This piece was originally shared in the May/June 2022 issue of Delaware Business Magazine.
Less stigma and more edibles
REMOVING THE STIGMA around cannabis has been a challenge, and First State Compassion (FSC) is proud of the inroads we have made with the state’s neighborhood, business, and physician communities.
We’ve seen the stigma of treatment lessen and the positioning of medical cannabis as a viable component in our health care system accelerate. We foresee a future for the industry that includes more controlled research into the cannabis plant’s medical effectiveness as it relates to various diseases and benefits to patients’ bodies and minds.
More Edibles
The option of vaping or smoking cannabis as treatment is not appealing to some patients. This was one reason for the introduction of medical cannabis-infused edibles, offering patients a discreet and tasty ingestion alternative. From chocolate chip cookies to brownies and fruit chews, medical cannabis dispensaries are now making and baking edibles in stateof-the-art kitchens across the country. Among them is FSC, with edible products now available at our locations in Wilmington and Lewes to our more than 10,000 patients.
A great majority of patients have been looking forward to adding the option of medical cannabis edibles to their treatment programs. Many are all-natural products made with real fruits and vegetables, and are lactose free, gluten-free and vegan. Examples include Betty’s Eddies© infused, all-natural fruit chews in a variety of flavors like grape, elderberry, orange, peachy mango, passionfruit, lime, lemon, and berry. Another is Bubby’s Baked™—soft and chewy baked “bite” made from scratch with simple ingredients and full-spectrum cannabis for a popular edible. Favored selections are Brownie, Choco Chip Cookie, and Snickerdoodle.
Ultimately, a Passage to Relief
When it comes to our patients, we know that each one is on a personal passage to relief. So, by providing edible options, we offer another pathway for patients to feel comfortable in their journey to finding the relief that works best for them.
Whether it’s through learning more about the benefits of cannabis or personal experience with edibles, more people are becoming aware that medical cannabis helps alleviate physical and mental suffering. Patients who experience disease symptoms that include pain, nausea, seizures, tremors, neuropathy, gastrointestinal issues, and more truly appreciate the life-changing benefits medical cannabis brings to their quality of life.
Mark Lally is the CEO of First State Compassion.