How You Can Make a Positive Difference in the Cannabis Industry
How You Can Make a Positive Difference in the Cannabis Industry
Did you know that white males own and run approximately 80% of all cannabis businesses, and many them are financial backers, not people hands-on in with experience cultivating and selling cannabis? Meanwhile, nearly 60-80 percent of those sitting in prison for drug offenses are Black or Latino and the incarceration rates for LGBTQ folks are nearly 3x higher than the general population. While there’s little you or I can do about those issues directly, there are some small but impactful ways we can help restore some balance to the cannabis universe.
Shop at as many local LGBTQ- and POC-owned businesses as you can. Keep your money in your community and help support the family of a marginalized group, it’s a win-win! When you shop at corporate-owned stores and buy celebrity-branded cannabis, your money goes off to them. When you shop locally, you support a small-business owner and their family as well as helping support all their employees, also members of your community. Plus, their tax money stays local, not vacationing in Canada!
Support Organizations that Work for Equality
If you can afford to donate or have time to volunteer, consider organizations that are working towards equality. Check out Equity First Alliance, Drug Policy Alliance and Women’s Prison Alliance to get started. There are many more great organizations that you can find online!
Vote and Make Your Voice Heard
Ultimately, it’s going to come down to the lawmakers to put policies in place that facilitate equality in the cannabis industry. Make sure your representatives know how you feel about cannabis legalization and equal representation for LGBTQ, Black and Latino business owners. Let them know it’s time to let people out of prison for cannabis violations. Vote for politicians that are committed to doing work on behalf of the disenfranchised.
Looking to support your local cannabis farmers? Check out our Farmer’s Series for profiles of some of our partner cultivators, including POC- and Queer-owned farms!
The Natural Cannabis Company is a proud member of the LGBTQ business community.