The legalization of adult-use cannabis in Connecticut is enabling local dispensaries to service a much larger clientele As a result, businesses like Fine Fettle have adjusted operations to ensure every customer that comes in finds what they’re looking for and more.
Fine Fettle is Connecticut’s first adult-use cannabis retailer. It opened its first store in Willimantic in June 2019 and has since opened stores in Newington and Stamford. The new Manchester location recently opened on Feb 17 The company provides wholesome, informational, and down-to-earth services to fulfill the needs of medical patients and adult-use customers.
Each establishment offers a true retail experience and vast cache of products to help people realize cannabis’ full potential to improve their lives. Employees deliver “excellent customer service” and unique learning opportunities through blogs, FAQs, and other resources, according to Chief Operating Officer Benjamin Zachs.
“We wanted to change the conversation around people purchasing from their favorite producer and provide a dispensary that got to know them and treated them with an incredible amount of respect,” he added “Our stores feel a lot more like retail stores and a lot less like doctor’s offices, and we make it a point to create personalized connections to every single one of our customers.”
The legalization of adult-use cannabis has caused a variable split in terms of medical versus adult-use sales at each of Fine Fettle’s locations At one store, adult-use products make up 80 percent of overall sales, Zachs said
The company increased its retail capacity in response to the recent change, hiring more employees, adding more cash registers, and expanding the size of its inventories and vaults Zachs referred to the process as “a huge operational lift.”
Ifyou’re new to cannabis, you might feel a bit overwhelmed. The legalization of medicinal and/or recreational cannabis is brand new in many states Plus, the world of cannabis is vast. In 2021 alone, the cannabis market was worth over $10 billion in revenue, and there are a lot of industry changes to keep up with every year.
Before you head to a local dispensary, it’s important to feel confident and informed Just choosing a dispensary at random means you may miss out deals available at another dispensary, and you might end up with less-thanhigh-quality products
That’s why we came up with several factors to consider when deciding what dispensary to buy from. Ask yourself the following questions before choosing a dispensary. If the answer is “yes” to all five, you should be able to expect a good experience.
Cannabis is still illegal at a federal level, but most states have legalized cannabis consumption for either adult-use or medicinal purposes
There are some critical differences between the states where medical marijuana is legal and those where recreational use is legal
If you’re in a state where recreational cannabis use is legal, you won’t need a medical marijuana license to consume. However, you must be at least 21 years old to partake or purchase products at a dispensary The only loophole around this is if you’re 18 to 21 years old and have a medical cannabis license. Sometimes, minors under 18 years old can get approval for a medical card from the state, but these cases are rare.
States that only allow the use of medical cannabis will typically allow anyone over 18 to get a license Minors under 18 with certain qualifying condi-
tions can still participate in cannabis consumption with approval from their parent(s)/guardian(s)
On top of all this, certain localities do not allow cannabis dispensaries to operate in their area. And in many states, cannabis dispensaries cannot open within a certain distance of schools and other public spaces.
Basic as it seems, it’s important to think about whether the dispensary you’re eyeing down is legal under state and local laws. You must make sure the dispensary you’re interested in is licensed by the state before purchasing anything from them, and become familiar the laws around cannabis near you to prevent yourself from accidentally purchasing illegal products
You’re likely curious about the affordability of the products at your poten-
tial cannabis dispensary Since cannabis is not a federally regulated product at this time, the cost of cannabis varies by region a lot.
The pricing of cannabis varies based on how competitive the market is, so it’s essential to be prepared with some knowledge of your chosen dispensary’s competition If there are a lot of dispensaries in the area, odds are prices will be more competitive. If it’s the only dispensary within 100 miles, you might see some price gauging.
The cost of cannabis products also depends on the availability of cannabis growers compared to the need of users. Consider the differences in medical cannabis pricing In states where it’s pricey, like Illinois or Virginia, cannabis growers struggle to keep up with market demand. In Oregon, though,
The cannabis industry in the U.S. is projected to reach $30 billion annually by 2025 Its rapid rise and incredible potential have led many U.S. states to legalize medical marijuana products, and even more to legalize adult use. Still, cannabis is not legal on a federal level and state laws are different nationwide.
