Ohio is one of the most restrictive markets in the country for advertising legal cannabis. Dispensaries can’t display paraphernalia in view of the public, and weed-forward signage remains strictly verboten. Unlike Michigan or other open states, canna-curious Ohioans cannot open, smell or touch the actual product they are purchasing.
With state law limiting where and how the plant can be marketed, it’s the budtenders who serve as a primary marketing channel for Ohio’s burgeoning yet throttled recreational marijuana industry, said retail associates interviewed by Scene.
“Folks coming in can be overwhelmed,” said Justin Korth, a budtender at Amplify Dispensary in Painesville, part of a network of five Ohio locations. “There are so many different brands and products, they don’t know exactly what they’re looking for. They want to have one-on-one conversations with people they can trust – real conversations without marketing and salesmanship.”
Creating an intimate dynamic is vital amid Ohio’s heavily controlled environment, added Korth. In this regulatory vacuum, the budtender-customer relationship has become a central pillar of a dispensary’s business strategy, he said.
Budtender product recommendations are the most influential form of advertising currently available in Ohio, said Korth, a 2021 Cleveland School of Cannabis graduate. Barred from making medical claims, Korth and his colleague must hypothesize how specific strains might interact with a customer’s unique tolerance.
Budtenders are not just selling a product – they are responsible for shaping consumer understanding of cannabis as well, said Austin Smith, general manager at Certified Cultivators’ Columbus location.
Having held every role in the company, Smith now tells his staff to prioritize patience in guiding visitors through their caution and curiosity
“Many people are new to the market, so we see questions about the difference between sativa, indica and hybrid,” Smith said. “We don’t want to overwhelm with data or science. Our job is to make cannabis more accessible and responsible.”
Watch your language
Marijuana is a complex product, with inexperienced users needing guidance on dosage, effects and consumption methods, said Smith. Yet, Ohio’s retail consultants must walk a fine line to avoid penalty – Ohio dispensaries have faced significant fines, some exceeding $200,000, due to advertising violations. And woe betide any budtender who utters the term “recreational cannabis” within dispensary walls, Smith said.
“You’ve got to be careful with the words you choose,” he said. “A common phrase we use is ‘many customers report.’ Everyone’s body is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. (This work) takes a lot of discipline.”
At Curaleaf’s location in Cuyahoga Falls, the budtender’s word carries more weight than any online review, said store manager Courtney McDaniel.
“Our consumers trust that they will receive reliable guidance directly from us,” McDaniel said in an email. “Many customers walk in without much prior exposure to product information, so the in-store conversation carries more weight. This provides us an opportunity to ensure that the customer or patient is confident and educated on the products they purchase.”
Since brands can’t build awareness through billboards or TV, companies like Curaleaf operate as educators first. Guests commonly ask about dosing, onset time, product formats, and how cannabinoids or terpenes can shape their high. Reciting dry lab data may result in blank stares, meaning budtenders must translate terminology into something digestible.
This rapport isn’t just a courtesy, but an engine for long-term loyalty, said McDaniel.
“Instead of focusing only on percentages, we talk through what kind of experience a customer is looking for,” McDaniel said. “When a product recommendation ends up resonating with a customer or patient, credibility grows. If something misses the mark, taking time to adjust strengthens that relationship. In a regulated market like Ohio, responsible guidance is what keeps people coming back.”
Engaging with the ‘grunts’
People who feel supported at a dispensary tend to return, said Melissa Merse, managing partner of retail and marketing at ROAM Dispensary in Seven Hills. To that end, Merse’s staff are trained as trusted advisors ready to navigate customers when they walk through the door. Budtenders ask targeted questions to identify preferences, while working to skirt Division of Cannabis Control marketing restrictions.
“We ask customers how they want to feel today, or how their pain is,” said Merse. “Those open-ended questions are crucial, because everyone is different. Just watching the floor, I’m noticing the same people coming back because they trust their budtender and appreciate being part of the community.”
ROAM has no electronic kiosks, a ploy by Merse to foster “the art of communication,” she noted.
“I wanted to change the perception about (retail) visits,” Merse said. “The value of coming into a licensed dispensary is knowing where the product is coming from. You can go online and research vendors, but people still get confused.”
Korth, the Amplify budtender, said that even brand-loyal consumers want to engage with the “grunts,” as they crave a direct connection with people selling the plant. After all, cannabis culture itself was built on authenticity with a helping of corporate nose-thumbing, he said.
“It’s gotten to the point where the industry is feeling too corporatized, or it’s getting away from what everyone is used to,” said Korth. “Now we have regulars coming in and asking for one person. That’s not because other people don’t have the same knowledge, but the first time ‘Joe’ walked in, he got the greatest help he could imagine. You’re getting close to a customer who has issues and need help to fix them.”
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