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‘I thought this was common knowledge’: Dispensary worker calls out customers who do this at checkout. It happens all the time

‘I get this all the time in my shop.’

Photo of Ljeonida Mulabazi

Ljeonida Mulabazi

Woman talking(l), Jars of marijuana
@sweeehawt/TikTok (Licensed)

The legality of dispensaries in the U.S. can be a little confusing.

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While cannabis is legal for medicinal or recreational use in many states, it’s still considered a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law.

This federal status means that marijuana businesses face unique challenges, especially when it comes to financial transactions. 

TikToker Claudia (@sweeehawt), who works at a dispensary, recently shared a video that explains one of these quirks. The video has racked up over 501,000 views at the time of writing.

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“You guys, so I work at a dispensary, and you can’t use a credit card here,” Claudia explains. “I think it’s funny how people will try to splurge and then when it comes to paying and then ask them for their pin, they’re like, ‘Oh, this doesn’t have a pin’, and I’m like, ‘debit only.‘”

Why can’t you pay with credit at a dispensary?

She explains that because cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, dispensaries in the U.S. can’t process credit card payments. Instead, most transactions are cash-only or require a debit card with a PIN.

“I’m in Colorado,” Claudia says, where recreational cannabis use has been legal since 2012. “I don’t know about other states, but just so you guys know.”

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What does federal illegality mean for dispensaries?

Because marijuana is federally illegal, many banks and credit card companies won’t process payments from dispensaries.

According to experts, businesses often rely on workarounds like debit card transactions disguised as ATM withdrawals, but these come with fees and inconvenience for customers.

Some states have created their own banking solutions to help dispensaries, and private entities like Paybotic partner with banks to offer specialized payment solutions for the cannabis industry while adhering to state-specific banking laws.

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However, until federal laws change, credit cards are likely to remain off the table, so if you’re planning a dispensary visit, be sure to have cash or a debit card ready—just as Claudia advised.

Most viewers were aware of the restrictions

In the comments, users seemed well aware of the payment restrictions at dispensaries, with some expressing surprise that debit cards were even an option. Others chimed in to share how the rules work in their own states.

“Y’all have debit?” asked one user. “We still gotta use cash here.” 

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“Most still don’t even take debit yet,” stated another. “Why would they take credit?? pls”

“Legal here in Cali.. but still No Credit card for payment,” explained a third. “It’s very standard.. CASH only.. or they have atm at the location..”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Claudia via Instagram direct messages for comment.

@sweeehawt #fyp #denver #colorado ♬ original sound – Claudia
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