Cramp Stamps Founder Nikki Furrer on the efficacy of transdermal cannabis use

Cramp Stamps are the brainchild of Woman’s Guide to Cannabis author Nikki Furrer. As the name suggests, these transdermal temporary tattoos with 10mg of THC are meant to help with menstrual cramps – but you don’t need to put them on the small of your back. I met Furrer at the California Hall of Flowers where she was one of the only transdermal companies around. She agreed to do a quick email interview to share more about her cannabis preferences, history, and the growing impact of Cramp Stamps. Website: Cramp Stamps Without further ado, here’s the interview!

Interview with Cramp Stamp founder Nikki Furrer

Could you tell us a little bit about your history with cannabis? I have always smoked, but I started working in weed in 2014 after I closed my little indie bookstore and didn’t know what else to do with myself. I moved to Denver, got a job as a trimmer and just went from there. I have managed dispensaries and created entire product lines and I even helped create new THC/CBD cultivars. I’ve worked in a half dozen states so I’ve seen the gamut, from the most lax rules to the strictest. Now, I’m pretty focused on product development. My new project is an infused overnight foot mask. I call them Groovy Booties. It’s like a pedicure and a foot massage in a bag, I love it. How did the Woman’s Guide to Cannabis come about? I used to work in publishing and I owned a bookstore, so I was used to standing behind a counter and recommending books to people. When I started working in dispensaries, I didn’t have a book to give to people who had questions about cannabis. I saw the need for a book for beginners, so I went back to some publishing friends and told them I wanted to do it, and it just went from there. Do you have a favorite cultivar or terpene profile? Every time I go into a dispensary I ask for 1:1 flower and I am always disappointed. No one grows it anymore and I miss it. White widow always smells like the 90’s to me. Super Lemon Haze will always have a special place in my heart because I love both hazes and citrusy terpenes. Blue Dream is my one true love. I stay away from anything diesel, it gives me a headache. Where do y’all get your cannabinoids? Temporary tattoos are transdermal, which means the cannabinoids need to get through the skin. We use a nano emulsion to help that process along. Are there plans for different formulations or ratios of cannabinoids? Absolutely. Tattoos can be made in any design, any size, any dose, so I’m excited to release more options. How much faster is the onset versus an edible? How about versus nano drinks? Onset is faster because we aren’t going through the digestive system. Transdermal is better than edible for all medicines/drugs, not just cannabis. Does it matter where you put the Cramp Stamp? Infused tattoos can be put anywhere on the body, but they do best near a vein. What has the feedback been like? People have been getting a kick out of them, which is the whole point. I just wanted to make something fun. Cannabis has gotten so boring lately – compliance and regulations and taxes and being super serious about calling it “medicine” – I just wanted to lean into recreational a little bit. Weed should be fun. Sure, a tattoo can help ease your menstrual cramp pain, but it can also elevate your mood and reduce your anxiety as part of your festival outfit. What words would you like to say to those seeking to start their own brand? Honestly, I didn’t create a brand. I invented a cool new product, that’s it. Branding and marketing are not interesting to me. Really cool, well made products are interesting to me. So my advice is to spend 99% of your time on making your product better, and spend 1% of your time worrying about how to present it to the world. And stop making gummies. Gummies are the worst kind of candy and dispensaries are too full of them.   Thank you Nikki, for sharing!