Hello to all the stoners that made it to this blog, my name is Jasmine and I have been consuming cannabis for 5+ years and have been working in the cannabis industry for about 3+ years. While Iβm definitely no expert on the stuff, I love sharing the knowledge and passion for cannabis that I have with all of you! A bit about me is that I enjoy my fair share of video games and electronic music (both of which pair really well with cannabis). Whether itβs to help me unwind for the night or to bring out the heartiest laughs among friends, cannabis has all kinds of applications.
My Passion
What makes ME passionate about the cannabis industry is my genuine interest in the plant itself. Its flower shape and structure are unique to the plants we would typically call βflowersβ (although maybe I just havenβt seen enough funky looking flowers). Cannabis can have so many different flavours, smells, and effects. I personally love looking at a giant bud up close, seeing all the sticky, sparkly trichomes and taking up close pictures to send to friends.
Being able to share and talk about great quality products and cultivars that I love is really what I enjoy the most. The fact that cannabis is a topic I can openly discuss and educate people about as a Budtender makes it one of the most unique retail jobs.
Shopping at a dispensary is quite a unique shopping experience. Imagine shopping at a liquor store, or even at a convenience store to buy a pack of cigarettes. You wouldnβt typically connect with the person working there as closely and ask questions like βHave you tried this one?β or βWhat would you recommend?β Most people buying liquor either already know what they want, or they will just look around the shelves till they pick out something. Itβs rare for people to enter a liquor store looking to ask questions or have a conversation. I donβt think Iβve ever asked the person working at a liquor store βWhatβs the flavour profile on this wine?β βHave you tried this one before?β βDid it get you really drunk?β. All this is to say that working at a dispensary allows you to connect with the customer a lot more. You learn and understand their preferences and you get to build a strong rapport. It brings me so much joy when people come back and say βYou recommended this product to me and it was fantastic!β because Iβm glad that they enjoy a product that I also enjoyed and it gives me a good understanding of other products they might like. Even hearing the opposite is nice because it allows me to get a deeper understanding into what they would like to avoid.
Quality Cannabis & Terps
While there is still a large amount of people only looking for the highest THC at the lowest price, Iβm glad to see an uptick in people interested in terpenes and the terpene percentage of their products. Terpenes are responsible for the flavour, aroma, and the feeling of your high. For me, while THC percent is still important, I find that the higher the terpene percentage, the better quality the weed is going to be. Iβm able to notice an actual aroma other than skunk when the terps are high. Aromas like lemon or pine actually come through, and I can taste it when I smoke it. Many people are unaware of just how terpenes affect their weed, and being able to teach people about it is one of the most fulfilling parts of being a budtender. Here are some products that I really enjoyed with pretty high terps:
Tribal – Cuban Linx (All Formats):
I have tried all formats of this cultivar from this brand and I would have to say it has become my all time favourite. As a previous βIndica onlyβ person, this Sativa cultivar has really opened my eyes. It ranges about 4-5% terps and smells and tastes so lemon-y, like lemon candy. Tribalβs live resin 510 cart is the most true-to-flower flavour Iβve ever tasted in a vape cart. If youβre not a big sativa person I would still give this a try, it might change your mind.
Qwest – Bubble Bath (Flower):

I was so pleasantly surprised by how much the price went down but the quality went up! Qwestβs Bubble Bath is a nice relaxing indica at about 4% terps. It smells like soap but in the best way possible. Very florally and creamy tasting when smoked. It truly does feel like you’re in or just getting out of a nice, warm bubble bath!
Natural History – Limited Reserve (Indica & Sativa Flower):
Natural Historyβs limited reserve flower was really nice. Both range at about 2-4% terps and come in a container where you can clearly see the bud which is exciting! Itβs very, very dank smelling (you can smell it through the container!) and flavour-wise it’s a clean, earthy, gassy smoke, like classic cannabis flavour.Β
Iβve recently started noticing more people coming to me and asking for help finding strains that donβt have certain terpenes. Maybe they donβt like the flavour, effect, or they are allergic to one or multiple. It has been a fun but challenging experience trying to find products that DONβT have common terpenes like Limonene or Myrcene, or uncommon terpenes like Valencene, for example. Finding products that donβt give certain effects has also been a challenge. Everyone reacts to cannabis differently. As Budtenders, we can lead customers to the general direction of the effects they are after but there is no way to guarantee a product is going to produce the desired effects on that individual. Itβs a great feeling when you do find the product that works well for the customer and having a deep understanding of the products really helps.
A Community of Canna-Connoisseurs
Talking to Licensed Producer (LP) Reps about the new, innovative products coming out is also so exciting. It seems like every couple of weeks or so, a new way to consume or interact with cannabis hits the market. From triple infused prerolls to bath bombs, lozenges and oral pouches, itβs really wild to see what new, and sometimes weird products come to market. Reps are often eager to share their own stories and discuss how their products came to be. It gives me an inside glimpse into the minds of these industry professionals, which is one of the coolest parts of my job.Β
Attending exclusive industry events is definitely a highlight of working in the industry. Events like KIND Gardens and Tether are great places to network with people from different sides of the industry and learn about new and upcoming products (The free educational samples donβt hurt either ;D). Itβs a melting pot of like-minded people, all with different weed preferences, sharing ideas and communing with one another. I never would have learned about the cannabis production process, from harvesting to drying, extracting and packing, without these events. There are so many interesting and exciting parts of the industry.Β
When I ask my colleagues βWhat makes you passionate about the cannabis industry?β the responses I get echo my own sentiments. They are interested in the effects and benefits of the plant, its structure, and its production process. I personally like how Alex, the manager of our Stampede Bud Bar location puts it: βGiving customers a chance to really learn about the product by being the example of knowledge for them. Making cannabis more than just a drug.β
βBeing in a Cannabis dispensary gathers all these people who love the plant like I do, so we automatically can relate and have a common interest.β says Eric, manager of our 14ST location.Β
βI love how open the industry has gotten and how itβs opened so many peoples eyes. Iβd say [it] brought people together more so than they thought.β says Shay, Budtender at our 14ST location.
In Conclusion
Overall, my passion and the passion of many others comes from not only a love for the cannabis plant but educating and connecting with others who love it too. At the end of the day, it all comes back to the simple joy of passing a joint around with friends.