// MEDIA+ENTERTAINMENT //
Women+Weed Insights From the Female Comedians Reclaiming Cannabis By Taylor McLamb It’s no joke that women love cannabis. In fact, according to the cannabis data analytics firm Headset, Gen Z women had the fastest growth in legal cannabis year-over-year sales during the pandemic. However, the majority of cannabis consumers still lean heavily male. How much of that is because of the negative stigma still attached to women smoking cannabis?
Iman Richardson
From television to movies to stand-up comedy, cannabis has long been associated with men. The bros had their Cheech and Chong, their Dazed and Confused, and every single Judd Apatow movie, but what did women have? It’s no surprise then that women are afraid to admit their cannabis use. In a poll created by cannabis lifestyle brand Van der Pop, 66% of the 1,530 women interviewed admitted that they hid their cannabis consumption for fear of being judged.
New York actress and comedian, regular performer at the famed Upright Citizens Brigade. Richardson has performed on shows like Crashing on HBO, Frank & Lamar on IFC, and High Herstory. Richardson describes herself as a very physical actress and a former dancer.
Thankfully, in the last few years, there have been fantastic women creators and comedians showcasing relatable female-oriented cannabis content to reduce the stigma. Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson released their groundbreaking comedy Broad City, which was a breath of fresh air, depicting what for many women was an authentic, relatable relationship with cannabis. Recently, the comedic television series High Herstory focuses on female-identifying individuals reenacting the stories of historical women — all while high.
C&T Today: How does cannabis play a role in your creative process, particularly when writing comedy?
Representation on screen and in the media matters, and we’re excited to highlight some trailblazing women who are making an impact in the comedy scene. Cannabis is empowering, it’s healing, and most of all, it’s feminist. After all, only female cannabis plants can produce buds.
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Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2021
“When creating comedy, cannabis allows the doubt to go away for me. I naturally over think too much, but the plant holds space for me to listen to my inner voice and my inner experience, and I think that’s where the [laughs] come from. I go into this cosmic portal after a few hits and then the thoughts, ideas, and jokes start flowing. Like a lot. Like pouring out of the synapses in my brain.”
