San Francisco, CA, California

Smoking tolerance level [1= very illegal 5=virtually legal]: 5

Legislation: Pot is approved for medical use, which makes the legal status vague. Still, it is safe to keep your weed safely hidden.

Supposed to have a medical law, but I have been a member in 3 clubs that have been shut down, CHAMP, and a few others in Oakland.

No real risk for the small buyer

Law Enforcement: When caught with Marijuana, you will always be busted for one night. If you were carrying small amounts of pot for personal use (under 28.5 gr.), you will be released by morning, and later fined $100.

a recent erport added: “Be aware around Haight street! Non-prescription Cannabis is still illegal in San Francisco and though enforcement is not as draconian as in some metro areas, BICYCLE POLICE are experts at appearing out of nowwhere and swooping down on any suspicious activity. They will confiscate your stash and give you a ticket. Not fun!

Don’t be paranoid – I have never seen or heard of reverse drug busts (Where police pretend to be dealers, and sell to YOU) on Haight. Busts do occur, but in all my trips there I have never, ever seen a single person being arrested for cannabis. You can smoke in peace there, just keep it on the down low.”

There are generally no police around, despite the fact that they know perfectly well what is going on. The whole city is more lax than many other places, but I’d go down to Haight Street if you really want to be safe.

another reporter added :”Me and my friend went to Haight-Ashbury an we saw 2 cop cars drive by all day and a few cops taking a call at a bar. It seems like they don’t really mind seeing the fact we smoked blunts with random homeless people walking own the street.”

Where to Buy Marijuana in San Francisco:

Golden Gate Park, Haight Ashbury. Damn near every person you walk past will say “BUDS”. Most are Heroin junkies and will rip you off if you are not careful. Make sure you open the bag, and don’t go for the sneaky money-weed transfer, that is how they rip you off. Just go to GG park and check it all out.

another reporter added: “Golden Gate Park is the place to buy weed. However, many outsiders do not know exactly where to go. When one gets to the end of Haight Street that has Amoeba Music Store on one side, go across the street to the park and follow the path under the bridge. Keep following the path. It will turn right after about a hundred feet, and from there you will be able to see a what is known as “Hippie Hill”. On the hill, you will see clouds of smoke continually rising. This is where you should go to buy. If you have not been offered already, go to the hill and ask pretty much anyone, but preferably someone smoking. If you feel uncomfortable asking, just make eye contact with as many people who look like they could be selling as possible. There is also a drum circle that starts some time in the afternoon, which can be fun to join once you’re baked.”

and also: “you can find weed downtown. pretty much anywhere on market there will be people slingin and you can just walking around asking people and find it but if you dont want to do that then across from the mall on market and fifth by the escalators is a popular place for dealers to congregate. they mostly sell weed prepackaged in dime bags but sometimes they will try to rip you off. never pay more than ten for a little baggie and if you dont like the size of the sack then feel free to ask any of the other dealers around and they will offer to sell you a better sack. you wont get a fat sack but the weed is pretty damn good and theres a lot of purp.”

a recent report is: “I was in the city 6/2007. I strolled down Haight St. to Golden Gate Park and made a very easy connection. I walked through the tunnel and as I passed through to the other side a voice from the bushes to the left I heard “buds? you need buds?” I said “where are you?” a young man came from the bushes and said he had “buds, what do you want?” I said “an eighth” he said “$60″ they were smallish buds but very good quality. I was in and out of there in a few minutes time, easy for a traveler from out of town. ”

and: “Go to the Haight-Ashbury area and look around for dirty, homeless, an raggedy people. Usually they have dreads or nappy hair from not washing it. The people there are really cool, though some of them are hardcore drug addicts they are generally cool people. They might not have weed but they will take you on a journey to go find weed. Theres a park down the road where homeless people are sleeping and smoking joints, and other people johhing or walking their dogs. The people in Haight-Ashbury tend to sell more quantity’s of weed then small bags. It’s very hard to find some one who well take the amount of a ten sack(which is most likely roughly .6 grams) out of their giant ziploc bags of the sweet sweet cheeba. It is also extremely rare to find someone who already has a bagged up sack for ten, which is good because you should always look at the bud before you buy it and the quanity of it because these hippies try to rip you off. It’s also the coole

st place to walk around when your really high, there’s graffiti of the legend Bob Marley, and an awesome picture of Lennon, Hendrix, and Jim Morrison on the side of a building. There are awesome head shops, a very cool record store called Amobea Records, the Haight-Ashbury street sign, along with the clock that doesnt say 420 anymore but thats what time the clock stopped in Haight and 420 has been connected with marijuana ever since. Crazy street preformers, coffee shops, punks, hippies, its one of the most fun places i have ever been. Me and my two best friends have come up with a goal to vist almost every big city and smoke their weed and just check it out. I will be trying to write a summary on each place I go. Hope you have fun.”

