Recognizing Our Fallen Heroes on Memorial Day
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
While this Memorial Day will be different than most, the true meaning of the holiday remains the same—to honor military service members who died in service to our country.
At Leaf411, we also acknowledge the service members who’ve perished on a different front, as a result of the long-term effects of combat.
Mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression haunt many veterans long after they have returned home. In addition, chronic pain from past injuries can wear down even the toughest of warriors over time.
Unfortunately, these realities may drive some veterans to feel there are no alternatives for relief. Many veterans describe their frustration from going down a rabbit hole of conventional pharmaceuticals, where more and more medications are prescribed to counteract side effects from other medications. The end result often leaves them feeling like a zombie, as former Army Specialist Leo Bridgewater describes in this news article.
Bridgewater was fortunate to discover cannabis as an effective alternative to the pharmaceuticals that the Veteran’s Administration (VA) “passes out like candy” in his words. He continues to advocate for veterans’ access to cannabis and even collaborated with a New Jersey cannabis cultivator to develop a new chemovar (strain) with a mix of terpenes designed with veterans’ needs in mind.
Sadly, for some of our heroes, cannabis remains out of reach either due to stigma or federal restrictions and suicide begins to appear to be the only option for relief. According to Veterans Administration data, the suicide rate among military veterans is 1.5 times the non-military veteran rate in the United States. Every day, over 15 veterans complete a suicide attempt.
Veterans and Cannabis: Fighting for Effective Plant-Based Alternatives
Veterans like Ron Millward who founded Balanced Veterans, Ryan Foster and Kevin Ogar at The Reville Project , and the leaders of Veterans for Natural Rights embrace a more holistic approach which can include cannabis to treat the veterans’ physical and mental wounds. Many of them have lost fellow soldiers to suicide. They are fierce advocates for veterans’ access to cannabis as an alternative to pharmaceutical treatment.
Are you curious to learn more about how veterans have benefited from cannabis? Check out this 21st Century Cannabis panel hosted by GoFire to hear veterans’ firsthand experiences using cannabis to manage PTSD, depression, insomnia and chronic pain.
Current Legislative Action to Expand Research and Veterans’ Access to Cannabis
Research supports the value of cannabis as an effective, safe alternative for veterans who are suffering from PTSD and chronic pain. In March 2020, two bills moved forward in the House of Representatives that would expand research on cannabis’s therapeutic potential to treat PTSD and chronic pain (HR 712), and would allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana cards in states with legal marijuana (HR 1647). Currently, VA doctors are restricted from recommending medical marijuana, even in states where it is legal, due to the fact that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level. You can find more details about HR 712 and HR 1647 here.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has created delays in all kinds of important legislation moving forward, including these two bills, veterans like Sensible Colorado’s Kevin Grimsinger and Adam Smith will doubtlessly continue the fight to improve both access and research into cannabis as a safe, effective treatment alternative for veterans.
Holidays Can Be Tough for Survivors
Even in the best of times, holidays can be tough for survivors who’ve lost friends or loved ones.
For veterans, this year’s Memorial Day may be especially difficult due to COVID-19 restrictions. Community events that allow us to get together, reminisce, and celebrate, like the Colorado Veterans Project Memorial Day Run, have been delayed or cancelled.
At Leaf411, it means not being able to meet with our community in person at events like last fall’s Veterans’ Day pop-up at Seed & Smith dispensary. While we have several exciting virtual events in the works, not being able to hear your stories in person and give a hug or a handshake is difficult.
If you’re a veteran who finds yourself struggling this Memorial Day, we encourage you to reach out for help. Find a trusted resource, or call the US Department of Veterans Affairs sponsored Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255, or chat them via their website.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also available 24 hours a day at at 1-800-273-8255 for anyone who is in crisis. The people staffing the lifeline care and are eager to help—you are not burdening them by calling!
Leaf411 is also here for you. While we’re not qualified to provide crisis services (we’ll refer you to the professionals at the Veterans Crisis Line or Lifeline), we do have the background and clinical experience to provide guidance on how to use cannabis for PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain or other conditions. Call our FREE hotline at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) or chat us from our homepage during hotline hours.
