For veteran Bobby Russo, cannabis cultivator and co-owner of Maine’s Hive Medicinal, giving back to his community means ensuring all veterans have access to safe medicinal cannabis.
Russo’s Hive Medicinal dispensary is set to open — when else? — April 20th of this year. The dispensary will sell the cultivation’s own high-quality cannabis, all grown with Rx Green Technologies nutrients. Russo uses Rx Green Technologies products because he “knows vets are getting clean meds.” Rx Green Technologies uses pharmaceutical grade minerals which have been refined to eliminate toxic heavy metals.
Russo also loves that Rx Green Technologies is based in New Hampshire because “that puts them at my fingertips for feedback and troubleshooting.” Rx Green Technologies has offices in both New Hampshire and Colorado, where their R&D facility is located.
Hive Medicinal is in Maine, situated near the Togus VA Medical Center. Russo puts the operation’s transportation vehicle to good use in service of fellow vets with appointments at the VA.
“We have a couple of veterans that don’t have transportation, so we’ll pick them up and bring them to the appointment,” Russo says.
That vehicle? Hive Medicinal’s own Humvee.
Russo purchased the Humvee for the express purpose of giving vets rides. “We were just hanging out — me and two other friends,” he explains. “I was on Craigslist and found a Humvee, randomly! I said, ‘We should get this and give people rides.’ And the other veteran, my friend, said, ‘No, we should give vets rides — it will be like it was when they were serving.’”
True to Russo friend’s prediction, his fellow vets find the Humvee rides familiar and comforting.
“They started making that Humvee in 1985, so you have a pretty large number of veterans that have ridden in one of those,” Russo says of his military-issue vehicle and its modest interior. “For a lot of those guys, it’s like being back in that situation [active duty] but without the stress or pressure … It reminds them of their prior service in a good way.”
Of course, driving around Maine in a military Humvee means Russo shuttles his vets in style. “Half of the guys see the Humvee and say, ‘That’s what I used to drive.’ The other half say, ‘That’s what I want to drive!’”
Rides on Hive Medicinal’s Humvee are all complimentary. Russo says the Humvee rides were inspired by his previous work with NEVA — the New England Veterans Alliance, a nonprofit which connects veterans to medical marijuana education, doctor recommendations and other natural health options.
Rx Green Technologies has pledged to cover the cost of gas for the next year. Rx Green Technologies CEO Wes Matelich states, “We’re honored to work with Hive Medicinal to support the men and women who served this country.”
Russo plans to shuttle veterans to and from Hive Medicinal between their VA appointments, ensuring that his Humvee will host many more happy veterans in its future.
Find Rx Green Technologies at: @rxgreentechnologies on Instagram and at rxgreentechnologies.com
Find Hive Medicinal at: @hivemedicinal on Instagram.
