Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
The 2018 Farm Bill turns one year old on December 20, 2019. This federal law fully legalized hemp cultivation and sales, making cannabidiol/CBD products widely available online and in retail stores.
Now, everyone and their grandma are trying out hemp products. And with legal medical and recreational cannabis expanding to additional states, many people are also curious about THC-based products.
But what happens when people have questions?
Federal and state laws don’t fully address the need for consumer education on safe, effective cannabis use. In fact, hemp and cannabis producers, manufacturers, retailers and dispensaries are prohibited from making specific health claims about their products.
That’s where we come in. Leaf411 nurses have the professional medical background and training to provide balanced education and support for safe, legal cannabis use.
Note: Our Giving Tuesday fundraiser is set up in Facebook. They’re matching the first $7 million in donations made via the platform on Dec 3. Contribute now to boost your donation’s impact!
You may also donate via PayPal. Contributions made via PayPal don’t count toward the Facebook Giving Tuesday challenge; however, we appreciate them just as much!
Your contribution supports our goals to:
- Increase our hotline coverage while maintaining our commitment to pay our cannabis-trained nurses a living wage.
- Increase our community-based outreach. We know that not everyone is online. That’s why we launched the free Leaf411 hotline, and why we’re also focused on in-person events to meet people where they are at.
- Strengthen our nonprofit’s foundation of support. As we grow, new doors will open. This includes our ability to participate in future Colorado Gives events. However, we need your help to get there! Colorado Gives and many grant programs require that nonprofits show existing support to qualify. Every dollar you donate today helps us unlock new funding sources.
Are you able to help on Giving Tuesday to support Leaf411’s mission? Donate via our Facebook fundraiser.
Why Leaf411 is a Needed Resource
Manufacturers and retailers are prohibited by law from talking about how CBD and cannabis may impact specific health conditions.
Also, many doctors say they are unprepared to answer patient questions about medical marijuana, despite the majority of those doctors also saying they believed cannabis can serve a legitimate medical purpose for patients, according to a 2019 Mayo Clinic survey. The reality is that less than 10% of medical schools even address medical marijuana, leaving many new doctors unable to answer questions. And older doctors likely don’t have any cannabis education at all.
The Leaf411 hotline provides an important service with cannabis-trained registered nurses ready to answer your questions at no cost to you.
Our hotline nurses are members of the American Cannabis Nurses Association and have completed specialized training on cannabis through Radicle Health. We stay up to date on the latest research to ensure that the information we provide reflects best practice. We also regularly connect with other cannabis clinicians to share knowledge and resources.
Our nurses are committed to Leaf411’s mission to provide callers with balanced education and directional support for safe, legal cannabis use. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and are committed to paying a living wage for their work.
Help support our nurses. Donate to our Facebook fundraiser.
Meeting the Community Where They Are At
Who uses cannabis? While market research shows that younger adults make up the majority of consumers, older adults represent one of the fastest growing groups of cannabis users. It’s no surprise, given the potential benefits of cannabis. However, many seniors struggle to find sound medical guidance for using cannabis, including the best delivery method and dosage, as well as benefits and risks that are specific to older adults.
Our cannabis-trained nurses have the medical background to answer seniors’ questions, but first we need to let them know we’re available.
Older adults are not online in the same way younger people are. We know the most effective way to reach out to this population is by participating in community-based events where we can introduce ourselves, build trust and awareness of the free Leaf411 hotline service.
Our focus isn’t limited to older adults, either. We’ve also partnered with our founding members and veteran’s organizations on outreach events for military veterans. Veterans face unique challenges in accessing medical advice for safe, therapeutic cannabis use, with VA physicians essentially prohibited from discussing cannabis as a treatment option. Through partnering with organizations like Veterans for Natural Rights, we’ve built a deeper understanding of veterans’ unique needs, and are honored to provide support to those who sacrificed for our country.
We have more community outreach planned for the coming year, but we need your support to make it happen.
Can you help us reach more veterans, seniors, and others who are seeking personalized information on safe cannabis use? Donate via our Facebook fundraiser.
We are thrilled to participate in the national Giving Tuesday event on December 3, as a Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Every dollar raised today helps unlock new funding sources in the future.
The annual Colorado Gives event takes place on December 10, a week after Giving Tuesday. Did you know that in order to participate in Colorado Gives, a nonprofit must show $50,000 in annual revenue?
As a newly launched nonprofit, we’re making good progress on qualifying for next year’s Colorado Gives—but we need your help to get us over the finish line! Contribute today via our Facebook fundraiser.
Qualifying for future Colorado Gives events is important. Our visibility to potential donors and potential callers will increase by participating in the Colorado Gives event. We’ll also be eligible for a portion of the $1.5 million incentive fund shared between participating Colorado Gives nonprofits.
By demonstrating strong community support, we’ll qualify for other grants and in-kind donations as well.
Any amount you give, no matter what that is, moves us closer to our goals. Please contribute to the Leaf411 hotline today. Donate via our Facebook fundraiser where your contribution may be matched, amplifying its impact!.
You may also donate via PayPal. Contributions made via PayPal don’t count toward the Facebook Giving Tuesday challenge; however, they are appreciated just as much!