5 Black-Owned Cannabis Brands to Support
Having long been a predominantly white male industry, the cannabis realm continues to underserve and underrepresent BIPOC and women. According to the Cannabis Industry Journal, "The goal of social equity laws is to ensure that people from communities disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and discriminatory law enforcement are included in the new legal marijuana industry." With the industry being comprised of 81 percent white owners, here are some of our favorite Black-owned cannabis and cannabis-adjacent brands to support:
1. Simply Pure
Less adjacent and more direct, Simply Pure prides itself on being the "Most Unique Recreational Marijuana Dispensary in Denver" and we can't argue with that. Founders of the first Black-owned dispensary in Colorado, husband and wife team Wanda James and Scott Durrah have expanded to include a cultivation facility and an edible company as part of Simply Pure, all while providing a safe and comfortable environment to learn about recreational and medical cannabis. Plus, as veterans of the armed forces, they make veteran patients and customers a top priority.
Founded by poet Jasmine Mans and featured in publications like Vogue, Buy Weed From Women represents the collective voice that seeks to unify women in the cannabis industry with innovative design concepts and collaborations that showcase female powerhouses in the industry. Based in New Jersey, all of their products are locally printed.
3. Frigg
With a slogan of "Stress Less Beauty," Frigg was founded by KD after her experience with burnout as the Chief Marketing Officer of a cannabis wellness brand. After learning firsthand about the benefits of CBD, KD launched Frigg with the intention of starting a "conversation about mental well-being, exhaustion, and how stress can impact us internally and externally, even if it's disguised as dry skin, insomnia, or an itchy scalp."
On a mission to change to the way we think about cannabis and wellness, Rage and Release was founded by Thai R. Focused on curating a holistic approach to wellness, Rage and Release has flipped the script on the way we view health and cannabis. In addition to cultivating a conscious community, Rage and Release partners with local artists to create apparel that not only highlights artists but also encourages people to evolve their perception of cannabis and wellness.
5. Boqué
Founded by CK Dunson after a series of sports injuries in college, the Boqué brand of rolling papers and accessories was founded with the goal of being the industry's premier rolling paper. After noticing the harsh coughing and plethora of additives that some brands presented, CK and a team of "cannabis savants" set to work to develop a premium paper that doesn't tear, cause irritation, or taste like, well, paper.