The lack of federal regulation on the industry makes quality cannabis products hard to find, and even harder to recognize based on their packaging and advertising. Cannabis products can be laced with other, harmful drugs such as fentanyl, or could contain heavy metals, so the stakes are high.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to guarantee the safety of any cannabis product on the market today, but there are several things you can do to better protect yourself while shopping for weed.
For those looking to become more savvy consumers, here are three ways to be sure your cannabis is safe:
With so many different types of cannabis products, it’s hard to recognize the good stuff If you’re ever in doubt and want to learn more about a product, look for a QR code on the packaging
Scanning the code with your phone camera should lead you to the company’s web page, where you should be able to read more about the ingredients, manufacturing process, strain, extraction process, potential side effects, and other important information
A company being transparent about this information says a lot about its integrity and trustworthiness, and helping consumers find the information in an accessible way online is even better
Rather than put a QR code on the product leading to the company website, some cannabis businesses will choose to put a full list of ingredients on the cannabis product package itself Either way is fine, as long as they list their ingredients. If a company is not transparent about ingredients, it’s probably not a good idea to risk consuming the product.
But don’t stop there Just because they list ingredients doesn’t mean you should trust the product.
Here’s what you should be looking for in a cannabis product’s ingredients list:
The ingredients label should contain all the active ingredients by order of amount THC or CBD should be the first or second ingredient, followed by the rest CBD ingredient labels usually also contain the type of CBD (whether it’s fullspectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate), the strain, and/or THC percentage. This is all vitally important information
If it’s a CBD or THC tincture, it should also list the type of carrier oil in the product This is essential because some people may be allergic to certain oils or ingredients in the product
You should always read the ingredients carefully and make sure you understand every one of them Accurate labels should also include the purity of the product, potency, the cannabis strains it was derived from, and what benefits it claims to have.
Because the CBD and cannabis market is exploding in popularity, competition is fierce. Many companies resort to false advertising in order to sell their products, promising health benefits that seem too
good to be true. Sometimes, cannabis companies even deceive buyers into a purchase by packaging their products similarly to popular snacks.
To avoid falling into a trap, look for false advertising on the product. Look for overly optimistic promises and suspicious packaging Then, check to see if the ingredients label seems legitimate. Some manufacturers may avoid listing additives in the ingredients and claim their products contain 100 percent pure CBD without providing any more information. Others may sell THC products and mislabel them as CBD It can often be hard to spot false advertising, but the more you do it, the more you’ll know what to look for
Finding trustworthy cannabis brands can be challenging. With so many cannabis products on the market and no federal regulation, lack of transparency and false advertising is rampant in the industry But if you know what to look for on cannabis packaging, and read your ingredient labels carefully, you’ll start recognizing what products are truly great.
Ifyou knew where Richard Ouellette came from, his career as a cannabis grower wouldn’t really surprise you He described his hometown of East Windsor as “a small town with a lot of farmland ” It was here his passion for helping things grow first took root.
“I was always outside in the garden getting my hands dirty,” Ouellette recalled. “It really connects me to the earth and increases my awareness of what’s going on around me ”
Ouellette applies this awareness to his work at Curaleaf’s cultivation site in Simsbury. The company operates in more than 19 states nationwide, and has crafted lab-tested cannabis products in a variety of formats in Connecticut since 2017
Ouellette has been a Curaleaf team member for five years He started out making deliveries to its dispensaries
across the state, then eventually moved into a full-time position in the manufacturing department. His hard work ethic earned him a spot on the cultivation team as a harvester, which offered an even closer look “behind the scenes,” he said
“That really started to ignite a fire and passion for the work,” Ouellette said of the position. “I learned as much as I could from the people around me, and had some great role models and mentors teach me the ways of the plant ”
The work grind paid off once again when Ouellette was promoted to supervisor of the vegetation department, which is responsible for nursing and cycling plants prior to cultivation.