Latest infoOne place hasn’t been mentioned yet is North Beach. There you’ll find many old beatniks and hippies playing guitars, drinking in bars and smoking up on the street. If you ask around (some smalltalk and “I’m looking for some weed” works fine enough) you’ll get name brand and custom crossbred weed at about $60 per 1/8 prices.

San Francisco Marijuana Prices:

Less than 1/8 oz: It is hard to find small bags here. Dealers will usually moan about busting up a bag for $20 or less, and you will usually get very little for your money.

1/8 oz: Asking prices start at $60. These size bags are almost always underweighed and need to be checked closely before purchase.

1/4 oz: Prices start at $110 – $120. Bring a small digital scale. At this size dealers are almost always willing to come down a bit. Less dense buds and poorer quality strains can be haggled to $90 or so. Good quality is easy to find, but you usually pay a slight premium.

1 oz: This quantity is harder to find from the street dealers. If you ask, they can probably get it for you without much difficulty. Just be prepared to wait around for a while. I don’t recommand driving any dealer anywhere or going too far away from the area for the promise of getting the size bag you want. Play it safe, and let them give you a phone number or something so you can contact each other when they’ve got it in hand. Prices at this weight are negotiable, usually around $400 to start and down from there.

One of the nice things about Haight Street is that you can get larger quantities of cannabis rather easily. Just ask, and you can get a deal for whatever you want.

Another reporter added: “This is the highest dope on the street I have ever seen. You can get $20/gram IF YOU ARE LUCKY. The weed is as strong as it gets, you are likely to pass out if you smoke like you do at home, unless you are Capt. Chronic or something.”

and also: “Weed is generally pretty expensive, but GOOD here. Most dealers will offer about 60 and 8th, but I have been able to talk them down to 40. Check out the weed beforehand, make sure it’s good, (it usually is) and don’t be afraid to bargain. ”

and also: ” I lived in California for 23 years and made several trips to Norcal. Never did I encounter prices as high as you’re talking here in SF, Oakland, San Jose or surrounding areas. Maybe some suburbs with money (eg Los Gatos) on the weight, but never paid more than $50 for an eight (often slightly less) or $100 for a quarter (almost always 80 or 90 bucks).

A lotta cats “got them purps” and if they are shorting the sack (probably if you meet them on the street) that also means they will take less if you bargain. They are like ticket scalpers.”

and: “Weed is not cheap in Northern Caliornia. On the east coast you can get 2.2 grams of midis(medium grade weed) for 10 dollars. In the San Jose, SanFran, Oakland, Sacramento area a ten sack(if you can find one in San Francisco) will probably be .6 or less if these people try to scheme you. I’m sorry I don’t remember what the amount is but mostly the lowest the hippies try to sell with you is 60 dollars. I think for an eighth is how much it cost. But don’t be afraid to bargin with these people, they useually just want money for crack or for food. And the marijuana here is pure marijuana and not laced with anything else so do not worry about that if you are.”

Strains:

There’s a lot more Sativa hybrids on Haight than ever before. This is probably from the explosion of high quality seed suppliers from overseas and Canada. Take your time there, and always ask for your favorite buds by name. Chances are that they will be available. Common varieties are the white strains, most indicas, and some that are harder to determine. Quality is usually very high. Do not purchase poor quality buds on Haight Street – there are always better buds just a few steps away.

Hash is STILL not available on Haight, and it probably never will be. I have never encountered kief either (sifted resin from leaves, pressed into wafers) on Haight, but it would be nice.

AK-47, P-91, P-10, Bullrider, Bubbleberry, you name it, they got it.

