If there’s anything that can get us motivated to enter the great outdoors in our post-COVID-19 world, it’s the lure of some elevation. But what if you could still get all the cannabis products you want, all without having to leave the comfort of your own home?
While a nationwide marijuana delivery service hasn’t exactly materialized yet (and with good reason), if you live in a legalized state, there’s a good chance legal cannabis delivery is available in your area.
Today’s article will discuss buying marijuana online: What options there are to order weed online, what types of cannabis delivery services are out there, and how to make sure you aren’t getting taken in by a cannabis scam artist. Let’s dive in.
How Not to Buy Weed Online (Illegally)
First and foremost, the words “if you live in a legalized state” from our intro are very important. If you don’t live in a state that has
the sale and consumption of marijuana from licensed retailers, either medically or recreationally, you cannot legally purchase or order cannabis products. Not online, not delivered, not from your friend down the street. Cannabis, where you live, is illegal, full stop.Accessible only via special web browsers, there is a variety of illegal black market websites that purport to sell weed delivered through the mail (along with a whole host of other products and items that will likely have local law enforcement knocking at your door). These types of transactions are not just highly illegal; they’re also highly unregulated; tales of scam artists abound, with embezzled money, “lost” orders and FBI raids commonplace.
So once again, unless you live in a place that has legalized cannabis, you’re best to shelve your desire to buy weed online.
How to Find Weed for Sale Online (Legally)
First and foremost, check with your local dispensaries. If a weed dispensary near you will allow weed delivery, they’ll likely advertise this fact on their website and social media outlets; that said, looking up their phone number and calling to check to see if they take online orders never hurt anyone.
In some areas, the dispensary may run their own delivery service or may contract out with a third-party delivery group. These delivery companies typically are owned, operated from, and service a single area or state, such as
, or in California or in Las Vegas/Reno.If in doubt or unsure of your delivery provider, going online to research reviews is an excellent idea; otherwise, if ordering cannabis online from a dispensary you have visited before, and trust, their service for delivery is likely to be solid as well.
How to Pay for Weed Online
Much like going to the dispensary in person, online cannabis transactions are cash-only affairs due to the federal-level prohibition against marijuana. However, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are slowly seeing more widespread acceptance and may be accepted by some dispensaries as payment, but plan on needing access to cold, hard cash when your delivery driver shows up.
Deliveries made to you in person by a delivery driver may come with using a “mobile ATM” device as an option. Similar in appearance to a regular credit/debit card reader at a store, a mobile ATM will enable you to pay with a card, but only in $20 increments (just like withdrawing cash from an actual ATM) – any difference between the total payment is returned to the customer (IE: you) in the form of cash.
How to Watch Out for Scams When Buying Weed Online
Unfortunately, in the world of social media and the internet, getting scammed out of your hard-earned dollars is more likely than ever. Particularly in the somewhat “grey market” area of cannabis, there are more and more scammers popping up every day, promising “cheap THC vape carts” and deliveries to anywhere in the United States. So here are a few of our tips on how to buy weed online while keeping an eye out for con artists:
Out-Of State Weed Delivery
First, as mentioned above, if a seller promises delivery service “anywhere in the U.S.,” it is either a scam or a honeypot trap laid out by law enforcement. Your weed delivery order should come from inside the state you live in and deliver only within your state.
No Credit Cards or Checks
Again, cannabis cannot be purchased with checks or credit cards. If an online vendor is offering credit card payments for your order, stay away.
Beware of Paying Upfront
Likewise, be wary of any online weed vendor that requests payment upfront. Though cryptocurrency payments are becoming more common, you should only ever pay in advance with a delivery service or dispensary you absolutely trust.
Double-Check The Website URL
Check to make sure you’re on the right website. Copycat fly-by-night websites with misleading URLs or domain names (think “googel.com” instead of “google.com”) can set up fake payment processing scams that will steal your money away with nothing to show for it.
Look Up Licenses & Reviews
If thinking about making an order from a dispensary location you’re not very familiar with but want to trust more, check their website for licensing information – from California to Oklahoma, all cannabis dispensaries must be licensed under varying laws from every legalized state, and if a website doesn’t show any licensing information be cautious.
