Despite stringent regulations and carefully worded legislature, the Washington DC recreational cannabis scene is very much alive. Respect My Region learned this all too well at the National Cannabis Festival on August 28th. Even though the sale of cannabis outside medical use is not legal, dozens of services and brands rep the cannabis lifestyle for the people of DC with weed delivery and pickup services. How exactly does this work?
Indeed, when you visit Washington DC you are able to order weed via delivery or pickup. The amendment that legalized adult-use/possession of cannabis, known as Initiative 71, permits the “gifting” of weed between parties. “[The transfer of] one ounce or less of marijuana to another person [is legal] as long as: (1) no money, goods, or services are exchanged; and (2) the recipient is 21 years of age or older,” according to the I-71 Q&A pamphlet.
So in other words, rather than selling cannabis to customers, these I-71 compliant lifestyle brands provide them with the option to receive a “free gift” of cannabis after donating to the brand or purchasing a product or service from them. This exchange strategy allows for companies to still provide local and adjacently-sourced weed to customers.
All photos taken by Sean Devaney
I-71 Compliant Brands Work Hard to Stand Out in the District
Either out of necessity to stand out or just to make it happen, tons of Washington DC weed delivery services have come up with unique products, services, and goods to attract the locals to their gift menus. We met many of these brands at the National Cannabis Festival this year.
District Derp
One of the most creative I-71 compliant cannabis brands we saw at the festival had to be District Derp. These out-of-the-box thinkers found a way to create large quantities of quality items without much additional trouble: by selling prints of paintings by dogs.
The on-staff artist, Sudo the Alaskan Klee Kai, is trained to paint on a canvas for treats. The District Derp team takes her chaotic masterpieces, reprints them, and sells copies to customers. So not only do consumers receive an adorable, paw-print-signed piece of art, but they also get a selection of cannabis. District Derp also has a (human) chef on staff who makes delectable homemade edibles.
Pink Fox
Pink Fox is a stylish fashion brand that is also I-71 Compliant. They’ve doubled down on the gift giving model by designing a distinct line of clothing. T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and more with Pink Fox graphics manage to rival the quality of the cannabis gifts they offer adult customers. On both ends of such a deal, buyers find satisfactory utilities.
And Many More…
Overall, there’s hundreds of I-71 compliant retailers in Washington DC, and certainly too many to discuss in this article. Some other outstanding ones to look for though would include Washington Dabber’s Club, GHouse, and Phone Homie.
How to Order Weed and Cannabis Products in Washington DC
Respect My Region took a moment to order weed for delivery in Washington DC. After browsing several late night delivery menus, we found that King Budz offered reasonable pricing with a large window for delivery. The ordering process for I-71 compliant pickup/delivery typically does not vary greatly between services, and follows this process:
Contacting the I-71 compliant brand
Reaching out to King Budz was easy and they responded quickly. The staff member on the other end answered all questions and recommended popular items. They asked for a photo of valid, unexpired ID with a corresponding selfie to verify legal age. After that it was just a matter of picking what we wanted.
Some companies have you place your delivery via their website, which is simpler if anything. This process is reminiscent of any regular online purchase, although the following steps will be the same for both ordering processes.
Confirming the order and scheduling a meeting
Once you’ve verified what cannabis items you’re interested in, the I-71 compliant brand will formulate an order wherein you purchase necessary merchandise/donations to receive the “gifted” weed. This gives you a total cost for your order, which you will either pay through their website or once you meet to pick up your items.
We requested gifts of two pre-rolled joints, Gelato and Headstash, as well as an eighth of Meat Breath, one of their Tier One strains of flower.
If you’re picking up your I-71 compliant cannabis at the storefront, then the “meeting” part of this process is as simple as walking in during open hours. For delivery there may be an extra fee, and you will have to coordinate with your driver for a good time/location. This may sound like a hassle to some, but solid communication with another person makes the interaction that much less confusing.
Meeting and receiving your free weed
Most I-71 compliant services request cash, as did King Budz. When the driver arrived we received a text and met at his car. He was polite, verified the name on the order, accepted the donation, and gifted us the items we ordered. The overall process with King Budz was clear, as advertised, communicative, and especially compliant. This left only one question to be answered…
Photos taken by Sean Devaney
How is the weed in Washington D.C.?
A big question on a lot of people’s minds when going to a new place: “How’s the weed?” As mentioned before, we requested a top tier strain from KingBudz known as Meat Breath. The primary nug in the package was large, sticky, and covered in orange hairs, nearly accounting for three grams on its own.
Despite its name’s impression, King Budz’ Meat Breath predominantly held a zesty aroma due to high levels of limonene. Underneath it was certainly a thick, earthy scent, but the citrus aspects took over during ingestion. A cross containing the more legendary Mendo Breath, this strain allegedly holds a reputation as a positive mood booster and body relaxer. Both of these held true in our experience with Meat Breath.
All in all, it’s safe to say Washington DC is rocking some fire weed. While the potency does not yet match that of the West Coast’s seasoned market, the availability of mid-to-high quality cultivar makes for an excellent selection in the capital city.
Visit the brands mentioned in this article
King Budz | GHouse | District Derp | Washington Dabber’s Club | Pink Fox | Phone Homie
Check out the National Cannabis Festival Recap to Learn More
Everything You Missed at the National Cannabis Festival (thebluntness.com)
