Why is it Better to Get Marijuana From a Dispensary?

marijuana nug from dispensary on plastic cap
Courtesy: Shutterstock

Marijuana is without a doubt the most commonly cultivated, trafficked, and used drug in the world, and the legalization of marijuana has prompted the growth of an industry that will be worth an approximated $70 billion by 2028. In wake of this, many online stores, like Canna Cabana, have begun selling marijuana-related accessories and devices to great success. A lot of innovation has also been spurred on by legalization. Still, concerns about the growth of black market sales are mounting across the globe. All intentions to regulate the use of Marijuana were directed at creating a controlled and elicit market, but these have instead caused prices on the black market to plummet, creating a scenario where supply far exceeds demand and thereby making the drug more accessible at much cheaper rates than on the legal market. Consumers seem to neglect the dangers associated with purchasing from an illegal market, and in this article, we take a look at the benefits of purchasing marijuana from legal and approved dispensaries.

healthy cannabis buds on stem
Courtesy: Shutterstock

You’re Not Supporting a Black Market

If you buy on the black market, consider that you’re supporting harmful practices since not all marijuana is cultivated ethically, and the pesticides or herbicides that are used by illegal growers often end up in water supplies that are harmful to both the environment and humans. It is obvious that black market marijuana is illegal, and using this avenue is supporting and encouraging crime, given that syndicates in the black market often resort to violence. Legal dispensaries are regulated, and this means that all products sold at such dispensaries have to adhere to strict regulations, and the money that you spend goes back into the economy which ultimately results in local businesses and communities thriving.

Products are Safe

While you may argue that people have been using illegal products for decades, it helps to remember that the long-term health effects take a while to develop.

Illegal growers and sellers on the black market are under no obligation to maintain any regulatory protocol, and you’re therefore buying sub-standard products that are contaminated with toxins and extremely dangerous to your health. Products purchased from legal dispensaries go through thorough laboratory testing to ensure that they are free of all toxins, chemicals, and molds that can be detrimental to your health.

Expertise

Your aim is to enjoy the benefits of marijuana safely with no side effects that end up doing more harm than good. Tight regulations on the legal industry afford you the assurance that the salespeople or “budsmen” as they’re commonly known at a legal dispensary, have the required knowledge and expertise of cannabis and all its strains. In addition to this, dispensaries are accountable for all the advice that they offer, and as a result, will always ensure that what they provide, is in line with regulations or they may risk losing their licenses.

jars of cannabis in dmv
Courtesy: Shutterstock

Far More Choice

It is very rare to find a black market dealer that offers safe, high-quality strains of cannabis, let alone a variety of consumption forms or knowledge of potency and formulation. Because the legal industry adheres to strict protocols, they’re able to offer a wide variety of options from which consumers can pick, choose or refuse. Dispensaries offer complete disclosure on the strain and potency of every cannabis product from edibles, oils, and tinctures to vapes and capsules. This means that you know exactly how much THC or CBD is in every product that you purchase.

There aren’t many that would knowingly take the advice of a self-proclaimed doctor that hasn’t had the required rigorous training and education. The black cannabis market does not just damage the economy but offers no safety or liability for you as the consumer. As such, your bodily integrity is compromised because you do not know what you’re putting into your system. The knowledge and expertise that is demanded from legal dispensaries is a commitment to consumers that products are thoroughly tested and therefore ideal for consumption. Apart from this, supporting local, legal communities is beneficial for countries at large, and given the stringent processes involved in the legalization of the use of marijuana, each one of us has a part to play in ensuring that we commit to a circular economy that allows the income generated from the legal market to be injected back into our communities.