Our guidance goes far beyond what you’ll find on anonymous internet forums. Check out last week’s Leaf411 blog post to see an example of how we triage and provide guidance tailored to individual needs.
Welcoming Summer and Looking Forward to New Initiatives
At Leaf411, we’re wishing all of you a safe and healthy Memorial Day, which also marks the traditional kickoff for summer. No doubt that it will be more important than ever this summer to find balance. For many of us, cannabis is one of the tools we rely upon to achieve this.
That’s one reason we’re excited about several upcoming initiatives we’re working on to make cannabis more accessible and affordable for patients. We’re not quite ready to share details yet, but encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter so you can be the first to know as these new programs roll out. Sign up for our Leaf411 newsletter below!
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline provides free, anonymous education and directional support to the general public about the safe use of legal cannabis. We partner with select business members who meet our rigorous standards to extend our education and outreach efforts.
Cannabis and COVID-19: Do You Need to Change Your Cannabis Routine?
A Detailed Look at How Leaf411 Cannabis Nurses Help You Find the Best Cannabis and CBD Hemp Products for Improved Mental Health
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
Leaf411 co-founder and COO Jennifer Axcell has a lot of experience in using cannabis to effectively manage chronic pain and PTSD she suffered many years ago as a result of a car crash. She previously shared her story in our very first Leaf411 blog post.
But when coronavirus hit, Jennifer’s PTSD crept back up as stay-at-home restrictions and uncertainty took hold.
“I was struggling, I couldn’t eat or stop crying. I was not feeling like myself. Nothing seemed to help—not even my normal cannabis products. I was afraid that I would have to go back on the same pharmaceuticals that I’d used years ago, along with their terrible side effects,” Jennifer said.
Instead, Jennifer decided to first check in with her friend and Leaf411 co-founder/CEO Katherine Golden, RN, to get her input. Katherine quickly recognized that a change was needed.
An Inside View of the Leaf411 Cannabis Hotline Triage Process
“When I spoke to Jennifer that day, I triaged her just like I would a caller on the hotline,” Katherine said.
Those triage questions included:
- What is your daily cannabis consumption?
- How many milligrams of CBD and in what form (CBD hemp product, isolate, etc.) do you use?
- How many milligrams of THC and what type? (Knowing the brand helps us look at the terpene profile if any)
- How did this cannabis routine help you prior to this sudden change and what have you done differently since?
- Describe your feelings when using the products. (This is good to know when trying to figure out someone’s tolerance).
After obtaining all the necessary pieces of the puzzle, Katherine was able to determine that:
- Jennifer had continued to increase her CBD hemp from 25mg/day to 50mg or more/day thinking she needed to consume more to reduce her anxiety. She knew that CBD could have biphasic effects (having the opposite effects when used in higher doses), though she thought this occured only with much higher doses than she was taking. CBD can actually worsen conditions or be completely ineffective when used too much, which to Katherine sounded exactly what Jennifer was experiencing. Her CBD was no longer working at the higher level, so Katherine suggested she reduce down to 10-20mg/day BUT also try a tiny amount of THC for its uplifting effects.
Katherine suggested our business member Conscious Medz product Durban Poison tincture since it has a nice amount of limonene (shows benefits for anxiety and depression) plus a large amount of terpinolene which shows to be very uplifting for daytime use. She suggested that Jennifer only use a micro dose of 2.5mg to start, which should avoid any type of impairment but would be a high enough dose to lift her spirits.
- Jennifer had switched from her THC inhalation (due to COVID precautions) to an edible. The product she was using was made from a distillate with minimal other compounds and no added terpenes. It worked for her prior to the increased stress, but Katherine knew that Jennifer needed something that had a chemovar that included its terpene profile. Katherine suggested Conscious Medz again since their Remedy tincture is a 1:1 Indica with a wonderful amount of sedating terpenes. Katherine again suggested starting with a micro dose and increasing one drop at a time each night until an optimal dose was reached. This meant reaching the point of sedation with a small amount of euphoria and also having the terpenes that benefit anxiety.
This regimen ended up being the perfect combination.
