N’Bliss celebrates 1 year of medical marijuana in Missouri

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A bill legalizing medical marijuana passed in Missouri in late 2018, but it took nearly two years for the medicine to become available locally. N’Bliss Dispensary is proud to claim the title of having been the first dispensary open that served the very first medical marijuana patient in the state on Oct. 17, 2020.

“The first two licensed dispensaries that were operational and served the patients of Missouri were our Manchester and Ellisville N’Bliss locations, which both opened on the same day,” said Bradford Goette, CEO and managing partner of N’Bliss Dispensary. “We were fortunate enough to have those businesses debut in June with CBD, so they were already fully operational and had the opportunity to help educate people and engage with the community prior to the medical dispensary portion opening.”

In the first few months of operation, N’Bliss offered just two SKUs of flower (the marijuana bud that is smoked). But as the number of Missouri medical marijuana cardholders has increased to over 140,000, the amount of products available has grown to meet demand. N’Bliss now offers over 500 SKUs, ranging from a large variety of flower strains to vapors, oils, edibles, tinctures, topicals and more. “As the year has moved on, we’ve been able to work with more cultivators and manufacturing labs to offer so many more ways to consume cannabis,” Goette said. 

As a result of there now being more ways to medicate, Goette explained, it has made cannabis more accessible to those who need it. “Getting your medical card can seem like a daunting road for many people, but we are working to make that easier,” he said, adding that many of their patients come from NuggMD, an online platform that touts procuring medical card approval in 15 minutes or less. “We also offer help to potential patients and guide them through the process on how to get their medical cards if needed.”

A large part of N’Bliss Dispensary’s outreach is education on decreasing the stigma around cannabis use. “When I told my parents I would be in the cannabis business, they were a little surprised, but they came in and tried some CBD for their arthritis and it really helped them,” Goette continued. “They realized they can get relief from this plant without having to get a ‘high.’

“I think if people educate themselves and understand this isn’t taboo, they’ll know it truly helps people in need,” he continued. “We serve individuals with varying issues, from MS [multiple sclerosis] to cancer – ailments that opioid-based treatments have not helped them with. This is a more safe and natural alternative to opioids, which can lead patients down the wrong path.”

N’Bliss, which now has four locations open in the St. Louis area, has also launched a loyalty program that has over 15,000 members. “We’re always looking at ways to better serve our patients, so this program allows them to learn about cannabis and be rewarded for their purchases,” he said. “We’re big believers in data and use that to better the patient experience. We look at what is selling and see trends for patient preference, and we work with our cultivators and manufacturing partners to offer more of what our patients want.”

Although many patients now have several dispensaries nearby to choose from, Goette hopes that people will check out N’Bliss next time they seek their medicine. “We have wellness specialists that take great care in educating to help inform people about the power of the plant and what can best suit that patient,” he said. “We also have consultation rooms for privacy since it can be pretty intimidating walking into a dispensary.

“We’re so fortunate to be a part of the medical cannabis industry and be first to market. Now seeing more dispensaries open across the state so patients can get the medicine they need and deserve is extremely gratifying – we just hope they come visit N’Bliss when they’re near us.”

In celebration of the anniversary, N’Bliss is offering a scratch card through Oct. 18 that will give each customer a number of loyalty points that can be redeemed in-store.