Dispensary Staff Training Now Available in Illinois

Pick an industry, any industry, and you’ll find that there are methods by which they attempt to add credibility to participating players in the space.  The cannabis industry is no different – and many states have established “Responsible Vendor” certification or designation for those businesses working in their states’ cannabis industry. Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, and others have these programs.

In Illinois, all medical cannabis dispensing agents working in Illinois had to receive training from an approved Responsible Vendor by November 30, 2019 to ensure they have been trained before adult-use sales began on January 1, 2020. Any newly hired dispensary agents are also required to receive training from an approved vendor within 90 days of their hiring date. In addition, all budtenders must receive the training annually to renew their license to work at a cannabis dispensary.

Cannabis Care Team has their well-known retail staff training available virtually now, allowing cannabis industry employees in all states the opportunity to take our training at their own pace and can rest assured that the training they receive is from a Responsible Vendor.  Through our partnership with Seed Talent, a Responsible Vendor in Illinois, we can now bring our training to the existing and new retail teams that will soon be setting up operations with the addition of new licenses in the state.  

Much like certifications like GMP for Manufacturing, or ISO, this is a step in furthering the stigmatization of cannabis from a different perspective – one that although it might seem insignificant, illustrates the progress we’re making as a movement toward legalization.  Cannabis Care Team couldn’t be more proud to have yet another additional state where we can offer our education and evidence-based training facilitated by clinicians to the front lines, virtual – enabling all of our students to be confident in the education they receive from our team. 

Learn more about our training here

A Canna Convicts Christmas

Most can agree that we shouldn’t have people behind bars for cannabis convictions when there are corporations making millions, but the Canna Convict Project tirelessly works to get them out. 

It all started years ago when Christina Frommer was thinking of joining the industry herself, and at an event to learn more she met a recently released convict. From this point on her path would be forever changed and she would not stop fighting to get more released. As of today, the drive and dedication of the Canna Convicts Project has successfully led to the release of nine more who were convicted of non-violent cannabis crimes, but their services do not stop there. They provide expungement services, housing, job placement, training, and mental health services. 

A small organization dependent on donations from the community, was able to raise $700 for each inmate’s commissary they are advocating for the release of. 

We were honored to help them with their Holiday Fundraiser and want to encourage you to help them too. Please follow this link to make a contribution to the Canna Convict Project-because no one deserves to be in jail for a plant. 

-April

Thank you to the following who gathered donations!

Into The Mystic

Rustic Oils

Kansas City Cannabis

Fresh Green KC

Releaf Resources

The Torch and Nail

Top Shelf and the Artisans of Dank

 

 

Make a donation here

Hemp for Victory

As the granddaughter, daughter, niece, cousin, and friend of veterans I have seen first-hand the sacrifices made to fulfill an internal patriotic duty and unfortunately the consequences too.

However, what I have seen pales in comparison to the tragedy a group of veterans I recently spent time with have experienced. This group of veterans, so determined to make cannabis accessible for vets, that they decided to start the conversation in Texas. Arguably, the most difficult state to become qualified for medical cannabis in, with only two dispensaries serving a state that took my family and I twelve hours to drive across. 

West Point graduates, a Major General, Army, Navy, military physicians and nurses. All there for one cause, cannabis. As they began to share their stories, they spoke of opiate addiction,  the VA’s ineffective treatment of PTSD, and the all too many vets they’ve known who have taken their own lives. 

Much different than the industry meetings and scientific conferences I frequent, you could feel the suffering. They weren’t there to talk about sales projections or results of studies, they were there to talk about how cannabis could have healed their friends. Although the losses were vast the energy the group had was greater. These were folks who were not going to stop until cannabis was an option for every soldier. These are the leaders that will make a difference. 

The next event will be held in Kansas City, MO on April 19, 2022 so stay tuned to our social media pages for updates. 

Much love,

April

follow us on linked in

Nurses Say Education Should Take Priority

Recently April Hatch and Dedee Culley spoke with Brandon Dunn about the importance of education in the cannabis industry. To read the full article check out the link below. 

