Are Dispensary Taxes Too High? Why Customers Are Choosing Canna Dos - Canna Dos

Are Dispensary Taxes Too High? Why Customers Are Choosing Canna Dos

Canna Dos is a worker-owned hemp company in North Carolina. Every gram of flower, gummy, pre-roll, and vape is Farm-Bill compliant, third-party tested, and ships free to all fifty states. Outside North Carolina there is no tax at checkout, so the price you see is the final price you pay. The result is a combination of high potency and low cost that most storefront dispensaries cannot match.

Potency and Price Compared

Product

Canna Dos strength

Canna Dos price

Typical dispensary strength¹

Typical dispensary price*

Flower (3.5 g)

30–35 % total THC

$24.99 – $29.99 USD

25–30 % total THC (medical only)

$68–$100+ USD

Liquid-diamond vape (2 g)

90 % total THC

$39.99 USD

70–85 % THC (1 g cart)

$60–$80 USD

Gummies

30 mg per piece

$29.99 USD

5–15 mg per piece

$30–$60 USD

*Dispensary figures include the retail price plus the state cannabis excise tax. Average potency ranges gathered from Leafly’s strain guide and recent dispensary menus.

Nationwide Legal Shipping to All 50 States

Thanks to federal hemp laws, Canna Dos can legally ship THCa flower and Delta 9 edibles to customers in all 50 states. Discreet home delivery offers a lifeline for those without local access to cannabis.

One of the biggest advantages of Canna Dos is that we ship nationwide, legally. How is this possible? The 2018 Farm Bill made hemp (cannabis with ≤0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight) federally legal. As long as products remain under that 0.3% Δ9 THC threshold before use, they are considered Farm Bill compliant THC and can be sold and shipped across state lines. In practical terms, our THCa flower looks, smells, and smokes just like dispensary cannabis  – because it is cannabis – the only difference is it hasn’t been heated (activated) yet. Once you light or vape it, the THCa converts to Delta 9 THC, delivering the same effects as high-grade dispensary weed while still originating from a federally legal product.

What this means for you is access, no matter where you live. We deliver to all 50 states under federal law. If you’re in a state with strict marijuana laws – say Texas, which has no recreational dispensaries – you’re not out of luck. In fact, Texas recently saw an attempt to ban hemp-derived THC products fail, as a proposed ban was vetoed in mid-2025. That means Texans (and residents of other restrictive states) can legally order potent THCa flower, Delta 9 gummies, and more from Canna Dos to be shipped right to their door. No need to drive across state lines or resort to dubious sources – we bring a legal cannabis alternative straight to you.

Even in fully legal states like California or Colorado, Canna Dos offers a compelling option. Why? Because our products let you bypass some of the hassles of brick-and-mortar dispensaries (like high taxes and limited selection). Whether you lack local access or just prefer the convenience, Canna Dos ensures you get quality, lab-tested THC products delivered safely and discreetly.

No Taxes for Customers Outside NC – The Tax-Free Advantage

Another major reason it pays to shop with Canna Dos: you pay no cannabis taxes at checkout. We are based in NC, and because it’s a destination state, we’re only required to collect sales tax from customers within North Carolina. Everyone else gets the tax-free advantage. In other words, we essentially offer no-tax THC shopping for the vast majority of our customers. The price you see on our site is the price you pay – no surprise excise taxes or exorbitant dispensary fees added on.

This is a huge money-saver. In many legal states, buying cannabis means paying steep taxes – often 20–30% or more on top of the product price. For instance, California imposes a 15% excise tax (rising to 19% in 2025) plus state and local sales taxes, which can push the total tax burden to as high as 50% at retail. Other states like Washington have a 37% cannabis excise tax on the sticker price. That means a $60 eighth in a dispensary might cost you $75+ after taxes. We help customers avoid that cost entirely. With Canna Dos, if you’re ordering outside NC, you pay $0 in tax – a true tax-free cannabis experience.

Think about what that means for your wallet: if you spend $100 on products at a local shop in a legal state, you might be charged $130 by the end of the transaction. With us, $100 worth of product is $100 out the door, period. Over time, those savings really add up. We believe in providing fair, accessible pricing – and part of that is not charging people an arm and a leg in taxes. Canna Dos was founded to help consumers get quality cannabis on their terms, and avoiding hefty recreational taxes is a big part of delivering on that mission. The bottom line: when you shop with us, you keep more of your money and get the most value for every dollar.