“After five hours of taking the Conscious Medz Durban Poison tincture, I cracked my first smile in as many days,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer continued, “The biggest ‘aha’ moment for me was looking at the terpene profile. I know I am not the only patient who tends to focus on cannabinoid content (because those are always listed clearly on the packaging) and had forgotten the role that terpenes play. That’s one of the things I like about the Conscious Medz products—the terpenes are clearly listed on the packaging.”
Jennifer’s new cannabis regimen is a huge shift from where she started and has been for years, which was being an extremely educated inhalation user, to realizing that even small amounts (micro doses) of the right chemovars and cannabinoid ratios may work well for her body’s supplement needs.
Now, Jennifer is feeling better mentally and physically. However, she knows that many others are facing similar challenges as they find their normal cannabis consumption is no longer providing the good sleep, relaxation or pain relief that it has in the past.
Why Your Usual Stress Relief Routine May No Longer Work
We all have routines that help get us through normal times, but many of those routines have either been interrupted or overwhelmed by the last few months of change.
Anxiety is at an all-time high, according to research. We’re worried about our own health and especially that of our family and friends. We’re worried about how COVID-19 will impact our children’s education. We’re worried about our finances and the economy.
Many of our usual tools for dealing with stress and anxiety are not available—no trips to the gym, weekend brunch outings, or get-togethers with friends to commiserate and provide in-person support. While many resources have moved online, it’s a tough transition.
That means the tools we do have left—including CBD hemp (containing less than 0.3% THC and legal at the federal level) as well as marijuana (containing over 0.3% THC and sold at dispensaries in legal states)—have a lot of heavy lifting to do!
Reassessing Your Cannabis and CBD Hemp Needs
Perhaps in the past, you only consumed marijuana or CBD hemp edibles every once in a while to help with sleep after a stressful workday, but now you’re finding that you’re using edibles every night.
As you can see from Jennifer’s example, everyone is different when it comes to the challenges they are facing and the potential for CBD hemp or marijuana to help. Our Leaf nurses have specialized training to thoroughly assess your needs and provide guidance for safe, effective plant-based medicine that’s tailored to your needs. Call us via our toll-free hotline at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) or chat us from our homepage during hotline hours.
Embracing Other Wellness Strategies and Support
We often remind people that cannabis is only one of many tools in your toolbox. The power of cannabis is amplified by other supportive practices, from good nutrition to exercise and mindfulness.
Going back to the sleep example, we suggest not only looking at your cannabis use but also your other nighttime routines. Perhaps you always scanned through social media before going to bed. However, with the current public discourse often leading to online arguments, you might find you need to sign from social media in evenings instead of winding up in a debate with some internet stranger.
In Jennifer’s case, in addition to updating her cannabis regimen, she also committed to taking breaks from daily news and social media, which also helped.
Leaf411 Can Help You Find the Best CBD Hemp or Marijuana Regimen for Your Needs
The current COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted ongoing health routines while also drastically increasing anxiety and stress, which take a toll on both physical and mental health.
Many “canna-curious” folks are deciding that now is the time to give either legal marijuana or CBD hemp a try as an alternative for stress relief or wellness.
And for experienced consumers, many are wondering if a different cannabis chemovar (strain) or product type might provide better results when dealing with our current times.
Our cannabis-trained fully-licensed Leaf nurses can help! Give us a call at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) or chat us from our homepage during hotline hours.
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline provides free, anonymous education and directional support to the general public about the safe use of legal cannabis. We partner with select business members who meet our rigorous standards to extend our education and outreach efforts.
Our Top April 2020 Hotline Questions: Cannabis and COVID-19
Cannabis Users’ Questions as the COVID-19 Pandemic Progressed
As the COVID-19 pandemic evolved, so did your questions. Today, our Founder and CEO Katherine Golden, RN, shares some of the most common types of cannabis and hemp CBD questions the hotline received over the past few months. Katherine also talks about why the questions that she and other Leaf nurses are currently receiving gives her hope as we all adapt to changing circumstances brought about by COVID-19.
When COVID-19 first came to Colorado, there were still many, many unknowns with the virus. Guidance at the national, state and local levels seemed to be changing on a daily basis.
At Leaf411, we immediately sprung into action to do all we could to support both our community members and the cannabis industry as a whole.
