Supporting Member: Mike Tudor, CEO of Altus
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.
Altus’s mission is to empower consumers to make the most educated and personal choice when selecting cannabis products. Their mission aligns well with Leaf411’s commitment to providing education and directional support tailored to individual needs.
The COVID-19 pandemic was very much on Mike Tudor’s mind when we recently caught up with him. Mike is the CEO of Lucky Edibles and Altus, which manufacturers precisely-dosed gummies, tablets and topical products in the Colorado and Nevada adult-use cannabis markets. Altus also produces flower sold in legal dispensaries in Nevada.
Maintaining Safe Cannabis Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
People are paying attention to how companies respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the same is true in the cannabis community. Is the company taking extra steps to protect employees? How are products being handled to reduce risk of infection spread?
When we talked to Mike, it was clear that he and others at Altus were deeply committed to doing all they could to ensure the safety of their employees and customers.
“We’re all struggling with the great unknown,” Mike said. “You can only hope that people take social distancing as a mantra. You flatten the curve.”
At Altus, that means limiting access to the manufacturing facility. “We’ve taken the approach that this situation is not something that we’re playing with. We’re taking (coronavirus) very, very seriously. We’re minimizing contact between people inside the plant and outside the plant. We’ve actually closed our doors to outside visitors, which is difficult,” Mike said. “Think about it—this is an industry where people are used to coming around (and visiting), and all of a sudden they can’t.”
Providing Product Information to Cannabis Consumers in the Age of Social Distancing
Most legal marijuana dispensaries have also adopted extreme social distancing practices to comply with state mandates and guidance. This means that manufacturers like Altus face new challenges in providing information about their products to budtenders.
Mike talked about this challenge as Altus prepares to roll out a new two-pack of Kiwi gummies with a 5:1 ratio of CBD to THC, as part of Altus’s Therapeutic product line.
In the past, the Altus product representatives would have visited dispensaries in person to share product benefits with budtenders. Now the reps are working from home, sharing product information when they call or email existing customers.
“We’re servicing our customers,” Mike says. “I’m making sure that we don’t stop providing service. That piece is very critical to me.”
Altus is also providing pizza, snacks and drinks to dispensaries in recognition of the work that budtenders and other frontline staff are doing to maintain consumers’ access to cannabis.
How an Exceptional Experience is Part of the Altus Mission
Mike’s commitment to an exceptional experience spans across not only customer service, but also the product itself. He brings an impressive food and beverage industry background to his role at Altus.
“I got into the (cannabis) industry five years ago. One of the things I found when I got into it was that many things being sold tasted terrible,” he said. “My approach has been that if you’re going to sell food, make sure it’s the best tasting there is. Because that’s what people evaluate when they buy products that they actually have to put in their mouths and taste. That’s my guiding principle.”
Regarding how his work in the cannabis industry compares to his past experiences, Mike said, “It’s been a fun, fun ride. I’ve worked with some really great people. I’ve learned different things from all of them. I’ve also taught others about what the world needs when it comes to good-tasting well-designed products.”
Creating Great-Tasting, Precisely-Dosed Cannabis Infused Products
“I have a really top notch production manager now, and I’ve been fortunate in my career to work with really sharp, smart production managers who’ve made my job a whole lot easier,” Mike said.
“We go to great lengths to make sure products are designed right. That’s been a bedrock for us, that our products are dosed properly and are tasty. If it doesn’t taste good, you’ve wasted your money.”
High fiber fruit puree is the first ingredient in Altus gummy products which are identified by one of three pillars based on their effects: Ritual; Therapeutic; and Enhance.
Altus tablets designed for swallowing and topicals are also available across the three pillars.
You can learn more about the product pillars on Altus’s website at this link.
Altus products are also designed for ease of use, keeping new users in mind.
“We’re coming out with a two pack of our Kiwi ratio gummy for people who want to try something different,” Mike said. This product should be available in dispensaries before the end of April.
Mike also talked about Lucky Edibles’ development of Micros tarts and mints containing two milligrams THC that allow people to easily build their own dose.
“Some people can do two or three of these and they’re fine. For other people, one is enough. We’ve actually done quite well with the two milligram products. They taste great, and the hashy notes are masked quite well,” Mike said.
A Personal Perspective on Education
Mike also talked with us about the need for education, especially among older folks.
“I’m a user of CBD/THC because I have bursitis. My doctor said, ‘Yeah, if it helps you go for it,’ but he had no guidance other than offering me a steroid shot, which I refused.”
“Since I’m in the industry, my friends ask me for guidance as well. I tell them they have to understand that in the old days when we smoked, (cannabis) was 6% to 8% THC. It’s now approaching 30%. If you take a hit on somebody’s joint, you’ll be on the couch for a long time.”
Mike pointed out the value of starting low and going slow when finding your best dose, which in part drove the development of the Lucky Edibles Micros products. “You can try them and take one at a time until you feel the comfort you’re looking for.”
(As a reminder, edibles require more time to take effect than inhalation. Our Leaf nurses recommend that you wait at least two hours after ingesting an edible before deciding to use more.)
Mike pointed out the value in having doctors like Leaf411 advisory board member Dr. Dave Gordon providing education on cannabis. “I’ve attended his seminars, and it’s been fascinating listening to him,” said Mike. “He brings the educational piece. Cannabis is not just to get stoned, but is absolutely helpful medication for calming anxiety, helping appetite, and getting good sleep.”
Partnering with Leaf411 to Provide Medically-Sound Education
Finding trustworthy sources of information can be challenging. This is especially true in the cannabis industry, where federal restrictions have limited research on the plant’s potential.
“There’s a lot of bad information that keeps going around. People keep passing it on as gospel but it’s really not,” Mike said.
He noted that, “I’ve listened to Dr. Gordon tell people what they should look for in terms of efficacy and the ratios that can help them. I learned a lot from him. That’s what we need more of. I’ve told people to call Leaf411 or go to the Leaf411 website because they have questions, and I’m not a doctor. I’m not going to answer those questions—that’s not my role.”
Mike went on to explain how Leaf411 is needed in times like these. “People can have a real fear, wondering, ‘How do I dose? What’s most important?’ It’s important to keep giving people information about what helps and what doesn’t.”
Committed to Providing the Best in Cannabis Products and Education
What makes an incredible consumer experience? In part, it’s top-of-the-line ingredients and a commitment to producing high-quality products. When it comes to cannabis, it’s also about differently-dosed products to meet the needs of different people, along with the education on how to find the best product and CBD:THC ratio for one’s needs.
At Leaf411 we’re thrilled to have supporting members like Altus who recognize that high-quality products and medically-sound information are both important to the consumer experience.
Wherever You’re At, We’re Here for You
When it comes to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that everyone is reacting differently. A lot of us are facing unique challenges and need different things to help get us through.
Some of us are finding ourselves with extra time, or are intentionally slowing down and rethinking our priorities across all areas of our lives, including our health.
And some of us are at the opposite end of the spectrum, overwhelmed as we juggle work with increased family demands, including school at home for our kids.
Wherever you’re at, the free Leaf411 nurse hotline is here for you. We can answer your questions about how to use CBD hemp and legal cannabis for stress relief, improved sleep, or to manage pain or other conditions. We’re also available to answer your questions about COVID-19.
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.
Leaf411 Supporter Spotlight: Mike Lempert, Director of Logistics at Seed & Smith
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 industry, and hope that you’ll consider supporting them when shopping.
As a founding member, Seed & Smith has supported the Leaf411 mission from Day One. Their commitment to education and transparency elevates the industry and provides a counternarrative against outdated stereotypes about cannabis.
We recently checked in with Mike Lempert, Director of Logistics at Seed & Smith, to learn more about the Colorado dispensary’s current work. We also got his thoughts on the emerging consensus in legal states that cannabis is an essential need, following up on his recent interview with Denver 7 News.
Recognizing Cannabis as An Essential Need During the COVID-19 Crisis
The legal marijuana market sits in an interesting spot right now. While marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, states with legal medical and/or adult-use (recreational) marijuana have generally classified dispensaries as essential businesses allowed to remain open during the COVID-19 response. Dispensaries are being acknowledged as similar to pharmacies, providing essential medicine to patients.
Many patients, consumers and industry members are thinking about what this will mean for cannabis once the COVID-19 emergency passes. We asked Mike for his thoughts on this topic.
“My stance has always been that there are very serious medical issues that people use cannabis to treat. People come into our dispensary who need cannabis to live a ‘normal life.’ They may be suffering from MS or Parkinson’s disease or cancer or insomnia. Whatever the case may be, there’s a lot of relief (through cannabis),” he said.
“Absolutely, cannabis should be deemed essential,” Mike said. “If people are relying upon something to live a normal life—we’re not talking about a vice but about actual ailments and problems—then 100% cannabis should be deemed essential. It shouldn’t even be questioned whether we need to stay open during times like this.”
Keep reading to learn more about how Seed & Smith is ensuring employee and customer safety while providing access to high-quality legal cannabis amid the COVID-19 business restrictions.
Seed & Smith’s Commitment to Quality and Transparency
Have you ever been curious about how legal cannabis is cultivated, harvested and extracted? Part of the Seed & Smith experience is their free cannabis grow tour featuring their cultivation, production and packaging areas. While the tours have been temporarily cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the spirit of transparency continues in every area of Seed & Smith’s work.
When we asked Mike what makes Seed & Smith different from the competition, transparency was at the top of his list.
“We consider ourselves to be pioneers in the industry,” he said. “Seed & Smith was formed at the tail end of prohibition for recreational use. We wanted to hit the scene hard with transparency and prove that cannabis isn’t this big, scary drug like a lot of people make it out to be. We wanted people to understand exactly how our cannabis is grown, how it’s packaged, how we extract it to make the concentrates, where it’s sold and who sells it—basically every detail about our product.”
Mike explained how their approach is different, saying, “The cannabis industry is notorious for closing doors and keeping things very close to the vest. We wanted to dismantle that. I think we’ve been extremely successful.”
Seed & Smith’s owners looked to craft breweries as a model for doing things differently.
“Breweries were opening up their doors for the public to come see how their beer was made. You could go and talk to the head brewmaster. You could take a tour. You could see the cleanliness of the facility. You could see the beer getting canned.”
Seed & Smith adapted that model for their own operations, “being fully transparent and allowing people to get the freshest product,” said Mike.
The Seed & Smith Dart: Making a Better Vape
We asked Mike what Seed & Smith products he’s most excited about these days.
“We’re extremely proud of our Dart vaporizer, which is a pod-based system,” he said.
“We worked with CCell, the hardware manufacturer, for over a year to dial this product in. Now we’re doing a big push for people to try the Dart vape as part of a move to a cleaner product. If you’re concerned about health risks, you should understand what goes into products that you end up ingesting or inhaling into your body.”
“A lot of companies that make cartridges or vaporizers don’t show you how their oils are made,” said Mike, “At Seed & Smith, you can visit and see our entire process. You can see the product that’s used to make it (the pods). You watch how it’s made through videos. You can see into our extraction rooms. Everything is transparent.”
Mike also talked about the recent vaping crisis that was connected to some manufacturers using Vitamin E acetate or other cutting agents which caused serious health issues.
Seed & Smith was ahead of the curve, however, since they do not use any cutting agents in their vape products. “From day one, it’s been 100% cannabis extracts in our cartridges and that’s it,” Mike said.
Partnering with Leaf411 to Provide Factual Cannabis Information
Mike talked about the challenges of providing factual information to customers, given the federal restrictions on cannabis research. “There’s not enough research done on cannabis, and we fully understand why that is,” he said.
He discussed how the lack of research means that people often fall back on anecdotal reports about how a product worked for a specific person, which may not end up being true for everyone. To navigate this tricky terrain, Seed & Smith sticks with providing education on what they know—their product.
“We give the facts in a clear and concise manner, about what we’re doing and how we grow,” he said.
Seed & Smith also relies on their partnership with Leaf411 to provide education on potential medical benefits of cannabis.
“We partner with Leaf411 to help us deliver reliable, factual information,” Mike said. “Focusing on providing factual information is the biggest key for us because there’s so much misinformation out there right now. We don’t want to add any more.”
At Leaf411, we know misconceptions about both the cannabis plant and the cannabis industry are everywhere. Mike shared a very similar perspective when discussing the education needs that he sees in the cannabis space.
“I’ve only been involved in the industry for three years, and in that three years I’ve learned a lot. I came with a lot of preconceived notions, most of which were wrong. So I’m the perfect poster child for the need for reliable information and education,” he said.
“There’s going to be a huge amount of people in this country and probably around the world shifting to cannabis use at some point. Providing reliable information about what they can expect and what’s in these products is extremely important.”
Maintaining Safe Dispensary Operations During COVID-19
You’ve likely noticed the impact of COVID-19 on businesses you frequent in person or even online as the government rolls out new rules and restrictions.
Cannabis dispensaries are no different. In Colorado, the Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) released several rounds of emergency rules for dispensaries that emphasize extreme social distancing and revise retail rules to protect both employees and customers.
We asked Mike how Seed & Smith’s operations have been impacted by COVID-19.
He answered, “In just about every aspect, our company and the industry itself has been affected.”
“We have 12 cultivation rooms with over 20,000 square feet. We’ve redone the workflow so that growers can work in different rooms at different times. We’re also able to avoid having two employees working together on a specific task,” Mike said.
He went on to describe how the packaging area was expanded and reconfigured to spread out employees and limit interactions. Employees with jobs that can be done from home are required to work remotely.
