You can't use a credit card to buy marijuana at a metro Detroit dispensary. What to know

Michigan voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana in 2018 for anyone who is at least 21 years old, setting up a state system that licenses, regulates and taxes the businesses involved.

Since then, hundreds of recreational dispensaries have opened around the state, and more than $5.3 billion in products ranging from pre-rolled joints to concentrates have been sold to consumers.

Most dispensaries sell a wide range of products at a variety of price points. Still, the interior of these stores can range widely, with some trying to recreate the "welcoming atmosphere" found at Shinola stores, according to the founder of the cannabis company New Standard. Others, like an executive at the cannabis company Noxx, say that the company is fully embracing cannabis culture and communicating acceptance and inclusion.

While anyone 21 and over can possess and use cannabis in Michigan, recreational marijuana dispensaries won't be found in every community around the state. As of June, 135 communities have opted into allowing recreational marijuana businesses and 1,373 have opted out, according to the most recent data available from Michigan's Cannabis Regulatory Agency.

While cannabis use is becoming increasingly mainstream, finding a dispensary to shop at and the right products to buy can take some research and trial and error.

The Detroit Free Press enlisted the help of Jerry Millen, the owner of the medical and recreational marijuana dispensary Greenhouse of Walled Lake (who sees, on average, between 1,000-1,500 customers a day at his store), and Cathleen Graham, a registered nurse and the founder and CEO of CannabisNurse.com who has written a book on how to consume cannabis, to help demystify the process of buying cannabis.

Where can I buy marijuana in metro Detroit?

Anyone who is at least 21 years old can buy marijuana at a recreational dispensary. To shop at a medical dispensary, you'll need a medical card.

The communities below have recreational dispensaries as of July 2023. Because more communities may decide to allow recreational marijuana businesses in the future, it is best to check the CRA's website (Michigan.gov/CRA), which has a map of all the different marijuana businesses in Michigan. Different categories can be toggled on and off as needed.

Macomb County:

• Center Line

• Mount Clemens

• New Baltimore

• Romeo

• Utica

Oakland County:

• Auburn Hills

• Berkley

• Ferndale

• Hazel Park

• Lake Orion

• Madison Heights

• Oxford

• Pleasant Ridge

• Southfield

• Walled Lake

More: Recreational cannabis now available to legally purchase in Southfield, Berkley

Wayne County:

• Belleville

• Detroit

• Hamtramck

• Inkster

• Lincoln Park

• River Rouge

• Wayne

Cannabis retailers also are allowed to offer delivery in Michigan if they obtain a separate license to do so. The cannabis educational website Leafly has a list of where consumers can order marijuana for delivery.

How do I know if a dispensary is licensed?

Cannabis businesses must be approved by the municipality where the business is located and receive a license from the state.

There are a few ways to ensure a business is licensed. One way is to check the CRA's website (the agency's map will show only licensed businesses).

Consumers also can verify a license by going to Michigan.gov/CRA/Verify-a-License-1 and enter information such as the business name or the address to see whether it is licensed.

Dispensaries should have their licenses on display and if you can't spot them, you can always ask to see them, Millen said.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need a driver's license or some other form of identification to show you're 21 or older. This will be checked in the lobby of the dispensary.

If you're a medical patient, you'll need to bring your medical marijuana card in order to purchase the discounted medical products.

Millen said to come in with a list of questions. His store is set up so that customers can browse products on their own and they also have the opportunity to speak with a budtender — a staff member whose job it is to help get customers the products they need and answer questions — one-on-one.

Also important: Bring cash.

Don't stress if you forget though: Many dispensaries have ATM machines on-site. Credit cards are not accepted because cannabis remains illegal at the federal level and major credit card companies prohibit payments for marijuana.

What should I expect when I go in?

Every dispensary is different but after showing you are 21 or older, you'll enter the store where products are displayed.

At Greenhouse in Walled Lake, a variety of products are displayed in glass cases and on shelves behind the counter. Customers are welcome to browse and ask the budtenders questions. When ready to purchase, the budtender will grab the products the customer is looking to purchase.

How do I know which products to buy?

This is where those list of questions come into play. Millen said most consumers just shop by THC levels. THC, which is short for tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces the "high" sensation.

"That's really not the way you should usually buy marijuana," he said. Millen said if you want to feel uplifted, look for sativa strains of cannabis flower. Indica, on the other hand, can make the consumer feel sleepy or lethargic.

Graham said it’s important to be educated about cannabis' active ingredients (beyond the THC or CBD, or cannabidiol, which is the second most common cannabinoid after THC) and understand terpenes, which "play an important role in how THC and CBD interact with your body." Terpenes are compounds that are responsible for the fragrance in plants.

It’s not currently a requirement in Michigan that products list which terpenes are in them, but some companies do offer it, she said. Graham said terpenes are a part of the therapeutic effects of cannabis, and each terpene offers different effects such as working as an antidepressant or as a digestive aid.

If a consumer is new to cannabis, Graham recommends starting with products that have 2.5 milligrams or less of THC, which is called micro-dosing. A common range for casual consumers is 5 mg to 10 mg.

For example, Millen sells a chocolate product called "Potdots" and each piece in the package contains 1 mg of THC.

In terms of how to consume cannabis, Graham recommends edibles, especially for consumers looking to ease symptoms caused by certain medical conditions, because those are the longest-lasting products.

Millen said the rule applies that in general, the higher the price point, the higher the quality. For example, marijuana flower grown outside may be less expensive because it costs less to grow it outside compared with the costs of growing flower indoors. Often though, outdoor-grown plants have lower THC levels compared with indoor-grown cannabis, he said.

"The better flower you pay more for, but you don't smoke as much because it doesn't take as much to get high," Millen said.

How do I know if the cannabis I'm consuming is safe?

Before visiting a dispensary, Millen recommends visiting the CRA's website at Michigan.gov/CRA/Disciplinary-Actions to see whether any disciplinary actions have been taken by the state against the retailer.

Visit the CRA's "Bulletins" page for information on any product recalls at Michigan.gov/CRA/Bulletins.

All products must be tested by a state-licensed laboratory for such contaminants as pesticides and heavy metals and for THC levels.

Should I tip the budtender?

Tipping is not required but is appreciated, Millen said.

"If you feel like someone is going beyond their average job duty, then I always tip," he said.

Is there a limit to how much marijuana I can buy?

Yes. Recreational cannabis consumers can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis at a time, with no more than 15 grams of concentrate, a super-potent mass made by distilling down desirable parts of the cannabis plant.

Any tips on consuming the cannabis that I purchased?

Graham suggests you consume cannabis at home, "preferably with friends you trust or at least have a friend that you trust that you can call."

She suggests having lemons on hand to make lemon water, oranges or pine nuts to consume if you feel like you've taken too much cannabis and want to decrease the side effects. Smelling black pepper or taking a shower also will help, she said.

Fatty foods, on the other hand, will intensify the effects of THC, she said.

Millen said to write down what you took, what time you smoked or consumed it, how much you took, when you started to feel the effects and how you felt, so you'll know exactly what to purchase on your next dispensary visit.

Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How to shop for marijuana at metro Detroit dispensaries