High Priority

With a little water, care and hard work, the cannabis industry continues to grow in the Garden State. New Jersey's thriving medical market coupled with the launch of adult-use sales is expected to generate $1.6 billion by 2025. As the state's marketplace continues to evolve, innovators continue to explore new ways in which they can service consumers in the area. In this episode, Tiyahnn Bryant, founder of RollUpLife Inc., about his journey into the cannabis industry, hosting expungement clinics in his hometown and his company's strategic approach to the adult-use market in New Jersey.

It is not often that a successful corporate healthcare and merger acquisitions attorney transitions into the cannabis industry. In this week’s episode, we talk to Laury Lucien, co-founder of Major Bloom, about her career journey, Major Bloom’s unique business model and the challenges she faces as an entrepreneur of color. Additionally, Lucien offers insight into her educational platform, Legally Great Academy, and addresses some of the systemic inequities that exist within the cannabis industry in Massachusetts.

In recent years, mainstream media outlets have become more receptive to cannabis stories, but for writers like Mehka King, this moment in time reflects a distinct need for publications dedicated to elevating BIPOC cannabis experiences. In this episode, we speak to the founder of CashColorCannabis about the significance of launching in Atlanta before cannabis was even legalized and how he hopes to leverage the multimedia platform to educate all industry stakeholders about the lingering socioeconomic disparities created by the War on Drugs while celebrating the indelible value Black and minority founders bring to the emerging sector.

Creating a more equitable cannabis industry has already taken form in numerous campaigns and initiatives –but what does it mean to codify these values as a full-fledged corporate social responsibility (CSR) program? In this episode, we speak to Curaleaf’s SVP of CSR, Khadijah Tribble, about her approach to developing and launching the first CSR program for a multi-state operator. Khadijah discusses the importance of establishing intentional guiding principles, identifying opportunities to enhance DEI across the supply chain, and tailoring KPIs to specific markets and communities. Khadijah also shares her long-term vision for how social equity initiatives will expand and evolve in the near future.

Cannabis has been a part of Asian healing traditions dating back to 2900 BCE –so why is the plant so stigmatized within Asian cultures today? In this episode, we speak to Ophelia Chong, founder of Asian Americans for Cannabis Education, about how the War on Drugs was able to gain a foothold throughout Asia, the most impactful ways to discuss cannabis with family members, and the importance of AAPI representation and visibility in this evolving industry.

With the U.S. cannabis industry inching closer to federal legalization each year, more companies than ever are entering the fold. Considering the steady influx of new businesses in this increasingly saturated market, how can new and established cannabis brands ensure that their name and intellectual property are protected from competitors and copycats? In this episode, we speak to cannabis lawyer and advocate Jessica Gonzalez about the measures small businesses can take to safeguard their brands even when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is not engaging with plant-touching entities. Additionally, Jessica will also discuss the state of New Jersey’s adult-use rollout and how industry stakeholders can make the local market more equitable and accessible for business owners and consumers.

While the cannabis industry continues to grow and evolve, the impact of the War on Drugs lingers on. Thousands of people remain incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis-related offenses with little to no legal support. Furthermore, those who are able to secure their release often struggle to gain employment or find other necessary resources upon their reentry into the outside world. In this episode, we talk to Philadelphia Lawyers For Social Equity Executive Director Renee Chenault Fattah and Green Thumb Industries (GTI) Director Jai Kensey about restorative justice and their ongoing effort to assist those who wish to have their marijuana-related cases reach the Pennsylvania Board Of Pardons.

Washington, D.C. is home to many of the nation's most prominent lawmakers and policy discussions about the federal legalization of cannabis. However, the nation's capital is not often thought of as a hub for cannabis innovation and business. Fortunately, there are advocates, entrepreneurs and policymakers working tirelessly to reshape the way in which the city's cannabis culture is perceived. In this episode, we speak to Caroline Phillips, founder of the National Cannabis Festival, about addressing systemic inequities within the industry, engaging with lawmakers to sustain the recent momentum around federal cannabis reform and the future of the National Cannabis Festival.

Over the past two years, social equity programs have become noticeably commonplace in all sectors of the cannabis industry. While committing time, capital and resources to addressing the lasting consequences of the War on Drugs is a necessary first step, the onus is now on industry stakeholders to tangibly deliver on their promises. In this episode, we speak to Marijuana Matters Executive Director Courtney Davis about the importance of developing social equity programs around lived experiences and the entire industry ecosystem. Courtney also examines what measures companies can take to set attainable goals and deliver social equity outcomes.

Legacy operators defined cannabis culture throughout the decades-long War on Drugs. Now, these businesses have a unique opportunity to proudly own their history and grow their brands in plain sight as more states create a pathway for legacy businesses to participate in the regulated space. In this episode, we speak to Vladimir Bautista, the co-founder and CEO of Happy Munkey, one of New York’s most prominent legacy operators. Vladimir discusses the most valuable insights and skills legacy businesses have over regulated operators, his vision for Happy Munkey in New York’s forthcoming adult-use market and how he hopes to usher in the next cannabis revolution on the East Coast and beyond.