7 minute read
June Blankin: Advocating for Higher Education
By Dianne Armitage
After 34 years working for American Airlines, June Blankin knew it was time to move on and follow her passion. Having completed a Master's Program in Medical Cannabis and Therapeutics, she felt ready to use that knowledge to both help and educate people in ways that would enhance their lives.
It may seem like a bit of a leap from one high-flying career to what many might kiddingly interpret as yet another type of high – but June knows better. When asked how her interest in cannabis began, she doesn’t hesitate, saying “Honestly, I don’t remember when I wasn’t interested in cannabis, although we weren’t using that nomenclature. Being a kid in the ’70s and ’80s, from a small town in the south, one might say we had more freedom than teens do now. No cell phones, no tracking devices. Where I was from, you had to create your own fun. Think of That 70s Show meets Dazed and Confused, as a sort of metaphor. There was always an older sibling who had the knowledge, the product, and the music to go along with it. I didn’t see it as any different than alcohol. The older, cool kids — some drank, others smoked weed. I was OK with it. I saw bad behavior more often with drinking than with someone getting high. I have to admit, I wasn’t a heavy user back then, but I definitely was familiar with pot.”
June discovered there were college programs offering an education in cannabis by happenstance while working as a budtender in the Maryland Medical Cannabis market. She’d been there for about two years when the University of Maryland announced their Master’s of Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program under their School of Pharmacy. One of her patients at the time asked if she had heard about it. After researching the program, June felt like it would be a good avenue to pursue in order to further her cannabis career.
“My partner, Duane, was very much into advocacy with the state of Virginia’s chapter of NORML. I joined a small, but mighty group, which helped to guide the state into eventually creating a Virginia Medical Market. Since I had the advocacy and bud-tending experience, I thought this degree and program would help to reduce the stigma and legitimize cannabis. I wasn’t sure I’d be accepted but hoped I had at least a 50/50 chance since they wanted a diverse group of people to begin the inaugural class. Luckily, I got into the program!”
According to The 2022 Leafly Jobs Report, the cannabis industry is creating an average of 280 new jobs per day, which translates to new opportunities for growers, budtenders, sales reps, and everyone in between. June’s decision to seek higher education and become more involved in this industry couldn’t have happened at a better time. She truly is a pioneer creating not only her career path but forging the way for others in the future.
In her quest to educate, June’s role as a budtender (which she points out is also known as a patient care specialist), shares, “Whatever you call us, we are the frontline, customer-facing handlers of the bud. We are here to provide education and recommendations while answering almost all questions concerning cannabis. I believe we should be the best we can to serve the patient and adult consumer!
“I see the stigma melting ever so slowly in some ways, and remaining the same as it ever was in others. By all means, we are farther along, but more needs to be done. I get plenty of eye rolls, with lots of she can’t be serious or how crazy is that looks thrown my way. Having said that, I do get serious questions, and that’s why I’m here. My work is for those people who are genuinely curious, the ones who want to know more about what they have been consuming for years, and the newcomers who are seeking a plant-based, healthier alternative to prescription meds. It’s important to remember that a large majority of the stigma and bias against cannabis is steeped in racism, reefer madness, and politics. The history of the drug laws in the U.S., especially regarding cannabis, is based on fear and prejudice against people of color, and for political gain.” June feels the most misunderstood aspect of using cannabis is the negativity created over the years. “Cannabis is a plant, a very complex one, but there are so many wonderful components – and it truly is a medicine for everyone. A quick cannabis 101 here — we all have an endocannabinoid system, which regulates a lot in our bodies — think homeostasis. Cannabis isn’t only THC, but many other cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. All these make up the smell, flavor, and effects of cannabis.”
As a budtender, June loved helping patients find an alternative to improve their health that actually worked for them. She relished in seeing results, even small ones, that made her patients happier on their return visits. She is particularly fond of LinkedIn because of the sense of community she has found. “I believe if we approach this new industry as a community, it will work and win over the masses. We, as a cannabis community, need to break the stigma about all of it. Regardless of what part of the industry we work in, everyone should want to help end the stigma.”
When asked what she feels is the best way for someone to explore whether a cannabis product may help with physical discomfort, June advises discussing this with their primary care physician. She points out that many arthritis patients do really well with topicals and ointments, especially if formulated to be transdermal so they sink into the deeper layers of the skin. Topicals, for the most part, don’t cause any euphoric feelings, so someone could start with an application two times a day and work up to more if needed. Arthritis causes inflammation, so helping reduce inflammation and swelling is a great relief. Those living in medical and adult-use states have many more options to explore to find out what works best.
Cannabis legalization across the United States? “That is the million-dollar question, right? Trying to define whether it will happen soon is difficult. I do think there will be legalization one day, my gut says five years, and it may go in phases,” June answers. “The big wait is will there be a reschedule? A de-schedule? Which is better?
Always looking for opportunities to share knowledge, she still spends considerable time furthering her education. Last November, she obtained a certificate from the University of California, Berkeley after completing their course in Psychedelics and the Mind.
Her takeaway message is loud and clear! June hopes to keep working on reducing the stigma attached to cannabis, saying, “It’s such a barrier to understanding, accepting, and trying to make a living in the industry. Education and cannabis need to be expanded and easily obtainable. We need easier ways to do business, so this industry doesn’t drown in high taxes, higher interest rates, and fees just to exist. The legacy farmers and their farms need to be an integral part of the emerging industry. Without them, this community will not thrive. Their knowledge is the plant, and their decades of risk just to cultivate it – they need to be at the table. The cannabis table needs to be diverse and have a seat for all of us. Let’s feel free to ask about, talk about, and mainstream this amazing plant. It will make the world a better place.” CS
