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Missouri Cannabis Education
Adult-Use OPEN
Dispensary Prep 101 :
How can I get the most out of my dispensary shopping trip ?
by Leah Maurer , contributing writer
Leah
Leah Maurer , a native Missourian , is now a canna-journalist and activist living in Portland , OR . She is a co-owner of www . TheWeedBlog . com , a top national cannabis news and information publication , where she serves as the Editorial Lead . In 2014 , Leah founded Moms for YES on Measure 91 through grassroots efforts alone , it proved pivotal in the passage of the Measure , successfully legalizing recreational / adult-use cannabis in the OR . Leah is a social justice and cannabis activist at the core and hopes to see an end to the prohibition of cannabis globally .
Missouri now has legalized adult-use cannabis , and you are ready for your first shopping spree at a local dispensary ; how exciting ! Whether you are an experienced cannabis consumer or a newbie , you can do many things to help yourself be ready for your first trip to a dispensary . I have covered dispensary shopping in the past , but this column will focus more on what you can do before and after your shopping trip to get the most out of it .
If you are already a relatively experienced and educated cannabis consumer , I highly encourage you to bring a less experienced friend or family member along with you and use these steps to help them prepare for the experience ! Education is key for cannabis consumption , not just when it comes to the method of consumption or dosing , but also product education . Many products on the market could be new or very different from what you ’ ve seen before or may expect !
First , make your dispensary choice . Do you want to try a dispensary you ’ ve seen in ads or on billboards ? Do you want to try the dispensary closest to your home , or one on your drive home from work ? Do you want to find one near where your mother , grandmother , or other loved ones ( whom you hope to educate / help with cannabis ) are ? If you choose to bring a newbie family member or friend along , it is important to take them somewhere they will feel comfortable returning to alone . Once you have decided on the dispensary , go ahead and Google the company to see what you can find out about it from its website or social media if it doesn ’ t already have a website address handy . This is a great way to find out about the dispensary ’ s story , mission , staff , and the products it carries .
Second , look closely at the products listed on the dispensary website and / or the products featured on its social media . If there are none listed or featured , check out some of the products and brands you might want to try ( there are plenty featured right here in The EVOLUTION Magazine !).
● Find out as much as possible about them before leaving for your shopping trip . Go even further down the Google tunnel and check out the companies who have made these products and see if their mission , quality , and marketing align with your beliefs and standards as a consumer .
● You can also find out information about the processes and ingredients ( where applicable ) for these products and potentially be more educated about them than the budtenders are in the shops .
● Also , if you are on a mission for a very particular product ( a vape cartridge , transdermal patch , or a gummy edible , for example ), this is a great way to learn as much as you can about the product before going into the dispensary .
● Perhaps most importantly , this information can also help guide you about what else you want to learn about the product before your purchase .
This brings me to the next step — make a list of questions for the budtender . These can be questions about their company or any companies they work with , questions about dosing , the products specifically , and any questions in between . Use your curiosity and the information you have already gained from the internet , this magazine , and conversations
24 February 2023