Cannabis dispensaries in Los Angeles, California

Legal weed! Yay! Time to visit your local shop aka “weed store“, “pot shop,” or “cannabis store.” The different types of stores that exist in the U.S. are recreational cannabis dispensaries (also known as adult-use cannabis dispensaries), medical marijuana dispensaries, and hemp/CBD retailers. They all operate differently and sell different types of cannabis products. The variety of store types in your area will depend on what your state and local laws allow.

Recreational and medical dispensaries are licensed, highly regulated, and are only allowed to operate in states and territories where cannabis has been legalized. Hemp/CBD stores, on the other hand, are largely unregulated and often allowed to operate anywhere they are not expressly prohibited.

Recreational cannabis dispensaries, also known as “adult-use dispensaries,” are only allowed to operate in states and territories where cannabis has been legalized, must be licensed by the state, and are the only place you can buy legal weed from if you’re not a medical cannabis patient. Generally, any adult 21 years of age or older (with valid photo ID) may visit and shop at these dispensaries.

These dispensaries and the products they sell are highly regulated and subject to various safety standards required by state cannabis law. State laws also determine the types of products that may be sold at recreational dispensaries, how much product may be purchased at once, and whether dispensaries may offer delivery services. It’s helpful to familiarize yourself with your state’s marijuana laws before you decide to visit a recreational dispensary. Leafly’s legalization guide may be helpful.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are different from recreational dispensaries because they require you to have a valid medical marijuana card. Medical marijuana is sometimes priced or taxed at a lower rate than recreational cannabis. Medical cannabis patients also may have fewer restrictions when it comes to how much weed you can purchase and how much THC products can contain.

Like recreational dispensaries, medical dispensaries are also highly regulated and subject to various safety standards and requirements under the state cannabis laws.

Hemp/CBD retailers sell products produced or derived from hemp, which may include certain psychoactive compounds like delta-8 and delta-10. Federal law defines hemp as cannabis that contains no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight. While hemp/CBD is allowed under federal law, the availability of these products depends on the laws in your state.

Hemp/CBD retailers are typically not licensed or regulated by state-legalized cannabis programs. States vary significantly in regards to how these products and businesses are regulated and what standards must be met (if any). To learn more about the types of products you may find at a hemp/CBD store, check out Leafly’s guide to hemp.

Visiting a dispensary is fun and exciting, but can be overwhelming. Enhance your visit by using Leafly to get dispensary hours, directions, phone numbers, and other basic info. Shop dispensary menus and either order online for pickup or make a list to show the bud-tender.

Looking for a weed deal? Leafly dispensary deals - found here.

Some states allow weed delivery - place your weed orders here.

Traveling? The following states allow recreational dispensaries:
• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Washington, DC
• Guam

Make sure the state you are traveling to accepts the medical card from the state you are from.
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Dakota
• Utah
• West Virginia
• Puerto Rico
• US Virgin Islands