“My role is to keep the vegetative plants cycling so they’re healthy and able to clone,” he said Cannabis cloning involves taking a cutting from the moth-
er plant and rooting it in water or soil to grow on its own “One of the challenges I had was being able to intuit the plants’ growth rates and what I had to do to get them where I needed them to be.”
Ouellette said it typically takes about six months before a plant grown from a seed is ready to hit the shelf During this time, the growers create a bond with each and every plant, which results in a gratifying experience once the product is ready for sale, Ouellette said
“The plant stays in the vegetative stage for six weeks three in the clone, three in their pots getting ready to go into the flower rooms and then they stay there for about eight to nine weeks,” he added.
“Processing and packaging takes another month or two, but good things take time.”
The legalization of adult-use cannabis has required Ouellette and his team to
pay even greater attention to what different strains do, and how they may impact one’s endocannabinoid system This vast network of chemical signals and cellular receptors regulates and controls many bodily functions, including learning and memory, emotional processing, sleep, temperature control, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses, and eating
Ouellette discussed some of his favorite strains that Curaleaf grows and the effects he personally experiences.
“Our Silver strain has a low THC count and can be a good option for stress, anxiety, and, surprisingly, asthma; it’s one of my favorite go-to flowers,” Ouellette said. “Our Ruby has a sweet, tropical scent and for me yields happy and content feelings, but when I’m looking for a THC (dominant) product I like our Citron cartridge that’s how I ease my mind ”
Understanding the different constructions of THC and CBD is key to introducing cannabis as part of one’s health and wellness routine, Ouellette said He encour-
aged those looking to branch out into the adult-use market to “dive into the details, ask questions, and do anything they can to promote their knowledge” of cannabis.
“Understanding that content will really help you feel confident walking into the dispensary and working with the pharmacists and technicians to find what you’re looking for,” he added “Every person is different, so not every person is going to experience the same effects from the same strain.”
Ouellette credited his climb up the Curaleaf ladder to all the people he’s had the pleasure of working with.
“I would not be where I am today without my team; they come in every day with a passion, a positive attitude, and great intentions day in and day out,” he said “It’s not just work, it’s something we love to do ”
Dispensary FROM PAGE 4
dispensaries have so much competition that their prices are almost dirt cheap.
To make matters more complicated, high prices sometimes signal higher quality.
No matter what state you live in, you’ll be able to find high-end and, therefore, more expensive dispensaries. These locations will feel more glamorous, and they’ll also (ideally) provide the best product.
On the other hand, you can always search for budget-friendly dispensaries. These might prioritize affordability over quality sometimes, but you should still be able to find what you need if you know what you’re looking for The important thing is to understand your budget and prepare accordingly.
Overall, it’s important to be informed on the average cost of the product you’re looking for, and weigh the prices at your local dispensaries against that number This can require some research, but it will be worth it in the end
Alongside the increase in countrywide favor for cannabis is the overall rise in the quality of the product As cannabis becomes more mainstream, a wider variety of reliable, well-researched products have become available
Even if you’re looking for cost-effective options in your area, you only want to spend money on products you can trust. Many legal cannabis products are trustworthy, but some products, even those sold at licensed dispensaries, contain metals and other surprise ingredients that can harm you This is because cannabis is not federally regulated, so some cannabis products are being sold without undergoing the appropriate health and safety screenings.
The main thing to look for when checking out cannabis
The preceding content is a paid advertisement for Curaleaf. Statements made are not meant to offer medical advice nor to diagnose any condition Any studies cited here may be preliminary, and may or may not be peer reviewed, and may or may not have sufficient participants to be statistically relevant Anecdotal accounts should not be taken as scientific results Products discussed in this article are not designed to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease The FDA does not evaluate dietary supplements Consult your doctor about possible interactions, allergies, and if you are considering using natural and/or dietary supplements for any condition. Individual results will vary.