“It’s extremely tough for me to work remotely. I’m very much in the trenches on a daily basis. But I and my co-directors understand the need to not only reduce our risk of getting sick but to reduce risk to our employees as well. We’re making sacrifices all around but it’s for the greater good—for the company, our employees and our customers,” he said.
How Seed & Smith Is Working to Keep Customers Safe
Mike described precautions that retail employees are taking to regularly disinfect all work areas and practice extreme social distancing while assisting customers. Cash registers have been spaced farther apart and customers have the option to pay by debit card at curbside for online orders. Cash payments must be made inside the store.
As of this writing, customers who order online from Seed & Smith online via Weedmaps will receive a “Thank You” discount code for a future purchase.
As state-issued rules continue to change, you can stay up to date on Seed & Smith’s operations on their blog, Facebook and Instagram.
Answering Your Questions About Cannabis and COVID-19
We know that many of you are worried about the impact of COVID-19 on both your access to cannabis medicine and on other areas of your life, as well. You can trust Leaf411 as a reliable source of information in this challenging time.
We’re here for you, with the clinical knowledge and resources to answer your questions about safely purchasing and using legal marijuana and CBD hemp products. We’re also ready to take your COVID-19 questions at the Leaf411 hotline.
Call 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) at no cost to have your questions answered by one of our fully-licensed RNs.
Don’t like talking on the phone? We can also answer your questions via chat during hotline hours. Look for the chat icon in the lower right corner of the Leaf411 home page. https://leaf411.org/
Also, keep an eye on our Facebook page, where we share updated information, webinars and education resources on COVID-19 and cannabis.
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 Member Spotlight: Alan Greenberg, Founder/CEO of CBD Garage
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
For many of us, our response to COVID-19 is an extension of work we were already doing before this virus hit—helping our communities, improving access to high-quality legal cannabis and CBD hemp products, and playing our part in building a sustainable, equitable industry.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re proud of the steps that our Leaf411 supporting members are taking to ensure the safety of both employees and consumers as they continue to provide access to plant-based medicine. We really do believe that our members https://leaf411.org/member-directory/ are the best in the industry, and hope that you’ll consider supporting them when shopping. As a reminder, we vet all our members to ensure their products are fully compliant and lab-tested.
Today we’re talking with Alan Greenberg, founder of CBD Garage, an online retailer of high-quality, lab-tested Colorado-based CBD hemp products. Alan shares how he came to the CBD hemp space, products he’s most excited about, and some of the ways he’s working to ensure safe, affordable CBD hemp in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. This access is critical to people living in areas with stay-at-home orders, where most retail outlets selling high quality CBD hemp are closed.
From Nutrition to CBD Hemp
People come to CBD hemp from many different backgrounds. We asked Alan about his background as a nutritionist and how that connects to his work in the CBD hemp industry.
Alan explains, “I started out as a nutritionist. In 2017, I attended an event in Boulder, Colorado, called Functional Forum, which is a mini-medical conference put on by the Evolution of Medicine. During an afterhours gathering at the conference, I met a rep from Elixinol. I’d heard about CBD hemp oil, but I don’t come from the marijuana world, so I was kind of oblivious about what was going on with medical and recreational marijuana.”
“The Elixinol rep asked me, ‘Hey, have you heard of CBD hemp?’ She then started talking about the endocannabinoid system and the research done by Ethan Russo, a neuroscientist who’s one of the founders of the movement. I went home and read an article about endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome, which connected fibromyalgia, migraines and IBS.”
This knowledge led him to suggest CBD to a close family member who found that it provided relief. From there, Alan continued researching the endocannabinoid system, as well as reaching out to experts in the field who were successfully using CBD to treat patients and veterans.
“Nutritionists and functional medicine doctors have thousands of supplements available to them,” he says. “CBD is another tool in the tool bag, but this tool is completely different. CBD is really unique in the fact that it plugs into the endocannabinoid system. That’s where it really gets interesting.”
Like Dr. Dave Gordon and our own Leaf nurses, Alan recognizes that CBD provides another avenue of healing for people and works best in conjunction with other positive lifestyle changes.
“If you’re taking CBD and want to fully relieve your symptoms, as you feel better you should start thinking about moving more, finding stress relief or eating better. All these things are complementary to the use of CBD,” he says.
The CBD Garage Difference: High Quality CBD Hemp from Colorado Companies
With federal legalization of CBD hemp products containing less than 0.3% THC, thousands of new CBD manufacturers and retailers have entered the market. One of the biggest challenges in the marketplace is finding businesses and products you can trust.
“CBD Garage is a curated seller of artisan crafted products from Colorado. I like to say that if you want to buy whiskey, you go to Tennessee. If you want to buy cheese, you go to Vermont or Wisconsin. If you want to buy cannabis, you go to Colorado.”
Alan went on to explain how Colorado’s long history of cannabis has positively impacted CBD hemp in the state. Many of the cannabis cultivators and extractors have expanded to CBD hemp, bringing their knowledge of the plant and extraction processes.
“These are some of the early pioneers. They built their companies from scratch. And the fact that they’re still around says something about them. I have personal relationships with all these great growers and manufacturers of products here in Colorado where it started.”
“At CBD Garage, we know where our product is coming from. We know who’s making it.”
“I was just fortunate to be able to meet all these people all along the way and build up a collection of great manufacturers on our website. You’ll see products that are local to us that aren’t the big national brands. But these people are probably some of the best in the industry at making CBD hemp products.”
The Promise of Other Adaptogens and Medicinal Plants
We asked Alan about the types of products he’s most excited about, and learned about how products are combining CBD with other adaptogens—herbs which have been used medicinally for thousands of years.
“For the immune system, I love Boulder Hemp products that combine CBD hemp oil with medicinal mushrooms,” he says.
“We also have products that combine CBD hemp with adaptogens. Adaptogens are a class of botanicals that help the body adapt to stress. Every time you reduce stress in the body, you help to charge your immune system. When you combine adaptogens with CBD, it’s a great compliment. Cannadapt from Sun Horse Energy has several great CBD hemp adaptogenic formulas, including one with Kava Kava. They also just released a new product called Lung Support. It is a combination of adaptogens with immune and lung support botanicals.”
“Also, Quicksilver Scientific has their CBD Synergies line which combines a lot of their existing nutraceuticals and botanicals.”
The Need for CBD Education Continues to Grow
Despite growing acceptance of CBD hemp products, there’s still a lot of misinformation out there. Every day, we get questions on the Leaf411 hotline that reinforce the need for balanced, scientifically-based education on both CBD hemp and marijuana products sold in legal dispensaries.
On the CBD hemp front, CBD Garage provides robust education on CBD and the endocannabinoid system to the public. This includes an education section on the website and phone and chat support available to both customers and to people who have CBD questions but haven’t bought products from the website. They also partner with Leaf411 to provide guidance and answers to customers’ specific medical questions.
