The Essential Guide to Denver Dispensaries

Denver, Colorado’s beautiful capital city, located a mile above sea level, at the eastern edge of the Continental Divide, has made a name for itself in recent years as a sanctuary for cannabis enthusiasts and medical marijuana patients alike. Driven by significant population increases as well as a now-thriving cannabis tourism industry, the Denver metro area is now home to hundreds of recreational and medical marijuana dispensaries. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know before visiting a Denver dispensary for the first time – plus how and where to find the best dispensaries in Denver.

For information beyond the Denver metro area, our Colorado dispensary guide gives an in-depth look at Colorado’s current cannabis market, and where to find the best medical and recreational weed throughout the state. For even more history and interesting cannabis dispensary information, don’t miss our complete guide to dispensaries in the US.

• • The Best Cannabis Dispensaries in Colorado
    • The Best Cannabis Dispensaries in the Front Range

Denver’s Dispensaries – Then and Now

Colorado has always been at the forefront of the post-prohibition legal cannabis market in the US. Back in the year 2000, the state was among the first to legalize the use of medical marijuana. On January 1, 2014, Colorado made even bigger history, when the first-ever legal purchase of recreational marijuana took place in Denver, at the (now closed) 3D Cannabis Center on Brighton Boulevard. Since then, the city’s recreational cannabis market has grown exponentially and has expanded to include home delivery and cannabis consumption lounges.

Where are Most of Denver’s Dispensaries?

The city of Denver has over 200 dispensaries within its limits, at a remarkably high concentration of 9.8 dispensaries per 100,000 residents – more than seven times the national average! This makes finding a Denver dispensary incredibly easy no matter where you go in the city, including the 16th Street Mall, River North Arts District, and the area close to Denver International Airport.

The easiest places to find a downtown Denver dispensary are Broadway, Colfax Avenue, and Federal Boulevard. South Broadway alone has so many dispensaries it’s been nicknamed “The Green Mile” and Broadsterdam.” The five Denver neighborhoods with the most dispensaries are Overland (home to The Green Mile), Northeast Park Hill, Baker, Elyria-Swansea, Five Points, and Valverde. Each of these neighborhoods has so many dispensaries that the city is no longer issuing licenses for new cannabusinesses within them.

Finding a Denver dispensary is incredibly easy no matter where you go in the city.

Social Equity and the Future of Denver’s Dispensaries

From its beginning, the rapid expansion of Denver’s legal cannabis market has been notably and disproportionately dominated by moneyed, white-owned corporations. Alongside the significant financial cost of entry, the driving reason for this inequity lies in the dramatically higher rate of possession charges brought against Black and Latino people in the United States. Since Colorado’s original cannabis business application laws prohibited anyone with past marijuana-related charges from obtaining licensure, an enormous number of people from these communities have historically been denied the opportunity to join this new industry.

The City of Denver recognized the disparity and has recently implemented a social equity application program intended to close the gap within the local cannabis market. This social equity program allows aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs who have previously been arrested for or convicted of cannabis offenses (or those with a convicted family member), and those who meet certain income or residency requirements the opportunity to enter the city’s cannabis industry. From April 2021 through 2027, all new cannabis business licenses (including dispensaries, producers, and cultivators), as well as all licenses for newly-legalized cannabis delivery and consumption businesses in Denver, will only be considered for social equity applicants.

Denver’s Best Cannabis Dispensaries

Out of Denver’s hundreds of dispensaries, here are our favorite spots in the city to find high-grade bud, delicious edibles, potent concentrates, and more.

Native Roots

Native Roots is one of Colorado’s top dispensary chains, with recreational as well as medical marijuana locations throughout the state, including six Denver stores (Tower Rd, Colorado Blvd, Speer Blvd, Highlands, South Denver, and North Denver). All Native Roots locations offer a cheerful, friendly atmosphere and attentive, knowledgeable budtenders. Residents of Denver can also take advantage of drive-thru pickup or affordable home delivery options (orders must be placed through the Speer Blvd store). Native Roots offers an amazing selection of flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, and tinctures, and has been actively involved in multiple community projects, playing a significant role in furthering cannabis education among Colorado residents, law enforcement officials, and policymakers.

Star Buds

Star Buds Colorado is your friendly neighborhood dispensary, where you’ll be greeted with a smile and leave with one. They are committed to making sure your experience is nothing but positive, providing the widest selection of top-shelf flower, edibles, concentrates, vapes, pre-rolls, and so much more. Their budtenders are knowledgeable and kind and will always put the customer first, no matter what. They will ensure you find exactly what you need – because you deserve it! They provide deals daily and monthly, and their rewards system is unmatched in benefits. Star Buds has 19 Colorado locations, including 9 locations in the Denver area, 6 Southern Colorado stores, and 4 in the Boulder County area.

