We asked our Beehive Farmacy pharmacist what they prefer about Cannabis Pharmacy vs. Traditional Pharmacy.
Victoria McDonald
I used to work at a retail pharmacy for many years. If you’ve ever been to one, you know the vibe: a line out the door, a phone ringing, and roughly ninety seconds to talk to the pharmacist before the next name gets called. I answered a lot of questions there. I just never got to connect with anyone.
Then I came to Beehive Farmacy, and honestly? It felt like someone finally turned the volume down.
Here, I get to actually talk to people. Not “here’s your bag, next.” I mean sitting down, hearing what’s going on, finding out what they’ve already tried, and figuring out what might work for them. Some folks walk in nervous and totally new to all of this. Some have been at it for years and just want to fine-tune one thing. Either way, we have the time to sort it out together — and nobody’s a number in a queue.
And I’ll be honest; the nerd in me loves that this field is still figuring itself out. Cannabis science is constantly reaching deeper levels of understanding. Stuff we were pretty sure about a year ago is getting rewritten as new research develops. That could be stressful, but I find it kind of thrilling — you’re never coasting on autopilot here.
So yeah: real conversations, real time, and a field that keeps you on your toes. That’s the short version of why I like it here.
Robert Morris
I find cannabis pharmacy more rewarding than traditional retail pharmacy. Here at Beehive Farmacy, I’m able to spend more time with patients new to cannabis. I’m able to take the time to teach patients about cannabis medicine and assist them in selecting products to help with their qualifying conditions. I’m able to use my knowledge and training more effectively. I’m also able to help patients make changes to their therapy more easily than in a traditional setting. I love that we are able to create a healing environment in our pharmacies.
Traditional retail pharmacists and techs deal with a variety of challenges every day, ranging from problems with insurance to difficulties reaching medical providers and dealing with staffing issues. And with seasonal illnesses starting to rise, this is the time of year that stresses them out and can cause increased strain on them while helping patients. Although we have our challenges as well, I’m glad that they are more manageable here.
Nathaniel Dotson
My favorite thing about medical cannabis pharmacy vs traditional pharmacy is the patient interactions that I have in medical cannabis pharmacy. Since we don’t deal with insurance, I am able to spend more time with patients and get to know them much better than I would in a traditional pharmacy.
Mindy Madeo
What I love most about medical cannabis pharmacy is helping patients discover new options when conventional medications haven’t given them relief.
Carol Rojahn
After working in traditional pharmacy for 35+ years and seeing people get sicker with the “pill for every ill” model, I enjoy medical cannabis pharmacy because we have the time to talk with patients to learn their pain points and help them figure out how medical cannabis can fit into their treatment goals. It is especially rewarding when patients return and tell us how much better they are doing after incorporating medical cannabis into their treatment.
