I thought dispensary experiences were suppose to be pleasant

[Marywanna]

Patient,spark. But I do drive a PT Cruiser..............

 

[Greyskull]

marywanna - have you contacted your local norml/asa/mpp chapter?
i bet if you went to a meeting your options would expand

good luck

 

[Ganja D]

truthfully, out of all of the dispensary photos, and videos I have ever seen, not one of them would be the "ideal" dispensary that comes to my mind when I think of "medical" grade marijuana...

I see tie-dyed & bobmarley tapestries, peace signs, hear reggae music blasting, and see hip young youth with their red&blue died mohawks working behind the counters distributing the meds in the backgrounds in most of these dispensaries... COME ON NOW, that is NOT making the whole dispensary scene look good.

When I think dispensary, I think medical. When I think medical, I think "cleanliness" and "purity..." You would think that all of these dispensaries would try to uphold somewhat of a professional image- one that is both clean and pure. A pharmacy is basically what a dispensary can be compared to, since they both sell meds to the public... with that being said, these dispensaries should look like a pharmacy.

You can't tell me that these guys who run these dispensaries don't have the extra cash to spruce up the appearance of the pharmacies and make them more professional with the added touch of some nice furniture, cabinetry, wallpaper, lighting, and overall "professional" interior design...

with that being said, I'd like to make my post a little bit more along the lines of the OP's statement ...

These guys who run the dispensaries should really pay attention to what they are buying in bulk from growers. I am not sure if they have any practices under way where they test for mold, bugs, ripeness, or any unnatural pesticides or chemicals sprayed on, or within the marijuana- but if there is not anything in place, there really should be. I am pretty sure that in canada, they have to have all of their cannabis tested.

selling schwag brick weed to the public and trying to pass it off as medical grade is bologna

I am quite naive when it comes to alot of what the whole medical marijuana industry TRULY is about as I am in a non-med state with draconian laws, and rely on alot of my information from word of mouth (or fingers), but it all does seem quite obvious. I am not the brightest guy out there, and I am not truly THERE, so imagine what a truly bright, "mmj newcomer" man/woman looking into this whole medical marijuana scene here in the states would say?

I just think the owners need to start tightening up their ships if they TRULY want to convince the country that it is not a joke....

a dog sleeping on the couch? unprofessional...

this place above is very nice, but i doubt they need to have the bob marley photos on the wall, even though i love the guy - its just not professional in my opinion...

here we have mr "enyce" thuggin it out behind the counter with his gangsta ass ball cap on... unprofessional...

i doubt you would EVER see a "TIP jar" at a pill pharmacy

mrs. babba, this is the old dispensary you used to work at, and this is also your photo, if you do not appreciate me using them, i will gladly take them down for you, but I have talked to you about my opinion on the appearance of this place and you know how I feel it needs to be designed a little bit nicer and more professionally... I understand that it takes money to make things look professional, but truthfully, if you are going to start up a business, you should have the money to pay for a professional medical look...

P.S. if someone has pictures of a truly professional dispensary, please share!

What's wrong or unprofessional about a dog sleeping on a couch?

And who are you to deem a person unprofessional by the clothes they wear or because they choose to wear a hat?

How is Bob Marley on the wall unprofessional?
Seems like you are filled with negativity and a bit bigoted.

 

[LiLWaynE]

.....and we have another one, ganja d

how about you take the time to listen to my explanation before you try to question "WHO I AM?"

 

[sparkjumper]

Yet another one that doesn't seem to give "perception" the importance it deserves.Do you think I care about weed pics on the walls and Bob Marley posters?Of course I don't.Does it have a different effect on the mostly conservative citizen thats basically on the fence with the issue?I would say so.Making a dispensary look like a head shop must be for the ego of the owner,because it makes little business sense

 

[NUG-JUG]

Hey man Lil Wayne is %110 spot on. Denver dispensaries are by and large shady operations. The 'good' ones are rich, and greedy. It was a gold rush to people out here, nothing more. Money ruins everything.

 

[FreezerBoy]

What's wrong or unprofessional about a dog sleeping on a couch?

And who are you to deem a person unprofessional by the clothes they wear or because they choose to wear a hat?

How is Bob Marley on the wall unprofessional?
Seems like you are filled with negativity and a bit bigoted.

I'm with you on the dog. Pets have long been known for the health benefits they provide to humans. However, dressing like a thug, while acceptable when robbing a bank, is improper dress for a dispensary.

Please explain how Marley's religious preference has anything to do with medicine.

 

[Marywanna]

For Christs sake the dog comment was a fuckin joke. The dispensary I went to was even visited by the Mayor of the city to look at it himself. 6 more have applied to open in said city. They are all new here,so there is no real established policy like in your states. But as soon as the law changed here,you should have seen all the scumbags thinking up new ways to rip sick people off. Lil Wayne is right.

