Paddy Donnelly, lead cannabis specialist at Bern Gallery Smoke Shop & Cannabis, fits the stereotype of someone you might expect to hold the job — he’s a bass player for several local jam bands with a laid-back, friendly demeanor. His customers, though? They’re not stereotypical at all.
“One of the first things I learned was that there is no one type of person that comes in the door here,” he said of the clientele at the dispensary on Main Street in Burlington. Donnelly sees it all, from just-turned-21 college students to octogenarians.
Their needs vary, too. He hooks people up with the right product to pregame a Higher Ground show and listens attentively to customers who come in with stories about chronic pain. “I’ve had a consultation with a customer that ended after two hours with both of us bawling,” Donnelly said. “It can get heavy as hell, and you have to be ready for that. It’s a unique job.”
Bern Gallery, founded in 2004 as a pipe shop, specializes in glassware that’s both functional and inspiring. There’s a glassblowing studio on-site, and the gallery offers lessons. Bern Gallery won the Seven Daysie award for best place to buy a pipe in 2018, 2019 and 2022 — back when it was advertised “for tobacco use only” — and the Daysie for best dispensary in 2023 and 2024.
“One of the first things I learned was there is no one type of person that comes in the door here.” Paddy Donnelly
Donnelly arrived at the shop in 2016. A self-described “jam-band kid” who studied environmental science and music at Saint Michael’s College, he landed a summer job there and stuck around full time after graduation.
When it became clear that the state was going to legalize cannabis for recreational use, Donnelly hit the books again.
He took a budtending course through Oaksterdam University, an industry trade school located in Oakland, Calif. It offers classes in horticulture, business, manufacturing and budtending. “When you google something you want to know about cannabis, it’s really hard to know what’s good information. It was great to be exposed to scientific and historical data about the plant that way,” he said.
Donnelly, 29, rattles off the names of strains and terpenes faster than some people can recite the alphabet, but his approach to helping people find products is simple: “I assume nothing and try to meet people where they’re at.”
Seven Days sat down with Donnelly and asked him about his work and some of the questions he often winds up answering for customers.
What do you say to someone who is coming to a dispensary for the first time?
There’s not a one-size-fits-all for anyone. I just try to forget all the buzzwords and ask them how they want to feel. Even if you don’t know everything about cannabis, [I try] to identify where the need is: Are you trying to relax after work? Do you need help sleeping? Are you trying to add social lubricant to a situation? After trying cannabis, we recommend that people record their experiences with different products, then we can use that to inform further recommendations. Ideally, come in with an open mind.
What’s the difference between indica and sativa?
If you want the history of it, in the 1800s there was a botanist in Holland named Jean-Baptiste Lamarck who saw a cannabis plant from India, which looked very different from the cannabis he’d seen in Europe. In Europe, they were used to non-resinous, or nonsticky, hemp plants that were tall and skinny, but the plant from India was really resinous, and it was short and bushy. He also found psychoactive effects he didn’t associate with the European variation, sativa. He called it “indica” because it’s from India, not because of the effects it has. People associate indica plants with being “sleepier” highs compared to sativa, but that’s a more culturally created definition. The “indica versus sativa” dichotomy prevents us from seeing the broad spectrum these plants can occur in. I always say the best way for us to seek out certain effects is to 1) try it, and 2) analyze its actual terpene content. At this point, everything’s been crossbred, and I find the “indica versus sativa” classification to be an oversimplification.
What are terpenes?
These are chemical compounds that occur all over the plant kingdom, not just [in] cannabis. We test for about 35, but to my understanding, there are hundreds of terpenes that occur in nature. This is just one chemical family that we have insight into. When you go up and smell some roses, you’re smelling terpenes — that’s their defense mechanisms against pests. In cannabis, we say “the nose knows” because if you like the way something smells physically, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll like smoking it. This is an area where everyone is a little different, so pay attention to how things feel for you.
