Question of the Day - 11 May 2024

it's very simple. The so-called "cannabis stores" on the Strip don't, in fact, sell the wacky weed.

They certainly look like they do, with big images of pot leaves, weed-filled pipes, and other pot products advertised all over their facades. 

But the truth is they don't -- and as you say in the question can't -- sell actual cannabis.

Instead, they sell hemp and CBD products that won't deliver anything even approximating a pot high, since they don't/can't contain THC, the intoxicating compound in marijuana. They used to sell synthetic cannabis, which is legal elsewhere and looks just like the real thing, but the state legislature prohibited its sale in 2021 (known as Delta-8 THC, it can be synthesized from CBD and hemp, but reportedly, the chemicals needed to do so can be harmful). 

Given that real dispensaries aren't allowed to do business within 1,500 feet of a casino, it's a dead giveaway that what they sell will leave you stone-cold sober, clear-headed, and feeling very ripped off. In fact, we'd call them among the biggest con jobs in a city full of con jobs. 

They probably shouldn't be issued business licenses, due to their deceptive practices, and the city of Las Vegas has taken some measures that mandate these stores inform the public that they're not licensed to sell the real deal. But the Strip's shops are in the county, so they don't have to abide by city laws. 

For now, they're open and do little more than trick unwary consumers every day. So here's your word to the wise. If you want to buy stuff that'll get you high, stay far away from any store that looks like a dispensary on the Strip or near casinos around town.