The green report: Medicinal mantra

In downtown Ann Arbor, it can get very busy with people rushing around everywhere. The first time I went to Om of Medicine a couple years ago, I honestly walked right by the entrance. Twice.

There is no eye-catching sign, so it is easy for newcomers to miss. Once I made it up the stairs to the third floor of its downtown building, however, I felt that the hunt —and exercise — had paid off.

The modern decor and impressive local art had me in awe. I'll admit that I've purchased more than just medical marijuana at Om of Medicine — I also have two pieces of art hanging on my walls that came from there.

There are two ways to enter Om of Medicine: through the front entrance on Main Street and up two flights of stairs, or by way of elevator through the handicap accessible back entrance.

Either way, there is a buzzer near the exterior door. I pushed the button with the Om of Medicine logo next to it. Within seconds, I was greeted over an intercom and buzzed in. I made my way up to the third floor, where I was greeted and checked in.

There was a small wait, and I had a chance to sit in one of the coolest chairs I had ever seen. I glanced through an iPad that was set up with Om of Medicine’s very own menu app. I enjoyed the atmosphere and admired the contemporary art.

I was called into one of the two private consultant rooms. On the desk, there were over 20 strains of flowers, a large variety of concentrates — including hash— and a number of edible selections, including infused peanut butter and ice cream. In addition to the standard edibles that contain THC, I could tell Om of Medicine put an emphasis on CBD products. They had more CBD-rich edibles than I had seen at other and dispensaries. I also noticed seeds for the do-it-yourselfer — a rare occurrence among dispensaries. 

Between the knowledgeable for budtender and or quality products, deciding what to get was a very easy process. I picked a pre-rolled joint of Gorilla Glue #4 ($10) and a gram of the Schnazzleberry strain ($17) — one of the most unique flavors of cannabis and not easily found. I also chose a couple edibles: a chocolate bar ($5) and some CBD gummies ($20). As I walked out, the staff validated my city parking.

I couldn’t wait to try the Schnazzleberry, and I was certainly not disappointed. After just a few tokes, my muscle pains melted away and I felt relief from my spasms. The relief lasted for at least a couple hours. I also chewed a few of the CBD gummies, knowing CBD has been known to relieve pain. Sure enough, it set in after an hour and that night I laid in bed feeling the bliss of a pain-free body. I think I even found myself humming, “Ommmm.”

That left me with the Gorilla Glue pre-roll for the morning, which I found to be a perfect pairing with my morning coffee.

My experience was great, even if it had ended there. As it turns out, Om of Medicine is much more than meets the eye. They operate with a nonprofit license and they offer discounts for senior citizens and veterans. They also offer many activities and events that focus on issues that are important to patients. They are highly involved in the political process, and they often host seminars on topics such as cultivation that both newcomers and connoisseurs can learn from. Sometimes staff members say that laughter is the second best medicine, and they give you a chance to test that theory with free comedy shows.

Steve Green, who writes this column every two weeks, uses marijuana to prevent seizures. He has no business ties to any dispensaries or products.

Om of Medicine

112 S. Main St. (3rd floor), Ann Arbor 734-369-8255, omofmedicine.org