What a marijuana dispensary is
A marijuana dispensary is a store that sells cannabis under a state license. It buys from licensed growers, processors, and manufacturers. Shelves hold flower, pre-rolls, vape cartridges, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, and topicals. Federal law lists cannabis as a Schedule I substance. State law allows the sale. That split means a dispensary cannot ship across state lines, and banks treat cannabis revenue with caution.
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Who can buy
Adult-use states set the minimum age at 21. Medical states allow patients at 18 with a physician recommendation. Some states allow younger patients with a registered caregiver. Every customer shows a government photo ID at the door or the counter. A state ID, driver license, or passport works. Expired IDs do not. Staff at the counter, often called budtenders, log the sale into a state tracking system.
Purchase limits
States cap how much one person can buy in a day. California allows 28.5 grams of flower and 8 grams of concentrate for adults 21 and older. Colorado allows 28 grams of flower for residents and 14 grams for visitors. Nevada allows 28 grams. Limits apply per customer, per store, per day. A store scans the ID to check the state database.
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Taxes
Tax adds to the shelf price. California charges a 15 percent excise tax plus local sales tax. Colorado charges a 15 percent retail excise tax plus 2.9 percent state sales tax. The total at the register often runs 20 to 35 percent above the listed price. Medical patients pay lower tax in several states.
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What the label shows
State rules require testing for potency, pesticides, mold, and heavy metals. Labels list THC and CBD in milligrams per serving and per package. Edibles in most states cap at 10 mg THC per serving and 100 mg per package. A 10 mg dose affects people at different rates. Oral products can take 30 to 60 minutes to show effects. Read the label before you eat.
Payment
Cash is the default. Some dispensaries run cashless ATMs or debit terminals. A smaller number accept credit cards. Federal deposit insurance does not cover cannabis revenue, so card options change by store and by state.
Medical markets compared with adult use
Some states run one market. Others run two. Medical patients often pay lower tax and get higher purchase limits. A medical card requires state registration and, in most states, a doctor recommendation. Recreational customers need only an ID that proves age and residency, where residency rules apply.