{"id":1750,"date":"2021-10-14T21:38:56","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T21:38:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=181448"},"modified":"2021-10-14T21:38:56","modified_gmt":"2021-10-14T21:38:56","slug":"how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=1750","title":{"rendered":"How to make a budtending career a reality"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <title>How to make a budtending career a reality &#8211; Leafly<\/title>     <!-- This is Index Exchange, a script\/\/3rd-party integration that interjects GAM. It needs to be 'ahead' of GTM in the DOM, which comes from Cephalopod. GTM loads GAM. This script needs to setup it's interjection stuff before GAM loads. --> <!-- End Index Exchange --> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t   <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.1.2 (Yoast SEO v17.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->                  <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- BEGIN Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END Sailthru Horizon Meta Information -->  <!-- Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- End Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --><br \/>\n <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) -->   <title>Leafly<\/title>     <title>Leafly \u00ae<\/title>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              <title>Loading\u2026<\/title>     <\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-white fixed flex hidden inset-0 items-start md:h-auto md:items-center overflow-auto\" id=\"age-gate-container\">\n<div class=\"bg-white md:h-auto mx-auto p-lg text-sm w-full\" id=\"age-gate\">\n<p><label for=\"select-country\">Where are you from?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__info\">\n<p><button class=\"button\" data-testid=\"age-gate-no-button\" id=\"tou-cancel\">no<\/button><button class=\"button ml-md\" data-testid=\"age-gate-yes-button\" id=\"tou-continue\">yes<\/button><\/p>\n<p><label class=\"checkbox__label my-xl\"><span class=\"text-xs\" id=\"remember-user-label\">Remember me for 30 days. <br \/>I confirm that this is not a shared device.<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"hidden age-gate__loading\">Redirecting you to<span class=\"redirect-domain\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xs mt-auto\">By accessing this site, you accept<br \/>\nthe <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"tou-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container my-xl\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col md:col-9\" id=\"article-content\">\n<p><em>Leafly answers some of your top questions about how to become a budtender<\/em><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">As the cannabis industry continues to grow in the United States, budtending is one of the most straightforward ways to get into the business and build a career. Loving weed is a great foundation for becoming a budtender, but what else goes into getting the job? <\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/cannabis-glossary\/budtender\">budtender<\/a> is an employee at a cannabis store who is responsible for helping customers. The job description for a budtender may contain responsibilities like: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Helping medical patients or customers find the right products<\/li>\n<li>Understanding the newest products to emerge in your local market<\/li>\n<li>Making sure the dispensary stays clean and tidy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Depending on what state you are in, you may be responsible for honoring the privacy of a patient\u2019s health information, helping customers understand purchasing limits on flower or concentrates, or just being that one person who knows what it\u2019s like to actually try a new product. <\/p>\n<p>But, there\u2019s plenty more to know about how to become a budtender or getting a job at a dispensary. <\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<h2>Does weed have to be legal in my state for me to be a budtender?<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"819\" alt=\"OG Kush in a medical prescription bag\" class=\"wp-image-181523 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-1.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><\/figure>\n<p>Cannabis has to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/legalization\">medically or recreationally legal in your state<\/a> to budtend at a legal dispensary. If your state only has medical dispensaries, you should be prepared to discuss cannabis from a strictly medicinal perspective with all clientele. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-do-i-need-budtender-certification\">Do I need budtender certification?<\/h2>\n<p>Certifications are nice to have but usually aren\u2019t mandatory.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s most important is that you understand the market you work in and how you can best serve the people coming in the door. You don\u2019t need a certification to talk about terpenes, but you do need to be able to speak confidently about what\u2019s in the products available. <\/p>\n<p>We spoke with Ace Rowe, a Product Specialist at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/dispensary-info\/swade-cannabis---the-grove-\">Swade<\/a> in the medically legal state of Missouri, about the three most important things to know about working in a dispensary.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote is-style-solid-color\">\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cProduct knowledge, being able to chat with all sorts of people, and enthusiasm for asking questions \u2013 both for continued training and to learn the most about the client,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Ace has had the budtending mindset for much longer than her job has been legal in the state. Like many people across the country, she set her eyes on the prize and jumped into the industry as soon as everything aligned. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote is-style-solid-color\">\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been in sales since 2010, so I learned that if I\u2019m going to be fulfilled at work, I have to be passionate about the product. For me, it was passion for the plant and passion for helping match people\u2019s needs and wants to find meaningful solutions. I dreamt I was working in a dispensary, applied, and went to a job fair.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>She knows that working in a med state comes with more complex interactions with clients, which can\u2019t be taught in a certification course. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote is-style-solid-color\">\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cIn recreational [markets,] people want to flash their ID, pick the highest THC or the largest quantity of edibles, whatever is the best deal. In medical, we look into dosage, terpenes, ingredients, all factors. I\u2019m able to provide more holistic options. <\/p>\n<p>For instance: instead of medicating at night to sleep soundly, smoking a lot of heavy, strong indica in the evening or taking a large-dose edible, what about a low-dose edible or maybe some CBD throughout the day or in the morning to address baseline tension so you don\u2019t need so much at night?\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>There\u2019s no certification needed to become a budtender, but Ace\u2019s very real advice is to focus on the three E\u2019s: elevating knowledge (about cannabis), empathizing with customers, and keeping education at the forefront. <\/p>\n<h2>Do I need budtender training?