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I thought dispensary experiences were suppose to be pleasant
Whoa big fella. You move too fast. We're the ones trying to keep you from going too far. No one's talking antiseptic or labratory or even white. We're saying what goes too far is dressing like a thug or flying rock'n'roll banners in a time when a great section of the voting populace fears weed leads to thuggery and rock'n'roll debauchery. (Though in fairness to Bob Marly, his was a religious connection)
A professional appearance hurts no one. An unprofessional appearance can do serious damage to the cause.
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What does your Dispensary look like?
it wasnt a big and fancy grand multi thousand squarefoot facilty like the pics posted.... it was a simple humble little 700sqft office in a medical building. (that was the hardest part of the process... finding/securing the brick and mortar location)
it was just enough room to have a receptionist, a couple person waiting/check in area, a sally port between the waiting room & display/sales room, and a storage/supply room. the building had an elevator (for those who cannot take stairs) and was less than 10ft from a bus stop.
the decor was set up to look as much like a doctors office as possible for the waiting room & reception area. the display room was more lax and had a hawaiian/tropical theme with the art & music... we did wear reyn spooner shirts....
if you didnt know we were there you would have never guessed.
it was just enough room to have a receptionist, a couple person waiting/check in area, a sally port between the waiting room & display/sales room, and a storage/supply room. the building had an elevator (for those who cannot take stairs) and was less than 10ft from a bus stop.
the decor was set up to look as much like a doctors office as possible for the waiting room & reception area. the display room was more lax and had a hawaiian/tropical theme with the art & music... we did wear reyn spooner shirts....
if you didnt know we were there you would have never guessed.
Ahh....the Reyn Spooner.....most dispensaries seem to cater.. well, to themselves. The decor and personnel reflect the owner and not the customers. Does the 70 year old relieving chronic pain want to patronize an establishment where the employees make them uncomfortable?
In this business the customer demographics vary, but why limit yourself and stifle business over decor.
I doubt most have a business plan in place, let alone any oversight. Quality control, dont think so.
The dispensaries in place that are making a quick buck slinging weed as opposed to dispensing medicine will receive a wake up call when actual true non-profits, which as a corporation have bylaws and regulations in place, become the standard.
Remember, if your not helping, your hindering.
Cheers
StellarP
In this business the customer demographics vary, but why limit yourself and stifle business over decor.
I doubt most have a business plan in place, let alone any oversight. Quality control, dont think so.
The dispensaries in place that are making a quick buck slinging weed as opposed to dispensing medicine will receive a wake up call when actual true non-profits, which as a corporation have bylaws and regulations in place, become the standard.
Remember, if your not helping, your hindering.
Cheers
StellarP
Cojito
Active member
while i've used Cannabis for pain and insomnia, and i'm aware of other helpful uses, i really don't take the medical MJ movement all that seriously - anymore than most people took the medicinal alcohol movement seriously. back then folks just wanted to drink for pleasure. and now most folks just want to smoke bud for pleasure.
none of the pics posted appear unprofessional to me. and given the choice i'd pick these types of establishments over a more sterile environment every time. even if the cost was more. the point is - stoners like this vibe. while folks who want everyone to think they're taking doctor approved meds not so much.
i did things the way i did because thats what i wanted to do.
you cannot chose your customers, they choose you.
stellar... theres a lot of assuming in your post
you cannot rent an office space (for any business!) without having some sort of business plan - what landlord is gonna rent an office space to someone for a business thats without a business plan? i had to submit both a business plan (i was truthful about what i wanted to do!) & financials for each place i hoped to lease. I will say some business plans are better than others... and a good lawyer will ask to see your business plan as you are setting up your business, and will approve of it, edit it, or help you create it.
and still playing the devils advocate folks...
everybody has different definitions of what 'quality' is...
theres your local 'good' chinese fast food that uses recipes and fresh products you like and your local 'bad' chinese fast food that is just plain gross. but theres probably someone who likes the bad chinese fast food, right? someone's going in there, otherwise theyd have to close shop. same thing applies with buds. unfortunately. one persons trash is another persons treasure. unfortunately.
i dont know how many dispensary operators of which you know the finite details of their business operations and what not, but in my experience the ones i have known have paid lawyers to set up their tax ids and business type (sole prop, llc, non profits, etc) - mostly as 501cs (though i know a couple that were set up as straight up 'retail' establishments), and are legally drawing salaries equivelant to what other business owners gross. im not sure what kind of 'wake up call' you're talking about since its now pretty much standard for shops to be under the non profit umbrella already (and adhere to the rules for 501(c)3 corporations for record-keeping)... maybe you could elaborate, please?