We also recommend using the internet as a resource for looking up reviews and customer satisfaction ratings – if a place of business has major issues, the internet will probably be very happy to let you know about it.
Stay Away From Social Media Purchases
Never, ever, ever order weed or other marijuana products off of social media. Just because @Danknuggz420_4U promises a
delivered anywhere in the tri-city area for half the price of your local dispensary rates doesn’t mean it’s legal or even real. Trying to order cannabis off social media is one of the quickest ways to get scammed, so always stay away.What Marijuana Products Can I Buy Online?
Generally, any item your local cannabis dispensary sells should be available for you to order through their delivery service if they have one. If their website has an online menu, it can be a great way to familiarize yourself with some more unique marijuana objects you might not typically try or otherwise branch out of your usual comfort zone.
Not all delivery services have a wide variety of items to offer, though. Cannabis dispensaries that operate solely as delivery services (such as the aforementioned California-based Eaze) can have a smaller variety of items for order, often lacking in items such as edibles, higher-end concentrates or products from specific names brands.
Though companies that focus purely on delivery services are often fast and reliable, there may be a lot of variety you’ll be missing out on by not ordering from a brick-and-mortar marijuana dispensary location.
Who Should Buy Weed Online?
Well, frankly, anyone of legal age who enjoys cannabis would probably be interested in the concept of barely having to move from the couch to get another ounce. But, particularly for elderly cannabis users and medical marijuana patients, our
means that access to delivery options can be a literal lifesaver for those most vulnerable.The majority of cannabis delivery services that allow you to buy weed online will, in the era of the coronavirus pandemic, offer contactless delivery. This typically means the customer will need to leave their cash somewhere available for the delivery driver, who will then leave the product (IE: cannabis) in a secure location.
Depending on your state, you will also likely need to offer proof of identity/age and make yourself at least visible during the delivery process, if even behind a glass door. At no point in the delivery service should the driver need to come within six feet of you, though this may be impossible if paying with a mobile ATM device.
Do I Have to Have My Weed Delivered?
Not at all. Contactless curbside pickup is also an option to consider for those willing and able to drive. Ordering cannabis online for pickup is quite widespread and usually available at any given dispensary. Check your local dispensary’s website to see if they offer an online menu and online ordering; if this isn’t available, you may have to call into the store to place your order.
Once your order is placed, you’ll typically be asked what time you’d like to pick up your purchase, along with being given the total cost and driving directions – this is also likely where they’ll ask if you want curbside pickup service or not. From there, simply show up at your cannabis dispensary of choice at the time allotted; some locations may make you call on arrival, while some will send an employee out as soon as they are able.
After confirming your identity (likely via checking your ID), it’s simply a matter of making your payment before taking your goods and heading off into the sunset (or back to the living room, or whatever your destination might be).
Wrapping Up
If this is your first try to buy weed online, have been nervous about it, don’t be. Though there are a lot of things to bear in mind to make sure you’re doing so as safely as possible, ordering weed on the internet can be stress-free as long as you follow some basic tenets:
- Don’t buy weed online if your state hasn’t legalized it
- Watch out for scammers
- Remember no legal dispensary takes credit cards or checks
- Never buy weed online from social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
- If in doubt, look up reviews and check the dispensary’s license to verify authenticity
- Always make sure you trust a vendor completely before paying money in advance of delivery/pickup for cannabis, even if paying in cryptocurrency
- Make sure you have cash on hand, and a valid photo ID
Be aware that delivery services may vary based on your own state’s laws, or even the area you reside in; California has long wrestled with “cannabis deserts” where dispensaries and other cannabis retailer outlets aren’t allowed due to local ordinances and where delivery services can’t go due to state law. These laws also vary wildly depending on the country of origin (IE: the U.S. vs. Canada), but we leave it up to you to familiarize yourself with the laws for delivering cannabis goods for any non-American country you may visit.
We hope our article has helped give you the confidence you need to skip the waits, masks and queues in favor of just ordering your strains of weed and brands of uplifting products from home like a boss. Just remember: Be cool, and always tip your driver. Happy smoking!