phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES SEPT 15TH–SEPT 21ST, 2022 State Licensed Dispensaries & Doctor Certifications | CANNABIS | Pride from p 35 selling platform. The company also scores a 4.8 out of five in its Google reviews. St. Amand noted that his creams are “THC-, GMO- and pesticide-free” and packed with 400 milligrams of nearly all- organic CBD. “We have been a THC-free product to stay true to the CBD market. We plan on starting a THC brand with major rap artists coming into this beautiful industry of cannabis. I feel a THC line would help, as we have experimented with this and had amazing results. Although we need a license to work under, to make a THC line,” he said. St. Amand added that he uses THC for personal and medical reasons. “I’m Jefro Kush! Heck yes, I consume,” he exclaimed. “I love to smoke weed. We say, ‘Hit a weed!’” He developed the cream because of a tumor that developed behind his eye. In 2013, he had surgery based on a recommen- dation from the VA. “After that failed surgery, three months later, my tumor came back the exact same size. And being upset with this, I didn’t know what to do, so they told me to come back and have surgery, and I told them, ‘No, I refuse surgery’ as they’re going to cut a quarter of my face off and remove the tumor,” he explained. After he felt the pressure build in his right eye, he started searching online for different options and stumbled upon CBD. “In 2015, I started educating myself, and I started making my own creams,” St. Amand said. Two years later, he started adding one milligram of copper1, then 10 and finally 20. The rest is Jefro’s history. But that use comes at a price where it Jefro’s Botanicals Jarrett St. Amand created topical creams that combine CBD and Copper1. concerns the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Amand said. “They literally reduced my VA disability by 20 percent, which is $500 a month, because I said I smoked weed. It’s in the documents I have. Crazy, but be careful on how much you say to them at the VA. It will come back and hurt your pocketbook for sure,” he explained. “Semper Fi,” the veteran added, quoting the Marine Corps motto. Guidelines from the VA said the agency will not deny benefits over marijuana, it encourages veterans to discuss its use with their providers, and that it will record that use in health records. But St. Amand said that allowing the VA to record marijuana use impacts whether or not the agency prescribes other medications. “Yes, we are still able to get our [cannabis] from local dispensaries. The problem is that [the VA staff allegedly] write notes in your file that state you stopped taking your prescribed medica- tions that the VA tries to shove down your throat,” he said. “Well, after smoking cannabis, what the hell do I or we need those opioids for? Corporate greed, possibly. I feel we are in a fight, and the only win is to make these natural medicines legal to all veterans and people of this earth,” he added. St. Amand still loves his military comrades; he created different cover art for the canisters of his creams and gives a portion of those sales to veteran organizations. 37