“IT’S NOT JUST WORK, IT’S SOMETHING
Fine
FROM PAGE 2
“We’ve definitely seen a change in figuring out the new operations to be able to handle new customers, but we’ve prepared for this for 18 months,” he said “Whether you’re a self-proclaimed ‘cannasseur’ or a total novice, we’re here to work with you.”
For those who are new to purchasing cannabis products, Zachs recommended visiting a store and talking to a Fine Fettle associate. The staff’s high level of knowledgeability accommodates every customer wherever they are on their “cannabis journey,” he said
“About 95 percent of our customers are looking for some health and wellness benefit, so we make sure we’re able to educate them and answer whatever questions they may have,” Zachs added. “Our business is built on customer service, and we want to surprise people with how professional, empathetic, and passionate our employees are.”
For those who are more familiar with purchasing cannabis products, Fine Fettle offers pre-ordering capabilities on its website. Simply shop its menu of offerings and select a pick-up time at your convenience to bypass waiting in line at the store. Transactions occur on-site, and customers can pay using cash or debit card.
Perhaps more important to Fine Fettle than catering to a broader spectrum of customers is the chance to destigmatize the concept of cannabis en masse Zachs noted Gov. Ned Lamont’s recent order to expunge the records of approximately 44,000 Connecticut residents with low-level possession convictions
“Those 44,000 people have families and friends who care about them, and whose lives are now made better because of the governor’s action They have more opportunities to get a job, go out and vote, or rent an apartment,” he added “We recognize we’re part of that larger picture, and we want to create an experience where people have a perception of change.”
Zachs credits Fine Fettle’s success to being locally-owned and operated.
“The reason why we were able to be three of the first seven dispensaries in Connecticut and the first non-hybrid conversion to begin adult-use sales is because we prioritized getting things done in this market. That doesn’t happen by accident,” he said “We hope that people come out and support a Connecticut-based business trying to do things the right way”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.FINEFETTLE.COM.
The preceding content is a paid advertisement for Fine Fettle Statements made are not meant to offer medical advice nor to diagnose any condition. Any studies cited here may be preliminary, and may or may not be peer reviewed, and may or may not have sufficient participants to be statistically relevant. Anecdotal accounts should not be taken as scientific results. Products discussed in this article are not designed to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease The FDA does not evaluate dietary supplements. Consult your doctor about possible interactions, allergies, and if you are considering using natural and/or dietary supplements for any condition. Individual results will vary.
Dispensary FROM PAGE 9
products is freshness. Look elsewhere if you spot mold, or if the cannabis has an unpleasant odor
Healthy, fresh cannabis buds typically have vivid coloring They may also have trichomes, which are tiny white appendages attached to the bud. They make the flower look like it has been lightly frosted, which typically indicates good quality and a higher THC potency (a nice bonus)
Next, look at customer reviews and any news reports on the brands sold at your local dispensary Make sure they are not selling products that have a history of harming consumers If the dispensary seems to be selling well-researched products with positive customer reviews, you should be able to trust the quality of their inventory
Another critical factor to consider before purchasing from a dispensary is the availability of detailed ingredients. Cannabis products all vary slightly in the levels of CBD and THC they contain. Different combinations of these cannabinoids will cause different effects when consumed
It will take time to get to know what your preferred levels are of these cannabinoids Some consumers like to experience a euphoric, giddy sensation while others are just looking to feel relaxed and get some help sleeping at night.
Note whether or not the cannabis products for sale are labeled with information beyond what strain they are. You should be able to see a full ingredients list for every product sold, along with the CBD/THC ratio of each product. Some products will even mention terpenes included
If a dispensary consistently sells products that are not transparent about their ingredients, they’re not worth your investment.
To find out the answer to this one, you’ll have to visit the dispensary But if you’ve answered “yes” to the last four questions, it will probably be a worthwhile trip.
