Because you should get high on Black folks' supply
A growing number of social justice-minded business founders, funders, and activists are working to make the green rush a little Blacker from the top down. You can do your part too, supporting racial equity from the bottom up, by buying your CBD and cannabis-adjacent products from Black retailers. Here's a list to get you started.
With hemp-derived CBD legal on the federal level, and many states updating their laws to allow for more access, CBD is now legal (albeit with some restrictions) in more than than 90% of the US.
And the market has responded. More and more, we’re seeing CBD gummies, oils, and other products not only in dispensaries, but in drug stores, gas stations, cafes, and boutiques. US sales of cannabis are projected to reach $80 billion by 2030, and lots of entrepreneurs are looking to get into the CBD business.
Related: The Best CBD Products for Wellness
The vast majority of those entrepreneurs are white. That’s not surprising, given that CBD businesses--like any other business venture--need capital, and that, as of 2018, only 3 percent of venture capital firms were Black. On top of that, there’s the legacy of America’s decades-long War on Weed, which targeted and harshly punished Black marijuana users and communities. If you’ve got a prior conviction for a drug-related felony, even if it’s something as innocuous as possession of a single joint, you’re barred from working in weed. The fact that Blacks are 3.43 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than whites is one of the reasons that less than 5 percent of all cannabis businesses are owned or founded by Black people. And that doesn’t even take into account that there are still huge numbers of Black people behind bars for selling pot, doing time for something that wouldn’t even get them arrested today.
That’s why a growing number of social justice-minded business founders, funders, and activists are working to make the green rush a little Blacker from the top down. You can do your part too, supporting racial equity from the bottom up, by buying your CBD and cannabis-adjacent products from Black retailers.
Here’s a list of Black-owned cannabis accessory and CBD sellers, so you can do a good thing and get high on Black folks’ supply.
Jane Parade is a lifestyle brand and shop out of Brooklyn. Designed for women who smoke, their apparel and accessories are minimalist and stylish, and geared towards the aesthetically inclined cannabis user. Or, like their website says, "for women who love Mary Jane."
Our Pick: The Romance Sweatshirt
Who doesn’t love a pun? Just the Tip (JTT) sells a variety of hand-blown glass joint holders that can be worn as necklaces, but are also sturdy enough to be tucked into a pocket. Their motto is “Share fashionably share responsibly!” and their joint holders follow through. With the sensible stoner in mind, JTT’s products allow you to avoid a moist end and burnt fingers--and the most dedicated can smoke with their friends during flu season.
Our Pick: Twilight Pink Chill Stone | Blue Bliss Logo
With a collection of handmade hemp and CBD skin care products, woman-led Kush and Cute company has everything from skin care products to silicone ice-cream cone pipes. With a mission of inclusivity and de-stigmatization, Kush and Cute founder Iyana Edouard wants to encourage people to use cannabis in their daily self-care routines.
Our Pick: High Healthy Skin Daily Glow Toner
Founded by Wanda James and her husband, Simply Pure is the first Black-owned dispensary in Denver, CO. James’s brother was arrested on felony marijuana charges when he was a teen, and James and her husband went into the CBD business to change how people think about Black people and weed. They sell 100% organic, vegan and gluten-free edibles, hemp flower, and concentrates. If you can’t make it to Denver, their online catalog has the essentials.
Our pick: CBD salve
After becoming dissatisfied with the available CBD options on the market, Cory Holmes founded Holmes organics with quality cannabinoid products in mind. His mission is to help people cope with stress and chronic pain without breaking the bank. The inventory is mostly creams, salves, and tinctures aimed at physical wellness and relief. You can get a free CBD softgel sample with every purchase in the Holmes Organics online store, so see for yourself!
Our Pick: CBD Cream
The founder of Undefined Beauty, Dorian Morris, has an impressive resume, having held held senior executive roles with companies like Kendo, CoverGirl, and Madame CJ Walker for Sephora. The brand is elevated yet affordable, embracing Morris’s values of sustainability and social impact. Morris has worked with formerly incarcerated women to create a line of CBD skin care products called Indigo Rose that are non-toxic, vegan, and sustainably-sourced.
Our Pick: Glow Booster CBD Exfoliating Gel
Buena Botanicals is a cannabis lifestyle brand founded by Afro-Latina twin sisters with a passion for holistic healing and community. The hemp used to make their CBD is certified organic, hand-harvested, eco-responsible, and ethically grown. Buena Botanicals has a variety of luxurious self-care items like CBD infused bath bombs and coconut oil--they also have a cookbook!
Our Pick: Pomegranate Currant CBD Bath Truffle
Total Peace & Wellness is a black-owned CBD store in Pittsburgh, PA. Founders Ronda Broadway and Carlos Smith have curated a vast selection of CBD products that include tinctures, skincare, cookies, tea, oils for your pet, and more. On a mission to educate their community about CBD, Total Peace & Wellness’s brick-and-mortar store provides education and informational guides to its customers, and their website has a blog to access additional information.
Our Pick: Hazlenut Creme Coffee
Chef Paul Booker has created a line of hot sauces infused with full-spectrum CBD. A former D1 collegiate athlete, Booker became aware of the benefits of CBD when looking for relief from the injuries and aches of his athletic career. With three different flavors on the menu, Satan’s Breath CBD Hot Sauce uses Carolina Reaper peppers--the hottest peppers in the world--so be prepared to feel the heat as well as the more relaxing effects of CBD.
Our Pick: Satan’s Breath CBD Hot Sauce
Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, UNOIA (pronounced u-noy-uh) means beautiful thinking. A CBD infused honey and agave company, their main products are honey and agave straws, but they also sell bottles and limited apparel. Founders and self-identified cannabis nerds Brande Elise and Danielle Gray landed on honey and agave as their core product because it eliminated the harshness of smoking and was something people already used in their everyday lives. If you can’t choose, try their sampler pack to pick your favorite.
Our Pick: 15mg CBD Honey 2-Pack
RoyalCanna offers premium hemp flower and CBD-infused products. The breakout star of their catalog is their gummies selection, with multiple flavors of bears, worms, rings, and ribbons. On a mission to provide high quality CBD products at reasonable prices, you can stock up without breaking the bank.
Our pick: CBD Peach Rings
Couple your smoke session with your yoga practice! California-based Minelli Eustàcio-Costa has been teaching yoga since 2015. She has created a series of “cannabis-infused” classes that focus on the benefits of cannabis-enhanced yoga. Minelli’s classes have an emphasis on non-judgement and positivity, so beginners shouldn’t be shy. And don’t worry; if you’re not on the west coast, she also has free online classes!
Our pick: Yoga to Loosen Tight Hamstrings
Panty Dropper’s goal is just what it sounds like. It is a CBD serum for her, him and them, blended with herbs to promote increased blood flow and sensitivity for wherever you’d like to put it. With a simple and to-the-point catalog, Panty Dropper sticks to the basics with their signature serum as well as a travel pack. They also hold workshops for those in the Houston, TX area.
Our Pick: Panty Dropper Serum
Terri is a writer, researcher, and program coordinator for the US's first academic trivia league for HBCUs. She lives and works in New Orleans, with her partner, their 3 kids, and an ever-growing book collection.
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