“I have had people near and dear to me that have had cancer and turned to medicinal cannabis as a source of pain management. This way, they by-passed the effects and burden of putting harmful chemicals into their bodies,” says Jessika Villano, owner of Buddha Barn on 4th Avenue West. “I felt that if I really wanted to help people and leave a ‘greener’ footprint, I should open a dispensary.”
Nothing is more rewarding to Jessika than seeing a patient out enjoying life and dealing with their pain or whatever ails them in a safe and natural manner.
“I’ve had to take anti-depressants before in my life and it wasn’t a good feeling. I felt like a zombie,” Jessika says. “To be able to help people not have to take heavy-duty drugs and be on an even keel with a natural plant, it helps me – it makes me happy to be able to pass it on, pay it forward.”