More than six months after first putting out its help-wanted ad for a cannabis connoisseur, the Toronto-based cannabis company AHLOT has finally made its picks. On Wednesday, the company named the eight members of its consulting committee. Those eight cannabis connoisseurs will earn $50 an hour sampling weed and choosing the best strains to include in AHLOT’s subscription boxes.
What It’s Like Getting Paid to Smoke Weed
Toronto cannabis company AHLOT, which stands for A Higher Level of Thought, was around before Canada passed its landmark legalization bill last June. AHLOT sold an award-winning, curated subscription box. The Ritual Box didn’t contain any cannabis, since that would have been illegal, but it did include accessories, merchandise and other cannabis cultural content. Now, however, AHLOT is a licensed cannabis retailer in Ontario. And its new subscription boxes come complete with “sample packs” of flower.
But not just any flower. After an extensive and exhaustive search, AHLOT has hired eight cannabis connoisseurs to serve on a curatorial committee that hand picks select strains for their subscription boxes. One such subscription, the Discovery Series, comes in multiple volumes. Each volume contains five strains curated to be the perfect mix for any occasion, including one hybrid and two each of indica and sativa.
The eight members of the Cannabis Curation Committee share substantial duties. They smoke and write up reports about the quality, traits and experiences of different cannabis strains. But they also craft social media posts about their journey, appearing in video segments highlighting what’s unique about the best strains. Finally, committee members represent the company at sponsored events.
AHLOT is definitely asking a lot of its team of cannabis connoisseurs. But the company is compensating them handsomely for their efforts. For about 16 to 20 hours of work each month, connoisseurs will earn $1,000. They’ll also receive an additional $200 expense account.
One Cannabis Connoisseur’s Long Road to Her Dream Job
Cheney Creamer said “it still feels a bit surreal” to have been chosen as one of AHLOT’s eight cannabis connoisseurs. Getting the job wasn’t easy. Creamer said the entire application process took roughly six months. There were multiple interviews, applications and numerous “tests” to challenge her cannabis sampling abilities.
Creamer said her work and expertise as a wellness consultant and horticultural therapist helped distinguish her from other applicants. Creamer’s company, One Green Square, offers mindful meditation courses. And after Canada legalized cannabis, Creamer started incorporating cannabis into her course’s meditation sessions. Cannabis helps people “physically and mentally connect with nature for healing,” Creamer said.
AHLOT bills itself as a “transmodern” company “helping to host this intertwining party we call our lives.”
Its subscription boxes and strain sample packs aim to “bring together the most provocative and evolved” aspects of cannabis culture—and cultivation.
