A cannabis consultant, commonly referred to as a bud tender, is a crucial part of every dispensary. The job of a cannabis consultant, to put it into the simplest terms, is to match customers and patients with proper marijuana strains and product types. Finding a good cannabis consultant is important to enjoying your experience with marijuana. Getting knowledgable advice based on your needs can help prevent a possibly poor experience with cannabis. Each cannabis consultant is different and there is no standardized training or information, though there are many different online training courses. A HelloMD study found that 66% of respondents get their information for product selection from a cannabis consultant at their local dispensary, showing a good consultant is increasingly important to the well-being of patients.
Education is Key
Max Montrose, the president of the Trichome Institute, a cannabis education company, created a bud tender certification when he saw the lack of knowledge in the field. Montrose was interviewed by Ganjapreneur where he outlined what skills were necessary for a good cannabis consultant, all of which he features in his online certification. Montrose’s program covers the biological differences between different strains of marijuana, the different products that are on the market, and other skills needed for consultants, like understanding slang.
Montrose’s program outlines what the ideal cannabis consultant would be knowledgable in, but the one of the most important aspects is that they have been informed by good reliable sources. Here’s what to look for in a cannabis consultant at your local dispensary. It’s important to note that not every amazing bud tender has gone through a certification program as many have years of experience in the undustry to back them up. That said, it is important that newly minted bud tenders know what they are talking about.
Understanding the Biology
Your cannabis consultant should be knowledgable in all things marijuana. Cannabis consultants should know the ins and outs of different strains, past just the variation between indica and sativa. It is important that they understand different strains, their concentrations of cannabinoids, and what effect they will have on your body. A good cannabis consultant should also be informed on all of the latest medical and scientific studies.
Product Types
Dispensaries are now filled with everything from buds to edibles to topical products. Each of these products will effect you differently and are beneficial for different conditions and symptoms. Your cannabis consultant should be knowledgable on which type of cannabis product would be best for the symptoms you have described to them. Each dispensary also has a variety of products on hand and your cannabis consultant should be educated on what they have available to know what to recommend to you.
Anecdotal Knowledge
A good cannabis consultant should have their ear to the ground and have an idea of how products have effected other patients. Knowing how previous patients have reacted to the product will help a cannabis consultant be able to better predict how different tolerance levels will react to a product and what conditions a product is effective at helping.
A Good Bud Tender is the Key to a Good Experience
The consumer base in the marijuana industry is increasingly demanding more information about their products. Educated cannabis consultants are crucial to a positive experience of patients because they can decrease the guessing game of choosing the correct products. It is important that as a patient you make sure that you have a cannabis consultant that listens to your needs and can provide educated product suggestions for you.
Interested in asking a question about this? Go to HelloMD Answers and ask one of our doctors or community.
If you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 post. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it’s 100% online, private and efficient.
Photo by Wendy Wei