BUT there are 'loopholes' if you're (or the lawyer) smart enough to find/use them...
you should look up whats needed to operate a business in cities where you dont like how a dispensary is running. you might be surprised to learn cool things! like there are some dispensaries that havent needed to acquire business licenses to open their doors (they still need tax id numbers and articles of incorporation though)!!! this is not because dispensaries havent been regulated or modeled - its because the area/city they are in does not require it for any business whatsoever... if you can believe that. Check out Lake Forest, Ca for example... those 'quick buck' dispensaries as you call them could be a direct result of the cities' current zoning laws and business practices & procedures being exploited and taken advantage of. just like the goverment does to citizens, by the way hehe.
Im glad to see that there are some people that understand what I am trying to say, and that I am not trying to just rile mother fuckers up..
A specific shot out thank you for your understanding of my opinons goes to ...
good drown ,MoldyFrogToe ,John Deere ,SuperSizeMe, and FreezerBoy ...
if you get my point and I have not listed your name here, I appreciate your willingness and ability to not be so closed minded
^exactly... and to try and use an analogy, im sure there are tons of older elvis fans who go and get their prostates checked at their physicians office, but you don't see elvis posters hanging on the walls and elvis music being played on the speakers. Im sure I may hear someone send me a message or reply to this quote with “sorry wayne, trying to compare a physicians office to a dispensary is way out of line and you need your head checked...” and my reply to that is, im sure YOU may need to check YOUR head because apparently you have been brainwashed by the common practices of most dispensaries that you have visited or come to know. Medical marijuana dispensaries need to be held to the same professional standards as any doctor, pharmacy, or whatever random business in the medical industry would be held to if they plan on being taken seriously by all of the haters (specifically Law enforcement officials and the disagreeing public) out there... I think once everyone in the medical marijuana community realizes this and takes it seriously, THEN perhaps the haters will take it seriously as well...
and to my friend greyskull... (im assuming here that your post about “stop talking, and start acting is directed at me?) ...I live very far from california atm, and I currently have a legitimate established business that I run here in my parts that I am in no hurry to run away from.....ESPECIALLY when its pretty likely that I will get raided if I DO set up a dispensary over there in this day in age... by the way, you and everyone else who has ever started up a dispensary since 96 has some serious courage... Im the kind of guy who would rather wait till the coast is 100% clear, and the waters have been thoroughly tested before I decide to set up shop - and believe me , I am NOT the only one who is waiting for the coast to be clear... while I am sitting around and waiting for the coast to be clear, perhaps I can try to speed things up by posting my thoughts and opinons in a forum that is available to many, and hope that others who are currently in the medical mj industry will take note of and possibly put it to use...
I have strong feelings that once these dispensary owners can all band together, put 2 and 2 together, and realize that if they start convincing the "haters" that they mean business, and are serious about not only operating, but portraying their dispensaries as a legitimate member of our society's "medical" industry versus portraying it as a hip and trendy lounge with reggae music pumping, blown up bob marley photos on the walls, and eyecatching signs and neon lights in their windows...THEN I can bet you that the coast will be one step closer to being 100% clear.... one can profile a “patient” and make assumptions on whether they are legitimately a “MEDICAL” patient, or if they are a “fake” med patient and more of a “RECREATIONAL” patient. Truly, one will not know which is true about the individual SOLELY by looks, but on the other hand, one can d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y profile a dispensary by its appearance and see if their underlying mission is to cater solely to patients who are seriously in legitimate “MEDICAL” need of the medical grade marijuana or if they do not respect the “MEDICAL” aspect and will cater to even the “RECREATIONAL” users with made-up “MEDICAL” needs, and just a strong desire to GET HIGH. I am not against people who make illnesses up to obtain the marijuana at all, because quite frankly, I myself would LOVE to be able to just walk into a dispensary and pick up some grade A herb to smoke despite not having any legitimate illnesses myself. I am not knocking it one bit, I am just trying to get real here and bring some light to the fact that if the dispensaries clean up their acts, then perhaps the “haters” can leave them alone, or be swayed to change their minds to accept the medical marijuana industry. Once these “haters” change their minds, and start laying off the medical dispensaries and focusing their attention to other more serious problems such as heroin, cocaine, meth, etc; producers and users alike, THEN will the medical marijuana industry be able to excel and spread throughout the country. If you cannot understand my point by now, and you still would like to cry about that cozy couch that you liked sitting on with scruffy the dog while you listen to your sublime music in the background and stare at the bob marley posters on the wall, then I truly feel sorry for you, as it will most likely just evolve into simply a memory to you if this way of dispensary operation continues...
