6 minute read
Cannabis Pride - Celebrating the Diveristy Cannabis Community
Cann
Cann is a proudly queer-owned company. If you haven’t yet heard, there is a huge market now for cannabis infused drinks that will ultimately, they hope, replace alcohol. Or at least lower alcohol consumption. The Cann company sells microdose cannabis beverages or, as they put it, “we spike our seltzer with weed and it's actually delicious. F*ck hangovers and texts to your ex.” The typical can of Cann is made with 2mg THC and 4 mg CBD, this dosage is meant to be low as to not over power the drinker and they can have more than one every hour. Cann does sell more and less potent dosages, it’s all up to you to choose which you’d want. Cann is also well known for their Pride campaigns, they have donated to LGBTQ+ causes for many years now.
Sway
SWAY is Illinois’ first all-minority, LGBTQ, and veteran-owned dispensary and it’s located on Chicago’s Northside. According to CBS News Chicago, the dispensary “is a collaboration between Edie Moore, a Black veteran who has fought for equity in the state's legal marijuana industry, and LGBTQ civil rights leaders and entrepreneurs Art Johnston and José "Pepe" Peña.” Art and José have been in love since 1973 and have been passionate about representing the LGBTQ+ community for just as long. SWAY’s vision is to build inclusive areas for the queer community and calls itself a “come-as-you-are, come-as-you’ve-always-wanted-to-be kind of place.” So if you’re in the Chicago area, stop by! I’m sure you’ll be welcomed.
“Embrace your true colors and let your pride grow as freely as the cannabis plant. This Pride Month, celebrate diversity, equality, and the freedom to be yourself in every aspect of life.”
Ventoso farms
This cannabis company technically began in the 1980s when its founder Linnet Lockhart moved to Mendocino County in the Emerald Triangle to grow cannabis. She was one of the first queer women in the area which is what inspired the Ventoso Farms tagline, “queer to table.” Their cannabis is sungrown in small, holistic grows which is not common nowadays. Lockhart recalls growing her business as the legality of cannabis changed, stating, “honestly, coming out as bisexual was easier than coming out as a cannabis farmer.” But she loves what she does! One of the reasons she loves her farm is that she gets to work with her partner, Alex. In fact, Alex is the one who taught her how to grow cannabis better. Their love grows with the Ventoso cannabis they sell. If you’re ever in the Northern California area, look for some of her cannabis! It’s said to be pretty good!
Stone Road
Stone Road is a company that understands Pride is not just something we celebrate in June but should be celebrated all year long. This LGBTQ+ owned business is based in California and has “only half an acre worth of greenhouses on a rural 57-acre spread, the land remains 99% wild and untamed.” They source their water from a 460-feet-deep artesian well that stays at an ideal pH level for watering cannabis. Everything on their farm uses the Earth’s gifts to their advantage while still respecting nature and sustainability. Stone Road even does farm tours, if you’re ever in the area! The company has a beautiful quote on it’s website, “Cannabis is nature’s best unifier, bringing together people from every place, background, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religion.” Lastly, Stone Road has a wide array of products, from joints to infused pre rolls to concentrates to ounces, there is something for everyone. Their products are available in California, Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Missouri.
Landrace Origins Goods + Supply
If you’re a coffee drinker, and I hear the LGBTQ+ community loves it iced, Landrace Origins is the brand for you! This queer-owned and minority-owned company makes infused coffee that people have raved about. The coffee and the flowers they sell grow side by side! Cannabis plants and coffee plants like similar climates and care. Due to them growing together, they pair so well it’s almost criminal. Developed by Amber Senter and MAKR House, the coffee and cannabis are grown ethically and with high quality. Senter is the owner of Landrace Origins and at the time of its development companies run by queer or BIPOC peoples were, and are, few and far between. “We’re heavily under attack,” she says, “being Black and queer. This is my advocacy, through my products—making sure that I’m creating space for my people in my community. It’s very important to vote with your dollar. Make sure you buy from people that resonate with you.” Landrace Origins Goods + Supply is available all over the country, check their website for a store near you!
Farnsworth Fine Cannabis
Not only is Farnsworth Fine Cannabis an LGBTQ+ owned and led business in Massachusetts, they also have a Queer Cannabis Club! If you’re wondering what kind of dispensary this is, here is a little hint. “At Farnsworth, we put this magical little plant on a pedestal. Consider us a museum for marijuana, a palace for pot, a chapel for cannabis. After centuries of stigma, it is our mission to give cannabis the setting that it deserves,” they reported. People who have gone to Farnsworth have said it’s one of the most stylish dispensaries in the United States. However, one of their coolest draws is the Queer Cannabis Club! This club is “a consortium of LGTBQ+ owned and operated businesses in the cannabis industry.” Their goals are to create a strong queer community in cannabis, as it is lacking, and to bring together anyone who seeks to “expand the human consciousness.” While Farnsworth is the founder of the Queer Cannabis Club, they are in partnership with Cann and A Different Leaf (A Journal of Cannabis Culture.) If I’m ever in the Northeast, I’m going to visit Farnsworth!
