Walking into a dispensary for the first time can feel a little intimidating. There is a lot of product, a lot of unfamiliar words, and a line of people who seem to know exactly what they want. Here is the thing: every one of them had a first visit too, and a good budtender would much rather answer your questions than watch you guess.
This guide walks you through what to bring, how buying works in Colorado, and what a visit to Lit actually looks like.
Bring a Valid ID Showing You Are 21 or Older
This is the one thing you cannot forget. In Colorado, you have to be 21 or older to buy retail cannabis, and you must show a valid ID proving it. That applies to everyone, every visit, no matter how old you look.
A current, government-issued photo ID is what you want. Check the expiration date before you leave the house, because an expired ID can end a first visit at the front door.
Also worth knowing: under Colorado’s retail rules, no one under 21 is allowed in the restricted area of a retail store, so this is an adults-only outing.
How Much You Can Buy
Colorado’s official cannabis site says adults 21 and older can buy up to 1 ounce of cannabis at a time from licensed retail stores, and can possess up to 2 ounces. One ounce is a lot of flower, about 28 grams, so most first-timers are nowhere near that limit. If you are curious how ounces break down into eighths and grams, we cover that in our guide to how many grams are in an eighth.
Recreational vs Medical at Lit
Lit has two Denver stores, and they are a little different.
Our Federal store at 1630 Federal Blvd, right by Mile High Stadium, serves both recreational and medical customers. Our Broadway store at 2001 S Broadway, on the Green Mile, is recreational only, with no medical sales at that location. If you are a medical patient, Federal is your stop. If you are shopping recreational, either store works, so pick whichever is closer. Our locations page has directions to both.
What Happens When You Walk In
At most Denver dispensaries, the visit goes in two parts. First there is a check-in, where your ID is verified. Then you head to the sales floor, where a budtender helps you shop.
That second part is the good part. A budtender’s whole job is helping you find something that fits what you are looking for. At Lit, our budtenders love helping new customers, and nobody is going to rush you. Tell them it is your first time. You will get a better visit for it.
What to Tell Your Budtender
You do not need to know strain names or cannabinoid percentages. Just be honest about a few things.
Tell them how much experience you have. “I have never tried it,” “I tried it once in college,” and “I smoke every day” all lead to very different recommendations.
Tell them how you want to consume it. Smoking flower, a pre-roll, a vape, an edible and a concentrate are all very different experiences. If you are not sure, our post on finding the right consumption method is a helpful read beforehand.
Tell them what kind of evening you have in mind. A movie on the couch and a night out with friends call for different choices, and your budtender can steer you toward what people usually enjoy for each.
And tell them your budget. It is a completely normal thing to say, and it saves everyone time.
A Few Words You Will Hear
Dispensaries have their own vocabulary, and it helps to know a handful of terms before you walk in.
Flower is the dried, cured bud of the plant, the classic thing you grind and smoke. A pre-roll is a joint that comes already rolled. A cart, short for cartridge, is a small vape tank that screws onto a battery. Edibles are anything you eat or drink, from gummies to beverages. Concentrates, sometimes just called extracts or dabs, are products made by pulling the resin out of the plant, and they are much stronger than flower.
You will also hear indica, sativa and hybrid used to describe strains. People use those labels as a rough shorthand for how a strain tends to feel, and our post on the difference between indica, sativa and hybrid strains explains what they mean and where they fall short.
If a budtender uses a word you do not know, just ask. You will not be the first person who did.
A Simple First Purchase
If you are brand new and want to smoke, a single pre-roll is an easy, low-commitment way to start. You do not need a grinder, papers or any gear. Take a look at our pre-rolled joints, and ask which ones your budtender would hand a first-timer.
If you would rather not smoke, edibles are an option, but they work differently. They take longer to kick in and can last a long time, which is why the classic advice is to start low and go slow. Read our guide to choosing an edible for your experience level first.
Leaving the Store
Your purchase will go home in packaging that is resealable, child-resistant and not see-through, which Colorado requires. Keep it in that packaging, especially if there are kids or pets in your home.
A few rules worth knowing before you head out. Using cannabis in public is illegal in Colorado, including sidewalks, parks, concert venues, bars and restaurants. Private property is your best bet, but property owners, landlords and hotels can ban it, so check before you light up. Do not open it and use it in a car, even as a passenger. And keep it in Colorado: taking cannabis out of state is against the law, and you cannot bring it to Denver International Airport. Our page on marijuana law in Colorado has more.
Make the Next Visit Even Easier
Once you know what you like, you can skip the browsing. Order ahead online or through the Lit app, then pick up at Federal or Broadway. And sign up for Lit Rewards on your first visit.
Most of all, relax. Your first dispensary visit is supposed to be fun. Come in, ask everything you want to ask, and leave with something you are excited to try. We will see you at the counter.
