HIGH NOTES

I had never consumed cannabis and knew nothing about its culture when I applied for a grasstender position at Dunegrass Co. back in 2021. However, COVID was still making its rounds, and I was in desperate need of a change of pace from working in the corporate coffee shop world. When I got the job, I was nervous because I was going into the cannabis industry completely blind. I was constantly answering the question, “If you don’t smoke, why did you even apply?” My answer was always the same: I simply wanted to learn more about cannabis.

Having grown up being taught that cannabis is a drug that will have a seriously negative impact on your life, I knew I had to unlearn a lot of things. The biggest one was that it does not turn you into a lazy bum. I learned that there are different ways that it can affect you depending on your preferences. There is an uplifting sativa, a relaxing indica, and a great best-of-both-worlds hybrid.

From there, I learned about different cannabinoids other than THC and their effects, like CBD, CBN, CBG, THCA, etc. I’ve heard stories from customers about how CBN helped with their insomnia. I’ve heard customers rave about CBG and how it’s the only thing that helps their chronic pain. I’ve heard about chemotherapy patients that use RSO and it’s the only thing that helps.

I have become a huge advocate for cannabis use since starting at Dunegrass Co., and I’ll shout from the rooftops how it can help with so many ailments. One of my favorite things about grass tending is helping first-time customers find a product that fits their needs and then seeing them return to buy that same product because they loved it so much.

I don’t consume much cannabis myself, but I know its benefits and I’ve seen the results. My personal goal in this industry is to educate as many people as I can about the science behind cannabis, and with northern Michigan becoming more accepting of its use, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the industry.

— Kara Andersen, supervisor at Dunegrass Cadillac