Don't Bogart that joint, my friend! There's enough weed for everyone these days, now that the state of Arizona has officially legalized recreational marijuana. Three months after Proposition 207 passed on Nov. 3, the Arizona Department of Health Services has begun to greenlight recreational marijuana licenses for existing dispensaries across the state.
As of March, there are 130 different dispensaries on the health department list of licensed recreational marijuana establishments. The vast majority of these are in Maricopa County, but almost 20 of them are in the Tucson-Metro area. Currently, there are 14 different dispensaries selling to recreational customers.
Before you go, remember to bring a valid ID showing proof of 21 years of age. The ID does not have to be from Arizona. It's also important to bring cash, although all of the dispensaries on this list will have ATMs onsite. Since federal laws still prohibit the use of marijuana, big banks across the country typically do not allow deposits from marijuana sales, forcing weed sellers to conduct their businesses in cash.
Once in, you'll be able to choose from various strands of indicas, sativas and hybrids grown right here in the state of Arizona. And in some cases, onsite ... Each dispensary has their own house brand of smokable bud, also called "flower," as well as vaping oils and tinctures to put in your tea (or coffee if you're realllly cool). In addition, these businesses also sell a wide variety of edibles, from chocolates and gummies to tea cakes and cookies, suckers, syrups, sour bears and more.
And depending on the dispensary, they may also offer cannabis bath salts, or cannabis-infused topicals like lotions and oils that you can rub on your body to help with pain or inflammation. If all this intimidates you, there's also the glorious pre-roll, an already-packaged joint that you can purchase and easily take home and smoke. Keep in mind, the recreational and medicinal customers will have different options as these dispensaries work out how to deal with the increased demand.
As dictated by the law, these businesses will sell you up to an ounce of marijuana flower per day, which means you can go back the next day and get more if you'd like. But be careful, because possession of more than one ounce remains illegal. Anything up to 2½ ounces could result in a misdemeanor, subject to a fine. When you purchase your product, it will be placed in a sealed bag that should be taken home before used. In Arizona, it's still illegal to smoke in public. And of course, you'll be taxed a whopping 16 percent on recreational purchases. So keep your head on straight!
To help you along this marijuana-fueled journey, here's some info about each of the Tucson dispensaries selling to recreational customers right now. We hope to expand this list as more businesses open up.
Northside
The line outside of Bloom Dispensary on Oracle and River roads stretched well into the parking lot and took almost two hours on Monday night.
• Bloom Dispensary: This Arizona-based company has four locations in Phoenix, Peoria, Sedona and Tucson. Bloom carries its own marijuana line called Infinity, that it grows in the Phoenix area. Some of the more interesting strains from the website include Alien Cookie OG, Frosted Apricot, Gluelato, Cornbread and Royal Highness X Koolato, a 50/50 hybrid of indica and sativa. / website: bloomdispensary.com / address: 4695 N. Oracle Road., suite 117
• Botanica: This local dispensary uses organic growing principals in its marijuana, and doesn't use pesticides. It's open for recreational customers starting April 1. / website: botanica.us / address: 6205 N. Travel Center Dr.
• NatureMed: This local dispensary grows its marijuana onsite, and recommends the Jenny Kush as a popular strain. / website: naturemedaz.com / address: 5390 W. Ina Road
• Earth's Healing North: Check out two locations including another spot on Benson Highway. They sell about a dozen different brands of marijuana flower, from companies like Tru Infusion, Huxton, Mohave Cannabis Co. and more. Note: They are only accepting online and phone orders, but you can use a digital payment app called Alt Thirty Six to purchase online. / website: earthshealing.org/menu-south / address: 78 W. River Road
Downtown Dispensary and D2 Dispensary: Locally owned and now serving 21+ recreational customers (Sponsored)
The Downtown Dispensary located near the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street has served medical marijuana patients since 2013 and is now serving 21+ recreational customers in Downtown Tucson.
D2 Dispensary located at the corner of 22nd and Kolb has been open since 2017 and also just began serving 21+ customers. Unique products like DTF flower, iLAVA vapes & extracts, zenzona vegan edibles, Indica PM nighttime products, and HiKeto! ketogenic foods are available exclusively at both locations. Both the dispensaries and the above brands are locally owned and employ over 180 Tucsonans. Find more information on the website.
Midtown/Downtown
The line at Harvest on Grant and Country Club stretched around the building and onto the street during a Tuesday afternoon.
• Harvest: House of Cannabis: The Tempe-based company is Arizona's largest dispensary operation, with 15 locations across the state, as well as a handful of stores in California, Florida, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Harvest sells marijuana flower from about 10 different brands, according to its website. / website: harvesthoc.com / address: 2734 E. Grant Road
• Downtown Dispensary: Since 2013, this local dispensary has served the college community out of a historic building near Fourth Avenue. It makes its own vapes and concentrates through the iLava brand, and also grows its own marijuana flower. / website: thedowntowndispensary.com / address: 221 E. Sixth St. suite 105.
• The Prime Leaf: This local dispensary has two locations on Speedway and just north of the University of Arizona campus. Recreational customers must order ahead online at their website. / website: theprimeleaf.com / addresses: 4220 E. Speedway and 1525 N. Park Ave.
Eastside
The lobby at Desert Bloom ReLeaf Center features a rad mural from artist Annie Kyla Bee.
• D2 Dispensary: The sister location of the Downtown Dispensary makes its own vapes and concentrates through the iLava brand, and also grows its own marijuana flower. / website: d2dispensary.com / address: 7105 E. 22nd St.
• Green Med Wellness Center: This local dispensary just opened up to recreational customers, and has a limited supply of flower, cartridges and edibles. The menu is only available in-store right now. / website: greenmedwellnesscenter.com / address: 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road
• Green Halo: This local dispensary has some interesting edibles on its menu, like white chocolate, lollipops and Rice Krispies treats. / website: haloinfusions.com / address: 7710 S. Wilmot Road
• Desert Bloom ReLeaf Center: Owner Aari Ruben studied pharmacology at the University of Arizona before opening his own dispensary in 2013. Desert Bloom carries its own brand of marijuana flower called Re Leaf, which it grows at a cultivation site south of downtown Tucson. The shop also has an onsite growing operation and a window called the Show Grow, where you can see the cannabis plants in action. / website: dbloomtucson.com / address: 8060 E. 22nd St., Suite 108.
Southside
• Earth's Healing South: This local dispensary has two locations including another spot at 78 W. River. They sell about a dozen different brands of marijuana flower, from companies like Tru Infusion, Huxton, Mohave Cannabis Co. and more. Note: They are only accepting online and phone orders, but you can use a digital payment app called Alt Thirty Six to purchase online. / website: earthshealing.org/menu-south / address: 2075 E. Benson Hwy.
• Purple Med Healing Center: The sister business to Green Med has a limited supply of flower, cartridges and edibles for recreational customers. The menu is only available in-store right now. / website: purple-med.com / address: 1010 S. Freeway, suite 130
