To many Washingtonians, the cannabis industry's grand opening was July 2014 when the first recreational sales were allowed in the Evergreen State, but that's not the case for everyone.
Early this summer, the Inlander spoke with Essie Chapman, a budtender at The Green Nugget in North Spokane, who was already a seasoned cannabis professional when the recreational market opened a decade ago, to get her perspective on how the industry has evolved. Her answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
INLANDER: What is your background in the cannabis industry?
CHAPMAN: I've been in the cannabis industry since about 2010 when I became a budtender in the medical market. I did that for three-and-a-half, four years and eventually even opened my own shop and had a dispensary in East Wenatchee. It was called the Chronic Relief Center.
Beyond the legalization of recreational cannabis, how have you seen the industry change since you got into it in 2010?
Oh gosh. Product, just the amount of product that's available to customers now. Back in the medical market there was a limited amount of products, especially in the concentrates. I mean, they didn't even know what concentrates were. For a lot of customers, it was shatter [extract] and things like that. That was a new thing back then. And then when [recreational] first opened up, we had very little concentrate on the shelves. Now it's just so many varieties, and they have really stepped up the game and how they now can do it solventless. It's amazing.
Product is something I hear from just about everyone...
It is. The variety's amazing. There's so many in every category. There's something for everyone. You can eat it, you can drink it, you can rub it on. We even have inhalers for people, we have those. You can actually use an inhaler and get microdoses that way.
With so many options these days, how do you like to help steer customers to the right product for them?
One of the first things I ask is how they want to consume it. Are they wanting to smoke it? Are they wanting to use a concentrate? Eat it? Drink it? And then I ask them how they want to feel. Because the indica, the sativa, it's not just about that. There's also the terpene profiles, which contributes to that euphoric feeling that you'll be getting from cannabis. Some of the terpenes can make you feel sleepy and some can make you feel more energized. Some can stimulate your appetite. And we have the CBGs, CBNs and CBCs. Those cannabinoids are good for sleep and relaxation and inflammation and just, there's just so much now that was not available back before the rec market opened up.
Have you seen customer perception of the cannabis industry change over the years?
I think they think we're all just a bunch of stoners, that we're all just high at work. I really feel like that is the misconception of those who don't go into the store. Once they walk into the store and they see that we are all bright-eyed, perky and we are educated individuals happy to help them, then it totally changes it. They're like, 'Oh my gosh, I was nervous about coming in here. You have been so helpful. You have given me so much information. Thank you so much.' That's a better high than the cannabis high is watching that customer, their eyes being opened up and actually feeling happy and positive when they walk out this door.♦