After hearing that many health hotlines were being overwhelmed with questions about coronavirus, we expanded our hotline’s scope to respond to general questions about coronavirus. We also took cues based on caller questions and developed marijuana dispensary preparedness plans and resources, which are discussed below.
The First Round of Cannabis Consumer Questions: Product Safety
On our hotline, we began receiving questions focused on callers’ immediate concerns around access and product safety. Colorado and other states with legal cannabis designated cannabis as essential which ensured access; however, one big question remained: How do I know my product is safe?
CBD hemp consumers and legal marijuana consumers were worried about potential virus exposure via product packaging. They also had many questions about how to ensure product manufacturers, in-person and online retailers, and legal marijuana dispensaries were safely handling products prior to sale.
In response, we provided the latest information based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidance, translating those recommendations to the cannabis space.
We also developed preparedness plans and resources for both our supporting members and other non-member dispensaries.
Changing Cannabis Questions: Concerns about CBD and COVID-19
Legal marijuana dispensaries and CBD hemp sellers did a good job developing safety plans for both their employees and customers, often going above and beyond state mandates for essential businesses. Once customers became familiar with the new protocols, their concerns about product and packaging safety subsided.
However, as everyone’s understanding of COVID-19 continued to grow, research emerged that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen could worsen COVID-19 symptoms. This issue is still being discussed and debated in the clinical research community. Like many things with COVID-19, we are still very much in the learning phase.
As research on NSAIDS and COVID-19 began circulating in the news, we started fielding calls on the hotline from people who use CBD for its anti-inflammatory properties. Many people have success using CBD to manage symptoms related to osteoarthritis and inflammatory pain. Did they need to change course to reduce their risk of developing serious coronavirus symptoms?
On the Leaf411 hotline, our guidance is always driven by both the research and the unique needs of each caller, so we can’t give a one-size-fits-all answer here.
However, this resource may help, if you have general questions about cannabis and COVID-19.
Also, our fully-licensed Leaf nurses are available to answer your specific questions at no cost to you at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411).
Cannabis and Lung Health During the Coronavirus Pandemic
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus primarily affecting the lungs. When the virus began to spread, we anticipated that many cannabis users would switch over to non-inhaled products—things like edibles or tinctures.
The reality has been more complicated than that. It’s true that sales figures for edibles (which include tinctures) are strong. However, flower (bud) also remains very popular.
Some industry experts think this is because cannabis flower is the equivalent of a comfort food. Most peoples’ first cannabis experiences were smoking flower, and in times of uncertainty people go back to what they know and trust.
Other people are moving forward with trying new cannabis consumption methods. On the Leaf411 hotline, we’ve heard from people who are navigating the switch from smokable to ingested cannabis products.
It can be difficult to figure out how much to start with, when changing from a flower product containing about 25% THC to an edible with 10 mg THC per piece. Add on to that the fact that inhaled THC enters your bloodstream more quickly while edible products pass through the digestive system and are changed by your metabolic practices. This means using flower versus edible can be very different in how quickly it hits, how long it lasts, and how intensely effects are felt.
Cannabis Consumption Methods: Questions About Moving from Flower to Edibles
The switch from smokable to edible cannabis products isn’t as straightforward as you’d think, even for experienced cannabis users. The calls we’ve received on the hotline underscore the importance of understanding product dosing, and starting low and going slow when switching to edibles and tinctures.
In one case, we received a call from someone who assumed that an entire cannabis-infused chocolate bar equaled one dose. In fact, each square of the cannabis chocolate bar was a separate dose!
It’s an easy mistake to make, considering that grocery store candy bars count as a single serving. Unfortunately, in this caller’s case, their mistake meant that they used more cannabis than intended. While this isn’t life-threatening, it can result in a negative experience.
Due to social distancing practices, you may not be able to chat with your budtender about different products like you did in the past.
At Leaf411, we can help! Our cannabis-trained, fully licensed registered nurses know how flower and edibles differ in timing and dosing. Whether you’re planning an online dispensary order, or just returned home with a new product, we can with any questions you have at our free hotline: 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411). We’re also available via online chat. Look for the chat feature on the bottom of our website home page.
