Shopping at a WA cannabis dispensary? Your ultimate beginner’s guide

Cannabis users’ favorite holiday is just around the corner.

April 20, also known as 4/20, is celebrated by pot smokers around the world.

In 1971, a group of friends in San Francisco coined the term 420 in reference to their plans to meet at 4:20 p.m. and visit a local marijuana garden, McClatchy Media previously reported.

The numerals “420” became code for meeting up to smoke weed, and later, an official calendar date for stoner celebrations.

Dispensaries across Washington state plan to mark Monday, April 20 with in-store sales and specials.

If you’re planning to stop by a pot shop, here’s what you should know:

What do I need to shop at a dispensary in Washington state?

The first thing to expect upon walking into a dispensary anywhere in Washington state is a request for identification. You’ll have to prove you’re at least 21 in order to shop.

According to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, valid forms of ID include driver’s licenses, permits, passports and U.S. military ID cards.

Some dispensaries may not accept vertical IDs, regardless of your age.

Although some cannabis shops accept cards, the majority of dispensaries only allow cash purchases.

There’s usually an ATM near the entrance for anyone without cash on hand.

What products do dispensaries sell?

Dispensaries are normally organized by product. Display cases may show some of the available options, while signs or screens may show additional products.

The staff member behind the counter, often called a budtender, will retrieve your items for you. You can also ask them for help narrowing down options or clarity on sales and discounts.

Aside from some specialty options, cannabis products generally fall into one of four categories: flower, oil, vape and edibles.

Experts say different cannabis products can have different effects, with impacts varying by person and brand.

The ideal product for you will depend on how long you want the high to last, what kind of high you’re looking for and your ideal consumption method. You should also consider your budget range and favorite flavor profiles.

If you get overwhelmed, just ask the budtender for help.

What kind of flower products are at WA dispensaries?

The most traditional part of the cannabis plant to consume is the flower. Once the bud is ground up, it can be rolled into a joint or blunt, or smoked with a pipe or bong.

Dispensaries sell loose flower in different quantities, as well as pre-made joints and blunts known as prerolls.

You can buy packages of trimmed, cured and dried flower in different amounts, ranging from a gram to an ounce. Each strain will produce a different high.

Buying in bulk is usually the better deal. If you have a proper storing method, flower from the dispensary can stay potent for around six months.

Most dispensaries also sell joint papers, blunt wraps, pipes and bongs. Smoke shops also carry a variety of these options.

Preroll options are often all-flower, but dispensaries also sell stronger infused options.

Prerolls are typically sold with a half-gram or gram of flower. Some brands sell packages with multiple prerolls of one strain.

Can I buy cannabis extract products at dispensaries?

Dispensaries will also have extract products, also known as dabs, wax and oil.

Dabs are much more potent and intense than flower, and are generally not recommended for beginners

THC is the component of cannabis that gets you high. A preroll will normally top out around 30% THC, while dabs reach around 90%.

Dab products are made through an extraction process, where cannabis is heated to produce the sticky stuff.

Dabs are smoked through rigs, the dab equivalent of a bong, or the more portable nectar collector.

These are sold at smoke shops more than dispensaries. Dabs need to get much hotter than flower does, so automatic heating options including e-nails and Puffcos are popular as well.

Can I buy cannabis vapes at local dispensaries?

Vapes with distilled cannabis oil have quickly risen in popularity.

The product is distilled into a cartridge connected to a battery, known as a dab pen.

Most pens have buttons that heat the cartridge just before the point of combustion — about 340 degrees — which produces a vapor instead of smoke.

A standard battery can cost less than $20 and is often available at dispensaries. Fancier batteries are available at smoke shops.

Dispensaries also carry disposable vapes, which eliminate the need for batteries but produce more waste overall.

Dab pens are easy to use, portable and discrete, with no significant lingering smell.

The product used in pens is processed. You can ask your budtender about the production process each brand uses when making cartridges.

What edibles can I get at Washington dispensaries?

Edibles are foods and drinks infused with cannabis, ranging from classic pot brownies to candies, mints, seltzers, sodas and savory snacks.

Edibles allow for precise dosage, and offer a notably different high than other consumption methods.

They’re also the easiest on the lungs since they bypass the need to smoke.

While smoking cannabis has instantaneous effects as the cannabinoids enter your bloodstream, it can take up to 90 minutes for cannabis to have an effect on your body.

These effects can last considerably longer than those from smoking cannabis.

“Read the labels, go slowly, and don’t hesitate to ask questions when purchasing,” experts with Eastern Washington dispensary chain Green2Go said. “Be careful; start with a 5-miligram serving or less. Don’t take more until you wait a full two hours. Most importantly, keep edibles away from children and pets.”

Are there other cannabis products at dispensaries in Washington state?

There are less common cannabis products available, depending on the store.

Pills offer specific doses of THC, CBD or both in capsules. Some timed-release options may be available as well.

Topical products are applied directly to the skin, usually for calming effects or pain relief. They are generally CBD-forward and do not get users high.

Examples include lotions, sprays, patches or bath bombs.

Tinctures are alcohol- or oil-based extracts.

A potent and efficient way to consume cannabis, tinctures come with droppers that allow for specific doses of THC, CBD or both.

How much product can I buy from a WA dispensary?

Washington state law limits the amount of product a non-seller can buy at one time.

You can’t buy more than an ounce of flower, 16 ounces of solid-form edibles, 72 ounces of liquid edibles and 7 grams of oil.