By Amber Ford
The Mountain Times
As businesses come and go throughout the Mt. Hood Villages, Mt. Hood Cannabis Company has reshaped their business culture and created a warm and inviting atmosphere. Purchased from previous owners in November 2023, Mt. Hood Cannabis owners Lindsey Costanich and Saint Laughlin have carved out their own unique dispensary through their love of nature, community and helping to provide medicinal care through cannabis.
With years of cannabis experience between both Costanich and Laughlin, reshaping Mt. Hood Cannabis Company on the mountain they love has been both a dream come true and a challenge they both find to be an exciting adventure. “I was hired at Mt. Hood Cannabis under the previous owners in 2017, soon after Oregon legalized recreational use,” Costanich said. “I’ve been using cannabis as medicine most of my adult life,” Costanich added.
While Costanich has a true professional passion for all things cannabis, her personal relationship with the plant intensified after a cancer diagnosis at the age of 27. “I had triple negative breast cancer. It has the highest recurrence rate and lowest survival rate of any breast cancer,” Costanich said. “Cannabis basically combats everything chemo throws at you. I was able to keep food down, sleep, my bones didn’t ache, I actually had an appetite. It’s sort of incredible. That’s why I’m so passionate about cannabis as medicine,” Costanich added.
Complementing Costanich’s knowledge and experience in all things cannabis, business and life partner Laughlin also shares a professional and profound passion for the industry and life on the mountain. Originally from Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Laughlin headed west for college and moved to Portland in 2006. A Mt. Hood Villages resident for the last four years, Laughlin enjoys the nature and beauty of living near the Mt. Hood National Forest. “Being immersed in nature 24/7 with all of the activities she affords are some of my favorites,” Laughlin said. “To be part of a community that is surrounded by like minded folks is really inspiring,” Laughlin added.
Having 15 years of working in the cannabis industry under his belt, Laughlin has always had a profound respect for the many medicinal benefits cannabis has to offer. “Seeing the possibility to turn my passion into a reality of helping people was a win,” Laughlin said. “From there it started to evolve into a bigger vision where I could enter the recreational market and start pushing toward my goal of building a brand that would align with who I am,” Laugh added.
Owning the dispensary has given both Costanich and Laughlin the opportunity to not only dive deeper into the industry they both love, but has also given them a community they are proud to be part of. Currently employing six, Mt. Hood Cannabis Company’s entire vibe is nothing short of a family dynamic. “It feels natural to work with a crew that has each other’s backs,” Mt. Hood Cannabis Company employee Mike Rood said. “I had to have surgery and everyone stepped up and helped cover my shifts,” Rood added.