CANNABIS GIVES BACK

We’ve already seen all the good that cannabis can do. From providing medical relief and safe recreation to generating tax revenue thanks to astronomical sales, more and more people all the time are starting to come around to the idea that cannabis is a good thing that can do good for the community. But in addition to all of this, there are many programs within the cannabis industry that go a step further, intentionally using products and profits to make the world, or at least the local community, a better place. Here are a few ways that cannabis is giving back and helping contribute to positive change.

Environmental Stewardship

The double meaning of “going green” that makes cannabis consumers chuckle is more than just a clever pun. The industry has been seeking ways to be more environmentally sustainable when it comes to things like growing large amounts of cannabis and extracting oil. The recent Cannabis Sustainability Summit in Colorado brought leaders in the industry together from across the country to talk about how to make the green more green. Also, an initiative in legal states has many local dispensaries sponsoring highways in order to keep them clean and litter-free.

Helping Underserved and Marginalized Communities

In addition to helping out the environment, many cannabis businesses go out of their way to serve communities that otherwise would be passed over. Good Chemistry, a dispensary with production facilities in Colorado and Nevada, participates in many LGBTQ-friendly events because they hit close to home.

“I became involved in the medical marijuana industry when my father and my father’s partner were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS,” stated Matthew Huron, Founder and CEO of Good Chemistry. “In 1996, when medical marijuana became available in California, I saw firsthand the symptomatic relief patients experienced from this alternative medical treatment. In 2000, I began growing medical marijuana for AIDS patients throughout the state, founding and operating a nonprofit medical marijuana co-op.”

Now as a Denver-based dispensary, Huron makes sure to participate in the AIDS walk and One Colorado’s Ally Awards, in order to actively help the LGBTQ community. Additionally, Good Chemistry supports Urban Nights, a fashion show that benefits the homeless youth of Colorado, and many other organizations.

“To be an industry that is not only accepted but also valued, we must extend our support to other communities and causes,” explains Huron. “We must continue to fight for other underserved communities. Good Chemistry Nurseries would not exist without the support and advocacy of others, and we prioritize giving back.”

Getting Underprivileged Patients Education and Access to Medicine

Another great way for the cannabis community to help support those in need is for organizations to provide medical cannabis to those who don’t know about it as an option or can’t afford it themselves. Missouri’s NORML is currently spearheading Project 22, an initiative that combines efforts between Saint Louis, Kansas City and Denver’s NORML organizations. NORML is currently collecting funds to educate local leaders by taking them on trips to Denver so that they can witness what legalization is actually like first hand. Additionally, they are raising money through Kickstarter and other means in order to purchase cannabis for veterans that suffer from PTSD.

Feeding the Hungry

Last but not least, Denver NORML is currently raising money to contribute to the Denver Rescue Mission, which will be buying Thanksgiving meals for the homeless. They also plan to collect cans during the Holiday season that they will turn over to the Rocky Mountain Food Bank. Simple charity initiatives like this can be done without much money, yet still prove that cannabis enthusiasts are the first in line to lend a helping hand. This Thanksgiving season, it seems that more organizations than ever are stepping up to the task of giving back.