Terrapin Care Station

Terrapin Care Station is one of the most affordable high-quality medical and recreational Colorado dispensary chains – even offering a loyalty rewards program for repeat buyers. Terrapin Care Station has a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a huge selection of their own flower, alongside many other excellent edible, vape, tincture, and topical brands. Terrapin has been an active proponent of cannabis legalization efforts since the beginning, helping to shape the state’s current cannabis policy. Terrapin’s Denver dispensary is located on Broadway.

Frost Exotic Cannabis

Frost is one of Denver’s absolute best dispensaries, with a classy yet relaxed vibe and a reputation for individualized, concierge-style service – for cannabis beginners and experienced connoisseurs alike. Frost’s carefully curated strain selection includes organically-grown flower hand-selected from Colorado farms and a rotating selection of exotic strains from all over the world. Frost keeps around 20 exotics in stock at all times, browseable in the dispensary’s fun and unique Bud Bar, as well as an excellent selection of edibles, vaporizers, concentrates, topicals, and more. Frost is also one of the city’s more affordable dispensaries, even offering a rewards club so visitors can earn points toward cashback and future discounts. Frost Exotic Cannabis Dispensary is located in West Denver, at the intersection of Alameda Ave and Federal Blvd. Frost’s in-store service is notably quick, but pre-order and delivery are also available for an even faster experience.

Apothecary Farms

Colorado’s first extract-focused dispensary, Apothecary Farms offers all types of high-end cannabis products from the state’s best brands at an affordable price. In addition to an excellent selection of flower, tinctures, topicals, and more, Apothecary Farms offers Ambrosia, its own trademark line of exquisite live resin concentrates and vapes, made from whole-plant extracts that are frozen immediately upon harvest. If you’re not sure where to begin with cannabis concentrates, Apothecary Farm’s warm and friendly staff is always happy to explain and help you decide. Apothecary Farms has several storefront locations throughout the Front Range, including a bright and welcoming medical/recreational dispensary conveniently located on South Broadway’s Green Mile in Denver. Online pre-order service is available for an even faster purchase experience.

Green Dragon

One of Colorado’s very best dispensary chains, Green Dragon offers an impressive selection of top-grade flower, edibles and beverages, CBD products, concentrates, tinctures, and more from some of the industry’s best brands, including its own Colorado-grown strains. Green Dragon’s retail shops are all beautiful, clean, and brightly lit, delivering a shopping experience that is always low-pressure and beginner-friendly, assisted by knowledgeable budtenders who are happy to help without trying to upsell you. If you already know what you’d like, pre-order services are available, too. Green Dragon offers some of the best cannabis prices in the whole state, with a loyalty rewards program to help repeat visitors save even more. Green Dragon currently has nIne recreational dispensaries in the Denver area, Capitol Hill, Cherry Creek, Mountain View, the Santa Fe Arts District, and East Denver, as well as locations nearby in Edgewater, Thornton, and two in Aurora.

South Park Farma

South Park Farma truly stands out for its dedication to providing pesticide-free, 100% organic cannabis at an affordable price. Alongside edibles, pre-rolls, concentrates, and topicals from several excellent Colorado brands, South Park Farma keeps 7-10 strains of its own meticulously culivated, hand-trimmed, slow-cured cannabis flower in stock – all grown in custom-designed soil and mostly weighing in at over 20% THC. South Park Farma’s Denver recreational dispensary offers a cozy, clean, and pleasantly-styled shopping environment staffed by friendly, knowledgable budtenders, and is conveniently located close to several major highways in Commerce City and Denver International Airport. South Park Farma also operates a second dispensary location in Grant.

Mile High Dispensary

Mile High Dispensary is one of Denver’s friendliest and most welcoming combination medical and recreational cannabis shops. Since 2009, Mile High Dispensary has been a destination for cannabis newcomers and connoisseurs alike to explore a terrific selection of flower, concentrates, tinctures, edibles, vaporizers, and more from many of Colorado’s best cannabis brands – and at affordable prices, with additional savings coupons available on its website. Mile High Dispensary offers an atmosphere that feels comfortable, laid-back, and clean, staffed by budtenders who are dedicated to furthering cannabis education and helping each customer find their ideal cannabis product match. Mile High is a cash-only dispensary, with an ATM onsite for customer convenience, and is conveniently located on S Sheridan Blvd in western Denver, with online pre-order services available for an even faster experience.

