Budtenders Fear For Their Safety At Work
Since legalization, Budtender safety has become a serious concern for dispensary staff in Canada. Over 3,200 cannabis retail stores nationwide create a lot of frontline workers.
In customer-facing jobs, you need to be able to stay calm under pressure and be able to handle a wide range of challenging situations with customers.
The old adage suggests that “the customer’s always right,” but is this always the case? In many cases, racial slurs, physical assaults, and death threats are too common for budtenders in Canada, and this is leading to safety concerns across the nation.
Budtenders face rampant racism and sexual harassment
Female budtenders in Edmonton are constantly harassed by male customers, especially if the girl is well-educated in cannabis.
King recalls an unsettling experience where a male patron entered the store while she was working. The man allegedly stared her in the eye, and asked why the owner would allow two women to work together in the shop.
“[He told us] we were more likely to be robbed and killed on sight,” she says, compared to a male worker. “I wanted to lock the door for the rest of the day.”
John Torrez, who worked as a budtender at a dispensary in Toronto throughout the pandemic, has also experienced distressing situations in the workplace.
Torrez, a Canadian with Mexican heritage, has had a customer use a racial slur in a thinly-veiled analogy.
Retail workers know all too well the challenges of dealing with abusive customers and cannabis is no different.
This customer’s geographically-inaccurate racism comes as no surprise to retail workers of color.
There were no consequences for Torrez when this happened; his supervisor was absent and the aforementioned customer still frequents the store. He says this shows that the store has safety for work.
Torrez also alleges that during another shift, a disgruntled customer became aggressive and physically assaulted staff members. The police were called but, to his knowledge, there were no repercussions at the store.
Less staff means higher risk during the pandemic
When Torrez started working at the shop, there were always three people working, including a door person, a budtender, and an inventory person. Despite cannabis use in Canada rising during the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of customers began to dwindle.
Decreasing the number of customers that are paying during a given shift means that the owner was forced to reduce the number of staff working that shift. This is a logical decision, as it saves money, but it also increases security risk.
Torrez was eventually promoted to a supervisor position, but he says that he felt uneasy being the only person in the store for hours. Even on days when there were two staff scheduled, he felt like he was constantly on edge.
I’m a small person and my primary coworker was also a small woman.
He asked his employers to consider scheduling a male door person on the days the two of them were working together, but his request was ignored. This makes any dangerous situations feel easier to deal with, but his request was ignored.
The public health pandemic is causing tensions among dispensary staff and customers, with many arguing against mandatory masks. This is leading to increased conflicts and problems.
Karen Barry, CEO of Calgary’s Beltline Cannabis dispensary, says that it is important to protect customers from the harmful cannabis smoke.
“I asked him if he mind wearing it so we can all move forward and instead he dropped his mask and ran out.”
Barry agrees that such Covid-related negative encounters are on the rise. Although she’s disappointed, her strict health and safety protocols in her business help keep everyone safe.
Beltline Cannabis always has two employees working at once, and no one is ever left alone.
Our safe word policy ensures that staff are safe and comfortable, and that sales on the floor are temporarily halted if necessary.
At Beltline Cannabis, our budtenders are always available to help you find the perfect cannabis product. We have a staff safe word in case things get too busy, and we’re committed to providing the best customer service possible.
We have dozens of cameras monitoring the premises, and we have special protocols in place to ensure the security of the property.
Barry says that, for the most part, the cameras simply film normal, friendly interactions between staff and clients. She’s found that most customers are polite.
Barry says that, in comparison to liquor, cannabis customers are generally more passive.
Do current security measures help or endanger budtenders?
Canadian cannabis retail stores must adhere to stringent security measures, which vary slightly by province.
The government of British Columbia has put together a helpful guide to store security, including items that are essential for protecting your business.
Meanwhile, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) says that provincial cannabis shops must keep cannabis locked in a secure storage room with a required record of employees who are authorized to enter said space.
This document explains that if cannabis products and accessories are located on-site within a retail store, they will be difficult to see from the outside.
This is a rule that is different in different parts of the country. In 2020, the government of British Columbia eliminated the requirement that cannabis stores have non-transparent windows, and Alberta followed in 2022.
How to support your local budtenders
Budtenders are people first and foremost, and their work often involves engaging with people in their most vulnerable moments. If you’re headed to your local dispensary in a bad mood, consider the impact your actions may have on staff, who are following laws and regulations.
If you see a budtender in distress, please say something to management or contact the dispensary if staff is unavailable.
If you’re interested in supporting cannabis workers and their rights, consider joining a union like UFCW Canada. They work hard to make sure employees are protected and paid fairly.
Conclusion
If you are interested in cannabis and THC products, check out Ganja West online dispensary at ganjawest.co!
