In the world of legal marijuana, the age-old question of where to acquire weed has become a less and less strenuous one to answer. Typing “where to find weed near me” in your Google search bar will likely come up with several results — and not just sketchy Reddit threads or dealers’ phone numbers.
Now, with options ranging from recreational marijuana dispensaries to medical marijuana cards and hemp products, the prospect of buying weed can be overwhelming.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through your options for purchasing weed products near you, including in-person and online options.
Best Marijuana Dispensaries Near Me: What Are the Options?
The best marijuana dispensaries near you depend on the laws in your area. The federal law that classes marijuana as a Schedule I drug is still intact, despite numerous studies showing that marijuana does have many medical uses. As such, the process of procuring marijuana differs greatly depending on whether your state has fully legalized, partially legalized, or not legalized weed.
Find out if your state has legalized marijuana and to what extent, using a tool like this one. If you live in a state where recreational marijuana is legal, you can buy weed in its many forms from a dispensary or online store.
If your state has only legalized medical marijuana, talk to your doctor about a medical marijuana card so you can buy safely from dispensaries in your area. Medical marijuana cards are given to patients for a variety of afflictions, including but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder, migraines, and chronic pain.
Patients who are using marijuana or CBD to treat an illness should seek a medical marijuana card so they can get the strain and form of cannabis that will most effectively treat that affliction. Medical dispensaries are government-approved sources of marijuana, so patients know exactly what they’re getting. They’re also staffed with experts who can help you choose a product with fewer negative side effects.
If your state has not legalized marijuana or you don’t believe you qualify for a medical marijuana card, delta 8 THC is legal in most states and gives users a mellow, relaxed high. This cannabis compound has many of the great benefits of delta 9 THC — the compound most marijuana users are familiar with — but has “lower psychotropic potency” and fewer side effects.
As recommended by the Observer, Delta 8 THC is also a great option for users who are rightfully tentative about buying marijuana on the black market. Users can even purchase delta 8 THC online, making it the best option for people living in states that have not legalized or have only partially legalized weed.
Dispensaries vs. Dealers
While buying on the black market may seem like the only option in a state that hasn’t legalized, there are some risks and downsides to getting your weed from a dealer.
Dispensaries are incorporated businesses that are legally entitled to distribute marijuana products. Dealers are individuals or conglomerates that acquire large sums of black-market marijuana products at a wholesale price, then distribute these products to consumers for a profit.
Buying marijuana from a dealer can be risky because of one obvious reason: it is illegal. Even if this fact doesn’t bother you, the legality of the black market has lots of negative impacts on the consumer.
Procuring your marijuana from a legitimate business boils down to a few important benefits: reliability, transparency, and consistency. Your weed dealer’s operation could be compromised at any time due to its legal status, meaning you could be left high and dry at virtually any time.
Dealers are also not required by law to be transparent with you about what you’re getting when you purchase from them. Dispensaries are required to sell only certified products and must display accurate information like THC content, CBD content, and strain. Even if you feel that you can trust a dealer, the reality is that dealers often don’t have accurate information about their products.
Especially for users who experience side effects or use marijuana to treat a medical condition, consistency is key. With a dealer, the consumer is left guessing whether they’ll receive the same strain as last week. Dispensaries, however, have access to marijuana grown in professional laboratory environments. Each product is tested and measured before it hits the shelves, so the consumer knows that their favorite product will be the same each time they buy.
Can You Legally Buy Weed Online?
Here’s the short answer: Yes.
It’s legal to buy weed online in certain states, depending on how the legalization laws have been written. It’s easy to find retailers in these states with online stores that offer pickup or delivery options.
In most states where marijuana is fully legal, you can simply navigate to a distributor’s website and place an order. In states where only medical marijuana is legal, you may have to input your medical marijuana card to place an order. Note that for any marijuana purchase — online or in-person — you will be required to provide proof of age.
The black market also exists online, but purchasing weed this way is extremely risky and we don’t recommend it. However, you can purchase delta 8 THC online legally in most states where weed is prohibited, says the Village Voice.
