Haley Blumenfeld is a shining example of someone who uses Cannabis medicinally but also enjoys it in social settings. She suffers from gastroesophageal reflux disease and has worked through many Cannabis products to find the ones that really help with her symptoms.
As a huge fan of jam bands, she has had no trouble finding other people in her scene who are as passionate about Cannabis as she is. Blumenfeld uses her first-hand experience with Cannabis to relate to customers on a higher level that leaves them feeling educated and understood. Make sure to shout her out the next time you visit The Edge in Edgewater.
How did your dad shape your appreciation for music and Cannabis culture?
I was probably around 18 when I found out he smoked weed. I could smell some good bud when we were at the house one day, and I said to him, “Where is it?” He would take me to concerts like Goose and Dead & Company, and passing around joints to the music led to higher conversations. Weed enhances the music for me. Now we get to continue going to concerts and share that experience, which is so special to me.
Do Cannabis and wellness go hand in hand?
Cannabis and wellness definitely go hand in hand. I don’t really use preworkout or anything, but I will smoke Cannabis before I go to the gym. I find that it’s very energizing and helps with my recovery following a workout. I take some CBD or CBG after the gym, and it keeps me motivated for the next day to keep going. If more people used Cannabis before going to the gym, I think they would be more locked in on the workout, too. I feel way more concentrated when I’ve smoked before working out.
What symptoms do you experience from gastroesophageal reflux disease, and how does Cannabis help mitigate them?
So it starts out feeling like stomach pains similar to hunger, and I’ll start to burp a lot or even slightly throw up in my mouth. It’s the worst; you feel like you’re hungry but too uncomfortable to eat. I really like the Curio Gut cartridge, which definitely gives me the relief of being able to eat. Hitting the pen is pretty much an immediate relief, and then it starts to feel better in general. The acid reflux builds up throughout the day and is related to what I eat. So if I eat something acidic, it hits me after, or after a long sleep, I feel it in my esophagus.
How does Cannabis influence your cooking?
I try to already cut out really acidic foods, but I also really love eating spicy foods, which is a problem. I focus on medicating and eating foods that fall within my diet so that I don’t have an unpleasant experience. I avoid gluten because it bothers me, and I have psoriasis, which intensifies autoimmune diseases. I eat clean, whole foods as much as possible and grow peppers in my backyard and turn those into spices versus buying store-bought spices. We don’t know what all those random dyes and unreadable ingredients are doing to us.
What creative areas do you explore when smoking?
I love making art. I do woodburning for lighter cases and coasters, a lot of it being jam band-inspired. I’ll do Stealies (Grateful Dead Steal Your Face logo), Phish logos and a bunch of my other favorite bands. I hook them onto my purse and love the stylish versions of Cannabis accessories.
What music festivals are you going to this summer?
I’m going to try to go to the All Good Now festival this summer. String Cheese Incident is my favorite band, and I saw them there last year. My dad and I are going to Phish at Merriweather, and we’re going to be in the pit, which I’m really excited for. I’m also going to Louder Than Life in Kentucky, which is a little different: Tool, Pantera, Limp Bizkit and so much more. My mom likes Metallica, but my dad is a Deadhead, so my taste in music is all over the place.
Does Cannabis give you a sense of community?
Being in the industry for a while has introduced me to so many great people. It’s nice to be able to go to your coworker’s house after work and talk about Cannabis. I also learn so much from them and their experiences with Cannabis, which translates to me educating customers on areas I didn’t know about before.
