The cannabis industry continues to grow at an astronomical rate. However, the benefits of this growth are not distributed equally.
At the current time, only around 4 per cent of cannabis businesses in the US are black-owned. However, there are now a number of black innovators working to bridge the gap. These are a few of the black-owned cannabis businesses to keep an eye on:
1. Cannabis Tours
In the absence of nationwide legalization, cannabis tourism is big business.
Cannabis Tours founder Terence Latimer has created a company that offers guided tours in locations that include Denver, California, and Washington D.C. His company also provides classes, accommodations, and weed-themed activities.
2. Think BIG
CJ Wallace named his cannabis company for his father, the late rapper Biggie Smalls. Thing BIG is one of several black-owned businesses that combines commerce with cannabis activism.
The company offers a range of CBD products, which Wallace says gave relief to both his grandmother and his brother. They also support organizations that fight for criminal justice reform and economic investment in communities hit hard by harsh cannabis prohibition laws.
3. CannAcademy
Legalized cannabis production has brought about a renaissance in cannabis cultivation.
New strains are being perfected all the time. While some are focused on aspects like increased THC levels, others are bred for qualities that include faster growth times, disease resistance, or high CBD.
Megon Dee’s CannAcademy offers free online courses to prospective cannabis growers. The site teaches everything from basic growing to advanced hybridization techniques.
4. MAAT Apothecary
Alicah Holcombe spent decades gaining knowledge and experience as an herbalist. The choice to transfer what she’d learned to cannabis-based remedies was an obvious one.
Today, MAAT’s most popular product is cannabis-infused spiced honey. In addition to cannabis, the honey contains herbs with anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties.
5. Deuces 22
This Southern California upscale cannabis company was founded by father-daughter team John and Tyla Salley. Together, they have created a brand that brings customers locally grown products from producers throughout the SoCal area.
The company also has an educational arm, Deuces Academy, which shares community-created content designed to raise awareness and share information about cannabis.
6. TrellaGro
Indoor cannabis-growing operations have a number of environmental and practical concerns. When founder Aja Atwood found himself struggling to grow tall cannabis varieties in indoor settings, he began making his own plant-training system.
Today, TrellaGrow offers a number of products to produce cannabis indoors in cleaner, more energy-efficient indoor farming operations.
7. Pretty Litty
Lulu, the founder of Pretty Litty noticed a dearth of cannabis products aimed toward women. She addressed the gap through Pretty Litty, which provides both beautiful and practical cannabis accessories.
Pretty Litty offers attractive and functional pipes, dab tools, vapes, and apparel. Lulu says that her aim is to reduce the stigma around cannabis use through a clean and professional website and accessories that many would be happy to display.
8. The Stock Up Events
As cannabis products have become more popular, so have cannabis-related events. Stock Up Events is a company that first began offering cannabis event planning in 2018.
Founder Lisa Chabrier is a cannabis business veteran. Past successful ventures include The Jane Doe Co. and Visine Queen.
9. All Per Plus
In addition to the benefits of cannabis and CBD for people, more and more research is showing the health benefits of cannabis for pets.
All Per Plus offers CBD-infused products for animals to help with issues that include anxiety, digestive issues, and arthritis. Founder Leon Smalls is a native of Jamaica. His products are now available in outlets throughout the US.
10. Sativah Sistahs
Couples Cathy and Carrie Smith and Don and Gale Henrichs joined forces to get more Black women into leadership positions in the cannabis industry. Sativah Sisters offers a range of cannabis-themed clothing, accessories, and home decor.
The company also funds a scholarship for Black girls and women who want to get an education in areas that include computer science, video game design, animation, and illustration.
Black-owned cannabis businesses are thriving!
These are just a few of the innovative black-owned companies bringing new cannabis products and accessories to consumers all over the country.
By pairing cannabis products with socially aware activism, they are working to decrease the stigma associated with cannabis and build up communities that have so far not benefited from the cannabis gold rush in the proportions they should.
Keep an eye on these and other black-owned businesses in the cannabis field to see where they take their enterprises next.
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