As if I havent already made my point, on to my deeper thoughts of how the law profiles marijuana USERS based on their appearance in conjunction with how the law profiles a DISPENSARY and its appearance....
The LEO and the public who are against medical marijuana depensaries, and medical marijuana in general, are against it because of what they see, and how they perceive it. They profile the patients AND the dispensaries. Sure the LEO has profiled many patients and attempted to arrest them and have failed because the patient had their Med License handy. These LEO probably profile MANY thuggish ruggish, hipster, skater types and think they could easily arrest them but fail because these people are protected by their I.D. Cards. On the other hand, there are probably many legitimate users who are profiled and left alone because they fit the image of one who might be in serious need of medical marijuana. These law enforcement officials are ALSO using the same exact profiling techniques with the DISPENSARIES. These dispensaries that have bright neon signs in their windows, and marijuana leaf images and whatever other verbage on their windows to clearly attract new customers are just ASKING for trouble. There could be a more professional way to advertise then to dress up the front to resemble a convenient store/BAR/gas station/ or whatever sort of business that loads as much eye catching material in their windows and on their walls as possible... When do you ever see a doctors office with bright neon signs with flashing pill bottles on their windows? Not very often...so right there, the dispensaries are giving the image to the public that they are marijuana dealers trying to operate under the cover of “MEDICAL,” while displaying flashing lights to attract the public... it goes beyond what is going on on the outside of the dispensary, a lot of them I understand operate in the shadows, which makes the most sense to me if they plan on staying out of the profiling publics eye. I have not done any studies, but I can make an assumption that a lot of the dispensaries that have been taken down, were clearly operating “out of bounds,” and coming off as a medical marijauna circus lounge to the public. A lot of the dispensaries have photos of their establishment available on the net, and eventually these images are going to be seen by the wrong person, and going to make the dispensaries look like they cater to recreational users, and that the whole medical marijuana push …
to further my point about what the profiling “HATERS” look for, I just happened to be randomly stumbling around on some dispensary news articles and I had came across this quote from a lady speaking about the 14 despensary raids that occurred at the end of last May: "These so-called businesses are not legal. They appear to be run by drug dealers who see an opening in the market and a way to make a fast buck," says San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis ..."They are doing this under the guise of helping people who are sick but we're not fooled and the people shouldn't be fooled either," says Dumanis... . here is the link ( ) …. That statement stands out and speaks SO LOUD to me...
To end my rant, I am going to end my write up here with a factual quote that I pulled out of that same article from the link I posted above: "We have not found one yet in San Diego that has been operating within the guidelines of the Attorney General,” says Chief William Lansdowne
… .I know this is only one part of California, and that there are MANY dispensaries elsewhere who abide all laws, and follow all guidelines, but it really goes to show that dispensary owners need to start sharpening up and respecting laws and the “MEDICAL” world a bit more.. One bad apple can ruin the reputation of them all. Where we go one, we go all, and with that being said, I think that SOMEONE needs to take the initiative and set up a “dispensary owner only” conference/meeting and get everyone on the same page... this conference should include these concepts (but not limited to): basic business practices, business ethics, establishing business plans, business law, state laws, local laws, ethics, ethics, oh yeah, did I say ETHICS? Once the concept of “ethics” is understood amongst all of the dispensary owners, then perhaps everything else will fall into place accordingly... Once a dispensary can show that they respect all laws, whether they be written or unwritten laws, and they can also show that they are not in business to cater to the RECREATIONAL community, THEN the medical marijuana movement which so many have worked so hard for will become a great success and catch on amongst the whole country and possibly even the world...
