The legalization of marijuana has taken the country by storm. As of writing this blog post, 33 states have some form of legalization with 11 of them allowing for recreational usage and four more states potentially joining that list this November. Furthermore, four out of five permanently inhabited US territories have legalization on the books along with Washington DC. The majority of Americans continue to support the legalization methodology, especially when compared to harder drugs or even alcohol. Marijuana is not the life-threatening super drug it was once thought to be. Many people now see that it can be a beneficial and therapeutic plant that helps with a wide array of conditions. Many have also seen that it can be a huge boost to the economy and helps to create jobs. For these reasons, two-thirds of Americans support the legalization of weed in one capacity or another.
The Revolution is Here!
Cannabis has turned out to be a big moneymaker for many people, including people of color. Some recent surveys indicate that as much as 20% of the weed industry is controlled by minority owners. This was great news as only a few years ago the war on drugs was doing considerable damage to many minority communities. Instead of furthering the damage, these new regulations have allowed a Renaissance in some of those heavily affected areas. Another awesome improvement is the opportunity for women and women of color (WOC) to become entrepreneurs and become a pillar of their community. This is inspiring and gives hope to all POC and WOC. Read on to find out about some awesome cannabis companies that are women and WOC owned that are truly making a difference in the world around them!
The Apothecarry Case
“If my liquor is in my bar, my cigars are in my humidor, and my wine is in the wine fridge, why the heck is my herb in a shoebox in the closet?!” This was the question that started it all for Apothecarry. Their mission is to cultivate the indo lifestyle community and bring weed storage into the adult world. Long gone are the days of smoking weed being associated with hippies and teenage boys in the basement. For the serious weed connoisseur, these are serious boxes built to keep little hands out while keeping your stash fresh as the day you bought it. Started by a 36-year-old mother who never saw herself as a stoner until she was diagnosed with anxiety and began using it to manage her symptoms. Once shaking the stigma she grew up with she began to realize a need for proper care and storage of her newfound medicine. Apothecarry was born from that idea.
Yummi Karma/High Gorgeous
The Yummi Karma brand started in 2014 by founder Krystal Kitahara dreaming of a day when cannabis would finally be legal. The dream was realized in 2016 and Yummi Karma launched a cannabis-infused beauty brand called High Gorgeous. In the beginning, things were tenuous, but they finally opened the first licensed manufacturing facility in Orange County, California. Yummi Karma prides itself on being a woman-owned and operated business, but with much more than that. They are bold, different, and diverse offering an amazing variety of creams and drops that are cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. They specialize in products that are good for your body, but also environmentally and socially conscious. They strive to empower women everywhere and “continue to find new, innovative, and effective ways to use cannabis to help women like us.”
Kush & Cute
Kush & Cute is a handmade cannabis-infused skincare brand started by the beautiful and talented Iyana Edouard. Her brand uses natural hemp and CBD to bring the best in beauty to discerning men and women around the country. In addition to providing exceptional hemp-based products, she also aims to tackle all areas of the cannabis industry by educating and informing people, helping to alleviate symptoms that can be treated with cannabis, and pushing for more representation of black women in this growing industry. The Kush & Cute shop offers a wide variety of cannabis-based products including toners, bath bombs, massage oils, and body scrubs all handmade by Iyana herself. In addition to treating medical conditions, including depression, anxiety, cancer, arthritis, etc. hemp is also known to work miracles on the skin by treating acne, inflammation, dark marks, age spots, scars, wrinkles, sunburn, dermatitis, eczema, and so many more!
Happy Organics
This wonderful Latino woman-owned business was started by Jessica Gonzales. It began with her grandfather many years before which the skills and farm were then passed down to her father. When her father was diagnosed with cancer the transfer of ownership was then given to her. The idea to infuse honey with CBD came to her when trying to find something that would help to ease her father’s pain. Thus her raw CBD infused honey was born as consuming the raw plant material would be too harsh. Honey allowed for an easy way to use CBD in a sweet, simple to eat form while still providing relief from pain. This is how Happy Organics was born. They have grown to now offer a variety of honey and hemp-derived products that are sustainable, sweet and will put a smile on your face. Their story goes on as they share the craft of beekeeping with future generations, work hard to increase sustainability, and educate communities on the importance of bees now and into the future.
