That is one step towards getting what you want.
Third, you can comparison shop at several dispensaries online, selecting the one that offers what you want at a price your wallet can afford. These steps help qualify the dispensary and its performance as a place you want to buy.
Tip #3: Make a small buy. Again, you want to verify that the dispensary you have in mind does the kind of business you like and trust. You should visit the dispensary, go through the expected security checks, shop as long as they let you, and make a small purchase.
You might purchase an edible, lotion, or apparel. However, the idea is to check out the store’s behavior. You might notice how cannabis is displayed for marketing and sale. You might observe how free customers are to touch and smell the buds, and you could eavesdrop on the interaction between budtenders and customers. If you are comfortable with your experience, you will trust what they offer.
Tip #4: Understand marketing more. In a sense, cannabis is sold as produce. Even when dried and cured, it has a shelf life. Retail dispensary businesses must move their product on a schedule that protects their investment and their reputation for quality. This leads to several options.
Product availability should drive shelf life; that is, dispensaries should not keep inventory past its prime.
Marketing traditionally places products productively. They are likely to set the highest-quality product with the highest prices on the top shelf, just as you will find liquor shelved in a bar. The middle shelf contains products that are in high demand or that the dispensary wants to move. Advertised and discounted items are likely found there. The bottom shelf may contain the lowest-priced product, a sign to customers that the product is not the best.
These marketing tactics may not be found in all dispensaries, but the logic of product placement is consistent throughout most dispensary layouts.
Tip #5: Check it out. Most dispensaries display their cannabis strains in jars. Depending on the customer traffic, they will let you inspect and smell the cannabis therein. If you are a first-time shopper, you should engage the budtender in conversation about what you want. You should know what you are looking (and smelling) for if you are a regular.
Look it over—closely. Quality cannabis has rich colors, but green dominates. If the product has browned, it is too old. A good product also has wispy strands of the trichomes laden with cannabinoid power. Veteran users will carry a magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe.
Give it a touch. If the budtender permits, you can gently squeeze a bud to see if it is plump, moist, or dry and brittle.
Take a big whiff. Much of your cannabis experience will depend on the taste and aroma. You cannot taste the product in its jar but can take in the plant’s aroma. It should have the smell you discovered in your research. It should be citrusy, sweet, woodsy, or more. Quality cannabis has a potent smell, so take it in.
Tip #6: Read the label. There are still no state-to-state labeling standards. However, the label should contain quality-related information. For example, it should identify the producer and processor. It must also identify the strain and the THC: CBD ratio. It should also include evidence of independent third-party lab testing. The testing is no guarantee of quality or freshness, but it does confirm that the product is what it claims to be.
The final test
If you are dead serious about testing the quality of dispensary cannabis, you can invest in a test kit. But, if you are the average user, you want a customer experience you can repeat at will. You must make two decisions. One, you should determine if the cannabis you buy produces the experience you want. Two, you want to patronize the dispensary which offers your desired shopping experience and product.
However, you must also remember that quality is subjective. Customers might want potency, low price, or medical therapy. If it works, it is quality cannabis to you.