Our Latest Cannabis Hotline Questions: A Return to Routine Health Concerns
The COVID-19 virus will be a presence in our world for the foreseeable future. The latest calls to our Leaf411 hotline reflect this new reality. The anxiety and fear are still there, but it’s no longer an emergent issue demanding all of our attention. This shift in focus is an encouraging sign, showing that people are finding balance and perspective despite challenging times.
People are shifting their focus back to ongoing health concerns, and medical facilities are opening back up for routine care and elective procedures. (It’s important to note that “elective” includes a wide range of procedures, including joint replacements, biopsies, and even some cancer treatments!)
As people return to routine care and undergo elective procedures, we’re hearing more questions about cannabis as an alternative for managing health conditions. We’re also getting questions about using cannabis both prior to and after surgery.
Of course, you’ll always want to share your medical history, including cannabis use, with your doctor prior to any surgery or medical treatment. You should also talk with your primary provider ahead of time about your goal to use cannabis as an alternative to opioids following surgery.
If you need help with talking points or research to share with your provider, give us a call at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411). Our Leaf nurses understand the clinical research supporting cannabis and can help you find the right resources and research to share with your doctor.
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline provides free, anonymous education and directional support to the general public about the safe use of legal cannabis. We partner with select business members who meet our rigorous standards to extend our education and outreach efforts.
Leaf411 Supporting Member Interview: Coree Schmitz, General Manager, Stillwater Ripple
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
At Leaf411, we love sharing our supporting members’ stories. We really do believe that our members are the best in the cannabis industry, and hope that you’ll consider supporting them when shopping.
The Stillwater Ripple brand was inspired by one of the co-founder’s grandmothers who was looking for alternatives to help with pain, but was scared by the available options at the time.
From that need, Ripple was born. Ripple is a water-soluble, dissolvable powder that can be added to beverages or foods, providing a consistent, easily-adjusted dose of cannabis compounds, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as well as cannabidiol (CBD).
We recently chatted via Zoom with Coree Schmitz, General Manager, about what makes Ripple products different, new products they’re rolling out, and how they’re maintaining safe operations during COVID-19. Nikki Kujawski, Senior Brand Manager, also tagged along virtually.
But before we got into the specifics of Coree’s work at Ripple, we couldn’t resist asking about one particular past job on her resume—cheesemonger!
From Startups to Cheesemonger to Cannabis
We’re always impressed by past experiences that people bring to their roles in cannabis, and Coree is no exception.
“I had joined the startup community, and unfortunately the company I worked at went under. I was just like everybody else. You wallow in self-pity for about 24 hours, and then you realize that time is one of the better gifts you can ever have,” Coree said about the opportunity the layoff provided.
“I literally showed up at the cheese shop closest to my house in Denver and said ‘I want to learn how to be a cheesemonger. Will you let me come in here and do this?’”
“I worked at the cheese shop for four to five days a week for about six months while I was job searching. Most damn fun I’ve ever had working. I mean cannabis is really fun. But slinging cheese is a great career path if you can make it work,” she said.
“I still buy from that cheese shop every week. Right now, everybody’s worried about their local small businesses and making sure that those small businesses are still supported. And so I decided to start doing a ‘Cheeses of Quarantine’ social media push. I’ve spent way more time in quarantine talking about cheese than almost anything else,” Coree said, laughing.
Navigating the Rapidly Changing Cannabis Industry
It was Coree’s experience in the startup community, though, that has translated to success in the cannabis industry.
“Being able to keep your head in times of chaos and prioritize what the business needs in order to succeed is really beneficial. We all know that cannabis is very typical of a startup industry. But because it is cannabis, there are quickly moving changes in legislation and expansions. My background prepared me to be able to pivot very quickly, communicate quickly to the team on what we need to be successful, and prioritize those things to make sure we’re keeping up with the market and growing.”
Maintaining a Steady Hand During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The typical chaos of working in an evolving industry like cannabis is magnified by the current uncertainties brought about by COVID-19. We asked Coree how the pandemic-related restrictions were impacting operations at Ripple.
