Check the law in your state first
Cannabis is a Schedule I drug under federal law. States set their own rules for possession and sales. More than 20 states and the District of Columbia allow adult-use sales. The age minimum is 21 in every adult-use state. Medical patients can buy at 18 with a state card in some states.
Crossing a state line with cannabis is a federal offense. Do not carry a purchase from a legal state into a state where it is banned.
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Confirm the store is licensed
Every legal dispensary holds a license from a state regulator. Ask for the license number. Check it against the public registry on the state cannabis agency site. Watch for these signals:
- Receipt prints the store name, address, license number, and date.
- Budtender can name product batch numbers.
- Delivery driver carries a company badge and matches the order name.
- Store posts hours, tax rates, and a returns policy.
Know the purchase limits
Caps apply per transaction and per person. California allows 28.5 grams of flower, 8 grams of concentrate, and 800 milligrams of THC in edibles for adults 21 and older. Other states run lower caps. Medical patients often carry higher limits.
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Read the label before you pay
Lab testing is required in legal markets. A compliant label lists:
- THC and CBD in milligrams per package and per serving.
- Batch or lot number and test date.
- Pesticide, heavy metal, and microbial results.
- Harvest date and cultivation license.
Edible serving size matters. A 100 mg chocolate bar cut into 10 pieces gives 10 mg per piece. New users often start at 2.5 mg to 5 mg.
Payment and taxes
Federal banking rules block most card payments. Shops take cash, debit through cashless ATM systems, or cash from an on-site ATM. Expect fees at that ATM.
Excise taxes run from about 10 percent to 37 percent on top of state and local sales tax. Washington charges 37 percent at the register. Colorado adds a 15 percent excise tax plus retail and local taxes.
Common pitfalls
- Gifting deals that trade cannabis for a purchase of another item. These are unlicensed sales in most states.
- Delivery apps with no license number and no store address.
- Delta-8 and delta-10 hemp gummies sold at gas stations. These are hemp-derived and tested under different rules.
- Sellers that ship across state lines. That is a federal offense.
Steps for a purchase today
- Confirm your state allows sales and you are 21 or older.
- Find the license number on the state registry.
- Check the menu online and reserve the order.
- Bring a photo ID. Bring cash if you can.
- Read the label. Ask for the batch number.
- Keep the package sealed and in the trunk on the drive home.