More information: Just don’t get jacked by a junkie, and you might try the Mission district if you strike out. Avoid the tenderloin except as a LAST resort. Cops WILL bust you down there.

City tale:

San Francisco and N. California is where one can find some of the best marijuana on earth. We have enjoyed a marijuana “counter culture” here since at least the 1950’s and some even say as early the 1850’s. Mexican emigrants to the Los Angeles area after WW2 probably did most to popularize pot smoking with us Californians.

In the 1960’s the hippy movement firmly established itself here in Calfornia with San Francisco as it’s unofficial Mecca. It was these hippies who are said by some to be the first to and develop the cultivation techniqe knowen as sinsemilla. Sensi is the unfertilized (no seeds) buds of the female Cannabis plant. Some growers and smokers claim this to be the highest-potency, seedless marijuana plants ever produced. The idea is that the female is more prone towards producing extra scent and goo i.e. T.H.C. to attract a polinator rather than spending energy producing seeds. Most growers in California indoor and out abide by this philsophy.

In the nineteen seventy’s California became a world leader in the production of Marijuana. Imported pot is uncommon here especially in the northern half of the state. For years it has been reported that marijuana is California’s biggest cash crop with sales exceeding 3 billion dollars a year.

In the early 1980’s, California decided to stop marijuana cultivation at its source. The Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, or CAMP, is a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies whose goal is simple: eradication of the northern California marijuana cultivators. In the coastal valleys of Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino Counties (the Emerald Triangle) spotter planes, helicopters, and bands of gun-toting eradicators descend each year in late summer. Satellite spy technology and U-2-type spy planes were used. When first initiated, the CAMP offensive appeared so formidable that Attorney General John Van de Kamp predicted in 1983 its first year that it would “run the growers out of the state” of California. Sorry John. Growers quickly devised ways around these practices and indoor marijuana first started to appear. Since then alot of large growers have moved their operations inside away form these prying eyes.

Others have turned to some ingenious methods: growers hang their plants in grow bags in trees. They intertwine them with pine saplings, wine grapes, and other ‘cover’ plants. Others tie their ‘girls’ down (they love it) so that they grow horizontally or as a ground cover. They spread their plants out over several miles, and make sure that their plants grow only two to three feet tall instead of the twelve to fifteen that is possible, because the small plants cannot be seen from the air. The plants are bred so that they are heavily laden with buds, which gives them high potency in exchange for very little growing space.

In 1996 Californians had enough. Prop. 215 which in nutshell legalized marijuana for medical use was overwhelmingly approved by state voters in November that year. This has created an era of confusion for the California and Federal courts, law enforcement, and citizens alike. The Federal government continues to prosecute growers, suppliers and smokers irregardless of whether they have a doctors recommendation or not.

Some local police and sheriffs departments uphold the voter approved prop. 215 and some do not. Trying to figure which county is on the side of the feds and which county is on the side of the state voters is another grey area and is often left to the discretion of the officer at the scene. This as you can imagine is a true a legal nightmare. But it is a far cry from the days when getting caught with a joint was a sure bust. Keeping your dope out of sight from the authorities is still the program unless you have a prescription for marijuana, a good lawyer and the desire to make a stand on the issue in a court of law.

In San Francisco high quality pot runs about $50-60 for 1/8 oz. (3.5g) or $350 per ounce. This is usually indoor and very potent stuff. Imported mainly Mexican of good to moderate quality is less common but can be found for about $10/g. Hash is much more uncommon but on occasion can still be found. But do keep your eye open for some of our local Keif a real treat consisting of loose crystals collected from high quality local pot with a tumbler or shaker type device and a silk screen.

If you do get caught with marijuana by police remember that possesion of less than 1 oz. is considered ‘personal use’ in the State of California. Keep it all in one bag so you can’t get slammed for dealing. If you are caught with -1oz. you will not be arrested. You may get a ticket (small fine) or maybe if you are cooperative and lucky just a lecture. In most cases you will lose the pot though. By no means should you let the threat of the authorities stop you from sampling California cannabis some of the best if not the best marijuana on the planet while visiting.

Scoring:

90% of San Franciscans will speak openly about pot and will not be offended in the slightest if a tourist makes an inquiry. If a San Franciscan does not smoke pot themselves they should be able to find some for you or in the least steer you in the right direction towards someone who can. Asking locals after even breif conversation is far and away the best avenue of persuit in San Francisco.

