Whether you’re a Colorado resident, or you’re visiting the state of Colorado from outside the state or even from outside the United States, it’s important to note that buying and using marijuana isn’t as straightforward as one might hope. Although the US has already started to be more lenient when it comes to cannabis regulations, and Colorado has approved it for legal, recreational and medical use under certain conditions, some of those conditions can be quite strict.
One of them is the need to present your ID as soon as you walk into a cannabis shop. That means people under the age of 21 are not allowed, and if there’s any suspicion about your ID being invalid or tampered with, then you can expect that you won’t be served.
What IDs Are Accepted at a Marijuana Dispensary?
Most websites will tell you that you have to present your ID, but they don’t give much details. If you’re doing research to find out everything you can about buying cannabis-based products in Colorado, you have to know that the best dispensaries in Pueblo Colorado accept many types of IDs, but not all of them.
Showing up with a passport if you’re not from the United States is fine, and foreigners won’t have any trouble if their passports are valid. Also, people outside the United States who live in one of the territories, such as Guam, the American Samoa and Puerto Rico, will also be accepted, as long as they’re government-issued photo IDs.
If you have a military ID, you can also count yourself fortunate that Colorado dispensaries will let you in quite immediately. Finally, whether you’re from Colorado or any of the other 49 states, you can shop with confidence by only showing your ID and making sure that it’s in good condition.
The main thing to look for, regardless of whether you have your ID or passport with you, is to ensure that there are no tears and that your birth date, photograph and state seal is clearly visible. Anything that makes your ID look like it could have been tampered with will be taken into account, and most dispensaries will play it safe when they see that. This means you likely won’t be able to shop there until you renew your ID and get a brand new one that makes all the essential parts visible.
Cannabis Shops and Their Strictness
Why are cannabis dispensaries so strict? It’s because they face hefty fines, or they could even be disbanded and face criminal charges if they end up selling marijuana to people under the age of 21 or people with fake or invalid IDs.
Even though the government tolerates the use of marijuana, it wasn’t so long ago that using the drug used to be illegal. Its potency and effects differ from person to person, and its effects on younger people and children are said to be dangerous, if not properly regulated. Ultimately, laws and industries can hardly change overnight, but there is hope that the reputation of cannabis will improve as time goes by.