In honor of Women’s History Month, The Weed Blog is highlighting several fascinating women from the cannabis industry. Today, we’re featuring AlpinStash Cultivator Kristin Murr. Born and raised in Colorado where she grew up playing hockey, Murr began the typical regimen of OTC and pharmaceutical pain remedies after sustaining a back injury. It wasn’t until Murr tried cannabis that she noticed immediate relief.
After two years of commercial cannabis bakery experience and a desire to continue paving her way in the emerging cannabis industry, Murr began working alongside her fiance, AlpinStash founder Danny Sloat, to handle logistics and cultivation for the company.
AlpinStash is a licensed Colorado-based company known for healthy and beautiful cannabis cultivated using all-natural methods. Small-batch, grown-with-love, hand-trimmed and glass-cured to perfection, AlpinStash is a leader in the craft cannabis movement.
Learn what inspires Murr’s journey, and more, in this insightful Q&A.
How did you get into the MMJ/cannabis industry?
My fiancé Daniel Sloat (Alpinstash founder) suggested I interview with Sweet Mary Jane, a local cannabis bakery that he was working with at the time. I was eager to get my foot in the door and was excited to work for one of the first women to start her own cannabis business in Colorado.
Explain what your current job in the industry is.
I’m a cannabis cultivator at Alpinstash. However there are only four of us, so everyone does a little bit of everything. I love our team and what we all bring to the table.
What’s the biggest misunderstanding about your job?
I’d have to say people generally think we spend the day getting high. In reality, we are small crop farmers who grow a plant that is helping hundreds of people with various issues.
Do you have to deal with the stigma around marijuana from family or friends? At your job? If so, how do you manage it?
I’m extremely lucky to have supportive parents. They’ve always encouraged me to focus on my passion whatever it may be. As like minded people tend to flock to one another, most of my friends are avid users and believe in cannabis as much as I do. I’m a firm believer of surrounding yourself with love and positivity.
How do you believe we can de-stigmatize cannabis?
Education, education, education! We need to continue to inform and empower the benefits gained from this plant. When someone is negative or against a new movement, I think it’s important to share stories and facts to give them the tools to form an opinion of their own. Fear is a powerful thing. Unfortunately, people were taught to fear cannabis as a “drug” from an early age. I strongly believe that once people have the facts, they will be forced to rethink their stance and place in the cannabis movement.
What is the most powerful benefit of MMJ in your opinion?
The ability to help adults and children get off of their prescription drugs that are sometimes doing more harm than healing. Cannabis has been proven to treat many issues more successfully and in a much more harmless manner than most prescription drugs. Since cannabis has been legalized, it’s helped hundreds of people and we’re just getting started. I can’t wait to see what we discover in years to come!
