The cannabis industry is growing fast. But Black representation in the industry is a slow creep.
Perhaps my suburban upbringing as allowed me to adapt to being one of but a few Black faces in a room. But it still feels lonely as all hell when you don’t see people who look like you in a space you want to call home.
I’m a Black female medical cannabis patient in Maryland since December 2018 and freelance cannabis marketing writer circa August 2018.
My direct experience with dispensaries has solidified a truth.
Cannabis needs more Black people. Because here’s the current condition.
My Black legal medical cannabis patient perspective
Seeing Black employees in a dispensary is one of the first signs I look for that I’m welcomed in that space.
I officially became a medical cannabis patient on December 14, 2018, so at the time of this writing it’s been about 30 days since approval. I’ve been to 6 different dispensaries: Pure Life Wellness, Nature’s Medicines, The Botanist, Trilogy Wellness, Peake Releaf and KIP.
Pure Life Wellness had no Black staff I’ve seen after two visits. The staff were relatively friendly, but I had to find comfort in the other Black patients.
I had fun and felt mostly at-home during my first visit at Nature’s Medicines, but I only saw one racially ambiguous woman of color there.
Trilogy and Peake Releaf provided my most positive experiences with how welcoming they are and the great deals they offer. Trilogy could stand to have some Black women on deck.
They have a healthy blend of Blackness on the floor and I feel like I’m with family when I chop it up with their budtenders.
KIP was overflowing with Black employees during their open house and they gave me the warmest vibes… Despite my initial encounter with them as a freelancer. More on that later.
The Botanist is out-of-place despite existing in a Black neighborhood and shopping center. They rarely offer significant deals and there’s rarely anything special about their stock. Plus, they dropped their best budtender, a Black woman who made their shop personal and exceptional.
As a patient, I want to feel that dispensaries are prioritizing my needs and comfort. And lacking diverse staff takes away from that.
Even more so when there’s a lack Blacks in management.
Engaging with the cannabis industry as a Black freelancer
It’s great to have front-facing Black staff to make patients feel at ease. But if you’re working in the cannabis industry, it matters even more to see people like you in positions of power.
And I have run into little with dispensaries.
As a freelance writer, my money comes from finding prospective clients and initiating contact for possible partnerships. The number of Black cannabiz owners is growing, but I don’t see many Black marketing managers or publication editors.
I am predominantly reaching out to White people for work.
And I barely see other Black freelancers in cannabis to connect with.
This was especially jarring when I met with KIP last year and the only Black person I spoke to was the receptionist. It was extra off-putting since the management-level White employees I spoke with weren’t from the area.
Take action
We need more of us in cannabis. We need more Black folk in management roles in dispensaries.
We need more Black folk who own dispensaries. We need more Black entrepreneurs to take the leap into this space.
There’s a world of opportunity in cannabis–it qualifies as a (very small) form of reparations. Namely since this industry was built off of our community going to prison and rotting for a plant.
Let’s force dispensaries to diversify and get the bag by making our own businesses.
Because we belong here. And our time, money and need for healing must be respected.
Alaina Dorsey is a freelance writer, specializing in cannabis. Based out of Baltimore Marlyand. She’s contibuted to Leafly, Pure CBD Vapors, Pure CBD Vapors & more.