“Literally every industry has been shaken down to their core operations, asking how we are going to stay successful while also keeping everybody safe. The safety of your employees and your consumers are forever number one and always paramount. As an essential business, we’re very fortunate that we were given the opportunity to follow the guidelines issued by the CDC, the WHO and the governor, and still allow people to come to work,” Coree said.
She went on to describe precautions that Stillwater Ripple has put in place, including requiring employees who are able to work remotely to do so, along with six foot social distancing, masks and other operational changes to keep employees safe.
“What I am most proud of from the company founders is that we voluntarily opted to offer catastrophe pay to our hourly team. It can be a challenging decision whether or not to come in and make your hourly rate or stay home when you’re ill. We really wanted to make sure that our team members, regardless of their position, were empowered to stay home if they felt like they had symptoms or even if they were worried they had been exposed even at second and third levels. Or if their kiddos were at home and there wasn’t a childcare option. We made sure that people were financially sound enough that they could stay home. That’s been one of our biggest modifications of our regular process,” Coree said.
Acknowledging Ripple’s Essential Workers
Many of our Leaf411 supporting members talk about their employees like family, and Ripple is no different.
In fact, Ripple has been running an uplifting “Ripple Hero” series mixed in with their regular posts on Facebook and Instagram featuring staff from the production side of Ripple’s operations. If you’ve ever been curious about the types of people who work in the cannabis industry, it’s worth checking out.
During our interview, Coree shared that, “Like any industry, right now our staff are nervous. They’re nervous about the economic impact of jobs lost. They’re nervous about the economic impact on small businesses. The best we can do is meet people where they’re at and share our plan for keeping our team employed. At this time, we see no reason why we would need to lay off or furlough any of our employees. It’s very important to us that we keep everybody safe. It’s also very important to us that we provide a right to livelihood.”
What Makes Ripple Cannabis Products Different
When we asked Coree what makes Ripple different, product consistency, dependability and versatility were all at the top of her mind.
“I’m never going to be the person who tells you how cannabis is going to affect you. But what I can tell you is you can count on Stillwater to give you that same experience every time.”
Coree explained that when it comes to pharmaceuticals, beverages or other products, people expect a consistent experience. This expectation drives Ripple products as well.
“We want to offer the same level of consistency and dependability within the cannabis space. We believe that’s what really truly differentiates us,” she said.
While many cannabis edible products on the market are developed to be the stars of their own show (think chocolates, gummies and beverages), Ripple’s main product is a water-soluble powder that can easily be added to foods and beverages. Ripple is designed to absorb very quickly, with effects felt within 15 to 30 minutes.
“Since the beginning, both consistency and testing of our own assumptions have been core to what made this company special and what keeps us pushing forward to offer what we believe is the most versatile product that you can get on the edibles market,” Coree said.
Coree explained that, “Our products allow consumers to incorporate cannabis into their daily routine in the way that they want at the dose that they want.”
“We were one of the first companies to offer microdosing somewhat before microdosing was a term or concept,” Coree said.
Microdosing is based on emerging cannabis research showing that often people need only a very small dose of THC (less than 5 mg) to gain needed benefits or relief. Dr. Dave Gordon talked about the benefits of starting with a low dose in his interview with Leaf411 last year. Our Leaf Library also has an entire section dedicated to microdosing at this link.
Coree said, “From the beginning of Ripple, there have been multiple doses so people can choose their right dose. For some people, a 10 milligram dose is a casual dose that they use to go to bed. For other people like me, 10 milligrams is going to make me incapable of doing whatever else I was going to do that day. Our product’s versatility allows people to have the dosages to use appropriately.”
“Also, Ripple is a water-soluble, relatively tasteless, odorless powder. We’ve heard from people who pour it straight on their tongue all the way up to people who make precisely dosed muffins with it. We heard from people who make their own mocktails with it. We have people who mix our Ripple Relief, which is almost all CBD, into their coffee in the morning,” she said.
“You don’t have to have bongwater-flavored coffee to incorporate cannabis into your routine. You can have regular coffee that you put a little bit of water-soluble powder in, the same as you would put your collagen in or whatever else makes up your morning routine,” Coree explained.
Cannabis Innovation: Ripple’s New QuickSticks
“We had a lot of consumer feedback that people were just dropping Ripple on their tongues because it was the easiest way to use it. We really wanted to make a product that would be easier for folks,” Coree said.
