A STRUGGLE from Medical to "Rec."
Over the years, there have been many resources online designed to help those tokers who are not familiar with the District figure out how to get weed in Washington, D.C. This originated with Craigslist and other web or dark-web resources before the legalization of cannabis in any form. Many people also used to resort to the nightlife-oriented club scene where flyers from shadowy figures in parking lots provided numbers for 24-hour weed delivery services. But, could any of these black market alternatives really be trusted? It was a little like rolling the dice every time, and those who wished to medicate with cannabis were left to navigate the best underground networks they could find and hope they were headed in the right direction.
In 1998, there was a surge of hope as DC voters sought to legalize medical cannabis by approving Ballot Initiative 59. However, this hope was tempered when Congress passed the Barr Amendment preventing the District's use of funds to implement and support the medical cannabis program. It wasn't until 2009, when the amendment was overturned, that the program was truly able to move forward. By 2011 legalization formalized, allowing dispensaries and cultivation centers to operate following an arduous permitting process. At last, in 2013, the first marijuana dispensary sale to a patient occurred, some 15 years after initial approval of Initiative 59 🤦♂️.
Yet, the DC medicinal laws were extremely stringent, stifling the potential revenue and growth of dispensaries and leaving out many with ailments who would benefit. These individuals were still forced to turn to alternative, black-market sources. Thankfully, in 2014 the DC Council voted to decriminalize marijuana possession altogether - an effort which some in Congress still attempted to block.
After a relentless push and with momentum on their side, voters overwhelmingly approved ballot Initiative 71 on November 4, 2014, which finally legalized the recreational use of cannabis in Washington, D.C.! Approved by nearly 65% of voters, the measure went into full effect on February 26, 2015 and allowed DC persons over the age of 21 to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, grow up to three mature and three immature marijuana plants in their homes, and transfer up to one ounce of marijuana to another individual. Drug paraphernalia, such as bongs, were also legalized. However the sale, purchase, and public consumption of marijuana remains illegal in DC to this day. Additionally, US Federal law continues to be in opposition of DC's legalization efforts.
With the advent of Initiative 71, DC residents began getting creative about the ways they could legally transfer marijuana to other individuals. Soon services popped up that offered various items (baked goods, candy, action figures, etc.) for sale, which came with a gift of cannabis. After passing some brief tests with law enforcement, these services caught on. In no time, there were dozens of services and even daily events with cannabis fans gathering en masse to tour exhibits of local I-71 services' offerings. The scene was vibrant and rapidly evolving with new entrants to the market everyday.
While the gifting cannabis scene in DC was gaining steam, there was still a multitude of people both within DC and in neighboring states who wanted to get their hands on these new, legal cannabis gifts. Yet, many found the laws extremely confusing and others would spend hours online trying to find reputable services, only to be ripped off by an Instagram spoofer. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
It was during this time that some cannabis directories and resources began to appear in order to help solve the problem of how to find weed in DC (without getting ripped off). Some of these resources turned out to be fairly valuable, but not without controversy (see Gentleman Toker) and certainly not with any consistency.
In fact, it was within this conceptual framework that Toker's Guide was born - helping D.C. connoisseurs find the best weed and avoid the common pitfalls others have experienced while undertaking said mission. By showing people what we, as connoisseurs, seek out and consume, and what services we frequent, we aimed to be a helping hand in the cannabis community whether you were a medical patient frequenting medical dispensaries or heading to the nearest "gifting" establishment.
While many people thought of the cannabis "gifting" businesses that proliferated around town as "recreational", this was not the case and there were still significant barriers in the way of recreational cannabis coming to pass. In fact, the reason we didn't have true recreational marijuana in DC then - and still do not now - is because, as a District and not a state, Congress holds power over the budget. Therefore, for many years now, a rider named for a Maryland congressman (the Harris rider) has prevented the DC Council from enacting recreational cannabis. Of course, this runs contrary to the will of the population who strongly favor a recreational option.
In light of their inability to enact recreational cannabis regulation, the DC Council instead passed the DC Medical Marijuana Expansion Bill that was signed into law in March of 2023. This bill, its amendments, and the policy change toward a less restrictive medical cannabis regulatory stance opened up the ability for an uncapped amount of medical dispensaries with a lower bar for licensure.
The bill caused a significant shakeup in the marketplace as a whole. The gifting shops began to band together and approach the Council with more fervor around a pathway for them to become medical and remain in business. The Council then crafted a process and timeline for the existing"legacy" businesses to transition.
As a result many i-71 gifting shops applied to become licensed medical cannabis dispensaries and have been approved or conditionally approved. Simultaneously, the DC Council also made it much easier for residents and visitors to obtain a medical card by allowing self certification and on-site registration for "patients". This would have helped foster much more demand for medical cannabis in the District, however, the timing coincided with the rollout of Maryland Adult-Use Recreational cannabis and, thus, revenue growth was lackluster at best.
In 2024 the remaining unlicensed gifting businesses in Washington DC began being scrutinized for not converting to medical dispensaries with many of them having their products seized and their doors padlocked by Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABC). There was also much commotion about how the gifting stores should be considered illegal and how their products may be contaminated. Even the ones who were committed to the highest quality and had begun the process of transitioning to medical dispensaries were caught in the crosshairs of the crackdown effort.
While the seemingly simple conversion from gifting to medical was the DC Council's way of appeasing the many businesses who had setup under the premise of Initiative 71, the process proved lengthy and challenging with many businesses being left out or shut out. Today there are far less cannabis businesses strewn throughout town, but the majority of the ones that are left are legit and higher quality.
In the future, maybe we'll finally be fortunate enough to have recreational marijuana, but for now things are actually pretty good for the cannabis consumer in the District. We've got medical marijuana that's easy to obtain with self-certification and on-site registration for residents and nonresidents alike. There's also reciprocity for medical programs from all other states. Even if you've never set foot in a DC dispensary before, you can reasonably be in-and-out with medical registration in about 20 minutes.
Additionally, there are many newly licensed dispensaries popping up, many of whom have converted from "gifting" operations, along with longstanding medical dispensaries. Across all of them the quality is similar to what you might find on the West coast and the customer service levels are like what you might expect in more luxurious industries.
With all of the great retail-like settings and speedy delivery options, I feel like there's never been a better time to be a cannabis enthusiast living in DC or traveling to it. Of course, we're here to show you the way to the Best DC Dispensaries and their Top Products, all so you can have the best experience possible, every time.