Seems very true!
When I speak of "ETHICS," this is what I mean... these guys are buying this kind of junk and trying to sell it off as legitimate "medicine..." ... it just seems to me like if you are an unethical person (which the owner of this dispensary sounds like he/she is) , then chances are you are most likely going to make horrible business decisions in general, and just create a bad name, as well as a laughing stock out of every other dispensary, because as I said in my rant, where we go one, we go all... Im sure this dispensary had some nice decorations on their wall as well - perhaps some kottonmouth kingz posters on the wall, along with this poster
as well (with many hundred more for sale), huh? HAHAHA... really making the community look good...
MFT, I agree with every single one of your words. You took them right out of my mouth, or off my fingertips shall I say. I am glad that you are a member of this community, and the community should be glad that you are a member as well... You understand my point to a mother fuckin T!
I am glad that you agree that perception is everything. It really fucking is.... ever hear the phrase "IMAGE IS EVERYTHING.." ? well, it IS true. Even if you apply that "image being everything concept" to ugly people versus good looking people- good looking people are a lot more likely to win over the liking of other people versus ugly people... it's sad but true..
Dispensaries do need to step it up in the interior design department and start becoming more "mainstream" instead of decorating to win over the likeness of that stereotypical stoner...
ah, I get it, you are in that class of people who I would like to categorize as "close minded..."....
Does professionalism make you uncomfortable? If so, you get a big LOL from me..
And the fact that you think that the life will be taken out of it if dispensaries start taking things a little bit more professionally seals the deal on my point that you are closed minded...
ding ding ding.. we have another winner... ANOTHER who can see the light...
....you try way to hard to prove points... they are clearly extreme and
in conclusion to your posts, clearly, you are another person who does not see the big picture... your time of enjoying these hip trendy dispensaries will be short lived if people like yourself do not grasp the concept that your breed of “MMJ cardholders who enjoy chillaxin at their local groovy dispensary” is greatly outnumbered by the people who icmag member John Deere spoke of – the “Senior citizens and AARP “... “one of the largest voting groups in the country.”.... since you are outnumbered, do you not believe that it would be in your best interest to convince these people that the dispensaries are legitimately for medical reasons, and not to be portrayed as a “marijuana drug outlet store trying to operate under the medical cover?”...
another guy who sees the light... I love this ICMAG place... its pretty cool to see all of the varying opions, and then come across others who share similar beliefs. Thanks a million supersizeme for being LEGIT, and not closed minded ….
not whining about anything- as far as im concerned, your post sounds like a lot of whining
... I was clearly making a point... a point that is clearly above YOUR head as well... you say just be lucky you have a safe place to get meds from... but little do you know that soon enough, if these dispensary owners do not make some serious changes as a whole, then these places will no longer exist because of their lack of credibility.... it will come down to survival of the fittest, and those dispensaries that remain fit and stay alive will be the ones who play by the written and unwritten rules................................. did ya process that? 
:friends:
ok im done.
After all of this work I did getting this post together, the main thing I have learned is this :
GROW YOUR OWN FUCKING WEED!
A specific shot out thank you for your understanding of my opinons goes to ...
good drown ,MoldyFrogToe ,John Deere ,SuperSizeMe, and FreezerBoy ...
if you get my point and I have not listed your name here, I appreciate your willingness and ability to not be so closed minded ^exactly... and to try and use an analogy, im sure there are tons of older elvis fans who go and get their prostates checked at their physicians office, but you don't see elvis posters hanging on the walls and elvis music being played on the speakers. Im sure I may hear someone send me a message or reply to this quote with “sorry wayne, trying to compare a physicians office to a dispensary is way out of line and you need your head checked...” and my reply to that is, im sure YOU may need to check YOUR head because apparently you have been brainwashed by the common practices of most dispensaries that you have visited or come to know. Medical marijuana dispensaries need to be held to the same professional standards as any doctor, pharmacy, or whatever random business in the medical industry would be held to if they plan on being taken seriously by all of the haters (specifically Law enforcement officials and the disagreeing public) out there... I think once everyone in the medical marijuana community realizes this and takes it seriously, THEN perhaps the haters will take it seriously as well...
