Top 10 practical tips for buying recreational cannabis in Colorado

Top 10 practical tips for buying recreational cannabis in Colorado

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Tourist visiting Colorado sometimes wonder what to expect if they decide they want to go buy recreational marijuana cannabis for the first time. Well, there's nothing else like it and there's really nothing to it. So let's jump right into my top 10 practical tips for buying recreational cannabis in Colorado. Plus 1 Bonus tip and secret code☺

1. Some hotels do not allow cannabis smoking in their rooms

If smoking is your choice of consumption, there are lot's of places to stay at in Colorado that are cannabis friendly. You should always ask before you book your room. Airbnb's or home sharing is another option, but again, make sure the host is OK with smoking. Some hosts might allow smoking inside, outside only or not at all. When in doubt, just ask. Edibles tend to fly under the radar, but smoking, dabbing and sometimes even vaping could shorten your stay. Also, I do not recommend smoking in a car or in public areas. This might extend your stay, in jail. The Cannabist (A Denver Post wing for cannabis news) wrote an article about ["Why it’s so hard to define where you can legally smoke weed in Colorado"] (http://www.thecannabist.co/2017/05/18/colorado-where-you-can-legally-smoke-weed/79719/) that's worth reading.

2. Make sure you go to a recreational dispensary (RMJ), Not a medical only dispensary (MMJ)

Once you find a dispensary, make sure they do recreational sales. Some dispensaries are MMJ only, some are RMJ only however most are both. If in doubt, call the dispensary you are planning to visit. Also, you do not have to be a member at a recreational dispensary to shop there. (If there's enough people interested, I'll do a post on how to get your Colorado MMJ red card and the benefits for those who qualify)

3. Bring ID

Seems like a no brainer, but you must be able to prove you are 21 or older to buy recreational cannabis in Colorado. A government issued ID works fine, which will get scanned. The "system" it's scanned into tries to prevent people from buying more than the legal limit for one day. (We'll dive more into limits later) The point is the dispensaries check everyone's ID. (which is good) No ID, no weed.

4. Bring cash

Some dispensaries can accept "ATM" cards or may have a machine on site so you can get, CASH. Expect to pay high service charges for these options, which is why I recommend cash. Credit cards and EBT cards are not accepted. Crypto currencies, honestly at this time I don't have enough knowledge to write about it. (I will do some research and post later about Crypto Currencies and Cannabis)

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5. Not all cannabis is created equal - ask your budtender for guidance

Without getting to in depth, cannabis has different effects depending on the strain, the type, how it's consumed and the person. A budtender (similar to a bartender)typically know the products they sell very well and help people find a good cannabis connection. Tell them if you'd rather smoke it or eat it, be energetic or relaxed, increase your appetite or just have a smile on your face all day and night. ☺ Budtenders are people persons and love to make sure you, the customer has an excellent experience. (job security) So if you're a little overwhelmed when first visiting a dispensary, ask for a tour and get to know your budtender while they show you around.

6. Dispensaries have almost everything you need for weed

Most RMJ dispensaries have a wide selection of items to go with your cannabis. Rolling papers, blunt wraps, bongs, pipes, grinders, rigs, dab rings, clones and seeds OH MY! Some dispensaries have souvenirs like shirts, ash trays, books, playing cards and more with weed leafs on them. If your looking to bring home a souvenir for grandma, find a dispensary with a good selection of gifts. Make sure you don't try to take home a souvenir that has cannabis stuck to it, airport security will take it. TSA will sometimes allow you to dump cannabis you accidentally tried to bring with you on the plane. Best advice, don't try.

7. Bring a child-proof tactical safety marijuana transport bag

What does a child-proof tactical safety transport bag look like? (that's not really what it's called) But it's basically a shopping bag you can't see through with a zipper or draw string to secure the opening. The reason for these is so you can safely transport your cannabis from the dispensary to your home or hotel. Don't worry, most dispensaries offer them for sale.

8. Daily purchase limits

Each person can buy 1 ounce of flower or 800 milligrams of edibles or 8 grams of concentrates or a mixture of the three. Confused? Let's use a pie chart to make it easier to understand. Cannabis flower (buds) are typically sold by the eighth (1/8 ounce or about 3.5 grams). Using the pie chart theory, you can choose one "1/8th" of flower, OR a 100 milligram edible OR 1 gram of concentrate for each pie piece. An example scenario would be to buy four eighths of an ounce of flower, two 100 milligram edibles and two grams of concentrates and that would max out your limit. Newbs, PLEASE don't over do it, especially with edibles. Which brings me to my next point.

9. Pace yourself

If you are new to cannabis or if it's been a while, don't over do it. Edibles can take upwards of forty five minutes to take full effect. Please do not eat an entire 800 milligrams of edibles on your first day, in one hour! You may have a bad "trip" or better yet, eat everything in your kitchen. Most flower and concentrates have a more immediate effect, however, some can take up to thirty minutes to hit max. Either case, give yourself plenty of time in between to mellow out.

10. Use the buddy system

Always use the buddy system and never leave your buddies high and dry. There is safety in numbers and the group entertainment and vibe will surely put a smile on everyone. The main thing is to stick together. No buddy gets left behind! (Ride-sharing can be split up between the group, which means more money to spend at the dispenasary)

Those are my 10 tips for tourists buying recreational cannabis in Colorado.

I hope you got some value out of this. Although I'm sure I forgot something ☺ Anyways...
Please leave a comment or suggestion for @Dozjia below
and Thank You to everyone for reading my first Steemit post!

~Dozjia

Bonus Dozjia tip - "Dude I almost forgot!"

Talk to the locals. There are many Coloradans that are totally cool with cannabis and could point you to a hidden gem. But what do I say? A good way to ask about cannabis without being too creepy and weird is to say "Are you 420 friendly?" This secret code should uncover the ones who typically might go to dispensaries and the ones who don't. Use good judgement and don't ask a cop or a nun ☺ seriously