It’s International Women's Day, and News 12 is highlighting women-led businesses, like Etain.

Etain is the only women-founded medical cannabis company in New York, created by a mother and her daughters.

It also was one of the first five companies in New York state to receive a medical license to operate after New York passed the Compassionate Care Act back in 2014. 

“They were really inspired by their grandmother, who was unfortunately sick with ALS and looking for other care for her as she was at that end-of-life stage and were really inspired by medical cannabis,” explained Jes Feuer, marketing director at Etain. “[The family was] taking boxes to City Hall, got their application in and were one of the first five licenses.”

Etain also sells over 20 other women-owned brands in CBD and health and wellness. 

“In New York, we are very much focused on lifting up the women in this industry together, especially here at Etain because we are women-founded and wouldn’t be here without so many women lifting the other up,” said Feuer.

The company says that taking care of patients and their well-being is what’s most important, doing so through what they call a “concierge medicine experience.” 

“Our motto is ‘go slow, go low’ and we see what the results are and we go from there. Everybody needs a starting point – so we’ll start them off on a ratio depending on what symptoms they come in with and work with the patient from there,” explained Sang Choi, Etain’s pharmacist.

Feuer added that patients don’t have to inhale or consume products if they don’t wish to and instead can use products such as topical lotions or capsules.

Etain employees say that medical cannabis can benefit people with a range of ailments from chronic joint pain to anxiety.

Upcoming changes in New York state, which come later this month, will make it easier for New Yorkers to purchase medical cannabis.