and to my friend greyskull... (im assuming here that your post about “stop talking, and start acting is directed at me?) ...I live very far from california atm, and I currently have a legitimate established business that I run here in my parts that I am in no hurry to run away from.....ESPECIALLY when its pretty likely that I will get raided if I DO set up a dispensary over there in this day in age... by the way, you and everyone else who has ever started up a dispensary since 96 has some serious courage... Im the kind of guy who would rather wait till the coast is 100% clear, and the waters have been thoroughly tested before I decide to set up shop - and believe me , I am NOT the only one who is waiting for the coast to be clear... while I am sitting around and waiting for the coast to be clear, perhaps I can try to speed things up by posting my thoughts and opinons in a forum that is available to many, and hope that others who are currently in the medical mj industry will take note of and possibly put it to use...
I have strong feelings that once these dispensary owners can all band together, put 2 and 2 together, and realize that if they start convincing the "haters" that they mean business, and are serious about not only operating, but portraying their dispensaries as a legitimate member of our society's "medical" industry versus portraying it as a hip and trendy lounge with reggae music pumping, blown up bob marley photos on the walls, and eyecatching signs and neon lights in their windows...THEN I can bet you that the coast will be one step closer to being 100% clear.... one can profile a “patient” and make assumptions on whether they are legitimately a “MEDICAL” patient, or if they are a “fake” med patient and more of a “RECREATIONAL” patient. Truly, one will not know which is true about the individual SOLELY by looks, but on the other hand, one can d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y profile a dispensary by its appearance and see if their underlying mission is to cater solely to patients who are seriously in legitimate “MEDICAL” need of the medical grade marijuana or if they do not respect the “MEDICAL” aspect and will cater to even the “RECREATIONAL” users with made-up “MEDICAL” needs, and just a strong desire to GET HIGH. I am not against people who make illnesses up to obtain the marijuana at all, because quite frankly, I myself would LOVE to be able to just walk into a dispensary and pick up some grade A herb to smoke despite not having any legitimate illnesses myself. I am not knocking it one bit, I am just trying to get real here and bring some light to the fact that if the dispensaries clean up their acts, then perhaps the “haters” can leave them alone, or be swayed to change their minds to accept the medical marijuana industry. Once these “haters” change their minds, and start laying off the medical dispensaries and focusing their attention to other more serious problems such as heroin, cocaine, meth, etc; producers and users alike, THEN will the medical marijuana industry be able to excel and spread throughout the country. If you cannot understand my point by now, and you still would like to cry about that cozy couch that you liked sitting on with scruffy the dog while you listen to your sublime music in the background and stare at the bob marley posters on the wall, then I truly feel sorry for you, as it will most likely just evolve into simply a memory to you if this way of dispensary operation continues...
As if I havent already made my point, on to my deeper thoughts of how the law profiles marijuana USERS based on their appearance in conjunction with how the law profiles a DISPENSARY and its appearance....