Delta 9 THC vs. Delta 8 THC
Delta 9 THC is the cannabis compound you’re likely most familiar with. This isomer has a double bond at the ninth carbon chain. When you consume delta 9 THC through edibles, smoking, tinctures, or any other method, you will get high and may feel the typical effects of marijuana, like laughter, lethargy, munchies, relaxation, and/or paranoia.
Delta 8 THC is an analog of delta 9 THC, with the same double bond as delta 9, but it’s located at the eighth carbon chain rather than the ninth carbon chain. Chemically speaking, this double bond location is the only difference between delta 9 and delta 8 THC.
Delta 8 THC can also be extracted from the hemp plant, whereas delta 9 THC cannot, making it a lot easier for hemp farmers to produce delta 8 products. When you consume delta 8 THC, you will get high and may feel similar effects to delta 9 THC — but likely without the paranoia and anxiety.
People who have tried delta 8 anecdotally report that the compound provides a much more relaxing, mellow high than traditional marijuana. Users have said that the feelings of anxiety or paranoia they sometimes feel with delta 9 THC are much less, making it a great option for anyone susceptible to this side effect.
Delta 8 THC has been shown to completely prevent nausea in cancer patients while showing no side effects. It’s also been shown to reduce pain and inflammation when administered topically. Users also report that delta 8 THC is an even more efficient appetite stimulant than delta 9 THC.
Because of its unknowns and its proximity to delta 9 THC, some states have already moved to ban delta 8 THC. However, it is not classed as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it is federally legal. This means that delta 8 THC that is produced and distributed around the country does not come from a black market grow operation — it can be produced on the books through the whole process.
5 Best Delta 8 THC Vendors – Our Favorite Brands in 2021
1. Area 52
Area 52 is one of the leading delta 8 vendors in the U.S., according to a recent article by The Observer. The company offers products like gummies, vape cartridges, and tinctures. The company, which produces all of its products in the U.S., also sells CBD and other hemp-derived products of the highest quality (and with a fun alien theme that’ll appeal to you, especially after you munch on a delta 8 gummy).
Related: Best Delta-8-THC Tinctures Reviews
2. Finest Labs
Finest Labs prides itself on all-natural hemp products like delta 8 tinctures, gummies, and vape cartridges. This company grows all of its hemp in the U.S., then isolates delta 8 to produce high-quality, tasty products that’ll make you feel great.
3. Snapdragon Hemp
Snapdragon Hemp is a hemp and smoking vendor that sells everything from delta 8 honey jars to cookies and gummies. You can also purchase smoking accouterments like butane burners and cartridge adapters.
4. Skyhio
Skyhio is a hemp distributor that specializes in delta 8 products like gummies, vape cartridges, treats, and more. You can also purchase CBD and other hemp distillate products from them.
5. 8Delta8
8Delta8 is an online delta 8 shop that sells tinctures, vape cartridges, and more. This is one of the only places where you can purchase delta 8 dabs.
Delta 8 THC Near Me: Why Choose Online Vendors
Due to delta 8’s legal status, you can sometimes purchase delta 8 in person at gas stations or vape shops. However, buying online is almost always the better option, says LAWeekly. Here’s why.
When you purchase delta 8 products online, you can choose from a multitude of products that work best for you. If you worry about your lung health, for example, you can consider Delta 8 THC gummies instead.
Buying online is also the safer option because many delta 8 distributors are also the manufacturers. Companies like Area 52 and Finest Labs have their own hemp-growing operations in the U.S., so they are in control of the entire process of creating the delta 8 that comes to your door.
This goes hand-in-hand with better transparency — companies that produce their own delta 8 products can tell you exactly what you are getting. These products have ingredient lists and information about how the product was created.
When you purchase from a gas station, for example, you are buying from someone who has no incentive to become educated about delta 8 THC and is likely not an expert. If you purchase from an online vendor, though, you can ask questions to the customer service team, do research on the company, and purchase exactly what will work for you.
The convenience of buying online is another compelling factor since you can order what you need before you need it. It also doesn’t hurt that when you buy from these manufacturers, you are getting the best price for the product because there’s no middle man. Purchasing online is the safest, most convenient, and cost-effective option for acquiring Delta 8 THC.