Quick State-by-State Savings Guide

Use the list to see why Canna Dos is the easier, cheaper option where you live. “Excise” means the extra cannabis tax added before ordinary sales tax.

State

Dispensary hurdle

Canna Dos advantage

AK

50 USD per ounce cultivation tax 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

AL

No adult-use stores

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

AZ

16 % retail excise 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

AR

Medical only

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

CA

15 % excise plus local add-ons up to 30 % 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

CO

15 % wholesale and 15 % retail excise 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

CT

THC-based excise up to 2.75 ¢ per mg in edibles 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

DE

15 % excise once sales begin 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

FL

Medical only

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

GA

No adult-use program

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

HI

Adult-use bill pending

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

ID

Cannabis prohibited

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

IL

Tiered excise 10–25 % by potency 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

IN

No dispensaries

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

IA

No dispensaries

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

KS

No dispensaries

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

KY

Medical only

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

LA

Medical only

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

ME

10 % excise on retail sales 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

MD

9 % retail excise 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

MA

10.75 % excise plus local 3 % 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

MI

10 % excise on adult-use sales 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

MN

10 % excise starting 2025 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

MS

No adult-use stores

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

MO

6 % state excise plus local up to 3 % 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

MT

20 % excise on retail sales 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

NE

No dispensaries

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

NV

15 % wholesale and 10 % retail excise 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

NH

Possession legal, no stores

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

NJ

Effective tax near 20 % after fees 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

NM

12 % excise rising to 18 % 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

NY

13 % retail excise plus potency surcharge 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

NC

No dispensaries

State tax only, no shipping fee

ND

No adult-use sales

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

OH

10 % adult-use excise 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

OK

Medical only

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

OR

17 % excise plus optional 3 % local 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

PA

No adult-use program

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

RI

13 % retail excise 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

SC

No adult-use program

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

SD

No adult-use program

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

TN

No dispensaries

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

TX

No dispensaries, recent hemp-ban veto keeps products legal 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

UT

Medical only

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

VT

14 % retail excise 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

VA

21 % excise when retail begins 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

WA

37 % retail excise, highest in the nation 

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

WV

No adult-use program

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

WI

No adult-use program

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

WY

No adult-use program

No dispensary tax, no shipping fee

*Numbers reflect statewide rates before ordinary sales tax. Local taxes can raise totals further.

Lower Prices and Higher Potency than Dispensaries

Canna Dos not only saves you money on taxes and shipping, but our base prices themselves are often lower than dispensary prices for equal or better quality. We’re able to offer affordable hemp flower and edibles because we operate efficiently online and don’t deal with the huge overhead costs (and taxes) that state-licensed stores do. The result is premium, high-potency products at prices that dispensaries can’t easily match.

For example, our flagship Canna Dos House Flower strains (available in Sativa, Hybrid, and Indica) are just $29.99 for 3.5 grams (⅛ oz). Each batch is truly top-shelf: our recent House Sativa (Trop Cherry) tested at 30.62% Total THC, and our House Hybrid (OG Chem) came in at 34.9% Total THC – much higher potency than what most recreational users typically find in dispensaries. Yet, you’re paying under $30 an eighth for these strains, a price usually reserved for low-end or mid-range flower at best in retail shops. 

Trust, Transparency, and Quality Assurance

Shopping with Canna Dos gives you peace of mind because we prioritize trust and transparency at every step. All our products are third-party lab tested for potency and purity, and we make those lab reports (Certificates of Analysis) available for you to review. We want you to know exactly what you’re getting. The cannabinoid content we advertise is backed by real analysis, and we screen for contaminants to ensure everything is safe. Quality control is huge for us; we set ourselves apart by offering meticulously crafted, lab-tested products that match or exceed dispensary standards.

Why Strength Matters

  • Higher potency often means you use less product to reach the same effect.
  • For budget-minded consumers that translates into more sessions per dollar.
  • An eighth of Canna Dos House Flower can deliver comparable relief or enjoyment to top-shelf dispensary bud while costing less than half, once taxes and shipping are included.

Convenient, Private, and Hassle-Free Experience

Canna Dos offers stronger flower, more potent edibles, and industry-leading vapes at prices that undercut dispensaries even before tax. Free shipping and almost universal tax-free checkout add another layer of savings. Compare the numbers above with your local store and see how much you keep in your pocket when you order from Canna Dos.

Back to blog