The LEO and the public who are against medical marijuana depensaries, and medical marijuana in general, are against it because of what they see, and how they perceive it. They profile the patients AND the dispensaries. Sure the LEO has profiled many patients and attempted to arrest them and have failed because the patient had their Med License handy. These LEO probably profile MANY thuggish ruggish, hipster, skater types and think they could easily arrest them but fail because these people are protected by their I.D. Cards. On the other hand, there are probably many legitimate users who are profiled and left alone because they fit the image of one who might be in serious need of medical marijuana. These law enforcement officials are ALSO using the same exact profiling techniques with the DISPENSARIES. These dispensaries that have bright neon signs in their windows, and marijuana leaf images and whatever other verbage on their windows to clearly attract new customers are just ASKING for trouble. There could be a more professional way to advertise then to dress up the front to resemble a convenient store/BAR/gas station/ or whatever sort of business that loads as much eye catching material in their windows and on their walls as possible... When do you ever see a doctors office with bright neon signs with flashing pill bottles on their windows? Not very often...so right there, the dispensaries are giving the image to the public that they are marijuana dealers trying to operate under the cover of “MEDICAL,” while displaying flashing lights to attract the public... it goes beyond what is going on on the outside of the dispensary, a lot of them I understand operate in the shadows, which makes the most sense to me if they plan on staying out of the profiling publics eye. I have not done any studies, but I can make an assumption that a lot of the dispensaries that have been taken down, were clearly operating “out of bounds,” and coming off as a medical marijauna circus lounge to the public. A lot of the dispensaries have photos of their establishment available on the net, and eventually these images are going to be seen by the wrong person, and going to make the dispensaries look like they cater to recreational users, and that the whole medical marijuana push …
to further my point about what the profiling “HATERS” look for, I just happened to be randomly stumbling around on some dispensary news articles and I had came across this quote from a lady speaking about the 14 despensary raids that occurred at the end of last May: "These so-called businesses are not legal. They appear to be run by drug dealers who see an opening in the market and a way to make a fast buck," says San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis ..."They are doing this under the guise of helping people who are sick but we're not fooled and the people shouldn't be fooled either," says Dumanis... . here is the link ( ) …. That statement stands out and speaks SO LOUD to me...
To end my rant, I am going to end my write up here with a factual quote that I pulled out of that same article from the link I posted above: "We have not found one yet in San Diego that has been operating within the guidelines of the Attorney General,” says Chief William Lansdowne
… .I know this is only one part of California, and that there are MANY dispensaries elsewhere who abide all laws, and follow all guidelines, but it really goes to show that dispensary owners need to start sharpening up and respecting laws and the “MEDICAL” world a bit more.. One bad apple can ruin the reputation of them all. Where we go one, we go all, and with that being said, I think that SOMEONE needs to take the initiative and set up a “dispensary owner only” conference/meeting and get everyone on the same page... this conference should include these concepts (but not limited to): basic business practices, business ethics, establishing business plans, business law, state laws, local laws, ethics, ethics, oh yeah, did I say ETHICS? Once the concept of “ethics” is understood amongst all of the dispensary owners, then perhaps everything else will fall into place accordingly... Once a dispensary can show that they respect all laws, whether they be written or unwritten laws, and they can also show that they are not in business to cater to the RECREATIONAL community, THEN the medical marijuana movement which so many have worked so hard for will become a great success and catch on amongst the whole country and possibly even the world...
Seems very true!
When I speak of "ETHICS," this is what I mean... these guys are buying this kind of junk and trying to sell it off as legitimate "medicine..." ... it just seems to me like if you are an unethical person (which the owner of this dispensary sounds like he/she is) , then chances are you are most likely going to make horrible business decisions in general, and just create a bad name, as well as a laughing stock out of every other dispensary, because as I said in my rant, where we go one, we go all... Im sure this dispensary had some nice decorations on their wall as well - perhaps some kottonmouth kingz posters on the wall, along with this poster
MFT, I agree with every single one of your words. You took them right out of my mouth, or off my fingertips shall I say. I am glad that you are a member of this community, and the community should be glad that you are a member as well... You understand my point to a mother fuckin T!
I am glad that you agree that perception is everything. It really fucking is.... ever hear the phrase "IMAGE IS EVERYTHING.." ? well, it IS true. Even if you apply that "image being everything concept" to ugly people versus good looking people- good looking people are a lot more likely to win over the liking of other people versus ugly people... it's sad but true..
Dispensaries do need to step it up in the interior design department and start becoming more "mainstream" instead of decorating to win over the likeness of that stereotypical stoner...
ah, I get it, you are in that class of people who I would like to categorize as "close minded..."....
Does professionalism make you uncomfortable? If so, you get a big LOL from me..
And the fact that you think that the life will be taken out of it if dispensaries start taking things a little bit more professionally seals the deal on my point that you are closed minded...
Exactly. And images of tie dye wearing dredlock dudes with tapestries hanging on the walls isn't going to convince anybody otherwise.
