I recently visited several dispensaries in the Portrero,
Mission, Castro and SOMA Districts of San Francisco.
Every one of the dispensaries had security who checked my ID and
recommendation before ushering me in to the facilities. All the
dispensaries had competitive pricing for their different products. The
following details what accessibility, products, and extras each had to
offer.
 Re-Leaf Herbal Center
2980 21st St, 415-235-3307
Hours: Monday-Saturday 12pm to 8pm, Closed Sundays.
Accessibility: ADA Accessible, Street Parking.
Atmosphere: This family-owned dispensary is on the smaller side. It was
very un-obtrusive from the street. The people I spoke with were
friendly, easy-going and low key.
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, Assorted Hemp Elixirs, Keif, Hash, Honeybud Oil, Joints, Edibles.
• Accessories: Sealed Travel Jars, Grinders, Pipes, Scales.
• Extras: Free Water, Calendars, T-shirts.
The Green Cross3420 22nd St, 415-648-4420
Hours: Monday-Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 12pm to 5pm, Closed Sundays.
Accessibility: ADA Accessible, Limited Street Parking (you can be
banned from the dispensary for parking illegally), Incentives Offered
for Proof of Public Transportation.
Atmosphere: The Green Cross was extremely professional. Though it was a
rainy day, a Security Guard stood outside (with an umbrella) waiting to
verify patients’ documentation.
The dispensary offers an exceptional selection of
products, from clothing to medicine. The space is chock full of
information, products, and gift items and also included a plasma
television, a steady stream of patients, and relaxed and friendly
employees. Unfortunately, due to newly adopted San Francisco
Regulations, The Green Cross is being forced to move by March 22. Owner
Kevin encourages friends and patients to write the Board of Supervisors
to express their support for continued existence of The Green Cross.
For more information about this issue or about The Green Cross, visit
www.thegreencross.org.
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, THC Sprays, Keif, Hash,
Oils, Pre-rolled joints, Infused teas, Edibles (Incredible Edibles).
• Accessories: Pipes, Vaporizers, Ashtrays.
• Extras: Tank Tops, T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Caps, Beanies, Shot Glasses.
SF Med Cann #2194 Church St, 415-626-4781
Hours: Monday-Friday 11am to 7pm, Saturday-Sunday 12pm to 5pm
Accessibility: Free Hour of Parking at Safeway (across street), Public Transportation, Second Floor.
Atmosphere: A very relaxed and quiet dispensary. People were hanging out, eating, medicating and watching TV.
Free internet access is offered for patients. This
dispensary also offers other benefits for its’ patients. They organize
field trips to various places (i.e. Marin Headlands) for patients (in
cooperation with Healing Waters). They sell pipe cozies (sewn by
patients) and donate the proceeds to Camp Sunburst (for children with
AIDS).
They also offer free pizza or lunch for their patients on occasion.
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, Edibles.
• Accessories: Pipe Cozies.
• Extras: Free Lunch, Field Trips for Patients, Internet Access.
SF Act Up
1884 Market St, 415-864-6686
Hours: Tues-Sun 12pm to 7pm, Monday 12pm to 3pm
Accessibility: ADA Accessible, Public Transportation, Close to Freeways, Ample Street Parking.
Atmosphere: This facility is very low-key and private. From the moment
I entered and identifies myself, the employees expressed their desire
to maintain the privacy of the patients and facility. In addition to a
dispensary, they are a politically active group. The facility offers
free literature about many issues (i.e. environmental activism). For
more information, please visit the dispensary (if you are a patient),
or visit their website www.ActUpSF.com. Additionally, on Sundays only,
they offer a movie and consumption on site. They also offer fully
Organic, Vegan Edibles. Finally, they feature Free Yoga once a week
(call them for times).
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, Keif, Hash, Organic and Vegan Edibles.
• Accessories: None.
• Extras: Political Literature, Free Yoga Once a Week, Consumption and a Movie on Sundays.
Mr. Nice Guy
174 Valencia St, 415-865-0990
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm
Accessibility: ADA Accessible, Ample Street Parking, Public Transportation.
