Patient Alternative Resource Center (PARC) is positioned at 42nd Street, near Sky Harbor International a rough patch of University Drive. The pristine grass outside is artificial, but its modern look and fresh interior made PARC feel safe and relaxing.
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Patient Alternative Resource Center 4201 E. University Drive Phoenix, AZ 85034 602-437-1645 http://parcdispensary.com/ Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday Medication price range: $18 per gram, $45 per eighth, $360 per ounce Other types of medicine: Pre-rolls, 180mg brownie bites, fudge, candy bars, gummy bears. Online menu? Yes. Handicap accessible? Yes. Offers delivery? No.
The staff is friendly, very talkative, and gave an exhaustive tour through the selection of 22 strains. Because it was my first time as a patient, I was presented with a free pre-rolled joint, plus the sale that day meant every eighth I purchased earned me a free gram. What a deal! I left with approximately nine grams for under $100. One of the nicest things about this place is that all of the cannabis costs the same amount, regardless of quality, potency, or genetics. Every gram is $18, every eighth is $45, and every ounce is $360. This makes PARC one of the most reasonably priced state-licensed dispensaries in town.
Remember how much I appreciated that Encanto Green Cross weighed out their buds in front of you? Pre-weighed marijuana is still lazy and lacks something in my opinion, but while PARC's pot is already sealed inside plastic envelopes, they do lay out a few different baggies and let you pick which you want. A little different, but at least thoughtful.
My first choice was Chem Dog (hybrid, $45/eighth), a fluffy sativa-dominant specimen simply powdered with trichomes. The aroma recalled Febreze, living up the "chem" in its name, but luckily it retained a smooth flavor. The charge it gave was just energizing enough, making it so I didn't feel any fatigue or chronic pain as I fluttered around my apartment, cleaning and cooking.
Sometimes sativas give me insomnia (that's why it's important for me to have an indica to balance things out), but Chem Dog's level of CBDs let me sleep just fine. This strain would be ideal any time of day.
The Blueberry Diesel (hybrid, $45/eighth) is a cross of Sour Diesel and Blueberry. A heavy hint of blueberry is there, but it smells more like cut grass. With the synthetic-like Diesel aroma, you not only get the lawn but the lawnmower, dripping oil. It had a nice flavor, but honestly, I was expecting more.
Then, there was the crème de la crème, the Maui Cheese (indica, $45/eighth). As soon as I got a whiff, I knew I had to buy it. It turns out I'm not crazy for going gaga over the smell: A 2011 study from the British Journal of Pharmacology found that the terpenoids (the chemicals that make a plant's aroma, such as eucalyptus or cinnamon) actually do indicate the bud's therapeutic effects.
The Maui stank was somewhere between old brie and musky aftershave. And what a range of color, blurring between indigo, orange, and forest green. And it gave such a good mellow.
What draws me to PARC is the way they do business more than anything else. Much of their medication I sampled can be rivaled elsewhere, but their customer service, low prices, and attitude are far more distinctive. Being close to ASU's Tempe campus is another plus for some. I will definitely be going back to find out what else PARC has to offer.
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