The Downtown Dispensary is a state licensed medical marijuana dispensary located off the intersection of Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue. It has been offering services to patients since it opened in August 2013.
The dispensary was named Best Marijuana Dispensary in the Tucson Weeklys Best of Tucson in 2015. The Daily Wildcat sat down with general manager Adriana Tysenn to learn about what its like working at the dispensary.
Adriana Tysenn: My favorite part about working here is getting to see the transformation from day one to the following week or the following month for our new patients.
When someone comes in with a debilitating ailment and needs our assistance on what to purchase and how to use it, it can be a really intimidating experience.
Knowing that were helping ease their anxiety by walking them through the entire process makes me feel like were truly doing our job by helping them. When they come back a week later, a month later, with their lives truly back in their hands, I know that were doing something right.
DW: Is there a lot of patient care and interaction here?
AT: Absolutely. I think that we are one of the leading dispensaries as far as patient care and making sure we are walking our patients through the entire transaction. We know that theyre leaving here confident with whatever theyre purchasing and knowing how to use it.
With dispensaries, sometimes youll go in and you wont have the same feeling that youll have here, as far as the educational process and making sure that theyre truly understanding everything that they need to.
This is a medicine and it needs to be looked at that way as far as dosing goes and whats being used for each individual. Its all going to be different depending on what that person needs.
DW: What kind of edibles are sold here?
AT: Right now, we carry 12 different lines of edibles. It ranges anywhere from gummy bears to hard candies, chocolate bars, brownies, pop corn, it could go on and on, juice, soda. So, lots of options.
DW: Are there any strains that are grown at the dispensary?
AT: We do have our own cultivation facility. Right now we have about 25 strains, and out of those 25, 10 of them are ours. We are hoping to expand into a bigger facility.
DW: How does one become an employee at the dispensary?
AT: We look for knowledgeable and passionate people who want to help others. Its important to us that our staff members understand the different ways to medicate and can assist our patients with proper dosing.
Were just looking for someone who is well versed with marijuana and can explain types of strains, the different effects, terpenes, cannabinoids.
There is a fine science behind this and I think our dispensary genuinely cares about sharing that with patients. Were going over test results and explaining to them why theyre going to feel sleepier from one strain. and more energized and euphoric from another strain.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Q&A – Medical Marijuana, A Budding Industry For Patients
Author: Ava Garcia
Contact: (520) 621-3551
Photo Credit: Monique Irish
Website: The Daily Wildcat
