Alternative Therapies Group (ATG) (Salem - Medical)

This place used to be good when it was medical only. They recently opened for recreational sales and have had a hard time keeping flower in stock and answering their phone. They don't seem to care much about their medical patients and are focusing on growing their recreational business. The counter for recreational sales is larger and better staffed than their medical side. It's too bad because they were the first dispensary that opened in Massachusetts and now they don't seem to care about their medical patients who helped build their business over the last few years.

Amazing experience. I am an adult user and got to park right in the main lot. Police at front doors were very friendly. Atmosphere was nice, very helpful staff... I was in and out in ten minutes. Will be back!

I'm a recreational user and I have been there 4 times. The appointment only method works well in that it greatly reduces the wait time. Parking is adequate and I was able to park on street a short walk away. Staff is friendly and unhurried. My one gripe is that the online menu does not match the actual menu which you don't see until you actually get your turn. Correction: One one of my visits they had printed copies available as you checked in. I realize that demand far exceeds supply and the supply is always changing. However, greater effort needs to be directed to making the online menu match the real menu. I would think this would be helpful to the flow of customers in that it could reduce the time spent when the customer finally gets his/her turn.

I used to be a frequent customer here but since going recreational they’ve stopped caring about their patients, no more patient specials, no update on the menus so when you go there for a specific strain it’s always “temp out”. You would think they would update the menu when a product isn’t available but nope you have to go there to find out. And the quality of their product has gone way down overall 2/10

This place is a full on hassle. Financial hardship discounts - difficult to prove (even WITH mass health, SSDI letter, etc.) No stacking of discounts; no points system for discounts. I’ve been back once since Healthy Pharms opened. captains Cake was one of my all time favorite strains- until last time. Tiny brown, lacking in flavor and effect buds. I felt ripped off and scammed. I know trying to exchange would be fruitless. Lesson learned.

awesome first visit experience!!! will definitely come back :)

Stopped by and the selection is definitely back up to normal.

They stopped caring about their medicinal patients since adding recreational. It’s funny, they *assured me* that adding rec wouldn’t negatively impact the med side. Maybe they’re hoping their med patients will phase out and then they can focus on recreational? 🤷‍♂️

The Craft cartridges are top quality and all the flower I have purchased has been great. The service is always excellent. So grateful to have ASG recreational. Thank you!

First time recreational purchaser at this location. Drove an hour to get there. Very impressed with the security, IDs being checked, and the way appointment flow was handled. However, the person who assisted me was zero help, even after I told her I needed guidance. She pointed to a paper list in front of the register and said these are your choices today. I was so disappointed because I had studied the online menu before going (as my appointment confirmation suggested) to educate and figure out what to buy. When I looked at the choices on the paper, none of the products I wanted were available, and the choices were extremely limited. The website menus need to be updated daily with what is available to who. Also, there was one small sparse display to look at while waiting in line. Zero vapes, papers, paraphernalia, etc. to look at). Zero education to the new user. I had very high hopes. Display samples of available product behind glass shelving so consumers can peruse and learn while waiting in line, put up posters of information and types of product. I didn’t see one vape or edible. Unfortunately I won’t be going back.

They don’t keep an updated menu and seems like they jumped in over their heads going recreational. What a waste!!

Never had an issue here! Always a good spot to pick up some cannabis. I like their flower the best and looking forward to more strains. Stop by here if you are here for medical reasons or recreational purposes!

Pretty awesome

I've been going here since they opened(medical cannabis)I was kind of freaked out when they took the metal detector out to make room for rec clients but I still went. Last night I went on the website to check out the strains. I was so excited because they had a lot to choose from & a couple of new strains. Needless to say they had 3 strains for medical & the rest was rec. Because I wanted super lemon haze I had to purchase it from the rec counter which cost me 20$ more & I HAD to buy a 1/4 because that's all they were selling. So a word of warning: if you are a patient the website is now meaningless. Go to Brookline...better deals & more variety.

Amazing selection and service

Stopped caring about patients the moment they opened up for rec. WHY are there still strains that are REC ONLY?!? Overpriced for what you’re getting. The flower they sell you is almost always a year old. Hey guys... you’re not gonna be the only dispensary in town for much longer. Can’t wait to see if you think you can maintain your complacency after that.

This place has really gone downhill, complete waste of time.

Would not come back here. The store Display are not the same strains on the store menu or Leafly menu and are far from top shelf quality!

Fourth review. Censoring reviews for aiding customers in reporting ATG to the Cannabis Control Commission is bad form. After being built by medical patients and then turning them away, how could one trust ATG? After meeting and talking to so many former ATG employees at other dispensaries, it’s clear that ATG does not operate in the best interest of medical patients. I will continue to make it my mission to help medical patients and rec users stay as far away from ATG as possible.

To date I have conservatively visited approx 70% of the Mass dispensaries and this one ranks dead last in product availability, customer service, and knowledge base. I have had three negative experiences from the confusion at door w Medical patients and the public since opening to rec use. Had a problem w a vape device malfunction and spoke with a manager who was not knowledgeable at all, had no idea what a PAX was, and I felt like I was talking to guido on the street corner buying an 1/8th of dank! I will NEVER visit this location and it would be nice if these organizations remember it’s the med patients who supported their business prior to the recreational openings. This dispensary has a very long way to go.

I used to go to this location all the time when it was strictly medical, and it was just okay. Now you can’t even get in there. There’s very little parking and there’s always people crowding the lot. If you’re medical, don’t bother. Go somewhere else.

Widely regarded as one of the worst if not the worst dispensary in mass

Recreational requires an appointment...but you likely won't get in at that time so plan accordingly. My appointment was for 3pm and by time they let the earlier appointments in and got to me it was 4pm. So I stood in line for an hour. Once inside things go pretty quickly. Straightforward. Massachusetts is still pretty limited in choices for Recreational use. Plenty of parking available.

Based on my last two visits since they opened again I think they really bounced back in my opinion.