Quote Originally Posted by psychodelic
... With a prescription, it should be the same as getting any other prescription filled: legal, hassle-free (for the most part), and affordable. The OP is stating that the Colorado dispensaries are not allowing this to happen, which is enraging.
Bingo!

It really comes down to simple greed. There are a huge influx of new medical patients. I was at the recent Board of Health hearing and they are estimating 15k+ registered by the end of the year. There were about 4k at the end of last year. I don't think the dispensaries were ready for the influx of patients, they ran out of meds and had to go shop wholesale (typically, what, $4k/lb lately?). If they are selling at what I consider street/standard price of $300/oz (correct me here? I'm in the Boulder/Denver/Foco areas), their profit margins just got a lot slimmer than they were used to on the meds they grew themselves.

I'm generalizing here based on my experiences with 3 dispensaries and 2 delivery services, I realize it's not an accurate representation of all caregivers and dispensaries in the state. But my experience has been that as the dispensaries ran out of meds, they either lowered the quality of medication they offered (several times I received seedy/leafy or harsh or mouldy!! meds), or they offer high quality meds at ridiculous prices - for example, I absolutely love Patient's Choice for their clean professional relaxed atmosphere, but $65 for 1/8th is robbery imo.

Now I think you could argue it either way as to which is better for patients, dispensaries raising prices with the market to serve more patients, or should they be turning new patients away so they can afford to supply meds to their existing patients at a reasonable price?

Personally I think part of their obligation as a caregiver is ensure that they can deliver /consistently/ good quality meds at a price the patient can afford, even if it means turning away new business.