Spending the last five years working in Florida’s Medical Marijuana Industry has been a non-stop roller coaster ride. But, even though it has its ups and downs, the knowledge I have gained from being a part of it has outweighed everything.
Here are the Top 5 Things I Have Learned While Working in the Cannabis Industry:
Just About Everyone Uses Cannabis
Okay, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but I mainly mean that every demographic uses cannabis products. Surprisingly, the average patient age in Florida is around 55 years of age, meaning 50% of the patient base is older than that. Yep, that means that grandma and grandpa are some of the most significant users of medical marijuana in Florida!
Besides the average age, one of my biggest surprises was learning that Medical Doctors, Lawyers, Deputies, Engineers, and Professional Athletes become patients too.
Sativas and Indicas Are a Thing of the Past
We’ve come a long way from classifying a strain as a sativa, indica, or hybrid. The terms sativa and indica were initially used to describe the physical differences between two subspecies of cannabis. Sativa plants were taller and produced skinnier fan leaves, while indicas were the short and stockier species; however, this was never meant to describe the psychological effects given by the plant. While every strain offers unique effects, it is because of the overall plant profile consisting of various cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavinoids specific for every cultivar, not it being a sativa or indica.
Nowadays, because of cross-breeding, every cultivar is a hybrid plant.
THC Percentage Doesn’t Mean everything
Most people are under the impression that the higher the percentage of THC in a product, the more effective it will be; however, that’s not the case. While percentages of cannabinoids do affect your experience, the plants’ terpene profile is really what matters. Terpenes are the cannabis plants’ essential oils, and they determine how the psychoactivity will feel.
Whenever I purchase cannabis flowers, I always check to see the overall terpene profile and if there is a decent amount present before checking the THC percent.
Not All Companies Value Quality
Although all of the dispensaries are required to pass extensive lab testing to sell their products in Florida, that does not mean they all meet the highest standards of quality. Everything used throughout the process, from seed to sale, affects the end product, and not every company puts in the required effort to ensure their patients are getting top-notch products. Always make sure to review the Certificates of Analysis of the products you want to purchase ahead of time. The THC percentage is not the only thing you should be focusing on. Check to see if there are various cannabinoids and terpenes within the products and if there are minimal levels of things such as mold, mildew, and heavy metals present.
Everyone Reacts to Cannabis Differently
One of the most incredible things that I have learned is that everyone reacts to cannabis in their way. What works for me might have the complete opposite effects on someone else. This applies to different strains, methods of ingestion, and dosages used. When listening to product advice, always keep this in mind. Whenever I try a new product out, I start low and go slow to ensure my experience isn’t overwhelming!
All in all, cannabis is so diverse that there is always something new to learn. As more time goes on, more laws will allow for further research to be completed, meaning more exciting things will be discovered!