When you think about buying weed, what comes to mind? Do you think about buying it from the nearest dispensary? Or do you scroll through the contacts of your phone to call your dealer? Well, if weed is legal in your state, don’t you think it’s better to buy it from dispensaries?
If you still prefer street weed over dispensaries, you may still be accustomed to the conventional way of buying weed from a street dealer. But don’t you think buying it from street vendors is risky in terms of health concerns, and legal penalties?
Well, this brings us back to the main question, is dispensary weed safer than street weed? The short answer is yes, dispensary weed is safer than street weed, but there are still underlying reasons why street weed is still widely consumed.
To properly answer all these questions, this article covers an in-depth explanation of why people still buy street weed and in what aspects dispensary weed is safer. Plus, it also discusses why you should always choose a weed dispensary over street vendors, along with suggestions what you should do if you live in a state where weed is still illegal.
Why Do People Still Buy Street Weed?
One of the main reasons people still buy street weed is due to the legal boundaries. Weed has only been fully legalized in 24 states, and in 38 states for just medical use. On top of that, not everyone can purchase weed if they have a medical problem.
You need this legal permit called the medical marijuana card, or the weed card to purchase weed for medical use. And to get a weed card you need to have a qualifying health condition approved by a physician in your state.
So, even if you need to buy weed for medical purposes in any of the 38 states, you will need a weed card, and if you are not eligible for one, then street weed’s your only source. This also applies for the states where weed is still illegal.
If you’re living in any of the 24 states where weed is fully legal, price becomes another barrier. It’s more expensive to buy weed from dispensaries due to the sales tax of 10% to 37% on weed which varies across states. Plus, there’s targeted pricing to achieve high profit margins based on brand value.
Apart from these, you need to be at least 21 to buy weed for recreational use, and 18 for medical purposes. So, people who are below the minimum age can drift towards street weed. Lastly, there are some people who are still habituated to buying weed from a dealer, and that’s why they tend to gravitate towards street weed even if it’s fully legal and accessible from dispensaries in their state.
Not to mention personal relationships with dealers and perceived quality of weed can also influence some people to choose street weed over dispensaries. Although these are valid reasons to buy weed from street vendors, it does not validate the fact that dispensary weed is safer than street weed.
In What Aspects is Dispensary Weed Safer Than Street Weed?
There are multiple factors that make dispensary weed safer than street weed. The first reason is obvious, street weed is illegal so it can get you into serious legal consequences depending on which state you are residing in.
And secondly, street vendors don’t maintain the safety standards directed by the Government and Health Officials, so consuming street weed can lead to serious health hazards.
They don’t care if the weed is contaminated with molds or exposed to any harmful chemicals like pesticides, heavy metals, and harmful additives. All they care about is selling the merchandise to make some easy money.
For a long time, street vendors have been the only source of weed but now that weed has been legalized in many states there are licensed dispensaries that assure quality, and safety.
So now it’s high time to learn and become more aware in what aspects dispensary weed are safer than street weed in the following.
Filters Out Harmful Pesticides and Other Components
The quality and safety of the weed mainly depends on how it’s cultivated, harvested, and stored. While harvesting the weed it may be necessary to use pesticides. Dispensaries are required to properly clean the weed and ensure that it’s free of pesticides and filter out any other harmful chemical components.
But you never know whether your street vendor will go through all that hassle. So, this puts you at substantial health risk of exposure of pesticides, and other cacogenic (cancer causing) chemicals.
So, by choosing dispensary weed, you can reduce your risk of exposure to these contaminants and protect your health while enjoying the benefits of fresh weed.
Ensures that the Weed Isn’t Infested by Molds or Bacteria
Weed is a plant, and that makes a perishable product like any vegetable, and it’s susceptible to mold or bacterial infestations. So, to ensure, and prevent the weed from getting contaminated it is crucial to ensure that it’s extracted and processed in a clean environment.
And it also needs to be properly stored in a sealed container to prevent moisture and oxidation. Weed dispensaries are legally obligated to ensure clean facilities for weed cultivation, extraction, storing and distribution.
