Afro American people have been almost completely shut out of the Green Rush—but not for much longer. Weve talked to Black entrepreneurs making movies in the marijuana business on how they got started, bias in the industry.
With all the decriminalization of weed gaining more and more traction—medical marijuana is now legal in 28 states (and Washington, D.C.), and recreational use is now legal in eight states—there’s been a wave of entrepreneurs running up new streams of income in the marijuana business. But it’s mostly whites who are making a profit from this “green rush.”
According to an investigative reports only 1% (fewer than three dozen) of the 3,200 to 3,600 marijuana dispensaries in America are black-owned. Outside of the celebrity-endorsed bud brands, there are just a few of everyday black folk who have been successful in starting up a cannabis company of their own or attaining leadership positions for existing weed businesses. Getting into this emerging market hasn’t proven easy for many black entrepreneurs, who often face financial and racial challenges that their white counterparts don’t.
Despite the roadblocks, black weed entrepreneurs still have a chance into the industry. Programs such as the National Minority Business Council and National Cannabis Industry Association are focused on getting more people of color in on the action stay tuned!