DANK Dispensary

DANK is a comfortable, artsy, brightly-lit neighborhood dispensary that has earned a reputation as one of Denver’s best for recreational and medical cannabis users alike. As one of the earliest pioneers of Colorado’s legal cannabis market, they obtained license number 11 in 2009. Known for super friendly and uber knowledgeable bud-tenders, DANK is keeping kind with affordable prices on flower, concentrates, edibles, drinks, and topicals from Colorado’s best brands. DANK’s commitment to making cannabis affordable includes loyalty rewards, daily specials and monthly promotions. Shopping at DANK is supporting a small, locally owned business who gives back to the Park Hill Neighborhood. Located just half a mile south of I-70 at the Dahlia Street exit in northeast Denver, DANK is just 3 miles east of downtown between Colorado and Monaco on 38th and Elm.

Life Flower Dispensary

Life Flower Dispensary offers a huge selection of both recreational and medical cannabis at affordable prices in its comfortable, welcoming, local art-filled retail shop, founded by a local industry expert with a passion for making clean, organic cannabis accessible. Life Flower Dispensary’s truly impressive menu includes over 40 strains of recreational and 25+ strains of medical cannabis flower (much of it organic) sourced from many of Colorado’s top cultivators. Their knowledgeable, experienced budtenders elevate flower shopping to a truly sensory experience, with glass jars of beautiful bud on hand to smell and examine up close. Life Flower Dispensary also carries 120+ solventless concentrates, 35+ edible varieties, and a unique selection of beautiful glass pieces, both locally-crafted and imported. Life Flower Dispensary is located on Leetsdale Drive in Glendale, and stays open until midnight, seven days a week.

What to Know Before Visiting Denver’s Dispensaries

Review these must-know facts before making your first visit to a Denver, Colorado dispensary.

• Age Limits and ID – All visitors must be 21 or older (18+ with a valid MMJ card) to enter any recreational or medical dispensary in Denver. A valid government-issued photo ID or passport must be provided upon entry as well as at the point of purchase. Dispensary patrons are not allowed to bring minor children inside with them.

Colorado is one of the most affordable places to buy cannabis in the US, with the third-lowest average retail prices compared to other states.

• Hours of Operation – Dispensaries in Denver are required by Colorado law to operate only between the hours of 8 a.m. – 12 a.m. Some dispensaries don’t open quite as early or stay open as late as this, but the good news is that it’s easy to find open Denver dispensaries at almost any hour of the day. It is important to note that dispensaries in Denver stop accepting customers 15 minutes before closing time, so always plan accordingly.
• Daily Purchase Limits – Colorado law limits how much cannabis an individual may purchase in one day. At Denver dispensaries, recreational cannabis buyers are limited to 1 oz of cannabis flower, 8 grams of concentrate, or any quantity of edibles up to 800 total mg of THC. Medical marijuana patients may purchase up to 2 ounces of flower, 8 grams of concentrate (2 grams of concentrate for patients under age 21), 8,000 mg of vapeable THC, or up to 20,000 mg of THC in edible form.
• Cost – Colorado is one of the most affordable places to buy cannabis in the US, with the third-lowest average retail prices compared to other states. However, sales tax and gratuity do increase the out-of-pocket cost. The state of Colorado levies a 10% retail sales tax, a 15% excise tax, and a 2.9% state sales tax on recreational cannabis purchases. While exempt from the state tax, it’s important to note that purchases made at medical dispensaries in Denver are still subject to the city’s sales tax of 4.31%. In addition to this local sales tax, recreational cannabis purchases from Denver dispensaries are subject to a 5.5% special sales tax. Denver dispensaries typically also have a tip jar at the register to thank your budtender with a cash gratuity.
• Pick-Up and Delivery – Most dispensaries in Denver offer the option to order cannabis online and come in to pick it up later that day. A few Denver-area dispensaries have even begun offering a drive-thru pick-up option. These pre-order pick-ups can save significant time in line waiting for a budtender in-store. While even more convenient than dispensary pick-up, home delivery of cannabis has surprisingly yet to become ubiquitous in Denver. Only a few of Denver’s dispensaries currently hold cannabis delivery permits, and only half of those that do are actively offering delivery services.

Parent Page: The Best Cannabis Dispensaries in Colorado

Author: John White
John is the founder and CEO of CNBS and is in charge of our brand relations, website management, media and press inquiries, industry overviews, B2B guides, and more. Passionate about educating on its benefits – John has been using cannabis to relief and manage his chronic pain for almost 12 years, working as an external consultant in the private cannabis sector for more than five years, and growing cannabis for personal use for almost eight years.
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