The idea for the Green Lady Dispensary dates back to when co-owner Nicole Campbell was living on New York’s Lower East Side. “I kept seeing all these people tumble out onto the sidewalk after bar fights,” she says. “And I’d think to myself: if they were using cannabis, they wouldn’t be hitting each other!” Nicole’s husband Rupert was raised in Jamaica, where cannabis plays an important role in social and spiritual life, and the couple dreamed of introducing U.S. consumers to these positive uses of the plant.
In 2019, together with their two adult daughters, they opened their first Green Lady Dispensary in their home community of Nantucket. Now they’re delighted to be expanding onto the mainland of Massachusetts with a store at 740 Beacon Street in Newton Centre (in a space formerly occupied by Roche Collision, near Jake’s Falafel).
“Newton is an absolutely wonderful community,” says the location’s general manager Cleantha Campbell, who recently moved to Newton Highlands with her partner and a pair of French bulldogs. “It’s a perfect match for Green Lady’s model of high-quality, locally sourced products, presented in a boutique environment.”
Despite its widespread state-level legalization, cannabis still carries a stigma in some quarters due to its federal status as a controlled substance. For this reason, the Campbells see cannabis education as part of their mission. Nicole acknowledged that cannabis can be misused or overused, something that is also true not only of alcohol but of many pharmaceuticals and foods. She recommends that customers consume responsibly and with attention to each person’s individual health. (Note: Green Lady is a recreational dispensary only and does not offer medical advice.) However, some of the potential health harms — such as those related to smoke inhalation — relate to the delivery method, not the cannabis itself.
Reflecting the diversity of the modern cannabis product market, the Green Lady offers flower and rosin products designed to be smoked or vaporized, tinctures that can be added to beverages or placed under the tongue, and a wide variety of edibles including gummies, chocolates, brownie mix, ice cream, and even a line of their own-label baked goods delivered fresh to the Green Lady several times a week. “Cannabis brings people together,” said Corbet Campbell, who manages the Nantucket store. “People are enjoying it by making ‘smores or milkshakes, baking brownies, and finding other creative ways to have fun with it.”
Nicole noted that older consumers, who may have had experience with cannabis decades ago, are especially welcoming of the new range of choices. “A lot of people are hesitant to try legal cannabis because they say they don’t like smoking, or they remember getting too sleepy, or feeling paranoid, but all of that can be avoided now.” Green Lady “budtenders” are knowledgeable about the store’s wide selection of cannabis strains and mixtures, some of which are more uplifting, while others are designed more to promote relaxation.
Most importantly, the Campbells note that like many experiences, cannabis consumption is influenced by setting and the company you keep. They say many people are finding that cannabis use can play a role in a health and wellness routine, whether it’s used as a meditation aid or to ease social awkwardness. “Many people who used to ‘take the edge off’ in stressful situations with a glass of wine are now using cannabis that way instead,” said Nicole. Some “420-friendly” therapists are also helping clients figure out how to improve mental health using cannabis. Compounds in the plant act on humans’ natural endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in the healthy functioning of many bodily systems, including the sexual one.
The Green Lady is all about combating loneliness and creating community. While the store is already open from 9AM to 9PM Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 PM on Sundays, the Campbells look forward to welcoming Newtonians to a Grand Opening Celebration on September 7, 8, and 9, when a number of other local food vendors and businesses will also be present.