It’s that time of year again: back to school. As a student in Colorado, you have access to unique opportunities to purchase recreational cannabis, provided you are of legal age.

Whether you want to try something new, pick up a favorite strain or are completely clueless, this article is for you. There are quite a few dispensaries in Fort Collins, but here is a quick list of the dispensaries closest to the Colorado State University campus.

As a quick note, you are not allowed to possess cannabis on campus. CSU is a land-grant university, meaning the campus is federal land where weed is illegal. You can carry cannabis products (as long as it’s less than 2 ounces) and paraphernalia pretty much everywhere else in the state (except for national parks and other federal lands), but be cautious where you choose to light up. 

Also, like in every legal state, Colorado dispensaries will always accept cash; some will take debit cards or have an ATM but cannot accept credit cards. This all circles back to the Controlled Substances Act, which makes cannabis illegal at a federal level. Since banks are federally regulated, they cannot process transactions for cannabis businesses even though it is legal in Colorado. All the stores on this list offer online ordering with a debit card, but delivery is currently not available in Larimer County, so you’ll have to pick up your order yourself. 

With that in mind, let’s get to the list.

Basically on campus

Two dispensaries are easily walkable from campus: Verts Neighborhood Dispensary to the west and Elite Organics to the east. Both of these dispensaries are locally owned and operated.

Verts is a small recreational and medical dispensary on Elizabeth Street just to the west of campus. It sells all the usuals: flower, pre-rolls, edibles, vapes, some beverages and more. The store is smaller than some later on this list, but don’t let that dissuade you from giving it a try. 

Elite Organics is a little different, as the dispensary is in the back of Rock ‘N’ Robin’s record store. The menu is more limited than some of the options on this list, but you won’t find the unique record store and dispensary combo anywhere else in Fort Collins.

“We have a very convenient location for students here at Elite Organics, being right across the street from the eastern part of campus,” an Elite Organics representative said. They highlighted their selection of local flower, vapes, concentrates and more. Elite Organics also has “a headshop connected to our dispensary, making our business a nice one-stop shop for any stoner’s needs,” according to the representative. 

Downtown

Organic Alternatives is located a bit farther from campus in downtown Fort Collins. Its menu is more extensive than Verts but smaller than some shopping mall-sized dispensaries farther away from campus, and it is also locally owned and operated in Fort Collins.

The big dispensaries

Four large dispensaries will require a drive from campus to get to. You’ll get a more comprehensive selection from a bigger store in return for going the distance. 

About a seven minute drive from The Oval on College Avenue, you can go to The Green Solution or LivWell. The Green Solution has a large selection and has many locations statewide to benefit getting into a rewards program. The Green Solution also has the latest operating hours in Fort Collins, as it is open daily until 11:45 p.m.

LivWell is similarly massive in size and selection but with locations in Colorado and Michigan. Both of the North College Avenue stores will likely have what you’re looking to try or a favorite you’re coming back for since they have massive selections. 

Flower Power Botanicals is also a short drive from the north side of campus. Flower Power is the first dispensary in the state to accept cryptocurrency payments in addition to cash or debit. It is also one of the biggest locally owned and operated dispensaries in Fort Collins.

Finally, Green Dragon is the farthest from campus on this list at a 12-minute drive east. Green Dragon is new to Fort Collins, with the location here opening just last December. It offers a similarly large selection of various cannabis products. 

Of all the options Fort Collins has to offer, don’t be afraid to try them all — or stay loyal to your favorite.

Reach Grayson Acri at cannabis@collegian.com or on Twitter @Guy1376.