We’ve all heard of dispensaries, but have you heard of CBD dispensaries? Before you grab your phone and search for “CBD dispensaries near me,” you’ll want to know how to spot a good dispensary. It’s important to research any substance you are putting in your body.
While the internet is always a helpful tool, it may be difficult to know where to start. Searching for dispensaries near you may provide a good starting point. If you want to learn more about what to look for when shopping for CBD and the best places to purchase CBD from, keep reading!
Table of Contents
What Are CBD Dispensaries?
A CBD dispensary is a store that specializes in selling hemp, the same way a cannabis dispensary sells marijuana. CBD dispensaries typically don’t sell marijuana and specialize in hemp-derived CBD. These dispensaries can carry other cannabinoids as well. These cannabinoids include CBN, CBG, and Delta 8 THC. As you’d expect, most of the products at a CBD dispensary are high in CBD.
The difference between the two types of dispensaries is simply in their products. The products sold at cannabis dispensaries come from plants grown with more than 0.3% THC, such as medical marijuana. While hemp-derived, CBD must contain less than 0.3% THC to be distributed legally.
So what is the difference between retail stores that carry CBD and CBD dispensaries specializing in hemp-based products? After all, any place can sell CBD — even gas stations! The biggest difference is that CBD dispensaries are much more knowledgeable about their products, while a gas station employee likely doesn’t know much about cannabinoids.
Here are a few things that make shopping at a CBD dispensary different than other retailers:
- Better education available to customers
- Employees are certified “hemptenders,” meaning they have avid knowledge of the products they carry
- Help with dosing
- Help with the right delivery method for you (flower, vape, edibles, etc.)
- The products with the highest or lowest amount of CBD
- Safer products
While you can get a lot of this information with a quick Google, it is important to consider that there is a lot of contradicting information out there. It is always a good rule of thumb to talk to someone familiar with the products available to you. That way, they can answer any questions you may have.
How to Use Local Maps on Google to Find CBD Dispensaries Near Me
The first thing you’ll need is the internet to access Google Maps. With Maps, finding restaurants, gas stations, and even CBD dispensaries is a breeze. You can find CBD products just about anywhere you go, but remember, it is always best to shop for your products where the employees know their stuff.
- Open your browser and head to Google.
- Click the Google Apps icon in the top right corner (it looks like a square made of dots).
- Enter your address or current location in the top right “Search Google Maps” bar.
- Next, click the “Nearby” option.
- Type what you are looking for in the search bar (in this case, keywords like “CBD dispensary” or “CBD dispensaries near me”).
- Hit enter (or the magnifying glass icon next to the search bar) to see your results.
Google Maps will yield many results depending on the keywords you use. It is important to know what to look for to sift through these results. Google Maps will list dispensaries near you and provide you with hours of operation and addresses. It will list results nearest you, and the lower you scroll on the list, the further away from your location you’ll get.
Are There Any Risks to Buying CBD from Dispensaries or Local Merchants?
We’re glad you asked! As mentioned previously, there are various ways to purchase CBD, including dispensaries and even gas stations. By the way, we don’t recommend purchasing CBD at a gas station. We also don’t recommend gas station hot dogs. Anyway, while dispensaries and other local CBD merchants may be the safest way to purchase your CBD products, it is important to be aware of a few things!
At times, CBD products found in dispensaries and stores do not offer the best pricing. Like your local wellness store, merchants may stock limited products on their shelves, not always providing variety. When you shop for your CBD at a store or even a gas station, you may also be purchasing low-quality products. Poor products may include heavy metals, come from hemp that was grown with synthetic chemicals, or contain artificial flavorings.
It is important to know that though hemp-derived CBD is federally legal, CBD is still federally unregulated. This means that the market may or may not be flooded with brands that claim their products are organic and vegan, but in reality, they’re not.
How To Easily Find CBD Online
Finding CBD online should be just as easy as finding local dispensaries near you. There are a few ways to go about this. You’re going to want to pull up your browser of choice. A simple Google search includes phrases like, “CBD oil online,” “buy CBD oil online,” or simply “CBD online.”
You’ll find that your search will yield a ton of results. Some of these brands may offer free shipping on all orders, while others require a minimum. That’s the least of it. Among these results will be different CBD products. It may be best to narrow down what you are looking for, whether CBD oil or gummies. Most brands also sell loose flower for all your smoking needs!
Disclaimer: We’re no CBD pharmacy! Talk to your doctor about whether CBD is right for you. CBD is not intended as a treatment option for patients. If you require patient care, consult an established medical professional.
What To Look For When Shopping For CBD in a Dispensary
When shopping at a dispensary, keep an eye out for THC percentage, ingredients, and possibly strains if you’re interested in pre-rolls or flower. More than likely, if you are shopping at a dispensary, they will stock high-end products that you may not normally see at your local gas station.
Another important thing to look for is a Certificate of Analysis (COA). A COA is proof that a company tests its product for potency and label accuracy. But what is a COA? After a third-party lab tests a manufacturer’s product, they give a report on what they found. This report is the COA. If a company makes a bold claim about its product’s CBD content, you can fact-check that claim by looking at the product’s COA. To see Hollyweed’s COA, click here.
Ingredients
When shopping at a dispensary, you may be curious about the ingredients found in the products. Depending on which CBD products you are leaning towards, different ingredients can boost CBD’s efficacy (or even its taste). Here at Hollyweed, we only use organic, locally grown hemp from the best farms in Colorado.
As for CBD oil, you want to ensure that the label lists the carrier oil. The carrier oil helps deliver CBD to the body for absorption. We use hemp seed oil in our CBD, which has many health benefits.
How to Tell if a CBD Product is High Quality or Low Quality
It’s one thing to visit your local CBD dispensary, but it’s another to be able to differentiate between good products and not-so-good products. You obviously can’t sample any of these products without purchasing, so how can you tell which ones to avoid? Well, here are a few things to look out for when on the hunt for the best of the best.
- How the product was manufactured
- Place where hemp is grown
- Amount of THC present (legal amount is >0.3%)
- Look for terms such as “broad spectrum” or “full spectrum”
- When shopping online, ensure that the company provides Certificates of Analysis (COAs)
User reviews are another great way to check on a product’s quality. If the company looks fantastic, but every customer gives it a poor review, that’s a good sign you should avoid it!
USA Grown Hemp CBD Vs. Imported Hemp CBD
It is important to note that USA-grown hemp is more than likely to be compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill compared to other hemp grown worldwide. The 2018 Farm Bill ensures that the hemp grown contains no more than 0.3% THC. Although the law requires imported hemp to be Farm Bill compliant, there are no standards or regulatory framework to ensure this. You can always find more information online about the specific brand you picked up at the dispensary.
Why Choose Hollyweed for CBD?
Here at Hollyweed, we aim to make the whole buying process as easy and breezy as possible. With our wide selection of products, you can rest assured that each of them is made with Farm Bill compliant hemp and organic ingredients. Local CBD dispensaries are certainly a better option than random retailers who happen to carry CBD. However, you can’t beat a company that manufacturers its own products, like us!
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s the menu items of a CBD dispensary or an online retailer, there’s no question that some things are non negotiables when shopping for the best CBD products. Are you ready to brave your first dispensary? If you still have questions, we have answers! Browse our Blog section for our main content on all things hemp. And once you’re ready, check out our Products page!