“Every product is a little bit different,” Alan says. “Depending on who manufactures the product, if they’re getting their cannabis from the same source or growing it themselves, everybody grows their plants differently. Everyone has a different genetic mix of the different hemp plants. Companies have different extraction techniques, whether it’s liquid infusion or alcohol extraction or CO2 extraction. These factors create different profiles for products.”
As a result, a product may not work for everyone the same way. You may need to try different products before finding what works best for you.
Education around different types of CBD hemp products and finding the best dose are also areas where Alan sees a need.
“There’s no magical dose. There are general protocols that we use, but everybody’s a little bit different. ‘Do I take CBD three times a day? Do I take CBD at night? Do I like a broad spectrum without THC? Am I better off with the THC in a full spectrum product?’”
“I suggest to people to keep track of what you’re using. Start with some guidelines and then work from there. When you’re starting out, you have to be patient.”
Alan explains that while some people experience positive effects on their first day of using CBD hemp, it may take longer for others.
“I had an uncle who tried CBD on a daily basis. He told me that he didn’t feel anything for two weeks and all of a sudden—bam—it kicked in. He was on the treadmill walking and didn’t even notice he passed the point where he couldn’t previously walk because his legs hurt.”
“Your benefit after a month is going to be different than your benefit after three months or after a year, because your body changes.”
Partnering with Leaf411 to Provide Medically-Sound Education
Alan recognizes that the voice of trained medical professionals is also invaluable, which led him to partner with Leaf411 as a supporting member.
“I’m not a licensed medical professional, nor are a lot of people selling CBD hemp oil. We can help people through general use of CBD as an adult, but specific medical questions are outside our scope of practice. Leaf411 provides licensed medical professionals who can answer those really detailed questions,” he says.
“For anyone under 21 or 18 who is considering using CBD, they should talk to a medical professional first, because children are much different than adults. If somebody is calling for their child, I always encourage them to talk to Leaf411. You need a licensed healthcare practitioner to talk to who has the experience and education to understand what’s going on (with your child).”
CBD Garage offers a list of resources including the free Leaf411 hotline as well as private practitioners who provide cannabis consultations for a fee.
How CBD Garage is Keeping Customers Safe During the COVID-19
Many of us are under stay-at-home orders. As a result, online ordering has surged in certain categories, including groceries, medicine and supplements.
But how do you know if the companies you’re ordering from are using safe handling practices?
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that, “The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.”
Even with that reassurance, many online businesses are taking extra disinfection steps. We asked Alan what extra precautions CBD Garage is taking to reduce risk of infection.
“At CBD Garage, we’ve always kept a clean environment. We’re doing more disinfecting of all the surfaces, the mouse, the keyboard and the tables now. Also, we’ve begun wearing gloves while packing orders—that’s new.”
“One thing great about us is we don’t use a fulfillment center. We pack every order ourselves. You don’t have to worry about who’s packing your items. We have the same people processing orders every day, following the same protocols. It’s a very controlled environment.”
You can learn more about the precautions that CBD Garage is taking at this link.
Extending CBD Hemp Discounts to All CBD Garage Customers
When we talked to Alan, he recognized that many people are facing financial difficulties that could lead to tough decisions around medications and wellness products, including CBD hemp.
“We understand that people are going through some serious financial hardships these days,” he says.
In response, he opened up the paid membership-based Buyer’s Club so that it’s now available as a free benefit for all customers, with no joining fees, monthly fees or renewal charges. Buyer’s Club members get a 25% discount on everything in the CBD Garage store.
Buyer’s Club members also receive 25% off supplements sold on the Fullscript and Wellevate online stores, if you link to those sellers through the CBD Garage links (more info in the “Support” section here).
Leaf411 Can Help With Your Questions
At Leaf411, we’re thrilled to have members like CBD Garage who share our ethos of professionalism, kindness, and commitment to CBD hemp consumers.
While CBD Garage offers education on CBD hemp products, we know not all businesses are able to do that right now.
In some cases, businesses are closed. In other cases, they may be working under very restrictive conditions that limit interaction with customers, meaning that questions don’t get answered.
Leaf411 can help! Whether you have questions about CBD hemp products, legal marijuana sold at dispensaries, or even about COVID-19, our fully-licensed registered nurses (RNs) have the education and experience to provide balanced information and guidance. Call us for free at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411).
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 Supporter Spotlight: Lisa Gee, Director of Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility, Lightshade
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
Do you “vote with your dollars?”
In other words, when it comes to cannabis, do you try to support companies that not only create great products but also give back to the community?
Many people come to cannabis seeking an alternative to medicine-as-usual, which depends heavily on pharmaceuticals. In the same way, many cannabis businesses are creating an alternative to business-as-usual by truly embracing socially responsible and sustainable business practices. We believe that Lightshade is one of those businesses.
As part of the education that we provide at Leaf411, we love sharing our supporting member stories, believing that our members represent the best in the industry.
When we share these stories, we help change the outdated misconceptions around cannabis.
As a consumer, you can also help change the story, by supporting cannabis businesses that are committed to sustainability and social responsibility. First, though, it helps to see what a socially responsible, sustainable cannabis business looks like in practice.
Leaf411 Founding Member Lightshade Dispensary
Our founding member Lightshade is a great example of how a successful business integrates social responsibility, community engagement, and sustainability into their core business model.
Lightshade is a natural partner for Leaf411, given our shared priority to improve awareness and education around safe use of legal cannabis.
We recently sat down with Lightshade’s Director of Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility, Lisa Gee, to learn more about the dispensary’s work in the community and their commitment to customers.
Q: Lightshade is known for its dedication to corporate social responsibility (or as we like to call it, “cannabis social responsibility”) and supporting the community. What does that look like?
There are struggles when you go into a new neighborhood. You have to create these relationships with your community where they can see the cannabis doing good. They don’t want to think of you as just an outlet for drugs. We take it really seriously that we demonstrate dedication to the neighborhoods that we’re in. We do this through the corporate social responsibility programs that we either fund directly and/or volunteer with. It’s part of Lightshade’s ethos, and is built into everything that we do.
We also take it very seriously that our vendors volunteer with us. I know there are vendor relationships we’ve had where the vendor didn’t have a corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign or any community relationships. And as a result of volunteering alongside us, they’ve been inspired to take on their own volunteer activities.
Q: It sounds like you really strive to be an industry leader when it comes to CSR. Why is that important to you?
We try very hard to mentor and demonstrate all the good stuff that cannabis does, and what a company like ours can accomplish when you get your staff involved and you get your vendors involved. At the same time, it’s a challenge for us because there’s no way for us to tell the full story. Our customers a lot of times don’t really know everything we do. That’s challenging. We’d like them to know more about some of the work that we in the community.