Now ask yourself, would most street weed dealers maintain such hygiene? And more importantly do you even know in what conditions are the weed harvested, and stored?
When you buy weed from a dispensary, you will find it a sealed packaging with labelled quantity, manufacturing and expiration dates. This proves that the weed is free of contamination, whereas you can’t really get the same validation from a street vendor.
Only Allowed to Sell Weed to Age-Appropriate Customers
Weed may have been legalized in multiple states, but it's certainly limited to age restrictions just like alcohol. The legal age for buying recreational weed is 21, and above, whereas if you need it for medical use then you need to be at least 18 years old.
As dispensaries are licensed stored, they need to abide by the mandated age restriction imposed by the State’s Government. When you visit a dispensary, you will have to show your state issued photo ID such as the driver’s license, permanent resident card, or passport.
These laws are imposed mainly to prevent misuse, and reckless use of weed, especially among teenagers. Unlike dispensaries, street dealers don’t care about the legal age, and this can lead to accidents and chaos in society.
For example, teenagers are usually more impulsive and if they are high while driving or crossing the road, it can lead to dangerous accidents due to delayed response, or unmindful behavior.
Legally Liable as All Purchases are Documented
When you are purchasing weed, or any cannabis infused product from a dispensary, the purchase is electronically documented in a central database which can be accessed by every licensed weed dispensary and the Government.
You also get a printed receipt and email receipt which shows proof of your purchase. Now if you somehow feel like there’s an issue with the weed whether it’s the quality, quantity, packaging, expiration date or anything else. You get to hold the dispensary accountable.
Based on that you can either claim refunds or exchange the product for a fresh item. In case if the dispensary is not willing to comply you can even sue them. But can you do the same with street dealers?
No, you can’t, especially because the trade itself is illegal, and if the street dealer is unwilling to provide you with a refund there’s nothing you can do. And, in worse case scenarios if you develop a health issue for consuming contaminated street weed, you can’t even claim insurance, or any sort of legal compensation.
So, ultimately this puts you at a much greater risk of buying from street vendors instead of licensed weed dispensaries.
Suppliers Need to be Licensed by the Government
The biggest advantage of buying weed from a dispensary is they are legally obligated to source the cannabis flower, and any weed infused products from licensed suppliers.
This makes weed dispensaries trustworthy as their products are from legitimate sources that abide by state mandated production, storage and distribution methods. Plus, dispensaries are also required to track the entire supply chain of their products, providing greater transparency and accountability.
On the other hand, street weed can be sourced from anywhere, it can be home grown or collected from unregulated farms.
So, when it comes down to the quality of weed, dispensaries are the safest option to buy weed, especially as street weed comes from unknown, unverified and shady sources.
Also, when you’re buying from a dispensary you will get to know the supplier of the product’s packaging or container. And, if it’s needed you can do some background checks especially if you have any doubts, but that isn’t entirely possible with street weed.
Quality Assurance Check to Ensure Safety
Weed dispensaries are legally required to conduct a thorough quality assurance check to ensure safety. This includes rigorously checking the weed’s potency level, and terpene profiles to determine its strain, and the overall chemical compounds of the weed especially the THC, and CBD content.
On top of that, quality assurance checks also involve identifying whether there is any residual substance, heavy metals, microbial contaminants, or any toxic elements like pesticides on the weed. If it’s identified, the weed or the cannabis infused product is sent back to get it refined, processed and decontaminated.
After the quality assurance testing if the product meets all the safety standards, it is packed, labelled and distributed to weed dispensary outlets. The overall quality assurance process is the main reason that makes dispensary weed safer than street weed.
Zero Risks of Legal Penalties and Consequences
Even though weed has been fully legalized for both recreational and medical use in 24 states, and for just medical purposes in 38 states in the USA, it is still illegal to purchase weed from unauthorized suppliers. This means that street weed is illegal by default.
So, if you’re caught buying weed from street vendors, you may get fined, or even arrested. That’s why to stay on the safe side its always best to buy weed, or any cannabis infused products from dispensaries.
