We chose Marie because she’s been such an asset to the Cultivation Department since she arrived at ACS. She comes to work every day with a positive attitude, a helpful hand, and a smile on her face. She brings such good energy to our team!!
How long have you been with ACS? I joined the ACS cultivation team in September of 2023. I’ve been with ACS for about eight months now, and I’m still loving the job!
What do you enjoy about your role? My favorite part of the job is cloning from mother plants and caring for the clones until they’re old enough for transplant.
What draws you to cannabis? During the COVID-19 shelter-in-place period, I began studying herbalism in my free time. Having been an avid gardener for several years, I was fascinated by the mutually beneficial relationship between plants and humans, and the ability of compounds within plants to heal the human body in a way that is often much more holistic and yet gentler on the body than many allopathic medications.
What do you enjoy about your position? Or What is your favorite product to produce? I’ve always loved working with plants, and being able to work full-time with them is such a privilege! Each strain has her own preferences and personality, and learning the way each strain grows and tailoring plant care to meet those needs is very rewarding! My favorite strains that we grow in cultivation are probably Pink Lemon-Aid and Romulan BX1. I find these strains to be really effective for managing pain.
As a patient, what products do you find helpful? How has cannabis helped you? As a patient, I use cannabis for pain relief. I’m auto-immune and have struggled with chronic pain for years. I have found effective pain relief from Pink Lemon-Aid or Romulan BX1 flower. I also find our topical balm very helpful, and the Relax Tincture is a really effective sleep aid as well. On days when joint pain makes it difficult to sleep, taking Relax Tincture with dinner helps me fall asleep a few hours later and sleep soundly all night.
What is something surprising about cannabis that someone who hasn’t consumed before might not know? There is a lot of discussion surrounding the benefits of cannabinoids such as THC and CBD on the endocannabinoid system in the human body. Cannabinoids have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, improve sleep, help control seizures, and reduce anxiety. But cannabis, like many medicinal herbs, also produces terpenes that are also beneficial to the human body. Terpenes are essential oils that were developed by the plant as an adaptation, to repel harmful pests, attract pollinators, and make them unappetizing to herbivores who might otherwise eat them. Recreational users discuss terpenes and their scent the same way that wine connoisseurs describe a wine’s profile and bouquet. Terpenes do lend flavor and scent to cannabis strains, but what many people don’t know is that many terpenes also have medicinal properties and can be used to manage pain and symptoms related to chronic illnesses. The concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis varies by strain. So once a patient knows which compounds are most effective for them personally, they can select strains and products with higher concentrations of these compounds to really tailor the treatment to best meet their individual needs. I’ve always found this fascinating! The same compounds that protect the plant provide health benefits to humans.
What are your favorite ACS products? Pink Lemon-Aid and Romulan BX1 flower, Relax Tincture, and ACS’s Topical Balm.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy growing, drying, and preparing medicinal herbs for use in tinctures and salves, caring for and propagating ornamental plants, singing, crafting natural soaps and body care products incorporating skin-soothing botanicals from my garden, listening to music, spending time with my family. I also enjoy gaming from time to time, Fallout and Far Cry are probably my favorite games.
Anything else you’d like to add? Hopes/dreams for medical cannabis? I’m looking forward to the day when medical cannabis is recognized at the federal level so that more people have access to this kind of holistic healing.