Another goal for us is to be a thought leader demonstrating our dedication to community by bringing more people into it, whether that’s customers, vendors, or employees. It’s about showing what can happen when you come together as a group with very different people and the kinds of impacts that you can make to your community.
Q: Can you share an example of how you pull together all these different groups—employees, vendors and customers?
During our Denver Urban Gardens activity, it can be 100 degrees outside. We’re out there with shovels, picks, and dirt, sweating on a workday alongside our vendor volunteers, doing six hours of work and then going back to the office. That’s definitely one of the activations that we’ve had, with people calling afterward and saying they’re going to do their own event, or that they’ve adopted a park. They’ll even ask, “Do you want to help us?” This happened with Wana Brands. We’re looking to partner with them on more events. Their values align with ours in so many ways.
Q: You’ve created a unique corporate culture in this space, because you are paying attention to all those little things and they truly matter to you to do your part to make a difference.
I’ll share a story with you. A production company contacted Kelly and Courtney at kindColorado. The production company is profiling Denver and wanted to talk about two things, homelessness and cannabis. And they randomly found Kelly and Courtney on the interwebs and reached out to them and asked, “What can you tell us about cannabis and the homeless problem it’s creating?”
Kelly and Courtney said, “First of all, we need to tell you a little bit about how your assumption is wrong. Homelessness was not caused by adult recreational use legalization in Colorado. There’s a lot of other correlations with what’s happened here. But there’s some other stories you might want to tell.”
Out of the conversation came the fact that there are cannabis companies and dispensaries who are focused on homelessness. It’s one of our pillars at Lightshade. Kelly and Courtney suggested that the production company talk to us.
As a result of our conversations, their Denver episode will focus on Aurora Warms the Night, which is one of the big homeless programs we support, and Lightshade—how we are out there on the streets volunteering with the program.
The majority of Aurora Warms the Night’s funding comes from that marijuana tax fund for homelessness in Aurora, CO (Aurora is located in the Denver metro area).
But the best thing about Aurora Warms the Night is that when you’re there helping, you’re serving the food and pouring the drinks for the people. Then you get yourself a plate and sit down with the people you’ve served. The program’s goal is to humanize the homeless, because it’s so easy for us to walk past homeless people and not see our common humanity with them. And we all do it, even if we hate ourselves for it. So it’s just a way of being like, “You are here. Connect with these people.” And I know I did. The first day that I was out there with Aurora Warms the Night, I sat in my car and cried afterward. The people I met were fantastic but also so vulnerable. They’ve been left behind or they started in a homeless and vulnerable family. And so that’s the kind of impact that we get to tell the story about.
Q: Your slogan is: “The Lightshade difference is night and day.” We can definitely see that in terms of the CSR work you do. But what does it mean for consumers?
Our slogan is a play on words. First of all, Lightshade—the name of the company—comes from the need for a cannabis plant to have equal parts of sun and shade. Also, our loyalty program is called the Night and Day Club.
Our slogan is a way for us to differentiate ourselves. It is aligned a lot with CSR. It’s also about the consumer experience, about how the retail environment looks and feels.
Q: Can you describe your retail environment?
We’re really trying to help elevate the cannabis industry just by the look and feel of the retail environment. We use a lot of reclaimed barn wood. We have natural finishes and stained concrete with rich colors. The furniture is meant to feel more like you’re in someone’s living room, a very comfortable and elegant living room.
Our Dayton store has a fireplace in the waiting area. It’s located right next to a retirement community. We get a lot of older people who shop at our Dayton dispensary, which is a very comfortable, warm and welcoming space. When people walk in, they’re comfortable and they don’t feel nervous.
We also take the training of our bartenders and our front desk staff very seriously. We do something outside the norm. Rather than use an off-the-shelf program for training, we developed our own training program and have our own training director. Our program covers product knowledge and compliance issues.
There are so many things that bartenders and front desk staff need to know. They have to have answers for everything, especially, “I’m not a doctor.” That’s where Leaf411 comes into the picture.
Q: How does your partnership with Leaf411 help your budtenders and customers?
The partnership has created opportunities for us that we didn’t have before, because one of the keys to being a successful cannabis retailer is education. Because of the limits in our industry, there’s a lot we just cannot do.
That face-to-face relationship between the budtender and the consumer or patient is the one shot we have at providing education that they need to have. We’re not able to tell them certain things because it doesn’t fall within the legal scope. However, being able to give them a business card or the pamphlet to Leaf411 provides the opportunity to open the floodgates of education. We weren’t able to provide that before. I’ve seen it at stores, and I’ve heard it from budtenders.
For example, we had two customers at the Dayton store the other day who had chronic pain and sleep problems. I explained to them what the budtender could tell them. We can say something like, “This is my favorite thing.” But we can’t say why. Being able to refer customers to Leaf411 is a perfect solution. It’s really important for us to be able to share a verifiable, trusted resource.
Q: As Leaf411 continues to expand, we’re getting more inquiries from dispensaries in both Colorado and other states. From the dispensary perspective, what would you tell them about partnering with Leaf411?
When we heard what you were doing, we were down. We were all in just with the idea.
Dispensaries need to have access to nurses or doctors as credible resources to refer their patients and consumers to. If you allow your budtenders to give medical advice, you’re going to be shut down in a month, maybe less. And if you don’t operate in the complete black and white area of compliance and regulatory environment, you’re not going to last long.
The only tool we have is Leaf411, outside of doctors. And sending customers to doctors is cost-prohibitive in many cases.
From a business perspective, partnering with Leaf411 is all about customer care, service and being there for your community. You will build customer loyalty with this kind of service. You will have stories like ours, with people who have never walked into a dispensary before and receiving the support they need. They were absolutely thrilled and amazed at what came of that experience and probably changed their lives. Our partnership with the Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline is invaluable. You know, we just couldn’t be more thrilled.
Someone told me this a number of years ago and it really stuck with me. I don’t remember jokes or poetry, but I have never forgotten this. And it’s that with nurses, you can find someone who is as curious about what’s going on with you as you are.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
For More Information
Lightshade has eight recreational dispensaries in the Denver metro area, with five of those dispensaries also serving med patients. You can learn more about Lightshade’s community partnerships here.
Leaf411 is proud to have Lightshade as one of our founding members. Lightshade is committed to elevating cannabis’s reputation by providing high-quality product, experiences and information. Their ethos align with Leaf411’s commitment to kindness and professionalism.
Additional Resources
Check out our recent post, “Planning Your First Dispensary Visit,” if you’d like additional tips before heading out the door to Lightshade or any other legal dispensary.
