Magnolia Wellness, one of California’s premier medical cannabis dispensaries is a great example of a marijuana business with its heart in the right place while providing top-shelf medicine of all types to patients. One look at their menu and you can easily see amazing cannabis products, but most importantly to me, just a little bit of research will inform you on the compassionate nature of this medical marijuana establishment.
First, the business chops of David Spradlin, the dispensary’s director. You can have the best medical cannabis in the world, but it’s difficult to provide to patients if they don’t know about you. Cannabis businesses often run into roadblock after roadblock as discrimination and outright bigotry still plague the cannabis community as advertisers (not to mention banks and insurance companies) often balk at doing business with the marijuana industry.
Restrictions and discrimination can severely hinder business, so cannabis entrepreneurs often have to be create. After getting denied billboard space by big corporate entities like Clear Channel, Spradlin, found a smaller company willing to lease to a medical cannabis dispensary, and Magnolia became the first Bay Area dispensary with billboard advertising. It is this kind of creativity and outside-the-box thinking that helped Magnolia win “Best Booth” at the 2013 High Times Medical Cannabis Cup in Richmond while quality medicine has led the facility to win more Cannabis Cup awards than any other Bay Area collective.
Next, and most importantly, is the compassion of Magnolia Wellness as the dispensary has made a name for itself giving away free cannabis to patients desperately in need. This has included AIDs patients, people battling cancer and kids suffering from severe seizures. The wellness center, true to its name, offers services such as: chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage, Reiki and Chinese medicine. Magnolia even helped Oakland organize the 23rd Annual Thanksgiving Dinner and provides a free barbershop every Sunday and Monday.While money can sometimes corrupt and cloud judgement, it is good to see that Magnolia Wellness keeps in mind the plight of sick and disabled patients, many of whom battle poverty as well as their physical ailments and limitations.
With an Ambassador like long-time cannabis activist Debby Goldsberry, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Magnolia Wellness does demonstrate true compassion while providing high-quality medicine, but it is always good to hear about good people doing good things. Debby and I help organize the International Cannabis Business Conference and we are proud to have Magnolia Wellness as the top sponsor of our San Francisco event held on February 14-15 at the Hyatt Regency. At the ICBC, we mix activism with the entrepreneurial spirt as we never want to forget the compassion and kindness that have always been a cornerstone of of the cannabis community. Joining forces with Magnolia Wellness was a natural fit. I urge cannabis patients in the Bay Area to seek out Magnolia Wellness and I hope to see many of you at the ICBC in San Francisco.
Anthony Johnson
Anthony, a longtime cannabis law reform advocate, was Chief Petitioner and co-author of Measure 91, Oregon's cannabis legalization effort. He served as director of both the New Approach Oregon and Vote Yes on 91 PACs, the political action committees responsible for the state's legalization campaign. As director of New Approach Oregon, Anthony continues to work towards effectively implementing the cannabis legalization system while protecting small business owners and the rights of patients. He sits on the Oregon Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee and fights for sensible rules at the legislature as well as city councils and county commissions across the state. Anthony helps cannabis business comply with Oregon's laws and advises advocates across the country. He also serves as content director of both the International Cannabis Business Conference and the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, helping share the vision of moving the cannabis industry forward in a way that maintains the focus on keeping people out of prison and protecting patients. He was a member of the Oregon Health Authority Rules Advisory Committee, assisting the drafting of the administrative rules governing Oregon’s state-licensed medical marijuana facilities. He first co-authored and helped pass successful marijuana law reform measures while a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He passed the Oregon Bar in 2005 and practiced criminal defense for two years before transitioning to working full-time in the political advocacy realm. His blogs on Marijuana Politics are personal in nature and don't speak for or reflect the opinions of any group or organization.
