Check the license before the price
Cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. State programs differ. A licensed seller holds a permit number that a state regulator lists in a public database. Ask for that number before you compare prices. Sellers without a license take cash, skip age checks, and ship across state lines.
Do the price math
A cheap sticker price does not mean cheap cannabis. Compare cost per 100 mg of THC. A $30 eighth holds 3.5 g, or 3,500 mg of plant material at 20 percent THC, so about 700 mg of THC. That equals $4.30 per 100 mg. A $20 eighth at 12 percent THC holds about 420 mg, or $4.76 per 100 mg. The $30 bag costs less per milligram.
Buy Marijuana Online for Beginners: What to Know Before Your First Order
Parameters to compare
- Harvest date. Terpenes drop over time. Flower older than 6 months loses potency.
- Batch lab report. Look for a COA with a batch number that matches the package, plus cannabinoid, terpene, pesticide, and microbial panels.
- Tax. Excise tax and sales tax add 15 to 40 percent at checkout in some states.
- Delivery fee and order minimum.
- Edible dosing. Many states cap servings at 10 mg of THC and packages at 100 mg.
Pitfalls
- No COA, or a COA with a batch number that does not match.
- Payment by gift card, wire, or crypto only.
- THC percentage printed on the bag with no lab name or test date.
- Gifting offers. Several states treat those as unlicensed sales.
- Out-of-state shipping offers. Transport across state lines is a federal offense.
Order steps
- Confirm the buyer is 21 or older, or 18 or older with a medical card where state law allows.
- Find the license number on the state regulator site.
- Read the batch COA.
- Compute cost per 100 mg of THC.
- Check the cart total with tax and delivery added.
Daily purchase limits apply. California allows 28.5 g of flower and 8 g of concentrate per adult per day. Retailers in legal states sell to customers inside that state. Prices and limits change, so check the state regulator page for current numbers.