Whether you’re a patient or a budtender, our cannabis-trained nurses are available to answer your questions on our FREE anonymous hotline at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411).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 Supporter Spotlight: Dr. David Gordon, MD, 4Pillars Health & Wellness
An integrative medicine perspective on why patients turn to cannabis, the biggest medical cannabis myths, and how to talk to your doctor about cannabis as a treatment option
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline partners with healthcare providers and cannabis industry members to expand our education outreach and increase awareness around the safe use of legal cannabis. We’re proud to periodically spotlight our supporters here.
David Gordon, MD, founder of 4Pillars Health & Wellness, was an early supporter of Leaf411, and serves as one of our Advisory Board members. Dr. Gordon, better known as “Dr. Dave,” is the creator of the 4×4 Lifestyle Plan, offering patients an alternative to conventional medical treatment. His approach addresses food, movement, relaxation, and community to help patients transform their lives.
At Leaf411, we take our ethos (kindness, professionalism and caller loyalty) very seriously. Dr. Dave fits in with our organization so perfectly, from his devotion to his profession to his loyalty to his patients. We are honored to have Dave be a member of our Advisory Board and give him this spotlight.
Leaf 411 COO Jennifer Axcell recently sat down with Dr. Dave learn more about what brings patients to cannabis, the questions and misconceptions he hears most often, and what he wishes other providers knew when it comes to advising patients on how to use cannabis.
Q: When do people typically come to you? How many other treatment options have they tried beforehand?
People have definitely already tried a lot of other options. This is true not only with cannabis, but also with an integrative approach in general.
In the cannabis space specifically, far and away chronic pain is the most common thing that we see. These are people who are still in pain despite them getting opioids or other medications. They’re still in pain despite going to physical therapy. They’re still in pain despite having surgeries and injections. They’re still suffering.
They’re definitely also tired of the risk and side effects of some of the other therapies when it comes to chronic pain. Certainly opioids—we hear about that a lot. But the risks and side effects of less toxic pain medications are underappreciated, whether it’s the ibuprofen class of meds or even Tylenol for that matter.
The biggest thing for people with chronic pain is that they’re not getting better. They’re not trying to avoid medicine. They’re really just trying to get relief that they haven’t had with other things.
If opioids were allowing people with chronic pain to feel great and be pain-free with high quality of life, these people wouldn’t be searching out cannabis.
We also see patients for lot of other conditions that standard medicines don’t treat well, be it sleep, mood disorders, or psychological symptoms. These are things that our current meds don’t do a very good job with.
Q: Is there a certain type of person who’s more likely to come to you? Is it the senior group, because they have more chronic conditions? Younger people who might be more open to cannabis? Or does it run the gamut?
The people who come to me really run the gamut, but they fall into a few categories.
A lot of people have figured out through experience that cannabis works better for them than other things. They’ve done the research and they know it’s safe. This is the average healthy person who has pain from sports injuries. It’s also the waiter or waitress or auto mechanic who comes home exhausted with pain and stiffness from work. They just want something to help their pain, help them relax and get to sleep easier. They don’t want to take a bunch of ibuprofen and Benadryl to go to sleep. They find that with a little bit of cannabis, they can relax, their pain is gone, and they fall asleep easily. This population just uses a small amount of cannabis in the evening. They know it’s more effective and safer than a lot of alternatives.
There’s also a big group of patients who have been dealing with various issues for years, and who are just sick of all the side effects and drug interactions. They want safer options. They might have been told they can’t take a variety of medications, or they’ve had side effects. These patients are looking for something they haven’t tried before because they have low quality of life. This is typically the senior population.
There’s a third patient group, the chronic pain population. The chronic pain may be related to an injury from a car accident or disc injury, or it could be non-injury related. Some patients have central pain issues like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, these kind of nebulous pain syndromes. That’s where you get the patient who says, “I haven’t had a good day in 25 years no matter how many meds I’ve taken.”
Q: What are the top three questions about cannabis that you get from patients?
These days, one of the top patient questions is about the different chemicals in cannabis, specifically THC and CBD. What is CBD? What is THC? What’s the difference?
Another common question is how best to administer cannabis, whether you’re talking about inhaling or eating or topical. People always want to know what’s the best.
Also, for patients who are new to cannabis, their questions involve safety, side effects, and interactions with other medications.
Q: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you hear from people, when it comes to using cannabis for health purposes?
New users often assume that using cannabis means that they’re going to be so high that they can’t function. That’s far and away the biggest misconception. I might explain to them that we’re going to use certain cannabis compounds that don’t cause any intoxication. Even if we’re using THC, the one compound that can cause intoxication, we might be starting it at a dose that they’ll barely notice or not notice it at all.
Also, a lot of the cannabis propaganda that people have heard over time is just wrong. The perfect example is when someone asks, “Is cannabis going to cause me to lose my brain cells?” Or they are worried it will cause early-onset Alzheimer’s. No, actually, the science shows that cannabis is probably going to protect your brain. We know that both the cannabis THC and CBD compounds protect brain cells. And there’s good evidence suggesting that they may reduce the risk of dementia.
Another misconception I hear is that cannabis is super-addictive. People just assume it’s a highly dangerous, addictive drug like heroin or cocaine, based on the propaganda they’ve heard. I share the actual information that’s out there in the research showing this propaganda is not true.
People also tell me, “My doctor told me there’s no research. There’s no science showing cannabis works.” (Dr. Dave responds to this misconception below.)
There are a lot of myths about cannabis—the list goes on. But those are some of the main ones that people come in with preconceptions about.
Q: At Leaf411, one way we’re answering that concern about research is with our online Leaf Library. How do you answer questions about research, beyond saying “trust me”?
My response varies between patients based on how they learn and what they want to know. We have different levels of research. You know, we have research that’s done in the lab that shows how and why cannabis works. And then we have research in animals showing its benefit. We also have research in humans, but the research in humans often isn’t as robust as we have for other medications because of the restrictions.
But I also remind people that most of what happens in a regular conventional medical office is also not supported by gold standard research using large-scale double-blind trials. Most conventional providers’ practice is based observational studies or recommendations, the exact same kind of research we have for cannabis, as well.
Evidence-based medicine is not just picking one study and saying, “Here’s the evidence. This is what we do.” Evidence-based medicine is combining the best research and science we have with our patients’ experiences, and with physicians’ experiences. And using those three aspects to make decisions that are best for a given patient. That is true evidence-based medicine.
Q: From the patient perspective, when is the best time for someone to talk to a cannabis physician?
I am a little biased, but I think early on is best. In a perfect world, everybody would get guidance, even people who are knowledgeable about cannabis.
When I see a patient who tells me they’ve used cannabis for 25 years, there’s still information that I can provide to really optimize their treatment.
When we’re talking about the person who is new to cannabis, I think early is best, ideally before they use it or within the first month.
My biggest concern with a new cannabis patient is that they’ll have a negative experience early on due to the product they tried or using too much.
It’s not dangerous but they felt uncomfortable. That creates a negative association. We know in all treatments, someone’s initial experiences play a huge role. We want to avoid negative experiences early on, because that makes future treatment more difficult.
