The cannabis “dispensaries” of my youth were in rundown tenement buildings found in a dense economically diverse cities. Up a few flights, the only clue to the operation would be a circular hole in a door where a deadbolt used to be. By placing a $5 bill in the small hole the bill would silently slide into the apartment and be replaced by nickel bag (actually a small manila envelope) of inexpensive commercial – or “mersh” – weed.