Not all cannabis dispensaries are equal. Not all are even legal. Some sell fine weed, some sell horror. Some have licenses, most do not. It is important to use a legal store in New York and for several good reasons. Bad weed abounds. It is everywhere. Unless you use a legal dispensary, you have no recourse for action or even complaint. If you want true quality, then you will only find it at a legal weed store.
This is because the law holds the businesses it licenses accountable for the weed they sell. It forces them to uphold safety standards, quality controls, and customer service. You know exactly what you are getting and you know it is good for you. What is more, with so many fraudsters in the online cannabis community, it is always wisest to assess first to make sure you really do get what you pay for.
Finding a Legal Dispensary
Finding quality weed is a little like scouring a haystack for that missing bud. A simple online search returns hundreds of results for “weed delivery near me.” Not all are operating legally. Not all are even real. To avoid disappointment and bad weed, it is best to run each through a checklist. How do you know which are legal, which are real? Fortunately, there are ways to tell, and several of them:
Licensure
All cannabusinesses must have operating licenses. The Office of Cannabis Management governs all licensure for legal industry. To know if a New York cannabis dispensary is legal, simply check its license. Most importantly, a company must comply with all quality and safety laws to keep it. This makes it accountable for the products it sells and it ensures those products are safe for consumers.
Testing
All cannabis products must go to an independent laboratory for testing prior to sale. These look for toxins, such as chemicals, pesticides, residual solvents, and similar. They also test cannabinoid content. The law requires every product have a Certificate of Analysis. Legal outlets will comply. Their products will state which cannabinoids are present, in what quantities, and if free of toxins or not.
Advertising
It is illegal to advertise cannabis to minors. For this reason, legal stores will never advertise on packaging or in places that target children. Adverts may not use imagery or color to mimic other popular brands, most notably not those used by kids. New York has strict advertising laws for cannabis. Failure to comply could cost a business its operating license. If you see dodgy ads, stay away.
Packaging
Cannabis packaging must be childproof. It must be plain too, without décor that could potentially confuse it with other known products. Children must not confuse cannabis products with their own sweets or toys. Packaging must clearly state cannabis and it must not consist of colors, shapes, or other features that would make it easily confused with anything other than what it is.
Security
The law requires every New York cannabis dispensary to comply with security laws. All stores must install cameras at entrances and exits. They must employ security personnel at the door and take measures to make safe their parking spaces. If you do not see cameras or guards, then the store is likely operating illegally. Do not hesitate to ask a dispensary about its security protocols.
Labels
All cannabis labels must be very clear. They must tell consumers all they need to know about the weed inside. Each label must show test results for tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and cannabidiol, or CBD. It should tell you exactly how much of these compounds it contains. Labels should also provide warnings, inform of results for chemical analysis, and give potency percentages. No or bare labels are illegal.
Dosing
Edibles can be very potent. As such, the law requires all edibles dosed at 10 milligrams per serving. Every 100-milligram chocolate, for example, must offer 10 servings. This makes it easy and accurate for consumers to dose edibles safely. If you want more, eat more, but mild dosages allow people to decide for themselves how much to consume. Stores that sell higher dosages are not complying with the law.
Delivery
Cannabis delivery is legal in New York, but not every store has a license to do it. Businesses must first obtain a delivery license to deliver weed here. This permit allows a dispensary to hire as many as 25 drivers to distribute weed to consumers. Ask for this license. Failure to produce it for you will prove the business operating illegally. In this case, rather go somewhere legal.
Conclusion
If you want quality weed free of toxic chemicals, then a legal NY weed dispensary can provide it. What is more, it can even deliver it to your door. However, there are many fakes around. There are illegal dealers too. They flood the market with low-grade bud sprayed heavily with pesticides. Rather take the time to find a store that prioritizes safer quality over harmful quantity.
Fortunately, legal dispensaries are around in New York. They are easy to find too. Most importantly, if a store is operating within the confines of the law, it can prove it. Ask for proof. If it truly is legit, it will not hesitate to show you its operating license, all relevant Certificates of Analysis, as well as any other information you ask of it. Failure to prove itself legal is the first sign of an illegal operation.
