Featured Growers: High Rise
Welcome back everyone!
Over the next few weeks, Mosaic+ will sit down with the growers we carry in the store to find out all the ‘deets.’
Legitimizing the Industry
The cannabis industry has been booming for the past few years out here in Oklahoma.
While 57% of voters chose ‘YES’ on the ballot in 2018, many people are still wary of the industry, plant, and people involved. This is a result of cannabis prohibition, and the unfair narrative streamed across the nation.
Cannabis advocates all over the country are talking about how to break the stigma and what we can do to legitimize ourselves.
While there’s no doubt that much of Oklahoma’s cannabis industry was successfully built on the backs of ambitious entrepreneurs, I’d like to bring attention to someone whose passion for cannabis led to his Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture and the success of his growing operation and most recently a dispensary storefront.
Drew House, Co-Founder and Director of Cultivation for High Rise, is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. Drew shared, “Initially, I planned on utilizing my horticulture degree in Colorado, but two weeks after walking the stage SQ788 passed here in Oklahoma and I couldn’t pass the opportunity up to participate in a fresh market in my home state.”
He discussed how much he loves cannabis and alluded to the intricacies of the plant describing it as “mysterious.” Drew shared that one of his proudest moments was whenever they completed the expansion of their cultivation facility, stating, “After transplanting our first crop into the room, I remember sitting down and staring into the sprawling canopy in our new 55 light flower room and just thinking ‘Wow, we really did it!’”
He hit the nail on the head when he said, “For some people, cannabis is a pleasant head-change, and for others a medical necessity.” The distinction between those two is typically a topic of conversation when people begin to discuss the legitimacy of the cannabis industry. Oklahoma is a medicinal-use only state. We expect to move to adult-use (aka recreational) within the next few years.
How do we legitimize an industry that is seen as medicine and as something used recreationally? It is entirely new territory. As we move into the importance of cannabis education, Drew shared his perspective on the topic from a growers point of view with the addition of his background in horticulture, “Being a cultivator gives a lot of insight into the potential problems that another operation may encounter, and there are many ways to resolve said problems.
Unfortunately, some of the quickest solutions are often hazardous to the health of the growers and the consumers, e.g., utilizing dangerous pesticides and fungicides. Health risks are also a factor if a company allows problems to go unchecked, e.g., heavy metal contamination, mycotoxins from fungi, and contamination from bacterial pathogens.
The first question every MMJ [cannabis] patient and consumer should ask is, where did the flower come from?” (Drew hits on a lot of points within this single response) Each point has profound implications typically considered in other production industries related to agricultural and horticultural practices. He also brings to light the weight most patients feel when navigating cannabis products on their own
Oklahoma’s cannabis industry will continue to grow over time. We’ll begin to see new regulations popping up in response to patient safety and for those directly involved in the cultivation and processing of cannabis.
Huge shoutout to Drew and the team at High Rise, you all bring quality products to the table every time!
Popular ‘High Rise’ Strains at Mosaic:
There are seven “effects” on our spectrum: Rest, Reflect, Casual, Balance, Focus, Inspire, Active—and every medicated item at Mosaic+ falls somewhere on that spectrum. See more below. 👇
Stay tuned for a more in-depth breakdown of our Spectrum of Effects in coming posts, or just come see us at Mosaic+ Dispensary to hear it right from the source!
Visit us in-store and ask a budtender for more information on our spectrum, or simply order online for a quick pick-up today!