4 Tips to Consider Before Your First Dispensary Visit

You are new to cannabis and want to try it, which means you need to visit a dispensary for the first time. It may seem intimidating at first, but you can have a great first visit if you prepare well and follow some helpful tips. It could be to a physical brick-and-mortar store or an online dispensary in Canada; these tips will help you out no matter what.

Check out our top tips for your first dispensary visit.

1. Bring the Necessary Items

The rules differ from place to place, but a few things are in common. If you are visiting a medical dispensary, you will need to bring your medical card, prescription, and a valid ID. Even if you’re visiting an adult-use dispensary, you’ll still need to bring your ID as they want to make sure that you are above age and can buy weed legally. There may be some local laws, so check those before heading to your nearest cannabis dispensary. 

Banks don’t find cannabis sales to be safe, so most dispensaries usually deal in cash. Either bring the cash you need or keep your ATM handy. You’ll find an ATM near the dispensary so you can take out the cash you need. But it’s still a good idea to keep the cash handy if there’s no ATM nearby. 

2. Know Your Objectives

Many options are available at a dispensary, so that choice can be quite overwhelming! If you don’t know what you want out of cannabis, it would be helpful to have insight beforehand. Consider the following questions:

How Do You Want to Benefit from Cannabis? 

It would help if you first determine why you’re visiting a dispensary before choosing the right product for you. This may vary whether you are a medical marijuana patient or a recreational marijuana consumer. Patients with medical marijuana cards typically look for medical marijuana products that can ease their symptoms. Depending on the patient’s condition, healthcare practitioners may restrict the types of products purchased. However, for recreational users, you may want to experience different strains of cannabis to better understand how they affect your body.

How Do You Want to Consume Cannabis?

When choosing a cannabis product, knowing how you prefer to consume marijuana can be helpful. Smokers and vapers might prefer flowers or other types of concentrates such as oil cartridges, wax, budder, and more. Consider edibles and cannabis beverages if you prefer to ingest your cannabis. Tinctures may be the solution for those who do not wish to consume cannabis or inhale it. This allows you to consume the tincture sublingually or buccally (under the tongue or through the cheek).

When Do You Plan to Consume Your Cannabis?

 When you buy cannabis, knowing when you will use it can make all the difference. When purchasing a product, you need to consider how you will be able to consume cannabis while remaining functional. Look for a product that meets your needs if you plan to consume it in the evening.

What Experience Do You Want?

THC’s psychoactive properties are of interest to some people. In addition to cannabinoids and terpenes, other marijuana enthusiasts are fascinated by this plant’s wide variety. They might achieve the results they are seeking with a vape cartridge or edible. Then you’ll probably prefer marijuana flowers to concentrates, edibles, or tinctures.

3. Be Prepared to Ask Questions

You can browse an online dispensary’s menu, choose indica, sativa, or hybrid strains, order them online, and pick them up curbside (yes, you can do that with many dispensaries). However, if you are new, don’t be afraid to ask the cannabis experts in the dispensary.

Although browsing product menus will give you a better idea of what is available and provide you with an opportunity to do some research on your own, talking to an expert about your interests and comfort level is the best option. You can find cannabis products from them and purchase the right tools to enjoy your marijuana.

Here are a few more topics of consideration as you prepare for your visit:

Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid

Hybrids are a mix of sativa and indica strains and have a different effect according to some users. Some people prefer indica over sativa at night and sativa during the day. To find out how a cannabis product will affect you, try a small amount at a time.

THC, CBD, or Both

The amount of THC and CBD in marijuana varies with the types of cannabis strain. The psychoactive effects of marijuana are due to THC, a cannabinoid. The research indicates CBD may balance the effects of THC, although CBD does not cause an intoxicating response. Consider the THC and CBD content of a product when purchasing it. THC’s effect on your body varies according to many factors, including sex, weight, and tolerance levels. However, generally, a higher THC percentage results in a stronger result.

In addition, dispensaries often show the properties each strain is bred for if you’re buying specific strains. Beginner consumers can use this approach to better understand how they might feel after consuming that strain. However, this is not a guarantee. Be aware of this before purchasing.

4. Understand How to Dose Cannabis

Beginners are advised to start low and go slowly when dosing. When smoking, vaping, or eating certain edibles, it is easy to consume more marijuana than you intended.

Edibles pose a particular challenge because they are beginner-friendly but can be hard to dose properly. You should always start with a low dose and allow your body to absorb the product. Wait at least an hour after taking edibles before taking more. It usually takes 15 minutes to feel the effects of smoking or vaping.

Conclusion

Cannabis purchasing contains a bit of trial and error. Now that you know these 4 tips, you can confidently walk into any weed dispensary Mississauga or visit the website of an online cannabis dispensary in Canada and order what you want. That’s not a guarantee that you’ll always get what you want. But it’ll ensure that you are close to what you want.