Those of us lucky enough to live in legal states are used to stopping into our local dispensary and know the protocols pretty well but if you have never been to a legal shop it can be an intimidating experience. This guide is meant to help newbies to the legal cannabis shopping experience have a wonderful and anxiety-free first experience. These tips should make your maiden voyage to a cannabis shop easy breezy and just plain fun.

1. Check out the menu online. If the shop you are thinking of visiting has an online menu you should check it out! If you are the type of person who likes to know the lay of the land before you go somewhere it can be super helpful to see what lies in store for you before you see it in person. It can make the experience a little less scary for folks new to some products they may not be acquainted with in prohibition states. Things like dabbable concentrates, topicals, and concentrate (aka “vape”) pens can be a little confusing so checking out what is on the menu and googling terms you may be unfamiliar with before going into a shop is an awesome way to educate yourself before coming in. Budtenders know what all of the things are and are happy to explain them to folks but some folks just like to find out on their own, which is perfectly okay too. If you are like me and like to peruse the menu of every restaurant you ever go to online before you go there this is going to be your jam. A lot of companies have online ordering, too, so if you want to avoid even having to linger in the shop at all (hello, impulse buyers! I see you. Online ordering is your new best friend.) order online to circumvent lines and get in and out with the quickness!
2. When you have arrived at your destination and are ready to shop there are some protocols and things you should be aware of. The first is to always have your ID handy. If you have a driver’s license or ID card from any US state that is a great and widely accepted form of ID. A passport is also a sure bet. Check state ID laws on the internet if you are at all worried whether or not your ID will be accepted. Here in Alaska, we have stringent ID policies and have some forms of ID that we cannot accept so do your research and come prepared. Most places card at both the front door and again at the register so keep your ID handy after the first time you get carded, you will likely need to show it again. Most often the shop is making sure your ID is current, you are of age, and your picture matches your face so make sure your ID is not expired, you are over 21, and you have nothing obscuring your face. Try not to be offended that you will get carded multiple times, as a relatively new industry we face a great deal of regulations and must adhere to them. Please be patient with your budtenders, they think it’s kind of a drag, too. Another thing to think about is that lots of dispensaries are CASH ONLY. Most have ATMs available but sometimes they’re down so bringing cash is always prudent.
3. You did it! You are in! Now comes the best part, when you get to meet and chat with your friendly budtender! They are super knowledgeable and love telling folks about the products they love. It’s always nice to at least have a vague idea of what you are looking for. Do you know for sure you just want something fun and giggly but you definitely don’t want to smoke? Your budtender can set you up with a super fun vape pen or an edible to aid your good time. Do you want something to smoke that will put you to sleep and give you a restful night’s sleep? Your budtender will be very happy to sell you a joint or some flower that will do just the trick. Or if you just know you like cannabis that tastes like citrus. Budtenders love finding the perfect product for their customers. We also love just being asked what we are smoking/dabbing/consuming/vaping/rubbing on topically. Your budtender tries everything and that which they haven’t tried they have talked to their coworkers about and asked their opinion on. We share much knowledge between our staff here and every shop I have visited does the same. If you are unsure what you are feeling, dealer’s choice is always a good option. You should be able to openly ask whatever questions you want answered. If your budtender makes you feel bad or laughs at you for now knowing something that is. not okay and you should feel free to ask for another budtender or leave and go to another shop. No one should ever make you feel bad for not knowing something. Cannabis is still not as widely studied as it should be and as much as the internet can be helpful, asking a budtender can help you filter out a lot of unnecessary information and get simplified answers. Also important to note: make sure you put the product you just purchased in your pocket or purse if you refuse a bag. Leaving a cannabis shop with product in your hands is a big no no. And please be totally off the property of the shop prior to opening the package. NEVER open product in the store. Shops can get into trouble for that so please keep everything sealed until you are a distance from the place you bought it.
4. Now that you have your product where can you go to consume it? Different states have different laws. In Alaska, on site consumption has passed statewide but different areas have different laws. Here in Ketchikan we have also passed onsite consumption but the city hasn’t decided on the rules yet so what we can do with that is still as yet undetermined. If you have edibles and/or a vape pen you can discreetly consume that pretty much anywhere. Smoking is a bit more difficult and in general smoking cannabis in public is against the law. Hopefully soon we will have a system in place where folks can safely and legally consume cannabis onsite. Until then, use common sense and don’t smoke in front of children or really any other people if you can help it. You can possibly be ticketed for public consumption so keep that in mind. This is why edibles and vape pens are so common. Their discretion makes them the easiest product for tourists to safely consume. In many legal states there are specific resorts or Airbnbs that are okay with cannabis consumption. Some even encourage it! I stayed in an Airbnb in Portland that I specifically chose because they said they were 420-friendly. They had a lovely garden to smoke in and there were lighters everywhere. It was a wonderful experience.
   Wow! You did it! You had your first cannabis shop visit! We hope you had fun and realized it’s not quite as intimidating as you thought it might be! Now go get high and chill out. It’s your vacation, you deserve it. Thanks for having an educational moment with us!

Until next time,

Your pals at The Stoney Moose