The use of medical and recreational marijuana has become more acceptable and less taboo over the past 20 years as legal steps are being taken to get marijuana into the hands of consumers as safely as possible. As of April 2019, two out of three Americans support the legalization of marijuana for all adults, and in January 2019, California decriminalized marijuana use statewide. However, despite these great steps forward in the cannabis industry, there is still a negative connotation associated with marijuana use, and weed dispensaries often have a stigma attached to them. Cornerstone Wellness is working to break that stoner stigma as an evidence-based medical dispensary with lab-tested products that are tailored to each customers’ needs. Here are five myths about weed dispensaries that Cornerstone is helping to debunk.
#1. Marijuana dispensaries are dingy, lowbrow weed shops for recreational stoners
Pop culture portrays cannabis users as 20-something slackers who use marijuana to get high and goof off. Weed dispensaries are often pictured as dark, dingy shops filled with smoke and run by employees who use more product than they sell. However, in reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Cannabis is used by people of all ages and from all walks of life to very effectively treat a large range of ailments. Its medical benefits are enormous and varied, and the legalization of marijuana dispensaries has allowed them to flourish into respectable businesses. Cornerstone Wellness prides itself on having a clean and sophisticated retail space, closer to what one might expect of a clinician’s office. We strive to provide customers with a welcoming and comfortable experience, and we’ll work one-on-one with you to take the intimidation out of visiting a dispensary for the first time. Stop by our store today to experience the Cornerstone difference.
#2. Weed dispensaries sell the same product as illicit operations
Marijuana and other drugs that are purchased illegally are often of low quality and can sometimes even be laced with more dangerous substances. The product purchased through legal and licensed weed dispensaries is of a much higher quality than product sold illicitly, and it’s tested for safety. At Cornerstone Wellness, we provide high-quality, lab-tested products that are specially selected for their amazing medicinal benefits.
#3. Weed dispensaries increase a neighborhood’s crime rates
Since marijuana is a drug — and an illegal one in many areas — uninformed residents often assume that the presence of a weed dispensary in their neighborhood will bring an accompanying rise in crime rates. However, a study conducted by Humboldt State University found that, in many cases, the presence of legal cannabis dispensaries was associated with a decrease in crime rates in the surrounding area. Weed dispensaries require strict licensure and regulations in order to operate. The presence of heavy security, such as guards, cameras, motion lighting, and more, discourages crime in the area and actually makes the neighborhood safer.
#4. Local weed dispensaries give young people easier access to drugs
Another myth about weed dispensaries is that their presence will make it easier for young people to access the drug. However, in that same Humboldt study, it was found that marijuana use among young people either stayed the same or decreased in areas surrounding weed dispensaries. Illegal marijuana has never been difficult for young people to obtain, and so the presence of legal weed shops has little effect on their use. Legal weed dispensaries such as Cornerstone have strict policies in place that forbid the sale of medical marijuana to those under 18 and recreational marijuana to those under 21. We always thoroughly check for proper identification before selling to anyone, so underage visitors will never be sold any products. For visitors 21 and over, weed dispensaries allow them to ensure that the marijuana they’re purchasing is safe and high-quality, an assurance that young adults cannot receive from illegal purchases.
#5. All medical marijuana is the same
Whether you choose to smoke, ingest, or topically apply your cannabis, each form of it comes in dozens of strains that each work differently with your endocannabinoid system to produce unique results. Cannabis is a personalized medicine that requires personalized attention in order to achieve the right result. Here at Cornerstone, we provide a one-on-one counseling approach to provide dedicated service and carefully curated product offerings that ensure better predictability in cannabis consumption.
We believe in a science-based approach to marijuana use, and we aim to provide thorough research and education to the consumer in order to achieve the best results for you. If you’d like to visit Cornerstone Wellness or find out more about how marijuana can help benefit your life, call us today at (323) 259-8933 or stop by our location in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles.