Read Time: 4:30 Mins
Life is good for the residents of Leisure World, a retirement community in Seal Beach, CA, and it’s not just the perfect weather or the gentle breeze coming from the Pacific ocean. On April 8, the Modern Buds cannabis dispensary provided a free shuttle service from Leisure World to its store a few miles away for a free dispensary and cannabis education tour. It’s a new experience, and the idea is to help educate residents about the health benefits of cannabis for adults.
I use CBD to fight pain and I’m just starting out. I found out about the event through the Leisure World newsletter, and I want to tell my friends about it. A lot of people have closed minds. – Ellena, Leisure World resident.
Modern Buds had its grand opening this past January, and it focuses on providing quality cannabis from earth-friendly sources. They offer a wide variety of cannabis products, including flower, concentrates, cartridges, edibles, and a multitude of CBD products. About 20 residents came out for the journey, but this did not concern Kandice Hawes-Lopez, the dispensary’s Director of Community Outreach. They have a similar educational program with their sister dispensary Bud & Bloom in Anaheim and the residents of the Laguna Woods retirement community. That program also started out small, and the resulting “Cannabis Club” has since grown to over 300 members, many of whom take advantage of the shuttle service. “This is the first shuttle trip to Modern Buds. It costs about $1,000 to create the trip but the program’s sponsors help with the costs. Nine thousand people live in Leisure World, and we know that more people will take part as word gets around” said Kandice. Beginning in July, the shuttle will run every second Monday of the month.
Educating Seniors About Cannabis
Following a short, 20-minute ride along the coast, the time at the dispensary starts with a friendly education session provided by Kandice and the cannabis companies attending. She began by explaining the differences between medicinal and adult-use cannabis. She mentioned why she prefers the term cannabis, not marijuana, a word historically used to create a negative stigma about the plant. She also said that Modern Buds and other organizations are trying to lower taxes in Long Beach to make medical cannabis less expensive.
Kandice spoke about the many ways to use cannabis, important information about dosing, and the concept of microdosing. She told the audience that tinctures are the most popular way to use cannabis for their customers. Topicals are also very popular to help with pain relief. She talked about cannabis works naturally with our body’s Endocannabinoid System, and the main reasons mature adults use cannabis: for pain, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Kandice covered the differences between CBD and THC, and also the benefits of CBN. She discussed the main kinds of cannabis strains of Sativa, Indica, and Hybrids. She told the group that “Experimentation is a good thing, and keep a journal of your experiences.” A few audience members asked questions about traveling with cannabis, to which Kandice explained that it’s currently illegal to cross state lines with cannabis products.
A few Leisure World residents who chose to drive on their own arrived during the presentation. The guests were curious, attentive, and laughed at that the fact that smoking cannabis may result in a lingering smell. Sam from Care By Design discussed that they were the first company to provide proper dosing information, right down to the milligrams in each drop in their tinctures. Andy from Marley’s Naturals talked about their brand’s use of small cannabis farmers’ naturally grown cannabis in the California sun. Courtney from ProTabs provided helpful information on microdosing, and how their line of products help with a variety of conditions.
A few people asked about free samples from the companies which drew many laughs. In California, it’s currently illegal to provide cannabis samples, even for medical use. Nick from Select brands informed people about their line of 1000 mg CBD tinctures for different medical conditions. After talking about their disposable vape pen line, people asked questions about how to recycle them, and Nick explained that some dispensaries provide that service.
Laura from Papa & Barkley talked at length about their cannabis patches that provide medicine from 10 to 12 hours at a time. They told the group that the patches are extremely popular with senior adults as they can leave it on all day. They can also be cut with scissors to easily create the dose that works best for that person.
Learning More About Cannabis Products for Adults
Following the educational session, people had the opportunity to talk one on one with each company’s representative to learn more about their products. Martin, a Leisure World resident, explained that he’s an experienced cannabis user but wants to learn more about modern cannabis, and, educate his wife Irene. “I’m going slower and smoking less cannabis than when I was younger because it’s so much stronger today.” Irene chimed in that Martin is “much more talkative after he’s smoked a joint, and he’s in a happier mood. Sometimes he talks too much though” she said with a snicker.
Carol, another cannabis veteran, created an informal cannabis community at Leisure World. Her friends come over to her apartment on a regular basis to enjoy cannabis together in a fun, social way. She came on the trip because “I wanted to see who got on the bus, and two of my friends were on it!”
First-time visitor Ellen told me that she spends “up to $300 a month on dietary supplements and other pain products. I wanted to learn more about cannabis. The pain in my knees is terrible when it comes on.” After talking with the budtenders about options that help with pain, Ellen purchased several products. Joseph, a budtender, said that many of their adult customers purchase cannabis for medical purposes, mainly for pain. “Everyone’s body is different, so I encourage people to try something, then come back and tell me about the experience.” His parents are from Ohio, and their attitudes about have changed with education. “They now view it as medicine,” he said.
We will attend a day trip to the Bud & Bloom dispensary for the residents of the Laguna Woods retirement community. Just like Carol’s group at Leisure World, the cannabis club at Laguna Woods began with a small, informal cannabis community. It will be fun to watch the Leisure World cannabis community grow, and we’ll be there to see it.
Would you support a program like this? How would a free shuttle service affect your medical cannabis needs and purchases? Start a conversation about it!
Philip Rebentisch is a writer and the Content Editor for Three Wells. Feel free to email him at Philip@threewells.biz for story ideas or comments.
