Cannabis dispensaries are making way for more freedom and an easier time buying weed but these products not being accessible in store only influence the discomfort it brings.

Medical, and now recreational, use of marijuana has been legal in the state of California since Nov. 2016. California joined Washington, Oregon and Colorado in decriminalizing the personal possession and use of marijuana when the majority of voters passed the “Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act,” also known as proposition 64. 

Although the legalization of recreational and medical use doesn’t give full protection against the federal law, it opens up many opportunities for the cannabis industry. Dispensaries have been popping up across the state since, making weed accessible to the public. It is super easy to get marijuana products nowadays, yet some still get worried and uncomfortable when they step into certain dispensaries. 

Nico Schwartz, a fourth year early childhood development major at Sonoma State University said, “I don’t go into many dispensaries because of how intimidating they can be. I am a generally shy person and having to go up to someone behind a glass instead of getting to shop around myself makes it difficult for me to want to learn about different strains and products. I’d rather just order online or buy off of others than go to a dispensary.” 

There are many dispensaries in Sonoma County that allow you to walk around and touch the products. These shops tend to make people more excited about buying weed in person. Open floor dispensaries even make for better customer service. When a customer is more comfortable in their environment they are more comfortable asking the budtenders questions or just socializing in general. Nobody really enjoys feeling like their every move is being watched. If someone is buying weed for medical reasons or anxiety, they shouldn’t feel scared or overwhelmed to access it in the first place.

Of course, having everything locked up in glass cases is a safety precaution and helps prevent stealing. It just starts to make less sense when there are usually a bunch of employees around as well as security guards on site. The products all have detectable security devices and sensors making it hard to walk out without setting off the alarm.

Purchasing marijuana, especially for younger adults, is already a daunting experience. Society looks at it negatively because of its possibly negative risks on one’s state and life including impairment, memory loss, and more. Yes there are valid risks, but there have been many instances where people have had positive outcomes using marijuana as well. Although it’s been legal to purchase for the past five years, it can still feel shameful. Dispensaries are supposed to make customers feel less judged and a part of a community, especially when societal judgement can be so crippling these days. Having security is important, but there can be a balance between having enough and also making the shop feel inviting to the public. 

Some people really enjoy their time in the store to be as uninterrupted as possible. This doesn’t just go for dispensaries, but grocery and retail stores as well. How many people prefer to be walked through their whole shopping trip by an employee? Walking around a dispensary and getting to browse the products helps ease shoppers anxiety. There are many dispensaries where you can only look at products through a glass case. You can’t read the labels or look close at the products without having to get assistance from an employee. 

Dispensaries like Flora Terra, located in Santa Rosa, Ca, know how vital a shop’s environment can be to a company by finding ways to draw in the public and make sure buying weed doesn’t feel scary, illegal, or taboo. They created a place where they are opening up the cases and allowing people to shop around the store. In doing so, people get more privacy picking out items and don’t feel like they are in a jail talking to someone behind a glass. Having both an inviting floor and environment filled with products to browse will make people feel comfortable to walk into the store. This is a step forward in changing the stigma found with marijuana use. It makes business better for the company and enjoyable for the public.