This interview is part of a special Q&A series where we talk to budtenders—who are some of the most fascinating and informative people in our industry—about the weird questions they get, what daily life on the cannabis front lines is like and what they appreciate most about cannabis.

Name: Brittany Krapes

Dispensary: Ajoya in Louisville, Colorado

What year did you start working in the cannabis industry?
2017

Who are your favorite customers at the dispensary?
I love the people who come here and are willing to learn! It’s fine serving people who know what they want, but seeing someone who is curious and wanting to learn is something else. People eager for education are always great because they are open to different cannabinoid blends, different terpenes, and maybe even a different medium to consume their cannabis. 

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your fellow budtenders?
Find a balance in treating customers like they know nothing and everything at the same time! It’s difficult to judge what someone may or may not know without asking them, and we are in a state where we get a lot of tourists. Offering the same quality of help to every person is important in maintaining a positive experience for everyone. 

What’s the craziest question about cannabis you’ve ever gotten from a customer?
The craziest questions come from people who haven’t consumed cannabis, of course. The questions that always amaze me are the ones that come from a perspective of cannabis being similar or the same as an opioid. It surprises me when people ask how I function on cannabis doing basic activities, and they seem confused when I tell them that today is a microdose day or a CBD day—or that cannabis is absolutely not the same as the pain medicine they have gotten from their doctor or heard about from their friends. 

What’s the biggest misconception about cannabis you’d like to fix?
You don’t have to be a stoner, and you don’t have to be high all the time! I see people come in for the same product, but one will use it for medicine and one will use it for recreational purposes. Consuming cannabis or using cannabis products does not have to be good / bad or black / white. It can be for your grandma or your neighbor. It can be once-a-month or whenever. There is something for everyone. 

What’s the most challenging part of your day?
Naturally since I love people who love to learn, those unwilling to learn are my personal struggle. It is hard to be in an industry that is seen as an importance but also has a negative stigma attached to it in so many communities, even our own still! I see many people who just want to “check it out” but they come with decades of fear and misconceptions. It can be hard to convince people that the stigma is there for the extremes, and most users are not that.

Why do you consume cannabis?
Cannabis helps me sleep, relax, and deal with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) pain and anxiety. I use topicals for eczema and psoriasis. I use cannabis to help me with all sorts of things! 

What does consuming cannabis do for you?
Cannabis makes me feel grounded and keeps my mind from racing all day. I am a very anxious person, and cannabis calms me down without knocking me out or making me feel too mentally fuzzy. 

“If I were a LucidMood pen, I would be….”
I would absolutely be Lullaby. When (LucidMood Chief Science Officer) Tristan (Watkins, PhD.) and I were talking about this pen we were excited about how it shuts your brain off. It doesn’t just get you so high you pass out, it really helps unwind. I would be Lullaby because I am all about relaxing and comfort. I love everything that makes people feel calm and collected and homey.