Felicia Carbajal, Lady Buds

Ellen Lee Scanlon (00:00):

This podcast discusses cannabis and is intended for audiences 21 and over. Welcome to How to Do the Pot, a podcast demystifying cannabis for women. I’m Ellen Scanlon.

Ellen Lee Scanlon (00:14):

One of the biggest misconceptions about shopping for legal weed is thinking that you need to know a lot about cannabis before you go. And while you can’t forget your government issued ID and it will make it easier if you bring cash, as more states legalize, visiting a dispensary is a lot more like a regular shopping experience. This series is dedicated to providing you with a support system of other women who have been in your shoes. In these stories, you will hear from some really inspiring women all across the country about their first time buying legal cannabis. While these women offer a lot of helpful tips and really thoughtful observations, they are not without a few mishaps and some laughs along the way, too. We hope their stories help you feel supported, less alone, and a little lighthearted when you decide to make your first cannabis shopping trip. We want you to feel confident and have fun. And we would love to hear your story. Send us a voice memo with your three- to five-minute story to hi@dothepot.com. That’s hi@dothepot.com.

Ellen Lee Scanlon (01:23):

Felicia Carbajal is featured in the film Lady Buds, which is available to stream on all the platforms. Felicia is a California-based queer Latinx organizer, strategist and social entrepreneur with over two decades of movement building experience within intersectional communities.

Felicia Carbajal (01:45):

My first experience with buying cannabis under both Prop 215 and Proposition 64 here in California. The first time that I legally purchased any cannabis as a medical patient was in 2008. I had been off of parole for a couple of years and not afraid of exercising one of my rights as a patient. I remember going into a San Fernando Valley store that still currently exists and is operating under Prop 64 and told them that I have PTSD and horrible anxiety. And while I figured out what to use for pain that I had, I really wanted to be able to get off of Valium and Xanax. And so they showed me an array of options, and I remember thinking, “Oh my God, I’m going to spray some weed under my tongue and it’s going to help my anxiety go away.” And lo and behold, my go-to to get off of Valium and Xanax was utilizing in a 24:1 ratio. I have been Valium and Xanax free since about 2008.

Felicia Carbajal (03:10):

Now, my first experience participating in the regulated Prop 64 marketplace was a little bit different. It was more of a circus. And when I say a circus, I mean a circus. It was day one in West Hollywood when folks could sell cannabis, and I was also simultaneously being interviewed with a group of other advocates and activists who had pushed for the creation of a regulated market. So I got to cut in front of the line and pick out some things real quick because of the utter chaos and the sheer volume of people. I just kept thinking, “This is your first time? Like you’ve lived in California all of this time, and this is your first time buying any kind of plant? What’s wrong with you?” And then simultaneously just feeling grateful that the line was so long and that my friend’s vision of what this could look like and all of the years that he had struggled as a drug war veteran, that he was finally going to get his reparations.

Felicia Carbajal (04:25):

So it was a beautiful experience, albeit a little overwhelming, but those are my two experiences. I think that the first one of course helped shaped the work and everything that I do. I’m grateful for having both experiences and I hope these stories help shape how you look at this plant.

Ellen Lee Scanlon (04:49):

Thanks for listening to this episode of How to Do the Pot. If you’d like to share your story about the first time you bought legal weed, please send a voice memo to hi@dothepot.com or DM us @dothepot. For lots more information and past episodes, visit dothepot.com. And that’s also where you can sign up for How to Do the Pot’s newsletter, which comes out every other Friday. If you like How to Do the Pot, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people find the show. Thank you to our producers Madi Fair and Nick Patri. I’m Ellen Scanlon and stay tuned for more of How to Do the Pot.