From the Navy to the medical Cannabis world, Ameer brings his discipline and expertise from life to the dispensary front lines at Columbia Care. He is extremely passionate about sharing his knowledge with the patients he serves. Sports remain a huge part of his life, where he fondly recalls going to state for swimming in high school. Dedicated folks like Ameer are part of what make this Cannabis industry in Maryland so great – continuing to break the stigma on what the life of a stoner looks like while bringing informed and positive energy to the industry is something we can all resonate with. Be sure to say hello to Ameer when swinging by Columbia Care in Chevy Chase.
When did you fall in love with Cannabis?
Probably a little bit before high school even started. I had some family members that were already using it for medical purposes like pain. One time I caught a little contact buzz and felt relieved – I remember feeling like the stress had left my body. After that I was like, ‘All right, this seems like something that could be helpful for me going forward.’ I first started really smoking around 2015-2016 when I got out of the Navy. I had an L5 spinal injury and it was seizing up my back – I couldn’t move around as comfortably as I would’ve liked. Cannabis relieved that and it’s been smooth sailing ever since.
What past Cannabis industry experience do you have?
I previously worked for Rise Bethesda for about five-and-a-half years when the industry first started. I was almost badge number 420 in the state of Maryland, but I got 421. I was hired as a supervisor and accumulated over a million dollars in sales in two to three years, while helping them increase accessory sales. For me, customer service has been my thing for forever and I love helping people. Being able to do that in a new industry in Maryland helped me hone in my skills and it was a huge opportunity that I’m forever grateful for.
Tell me about your time in the Navy and how it translated to life skills.
The Navy was great. I went in as a hospital corpsman and then I specialized as a medical lab tech. One of my goals when I got in was to become a lab tech so I could find a cure for lupus. My ex-wife had lupus so I wanted to do something to help her. I didn’t have to go into battle or anything, but I worked with the elderly in the hospital. I gained the ability to know the importance of using certain skills in certain situations and getting things done with discipline. Anytime I come into a place or situation, I feel confident in my ability to diagnose what needs to be done.
If you knew the world would end tomorrow, what would you do?
Family, go be with my family. I would try and gather them all up like gemstones … whether it’s blood relatives or friends, it means everything to me. I stayed close with some people from the Navy that are my Navy family.
What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
I play sports like basketball and football. Also, I love to work on my business which is a Cannabis business customer service consulting firm. I spend a lot of time trying to learn about finance too, figuring out ways I can set myself up for success. I look things up online and spend time reading about dividend stocks.
What is your favorite way to consume Cannabis? Favorite products?
When I was working for Rise my nickname was Dr. Dabs, and it’s even my name in the system here at Columbia Care. I previously held a concentrate class where 20-30 people wanted to learn about concentrates and dabs, and streamed it on IG live. So I’m a dabber, live resins are my go-to but I always like to switch it up to smoking flower from time to time. Rythm and Evermore are my favorite companies to dab on, and Eden makes some top-notch stuff as well. For flower, probably I have to say Rythm again and SunMed.
