Ones to Watch 2020: Kim Andrews

The inaugural Greenway Ones to Watch class were nominated by their peers as those will be some of the most responsible for setting the tone of Missouri’s newest industry. From activists to consultants to operators themselves, the following industry influencers are responsible for determining not only how the industry overcomes the obstacles of 2020, but how the industry will be better for it. The same questions were asked of all; submitted answers and related information edited for grammar and clarity.

NAME: Kim Andrews

COMPANY: Ozarx Botanicals

OPERATING FROM: Springfield

TITLE: General Manager

BACKGROUND: Accounting, Property Management, Office Management

Why cannabis?

I’m pretty sure that if you asked my high school graduating class of over 350 students, who would be selling cannabis in 30 years, my name would have been about number 345 on the list. I certainly never dreamed that this would be the business I would find myself in – and almost everyone I’ve met in this industry has said the same thing. Cannabis? Even 10 years ago, it would have never crossed my mind! But life is strange, and opportunities come along. It was actually my dad (which just adds to the strangeness of it all!) who became interested in the industry first. He was approached by a mutual client and friend about an opportunity in a cultivation in Washington state. Initially, he was adamantly against it, but then started doing some research, as did the rest of the family. What we found was life changing. With family members having Parkinson’s Disease, arthritis and even a seizure disorder, cannabis seemed like a natural solution to so many medical ailments. We became involved in the efforts to get Amendment 2 passed to make this natural medicine available. These last couple of years, working on getting the amendment passed, completing applications, waiting months for results, and now making the application a reality, have been incredibly exhilarating, exhausting, frustrating, terrifying, and exciting. The opportunity to be on the ground floor of a new industry is so rare and I feel so fortunate to be a part of it.

What is your vision of the industry in Missouri?

I envision the Missouri implementation as being a model for future states. No, it’s not been a perfect system or perfect implementation. There are things I disagree with, things that I feel were done unfairly, things that I think should have been handled entirely different. That being said, there are many more positives than negatives. I think one of the most important pieces that Missouri has done right, is to have the health department be the overseeing body. We are a medical cannabis state and the fact that the health department is the one in charge, only adds validity to our program. It is my hope that as facilities start to open, the public, as well as the politicians, realize the value of the industry. We have a long way to go to change many minds, but I think running a program that focuses on the medical benefits and that shows cooperation and integrity among its industry members will go a long way to doing that. Once people are more comfortable, I hope to see a loosening of some regulations that are too restrictive. I would also like to see DHSS taking a role in educating the public and the medical community about cannabis – that it IS medicine, just like others a physician prescribes. I hope that in the future, the rules and regs reflect the equality of cannabis to other medicines of similar type (not a Schedule I drug).

What opportunity/opportunities does the industry create in Missouri?

New choices for patients! Instead of being given another pill made with chemicals that patient’s can’t pronounce the name of and with side effects that may be worse than the original ailment, patients have a natural alternative. They can finally have legal access to a safe, plant-based medication that has existed for thousands of years. They also have the opportunity to find the strains, dosage, and method of using that best suits their needs and situation. The patient can take control and choose what works for them, not “what’s always been prescribed”. The cannabis industry also creates both new businesses and new job opportunities. The obvious being the newly formed dispensaries, manufacturers, cultivators, and testing facilities. However, new opportunities don’t stop there. The strict rules on everything from delivery to compliancy are requiring new businesses to emerge to fill needs that didn’t exist prior. Being a new industry with unique rules means that even existing, ancillary businesses may have to think outside the box. They may find that the traditional methods of doing something, simply won’t work in this new industry. The “we’ve always done it this way” simply doesn’t exist.

What is the one thing you wish all Missourians knew about cannabis?

I have a dear friend that had to have her leg amputated because of a car wreck. The first thing she said to me when I brought up the subject of using cannabis was “people only use pot to get high!” That’s what I want people to know about cannabis – that it is medicine. That it’s so much more than the old clichés. That it can help with arthritis pains, with Parkinson’s tremors, with seizures, with chronic pain, with so many issues. I wish for Missourians to get educated!