I think all people need some education early on how to use appropriate dosing and appropriate products to minimize negative experiences. And a lot of that’s just starting really low. I don’t think the industry facilitates that in the way they package and label products, and I don’t think budtenders facilitate that. Most people working in dispensaries are cannabis users, and probably have higher tolerance than someone who is new to cannabis. They may not understand low dose concepts like building up the dose slowly.
I don’t think someone necessarily has to see a doctor, but they should get guidance on the concept of starting low. This could come from an educational resource like Leaf411.
Obviously, seeing a cannabis doctor can increase the likelihood that the first thing the person tries will be effective. Talking to any knowledgeable healthcare provider makes it more likely that someone will find the most effective dose or product sooner.
Q: How do you guide patients to talk to their primary care doctor, knowing that there is resistance and lack of knowledge among some providers?
I recommend that patients start by sharing their personal feelings and goals.
Don’t just say, “I’m using cannabis, deal with it.”
Instead, maybe say, “Hey, I’ve been really struggling with this. You know that we’ve tried many things and I haven’t been getting optimal results. I’ve tried this new thing. It’s really helping me. I’d really like to stick with this because I’m feeling better.”
If the doctor hears the patient articulate that they’re doing well and they’re achieving their goals, but they’re not willing to support that—I mean, I usually tell patients that’s the time you need to think about getting a new doctor.
If a doctor doesn’t know something and says, “Okay, I’d love to learn more. How can I support you?” that’s okay. They don’t need to be a cannabis expert.
I wish that every doctor understood the low dose concept. If a patient said, “I want to try cannabis,” the doctor’s response would be, “I don’t know anything. But all I know is that you start with one or two milligrams and go up every few days.” If every doctor just knew that, that would be outstanding.
Q: Many people in the cannabis space have a story. What’s yours?
My story is not so much a personal story. For me, it’s really just seeing what worked with patients and what didn’t work.
I always wanted to be a doctor and enjoyed the sciences, and started on a pretty straight path going to medical school. I had no exposure to integrative medicine or anything beyond standard medicine throughout my training.
I started my own practice right out of residency, a general internal medicine, primary care practice. Paying attention to patients and how they were doing, I realized what I was taught didn’t work very well. I was doling out medicines left and right, and yet people were not getting better. Even if their numbers got better, I would see them keep coming in with side effects and new issues.
Within the first year or two of practice, I decided that I needed better tools. I started learning more about nutrition and root causes of health issues, and expanded into integrative practice where I had a bigger toolbox. I partnered with patients, spending more time with them to find out what their triggers were. Then, I incorporated new tools, using other practitioners, chiropractors, psychologists, physical therapists, and acupuncturists. I also taught myself more about nutrition and incorporated that piece as well. Patients really got better using those modalities.
Once cannabis was legalized in Colorado, I immediately had patients coming to me and saying, “Oh, I’ve already been using cannabis for my pain,” or “I’ve been using cannabis for sleep,” or for other conditions. Patients asked, “Will you authorize my medical card?” These were patients I knew and trusted, and so I signed off on that.
After hearing similar stories from many patients, I thought I should try to learn about cannabis beyond just signing off on it. When I looked into things, I was blown away by how much information was already out there about the endocannabinoid system and cannabis. At the time, there were a few decades of research showing what cannabis does, why it works, and how people were benefiting from it.
I saw this firsthand in my practice, as well. When patients were struggling, I looked at using cannabis as a bridge to help them get better so we could implement other dietary and lifestyle measures. Cannabis was just one part of my toolbox.
My story has really been focused on what’s best for the patient. That’s what led me to general integrative medicine, and to cannabis specifically.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
For More Information
You can learn more about Dr. Dave and 4Pillars Health & Wellness here. Dr. Dave provides in-person, phone, and video consults for people seeking guidance and education on cannabis as well as other integrative health practices to improve overall health. He also offers office appointments for Colorado residents seeking a medical marijuana card.
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline is proud to have supporters like Dr. Dave. Our nurse team depends on our medical advisors to take our callers to the next level of care that is outside our scope of practice and Dr. Dave can do just that. He takes in-person, phone, and video consultations from all over the country. We are proud to list his practice as a resource for our callers.
We recognize that not everyone may have the resources to visit a cannabis doctor. That’s a big reason why we set up our hotline as a free service available to anyone, anywhere, regardless of their insurance coverage or ability to pay.
Do you have questions about using cannabis for a health concern?
Would you like to learn more about the low dose concept?
Call 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) for answers from our cannabis-trained registered nurses.
Leaf411 Holiday Gift Guide
Share Your Love of CBD with Family and Friends
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
Whether you shop online, at the big box stores, or in local craft markets, you’ll likely come across CBD-based gifts for everyone, including the family dog.
Perhaps you’ve had good experiences with CBD products. It makes sense that you would want to provide the gift of CBD (which is also sometimes called hemp) to friends and loved ones who could also benefit from this wonderful plant.
You may also be looking for the perfect gift for yourself, as someone who’s curious to try CBD hemp as part of your wellness regimen.
Leaf411 is happy to present our CBD hemp gift guide, highlighting gift-worthy products from our partner business members. We fully review all our members to ensure their products are compliant with all regulations and are manufactured to the highest standards.
We also share tips for steering away from products that are little more than a lump of coal. After all, no one wants to give a gift that’s a dud.
Is Hemp for Everyone? A Word of Caution Before You Give
So you’re thinking about buying that awesome CBD tincture for you Aunt Deborah who complains of stiffness in the wintertime. Before you pull out your credit card, ask yourself these questions about the person you’re buying a gift for:
- Are they pregnant, breastfeeding, or under the age of 18? There’s simply not enough evidence yet about on either side of the issue—risks versus benefits—when it comes to how CBD impacts developing fetuses, infants, children and teens. For that reason, Leaf411 suggests sticking with topical products like skin cream for this group.
- Are they undergoing chemotherapy, taking blood thinners or other long-term medications? Cannabidiol works through the endocannabinoid system, with endocannabinoids broken down by enzymes. CBD is metabolized through specific liver enzymes that also play an important role in metabolizing certain medications. In short, CBD may impact certain medications in a similar way that grapefruit does. We recommend sticking with topical products for these folks to try first, which carry the lowest risk of medication interaction. Also, either you or your gift recipient are encouraged to consult with a physician or call our free nurse hotline at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) for help with your questions.
- Do they have a job that requires drug testing? This is a tricky issue. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp products containing less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound that provides the cannabis “high.” THC levels in full-spectrum CBD products are so low that you will not feel any psychoactive effects—however, there’s debate about whether they could trigger a positive drug test result. For people who work in construction, transportation, public safety, healthcare, the military or other industries, full-spectrum CBD may not be worth the risk of a career-ending positive drug test.
