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The cannabis industry is generating billions of dollars in revenue. In Missouri alone, state medical card holders purchased nearly 200 million dollars in cannabis products the first year that dispensaries were operational. While business is booming, the opportunities are not necessarily equal.
Unfortunately, racial disparity is prevalent in the marijuana industry. Less than 5 percent of cannabis founders and business owners are people of color. The good news is that there are several organizations out there with a mission to create opportunities in the burgeoning marijuana field for people of color.
In the past, we’ve highlighted cannabis-based nonprofits who are making the world a better place. Today, we’re putting our focus on organizations who are making a difference for people of color:
The Minority Cannabis Business Association
With the low percentage of business owners of color in the cannabis industry, it is all the more important that each of those companies succeed. The Minority Cannabis Business Association makes it their business to help ensure the success of minority-owned marijuana organizations.
The Minority Cannabis Business Association, which was founded in 2015, is the largest trade organization in the nation dedicated solely to serving the needs of minority cannabis businesses and connecting them with the communities they serve. They provide networking, education, and mentorship to individuals and business members.
The Hood Incubator
The Hood Incubator is based out of Oakland, but has a national focus. Their mission is geared toward creating political and economic advocacy for people of color. They host business accelerator programs and offer apprenticeships with companies in the marijuana industry to extend opportunities in the cannabis field for minorities.
Minorities for Medical Marijuana
Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) is a nonprofit with a focus on providing advocacy, outreach, education, research and training for those within the cannabis industry, with a special focus on social justice, social equity, health and wellness, and influencing public policies related to cannabis.
Last Prisoner Project
Although usage rates between people of color and caucasians are roughly equivalent, black Americans are four times as likely as whites to be arrested for marijuana possession. Although medical marijuana is now legal in a majority of U.S. States, a cannabis conviction can follow a person around for a lifetime. Many people are still in prison, serving time for nonviolent marijuana-related crimes in states where cannabis is now legal.
The Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit organization focused on freeing Americans who have been imprisoned for victimless marijuana-related crimes. The organization provides resources and support for those convicted of cannabis-related offenses, working towards clemency, fighting for criminal record expungement, and assisting with workforce re-entry.
Supernova Women
Supernova Women is an organization founded by and for women of color, with the goal of empowering women of color to become “self sufficient shareholders in the evolving cannabis economy.” Their focus is on fostering community empowerment through holistic education, as well as advocacy training and skills acquisition. The organization also fosters a safe space for difficult conversations and seeks to amplify the messages of their constituents on a local, state, and national level.
Nuproject
Nuproject is making a difference by offering education, connections, and capital within the cannabis industry for members of the black and brown communities disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs.
They have awarded more than a million dollars in grants to people of color. The stories of businesses they have funded are inspiring, and include many successful entrepreneurs with previous cannabis arrests who are now thriving business owners in the marijuana field.
In Missouri, more than 5,000 jobs have been created in the cannabis field. More than 160,000 state cannabis patients are discovering relief for the hundreds of medical conditions that can be treated with marijuana. The revenue that is being generated across the nation as legalization efforts continue to succeed is creating a business boom. It’s time that the racial disparity in the business sector is addressed. We’re grateful for organizations like those listed above, who are making a difference.
Don’t wait. Relief is available.
If you’re ready for the natural relief that cannabis provides, all you need is a Missouri medical marijuana card. If you don’t have your card yet, we’re here to help. Our medical staff is standing by to take you through a quick and easy evaluation to see if you qualify. Schedule an appointment with a medical marijuana professional online by CLICKING HERE, or give us a call at (877) 303-3117 to talk to a patient support representative.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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