Your name & position:
Adri Valenzuela; Assistant Manager of Operations
How long have you been open?
A year and a half! Since April 2021!
How did you personally get into the cannabis industry?
I was looking for a rewarding job that I would be able to contribute to with the skills I had in inventory and operations. I started at Deseret Wellness as part of the operations team with very little knowledge of cannabis as a whole. After about 6 months I was given the opportunity to help open and run Pure UT!
What’s the most rewarding part of being in this industry?
The appreciation I have for cannabis as a medicine and the way it can help restore people’s faith in natural medicine is one of the biggest rewards. I also get the opportunity to educate, and learn from so many individuals that have had different walks of life which is not something you can get in many other industries.
What’s the most challenging part?
Some of the regulations can be difficult to work around and explain to patients as to why they are important and in place. Thankfully most patients are pretty open minded when we do our best to explain certain rules/regulations that are set either by the Department of Health or the Department of Agriculture.
What do you think Utah’s medical cannabis industry will be like five years down the road?I believe it will be a booming medicinal market that will continue to have heavy impacts on the opioid pandemic that we are still combating. It would be awesome to see the percentage drop drastically, even if it meant allowing adult use recreationally.
If you could share one piece of advice about medical cannabis with readers, what would it be?
Treat it like the medicine it is. If you are on edge or unsure about whether cannabis could be beneficial to your well being, talk to someone. If you choose to explore your cannabis options, use it with good intentions, always keep in mind what you want to experience, as well as what you want to avoid. That helps me appreciate it so much more.
What’s your favorite strain or product type (tinctures, edibles, etc.)?
Edibles and topicals are my main source of consumption, especially 1:1 ratio, but I love flower just as much because it is the most natural form and beneficial to me.
What’s the best way for our readers to get a hold of you to learn more?
[email protected]
