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Lexi Antoniou is a laboratory technician at testing lab Biotrax. She answered eight simple questions for NY Cannabis Insider’s “People to know” series.
What is your position and what do you/your company do in the cannabis space?
I’m a laboratory technician at Biotrax, a cannabis sampling technician under a couple sampling firms (I’m in the process of starting my own as well) and part time professor in the biotechnology cannabis program at SUNY Erie Community College. My niche or specialty is Cannabis Testing along with consumer education. I also have a personal cannabis on Instagram known as @716np !
How long have you worked in the cannabis space?
Professionally, I’m in year-two. Realistically, I’ve been working in this space since I was a teenager.
What did you do before you were involved in the cannabis industry?
Before working in the cannabis industry I was a college student who worked in the restaurant industry, tutored and picked up side gigs.
What led you to the cannabis industry?
I’ve been a consumer since high school and had the revelation most individuals have – cannabis isn’t all that bad. As a matter of fact it’s not the devil’s lettuce or a gateway drug, especially compared to the other things peers my age were getting into (i.e., street Xanax, alcohol, cocaine, nicotine etc…).
During my sophomore year of high school I wrote a short essay “Going Green” about why cannabis is better than alcohol and that it should be legalized/regulated like alcohol. However, my English teacher called out my paper to the class, saying my paper was false/inaccurate and that 90% of the weed you buy from the streets is laced with other drugs. This ignited a fire within me and I felt obligated to inform my peers and educators on the truth about cannabis, which led me down a rabbit hole that I seem to have never gotten out of.
Do you have any advice for someone looking to get into the NY weed industry?
Just do it. Be open/receptive to learning. Nobody knows it all. Most importantly NETWORK!! At the end of the day, what you know will get your foot in the door, but who you know will get you in rooms you never knew of before.
Do you use cannabis? If so, what’s your favorite method and why?
Yes. I’m a flower girl at heart. Faster onset, not too intense, dosage might be controllable compared to other methods, and flavor/aroma profile.
What’s the best method for people to contact you?
Text or call my cell number: 716-392-7281 or my Instagram: 716np or http://linkedin.com/in/lexiantoniou.