Whether you are a cannabis connoisseur or a casual gardener, budtenders are your guide through the world of weed. They curate the best possible experience by bridging the gap between how you want to feel and what you need to get there.

Claire Hunt is the budtender specialist at LivWell dispensary in Fort Collins, voted the best dispensary in Fort Collins by The Best of CSU 2025. Hunt loves working in a dynamic industry with constant opportunities to learn, grow and teach about cannabis. She truly enjoys being a part of everyone’s favorite errand.

“We focus the customer experience on education here at LivWell,” Hunt said. “I want to make it the best experience it can possibly be. I want people to skip in and skip out of here, excited to either stick with something tried and true or try something new.”

Everyone’s physiology is different, so Hunt suggests going low and slow with whatever you choose to go home with.

“Ease into it so you have the best experience possible,” Hunt said. Every experience is going to be unique to you.”

Samantha Garcia is the marketing coordinator and social media manager for Ivy Hall dispensary in Illinois. As a former budtender, she says it’s all about being honest and transparent with your budtenders. She knows what it’s like for a first-time consumer.

“When I first started in the industry I didn’t really smoke before,” Garcia said.

She recommends starting with a disposable distillate vape because it’s an approachable way to ease into exploring other methods of consumption.

“If you’re newer to cannabis I think a hybrid is a nice easy introduction into exploring how you want to feel,” Garcia said.

Her best suggestion for college students is drinkables because they are a super low- cost option that can be more socially acceptable and doesn’t come with a hangover.

“Drinkables are great, especially in social settings and for those in college who don’t want to smell and don’t want to feel the body paralysis that an edible can give you,” Garcia said.

The effects of drinkables are typically felt sooner and more gradually than an edible. Garcia suggests the same allotment you would typically take as an edible since they’re both digestives.

There’s so much more to consuming marijuana than just getting high.

“It’s all in the cannabinoids. Once you look deeper into the cannabinoids you can really tailor your experience,” Garcia said.

The cannabinoids help the THC work. Some examples are CBN for sleep, CBD for inflammation, as well as CBG or CBC.

Hunt explains how the cannabinoids and terpenes are like a steering wheel for your high.

“Cannabinoids are only present in cannabis, while terpenes are present in all plants and are a part of the essential oils in cannabis that contribute to the flavor,” Hunt said.

Each strain has a different combination of cannabinoids and terpenes, which is why they all have their own unique effects on your experience. Some people are drawn to a certain option because of how the terpenes and cannabinoids communicate with their endocannabinoid system.

“I love teaching people why they like what they like and helping them find more of that,” Hunt said.

Hunt’s favorite terpene is linalool, which is present in lavender and can potentially provide anxiety relief and act as an antidepressant. Her favorite cannabinoid is CBG. Garcia explains how there is a lot of miseducation when it comes to the cannabis industry.

“I encourage people to get educated on their own and really understand what they’re putting into their bodies,” Garcia said.

She emphasizes the importance of reading your labels and understanding the milligrams, dosages and onset times of what you’re getting.

“People are taking too much because they want it to work like alcohol and it doesn’t. At Ivy Hall we believe it’s not about feeling it, it’s about feeling good,” Garcia said.

For studying, Hunt suggests edibles with a one-to-one ratio of CBD to THC to keep you
feeling chill but focused.

“CBD is really grounding, so I get my psychoactive effect, but I can still be alert and pay
attention and go about taking care of business,” Hunt said.

Garcia is a fan of CBD for its ability to combat anxiety and inflammation in the body.

“CBD has a lot of calming varieties in the cannabinoid,” Garcia said.

She suggests a low dose sativa without any pinning in it when it comes to a study buddy.

“A low dose sativa is good and it won’t bog you down. Pinning can be known to cause anxiety for a lot of people, so avoid that,” Garcia said.

There’s always something new in the cannabis industry. Garcia tells us to keep your eye out for new powdered drink mixes with added electrolytes.

“I’m seeing a lot of brands starting to take on that wellness avenue,” Garcia said.

Hunt tells us to seek out edibles featuring live rosin. Live rosin is currently growing in popularity for many reasons.

“Live rosin goes through an extraction process that uses ice, pressure and time to provide the most flavorful and full spectrum experience,” Hunt said.

By knowing how you want to feel in your high and what methods you want to use to consume, budtenders can narrow down products and point you in the right direction.

“I’m really passionate about getting people to not only save a little money, but also get the best quality that they can,” Hunt said.

Even if you don’t know what you like, just explain why you’re curious about cannabis and the budtenders will help you navigate your experience.

“We love to help,” Garcia said, “We are huge nerds about cannabis and we really want to dive deep, get to know you as a person and tailor your experience.”