Compare Total Cost, Not Menu Price
The listed price at a dispensary is the pretax price. Tax is added at the register. Rates differ by state.
- Washington adds a 37% excise tax to retail cannabis sales.
- California adds a 15% excise tax plus sales tax.
- Colorado adds a 15% state retail marijuana tax plus 2.9% state sales tax, and cities add more.
A $30 eighth in Washington comes to about $41 before local sales tax. Two shops with the same shelf price can differ by 20% at checkout. Read the top of the menu. Some shops list tax-included prices, some list pretax prices.
How to Find Weed Specials: A Dispensary Deal Guide
Price per 100 mg of THC
Potency drives value. Compare milligrams of THC, not grams of product.
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Flower: 3.5 g at 20% THC holds 700 mg of THC. At $35, that is $5.00 per 100 mg. A $25 eighth at 15% THC holds 525 mg and costs $4.76 per 100 mg.
Concentrate: 1 g at 70% THC holds 700 mg of THC. At $25, that is $3.57 per 100 mg.
Edibles: a 100 mg pack with ten 10 mg pieces is the common format. At $18, that is $18 per 100 mg. Edibles cost more per milligram than flower or concentrate in most markets.
Purchase Limits and Package Caps
- Flower: most adult-use states cap one transaction at 28 g (1 oz).
- Concentrate: caps run 7 g to 8 g per transaction, depending on the state.
- Edibles: most states cap a single package at 100 mg THC. Medical limits vary by state.
- Borders: cannabis purchased in one state cannot be carried into another. Federal law lists cannabis as a Schedule I substance.
Discounts That Exist
Three discount types are common. First-time customer discounts run 10% to 20%. Daily deals rotate by category, such as 20% off flower on a set weekday. Loyalty points return 1% to 5% of spend. Ask three questions before you count on a deal: does it stack with other discounts, which brands are excluded, and when do points expire? Many programs void points after 90 days with no purchase.
Pitfalls to Check
- Clearance flower near its pack date. Ask for the harvest date or pack date. THC degrades over months. A 20% label on a 9-month-old jar is not the same as a fresh one.
- Cheap pre-rolls. Many contain trim and shake. Ask if the pre-roll is whole flower or trim.
- Delivery fees. Minimum orders run $30 to $50. Delivery fees run $5 to $10. Tip is separate.
- Debit fees. Some shops charge $2 to $5 to run a debit card. Cash avoids the fee.
- Medical exemptions. Medical patients with a valid state card pay less or no excise tax in several states, including Washington and California. Confirm the rule with the shop and with the state revenue agency.
- Potency claims. Lab results vary by batch. Check the label on the package you buy, not the online menu.