The Rubric

This is the rubric in which I rate my overall experience with each dispensary. We should expect and demand good experience from having easy parking to courteous staff to quality meds all at a fair price.  A total of 10 stars can be awarded to a clinic based on 3 main categories, each with subcategories. Take a minute to get familiar with my point of view when I walk into a clinic.

Flower - Carries a weight of 6 stars.

Staff - Carries a weight of 2 stars.

Environment - Carries a weight of 2 stars.

Flower\Concentrates\Edibles: This is the reason MOST of us are here. While I wouldn't enjoy going to a filthy office ran by a bunch of brain dead stoners, if they some how managed to have the best smoke around at fair prices, I'd probably deal with it.
This is is graded based on 3 categories:

• 2.5 stars: QUALITY:  The most important factor. We want quality grown herb that is safe to consume. High cannabinoid content is great, but if I am coughing up a storm after even the smallest hit, I'm not a happy customer. All herbs should be free of mold, parasites, hair from mammals, seeds, poor trim jobs, premature nugs and, in my opinion, all unnatural additives. The only way to prove this is with lab tests. EVERY crop you smoke should smoke smooth, no matter what. Flavors will be able to be tasted which add to the over all enjoyability of consumption. Lack of high quality herb is the ultimate turn-off when I go to a shop. BHO should have as low of a PPM reading as possible. Hashes should be free of mold, edibles should be made and packaged in clean kitchens. All medicine that is tested helps us as patients properly dose ourselves. 
• 2 stars: VARIETY is helpful when you are after something specific ie: 
• Extracts\Concentrates
• Uplifting Sativas
• Heavy Indicas
• Healing CBD's
• Edibles (sugar free, vegan, gluten free, and other non-diet-breakers, sativa and indica batches, drinks)
• Tinctures
• Rick Simpson Oil 
• etc...
• 1.5 stars: PRICE Generally speaking, the price of ganja is inflated. Too many clinics are selling low quality meds for far too expensive. Maybe the nugs look great, but a lab test would reviel mold or low cannabinoid counts We must collectively keep these shops in check in order to keep that to a minimum. If you have calculated the figures of even the least busy clinics, you will agree that $50 donation per 1/8th better be PERFECT in every way. There is no reason a clinic is not be able to offer the majority of their strains with a $35 cap with maybe the exception of one or two "private reserve" selections. The ganja quality should not suffer because of this. $45 cap for delivery service is do-able. Fairly priced herb shows the clinic has strong ties with their growers...high donation prices show either they are making way too much money, or they don't have the right connections with suppliers. Either way they are going about this business all wrong. First Time Patient (FTP) deals and weekly or daily specials can help you make the final selection on which dispensary to go to. 

The Staff (2 Stars) is a major factor in your bud acquisition. We as patients are not allowed to test out or herb for quality. We rely solely on the staff's recommendations and what little scientific knowledge we have accumulated over the years usually through old wives tales. The check-in process can be quick and easy, or drawn out, confusing, and perhaps even stressful. It is very rare to find a truly knowledgeable staff with excellent customer service skills, and much more common to find a new breed of used car salesmen. A staff member is to guide you to the perfect meds for your needs, this can make or break the experience.

The Environment (2 Stars) SHOULD be of utmost importance to any retail storefront owner. Because this is a medical related business, cleanliness should be a top priority. Would you return to a filthy pharmacy to fill a prescription? We are breathing this medicine into our lungs and it should be stored very carefully to ensure consumer safety. The location of the office and the parking situation can make or break a customers experience with a business. I personally look highly on minimalist designs and don't care for fancy decorations and TV screens. However, I am all about functionality. If a clinic has some fancy equipment that positively contributes to my experience, I am all for it. I am a fan of hash-bars and smoke lounges, but they must be run with high standards, however these are technically illegal. Actually, any shop in LA that is not "Pre-Ico" is technically illegal. A fully legal clinic does offer an extra layer of comfort and rel

The purpose of this blog is to raise awareness about medicinal marijuana. In Southern California and across the world there is a sea of misinformation that has affected or is currently affecting nearly 100% of smokers in one way or another. This misinformation has been put in the public circle of information by one of 3 groups; The Government, Dumb People and Liars. The purpose of these lies are to mislead us for their benefit (usually monetarily) from our lack of knowledge. The recent changes in laws are making the marijuana industry explode, yet some MMJ professionals are using the same tactics our own government has used on us for years, sacrificing our health for their wealth.
MMJ professionals should respect the recent changes in society and guide individuals towards the positive effects ganja can have, helping them achieve the maximum benefits. Professionals should aim to educate the public and raise standards, not use fads and cheap marketing ploys to make even more money. There are many groups and individuals who agree, and many more who are unaware of the misinformation. Hopefully this will help a small portion come into the know, and help promote positive MMJ progress.