 

[smokefrogg]

i got to agree to a point

yesterday i went to a hollywood spot, on la brea, across the street from pink's hot dogs. not going to name it, the mendo haze was great btw

security was very LOUD to everyone coming and going, ghetto slang talk the majority of the time. a large flat screen television was playing very LOUD hip hop and lowryder videos, extreme ghettoness on that television, the whole pitbulls and thugs and bouncing hydro lowryder cars, rap lyrics about materialistic things and tits and ass

i'll go back again for the mendo haze, but the environment sucked.

 

[KharmaGirl]

What about people who aren't "dog people"? What if you have an allergy? When I go to my Doc's there is a "no scents" policy, so if I am going to a med dispensary, I would expect the same consideration for my health...since that is why I'm there....right?

 

[StellarP]

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.

A lot of companies start without business plans, they also fail. Would never show a prospective landlord my business plan. The information contained within is confidential, Why would I give them a business plan when they have the space? Could sue, but they already stole your idea, not good practice. The requirements by the property owner is up to their discretion, and with a start-up they would like to see financials, but overall business plans, no.
The discussion being dispensaries and image, what my post did not confer was talking about Non-profit and the image the retail outlet provides.
Non-profit is a corporate entity consisting of a Board of Directors(non-compensated) that provide direction for established causes.
A dispensary is a outlet that provides funding for said Non-profit causes.
Example; Goodwill, they did not start as retail outlets slinging second hand crap, they opened the outlets to sell donations for funding of the Non-profits causes.
This is where the problem lies, are you running a dispensary or a Non-profit?
The wake up call i mentioned is the fact that being registered as a 501(c)3,or any of the 501 tax codes in the state does not mean you qualify Federally, the IRS will come knocking. They watch where the money goes, and unless your retarded, you personally do not qualify as a charity. Having a lawyer fill out paperwork for incorporation is just that, why would you not do it yourself?
I did not realize 23yr olds could get a rec. for not liking the government(considered chronic pain?). My point being i would not limit my outlet to one demographic.

Good Luck
StellarP

 

[Marywanna]

Ya know what KG? That dog,unless he is a service dog,could literally shut them down. Many cities have health ordinances,especially if there is any kind of edibles being sold.

 

[FreezerBoy]

What about people who aren't "dog people"? What if you have an allergy?

People who aren't "dog people" have no right to live so, who cares? (sorry, just a joke, couldn't help myself) But, you nailed me on the allergy part. No dogs (sniff )

 

[LiLWaynE]

KHARMAGIRL (xxooxxoo), sparkjumper, NUG-JUG, Marywanna, GreatLakes THC, gingerale, StellarP (sorry about skipping your post number 65, dont know how it happened, but you made some phenomenal points there bud..)

greyskull, i really appreciate you adding your side of the story as a former dispensary owner... It really gives insight... I am going to muster you up some questions when I get a second that I have been pondering... I need to more clearly articulate them before I publish them, so give me a second...

i got to agree to a point

yesterday i went to a hollywood spot, on la brea, across the street from pink's hot dogs. not going to name it, the mendo haze was great btw

security was very LOUD to everyone coming and going, ghetto slang talk the majority of the time. a large flat screen television was playing very LOUD hip hop and lowryder videos, extreme ghettoness on that television, the whole pitbulls and thugs and bouncing hydro lowryder cars, rap lyrics about materialistic things and tits and ass

i'll go back again for the mendo haze, but the environment sucked.

thank you smokefrog for another prime example....

see this dispensary owner needs his neck ringed... I am a fan of rap music (as well am I a fan of many other genres), but this guy operating this dispensary is really just adding fuel to the fire of disdain towards the movement in the hearts of the government as well as the "hater" public...

I'm sure Mrs. Betty Lou, a senior citizen (who i just made up for an example) would without a DOUBT patronize such a dispensary and be sure to tell all of her other friends what a wonderful contribution to society this medical marijuana dispensary is, and how much better off her community will be as a result of this dispensary... (HA, hopefully you can see my sarcasm)


i can hear it already "well i like rap music and low riders, and tits and ass - they makes me comfortable - i like to go where im comfortable. Who are you to tell someone they shouldn't have pitbulls in thier medical marijuana store with rap music blasting, low riders bumpin, and gangstas flashin their 9's in their waistband??"... <---i am seriously laughing right now because I can visualize some ignoramous typing it up and posting... if you are thinking about doing it, just stop, and spare me the laugh... just tell me a funny chicken crossing the road joke instead..

