If you’re looking to purchase cannabis for either medical or recreational purposes, there are many things that you should always keep in mind. The most important of these is to be fully informed and well-equipped with knowledge regarding dispensaries, rules and laws, and what you might expect to see there. In order to consume marijuana, you should always purchase it from a licensed and reliable dispensary.

 

What is a Dispensary?

In simple terms, a dispensary can be defined as a store location where a specific item is available. Cannabis or Marijuana dispensaries have been around since a very long time now. Recreational marijuana is now made legal in Canada, but the rules still remain strict and vary greatly in terms of location, minimum age limits and the areas defined to smoke. The most basic rule amongst these is to bring cash and do not attempt to take any back home.

Legalizing the use of recreational marijuana in Canada means that the state allows adults the right to purchase, carry, and use up to 30 grams of dried cannabis at a given period in time. This defined figure proves to be well enough to roll about 60 whole joints. However, it can be easily inferred that the rules regarding consumption are strict and there is continuous monitoring over the production and consumption of cannabis.

The legal regulations state that an individual must be at least the age of 19 in order to be allowed to purchase, possess and consume cannabis in most areas of Canadian territory, including British Columbia. While the current minimum legal age is 18 in Quebec and Alberta, the new government has already made a popular pledge to raise this minimum limit to 21. Another important aspect of these laws is that everyone in your surrounding must be above the age limit as sharing or consuming cannabis with minors is strictly prohibited and is a punishable criminal offence.

 

What Will You Find at a Typical Marijuana Dispensary?

Whether you’re headed to a medical or recreational dispensary in Canada, it is easy to predict what you’re going to find at these popular locations. A typical dispensary is likely to have a wide range of flowers and buds on display for customers to look at, perhaps smell but never touch. These rules are made to ensure the safety and hygiene of cannabis as well as to adhere to the many legal regulations.

The availability of flowers will range from sativa and hybrids of all sorts to even indicas. Alongside of these, the dispensary will always provide accurate test results that inform consumers of the exact percentages of THC, cannabinoids and terpenoids present in the specific cannabis plant. Additionally, most of these detailed lab reports also provide consumers with the confidence that the cannabis is entirely mold free and safe for consumption.

In many dispensaries, you can also find a wide range of concentrated cannabis that are usually featured separately. These can be in the form of kief, hash or multiple sorts of oils including shatter, crumble, live resin, RSO, PHO, Clear, Co2 and even pre-filled cartridges specifically made for the ease of consumers.

Due to a recent rise in demand, there will also be a wide variety of medibles. These are medicated eatables (as the name suggests) which feature a unique set of candy, cookies or granola that is infused with cannabis and present the same effects as consuming it directly. Many types of tonics and salves will also be available at the dispensary as these are targeted to consumers who are interested in using cannabis for healing pains but choose not to smoke it through their lungs.

Additionally, the dispensary also takes up the responsibility of providing various different items made to help you consume the cannabis products that are available. These may include vape pens, glass, nails for dabbing and other utensils for dabbing. If the dispensary is big and renowned, it is possible that they have their own clones or gardens, free for consumers to visit and see the production process themselves.

Lastly, just like any other store, dispensaries will also have customer service managers to assist you. These individuals are highly knowledgeable about the specifics of cannabis and have all the sufficient details you may need regarding any cannabis product being sold at the dispensary.

 

The Main Difference Between a Medical and a Recreational Dispensary

Depending upon your location of residence, specific products of cannabis may not be available to the entire population. For example, some dispensaries are only licensed to sell cannabis to customers over the age of 21, while patients with a medical history or prescription are free to purchase any product that the dispensary provides. Therefore, the rules regarding the purchase and carrying of cannabis for medical patients varies greatly from the general public. For example, medical patients are not legally bound to pay the high taxes imposed on recreational cannabis purchasers.

Before visiting a medical dispensary, you must remember to carry all detailed documents regarding your illness and requirement of cannabis. Additionally, a certified doctor’s prescription and a medical cannabis allowance certificate must also be provided to the dispensary. Most patients that are prescribed cannabis for their medical ailments tend to be 18 years or above, and only very exceptions are made to minors with serious cases. In order to purchase a cannabis product at a medical dispensary, the patient has to register themselves and abide by all legal rules and regulations set by the government. Lastly, it is important to remember that all your purchases as a medical dispensary buyer will be tracked and you may be contacted for future follow-ups or refills.

A recreational dispensary, however, greatly differs from this. In order to purchase cannabis from a recreational dispensary, the customer must be above 21 years of age and carry a valid ID in order to prove their identity. Recreational dispensaries tend to look much different than medical ones as they are likely to present menus to customers that provide details regarding their flowers, concentrates and edibles.

Finding the best dispensary can be quite the task for a customer. Due to this specific reason, here is a perfectly combined list of the best online dispensaries available in Canada that are 100% reliable and certified sellers of cannabis.