Women Changing the Cannabis Industry

Image Source: www.medium.com

Tuesday, March 8th is International Women’s Day!  International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. There is no better time to talk about women in cannabis than now.

Did you know that women make up over a third of the leaders in the cannabis market. Wow!  Back in 2019, Marijuana Business Daily conducted a survey and discovered 37 percent of cannabis executives are women. These results show this number is ranking higher than the 21 percent national average of women in executive roles in any business (L’OFFICIEL). Even though the cannabis industry overall is dominated by men, there is great amount of women who love their weed. We can thank these women for helping to transform how the world sees cannabis in a new way.

“Women in the cannabis space are incredibly supportive of each other,” says Imelda Walakalvar, co-founder and CEO of cannabis brand Pure Beauty. As more women make waves in the marijuana industry and join forces in an effort to de stigmatize the green bud through education, art, culture, and CBD-infused wellness and beauty products, the easier it becomes for female-led cannabis brands to navigate the complexities of this business. And there’s strength in numbers: “My advice is to find allies; having strong and supportive partnerships and relationships in this industry is the key to survival,” Walakalvar says, sharing some widsom for women who are thinking about entering the cannabis arena. “Look for like-minded people that value the same things as you, in all partnerships, no matter how small (L’OFFICIEL). 

L’OFFICIEL put together a list of 11 women-led cannabis companies that are making an impact. Below you will find 3 women whose work and/or story stood out to us the most

1- “Founder of Broccoli magazine, Canadian-born Anja Charbonneau creates a new perspective on weed culture with playful and informed content that touches upon the flower through the exploration of art, culture, and fashion. Alongside Broccoli, Charbonneau’s anti-racist Floret Coalition gathers over 135 businesses in the cannabis market to support and fund equity-focused initiatives serving the Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities—those whose contributions to cannabis culture have been the greatest and yet overly policed by the war on drugs” (L’OFFICIEL). 

2- “At only 23 years old, Kati Holland created cannabis brand Not Pot with a mission to destigmatize the plant, introduce it to the masses with her fruity CBD gummies, and help undo the effects of the crooked criminal justice system. With the Not Pot bail fund, her company supports a self-funded organization that combats mass incarceration that disproportionally targets marginalized communities” (L’OFFICIEL). 

3- “Artist and prop stylist Jenny Wichman founded Yew Yew in 2017 to help change the narrative and stigma around weed with beautiful resin-filled, glass blown smokeware and accessories” (L’OFFICIEL). 

To see all 11 women and how they are making a difference in the cannabis industry click here.

Happy International Women’s day from all of us at PG Organix!  How many women do you know who use cannabis and/or work in cannabis? Get out there and make a difference in the cannabis world.