Tips From A Budtender: What NOT To Do This 420
420 is upon us, and we can smell the notes of diesel and citrus in the air. Cannabis enthusiasts will be out in full swing, hopping from one dispensary to the next, searching for the best products and deep holiday discounts.
Every year, 420 approaches in the same way as Black Friday or any major holiday sale. There’s electricity paired with fear for those scheduled to work this highest of holidays. It's a long, fun, and stressful day for budtenders, trust us, we’ve been there before. In fact, several members of the Kush Queen team started their careers as budtenders during the Prop 215 era.
Founder & CEO of Kush Queen, Olivia Alexander, working a Patient Appreciation demo for 420 at a local dispensary.
Since we have access to some real OGs in the space, we thought we’d share a little insight on what not to do this 420. Follow these simple rules and you’ll be your budtender’s favorite customer in no time.
Kush Queens serving a dose of happiness.
Don’t be rude to your budtender. This should go without saying, but we surprisingly live in a society in which this needs to be voiced. Budtenders deserve the same respect as everybody else; regardless of tax brackets. This politeness also entails not being on your phone while you’re shopping. There’s nothing worse than trying to connect with a customer who’s making it seem like you’re bothering them.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Think of the dispensary as a safe space and the budtender as your wellness guide. The dispensary is when and where you want to have your cannabis questions answered; so don’t be shy. But if you still don’t feel comfortable asking in person, or simply don’t have safe access to a shop, you can now reach cannabis professionals for immediate 1:1 consultations through the app Skillr. Try getting a virtual consultation from the privacy of your own home today!
Don’t complain about the prices or sales tax. Seriously, we’d rather you leave than just complain throughout the entire transaction. Remember, budtenders have absolutely nothing to do with a dispensary’s price points and much less with the astronomical taxes mandated by the State. The only way we can change these steep and unfair charges is by getting involved in our city’s local government; not by chewing out the sales associate that's making minimum wage. Wanna know something else about high taxes? Budtenders hate them, too.
Don’t unload emotionally. Yes, your budtender is a safe space, however, unless you’ve developed a genuine friendship or relationship with your budtender, it’s safe to assume that they don’t want to hear about your extremely toxic situationship or the fact that your neighbor’s dog keeps urinating on your grass. We don’t always need the full deets to best serve you… just saying.
Don’t not listen. A.K.A. Listen to your budtender! Most budtenders aren’t operating with some weird hidden agenda like some paranoid patients might think. Most budtenders do however take it upon themselves to learn as much as they can about this plant so they can share as much of this knowledge as possible within their community. It’s like you can teach a person to smoke, but they’re better off if you can teach them how to roll instead. Help us help you.
A little slice of the good ol’ days…
PRO TIP: Always tip your budtender!! If you can give your bartender $1 for every beer they open in 0.1 seconds, you should probably also take care of the person guiding you through the complexities of cannabis. Budtenders take way more time and use just as much effort into aiding your well-being, so share the love!! We promise you, they’ll most likely use it to buy weed.
We hope these tidbits are helpful in elevating your next dispensary visit — Stay safe Kush Queens and Happy Holidaze!
Remember to follow and share your 420 with us on IG!