“Patient and community education are two pillars that the rest of the cannabis industry is built.

Educating patients in medical states and creating intelligent consumers in adult-use markets are imperative to the long-term success and growth of the industry. At the same time, community education helps to quell resistance and opposition.

Most people who are opposed to cannabis hold those opinions based on rhetoric and ignorance. Rarely is someone educated on the medicinal benefits of cannabis still adamant in their opposition, at least for a medical market. Adult-use, however, still faces significant opposition at times – and while education may not always lead someone to support adult-use, it does empower others as it removes bias and destigmatizes perception. As with tobacco, alcohol, fast food, or a litany of other products, adult-use cannabis will always face scrutiny and opposition, but destigmatizing cannabis and its use is an integral part of moving forward.

With that in mind, Greenway recently spoke to two members of the medical marijuana industry in Missouri about the importance of patient education.” (Greenway Magazine)

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Nurses Say Education Should Take Priority

Brandon Dunn, of Greenway magazine, recently met with April Hatch and Dedee Culley to talk about priorities in a medical market and they agree the priority is education. 

“Most of the dispensaries are offering a private area to complete patient consultations in, have printed education, education online, but most of the education takes place when the patient is at the counter determining what products to select,” Hatch explained. “Some are also hosting patient educational events, which is a great opportunity to bring new patients to the dispensary. Some of these are more cannabis-community-focused, and some are more geared to the medical patients,” Hatch said.

For her part, Culley says that while many operators are going above and beyond, there are more who could do better. “Sadly, I see many operations meeting only minimal state requirements,” Culley said. “From a financial aspect, they tend to see the cost of having a healthcare professional available to patients as an expense only, so they don’t hire or partner with these individuals. The truth is that these professionals not only serve the patients but, so far, the statistics that we have shown that these patients tend to return time and time to that facility and spend more money over time.”

To read the full article, click below!

PATIENT EDUCATION TAKES PRIORITY

Kansas Considers Cannabis

On February 24, proponents of Kansas House Bill 2184 testified before the Federal and State Affairs Committee to advocate for patient access and amendments to the bill. 

Our fearless leader, nurse April, was one of them. During the 3 minutes she was given to speak she shared two stories, the story of her grandmother who suffered due to opiates and the other, a story about a boy diagnosed with autism who has made great progress since he began a high CBD, low THC oil.

April strongly encouraged the committee to allow the sale of dried cannabis flower, home cultivation, to provide patient protections, and to add autism to the list of qualifying conditions.

To read her full testimony and Todd Scattini’s, a veteran and strong supporter of medical cannabis as an alternative to the often ineffective pharmaceuticals prescribed to veterans, visit the state legislature site here.

 Kansas HB 2184 Proponent Testimonies

To read the Kansas Reflector article where both April and Todd are quoted, please follow the link below. 

Read the KS Reflector Article here

Nurses For Hire – Greenway Article

Nurses For Hire | The Cannabis Care Team of Kansas City, MO

From the time I was able to finally talk about cannabis without getting my license revoked, I started talking to other nurses.

Family and friends were easy to talk to about it,, but sometimes trying to talk to nurses and doctors about this miraculous plant just didn’t go over well especially since we taught not to believe in miracles. Once the Missouri State Board of Nursing published their statement on “Medical Marijuana” stating I could be a patient and a nurse I was free! “What do you think about cannabis?” is the question I asked any medical professional I met. Previous coworkers who let their belief in “alternative medicine” slide in the break room; doctors who taught their patients about diet; hell, I would talk to anyone with scrubs on at the grocery store. As soon as the word “endocannabinoid” came out of their mouth I had an ally. Finally, a medical professional who didn’t believe cannabis was a car accident or a mental health condition waiting to happen. Nurses have learned so much, but we also learned the same thing every medical curriculum included: Cannabis is dangerous and has no medical value.

CHECK OUT THE FULL ARTICLE