interview
G OT A FAVO R I TE B U D TE N DE R ? TE L L US WH Y ! WYAT T @ LEA F NAT IO N M D . CO M
maryland leaf budtender of the month
Fred Fequiere GREENLIGHT THERAPEUTICS | 782 MD ROUTE 3 N., SUITE A, GAMBRILLS, MD (410) 650-4150 | GREENLIGHTTHERAPEUTICS.COM | @GREENLIGHT_THERAPEUTICS
HOW DID CANNABIS COME INTO YOUR LIFE?
Honestly, Cannabis has always been in my life as a support system for me when dealing with situations that are too overwhelming. The first time I smoked marijuana, I was 15 and it was a particularly stressful day. A friend and I had been talking about experimenting for awhile and decided to finally try it. I remember feeling that stress melt from the second I touched the product. I fell in love with the entire act of smoking - unwrapping the Backwoods, breaking the weed up in my hands, feeling the smoke in my lungs - very therapeutic. I followed my preferred form of therapy from Florida to Colorado and got into the Cannabis industry at 24 as a trimmer for a hemp-temp company. It gave me the opportunity to learn about Cannabis from the roots up, before moving to Maryland in 2019. BEFORE THIS PROGRAM, DID YOU EVER THINK MEDICAL CANNABIS WOULD BE LEGAL IN MARYLAND? Yes, I had high
hopes for the industry going nationwide from my first smoke. I was further reassured after going to Canada in 2018 and seeing the nationwide liberation of Cannabis there. I was very encouraged that I would see it in my own country/state. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT WORKING AT THIS SHOP? To be honest, I love everything about Greenlight
Therapeutics. From our patients to our staff, there is nothing about this place that I don’t like (as corny as it sounds it’s the truth). Our store has a very unique atmosphere that I haven’t experienced at other dispensaries I’ve worked at. It’s kind of like a family. Getting to help people and work in a field I’m most passionate about at a family-oriented business, who could complain?
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WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO CONNECT WITH PATIENTS ON? Product! I love talking to patients about
the different products they’re using and what they’re using them for, especially products that I haven’t tried before and have no experience with. I love to expand my arsenal of knowledge and have information on deck for the next customer who needs it. When you deal with such a wide variety of patients and illnesses, I find the best way to help patients is to connect with them over the products and what they’re using them for.
leafnationmd.com
IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND ANY ONE CANNABIS PRODUCT TO A PATIENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Honestly, it really depends
“GETTING TO HELP PEOPLE AND WORK IN A FIELD I’M MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT AT A FAMILYORIENTED BUSINESS, WHO COULD COMPLAIN?”
jUly 2020
on what their symptoms would be and their experience level with Cannabis. Typically though, a strain I always recommend without doubt for almost any patient is a staple in our store Hennessy OG by Forward Gro. It is a really nice and smooth hybrid, not too heavy on either spectrum. It’s really good for anxiety, which in this day and age we all have. I also like it for its smell and taste - it’s not too fruity or overbearing in flavor, but it has just the right amount of sweetness and funk. IF YOU COULD SMOKE WITH ANY MUSICIAN, WHO WOULD YOU PICK? David Bowie, I love his music. Just from his tunes, I
can tell that he had a great vibe.
HOW DOES BUDTENDING COMPARE TO OTHER JOBS YOU HAD BEFORE? It doesn’t compare. Before getting into the Can-
nabis industry, I worked in the culinary industry and in sales. There are some similarities between these fields, but nothing really compares to working with my favorite product and being able to see the healing it brings to so many lives.
STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTO by GREENLIGHT THERAPEUTICS
