With the rising legal status of cannabis worldwide, there has been an evolution in how weed is sold, marketed, and celebrated. A major change in the industry in the past couple of years has been the rise and rise of strong women’s voices.
There is no denying that men largely dominate the cannabis industry, but things seem to be taking a turn now. Women are not only leading from the front in the field but also showing the path for other females to follow suit.
Today, we have women working in varied fractions of the cannabis industry like making weed gummies and cannabis skincare industry, heading weed magazines, and whipping up delicious goodies.
And, on that note, let’s meet the eight most influential women in the world of cannabis.
Raquel Peyraube
Dr. Raquel Peyraube, a doctor and a specialist in drug abuse is changing how the world views the impact of cannabis.
Like many others, Dr. Peyraube grew up being skeptical about the use of weed. But, it wasn’t long before she started seeing the medicinal potential of the herb. She outlines the fact that cannabis, when used safely, can work wonders for many users.
Dr. Peyraube is presently a member of the IACM (International Association of Cannabinoid Medicines). She works to spread cannabis education across the world through information on drug use.
Anja Charbonneau
Anja Charbonneau has recently launched the weed magazine ‘Broccoli’ (a colloquial term for weed) in Portland, Oregon. Broccoli proclaims that it’s a magazine that is made for and by women who love weed.
Charbonneau claims to have come across the idea by noticing the stacks of free magazines found in the dispensaries. She noticed that all of these magazines were by and for men. Thus, she wanted to be a woman voice in this sector of the industry.
Broccoli has become a way for women to have a conversation about this really important part of their lives.
Andrea Drummer
Andrea Drummer was interested in cooking with cannabis rather accidentally when a friend requested her to make some brownies with leftover cannabis. It exposed her to the wonderful world of cannabis dishes.
Soon, she started the cannabis catering company, Elevation VIP Cooperative, with her friend. What followed was a call to cook using weed for the Netflix documentary series ‘Chelsea Does.’ And, there was no looking back after that. The drummer also uses cannabis for the treatment of her sciatica issue.
If you are interested in cannabis cooking too, get your hands on Drummer’s book ‘Cannabis Cuisine.’
Janice Buu
The founder of the popular Kana Skincare, Janice Buu, originally worked as a child behavioral therapist.
She started appreciating the benefits of cannabis after seeing the amazing results experienced by a mother on giving her daughter cannabis drops before Buu’s sessions. This incident made her try cannabis drops on her ailing father, too, with similarly remarkable results.
It prompted her to explore the potential of cannabis even further. Finally, Kana Skincare was launched in 2017, which combines CBD with Korean and Chinese skincare remedies. Her company has a range of face oils, masks, and serums available at present.
Chanda Macias
The contribution of Chanda Macias is undeniable. She currently holds the position of CEO at Women Grow. It is the largest network of cannabis professionals in Canada and the US.
‘Women Grow’ connects the leaders from varied areas of the industry. The organization aims to start more than a thousand women-owned cannabis businesses.
Macias is also the CEO of National Holistic, which is a hemp and cannabis healthcare company. The company aims to guide individuals towards the kind of cannabis that is the best fit for their health issues or conditions.
Rosie Mattio
Rosie Mattio is the name credited to have brought the spotlight on many cannabis businesses operating in the US. When the cannabis market was gradually showing signs of growth back in the 2000s, Mattio anticipated the increasing need to market the upcoming businesses.
It led to her founding the currently well-reputed PR firm in Seattle named Mattio Communications. Ever since its inception, it has served some of the top names in the cannabis industry.
Besides, it is truly commendable how the marketing efforts of Mattio has turned the tables for many small-time cannabis businesses.
Lezli Engelking
Lezli Engelking has established the Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards. It is an organization that focuses on addressing the shortcomings in consistency, safety, and quality of cannabis products.
Engelking holds several feathers on her cap. She was the executive director of the first dispensary for medical marijuana in Phoenix for two years. Her knowledge about the manufacturing and sales practices stems from years of working as a sales rep for top pharma companies.
Her quest to work with medical cannabis started after witnessing her possibilities in changing lives and improving health conditions.
The Bottom Line
The tireless efforts of these powerhouse women have immensely contributed to removing the stigma associated with cannabis. Nowadays, you can see more women keen on joining the industry, regardless of their age than the scenario even five years back.
So, let’s come together to laud the inspirational women’s hard work in the weed industry and wish them more success in going forward.
Ref:
https://internationalcbc.com/the-iacm-pushes-the-medical-conversation-globally/
https://www.vogue.com/article/broccoli-magazine-women-cannabis-culture
https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/blog-8-of-the-most-influential-women-in-the-cannabis-industry-n973
https://www.marieclaire.com/career-advice/a27047263/cbd-industry-female-leaders/
