Welcome to The Budtender’s Survival Guide. My idea behind this series was that this could be a monthly check-in, where I share some of the hot products and topics around the cannabis industry. Being in the dispensary full time you have a feel for the heartbeat of the industry at all times, so spreading the knowledge and information with my audience is an amazing privilege. Check out this monthly survival guide for your hottest Missouri Cannabis products and recommendations!
Throughout Missouri, the theme seems to be finding a way to stay cool in the intense summer heat. For cannabis users who either prefer to or cannot smoke inside their house or apartment, this presents the challenge of medicating and keeping cool simultaneously. For me, the addition of the summer heat has allowed me to really dive deep into different concentrate products and find some I really enjoy. I’ve found nothing beats the summer heat quite as well as a dab at the kitchen table with the AC blasting! While concentrates aren’t necessarily smell-proof, I’ve found the smoke doesn’t stick to clothes or fabric as much as flower products often do.
Dabbing is a method of consumption that I would recommend to anyone dealing with chronic pain, or simply anyone looking to dive into some higher percentage product. Pain patients often turn to concentrate products due to their quick onset time, alleviating pain quicker than other consumption methods can offer. Conventionally dabbing requires a glass or silicone oil rig and a torch, so there is some initial investment required when starting. There are also many beginner-friendly methods available allowing for portable vape options, such as the Terp Pen from Boundless. These options allow the user to keep their start-up cost low, while gauging their interest before deciding to purchase a more permanent setup. The Terp Pen was able to let me explore concentrates comfortably before leveling up to my oil rig, making it a great option for beginners at only $29.99.
The month of July was a busy one for me personally, calling for mainly productive and alert strains to get me through. After trying many different brands and products, Golden Goat sugar and Blue Dream crumble both from Origin Extracts have highlighted my summer Sativa rotation. Blue Dream is a Sativa-dominant hybrid that contains myrcene as its dominant terpene. The myrcene is able to bring me a level of relaxation and calmness, while the Sativa effects keep me productive to start the day. The Golden Goat is a good strain to pair with Blue Dream, as Golden Goat brings an intense wave of energy that the Blue Dream just quite can’t match. I also see Blue Dream appear in the lineage of many other products that come in, so it’s helpful to really understand the parent strain of other crosses.
Crumble | Origin Extracts
Apart from trying different strains, one of the many pleasures of working in the cannabis industry is constantly picking at my coworkers for information and product recommendations. The vast amount of knowledge about cannabis in a dispensary is immeasurable, and I always recommend reaching out to your KC Cannabis budtenders if you have any questions or comments about our products! Throughout this previous month, one specific conversation with Blue Springs Budtender, Tanner Gard, stuck with me and helped revise and update my smoking routine. As medical patients, our goal should be to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of our medication. Tanner expressed the idea that cannabis should be used as a tool for patients to help alleviate and target their symptoms, not a mere solution for them. For example, my day-to-day use of cannabis is to prevent anxiety and depression symptoms. If I have an insanely busy schedule lined up someday, a common anxiety-filled situation, I will use cannabis to help prevent anxiety instead of completely riding it once present. One small dab of my favorite Indica concentrate before a stressful task is usually more effective for me than a larger dose after the event.
Since that conversation, I’ve found small solutions such as cleaning my smoking space have made a difference in improving my smoking experience. It’s easy to rely on our favorite products to get us in the right headspace, but sometimes helping yourself out can go a long way! I recommend all cannabis users take some time to mentally go over their smoking routine, and over time adjust and make changes where they would be beneficial. Cannabis is a beautiful tool used to improve the overall quality of life, and we should be using it in that way, how ever that fits your individual needs.
Dustin Alexander | Kansas City Cannabis
Dustin Alexander brings years of pharmaceutical experience to the cannabis field and his role as a Budtender at Kansas City Cannabis. Dustin strives to help patients meet their medical needs, combining his experience with his growing passion for cannabis. Dustin’s work is dedicated to giving back to an industry that he knows and loves while helping Kansas City Metro patients to maximize their daily quality of life through cannabis.
What do you think?