Tips for your First Dispensary Visit
Your first trip to a dispensary can be overwhelming, but the best way to make the most of your initial visit is to keep a few things in mind. Here’s a list of what we recommend as first-timer tips:
- Plan ahead and do your research. Learn more about the dispensary you plan to visit by visiting their website for their hours, location, etc. This is also a great opportunity to use their menu and see what types of products they’ll offer.
- Bring cash. While some dispensaries will have the option to use a debit card with a service fee, if you bring cash for your purchase you can not only stick to your budget but avoid on-site ATM fees. Cannabis is a cash business so plan accordingly.
- Don’t forget your photo id and patient card. This might be obvious, but you won’t be able to enter the dispensary without both of these items. The dispensary has a responsibility for compliance – do your part to assist.
- Ask questions. The staff at your local dispensary includes a team of budtenders and wellness specialists who have undergone training to best assist you and answer questions about different offerings in-store. They can share information about their products but remember, they aren’t clinicians. If you want medical advice about your cannabis therapy, be sure and talk to your healthcare provider.
- Leave a review after your visit. Help others in the patient community and the dispensary owners by sharing your experiences via reviews. If the dispensary itself doesn’t have a place on their website for reviews, you can usually leave reviews via their listing on Google.
Above all else – prepare for some unknowns – with Missouri’s brand new industry, you could experience lines when dispensaries first open, and larger crowds than what will be “typical” after the grand openings are over.