It’s understandable that street weed is cheaper, which makes it more affordable but if you face legal penalties just for buying street weed it can cost you a lot more of your money, and your time. Plus, as it’s a crime to buy street weed, it can also affect your employment, housing opportunities, and your eligibility status for state funded grants.
Why Should You Always Choose a Weed Dispensary Over Street Vendors?
The main reason you should always choose a weed dispensary over street vendors is, dispensaries are answerable to the state. So, when it comes to quality assurance weed dispensaries are bound to offer the highest standards.
The best part is you can always hold a dispensary accountable whether it’s in terms of the quality of the products, it’s price, or if you have experienced any health problems after its consumption.
But when it comes to street vendors, you may not even be able to find them. And, even if they do respond, they may not comply with you and compensate you for any loss. Also, street weed is illegal so it can get you in serious legal complications.
So, to stay legally secure, and to stay healthy, you should always choose a weed dispensary over street vendors any day!
If you are looking for weed dispensaries in Michigan, you can consider checking out Dispo. We offer high-quality cannabis flower, and other weed-based products like edibles, concentrates, tinctures, topicals, vaporizers and more.
What Should You Do if You Live in a State Where Weed is Still Illegal?
It may sound surprising but there are still a few states where weed is still fully illegal which includes Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wyoming. This means you cannot buy or consume weed in these states.
If you are caught buying, carrying or consuming weed in any of these states it can lead to serious legal repercussions of up to $1,000- and 1-year jailtime.
Even if you have a debilitating health condition that requires use of weed for treatment there’s no way to get a legal permit to purchase or consume weed.
So, this leads to one option, if you really need to consume weed to treat a health condition then the only option is to either travel to a state where weed is legal for medical use, or to travel to a state where weed is fully legal.
But if you need to consume weed in the long run, not just occasionally, then it’s best to consider permanently moving to a state where weed is fully legal. Also, if you prefer to consume weed for recreational purposes, then this is also something that you need to consider.
Unfortunately, as of now, there isn’t a better alternative, but don’t be disheartened because the legal status of weed is drastically changing. Up until late 2018, weed was not legal for recreational use in Michigan, it was only allowed for medical purposes. But ever since the legal amendments in November 2018, weed has been legalized in Michigan for recreational use.
Also, weed has been legalized for recreational use in multiple states in recent years which includes:
2021: New York, New Mexico, Virginia, and Connecticut
2022: Maryland, Missouri and Rhode Island
2023: Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Ohio
So, you see if you look at the trends weed is becoming fully legalized quite fast over the last couple of years. This leaves another option; you can wait until weed gets legalized in your state. Or if you really need to consume it, you can always travel to other states where it’s legal for just medical use, or for both medical and recreational purposes.
Last Piece of Advice: Prioritize Your Health and Choose Legal Sources to Buy Weed
Do you really think it’s worth the risk to go for street weed while you have licensed weed dispensaries that offer quality weed, and other cannabis products?
Yes, it might save you some money, but at the end of the day you are putting your health at risk. Plus, you might also face legal consequences that might lead to financial burdens, and loss of opportunities.
If you weigh the pros and cons, the cons of choosing street weed are much greater. It’s not really worth the risk. So that’s why it’s always best to choose the safer option, and purchase weed from dispensaries. Make the responsible choice by prioritizing your health and abiding by the state laws.
FAQs
Is dispensary weed always better?
Yes, dispensary weed is always better than street weed especially because it’s under the direct purview of state mandated regulations. Dispensaries are obligated by state laws to maintain hygiene and quality, which makes it a better option for both personal health and legal safety.
What is the difference between street weed and dispensary weed?
The main difference between street weed and dispensary weed is the legal status. Street weed is illegal, and it is produced, distributed and sold by unlicensed vendors, whereas dispensary weed is legal for the same purposes. Dispensary weed is a healthier and safer choice as quality assurance is a mandatory legal requirement, whereas there is no guarantee whether street weed is even safe for consumption.
What are the requirements to buy weed from dispensaries?
You need to be at least 21 if you are buying weed for recreational use, or at least 18 for medical purposes. You also need to show a state issued photo ID which can be your driver’s license, resident card or passport. If you are buying for medical use, then you also must show a medical marijuana card, or a weed card.