Buying off the street is not recommended but in an emergency one could with extreme caution try Dolores Park at the pedestrian bridge crossing over the rail lines. Friendly stoners often hang out in Golden Gate Park at ‘Hippy Hill’. Avoid anyone selling on Haight Street.

Other areas for great pot in N. California could include but are not limited to Mendocino County and village, most of Humbolt County, and west Marin County especially Bolinas off Hwy 1. The cities of Santa Cruz, Berkeley and Gurneville on the Russian River in Sonoma County.

General California Information:

Legislation: In California since 1996’s Prop 215 anyone “recommended” (not prescribed—doctors nationwide can’t prescribe cannabis but they can under freedom of speech laws recommend it informally for your condition/illness) marijuana has been able to use it in their home legally now in quantities “Under the [statewide] guidelines, qualified patients and/or their primary caregivers may possess no more than eight ounces of dried marijuana and/or six mature (or 12 immature) marijuana plants. However, S.B. 420 allows patients to possess larger amounts of marijuana when such quantities are recommended by a physician. The legislation also allows counties and municipalities to approve and/or maintain local ordinances permitting patients to possess larger quantities of medicinal pot than allowed under the new state guidelines. [For detailed information on county or municipal medical marijuana guidelines [whether your area allows greater than 8 ounces to be possessed, e

tc.], please visit: http://www.safeaccessnow.net/countyguidelines.htm Oakland, for example, allows more than most counties]”

Thus if you are recommended cannabis you can visit the cannabis dispensaries (pharmacies supplying only medical marijuana to patients displaying proof of recommendation and residence in California) but some counties have banned the dispensaries in their area. Nonetheless there are many dispensaries in LA (over 100) and some in Northern California especially towards the coast. Or you can grow the applicable amount you want legally. If a police officer discovers you are in possession of cannabis showing them an ID card from your county will make them leave you alone faster (optional, costs over $100 a year). Under state law your marijuana use will be 100% legal in your home. Federal laws against medical marijuana don’t change the way California (or any other) state police officers and courts treat medical marijuana—only state laws do. California state law protects all doctor-recommended medical marijuana users as long as they don’t go over the quantity limits and don

‘t sell their cannabis to anyone. Thus medical marijuana is quite legal in California and many have gotten legal protection for their medical use for a wide variety of conditions not yet allowed in the other 11 medical marijuana states: e.g., Migraine, Arthritis, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), PMS, Severe Anxiety and many other conditions where marijuana is useful and effective.

source: CANORML.org and NORML.com [California and National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws] and MPP.org [Marijuana Policy Project]

Law enforcement: Medical marijuana users with doctor recommendations are fully legally protected in California for amounts up to at least 8 ounces and/or 6 mature (or 12 immature) plants in their home (certain counties listed here http://www.safeaccessnow.net/countyguidelines.htm allow more and certain conditions allow larger quantities sometimes). State police officers must not arrest you if you can show an identification card ($100 or so per year) or show your doctor-written proof of recommendation paper. As long as you keep within the legal quantity. 99% of marijuana arrests in the USA are done by state police officers according to MPP.org so as long as your medical marijuana use is legal in California you will not to have any problems as long as you follow state rules.

Where to buy marijuana: Medical users can buy at a dispensary (over 150 in the state, mostly in LA and the SF Bay area on the coast) with full legal protection to the quantities they are allowed. Also if an authorized medical user buys off the street they cannot be arrested for doing so as long as they can display a medical marijuana identification card ($100 or so a year) or show their written doctor’s proof of recommendation. Or they could grow their own to the amounts allowed.

More information: California is a pioneering medical marijuana state; the first “effective” American medical marijuana state since 1996 and the one that allows use for the most conditions (marijuana has shown anecdotal and scientifically proven results for many conditions, more than the 4 or 5 conditions (cancer/nausea/chemotherapy side effects, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, glaucoma, or MS or anorexia that the other 11 states have legalized use when recommended (though Maryland has the least protection according to MPP.org)) Plus California has decriminalized other marijuana use to a $100 fine for under an ounce possession and fines for paraphernalia; no jail time and some cities have set marijuana use in general as the lowest law enforcement priority thus ignoring small time possession much more often.