Yes. Marijuana dispensaries are permitted in Denver as the city issues retail marijuana store licenses to cannabis businesses intending to operate retail outlets in the city. Note that marijuana became legal in Colorado in 2012 when Colorado voters approved Amendment 64. Amendment 64 legalized the sale of recreational cannabis in the state. Retail marijuana sales started in Denver in January 2014.
Yes. In accordance with Section 6-205 of the Denver Municipal Code, medical marijuana dispensaries are legal in Denver. Medical marijuana was legalized in Colorado in 2000 when Colorado voters approved Initiative 20, later codified in the state law as Article XVIII, Section 14. The law permitted medical marijuana businesses to be established across Colorado jurisdictions.
Yes. With Denver approving cannabis delivery in the city, you can buy cannabis from online dispensaries. Note that home delivery of marijuana may only be conducted by Denver businesses with delivery permits.
The following are key considerations when visiting a cannabis dispensary in Denver:
Denver dispensary laws are outlined under Section 6-209 of the city code. These laws include:
Denver’s recreational laws are contained in Article V of its municipal code:
Denver's medical cannabis laws are the same as the state's medical cannabis laws. Denver residents suffering from one or more qualifying medical conditions may enroll in the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry - a statewide program allowing patients with qualifying medical conditions to obtain registry identifications to access medical marijuana legally. Registry ID cards are renewable annually and involve annually updated physician's certifications. Denver residents who are 18 and older may enroll in the registry by themselves, while residents under 18 may require the help of their parents, legal guardians, or designated caregivers.
Registered patients may legally possess 57 grams of usable cannabis and consume cannabis in private residences. Patients may also cultivate up to six marijuana plants, with three plants in the flowering state. Patients who qualify to cultivate more must register the plants and corresponding patient registry numbers with the Colorado Department of Revenue. Registered patients 18 or older can smoke medical cannabis indoors, while patients under 18 are prohibited from consuming marijuana in smokeable form.
To get a medical marijuana card in Denver, you must be at least 18, reside in Denver or another Colorado location, and suffer from one of the approved medical conditions. Persons between 18 and 20 will be required to provide certifications from two healthcare providers from different medical practices. If you are a homebound patient, the certifications need not be from different medical practices. Minors may be eligible if they and their primary parents are Colorado residents and have qualifying medical conditions.
Follow these steps to complete your application in the registry:
You may also submit your medical marijuana card application by mail. Note that paper mail-in applications are reserved for applicants with no access to internet resources. To submit an application by mail:
Mail completed applications to:
Application Processing
CDPHE HSV-8630
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. S.
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Applications completed by mail take 6-8 weeks to process. Such applicants will have their healthcare providers submit their medical marijuana certifications online. They will also receive their medical marijuana cards by mail. If you have not received your card or a letter from the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry within 35 days, contact the Registry at medcial.marijuana@state.co.us or (303) 692-2184.
Applications completed online with all correct information typically take 1-3 business days to process. Once your online application has been approved, you can access your card through your online CDPHE account.
It is legal to consume cannabis in a private residence (only if the property owner permits), in a licensed marijuana hospitality business, or in a licensed marijuana hospitality and sales business.
To buy cannabis from a dispensary in Denver, you must find the address of a dispensary in the neighborhood where you live. To find the location of a dispensary near you, put the search term “marijuana dispensaries near me" in an online search engine. You may also order cannabis online as the city allows cannabis online purchases. If you are visiting the physical location of a dispensary selling recreational cannabis, take an ID showing you are 21 or older. You should also hold cash to complete your transaction, as most dispensaries only accept cash.
The average price per gram for recreational weed in Denver is between $5.5 - $8.5, while an ounce ranges between $160 and $240.
Some popular cannabis strains in Denver are:
No. In Denver, it is illegal to consume marijuana in public view or in unrestricted, public access areas. This includes common areas of buildings and facilities, hotel rooms, businesses not licensed for marijuana use, streets and roads, transit facilities, entertainment zones, parks, and playgrounds.
Denver residents aged 21 or older can possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis or cannabis-infused products, 8 grams of cannabis concentrates, or marijuana products containing up to 800 milligrams of Delta-9 THC. Medical marijuana cardholders in the city can possess up to 2 ounces of usable cannabis, 8 grams of cannabis concentrate, or marijuana products containing up to 20,000 milligrams of Delta-9 THC. If you are neither a Denver resident nor a Colorado resident, you may only purchase up to a quarter of an ounce of marijuana per time.
Federal law prohibits shipping cannabis from another state into Denver. Since federal laws govern interstate transportation, shipping cannabis, considered a federally banned drug, across state lines is a criminal offense. You are, however, permitted to transport marijuana from one Colorado city to Denver so long as it is maintained in an airtight container and transported in the trunk of your vehicle.
Yes. The City of Denver permits cannabis retail outlets to offer online services for residents looking to purchase cannabis online.
Section 6-209 of the Denver Municipal Code permits marijuana dispensaries in the city to operate between 8:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. daily.
Yes. Tourists with valid photo IDs showing that they are above 21 may use recreational marijuana dispensaries in Denver.
When entering a weed dispensary in Denver, you must provide photo identification showing that you are at least 21 years old to demonstrate that you are eligible to purchase and consume cannabis in the city. No other form of ID is required in order to buy cannabis from a recreational weed dispensary in Denver. However, to purchase medical marijuana products, a medical marijuana card is required.
The best weed dispensaries in the City of Denver:
Denver marijuana dispensaries may scan your ID to track your cannabis purchases and confirm that you are of legal age to use marijuana in the city.
There are over 250 medical and adult-use dispensaries in the City of Denver.
Denver weed dispensaries do not accept credit cards. Cannabis purchases in the city are typically concluded using cash. Also, you are likely to find an ATM inside or close to a dispensary location. Hence, you can complete your cannabis transaction by withdrawing cash from a nearby ATM.
There is no restriction on the number of cannabis dispensaries you may visit in one day. You can visit multiple dispensaries or the same dispensary multiple times in one day. However, you will not be able to buy more than is permitted under the law.
No, cannabis businesses in Denver do not take health insurance as health insurance does not cover cannabis.
Yes. Cannabis retailers in Denver keep track of consumers’ purchases in compliance with state law.
No. You must be 21 or older to enter an adult-use cannabis dispensary in the City of Denver. Residents must be 18 or older to enter medical cannabis dispensaries.
The cannabis regulating agency for cannabis operations and activities in the City of Denver is the Marijuana Enforcement Division of the CDOR (Colorado Department of Revenue). The division has four locations spread across the State of Colorado. You may find the division’s contact information on the Colorado Department of Revenue’s website.
To report illegal marijuana operations in Denver, you may file a report to the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division. You may also contact the Denver government by calling 311 ((720)-913-1311) or emailing 311@denvergov.org. Also, you may contact the Denver police at the department's non-emergency line at (720) 913-2000.