Lana
Dear Lana: You might be able go through the door of most dispensaries if you’re under 21 but look close enough, but you definitely won't get into the shopping area. Colorado dispensaries require visitors to show their IDs before passing through the waiting room, whether they want to buy something or not, and being with an adult who’s of age doesn’t matter. Some stores might let a child hang out in the waiting area, but are more likely to ask them to leave out of fear of a sting operation.
If you get that far, don't expect much beyond chilling in the waiting area while hubby shops — and if employees think you’re leaving to smoke his purchase together, they may not let him in the bud room, either. Dispensaries face heavy scrutiny from law enforcement and state regulators, including statewide ID audits and undercover inspections. Most pot shops and bars won’t even accept vertical IDs out of fear of selling to minors. This causes issues every once in a while with shoppers from other states, but most establishments won't budge. (Colorado residents with a smartphone can use a digital ID on the state's myColorado app at Colorado businesses and government branches, including dispensaries. That sucker has saved me a trip back home more than once.)
![Customers shop inside of a retail marijuana dispensary.](https://media2.westword.com/den/imager/u/blog/11098361/terrapin-dispensary-aurora-collins-2018.jpg?cb=1706633175)
The only people under 21 who are allowed inside a dispensary shopping area are medical marijuana patients.
Jacqueline Collins
If you're staying at an Aurora or Denver address that isn't a hotel, your husband can have cannabis delivered to the house through a legal delivery service. If not, I suggest he run a late-night errand to one of many Denver dispensaries that close at midnight. A handful of them are even equipped with drive-thru windows — although I'd advise you to skip that trip, too, because all drive-thru transactions are filmed by security cameras.
Some errands are better ran solo, but don't worry. Nearly every Denver dispensary has pre-ordering options, so he won't be gone very long.
Send questions to [email protected].