 

[Greyskull]

A lot of companies start without business plans, they also fail. Would never show a prospective landlord my business plan.The information contained within is confidential, Why would I give them a business plan when they have the space? Could sue, but they already stole your idea, not good practice. The requirements by the property owner is up to their discretion, and with a start-up they would like to see financials, but overall business plans, no.

a non discloseure agreement will resolve that fear.... we didnt feel the need to use one though.
maybe i got highly unlucky with the 15 applications i sent out - every single one wanted to see the plan + financials lol

The wake up call i mentioned is the fact that being registered as a 501(c)3,or any of the 501 tax codes in the state does not mean you qualify Federally, the IRS will come knocking. They watch where the money goes, and unless your retarded, you personally do not qualify as a charity. Having a lawyer fill out paperwork for incorporation is just that, why would you not do it yourself?

The lawyer will help make sure you are set up & protected legally (as much as possible).

I am not a professional starter of businesses, nor a lawyer, so i erred on the side of caution and ponied up for the lawyer help - i am not very DIY lol... hell, we even had an accountant updating our quick books and taking care of sending out our taxes too... i provided the $$$ and the professionals took care of the rest so i could focus on the day to day operations & the patients. like i said, i am a dumbfuck, but i was able to do it. not sure how things would have gone down had we chosen to try things ourselves... maybe id be in jail now????

 

[Marywanna]

We did have to sign a privacy statement when we went in. Said statement also including not having any weapons,recording devices or cameras. The store was very precise in keeping their records,you must show your card to get in.It also protects the buyer,everything is sealed with lables on it. So if for some reason you do get pulled over on your way home,you are covered under the law to be able to carry 2.5 oz at a time per cardholder.And it is sealed,so the cops can see you have not been driving with it open. Don't carry pipes or any other kind of smoke stuff,they could probably get you for that somehow. I think this is a viable and good idea especially for our state where employment is at it's lowest. But I'm sure the state will find some way to tax the dispensary owners,as they should. All business has to pay taxes and this should be no exception. Untill the regular Joe Schmoe can see that these are not dope houses. There was a good article in the paper last week about the place we went. It was informative and invited the locals to come in for themselves to see that this was a safe enviroment and a real change.Setting up any business requires a lawyer,you would be a fool to invest the time and money then end up getting nailed because you were too dumb to go about it the correct way.I wish the guys would hire me so I can work and not have to apply for disability! A good idea is a traveling dispensary that delivers to its customers. Like I said before there are many pts that cannot get around needing edibles and meds. On the other hand,many are on limited incomes and don't drive or even have a car.This is the scarey part,finding a caregiver you can trust to come INTO YOUR HOME. The trust part must go both ways,and I would have no problem signing an agreement with my CG. In the year I have had my card,only one CG ever mentioned it, and I have heard nothing but good things about this person. Too bad they live on the other side of the state. But this is a way to protect each party,to keep creepy pts and shady CGs from taking advantage. And there are many so called pts that have burned CGs,too. So it goes both ways. Untill we can really be open about this issue,people will still take advantage of each other. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to go to a store,ask someone knowlegable about a strain that can help with your certain problems? Like you can ask the pharmacist? Instead of hit or miss trying different strains and wasting your money? Just my opinion,guys. And you know what they say about opinions............Man I wish a couple of you were in my state. MW

 

[Chong_Irie]

People keep putting up things ( bob marley poster, dog on couch, "ghetto" people, "ghetto" music) that THEY think will push away patients and that doesnt give off the vibe THEY think is right for medical mj. But these people running the shops aren't idiots the vibe they're giving off looks pretty good if you understand the demographic they are targeting. Except for that place where the dudes had a gun showing, I dont think that place will last.

 

[FreezerBoy]

THEY don't think it's right for MMJ, THEY think it's right for Recreational MJ which is still very much illegal. This sort of selfish, thoughtless behavior leads to voter backlash and the repeal of all we've gained.

 

[John Deere]

You're totally missing the point. It doesn't matter if it's Bob Marley or hip hop music or whatever. The problem is that all MJ is illegal under Federal law. State law doesn't mean shit as long as the Feds can come in and bust the shop whenever they want to.

If we want to convince the lawmakers that medical MJ should be legal then the shop needs to look like a professional medical clinic. And like it or not, dogs and rasta and gangsta is NOT a professional environment and good luck convincing the uptight bureaucrats otherwise. Get medical MJ fully legalized and the shops can decorate and serve whatever clientele they want. Until then, unfortunately, we have to play the game if we ever hope to win.

 

[stink.whistler]

I'm not sure why people think a place of business shouldn't have a Bob Marley poster. While I have never seen a Bob Marley poster in a pharmacy, dispensaries are not pharmacies - and given that some dispensaries have Bob Marley posters in them, and manage to stay open, presumably it is OK to have a Bob Marley poster in a dispensary.

I mean, I've seen fish tanks in Dr. Offices before, and I never got huffy 'This isn't a PET STORE, you shouldn't have a fish tank in here!'

But sure, folks who don't want Bob Marley posters in dispensaries ABSOLUTELY should not be forced to put one up if they decide to open a dispensary.