Connor Gregory just won New Jersey’s Budtender of the Year award at The Cannademix Budtenders Ball & Community Awards for his work at Hashery in Hackensack. He earned the honor in part because of his deep love of concentrates and passion for educating consumers about the benefits of hash. Known for helping convert newbies into well-educated connoisseurs, Gregory is dedicated to helping others improve their experiences with the plant. We sat down with him to smoke some hash and learn more about what led him into the industry and his thoughts on the current state of the scene. Follow him on Instagram, @connor_gregory.
What sparked your journey into the world of Cannabis, and how did it lead you to become a budtender?
What sparked my journey was like anyone else’s: trying it underage recreationally and not realizing the medicinal benefits. As I grew older, so did my curiosity.
One of my hobbies was beekeeping. I maintained a few hives for 10 years and would infuse my own honey with coconut oil. My late grandfather accidentally found my stash one night while he was making tea before bed. One little dose later, and despite being a defense attorney in Jersey City for over 40 years and never having tried Cannabis before, he told me that was the best night of sleep he’d ever had. That immediately changed my view on the plant’s ability to be used medically.
Visiting California and getting a medical card at 18 also played a big role in my passion for the industry. Seeing how they operated over there and how the culture was at the time made it very inviting. After the pandemic and losing my job like a lot of other people, I decided to try another venture. Low and behold I haven’t looked back and have never been happier in my life! I am super grateful and blessed to be educating people daily. I just hope my message is received and not brushed off.
If you could describe your favorite strain as a musical genre or artist, who would it be and why?
Man, this is a tough one. The only way to describe my favorite strain as a music genre would be anything heavily garlic-scented. As for the genre, that would be liquid drum and bass. It’s relaxing and puts me in a trance-like state. It’s what I listen to while seshing almost every day.
Can you share a memorable experience where you helped a customer discover something new or life-changing?
The most memorable experience for me was in 2022, my introduction to retail Cannabis. I used to work for an MSO in North Jersey, one of the first dispensaries in the state. I didn’t feel ethical promoting their radiated products since it wasn’t the most natural option, in my opinion, and would send medical patients to Breakwater where the quality of their flower is years ahead of anything that the MSO had in stock. Despite not working for Breakwater, I would still send patients there. Upper management did not like that, but I didn’t care. Medical patients would come back thanking me for putting them on to a store that cares about patients and their ailments. I would never trade what I did for anything. I am glad I was able to help cancer patients find better alternative medicine that wouldn’t break the bank.
How do you stay ahead of the curve with the ever-evolving trends and products in the Cannabis industry?
Ask questions! If you see something, ask what it is — the person won’t gate-keep. Curiosity for the plant has me traveling across the country in search of knowledge from credible hash-makers and expert cultivators. Attending frequent events is also a great way to get introduced to new products or consumption methods, like the Toro Terp Slide.
Social media platforms are also a great way to stay informed on new trends and products. Chances are it’ll be posted there before you see it in person. I also help out at Higher Function Hash Den, a concentrate education-based company that aims to break the stigma of dabbing and torches. The price tag of $80 per gram (roughly) has put off a lot of people from trying a dab for the first time. With E-rigs, we’re able to bridge the barrier of entry and give people an experience they’ve never had in their lives — without them feeling like they’re smoking crack! (laughs).
What’s a common misconception about Cannabis that you’d love to set the record straight on?
One misconception is that it makes you lazy. While I won’t argue certain strains can have sedating effects, every day I have all walks of life, from doctors fresh out of work to police officers in their uniforms, coming in and purchasing. I wouldn’t label someone lazy just because they smoke Cannabis recreationally. It comes down to the person’s mindset. I mean, look at me — I traveled across the country this year, driving state to state in search of knowledge that wasn’t readily available to me.
In what ways do you see Cannabis culture influencing art, community or social movements around you?
One thing Cannabis has always done is bring out the creativity in yourself. Whether it’s prints you can hang up from Wookerson, a ‘Hash Jar Here’ dab mat from Red Panda Express, or a custom Grateful Dead dancing bear embroidered hat from @allmyhatsaredead (on Instagram), the creativity within the Cannabis industry is truly spectacular and doesn’t get mentioned very much.
Another way the culture is influencing the community is having safe consumption events held just about every week to bring everyone together and share what terps we have. One of my favorite events is from the Highly Elevated Glass Gallery. They really know how to put on events and make sure that everyone is safely consuming and being responsible. Can’t forget to mention the many memes that come from companies and people like BudFather, myself, 4myhead and ADHD Dead.
If you could recommend one underrated product or strain that deserves more love, what would it be?
One product I recommend, whether legacy or legal, is solventless hash rosin — arguably the cleanest and tastiest material based on the company’s practices and washes.
Where do you go to learn more about the plant?
Books, podcasts, social media — some great resources are Instagram, X, YouTube and Patreon. Some I highly recommend checking out: ‘The Hashish Inn’ podcast, ‘Terpene Therapy,’ ‘Hot Dabs Podcast,’ as well as Dr. Riley Kirk and ‘The Science of Smokability.’ These are some of the credible sources I gather my information from to help customers make a more informed choice on the products they’re consuming.