The last thing to note when choosing a dispensary is the level of customer service you receive. Be willing to question the budtenders as much as you want before buying. A good budtender will be both knowledgeable and friendly
Before making a purchase, take your time to get comfortable with the staff, the product you’re considering, and the dispensary itself. You’ll probably be here quite a lot, so it’s important that you enjoy the buying process
If you’ve done your research and are ready to choose a dispensary, congratulations! You’ve made an informed purchasing decision. Knowing what to look for in a dispensary is essential to finding high-quality cannabis products that are trustworthy and provide the desired effects.
“WE RECOGNIZE WE’RE PART OF THAT LARGER PICTURE, AND WE WANT TO CREATE AN EXPERIENCE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A
. ”
For many people, simply being surrounded by weed all day is a dream come true. But what if you could get paid for it?
If you can’t get enough of learning about different types of strains, CBD to THC ratios, terpenes, and grow facilities, you might be a perfect candidate to be a budtender
Budtenders, in essence, are people who work at dispensaries and speak with customers about different strains and accessories. They are experts in their field, are usually certified, and represent the brand of their companies.
But the term “budtender” is relatively new, so there’s still a lot of confusion about what it means. How do you become a budtender? How much do budtenders get paid? Are there any special qualifications you need to become a budtender?
We’ve got answers to all these questions and more
We all know what a bartender is, but most people aren’t familiar with budtenders. It’s a new kind of role that emerged as a result of marijuana legalization efforts in many states. Because some states still outlaw the use of recreational cannabis, people sometimes aren’t totally familiar with what a budtender does.
Budtenders, like bartenders, are the people who work at the stands in cannabis stores. They stand behind the counter and greet people as they enter As people look through a store, they give explanations of different products and guide customers’ purchasing decisions based on their needs.
Budtenders are much more than an average retail store worker Just like how bartenders need to go through training for the role, budtenders
need to have specialized knowledge to work in a cannabis store.
Budtenders don’t just need to know about cannabis. They need to have the social expertise to identify what customers want from a product
Sometimes, people know exactly what they want from cannabis, such as relief from pain But people who are new to cannabis and are not using it for a specific medical condition may not know exactly what they want from the product. In these cases, it becomes the budtender’s job to ask the right questions that will reveal the optimum product for that person
Budtenders also need to figure out how much customers know about marijuana They should be able to comfortably chat about different pipes and accessories, making sure customers understand how to properly enjoy weed. A good budtender, for instance, will make sure new customers purchase grinders if they purchase cannabis flower, as many people may not know the steps they need to take before smoking.
In 2019, the average US budtender salary was deemed $14.90 per hour, plus tips.
But since the laws on cannabis vary by state, there’s no one budtender salary across the US. A budtender in California will not make the same amount as one in Michigan because of the difference in the price of cannabis in these two states, state taxes, and other factors.
If you want to get the most accurate estimate on what budtenders in your location make, look up reports for budtender salaries in your state
You don’t need a college degree to be a budtender But getting a certificate in budtending will open doors for you.
A budtender certification shows that the person behind the counter knows what they’re talking about The test has to do with cannabinoid systems and the benefits of different strains. People who pass the test are immediately more hireable at dispensaries across the U.S.
People with certifications should be able to talk about how the endocannabinoid system affects the whole body They should also be able to discuss the chemical differences between Sativa and Indica strains All that knowledge helps them guide people towards products that are the best for them
Budtenders play an important role in the larger picture of the cannabis industry. They are the first faces people see when they start learning about marijuana. They represent the years of work and progress that made the job possible
Most budtenders understand this and take their jobs seriously They are helping build a whole new career path. So, if someone asks them a question or wants help in a cannabis store, they are there with an answer.
A budtender is not a pothead or someone who just wants to be surrounded by weed all day. They are experts in a new industry who know that the work they do is important.
Without budtenders, people new to cannabis would be lost in dispensaries, and could easily end up using something that gives them adverse effects So we can safely say we owe a lot to the budtenders of the world
