In December 2022, CULTA partnered with Blissiva, a Maryland-based company that develops cannabis-infused products specifically designed for women. We’re especially excited about this partnership because it will allow us to bring high-quality cannabis products to an often-overlooked segment of the market: women. So, who is Blissiva, what makes their products so special, and what does this partnership mean for CULTA patients? Read on to learn more about Blissiva, CULTA’s latest partner.
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Who is Blissiva?
Founded in 2018 and based in Baltimore, Maryland, Blissiva is the brainchild of entrepreneurs Gina Dubbé and Dr. Leslie Apgar. As a gynecologist with 20+ years in the space, Dr. Leslie Apgar is hyper-aware of the unique health needs of women and how cannabis can help support them. In addition to Blissiva, the women also own Greenhouse Wellness, a cannabis dispensary in Ellicott City, where Dubbé and Apgar advocate for the legalization and regulation of cannabis.
In a 2019 interview with Medium.com, Dr. Apgar said, “We believe that cannabis should be legalized, but should maintain some of the regulatory aspects that will ensure that it is safe and tested…[it] should be treated like an over-the-counter drug.” With the historical 2022 referendum that made recreational cannabis legal in the state of Maryland, Blissiva (and CULTA) are one step closer to realizing this goal.
Blissiva products
Currently, Blissiva has two products: the Blissiva Balance Pen and the Blissiva Soothe Pen. Both products are intended to help support women from child-bearing age through menopause as they struggle with common conditions like endometriosis, PMS, menopause, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and anxiety. As Maryland regulations continue to expand and change, Blissiva hopes to add additional products to their line-up, such as tinctures, edibles, and other orally administered products.
Although their products are developed and marketed towards women, the founders note that you don’t need to be a woman to benefit from their products. In fact, 40% of their sales are from men seeking a discreet experience with a good taste and an inoffensive smell. Here’s more information about the pens.
The Balance Pen
The Balance Pen was the company’s first product, and is designed to help those who suffer from anxiety and insomnia. The product contains a 1:1 ratio of CBD and THC, plus a mix of terpenes that were designed to address health issues like anxiety and sleep. The 1:1 ratio makes Blissiva a milder product than some other vape pens on the market. It’s available in two flavors (Vanilla Chilla and Cool As a Cucumber), and through the partnership with CULTA, we will be producing the distillate that’s used to make the Balance 0.5g Blissiva vape cartridge in vanilla.
The Soothe Pen
Designed by doctors to help provide some relief from chronic pain, this product is ideal for daytime use. It contains a 3:1 ratio of CBD and THC (i.e., it has more CBD than the Balance pen), a unique blend of terpenes, and is available in a Lemon-Aid flavor.
Blissiva in the Press
Blissiva has been featured in plenty of press, including an exclusive interview feature with The Today Show cast. In the interview they discuss how they approach challenging the way people think about cannabis and shedding light on its medicinal potential to help people.
In addition to Today, Blissiva has also been featured in Powerhouse Women: Making Cannabis Industry Inclusive, Cannabis Queens: We Do it Our Way, Cannabis Update Podcast: Doing Business Our Way, Professionally Cannabis Podcast Showcasing, The Unlikely Journey into the Cannabis Industry, Case Study on Opioid Weaning with Medical Cannabis, Creating a Lane in the Industry, and Women in Cannabis Q&A? Yes, Please.
Women in the cannabis industry
As previously mentioned, when Dubbé and Apgar started Blissiva they saw women as a severely underserved segment of the cannabis market. Though things are moving in the right direction, the current market is still being geared primarily toward male consumers -- even though women are quickly becoming the largest demographic of cannabis users. In fact, a 2022 report by Eaze found that 48% of new cannabis customers in 2021 were women.
The pair dive into how they found their footing in the male-dominated cannabis industry in their 2019 book High Heals. In the book they share raw details from their lives, explore the highs and lows of the cannabis industry, and empower women in business to unlock their potential and pave their own way.
“As a female entrepreneur, I know firsthand how difficult it can be for women to start companies and flourish in executive roles,” said Gina Dubbé. “Even if I reach just one young woman that’s starting out her career with this book and encourage her to do amazing things, I can consider this book a success.”
The Blissiva founders, CULTA, and other cannabis companies across the state and country hope that more women will enter the cannabis business in the future. It’d be impossible to list them all, but in this blog we explore just a few of the inspirational women who work in the Maryland cannabis industry.
Buy Blissiva at CULTA
If you’d like to try Blissiva products, the vape cartridges will first be introduced as a product exclusive at CULTA’s Baltimore dispensary and the Greenhouse Wellness dispensary in Ellicott City in December 2022. In January 2023, the products will be released statewide.
Learn more about vapes:
