Los Angeles has a lot to offer in terms of marijuana variety. With so many different weed dispensaries cropping up over the last few years, it’s tough to know where to buy marijuana in Los Angeles if you want high-quality stuff and only the best accessories. To make things more complicated, every store and service seems to claim that they’re unbeatable. How can you know which to choose?
In our opinion, nothing beats a great weed delivery service in terms of convenience and overall quality. But let’s break down all the best options for buying marijuana in LA so you can make the decision that’s best for your needs.
Weed in LA: A brief overview
Though originally known for show business, LA today is a great place to visit for another reason: cannabis! Even though lots of people associate the Northwest with great weed, California is rapidly becoming one of the best places to get high-quality strains of full-spectrum marijuana or related products.
That’s partially because California’s climate is particularly well-suited for growing marijuana of most strain types. Since recreational cannabis use became legal in 2016, Californians have been jumping into this industry and skilled growers have no longer had to hide their products from the authorities.
This is great news for cannabis enthusiasts. It means that not only is recreational cannabis now legal for any adult over the age of 21, but it’s also easier than ever to get high-quality weed instead of the junk many are used to from street dealers.
Today, you can find tons of excellent weed strains in LA. But whether you’re a native or someone just visiting for a while, it’s important to know where you can buy marijuana in Los Angeles for the best prices, convenience, and quality mixed together.
Three major places to buy weed
Lots of people might have a preferred place to buy weed in LA. There are three major types of weed sources or places to buy weed. Let’s break down each and look at their benefits and drawbacks.
On the street
Ah, old-school weed purchasing. Most people are thrilled to not have to do this since it’s a little risky and, to be honest, the quality just isn’t there most of the time.
Buying cannabis on the unlicensed marketplace usually isn’t worth the hassle and the cost. For starters, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to get high-quality marijuana from the dealer. Plus, they could always try to haggle on price instead of sticking to an agreed-upon deal.
Our advice? Stay away from buying weed from unlicensed dealers or growers since it’s no longer necessary. You can enjoy marijuana in a safer context (both physically and chemically) by purchasing from a licensed retailer.
Pros:
- There are legacy unlicensed growers in the state who have been doing this for years, so the quality is hit or miss, but overall better than most other state’s unlicensed markets.
- The price is often more affordable on the unlicensed marketplace.
Cons:
- Riskier physically and financially
- No guarantee about weed quality
- Possible haggling, meaning you can’t guarantee you’ll buy the weed for a particular price
- Fines or potential tickets from the police. You won’t face arrest in Los Angeles for a small crime like this unless you’re buying large quantities, but it still poses a risk with law enforcement that most people would prefer to avoid.
From a dispensary retailer
Legal weed purchasing is a much better option. Fortunately, there are over 1,000 different cannabis dispensaries in the LA metropolitan area alone. This means you could tour LA and try new strains of marijuana for years without running out of fresh experiences.
Still, some brick-and-mortar weed retailers are definitely better than others. Retail stores are good options for a few reasons. For instance, you can check out the merchandise before making a purchase, which could be important if you’re looking for a bong or another tool. Small jars with samples are available for your to smell before purchasing. Alternatively, you can chat with the budtenders about their preferred strains and ask them questions about their growing process to discern quality.
However, retailers do have a number of downsides that stop them from being the best place from which to buy marijuana. As an example, brick-and-mortar marijuana shops and dispensaries have to deal with heavy taxes and price markups. Right now they’re at about a 15% state sales tax and a 10% city sales tax, but this could fluctuate over the next few years. Those costs necessarily go to the consumer, meaning all the marijuana products you purchase are more expensive than they otherwise would be.
Furthermore, weed stores aren’t allowed to sell to consumers between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 AM. It’s a big bummer if you want to smoke but it’s 10:30 p.m., just outside the purchasing window.
Pros:
- Lots of variety to experience and choose from.
- Can check out the merchandise and ask questions in person.
- It’s safe and makes you feel comfortable when purchasing.
- You have more options than ever before: edibles, vapes, flower, drinks.
Cons:
- Prices can be pretty expensive.
- Limited buying hours.
- Lines and somewhat chaotic experiences are a risk at the busier dispensaries in LA.
From a weed delivery service
Delivery is legal in California, making LA’s cannabis delivery industry one of the most refined in the country. Ultimately, weed delivery services are the best places to buy marijuana in LA. That’s because they combine the quality and safety of brick-and-mortar locations with the convenience of online ordering.
Take Emjay, one of the best weed delivery services in the LA area. All you have to do is visit the website, browse the catalog, and check out the brand’s and their individual growing processes, then make a decision. Once you place your order, it’s a simple matter for our drivers to just load it into a van and deliver your weed to your door.
In most cases, orders are carried out within 1 to 2 hours, and as soon as 30 minutes. But you can also set an order for a different day, or even schedule recurring orders. Talk about convenience. No longer do you have to visit a retail store on the way home or wait in long lines in order to make sure you have a constant supply of your favorite marijuana brand.
Ordering accessories through a delivery service is easier than buying something in person and having to lug it back home. Another big advantage that weed delivery services have over brick-and-mortar stores is lower prices on average. Emjay doesn’t charge a delivery fee, and there aren’t any markups since the service is vertically integrated. We own all of the required infrastructures and hire and train our own drivers.
Buying from a weed delivery service in LA means you get faster and more convenient service, lower prices, and the same guarantee of quality and safety that a retail store offers. Plus, you can order weed after the hours of 10 p.m. and before 6 a.m.
The downside is that you can’t try products in person or check out some of the merchandise before buying. But with customer reviews and customer service, it’s still possible to discern quality before making a purchase.
Pros:
- Much more flexible buying hours.
- Generally, lower prices depending on the service, even if they have a delivery fee (Emjay doesn’t)
- Easier than ever to buy weed without having to drive to a storefront and find parking.
- Ability to schedule deliveries based on your needs.
- Wider selection on average since the offerings aren’t limited to storefront space.
- Safer than buying from the unlicensed marketplace.
Cons:
- Can’t try physical merchandise in person before buying.
Takeaway
At the end of the day, most people looking for places to buy marijuana in LA will want to try out weed delivery services sooner or later. While there’s definitely a bit of novelty and fun in checking out a store in person, nothing beats the ultimate convenience and quality of delivery services like Emjay.
It’s like buying a pizza for delivery as opposed to stepping into a pizzeria yourself. Sure, it’s nice to go for a slice in person once in a while. But in most cases, having that same pizza delivered is an experience that just can’t be beaten.
Try out Emjay today and you’ll see exactly what we mean.