We need to decide which battle we're fighting--legalization or medical legalization. They're two separate issues and cannot be dealt with the same way.
And I agree completely with your other points.
ding ding ding.. we have another winner... ANOTHER who can see the light...
THCV said:As someone with a chronic disease, i visit drug stores all the time, along with dispensaries. If modern drug stores are the standard that Wayne and others think dispensaries should shoot for, well, i disagree.
Ever been to a ghetto Rite Aid or CVS? NYC and LA are full of them. Horrible fluorescent lighting, rows of half full shelves missing the items you need, clueless foreigners for staff, cold corporate nickle-and-dime vibe. I'm talking the Rite Aid on Crenshaw, not the one in Bev Hills (although, Bev Rite Aid is ghetto too!). I am very glad that my dispensary isn't anything like that experience.
wow, that was a very weak attempt at trying to mis-portray the look i had in mind... nice try though...
And as for dogs, well, i bring my unleashed, trained, friendly dog with me into Rite Aid every time, and if they had another dog there sleeping I would LOVE that. I love dogs, and have no problem with them in proximity to glass jars of herb--i have yet to smoke a j with dog hair in it. In LA they aren't allowed in dispensaries though, which sucks when I want to combine walking the dog with hitting the dispensary.
i love dogs also dude, but it is just an unprofessional thing to just have dogs lounging around in a "medical" facility....you HAVE to understand this despite claiming that you have no problem with dogs being in proximity to a glass jar of herb... what if another patient had a weak immune system and happened to be allergic to dogs, and came in contact with a dog while in the disp. picking up some meds? guy gets sick and dies? How would you feel if that happened to be your dog that made the guy sick and die?
THCV said:
....you try way to hard to prove points... they are clearly extreme and
in conclusion to your posts, clearly, you are another person who does not see the big picture... your time of enjoying these hip trendy dispensaries will be short lived if people like yourself do not grasp the concept that your breed of “MMJ cardholders who enjoy chillaxin at their local groovy dispensary” is greatly outnumbered by the people who icmag member John Deere spoke of – the “Senior citizens and AARP “... “one of the largest voting groups in the country.”.... since you are outnumbered, do you not believe that it would be in your best interest to convince these people that the dispensaries are legitimately for medical reasons, and not to be portrayed as a “marijuana drug outlet store trying to operate under the medical cover?”...
another guy who sees the light... I love this ICMAG place... its pretty cool to see all of the varying opions, and then come across others who share similar beliefs. Thanks a million supersizeme for being LEGIT, and not closed minded ….
not whining about anything- as far as im concerned, your post sounds like a lot of whining
... I was clearly making a point... a point that is clearly above YOUR head as well... you say just be lucky you have a safe place to get meds from... but little do you know that soon enough, if these dispensary owners do not make some serious changes as a whole, then these places will no longer exist because of their lack of credibility.... it will come down to survival of the fittest, and those dispensaries that remain fit and stay alive will be the ones who play by the written and unwritten rules................................. did ya process that? :friends:
ok im done.
After all of this work I did getting this post together, the main thing I have learned is this :
GROW YOUR OWN FUCKING WEED!
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2007 called; they expressed conflicting desires to have their President back along with overwhelming joy to be rid of him, mixed in with some uncertainty and unease as to the nature and extent of now-President Cheney's ambitions
and what percentage of the weed market consists of 70 year olds relieving chronic pain, vs 23 year olds relieving irritation at our fucked up government?
Interesting read with some very good opinions expressed. I for one would prefer a professionally run business. It would just make me feel more comfortable and relaxed when buying and exposing myself to strangers. Thankfully I'm able to grow my own.
GreatLakes THC
GreatLakes THC
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sparkjumper
Isnt this all moot anyway?Arent you guys going to legalize it for recreational use in November?It can be done just picture it.The word recreational has the conservatives rabid.I live on the opposite coast where we are banning bongs and moving backwards but you people can do it I know.Thats when I become one of you people.