“Our new QuickSticks are made with Ripple but consist of a dissolvable that you drop directly on your tongue. Ripple is already a fast-acting product, but this will probably be the quickest acting product that’s going to be on the market. It’s water soluble, which means that you’re going to feel the effects a lot quicker,” Coree said.
Coree described the three different QuickSticks flavors that Ripple is rolling out: Pure (the THC product) will be available in blueberry pom; the 1:1 THC:CBD Balance in gingerberry; and the CBD-dominant Relief in chocolate mint.
“We are hoping to soft launch the new products around May. We’ll be leaning on a lot of online tools during the launch as well. It’s challenging us to really switch gears and think outside the box,” Coree said.
Providing Online Cannabis Consumer and Budtender Education
COVID-19 restrictions have made existing in-person education strategies difficult, if not outright impossible.
Ripple is adapting to the new landscape by transitioning online training options, since their company representatives can no longer meet with budtenders in person to share product information.
Coree also talked about the value that their partnership with Leaf411 provides, especially when it comes to consumer questions.
“At Ripple, what we’re trying to do is provide the information we feel qualified to provide and to also point people towards sources of information that we believe to be true. We have partnerships with people like Leaf411 where we will always point medical questions. In no universe, will I ever answer a medical question because I don’t believe myself to be qualified to do so,” she said.
You can check out an example of Ripple’s new education initiative at this link, which features product information, budtender insights and even our own Leaf411 CEO Katherine Golden, RN
How Cannabis is Different: Supporting Others Across the Industry
Recently, Stillwater Ripple hosted a “Cannabis Safety During Corona” featuring Leaf411 CEO Katherine Golden, RN, along with Shannon Fender, Director of Public Affairs at Native Roots; Bob Eschino, Co-Founder and President of Medically Correct; and Nikki Kujawski, Senior Brand Manager of Ripple.
Nikki, who played a lead role in the webinar, was hanging out during our Zoom interview with Coree.
As we talked about the webinar, Nikki noted that, “Cannabis is an industry that’s always been different. Historically, Ripple and Medically Correct’s incredibles brand would be competitors. But we’re both over the moon about working together. We’ve been able to make sure everyone is supporting each other right now. I’m really excited to see how companies are stepping up and showing people that they matter.”
Cannabis as an Essential Business in Colorado and Beyond
Colorado, like most other states with legal cannabis, deemed both medical and adult-use (recreational) dispensaries as essential businesses that were allowed to remain open during stay at home restrictions.
Looking back on that day, Coree said, “When Denver County attempted to delineate medical versus recreational, consumers did a very clear job of communicating how they feel about cannabis. Cannabis is very much considered a critical and essential piece of people’s daily lives. For those that maybe don’t understand cannabis as well, perhaps they will realize that there are a fair amount of medical patients that still shop recreational dispensaries which have different products.”
There’s also a belief that the cannabis industry in Colorado is primarily tourist-driven, though the recent travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders are proving a strong local market exists as well.
“I’m optimistic that we will be able to show how many local consumers we have—that cannabis isn’t just a tourism industry in Colorado. There is not any tourism happening right now, which means the cannabis industry will have a chance to really speak to the strength of the local market,” Coree said.
The Need for Cannabis Consumer Education Continues
Many manufacturers, dispensaries and CBD hemp retailers are rolling out online education via webinars, eLearning modules or even online chats. At Leaf411, we’re encouraged to see these companies recognize that product education is an important part of the overall customer experience.
However, very few–if any–of those resources have the clinical training to answer your specific health questions about cannabis.
Our fully-licensed Leaf411 hotline nurses do have that training! Our non-profit hotline provides free information and guidance on using CBD hemp and legal marijuana for wellness and relief. Whether you are concerned about potential medication interactions with cannabis, or just wondering where to start, we can help.
Call 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) at no cost to have your questions answered by one of our fully-licensed RNs. We’re also available via online chat. Look for the chat feature on the bottom of our website home page.
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline provides free, anonymous education and directional support to the general public about the safe use of legal cannabis. We partner with select business members who meet our rigorous standards to extend our education and outreach efforts.