The Truth About Women in Weed
The Truth About Women in Weed
News, trends & events of note.
Broccoli Report
Monday, March 14, 2022
Time to read: 4 minutes, 34 seconds. Contains 916 words.
Good morning!
Our second installment of the Lonely Entrepreneurial Hearts Board is shaping up to be another fantastic opportunity for business connections–thank you to all the readers who have submitted posts! If you’re a brand or freelancer with a particular need or client in mind and you’d like to be included, email a brief description of your dream connect to yoshikolauren@gmail.com by 5:00 p.m. PST today, March 14, with “Lonely Hearts” in the subject line. And if your post was published last time, please sit this one out so we can make space for new people.
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One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance
As celebratory “Women in Weed” posts make the rounds on social media, recent industry stats illustrate a far less festive reality for women working in—and reporting on—the cannabis biz. Workweek dug into the alarming numbers. In 2019, 36.8% of women held senior positions; in 2021, that percentage declined to 22.1%—that’s below the (abysmal) 29.8% national average for women in executive roles across all industries. Another sobering figure: Of the 1,500+ women surveyed for one of the studies cited, 31% reported being sexually harassed in the cannabis space.
Jackie Bryant’s latest Cannabitch newsletter got real about the harassment Bryant has faced as a woman covering the cannabis space, describing multiple instances of on- and offline harassment, attempted bribery, and trolling from unhappy brands and publicists. She points out that her partner—a fellow journalist “who often takes cops, politicians, and others to task for doing bad things … has never experienced a shred of the harassment I have.” Experiences like these are probably far from surprising to female-identifying BR subscribers, and they are a reminder not to be distracted (or deluded) by this month’s barrage of aesthetically pleasing “Women in Weed” highlights and profiles. Everyone in the cannabis industry—everyone!—needs to keep pushing for pay equity, career mobility, and harassment-free workplaces for all.
The Biden administration updated their employee conduct guidelines, noting that investment in companies involved in cannabis “may negatively impact eligibility for employment” with the dramatic, all-caps statement that “NOT KNOWING IS NOT AN EXCUSE.” At first glance, this seems in line with the White House’s traditionally hostile attitude toward the cannabis-inclined. However, this may be a precautionary measure to avoid conflicts of interest if cannabis is descheduled and legalized, similar to Congress’s current debate over the ethics of legislators trading stocks.
In New York, a nonprofit cannabis business association launched to support aspiring adult-use licensees coming from the Latino community. The Latino Cannabis Association aims to develop and advocate for legislation, regulations, and government programs to “improve the environment, protect natural resources, and stimulate the New York economy.” It also plans to conduct research and publicize the positions of organizations and individuals concerning these issues.
This year’s Emerald Cup launched an interesting new flower classification system developed by testing partners, leading experts, scientists, and previous judges. Entries will be divided into six categories based on dominant terpenes, cannabinoid content, and strain lineage: Jacks + Haze, Tropical + Floral, OGs + Gas, Sweets + Dreams, Dessert, and Exotics. While I have mixed feelings around the term “exotics,” the event chose these “main class names” to reflect the current consumer vocabulary. I applaud them for trying to meet people where they are, but I think we could do some workshopping. Still, listening to consumers is an encouraging step toward a more accurate weed vernacular.
Are you a Michigan-based brand looking to get in front of a female audience or a Detroit local looking to get involved in the weed scene? Limone is partnering with Loud Social on a Detroit event for women in or interested in cannabis called Femme de Folia. It’s happening April 9th and10th, and you can RSVP here. Brands can email ciao@limonecreative.co to learn about the panel discussions, activations, sponsorship, and job opportunities.
If you were waiting for Kosher-certified live resin, Mazel Tov Farms has your back. The California cannabis brand worked with Rabbi Yaakov Cohen at Whole Kosher Services to get a seal of certification for its 4g jars of flower and .55g vape cartridges.
The NY-based, weed-friendly running club Rage & Release is planning a special Spring Solstice meetup on Sunday, March 20. The usual (optional) 4.20-mile run will be followed by breathwork exercises, a Cosmic Church sound meditation, tasty “elixirs” from Caribbean restaurant Pimento, and high supplies for those inclined.
On Saturday, March 26, Chicago boutique Canna Bella Lux is hosting a Paint + Puff sesh. Attendees will receive a swag bag, refreshments, CBD smokables, and art supplies for a 12x12 “cannabis + self care” inspired painting.
Just wanted you all to know that hemp jorts officially exist.
Next time you get bummed out by the regulatory limitations on branding and packaging, take a toke and peruse these shots of Theodore Musa’s second drop of concept packaging. Nintendo Gameboy-inspired flower packages are wishful thinking, but damn—wouldn’t that be fun? In the IG carousel, the artists shared this statement on the collection: “Nostalgia, as well as THC, stimulate the brain reward system, releasing dopamine, creating a seamless compatibility between season two’s designs and cannabis users.”
Dreaming about a weed plant Tamagotchi,
Lauren Yoshiko