Ask a Stoner: How Do I Know if a Dispensary is Expensive? | Westword
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Ask a Stoner: How Much Is Too Much to Pay at Dispensaries?

Prices at dispensaries can vary heavily, so how much is too much at the cash register? Our Stoner answers.
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Dear Stoner: How much is too much to pay for some of these pot products?
Coach Bud

Dear Coach: I’ve seen eighths priced anywhere from $20 to $50 before tax, and I don’t have enough time or space to write about all the disparities in ounce prices from shop to shop. The same goes for concentrates: I’ll buy a gram of live resin for $35 at one store and then see something similar priced at $60 down the street. Different tax rates in cities and counties can impact final prices, too. Bottom line: You shouldn’t pay more than $50 for an eighth of flower, $25 for a 100-milligram edible and $30 for a gram of any kind of wax — and that’s only for the premium stuff.

There can be exceptions to this, though. Some concentrates, like live resin or distillate, are pricier than your standard shatter or budder, and dispensaries will sell larfy nugs, leaves and shake at a heavy discount even though some buyers aren’t aware of the difference. There’s also an issue of quality, as not all growing and blasting methods are created equal. Find some reliable pot shops in different parts of town so you won’t have to blindly visit random dispensaries: They can smell the naiveté on you.

Have a question for our Stoner? E-mail [email protected] or call the potline at 303-­293-­2222.
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