If you’re determined to buy a hemp-based gift for someone who has concerns about drug testing or is worried about even miniscule THC content, stay away from full-spectrum CBD products. Instead, look for products that specifically say “No THC” on the label, or which are either broad-spectrum or CBD isolate.
Broad spectrum products “should” have all THC removed, though the beneficial terpenes and flavonoids remain. Terpenes, which are present in both cannabis and hemp plants, do not impact drug tests. However, terpenes and cannabidiol work together creating the beneficial entourage effect.
CBD isolate products “should” contain only CBD. All THC, terpenes and flavonoids are removed by the manufacturer.
Why do we emphasize the word “should” when describing different product types? The CBD hemp industry currently lacks clear product labeling standards, and some manufacturers confuse the terms “full spectrum” and “broad spectrum” in their advertising and on product labels.
This makes finding brands you trust especially important when looking for THC-free CBD. Does the manufacturer provide a certificate of analysis (COA) for their product? These are often listed on the manufacturer website in their own section (look along the main website header or footer for a link). COA lab results will verify whether the product contains trace amounts of THC. The COA will also confirm whether the product provides the CBD as advertised.
Leaf411 member businesses provide COAs for their products. Their customer support teams can help you find an item that fits your loved one’s needs, as well.
Our Leaf411 hotline nurses are also available to walk you through any manufacturers’ COA to determine if the product will deliver on its promises. Call us toll-free at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) with your questions.
How to Choose CBD Hemp Gifts that Fit
When it comes to gifts for hemp newbies, stick with products that have familiar features and lower concentrations of CBD. Most everyone is familiar with how to use body lotion even if it contains cannabidiol. On the other hand, a CBD dab rig might be too extreme for Grandma!
Want something special for a friend who already uses CBD? Look for clues with the products they already use. Do they prefer topical creams? If so, look for new CBD hemp body care items they might like to try.
Hemp-Based Gifts for Skin Care and Beauty Enthusiasts
Hemp-based skincare products feel amazing during the cold, dry winter season. Cannabinol (CBD) has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that helps restore stressed dry skin. There are minimal risks associated with hemp skin care products, though you’ll want to carefully check the product label for other ingredients that could be irritating or unwanted. Check the manufacturer’s COA to ensure you’re getting what you’re paying for when it comes to CBD content. Also, beware that hemp seed oil is not the same as cannabidiol/CBD—we explain the difference below.
This holiday season, Leaf411 business member Color Up Therapeutics is offering special hemp holiday sets geared toward relaxation, rejuvenation and travel. Gift sets like these provide a great opportunity to test out different hemp-based products!
CBD Products Designed for Guys
Men appreciate high-quality skin and hair products that are created just for them. CBD shaving cream and beard oil are growing in popularity, with many men finding they make for a better shave. Remember to always check the product ingredients and COA.
Clean Coconut, one of our founding members, offers Man Scrub to scour away dirt and grime while moisturizing skin. While this product is marketed toward men, we have a feeling there are women out there who might appreciate it as well!
Performance-Driven Hemp Gifts for Athletes
There’s been strong interest in CBD among professional and amateur athletes and it’s no wonder—high-quality hemp-based products can make a noticeable difference in post-game recovery. Since the World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from the list of banned substances in 2017, athletes across multiple sports are using hemp to improve performance and reduce recovery times. It’s important to note that THC is still banned, though, so make sure any gifts for competitive athletes are THC-free.
Companies like Arcanum, one of our founding members, have developed products tailored to athletes’ needs, including beginner-friendly salt soaks and topical cooling gels.
CBD Pet Treats for Fido
At Leaf411, we love sharing dog-approved CBD treats with our four-legged friends. CBD can keep your dog’s tail wagging through the stressful holiday season. Older dogs also benefit from hemp-based treats during the wintertime, when colder temperatures limit outdoor activity and aggravate arthritis.
Everyone knows that chocolate is bad for dogs. But did you know that your CBD gummies and flavored tinctures may contain Xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is toxic to dogs?
When shopping for canine gifts, stick with CBD oil and treats developed specifically for pets. These products come in dog-friendly doses, often with flavors that your best friend will appreciate, like Arcanum’s Hemp Bacon pet tincture.
Our partner Color Up Therapeutics also offers pet CBD drops that include fish oil as a beneficial addition to cannabidiol.
Not sure about where to start with CBD and your pet? Veterinary Cannabis provides guidance to pet parents, veterinarians, and product creators about the medicinal properties of cannabis, as well as how to use CBD products with pets. Their Veterinary Cannabis library is a good place to start!
Don’t Forget the Family Cat!
If you’re a cat owner, you likely know that supplements and medications can be trickier with felines. Doses are different, and individual cats may respond differently to the same medications. Despite the challenges in finding the right CBD product for your cat and convincing them to ingest it, many cat owners report success.
Online retailer CBD Garage sells Earth Buddy brand hemp treats for dogs and cats that contain a blend of CBD, mushrooms and herbs.
Tips for Buying High-Quality CBD Hemp Gifts
CBD products are legal across the United States and are widely available in stores and online. Your biggest challenge can be finding a retailer you trust:
- Can the seller answer your questions about specific product ingredients?
- Do they provide COAs for products they’re selling, or know where to find them online?
- Does the retailer offer customer support in case you or the gift recipient have questions or concerns?
Leaf411 business member CBD Garage is a good example of a responsible, trustworthy online retailer that ships products across the U.S. They offer a wide range of hemp-based products for people and pets, along with education and robust customer support.
Last Thoughts: Hemp Seed is Not the Same as CBD
Before we wrap up our gift guide, let’s talk about what isn’t CBD. Hemp seed or hemp seed oil, also called cannabis sativa seed oil, contains only trace amounts of CBD. While hemp seed oil may provide beneficial essential fatty acids for hair and skin, it likely won’t provide the benefits of cannabidiol that you’re looking for.
Product branding can make it tough, too. For example, a popular body care brand features a cannabis leaf and tag lines like “Get Baked,” though their ingredient lists make it clear that the products contain only hemp seed oil.
Some products contain both CBD and also hemp seed oil as the carrier agent that the CBD is infused into—these products will list both CBD and hemp seed oil separately.
Other brands confuse CBD oil with hemp seed oil, acting as if they are the same thing in order to charge the premium prices associated with CBD.
We’re not saying that hemp seed oil products don’t make great gifts—but if your goal is to provide the benefits of cannabidiol, these products won’t deliver.
With all the name variations, it can be easy to get confused! Just remember that hemp seed oil and cannabis sativa seed oil are the same thing, and do not contain significant amounts of CBD.
We Can Help
Still contemplating that CBD dab rig for Grandma? While our cannabis-trained nurses can’t do your holiday shopping for you, we’re happy to provide balanced information, including the pros and cons of different CBD hemp products. Contact us at the free hotline: 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411)