The Medical Cannabis Act was passed in the state of Utah in 2019. Since then, the state has operated as an extremely limited license state, and has issued only 8 cultivation licenses and 14 physical retail licenses. There remains a thin wall that separates church and state in Utah, and the real benefits of cannabis can be obfuscated by the war on drugs and the stigma around marijuana. For this reason, I wanted to bring awareness and transparency into the medical cannabis space and the plant to patient journey.
For a month I visited three different facilities belonging to WholesomeCo Cannabis, one of two completely vertically integrated cannabis operators in Utah. I visited their harvesting facility, processing plant and pharmacy-retail location. I also met with two of their patients, a married couple, who have requested they be given aliases for the sake of this story. This is a photo story about the medicinal value of cannabis as a natural path to health and wellness. All photographs by Jenny MacDougall.
The medicinal properties of the cannabis plant have been known for millennia. Above is a detailed image of the "gummy bear" strain, known to reduce pain, stress and depression. Undisclosed location, UT on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
A greenhouse will often contain one strain to avoid cross contamination. This is one of five of the greenhouses at the harvesting facility. This particular strain has been dubbed "gummy bears", due to its sweet and tangy aroma. Undisclosed location, UT on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
Esteban separating and hanging the final harvest of 2021. This is one of the more important steps of the process, many say it's where "magic is made". Newly cut plants are full of moisture and considered "wet", so cultivators will hang them upside down to dry. If corners are cut in this process, terpene loss, contamination and total crop loss is at stake. Loss of terpenes means an impact on the experience and benefit of the strain. Undisclosed location, UT on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021.
Esteban atop a scissor lift, carefully removing dried cannabis for further pruning before its shipped in airtight containers to WholesomeCo's processing facility. Undisclosed location, UT on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.
Sorting through Grade A and Grade B buds with extreme care at the processing facility. Quality control is especially important to WholesomeCo and the medical cannabis industry in Utah. Undisclosed location, UT on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.
There are many steps in the medical cannabis supply chain that are automated, but trimming the stems and quality inspection is not one of them at WholesomeCo. This manual inspection is critical for identifying mold in the weed or any inconsistencies, it also ensures that the patient is receiving the highest quality of flower. Undisclosed location, UT on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.
3oz of flower in WholesomeCo's product jars, along with a tiny humidity packet to maintain the perfect level of moisture once the jar is sealed, this prevents mold and anaerobic bacteria. Undisclosed location, UT on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.
Annika, a WholesomeCo budtender, receives flowers from a happy and thankful medical cannabis patient. Currently, there are 14 medical conditions recognized by the state of Utah, from anxiety to cancer, that can be treated with medical cannabis. Bountiful, UT on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021.
Educational booklet handed to every new patient to help them navigate the many different cannabis products and strains. It also informs the patient on the new regulations within the state of Utah, and how WholesomeCo can help them. This information is located in the Pharmacy agent's office within the retail dispensary. Bountiful, UT on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021.
Medical cannabis patient, Kay Laurie, was prescribed Fentanyl patches and Dilaudid at a very young age as a result of a rock climbing accident, she fell 30ft and broke her L1 and L2 spine. Although Fentanyl and Dilaudid can treat severe pain, they are both considered high risk for addiction and dependence. She became dependent on these drugs for over a decade, until 2019, when medical cannabis was legalized in Utah, it was at this time she knew something had to change. She is now completely off of fentanyl and on a reduced dosage of Dilaudid. She also suffers from epilepsy and synesthesia. Synesthesia is a condition in which sensory or cognitive pathways misfire; when an individual hears music, they will instead see swirling colors and shapes. Undisclosed location, UT on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021.
Kay Laurie relaxing with her husband Jason Carter. Both were born legally blind and have been married for 6 years now. Kay and Jason are diehard Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans, and with the prescribed use of medical cannabis, Kay's synesthesia has completely subsided allowing the two to enjoy Star Wars audio description together, without inducing Kay into an epileptic seizure. Undisclosed location, UT on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021.