How the Cannabis Industry Shows Pride

In many countries, June is Pride Month. The holiday, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, commemorates the birth of the pride movement in 1969. The cannabis industry has always strongly supported pride; according to USA Today, Within the cannabis industry, 14 percent of employees identify themselves as members of the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting a significant level of inclusion and diversity within the workforce. Cannabis dispensaries can nurture a more authentic collaboration with the queer community, and in so doing, broaden their customer base.

Some cannabis companies celebrate Pride Month with special promotions including the LGBTQ+ community, while others highlight cannabis brands owned by members of the LGTBQ community.

Historical Links Between the LGBTQ+ and Cannabis Communities

The cannabis and LGBTQ+ communities have a longstanding interconnected past. An individual from the LGBTQ+ community played a crucial role in advancing the legalization of medical marijuana. Dennis Peron, a resident of a communal setting in San Francisco, acknowledged the necessity of medicinal cannabis upon witnessing the profound relief it brought to patients during a challenging health crisis. The therapeutic application of marijuana alleviated various symptoms experienced by individuals affected by a condition related to severe weight loss, among other issues, during that time.

Love is Love sign with rainbow

 

How the Dream of Medical Marijuana Became a Reality

Realizing that access to medical cannabis was a civil rights issue, Dennis Peron became one of the first openly gay medical marijuana activist. He helped to found the first public cannabis buyers club, and was instrumental in bringing about the passing of Proposition P, which legalized cannabis in his home city.

Eventually, he would co-write another proposition that would successfully implement a medical cannabis program in the entire state of California. This was a massive step forward for the cannabis community.

A Recipe for Health

A debt of gratitude is owed to Dennis Peron with his efforts regarding cannabis reforms. His efforts eventually had a wide reach beyond medicinal use. If you’ve ever enjoyed cannabis-infused brownies or a THC-infused cookie or beverage, you might thank Peron and his friend Mary Jane Rathbun (“Brownie Mary”), who co-published an early cannabis cookbook entitled Brownie Mary’s Marijuana Cookbook and Dennis Peron’s Recipe for Social Change.

Magically Delicious Medicine

While working as an IHOP server, Brownie Mary concocted her legendary “magically delicious” brownies. (Unfortunately, she neglected to include this recipe in her famous cookbook.) She would feed them to chemotherapy patients who were having difficulty eating.

From the beginning, Rathbun seemed destined for cannabis legalization activism; Mary Jane was her actual real name.

Appealing to the LGBTQ+ Community’s Sense of Pride

Now that we’ve established the important links between cannabis and the LGBTQ+ community, let’s talk about how your dispensary can celebrate pride and show your support for the LGTBQ community.

Rainbow Cannabis Gummies

Ramp Up Your LGBTQ+ Community Marketing

Our Autoconnect feature can be programmed to send out marketing messages regarding your pride campaign at just the right time. The platform maintains detailed transaction data, playing an essential role in organizing your marketing efforts.

Contact us to learn how you can give strong support to your LGBTQ+ customers all year round. Together, we can build a more inclusive world – and that’s something to be proud of.