Hey folks! Time again for another blog post where my ambition is to turn every reader into a canna-scholar. I’ll either succeed and you’ll all become experts on the sticky icky or it’ll be the beginning of my super villain origin story and you will all rue the day you crossed me!
Either way, this week I want to turn a spotlight on one of (if not the) fastest growing demographic in the cannabis sector: Women. In a world that traditionally and historically has not been altogether too kind to women, the cannabis industry appears to be an exception, with an amazing amount of cannabis companies being owned and/or operated by women entrepreneurs and executives. So, without further ado, let’s get our learnin’ on!
New Industry, No Gatekeeping
Cannabis culture by its nature has a pretty welcoming community of people. Existing on the fringes of modern society for generations has forged a mindset in cannabis smokers everywhere that “This is for everyone”, and that plays out into all levels of the industry; from consumption all the way up to production and brand ownership. That attitude coupled with the fact that the cannabis industry is in its very early stages means that the usual problems that women face when getting into business aren’t as prevalent and as such are less likely to impede their dreams of producing some amazing ganja (which isn’t to say that there aren’t impediments…but we’ll get into that in a second).
Fun fact: at one point 60% of all executives in the product testing laboratory side of cannabis were women. Also, somewhere in the ballpark of 39% of cannabis executives for brands in the United States are women. That’s HUGE when you consider that virtually every other industry on earth is male dominated to the extreme. While men still make up a majority of the owners and operators of cannabis brands etc., the fact that there are so many women succeeding in this industry warms the heart and shows hope for a bright future for equality in a culture that prides itself on being a meritocracy.
Still a Long Way to Go
Now, with all of that being said, there are still plenty of barriers being raised against women in the cannabis sector. Outdated and incorrect stereotypes about men being more natural leaders or having better business acumen have prevented some female led companies from receiving the funding and support they justly deserve. Even on the retail level, many female budtenders are forced to jump through hoops to show that they have the same level of expertise as their male peers, which is ridiculous and insulting on many levels. Some of the most knowledgeable people I know when it comes to the science of weed are women and watching them have to constantly justify themselves is disheartening.
However, this sector is showing a lot of promise in terms of allowing women the opportunity to excel in a market not nearly as shackled by cultural restraints as the rest of the worlds industries. Just another reason to love weed!
Women Owned Brands
A discussion about women and cannabis wouldn’t be complete without calling out some cannabis brands that are either entirely, or majority owned by women.
Zyre Brands: These good folks put together some very nice products and we here at Circa 1818 are particularly fond of their cured resin vape carts. Yummy terps and good hardware at a reasonable price make them a winner!
Sense and Purpose: A relatively new addition to our stable of beverages, this female founded and operated company produces tasty, fast acting cannabis beverages that are made with real fruit juice! If you haven’t tried them yet, I can’t recommend them enough.
Madge and Mercer: This brand positions itself as a cannabis brand crafted by women, for women, and their product line is pretty awesome. They specialize in a plethora of products designed to emphasize the wellness and potential health (disclaimer: not a doctor) benefits of imbibing cannabis, particularly as it pertains to women. They’re worth the time to check out if you haven’t already.
And that just about wraps up my quick little dive into women in the cannabis industry! There are more and more women gaining traction in this sector every day, helping to make the business of growing and selling weed as amazing as it can possibly be. Take care folks!
