Patient Education ►
Are Fancy Dispensary Waiting Rooms
Actually Helping Patients Feel Comfortable ?
by Tony Billmeyer , contributing writer
Dispensaries are making strides to transform opaque doors into welcoming environments . Across the state , the cannabis industry is responsible for creating some of the most innovative retail experiences of any category , complete with live greenery and running waterfalls . However , one often overlooked part of the experience — the educational pamphlets sitting atop counters and videos flashing on screens , which may have the opposite effect as all the surrounding feng shui .
As the universe of cannabis patients rapidly expands in Missouri , it ’ s the responsibility of brands and dispensaries to make cannabis feel accessible , especially to the most inexperienced cannabis users . Current education programs in the state primarily focus on explaining the different cannabis terpenes or the physiology of the endocannabinoid system . However , very few seem to address basic questions like : What product should I try first ? Do different products affect me differently ? How do I consume this ?
Ideally , a budtender would be there to explain the A-B-Cs of cannabis for anyone who needs it . However , if a dispensary is trying to teach scientific terminology in the lobby , then a new patient may feel like their important question is “ too dumb ” to ask . While an advanced understanding of terpenes can surely enhance a patient ’ s experience with cannabis , the mere
28 November 2021 sight of words like Mycrene or Caryophyllene can unintentionally create the feeling of a knowledge gap that intimidates new users .
Photo courtesy of From The Earth Dispensary downtown , Kansas City , MO .
A recent New York Times article 1 cites new studies that conclude how scientific jargon can be efficient but also alienating for some . “ This language-within-a-language can be a timesaver , a way to precisely convey meaning . However , it also runs the risk of starkly reminding people — even well-educated researchers — that they aren ’ t ‘ in the know .”’
The push for education is important for Missouri patients , but it ’ s also essential for everyone to feel welcome . Before taking anyone to “ cannabis school ,” we should make sure they won ’ t get discouraged because they don ’ t know the cannabis A-B-Cs .
Vivid Extracts is beginning to bridge the gap between new and existing users because it realizes that new patients encounter a “ Paradox of Choice ” when they become interested in trying concentrates for the first time . The number of different concentrates can become overwhelming , and they decide that concentrates aren ’ t for them .
Instead , Vivid is framing different concentrates just like different brews of coffee because people select a particular variety based on its taste , aroma , mental , and physical effects . Rather than trying to help a patient find the “ right ” concentrate for them , dispensary personnel will need to agree first to begin the discovery process and then help patients towards a logical starting point suited to their specific needs .
Tony Billmeyer is the Chief Marketing Officer for Show-Me Organics , and CMO – Vivid brands and Blue Sage Cannabis Co .