Leafly

Searchable Marijuana Information Library

Published 06/12/2012 and rated 5 out of 5 stars
by Carmen Rane Hudson

Leafly.com gives medical marijuana patients a judgment free, private tool that connects them to medical marijuana dispensaries and gives them information about the 500+ strains of medical marijuana that are actually in existence today. It is a powerful tool which helps medical marijuana patients stay informed. This allows medical marijuana patients to manage their own health. Part specialized library, part specialized search engine, Leafly.com is a timely tool for a remedy which is gaining broader acceptance but which is still considered shameful or taboo in many circles. In addition, Leafly.com allows like-minded medical marijuana patients to communicate what has and has not worked for them by introducing a rating and reviews system, allowing for powerful user-generated input to help other users make informed decisions about medical marijuana varieties before making any purchases.

Leafly.com was founded in 2010 by Scott Vickers, Cy Scott, and Brian Wansolich. The site receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each month. It has been featured on Tech Crunch, The East Bay Express, ABC News, and DVice.

Leafly’s closest equivalent is WeedMaps, which is a massive database of dispensaries. WeedMaps has less information about the marijuana itself but seems to have a more comprehensive database on where to go about getting it. WeedMaps also includes WeedMaps.tv, which offers dispensary tours. In addition there are lists of grow shops and daily deals. The feel of the two apps is completely different. Leafly is going for a tasteful, quiet, work safe encyclopedia, where WeedMaps is a lot louder and more irreverent in its treatment of the subject.

Leafly has a clean look and feel that makes visitors feel safe. There is nothing on the site that makes one feel as though they are drawing close to a dangerous and highly suspect counterculture. Instead, Leafly simply feels like a very scientific information resource. The buttons are clear, large, and clearly marked. It’s easy to tell what each part of the site does and do so at a glance. Leafly has even taken the time to make their site as work safe as possible by making all of the images optional.

Leafly offers four registration options. Users can create a standard account by providing their e-mail address, username, and password. Users can also create an anonymous account if they so choose. Finally, Leafly has offered the fast options of simply signing into Leafly via Twitter or Facebook. The registration process gives the impression that Leafly really cares about maintaining privacy and anonymity if that is what the user desires.

Leafly is free for users who just want to find dispensaries and information. Dispensaries can sign up for free, and then take advantage of some optional paid services to promote their business a little bit more aggressively. The mobile app versions are free as well, though the user must be at least 17 years old to download it.

Leafly is free for users who just want to find dispensaries and information. Dispensaries can sign up for free, and then take advantage of some optional paid services to promote their business a little bit more aggressively. The mobile app versions are free as well, though the user must be at least 17 years old to download it.

• Users can search for nearby medical marijuana dispensaries.
• Users can search over 500 strains of medical marijuana by strain name, medicinal use, or effect.
• Comprehensive library of information about each strain of medical marijuana.
• Users can give feedback with the strain ratings and review system.
• Users can access a private journal to keep a record of the strains that best serve their medical needs.