High-end cannabis has made its way to Jamaica's west coast, although that's not new news to anyone familiar with the destination.
Hedonism II, the iconic adults-only playground -- a clothing-optional, lifestyle-friendly, party-hardy resort in Negril -- opened its newest guest amenity earlier this summer.
HedoWeedo is its medicinal marijuana dispensary located within the resort although is independently owned and operated and not part of Hedonism's all-inclusive experience.
Hedonism II joins several other ganja-friendly resorts in Jamaica offering access to weed, including six properties near Negril and one near Port Antonio, under the GanjaVacations umbrella.
In the case of GanjaVacations, the marketing positions it thusly: "Looking for a cool holiday destination to chill, soak in some sun, get a little sand between your toes and score some righteous legal weed?"
At HedoWeedo, clients "enjoy a unique, world-class dispensary experience that far exceeds the expectations of novice and experienced medicinal cannabis users alike," a spokesman said.
The dispensary's mission is "to promote the well being of our customers with personalized service," the spokesman said. "We place a great emphasis on 'budtender' training to ensure that each customer is provided with individual recommendations tailored to his or her specific needs." HedoWeedo's products range from joints to flowers and oils. All products are cultivated by licensed farmers.
The starting rate for pre-rolled joints is $15; a 30 ml. bottle of oils starts at $50.
In compliance with Jamaica's cannabis laws, a medical card is required in order to purchase the cannabis products. Hedonism guests and other clients can obtain a card and prescription from the on-site doctor or a registered physician in Jamaica, or they can bring the information from their home country.
The dispensary is open daily from 11 am to 11 pm. For Hedonism guests, smoking is permitted in designated areas throughout the resort, but all rooms and suites are non-smoking.
Thee dispensary is open to non-Hedo visitors, as well. For those folks, there's an air-conditioned smoking area connected to the dispensary that is outfitted with a smoke extractor. They also can take their purchases with them when they leave the dispensary. (Though purchases may not exceed more than two ounces at one time, and all purchases are tracked by a Point of Sale system, down to 0.01 of a gram.)
A HedoWeedo therapeutic spa is in the works and will debut in the coming months, offering cannabis-based massage treatments.