<\/h2>\n<p>Budtender training is helpful, but not required to enter into the industry. <\/p>\n<p>Budtenders should always be hungry to learn more and provide a good dispensary experience. Ace enjoys the ongoing education provided by her employer and learns a lot while she is on the job. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/how-to-get-hired-to-work-in-the-medical-cannabis-industry-part-2\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>How to get hired as a budtender<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>You can begin your own personal budtender training by figuring out your budtending style and learning how to communicate your knowledge about weed to the people who need it. Budtenders are there to help with a range of issues from health needs to <em>the need to chill<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>Be prepared for these situations: how to address customers professionally under state law and how to build relationships with patients or customers that will keep them coming back. <\/p>\n<h2>How can I stand out as a budtender applicant? <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" alt=\"Stack of books with laptop on wooden table\" class=\"wp-image-181528 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality-2.jpg,compress&amp;w=1480 1480w\"><\/figure>\n<p>Resources like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/cannabis-101\">Leafly\u2019s Cannabis 101<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\">Learn sections<\/a> provide plenty of free information to start growing your comfort with the plant and learning how to talk the talk. Learning about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/science-tech\/what-is-the-endocannabinoid-system\">endocannabinoid system<\/a>, different kinds of cannabinoids, or different ways to consume weed are never bad starting points. And don\u2019t forget about all the good people on YouTube and Reddit who are willing to share their knowledge for free. <\/p>\n<p>If you do have money to invest, there are options through cannabis colleges like <a href=\"https:\/\/oaksterdamuniversity.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oaksterdam University<\/a> or the recently launched <a href=\"https:\/\/harringtoninstitute.com\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Harrington Institute at Cleveland School of Cannabis<\/a>, which focuses on providing equitable access to the industry. <\/p>\n<p>Offerings like these provide a concentrated, methodical learning experience that will form a foundation for a career that can grow beyond budtending. <\/p>\n<h2>How much do budtenders make? <\/h2>\n<p>A new 2021 look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/budtending-by-the-numbers-heres-where-the-jobs-are\">budtending jobs<\/a> says wages vary by location, starting between $13-16, and rising to $18-20 per hour. <\/p>\n<h2>Do I need to go to college to become a budtender? <\/h2>\n<p>Budtending is often an entry-level position that can lead to more opportunities depending on what you want to do. While there are many programs offered by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/higher-education-university-cannabis-degree\">accredited universities<\/a> to help people learn more about the cannabis plant and the industry, these programs are not always the most accessible. <\/p>\n<p>Fees and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/leafly-seeds-of-change-2021-report-rates-states-on-marijuana-equity\">other systemic obstacles<\/a> can prevent people from beginning a career in weed, but those same people may possess a lot of knowledge about the plant and how their communities consume it. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/industry\/turn-a-college-degree-into-a-cannabis-career\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>How to turn a degree into a cannabis career<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>That being said, if you\u2019re going to a traditional two- or four-year college with the desire to work in weed, there are a few different avenues you can take. <\/p>\n<p>Biomedical and biological sciences will help you with a foundational understanding of the plant and the body. Agriculture classes can help you learn about growing weed at scale. <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in cannabis entrepreneurship or building your own cannabis brand, you can dive deeper into business, economics, or marketing classes. And there\u2019s no cannabis product manufacturing without the engineers who get us there. <\/p>\n<h2>Is budtending a promising career? <\/h2>\n<p>Cannabis isn\u2019t just a promising industry, it\u2019s an essential business in the United States. Depending on your goals and location, budtending can lead to a long career or just be a job you do to pay the bills. It\u2019s a great entry point into the cannabis industry and provides you the means to learn a lot about weed. <\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, budtending is about helping people access and discover cannabis, establishing knowledge of the plant, and helping people find what works for them, whether medically or recreationally. <\/p>\n<div id=\"author-box\" class=\"p-lg my-xxl bg-white rounded border border-light-grey elevation-low\">\n<div class=\"mb-lg\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality.jpg\" alt=\"Janessa Bailey's Bio Image\" class=\"lazyload inline-block mr-md rounded-full border border-light-grey\"> <\/p>\n<p>Janessa Bailey<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"text-sm\">Janessa was born and raised in the Midwest, and serves as Leafly&#8217;s current culture editor. She has a background in content, activism, and African-American Studies. <\/p>\n<p>Janessa is the creator of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/learn\/social-justice\/lumen\">Lumen<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/leafly-seeds-of-change-2021-report-rates-states-on-marijuana-equity\">Seeds of Change<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"text-sm font-bold underline text-green\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/author\/janessa-bailey\">View Janessa Bailey&#8217;s articles<\/a> <\/div>\n<div class=\"leafly-sailthru-signup p-lg my-xl bg-white rounded elevation-low border border-light-grey\">\n<p class=\"text-xs pt-lg\">By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\">Leafly<\/a> and you agree to Leafly&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/tos\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat -->  <!--\nPerformance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https:\/\/www.boldgrid.com\/w3-total-cache\/ Served from: _ @ 2021-10-14 14:39:03 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to make a budtending career a reality &#8211; Leafly Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? noyes Remember me for 30 days. I confirm that this is not a shared device. Darn! You&#8217;re not old enough to use Leafly. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Leafly answers some of your top questions about how to become a budtender As the cannabis industry continues to grow in the United States, budtending is one of the most straightforward ways to get into the business and build a career. Loving weed&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1751,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/how-to-make-a-budtending-career-a-reality.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1750"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1750\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}