How to Read a Cannabis Dispensary Menu
Strain type, THC percentage, weight, and tier explained, so you can compare dispensary listings and know what you are paying for before checkout.
Check the License First
Buy from a store with a state cannabis license. Legal states issue license numbers. The store posts that number on the menu, the receipt, or the door. In adult-use states the minimum age is 21. Medical buyers need a state card or a doctor recommendation, and most medical states set the age at 18. Federal law still lists cannabis as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, so no licensed store can ship across state lines.
How to Read a Cannabis Dispensary Menu
Read the Menu Numbers
A dispensary menu lists four numbers that set the price: weight, THC percentage, CBD percentage, and total terpenes. Flower sells by weight. An eighth is 3.5 grams. A quarter is 7 grams. A half ounce is 14 grams. An ounce is 28 grams. Compare price per gram, not price per package. A $25 eighth costs $7.14 per gram. A $150 ounce costs $5.36 per gram.
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Potency on a flower label is a lab average for the batch, not a test of each bud. Lab results for the same cultivar can differ by several points between two labs. A 24% label and a 21% label often come from the same grow.
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Concentrates, edibles, and tinctures
Concentrates run 60% to 90% THC and sell by the gram. Edibles carry a per-serving dose and a per-package total. Most states cap edibles at 10 mg per serving and 100 mg per package. Vape cartridges list the fill weight, often 0.5 gram or 1 gram, plus the oil potency. Tinctures list milligrams of THC per bottle and milligrams per dropper.
Add the Tax Before You Compare
Menu prices in most states exclude tax. Washington adds a 37% excise tax on retail cannabis. Colorado and California add a 15% excise tax. State and local sales tax stacks on top of that. A $40 eighth in Seattle comes to $54.80 before local sales tax. Medical patients pay a lower rate in several states, including Michigan and Missouri. Ask the budtender for the out-the-door price on a specific item.
How Dispensary Deals Work
- Daily specials. A fixed discount tied to one category, such as 20% off concentrates on Wednesdays.
- First-time customer discount. Common range is 10% to 20% off one visit.
- Loyalty points. Points accrue per dollar spent and redeem in blocks, such as 500 points for $10 off.
- Bulk tiers. Per-gram price drops at 7 grams or 28 grams.
- Medical pricing. Lower tax and higher purchase limits for card holders.
- Happy hour. A short window, often the first or last hour of the day.
Some states restrict coupons, free samples, and bundled giveaways. Check state rules before you count on a promotion. Discounts do not transfer between stores, and most loyalty programs expire after 90 to 180 days of no purchase.
Parameters to Confirm Before You Pay
- License number matches the store name and address.
- Total THC and total CBD printed on the package, not just on the menu.
- Harvest date and package date. Flower loses potency after about six months in a sealed jar.
- Lab name and batch number for pesticides, heavy metals, mold, and residual solvents.
- Purchase limit for your state. Common limits are 1 ounce of flower per transaction for adult-use buyers, with higher limits for medical card holders.
- Return policy. Most states ban returns on opened cannabis products.
Pitfalls
- Stores that ship out of state. Interstate shipment is a federal offense. No licensed dispensary does it.
- Gifting services. Sites that sell a sticker, a recipe, or a T-shirt and include cannabis as a gift operate without a license in most states.
- Delivery apps with no state license. Confirm the delivery operator holds a state license, not just a business registration.
- Potency above the state cap. A menu listing a 500 mg edible in a 100 mg state is not state tested.
- Missing lab data. Ask for the batch number. A store that cannot produce one has no test record to show.
- Peer-to-peer payment at an unlicensed seller. There is no chargeback and no product recourse.
- Menu prices without tax. The register total in Washington runs about 37% above the listed price.
Cost Math Example
Two stores list the same eighth at $35. Store A adds 37% excise plus 10.1% sales tax, for a total of $51.80. Store B adds 15% excise plus 8% sales tax, for a total of $43.05. Same shelf price, an $8.75 gap at the register. Run the math on the tax rate in your state before you pick a store on menu price alone.