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How can your dispensary stay compliant this 4/20? Check out our Dos and Don'ts of 4/20 for compliance
April 17, 2019

4/20: Cannabis Dispensary Dos and Don’ts for Compliance

Ahoy! It’s a few days before 4/20 and we’re checking in on the dos and don’ts of every sketchy guy named Chad’s favorite day of the year. For starters, 4/20 falls on a Saturday this year, so if you’re a dispensary owner you should expect to see a big spike in sales. But before we all, ahem, “celebrate,” let’s take a look at what else you should and should not do at your dispensary. Have questions not covered here? Hit us up on Instagram.

4/20 Cannabis Dispensary Dos

  • Keep it clean: Just like every day, make sure your store is well-lit, clean and makes your customer feel welcome. Have a gander at our list of retail tips from last summer for a few more ideas.
  • Check inventory: Nickname all of  your employees “Hawkeye” this week, because they must be mindful of the situation in-store and carefully keep track of customer purchases to avoid the potential of double-dipping from customers. As we all know (but customers may not): a given individual is allowed to purchase one ounce of flower or eight grams of cannabis concentrate (vapes, etc) in a 24-hour window within the state of California. Businesses are liable in double-dipping and not the consumer, keep an eye on inventory.
  • Stay hydrated: Just good advice, people.

4/20 Cannabis Dispensary Don’ts

  • Don’t copycat Carl’s Jr’s little stunt: [Extreme Mom Voice] “If Carl’s Jr. jumped off a bridge would you do that?” We love a good media stunt as much as the next cannabis consulting firm, but we can’t endorse infusing CBD with a burger (or any meat product, ick.) As we all know, but need reminding of constantly, there’s not nearly enough clarity on enforcement when it comes to infusing CBD into a foodstuff. We get why Carl’s Jr. would risk the fine (they’re a national brand and can pay the fines.) You, John Q. Cannabusiness, are not a national brand and probably don’t wanna pay that fine.
  • Don’t give away freebies or offer 2-for-1 deals: Seriously, don’t do it. The BCC is happy to assess a fine for any products offered for free. That being said, deep discounts are doable so long as you properly track and inventory all products.
  • No booze or tobacco on premises: We get it, Chad, it’s 4/20 and you *really* want a spliff. Tough crackers, guy! But yeah, don’t let customers bring something illegal into your store. Your security staff should keep an eye out for this. And please, do not keep any booze or tobacco in your store. That’s one of the easiest ways to get fined.
  • Don’t [catchall for anything else that’s stupid]: Our Director of Compliance, Dr. Juli Crockett, broke things down pretty clearly last year on what you really should not be doing in a dispensary. If you’re unclear on anything or have an itch that you know is stupid, read her advice first.