LiLWaynE said:
aloha LiLWaynE
hey bro.
my little rant asnt directed at you... in know youre in a non friendly state fo the union...
i meant to direct my inspiration to those in ca (or other med friendly states) that have the mouths to talk shit but not the balls to do something about it.
i should have been more clear... hope i didnt offend you it was not the case.
, don't hold your breath.
I'd be happy enough to visit any of those nicer looking joints, selection, sampling, varying price range etc.
try being a discreet toker in the way way way upper mid-west, see what selection comes your way & always priced @ $100/7gms, although I live alone I can't grow all the time & so when I'm buying it's the pits.
i missed that part of your post LW - sorry...
SURPRISE!!!! there ARE a dispensary owner groups/unions - thats where i met 99% of the dispensary owners/operators i know...
probably the "best" group/union in my opinion is GLACA:
Greater Los Angeles Caregivers Alliance
http://www.caregiversalliance.org/
check it out.... theres a link to accreditted shops, documentation of what the protocol is for becoming an accepted member of GLACA... all kinds of fun stuff.
when owners/operators meet, topics of discussion include the items everyone rants about all the time, as well as our own rights and responsibilities as owner/operators. there are lawyers (usually 2, sometimes more... on their own time/gratis) present to help clarify situations and make sure everybody is doing things the right way, so nobody needs to be bailed out of jail for anything. discussions can get heated becasue we're dealing with our livelihoods and freedom, but generally there is a lot of support for each other and a lot of sharing of information & ideas about procedures, security, sourcing, pricing, etc. its like a think tank for shop owners.
the meetings are not advertised and kept as clandestine as possible (the owner/operators try to stay out of the eye of the public becasue even though its legal, its still not fully accepted as legal >>> example Bonny D in San Diego - what a bitch she is... imagine if she knew where 15-20 shop owners were discussing the current state of the industry.... anyways...) .
its not a requirement for owners/operators to participate, and in my experience the ones that do attend/participate have the shops that are on the up and up and look very much like the pics posted earlier in the thread. and the ones that dont usually have the shitty ghetto-like establishments that most of us have a distaste for.
and again, to everyone that bitches and complains about dispensaries not being how they want them in their own medical state, put some fucking bite into your goddamn bark or quit fucking barking. if you think you know how to do something in a way to better help your community, then hurry up and do it. because if you are not doing something to better help your community, you are doing your community a disservice.
btw LiLWaynE i appreciate your acknowledgement of the amount courage it takes to step out into the wild frontier while things arent really cut and dried. I thought it was tough 3 years ago but it seems to have gotten harder as of late... things are coming to a head with the november vote and all.
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Marywanna
Okay one more time. I am a pt. I cannot grow my own mj. I am sick of the caregiver bullshit and would like to be able to purchase quality products in a safe manner. I would rather pay a bit more for less product if said product is high quality. Whats wrong with that? Why shouldn't people be able to open a business like this? There is a need for it thats why it will succeed. If I can go to the pharmacy to get my meds,why not have the same option for my mj? I am only a pt,not an expert grower,just a regular person looking for a strain that can help me feel a little better.I've spent half my goddam life being taken advantage of by the medical profession. Are there no advocates for MJ pts? If you say anything to your caregiver,then you are a bitcher. You guys do not know how frustrating it is to finally get legal,only to be taken advantage of. It just makes you want to give up and crawl back into your hidey-hole as a pothead dirty hippie.If you complain about your CG in this state,you just get torn to shredds and don't go back to that site.
I feel you on this point, MW.
Sounds like you have the wrong CG...again.It sucks that you feel taken advantage of.
God, I can't wait for my state to go medical.I have a few ideas of my own on how one should look, and be run.
Patient care/satisfaction would be our #1 goal
Greyskull - Great info!
The bottom line is, it should be a synergy of true care-giving (not saying that's not the case currently) and meeting the patients needs in a relaxed, presentable enviroment.
I do also believe that your business should reflect who you are within those parameters.
Edited to add:
I also think that the 'fly-by-night' script-doctors need to be penalized for exchanging MJ scripts for $...I see that as a HUGE hurdle to our legitimacy.
It's at the root of the 'They only want to get high' campaign and does us no justice.
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sparkjumper
I wish people wouldn't abbreviate so much..some of us are high.PT?