Atmosphere: This is probably the biggest dispensary that I visited. The
ceilings are very tall and they have a spectacular mural painted on one
enormous wall (if you are into art, it is worth a visit). The
dispensary is still a work in progress as they are still building and
organizing inside, but they are fully operational, and have plenty of
space for people who want to hang out (they are temporarily allowing
smoking on site). They were even playing a comedy show on a large TV
while I was there. They will occasionally offer free snacks for
patients. The employees were nice and very accommodating.
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, Hash, Keif, Edibles (Vegan
when available), Ice Cream (Vegan Ice Cream when available — it was
there when I visited).
• Accessories: Coming Soon.
• Extras: Occasional Free Snacks, Temporarily allowing Consumption on Site.
The Love Shack
502 14th St, 415-552-5121
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm
Accessibility: Street Parking, Public Transportation.
Atmosphere: The Love Shack will not be accepting new patients until
April 1, 2006. If you are one of the fortunate few to have a “Love
Shack” sticker on your recommendation, you can expect an easy-going and
relaxed environment. Apparently, they became so popular that patients
were lining up along the sidewalk, so in the interest of peace in the
neighborhood, they decided to pare down the numbers by making the
dispensary “members only.” Unfortunately, for non-members, this
dispensary was tapped “Best of the Bay” by The Guardian for 2005. If
you are interested in putting yourself on their list, give them a call.
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, Hash, Keif, Hunny Oil, Pre-Rolled Joints, Edibles (Butter Brothers).
• Accessories: Bubblers, Jack Herer Pipes.
• Extras: T-shirts, Books (at cost).
Mission St. Caregivers
1760 Mission St, 415-553-7780
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday 9am-8pm
Accessibility: Some Street Parking, Pay Lot one block away, Public Transportation, ADA Accessible.
Atmosphere: Mission Street Caregivers has the most extensive clone
selection of the dispensaries I visited. They have quite a few
employees working, so there are many people to help the patients when
they come in. They have a good selection of medicine in its various
forms.
Products:
• Medicine: Clones, Dried Product, Concentrates, Dry Product, Keif, Hash and Tinctures
• Accessories: None
• Extras: None
Ketama
14 Valencia St, 415-706-2679
Hours: Monday-Friday 10am to 9pm, Saturday 12pm to 9pm, Sunday 12pm to 8pm
Accessibility: ADA Accessible, Ample Street Parking, Public Transportation.
Atmosphere: Eclectic and Artsy, Ketama has a mellow, Moroccan feel.
There were more than a few patients consuming and hanging out. There
was funky music, low-lighting, and lots of art — a very ethereal vibe.
This is one of only a few dispensaries that offer clones.
The staff was easy-going and relaxed, much like the
patients who were there. I definitely got the feeling that patients can
always be found occupying the sitting area as long as the dispensary is
open. On Sundays, they have a compassion program for underprivileged
patients.
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, Hash, Keif, Oils, Tainted Honey, Edibles.
• Accessories: Moroccan Hash Pipe (AKA a Sipsie).
• Extras: Occasional Free Snacks, Sundays Action Compassion (small free packages for less fortunate patients).
The Green Door
843 Howard St, 415-541-9590
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:30am to 8:00pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-9pm
Accessibility: ADA Accessible, Public Transportation, Street Parking, 3 Pay Lots within 2 blocks.
Atmosphere: The Green Door runs a very professional business with
personal touches. They have the most extensive security with a fully
closed off counter featuring bulletproof glass. Even though the
purchasing bar is closed off, they do have another bar around the
perimeter of the dispensing area for patients to sit and consume
on-site, though most only sit for a few moments.
It is spacious and unencumbered compared to most of
the other dispensaries (even if there is a line, there is plenty of
room to maintain your personal space). Not only is this facility one of
the most easily accessible for local San Franciscans (only a couple
blocks from BART, MUNI, and major bus lines), but it’s also good for
patients from outside San Francisco as it is centrally located in the
SOMA district (very close to the Bay Bridge and most major highways).
There is a wide selection of dried product. You can
expect friendly, energetic, and helpful employees. For more information
about this dispensary, please visit www.greendoorinfo.com.
Products:
• Medicine: Dried Product, Keif, Hash, Amber Oil, Edibles.
• Accessories: Coming Soon.
• Extras: T-shirts, Free Water and Consumption on Site.
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Volume 2 
The Men's Wearhouse George Zimmer
