How to open a marijuana dispensary
Pot has been and remains to be a hot topic for discussion even among people who don’t smoke it or have nothing to do with it. The legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in multiple states in the US has been a long process that pot fanatics are happy to see end up yielding fruits for them. Legalizing this product like this creates a new industry that many people are eager to take advantage of and make money off of it. This can be seen from the huge number of cannabis dispensaries that are being opened across multiple states that have legalized this product.
If you have the intention of opening up a dispensary for marijuana, then you should expect that there will be some hurdles that you will need to surmount. These hurdles include bureaucratic red tape, a lot of upfront cash, and a lot of hard work that goes. If you are not deterred by any of these things, then you are a good candidate for setting up a dispensary for cannabis. Let us look at how you can open one below.
Assess your commitment and eligibility
When the word marijuana is mentioned, you can expect necks to turn to the point of breaking and many faces drool or develop wrinkles because of sneering. This kind of reaction has for a long time made marijuana to be stigmatized. It is actually easy for even level headed people like yourself to be tempted to sneer at marijuana if you spend enough time with people who consider marijuana to be bad. I almost did that myself until I started looking at other substances such as alcohol and cigarettes which are publicly accepted yet are far more addictive and bad to human health than marijuana. Makes you wonder why so many people hate on marijuana yet they embrace alcohol and cigarette. And then you realize that it is due to wrong public mentality and nothing to do with marijuana itself.
If you want to set up a marijuana dispensary, you will need a lot of commitment – the kind that comes from passion and not the desire for money. You need to be motivated by something else other than money because you won’t be getting rich any time soon from the sale of marijuana. Those who have been in the industry long enough say that it is a long game and not a get-rich-quick scheme.
Besides your commitment, to actually be allowed to sell marijuana, there are certain background checks you actually have to pass. Background checks extend beyond the owner of the dispensary to the employees and investors. People with a criminal background are sometimes barred from owning a cannabis dispensary.
Do your research
There is a lot of regulation and legislation that go into the cannabis industry. Almost every aspect of this business is placed under the radar by the authorities. As such, you will have to do a lot of research to know how you can maneuver it safely. You must understand the existing laws that surround the sale of marijuana as well as cultivation and possession.
Find a rental property
Well, you have to operate out of somewhere, right? You will need to find a rental property to situate your dispensary and that will take some searching. You will also need to be prepared with rent upfront. Understand the laws that govern rental properties that can be used as dispensaries.