How to Become a Cannabis Educator
Listen in as Liz of the Send Us Flowers Podcast and I Discuss How I Flourished Into Cannabis Education—And All That Comes With It!
Q: How did you start The Cannabis Cutie?
A: It was right after grad school, in 2018, and I was certain I was going to be in the cannabis industry. I did every project I could in class about cannabis.
Whether it was a project about entrepreneurship, finance, or real estate, I always made it cannabis related.
So I knew for certain I was going to be in the industry, just not how. I also knew I needed to educate myself more—on the industry, and on the plant itself.
When I started learning the plant science, my mind was blown about the Endocannabinoid System and the fact that this plant and our bodies were made for each other.
I started wondering why this information wasn’t all over the place, and I realized it was because it was mainly to be found in medical journals, full of scientific jargon.
So I decided that I was going to start making short educational videos in my car, in between dropping kids off at school.
And that’s all I needed to start with was information, and the sunroof in my car that made for the perfect lighting. I didn’t even have a ring light yet!
And of course part of my strategy is social media, but I didn’t know it well, so I went and got help!
So that’s the recipe for success, is trying not to do things by myself.
When I try to do things by myself, I generally fail because I’m trying to do so much that I can’t get it done.
When I delegate I can actually execute on my vision so much better.
Q: You know those are CEO moves right?
A: Yes, but at the beginning it was so uncomfortable. I had such imposter syndrome about not doing it all myself.
So it’s not always the most beautiful or easy process, but what matters is that you’re doing it. And you’ll figure it out along the way.
Q: This makes it easy to see how you’ve been so successful. You’ve worked with really heavy hitters, and you’re so knowledgeable in this space. You even created a book club to build a community that can learn together.
A: Yes, for sure. Smoking is one thing that’s always going to bring people together. But during the pandemic, I started looking for ways to make this habit more intentional and impactful. So what started as a way for people to get together and sesh & read a book became a group of advocates across the country.
They’re going to speak to their local politicians about cannabis legislation, going to lead community meetings, helping patients at a hospital if they’re nurses, or even becoming cannabis educators themselves.
It’s been beyond my wildest dreams, and I’m so grateful for it. Like, YES, more of this please! Because even though we’re getting so far in cannabis legalization, we are not anywhere near the end of the fight.
Q: Yes! And a lot of people don’t understand that to bring about cannabis reform, you eventually have to get off your phone. You have to actually go talk to people, and go comment at hearings.
A: Absolutely, and I like to believe that our politicians aren’t purposely trying to kill and harm people with these policies.
I can understand that when they don’t have the information, and don’t understand the science and the ECS, of course they’re not going to believe that this one blunt can help with dozens of medical conditions.
I honestly believe that if you sit down with them, educate them, even make powerpoint slides with visuals, that’s how you can change hearts and minds, and eventually policy.
I genuinely believe that if they had the information, they would not be acting the way they’re acting.
I think they’ve all just accepted the teachings that were given to them about cannabis, without questioning it.
Q: I’m going to segue us into my Bag segment, where we talk about what tools are in your bag. Because you can smoke cannabis that isn’t ideal for you, right?
A: I love The Originals, and I love Koffee & Kush—that’s two that I always have with me. The Originals is mainly minority owned & operated. I love places that I can feel the culture, because the plants can feel it too.
There are certain rooms that you can walk into at The Originals headquarters, like the Gelato Room, and they just make you smile. And it makes you feel that way when you smoke it too.
And of course it’s directly correlated because these are living things. I think about sad cows, who turn into meat products, and then we consume that meat that’s not so great for you.
It’s the same with cannabis, it’s alive and you’re taking that energy into your body.
So I think how you treat the plant, and how happy the plant is, definitely contributes to the quality of the end result.
Q: Is there anything else in your bag that you think people should be smoking on, or maybe tools you use?
A: I always have Hemper tips. You can roll it naked, but going in raw—yikes! You need a filter. It’s like a condom. I also always have hemp wraps, because I’ve noticed that tobacco products irritate my lungs. So this way I’m smoking 100% cannabis only.
If I have a regular blunt or tobacco product, I’m immediately wheezing. My lungs just do not like it.
And fun fact, cannabis cigarettes used to be sold as an asthma medication. So there is proof it’s good for your lungs, it’s a bronchodilator. It opens the lungs & airways.
So I actually don’t need to use asthma medication, unless I’m pregnant because then I’m not smoking.
Q: So as a person with asthma, what have you found to be the best strain to smoke, or method of consumption?
A: You’re probably going to want something with a lot of pinene in it, but luckly that’s also the most abundant terpene so it’s not hard to get.
But you really have to test and figure out what’s best for you. Same with the consumption method, I think it’s personal.
I personally shy away from concentrates because I’ve noticed that if I consistently use it, I feel some heaviness in my lungs. Which I don’t like.
Q: Let’s talk about censorship, something that you’ve been dealing with a lot lately. The level of censorship is so frustrating. Imagine us going to share this podcast on Instagram, and we’d be restricted from sharing a lot of this content—even though it’s educational! How do you feel about that?
A: I feel very frustrated. Maybe we’re just at the mercy of bad AI and bot technology. But there is another side of this that deserves to be shared, and because of Federal regulations we can’t. So the social media apps are stuck in the middle.
They don’t want to deal with it, so they just take things down. But the things I’ve had taken down are just ridiculous.
In 2021, my entire Instagram page was taken down 3 times!! Luckily for me, my social media manager Kelly has Facebook chat and can get me back up faster. They normally reinstate me quickly, which I’m thankful for.
It does still suck though because it affects your engagement. So I do wonder if at some point an actual conversation can be had between these social platforms & cannabis content creators.
Because they’re taking down legitimate businesses, and even educators & advocates. And some people don’t ever get their pages back.
Q: How is it that you keep going in the face of the constant adversity?
A: At my core, I know what my mission is. Before I started this all, I was so clear on that.
So Instagram or no Instagram, that mission continues. To free the plant. To teach the people information that can help better their lives.
And Instagram, while a powerful tool, is not the only tool. And it’s beyond my control, so it’s not going to ruin my day.
Maybe for about 30-45 minutes, there will be some pouting. But the mission continues and that’s what’s important. And I’ll always find a way.
Q: So what new projects do you have coming, anything you can share?
A: Yes, I’ve got some educational content coming out with Snoop. And my own sports podcast!
Many people don’t know that I’ve played sports my whole life. I come from a family with a lot of brothers. I’m the only girl, and I was always a tomboy.
I majored in Sports in college, I worked for Oklahoma State Athletics, I worked for the Oklahoma City Thunder, I did an amazing game operations internship for the NBA, and then I was married to a professional athlete.
A lot of my business partners are professional athletes and a lot of my friends are wives of athletes. So it’s something that is so engrained in my life.
And I’m still an athlete. I play tennis and squash. Not as much now because of Covid.
So I feel now is the time for me to showcase that and discuss how cannabis is a great complement to sports too.
Professional athletes can benefit so much from this plant. They have inflammation and cannabis is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Q: So jumping back to censorship, is there a platform you can rely on, if Instagram goes away?
A: Probably my email newsletter. I’m so shadow-banned on Facebook too. And the trendy Tik-Tok videos are just not my style. So definitely get yourself an email list and a website. And know your mission, and act accordingly.
UP YOUR PLANT SCIENCE EXPERTISE WITH MY ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CANNABINOIDS
It’s 30+ Pages of Cannabis Science Made Simple
Traversing 20+ Major & Minor Cannabinoids with Indications!
*The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider. Read our full Health Disclaimer.