Terpenes are the key to understanding the effects of cannabis on the body if you want to know more beyond the “I’m high” feeling. While THC is the compound primarily responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis, it is only one of a myriad of cannabinoids working together in the plant. The cannabinoids are like the motor for the high, and terpenes are the steering wheel. They drive the character of the high, whether it’s more focused or relaxed or something else. When we say uplifting, relaxing, anxiety-inducing, anxiety-relieving, etc. — we are largely describing the impact of a cultivar’s unique terpene profile.
For instance, strains that have high concentrations of limonene will often have a more focused and energized effect. Strains with high concentrations of beta caryophyllene will typically carry a physically calming, decompressing effect. I know for me, personally, pinene is associated with cerebral, “in the head” effects — and typically gives me anxiety. As it stands, terpene profiles are among the best metrics we have to match a certain bud to a certain vibe. It’s important to remember that everybody’s body is different, and there are no one-size-fits-alls in the canna world.
Are terpenes why weed smells skunky?
No, that’s actually because of the sulfur compounds, which we’re still learning more about.
Why do we know so little about cannabis?
Because of the federal status of cannabis, it took us a long time to be able to research it. Even though we’ve been cultivating and consuming for a long time, that information about it has been so obfuscated. Now we’re finally starting to really understand the plant.
What’s the difference between hemp and cannabis?
They’re the exact same plant. Once it hits a 0.3 percent concentration of THC, we call it cannabis. Hemp typically doesn’t have enough THC to create a traditional high. That’s the only difference.
When people go into a dispensary, can they always expect to find a menu?
Yes, often in multiple forms. A lot of places have an iPad-based menu, but we have screens up top with the rolling menus, and we also have a paper menu. We like the experience of flipping the pages and seeing it laid out.
How should I store my weed?
Everyone’s home situation is different, but keep it out of reach of children and animals, whether that’s in a lockbox or up and away where it’s not visible. You can figure that out. Beyond that, the most important thing is that improperly storing weed can lead to it degrading. If you just take a bud out of a bag and put it on a counter and wait a couple of days, it won’t be the same bud. The chemical compounds that make for a unique high are extremely volatile, and they need to be kept well to stay intact. It’s important to keep your weed out of the sunlight. UV rays are a huge killer of cannabinoids and terpene content. Jars are really the best way to do it — something dark that’ll block UV light and is airtight.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity and length.
How High?
Donnelly’s situational suggestions
To sleep better
I recommend products that contain a cannabinoid called CBN. It’s the most sedating cannabinoid, so by putting that in different products, we can make really effective sleep aids.
To focus
Anything limonene- or terpinolene-dominant, because those are bright, focusing compounds. A lot of people don’t want to smoke at the library, so that’s where I’d recommend a tincture. We have a tincture product called Brighten from the company SpringDrops that is not only a terpene combination that’s really uplifting and focusing, but it is heavy in CBG, which is another cannabinoid that lends itself to focus.
Before going to a concert
It’s personal, but some people like to get a little more psychedelic at concerts, and that’s where I recommend a stronger head high, like something pinene-dominant. That’s if you really want to get lost in the sauce and taken over by the power of the music. For instance, you could try our Pineapple Kush, which is strong in the head and will suck you into what you’re doing.
Before a party where you want to be social
I might recommend a cannabis-infused drink, which is generally not too overwhelming or sedating and good for a social high. Cartridges are also popular, because you’ll often get more of a streamlined effect, and a lot of the “fuzziness” we associate with smoking is often not there with a concentrate.
Before a big holiday dinner
I’d recommend something on the relaxing side, not just because of the frenetic family energy, but as far as “getting the munchies,” you’ll get that more with a physical high. I recommend the Halle Berry from Forbins Finest or our Gorilla Glue #4. These are cozy, relaxing vibey highs that are appetite stimulants.
For aches and pains
A lot of people prefer a topical product for this because sometimes when you’re dealing with pain, you might still have to go to work or you just might not be the type of person that’s using cannabis to feel the mind-altering effects.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Berning Questions | A Q&A with cannabis specialist Paddy Donnelly of Bern Gallery”
This article appears in Vermont Cannabiz Guide • 2025.
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