As California continues to make history with the legalization of medical marijuana, the cannabis community of both buyers and sellers evolves at a rapid pace, reflecting the industry's impressive ability to supply the modern demand. At the forefront of this movement is Andrea Brooks, the founder of Sava, the first niche retail website focused on selling handcrafted cannabis-based products. Perhaps best described as the starry-eyed lovechild of Etsy and High Times magazine, Sava gently introduces the benefits of medical marijuana to a consumer-based audience, offering a curated platform where small businesses and personal wellbeing meet. A recent interview with Andrea revealed many fascinating details about her inspiration, vision, and insight into this uniquely positioned concept.
Initially debuting as an invite-only beta version in December of 2015, Sava is now open for business serving as "...the premier marketplace for high-quality, cannabis-infused topicals, tinctures, edibles and flowers available for free next business day delivery within California."
The idea occurred to Andrea after a cannabidiol tincture offered life-changing relief from the systemic nerve damage in her arms and spine that had left her in constant pain, bedridden, and unable to function. Indeed, cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive, highly therapeutic compound in cannabis also known as CBD, has sparked a revolution in medical marijuana, especially among patients for whom pain management has proved elusive with typical remedies such as allopathic protocols and prescribed pharmaceuticals. "After a year of not healing, cannabis helped jumpstart my healing process -- and I had an epiphany," says Andrea. "I could make it my mission to help others navigate the world of medical marijuana."
As such, Sava was born. An online-market model driven by the three pillars of "Responsible Medicine, Supporting Small Business, and Community Engagement," Sava offers more than 60 products to customers of legal age with a medical card. The items, which include small-batch products such as bodycare, edibles, and gift boxes, are selected for their tasteful packaging, ethical business practices, and medicinal efficacy. "Sava is the perfect place for those who are curious about cannabis, but for whatever reason have been hesitant to try it," Andrea explains. "My mission is to break down stereotypes associated with marijuana, and present it as just another part of alternative health care through an intimate and transparent shopping experience." Sava also offers resources to its customers who would like guidance deciding on appropriate dosages, as customers can directly and privately communicate with cannabis-friendly health care professionals.
At first blush, Sava seems to appeal directly to women, and Andrea acknowledges this as one of Sava's most attractive factors. "Sava obviously supports smaller producers in the green boom, and smaller producers tend to be owned by and focused on women," she says. However, she emphasizes that Sava's current audience is not as lopsided as perhaps presented. "We've seen the appeal to women without alienating men, as the gender split between our client base is almost even." Relying on her background as a program development specialist with expertise in the field of the health and human services, Andrea clearly has a savvy grasp of how best to serve Sava's target customer.
An out lesbian, Andrea encourages the Sava customer to "come out" as a cannabis consumer. "I have come out once before, and as someone who is very passionate about this industry, I encourage other people to identify as users of medical marijuana," Andrea reveals. Her personal story, as well as her plans to build and nurture a cannabis community of health-seekers and healing professionals, ultimately serves as the wellspring from which Sava operates and thrives. "Even with so many larger companies entering the marijuana market, there will always be an audience for these kinds of artisinal products," she predicts. "With 40% of Americans using alternative health methods, Sava is the place to safely explore the many healing benefits of quality cannabis."
