Shelby Dixon (she/her) is taking the first steps in a career dedicated to helping others achieve a better quality of life with medical cannabis.
“Before I learned about cannabis, I saw it like a lot of other people saw it – as a fun party thing,” said Dixon, 22, Patient Care Associate at Ethos – Pleasant Hills (PA). “Cannabis was my last resort and it worked, and it can be that way for so many other people.”
As someone diagnosed with anxiety and depression, Dixon said that same “last resort” treatment was the only thing to relieve its most challenging symptom: Insomnia.
“I have severe anxiety and depression, and part of the process of having those two things is that I do not get sleep,” said Dixon, adding that medical cannabis also helps her soothe GI issues. “Cannabis makes my brain finally quiet down for a moment. It’s wonderful.”
Dixon said that she initially wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, but the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped her career choice.
“Before COVID-19, my plan for life was to work in the medical field – before Ethos, I worked in an emergency room,” Dixon said. “I found out the hard way that the medical field was not for me, but I still wanted to help people. That’s what got me curious about the cannabis industry initially.”
Once she joined Ethos, Dixon said the opportunity was her way into a career where she could steer patients toward helpful products that improve their day-to-day life. She said she wants to educate others on both the medical value of cannabis and how it can help those in marginalized communities. She took courses from the Community College of Cannabis to prepare for the job, determined to learn everything she could.
“I love the cannabis industry because you’re still helping people, and it’s still medical to a degree,” Dixon said. “I want to help people and make them happy.”
As a bisexual woman, Dixon said that she wants others in the LGBTQ+ community to feel like they can be themselves when they come to Ethos. She believes it’s no coincidence that there is a significant intersection between the LGBTQ+ community and the cannabis community.
“While I do think that I just happen to be a bi woman that consumes cannabis, I do meet a lot of LGBTQ+ people who consume,” Dixon said. “Unfortunately, being LGBTQ+ can come with a lot of anxiety, especially if you don’t have an accepting family. I think a lot of folks turn to cannabis to help them walk away from those anxieties and lead happier lives. I think folks in the cannabis community are most accepting in many cases, too, or at least it has been in my experience.”
While Dixon knows the important role cannabis plays in managing mental health for the LGBTQ+ community, she also said it can help facilitate a sense of belonging among those who may have trouble finding their place in the world.
“I know many in our community turn to cannabis to help manage stress and that’s where the main connection lies, but it’s also a way to bond with other people,” Dixon said. “Cannabis is such a big part of feeling good and being happy to be here. Sure, many of us consume cannabis to relieve stress, and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be very stressful sometimes, but it also helps you find your people.”
Dixon added that her own experience as a bi woman speaks to the need for community, noting that it can be “exhausting” to try to fit in.
“Just because I’m currently dating a cis man and not dating a woman right now doesn’t make me any less bi,” Dixon said. “Dismissing bi people gets really old really quickly. Part of the education I want to share is to talk about being bi and say, ‘hey, this Is how it works, it’s not a one-to-one situation.’ If I can educate people about that more, I’d like to.”
Dixon said that even though both the LGBTQ+ and the cannabis communities face stigma, the two together can be an unstoppable source of support and love.
“As much as I feel accepted in the workplace, I want patients to feel that 100% as well,” Dixon said. “That’s my biggest goal, and we all work toward that goal. Any patient can talk to me about their life. As long as they walk out feeling great about themselves, that’s the most important thing to be.”
Shelby Dixon (she/her) is taking the first steps in a career dedicated to helping others achieve a better quality of life with medical cannabis.
“Before I learned about cannabis, I saw it like a lot of other people saw it – as a fun party thing,” said Dixon, 22, Patient Care Associate at Ethos – Pleasant Hills (PA). “Cannabis was my last resort and it worked, and it can be that way for so many other people.”
As someone diagnosed with anxiety and depression, Dixon said that same “last resort” treatment was the only thing to relieve its most challenging symptom: Insomnia.
“I have severe anxiety and depression, and part of the process of having those two things is that I do not get sleep,” said Dixon, adding that medical cannabis also helps her soothe GI issues. “Cannabis makes my brain finally quiet down for a moment. It’s wonderful.”
Dixon said that she initially wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, but the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped her career choice.
“Before COVID-19, my plan for life was to work in the medical field – before Ethos, I worked in an emergency room,” Dixon said. “I found out the hard way that the medical field was not for me, but I still wanted to help people. That’s what got me curious about the cannabis industry initially.”
Once she joined Ethos, Dixon said the opportunity was her way into a career where she could steer patients toward helpful products that improve their day-to-day life. She said she wants to educate others on both the medical value of cannabis and how it can help those in marginalized communities. She took courses from the Community College of Cannabis to prepare for the job, determined to learn everything she could.
“I love the cannabis industry because you’re still helping people, and it’s still medical to a degree,” Dixon said. “I want to help people and make them happy.”
As a bisexual woman, Dixon said that she wants others in the LGBTQ+ community to feel like they can be themselves when they come to Ethos. She believes it’s no coincidence that there is a significant intersection between the LGBTQ+ community and the cannabis community.
“While I do think that I just happen to be a bi woman that consumes cannabis, I do meet a lot of LGBTQ+ people who consume,” Dixon said. “Unfortunately, being LGBTQ+ can come with a lot of anxiety, especially if you don’t have an accepting family. I think a lot of folks turn to cannabis to help them walk away from those anxieties and lead happier lives. I think folks in the cannabis community are most accepting in many cases, too, or at least it has been in my experience.”
While Dixon knows the important role cannabis plays in managing mental health for the LGBTQ+ community, she also said it can help facilitate a sense of belonging among those who may have trouble finding their place in the world.
“I know many in our community turn to cannabis to help manage stress and that’s where the main connection lies, but it’s also a way to bond with other people,” Dixon said. “Cannabis is such a big part of feeling good and being happy to be here. Sure, many of us consume cannabis to relieve stress, and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be very stressful sometimes, but it also helps you find your people.”
Dixon added that her own experience as a bi woman speaks to the need for community, noting that it can be “exhausting” to try to fit in.
“Just because I’m currently dating a cis man and not dating a woman right now doesn’t make me any less bi,” Dixon said. “Dismissing bi people gets really old really quickly. Part of the education I want to share is to talk about being bi and say, ‘hey, this Is how it works, it’s not a one-to-one situation.’ If I can educate people about that more, I’d like to.”
Dixon said that even though both the LGBTQ+ and the cannabis communities face stigma, the two together can be an unstoppable source of support and love.
“As much as I feel accepted in the workplace, I want patients to feel that 100% as well,” Dixon said. “That’s my biggest goal, and we all work toward that goal. Any patient can talk to me about their life. As long as they walk out feeling great about themselves, that’s the most important thing to be.”
Shelby Dixon (she/her) is taking the first steps in a career dedicated to helping others achieve a better quality of life with medical cannabis.
“Before I learned about cannabis, I saw it like a lot of other people saw it – as a fun party thing,” said Dixon, 22, Patient Care Associate at Ethos – Pleasant Hills (PA). “Cannabis was my last resort and it worked, and it can be that way for so many other people.”
As someone diagnosed with anxiety and depression, Dixon said that same “last resort” treatment was the only thing to relieve its most challenging symptom: Insomnia.
“I have severe anxiety and depression, and part of the process of having those two things is that I do not get sleep,” said Dixon, adding that medical cannabis also helps her soothe GI issues. “Cannabis makes my brain finally quiet down for a moment. It’s wonderful.”
Dixon said that she initially wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, but the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped her career choice.
“Before COVID-19, my plan for life was to work in the medical field – before Ethos, I worked in an emergency room,” Dixon said. “I found out the hard way that the medical field was not for me, but I still wanted to help people. That’s what got me curious about the cannabis industry initially.”
Once she joined Ethos, Dixon said the opportunity was her way into a career where she could steer patients toward helpful products that improve their day-to-day life. She said she wants to educate others on both the medical value of cannabis and how it can help those in marginalized communities. She took courses from the Community College of Cannabis to prepare for the job, determined to learn everything she could.
“I love the cannabis industry because you’re still helping people, and it’s still medical to a degree,” Dixon said. “I want to help people and make them happy.”
As a bisexual woman, Dixon said that she wants others in the LGBTQ+ community to feel like they can be themselves when they come to Ethos. She believes it’s no coincidence that there is a significant intersection between the LGBTQ+ community and the cannabis community.
“While I do think that I just happen to be a bi woman that consumes cannabis, I do meet a lot of LGBTQ+ people who consume,” Dixon said. “Unfortunately, being LGBTQ+ can come with a lot of anxiety, especially if you don’t have an accepting family. I think a lot of folks turn to cannabis to help them walk away from those anxieties and lead happier lives. I think folks in the cannabis community are most accepting in many cases, too, or at least it has been in my experience.”
While Dixon knows the important role cannabis plays in managing mental health for the LGBTQ+ community, she also said it can help facilitate a sense of belonging among those who may have trouble finding their place in the world.
“I know many in our community turn to cannabis to help manage stress and that’s where the main connection lies, but it’s also a way to bond with other people,” Dixon said. “Cannabis is such a big part of feeling good and being happy to be here. Sure, many of us consume cannabis to relieve stress, and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be very stressful sometimes, but it also helps you find your people.”
Dixon added that her own experience as a bi woman speaks to the need for community, noting that it can be “exhausting” to try to fit in.
“Just because I’m currently dating a cis man and not dating a woman right now doesn’t make me any less bi,” Dixon said. “Dismissing bi people gets really old really quickly. Part of the education I want to share is to talk about being bi and say, ‘hey, this Is how it works, it’s not a one-to-one situation.’ If I can educate people about that more, I’d like to.”
Dixon said that even though both the LGBTQ+ and the cannabis communities face stigma, the two together can be an unstoppable source of support and love.
“As much as I feel accepted in the workplace, I want patients to feel that 100% as well,” Dixon said. “That’s my biggest goal, and we all work toward that goal. Any patient can talk to me about their life. As long as they walk out feeling great about themselves, that’s the most important thing to be.”
