Glenna Colaprete-Hudson, founder of Glenna’s CBD Best Oil with two retail locations near Rochester, is also a well-spoken/well-informed cannabis advocate. Licensed as a New York State hemp grower, cultivator and retailer, Glenna not only develops and sells her award-winning line of natural and locally-farmed CBD products, she also serves on the Rochester Cannabis Coalition Committee, and on the New York State Cannabis Growers and Processors Committee on Social Equity Education, Retail and Sustainability.
“I work with mainstream organizations to help mitigate the stigma of this plant in a multitude of ways,” she told FLX420 in a recent interview. “My passion is to help provide access in a safe and compliant manner, especially for social equity applicants.”
In her spare time Glenna works as an adjunct professor at Finger Lakes Community College where a new cannabis cultivation academic track has been burgeoning in the horticulture department.
“There is so much to learn from this amazing plant,” Glenna says. “I thoroughly enjoy studying the cannabinoids, but the sustainability aspects of the whole plant in remediation, packaging, etc. are just as fascinating. The medicinal sustainability and economic elements alone could be so impactful to the residents of New York State – in addition to the simple benefits of using it for recreational purposes.”
Glenna’s cannabis story begins in 2003 when she started experiencing pain from prolific nerve damage. Its cause was a condition called pudendal nerve entrapment (PNE). At the time, she was an accomplished engineer and product developer; had been for 20 years after earning multiple degrees from RIT.
“The medicine I was prescribed for the pain was negatively impacting me,” Glenna explains. “I had tried pharmaceutics and experienced some type of cognitive impairment. It resulted in brain fog and fatigue, which was very frustrating and diminishing since I am so interested in academics and intellectual pursuits.”
On a trip to Colorado, she decided to try CBD oil. “It was life-changing. The impact of returning to a pain-free life was so immense it compelled me to totally change my career course. I wanted to share it with others who have similar pain-relief needs, and I didn’t just want to just sell CBD oil, I wanted to have my hands on the entire process, from seed to sale.
“If you had told me 20 years ago that I would be growing hemp and developing CB products, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Glenna continues. “I had limited experience with cannabis and, personally, I don’t like to be altered but support the right for adults who choose to imbibe.
“Today, I enjoy fantastic relief from my full-spectrum CBD products, as do many other people,” she adds. “I use Glenna’s CBD Tincture ever day for severe nerve pain, my triple relief salve for my shoulder pain, and beauty cream in my anti-aging regime.”
Glenna’s business includes a store in Eastview Mall and a boutique spa in the 12 Corners Plaza in Brighton. The spa offers licensed massages, facials and waxing using professional products, including Glenna’s CBD Beauty & Eye Creams, Hyaluronic Acid CBD Face Serum, and CBD Salves & Lotions. “They help to facilitate not only a peaceful spa experience, but also a restorative one, with all the help cannabinoids provide to the face and body,” she says. “We are very attuned to people’s individual health needs.
“My business became so much bigger than I imagined,” Glenna adds.
She hopes it will become even bigger. Her plans include applying for a cannabis license when applications become available this year.
Κeeр on working, great job!