844-344-2420
Info@gardenremedies.com
In the last 10 years, 16 states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis for adults over the age of 21, with even more on board for medical marijuana use. With more states poised to legalize cannabis in the near future — and a growing number of brands and dispensaries to purchase from — it’s never been more important to look at the shifting landscape of cannabis decriminalization and examine the role of social equity in what has become a staggering multibillion-dollar industry.
Here, we’ll touch on the long and painful history of racism and discrimination since the early days of the cannabis movement, then offer some ways that you can support businesses that are giving back to communities that have been disproportionately affected by the war on drugs.
According to Leafly’s 2021 Jobs Report, legal cannabis now supports more than 321,000 full-time jobs — a 32 percent year-over-year growth since 2019 — and has become an $18.3 billion industry. While these numbers signal an exciting time for businesses and consumers alike, it’s important to remember that the flush opportunities and economic promise haven’t come completely clean.
For decades now, American drug policy — most notably in the form of Nixon’s
war on drugs — has disproportionately targeted black and brown individuals for possessing, consuming or selling cannabis. Whether it was painted as a dangerous psychoactive from south of the border or a “jazz drug” (Harry Anslinger, the head of the Federal Narcotics Bureau, once decried jazz as “satanic voodoo” music), cannabis has seen a level of institutionalized racial targeting that persists today.
In fact,
recent statistics indicate that black people are nearly four times more likely than white people to be arrested for possession of weed, and a report earlier this year revealed that people of color made up 94 percent of marijuana-related arrests in New York City’s five boroughs in 2020.
People of color face excessive hurdles when they try to launch their own brands and dispensaries. In addition to the high economic barriers to entry (even a small cannabis operation may cost anywhere between $250,000 and $2 million to maintain), most American states bar anyone with any kind of criminal record from starting their own business — which disproportionately affects people of color. In fact, in 2017 only six percent of cannabis business owners identified as Hispanic/Latino, four percent as black and two percent as Asian, despite a long history among many communities of color of traditional cannabis use for healing and horticultural purposes.
With so few people of color at the forefront of the flourishing cannabis economy (and even fewer women of color), it’s time for consumers to make purchasing choices that push the industry toward a more diverse and equitable space. After all, social equity measures in cannabis regulation can only do so much — though they may set a progressive precedent, it’s still up to adult users to leverage the power of their dollar and support POC-owned businesses or brands that are giving back to black and brown communities.
Some cannabis brands and dispensaries are resisting a blindly capitalist pursuit of growth and opting to build a more socially equitable ecosystem of businesses by directly supporting programs that work with those who have been jailed for cannabis possession or use. At Garden Remedies, we are firmly committed to social equity in cannabis and to doing what it takes to give back. We’ve partnered with the following incredible programs that are making a lasting impact on criminal justice in the U.S.
There’s a long way to go before we can create a socially equitable cannabis industry, but supporting businesses that are committed to making a direct impact on the lives of those who have been wrongfully or unfairly imprisoned is an important first step to actualizing a new vision — and reality — for the future of legalized weed.
James Han is a writer, editor and content strategist based in Los Angeles. When he’s not deep in a Google Doc, you can find him reading, watching films and taking long walks.
Sources
Leafly — The US cannabis industry now supports 321,000 full-time jobs
Brookings — Marijuana’s racist history shows the need for comprehensive drug reform
NORML — Racial Disparity In Marijuana Arrests
Self — What Will It Take to Build a Truly Equitable Cannabis Industry?
The Zoe Report — These Women Are Changing The Face Of The Modern Cannabis Entrepreneur
The Last Prisoner Project — The Last Prisoner Project
MASS CultivatED — The CultivatED Program
The Innocence Project —
The Innocence Project
416 Boston Post Rd E
Marlborough, MA 01752
Monday - Saturday
9:00am - 10:00pm
Sunday
10:00am - 8:00pm
697 Washington St
Newton, MA 02458
Monday - Saturday
9:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday
12:00pm - 6:00pm
PLEASE CONSUME RESPONSIBLY. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive and operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of edible marijuana products may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 911. This product may be illegal outside of MA.