Colorado Dispensary Owner Credits Cannabis for Recovery After Paragliding Crash

Joey Coleman's path to owning KAI Dispensary in Grand Junction, Colorado started with a 40-foot fall from a paraglider in Bucaramanga, Colombia—a crash that shattered his L1 vertebra and left doctors uncertain whether he'd walk again.

The accident sent Coleman bouncing another 20 feet after the initial impact. Doctors told him paralysis was a real possibility. What followed were months of grueling physical rehabilitation, learning basic movements most people take for granted. But it was cannabis that finally gave him what traditional pain management couldn't: sleep.

"Cannabis was what finally let me sleep through the pain," Coleman said of his recovery period. While opioids and other prescription medications left him groggy and dependent, cannabis allowed him to manage pain without the same level of impairment.

From Patient to Entrepreneur

Coleman's experience as a medical cannabis patient directly influenced his decision to enter the industry. When Grand Junction opened applications for recreational dispensary licenses in 2021, he saw an opportunity to help others facing similar struggles with pain management.

The odds weren't in his favor. Grand Junction's licensing process came down to a lottery—31 balls for just ten available recreational licenses. Coleman's number came up, making him one of the few operators to secure a recreational permit in a city that had previously been medical-only.

The lottery system reflected Grand Junction's cautious approach to recreational cannabis. Located on Colorado's Western Slope, the city waited years after statewide legalization in 2012 before allowing adult-use sales. The limited license structure was designed to prevent market saturation while giving the community time to adapt.

The Medical Cannabis Pain Management Debate

Coleman's story adds a personal dimension to ongoing discussions about cannabis as an alternative to opioids for pain management. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Pain Research found that 80% of chronic pain patients reported cannabis as "very or extremely helpful" for pain relief, with many reducing or eliminating opioid use.

But the medical establishment remains divided. While the FDA has approved cannabis-derived medications like Epidiolex for specific conditions, whole-plant cannabis for pain management lacks the clinical trial data that would satisfy federal regulators. This leaves patients like Coleman navigating treatment options largely on their own, often against their doctors' advice.

Colorado's medical cannabis program has tracked over 80,000 active patients as of 2024, with chronic pain remaining the most common qualifying condition. The state's dual-market system—medical and recreational operating side-by-side—allows dispensaries like KAI to serve both patient populations.

What's Next for Grand Junction's Market

Grand Junction's controlled rollout of recreational licenses created a tight market that's proven lucrative for the ten winners. The city's population of roughly 65,000 supports a smaller cannabis market than Denver or Boulder, but competition remains intense.

Coleman now faces the challenge every Colorado dispensary owner knows: standing out in an increasingly crowded state market. Colorado's total cannabis sales hit $1.5 billion in 2023, but individual dispensary revenues have declined as license numbers climbed statewide.

For Coleman, his recovery story isn't just marketing—it's the foundation of his business philosophy. KAI Dispensary focuses on education and patient consultation, particularly for customers new to cannabis or exploring it for pain management.

The paragliding crash that nearly paralyzed him ended up charting an entirely new course. From hospital bed to dispensary owner, Coleman's journey reflects a broader trend of medical cannabis patients entering the industry they once depended on as customers.

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This article is based on original reporting by hightimes.com.