If you had told me that in college I would be working at a medical marijuana dispensary, I would be stunned at how cool I’d one day become. When I was granted the opportunity, I pounced. My future of being a health care provider would be exemplified by helping ill patients find an alternative medicine that would work for their needs. This was not just a "chill job"; it was a small opportunity to crush Big Pharma.
The political climate for herbal remedies was not ideal when I accepted the job. The white men in our statehouse were writing bills left and right to abolish patient’s access to medical marijuana. The first of these could be enacted this August, meaning that my job security is not promised. However, my line of work is above my own needs, and this is what I have learned so far:
1). People often benefit more from marijuana than prescription drugs.
When I’m speaking with my patients, they rant and rave about how much our services have improved their quality of life. They all say something along the lines of how much more effective cannabis has been in treating their illness. And it’s noticeable—terminally ill cancer patients often return to the store with more pep in their step. It works in two ways, the first being that their discontinuation of pharmaceuticals takes the extra load off their weakened bodies. Their kidneys and liver are not being bogged down by man-made chemicals, which boosts their energy levels. The second way that they improve is that well, they’re high. Study after study concludes that marijuana usage is effective in treating symptoms, like pain, nausea, depression, anxiety, and so much more. Marijuana is not a debilitating medication; you can still go to the park, clean your house, walk your dog, and make yourself lunch (if you’re a patient, you will be making a lot of “lunches”).
2). Marijuana legalization can (and has) lowered drug dependency.
I grew up in an upper-class town that is now ravaged by heroin and opioid addiction. My hometown is not alone; millions of Americans are dependent on this class of drugs. Many times, it starts from an injury that is treated with painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet, and the addiction unravels from there. Since marijuana legalization in Colorado, statistics show that the usage of these substances has dramatically decreased. As I mentioned before, marijuana is incredibly effective for pain management. There is also talk of studies being performed with the aim of curbing addiction with cannabis. Either way, nature wins every time.
3). There’s a lot of science behind these plants.
If you didn’t know already, the two "types" of marijuana are indica and sativa. Indica, gives you the stoned, cheeto-hungry feeling that makes it difficult to leave the couch. Sativa gives you a head high, the way Tommy Chong says “heyy, man.” But there are also hybrids, which are the two types mixed together. There are chemicals like CBD and THC, but also more complicated ones like CBG, CBL, and THCV. Every strain bestows its own effects on the user, and you definitely don’t want to give someone the wrong one. A patient with severe anxiety would not fare well with a sativa strain like Lemon Haze. Even making the products requires a chemistry background similar to Walter White’s. Making concentrates (oils, waxes, butters) is a time-consuming process that involves heat and can go very badly if done incorrectly. Thankfully, that isn’t in my job description, but if you plan to go into the business you need to learn some science, b!tch.
4). There are bad dispensaries and they make us look illegitimate.
Another dispensary in our town was raided and shut down by the Drug Enforcement Agency a few weeks back, and it sent a wave of panic to patients and shops alike. We thought that the Feds were coming to raid us multiple times and that led to stressful events like closing the store in a state-approved manner. The business where I work plays by the book, so we were never spoken to. But, some other local dispensaries straight up closed due to fear. This means that the community looks poorly upon us, regardless of our legitimacy. Business slows down because people don’t acquire their medical cards, and current holders are afraid to renew theirs. It’s like that time Chipotle poisoned their customers, except ours aren’t affiliated with the offender’s company.
5). Politicians don't care if it works.
The state that I reside in is primarily run by white males above the age of 55 with ranch money, basically a club of Jeb Bush’s. They want to appeal to their heavily Republican voter base, so they enact bills that screw over their terminally ill and pained neighbors. But looking at the statistics, almost 70 percent of the United States is in favor of marijuana for medical purposes. The real answer that these politicians prefer prohibition? They’re in the pharmaceutical industry’s pockets. Every one of the bill writers has received donations from the industry in some form or another. Not only are they making a personal health decision political, they’re harming our most vulnerable community members in the process.
