Dear Stoner: Don't Colorado Dispensaries Care About Fresh Bud?

Dear Stoner: Every time I’ve purchased pot here, it has been either pre-packaged or placed in a plastic container that lets the air out, if it’s not already bone-dry by the time I buy it. Am I going to the wrong dispensaries, or do Colorado dispensaries not care about fresh bud?
Right Near the Beach Boy

Dear Beach Boy: Many dispensaries, such as the Clinic, Green Solution and L’Eagle, sell pre-packed buds so that there’s less chance of you buying a product that’s contaminated while on display. If you don’t like pre-packaged products, then the answer is simple: Call ahead to find out how the shop sells its pot. I can understand why you find pre-packaged purchases undesirable — what you end up with often turns out to be an ugly, malnourished version of that beautiful, stanky bud you saw on display (and thought you were getting) — but that scenario plays out most often at tourist-heavy dispensaries that rely on foot traffic and non-repeat customers. If the packaging is a bottle and not a sealed bag, you can always ask the budtender to check out the buds for dryness before making your purchase, or just ask him or her what has been on the shelf the longest.

If the dispensary you’re buying from weighs the buds right in front of you, then it’s usually easier to determine how fresh your purchase will be. If all of the buds are dry and crispy, then buy something else. But don’t blame the pot shop for your bud drying out after purchase: You can buy twelve pint-sized Mason jars at Walmart for around $15, and it’s pretty hard for air to get inside of those.

Dear Stoner: What’s a better way to hit my wax: dabs or vape pens?
Jackie

Dear Jackie: It depends what you’re looking for: convenience and discretion, or getting the most potent rip. Vaporizer pens come in different shapes and sizes, but unless you buy one with a glass dome surrounding the nail, they’re all discreet and allow for easier hits when you’re out and about. Obviously, it’s much harder to torch an oil rig and take a dab in public, so if you like hitting hash while on the go, buy a pen.
The cost generally ranges from $20 to $70.

For home consumption, I recommend spending the money on a water pipe and nail setup that provides smooth hits and is also easy to clean. If you’re willing to spend a little more than $150, you can get a decent oil rig and nail (they come in glass, quartz and titanium varieties) that will work so well, you’ll feel like it’s the first time you ever smoked pot. Just be careful and don’t overdo it: Nobody likes to hang out with a dab zombie.