Cannabis in America is Racist but You can Help
by Alix Berger
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We’re not going to blast a generic email spotlighting our efforts to help the Black Lives Matter movement. That’s not helpful. People need knowledge and resources. The purpose of this article is to acknowledge the circumstances, look at the racial history of cannabis, and support action.
In the image above, you see Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Emmitt Till, and Trayvon Martin. Their stories bear deep scars on this country. Behind them is a crowd of unidentifiable figures. These represent the tremendous amount of stories which never made it to national news coverage. It also represents the history that underscores racially-motivated crimes. They still persist. That’s why the Black Lives Matter movement isn’t built on a one-off injustice. That’s why we need a constant and collective effort to amend the foundation of the United States.
Progression requires understanding the history that current structures are built upon. By functioning in the cannabis space, we have a responsibility to share the following truths.
The racist roots
Institutionalized racism is heavily ingrained in the popularization of cannabis. Maybe you know this. But many are unaware of just how deep this poison runs. After all, America is seldom quick to highlight the sins of its past.
Initially, the Portugese introduced cannabis to the Americas. They brought it to Brazil, while the British brought it to Jamaica. In both instances, the goal was to pacify slaves. In the United States, cannabis entered the country through two primary groups -- Mexicans seeking refuge from the Mexican revolution, and sailors or immigrants from the Caribbean in New Orleans.
In 1930, Harry Anslinger took office as the country’s first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. During his 32-year long stint, he became the leader of cannabis restriction and law. Anslinger’s method was simple and cruel, he played on racial fears and panic through crudely exaggerated (aka fraudulent) claims.
Ever hear the term “jazz cigarette?” This was a result of Anslinger tying the predominantly black music genre to cannabis. Why? As a vile racist, Anslinger was upset about the rise of black musicians in the United States. He even claimed that cannabis was compelling them to produce “Satanic” music. Real brilliant guy we’re talking about. Anslinger also claimed that cannabis was a “drug for black men to seduce white women,” and that the impact would be “interracial mixing and relationships.” The government also degraded Mexican immigrants, who were using the plant for medicinal and recreational purposes. Mexicans were routined called “dangerous” and “disruptive.” Wow. Clearly, America really knows how to pick em’.
Cannabis also served as a scapegoat during the Great Depression in 1929. With unemployment rates at 25%, the time was ripe for pointing the finger at weed. Claims that cannabis caused harmful addictions and overall laziness, which supposedly worsened the economy, ran rampant. In 1931, the government slapped “research” labels on widely circulated propaganda stating that cannabis was linked to crime mainly committed by “underclass communities and racially inferior people.” In 1937, it was nationally outlawed.
Naturally, because this is America, the mentality persisted. When Nixon announced the “War on Drugs” in 1971, cannabis arrests escalated from 100,000 to 420,700 that year. Black arrests were severely disproportionate as they are today.
Decades later, Nixon’s Chief Domestic Advisor, John Ehrlichman revealed to Harper’s magazine, “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: The antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”
One saving grace was the music industry. Artists like Bob Marley, Louis Armstrong, Willie Nelson, and Jerry Garcia opened conversation to the mainstream while promoting the vast benefits of cannabis. By the 60s and 70s alarmist propaganda like Reefer Madness were laughable to the younger generation. Later in the 90s and early 00s, hip-hop resurged this perception. Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Dr. Dre, and Sean Paul were hugely important in urging acceptance. While this all helped the American population shift gears. Still, government infractures continue now.
Where are we now?
History is only the tip of the iceberg in racial justice. Even though cannabis arrests have gone down, black people are still 3.73 times more likely to get arrested on these charges. To make matters much worse, states with legalized cannabis for medicinal or recreational purposes remain prejudiced towards those with past convictions. Even with marijuana charges. Likewise, black and Latino Americans have experienced virtually no benefit from the growth of the cannabis industry as 99% of license holders are white. This should infuriate you.
The cannabis industry is projected to reach $50 billion by 2026. Change absolutely must happen before the industry flourishes. The United States used weed as a tool for oppression. So basically now, the United States is punishing black and Latino communities for the results of its own gross mistreatment. Meanwhile, the white community receives the fruits of black suffering on a silver platter. We cannot let that happen.
These are the necessary changes.
Immediate and automatic expungement of criminal records for all people with convictions for low-level marijuana possessions
Pardons for and the release of those incarcerated on charges that are no longer criminalized
Assurance that individuals with prior convictions have access to licensing and job opportunities
Policies for equal hiring practices in the cannabis industry
How You Can Help:
Defund the police
This refers to reallocating public budgets to ensure that the police aren’t overfunded, which they currently are. Instead, money needs to go towards services and marginalized communities. Prioritizing things like employment, community health, education, youth programs, etc will better benefit the public. Plus, it will decrease excessive (and unnecessary) police intervention. Broken police practices cannot continue. And prior attempts for reform have not been effective.
Still unconvinced? The following evidence from The Atlantic shows that current numbers just don’t add up:
“The Oakland Police Department receives nearly half of the city’s discretionary spending. That is more than human services, parks and recreation, and transportation combined. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was killed, passed its budget in December, and it increased its budget for police by $10 million to a total of $193 million. Here’s what they’re spending on other things: $31 million for affordable housing; $250,000 for community organizations working with at-risk youth; $400,000 for the Office of Crime Prevention.”
This Refinery29 piece offers many resources to help defund the police.
Donate
Donate what you can, as often as you can. One good option is to enroll in automatic, ongoing payments. This prevents burnout and allows you to dole out a greater amount in installments.
Here’s an awesome list from New York Magazine that includes various organizations.
Protest
Whether it’s your health (mental or physical), family obligations, or any other matter, many can’t protest. That’s OK. But if you can, your support is truly invaluable.
Follow @justiceforgeorgenyc for updates on protests taking place across the country.
Looking to organize your own? Do it! Here’s how.
Support black creators and businesses
Don’t know how to find them? Check out this Forbes list for general businesses and this Life Hacker one for local lists.
Here are a few organizations, leaders, and creatives we love.
Black Cannabis: Realizing the lack of representation in the cannabis industry, Philippe Dume (Haitian), a former U.S. Army veteran turned cannabis advocate, Philmore Charles (Antiguan), a longtime New Jersey activist and media producer, and Damon Williams (African-American), a new cannabis entrepreneur and activist, came together to create a truly awesome organization.
Chef Miguel Trinidad: As a Dominican restaurant owner, cannabis educator, James Beard Finalist, and public speaker, Trinidad is an industry icon.
Cannaclusive: Mary Pryor, Tonya Flash, and Charlese Antoinette created Cannaclusive, a photography and financial education firm that supplies stock imagery with people of color for cannabis brands and media. The aim is to show people of color the investment opportunities in the cannabis industry.
Hope Wiseman: The youngest dispensary owner in the U.S.
Dasheeda “The WeedHead” Dawson: Dawson is a global cannabis advocate, award-winning executive strategist, and the author of How to Succeed in the Green Rush, a workbook for entrepreneurs, contractors, and professionals looking to transition their skills into the legal cannabis industry.
CJ Wallace: Inspired by his famous father, Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace, Wallace created Think Big, a producer of curated cannabis products rooted in three core pillars: creativity, curiosity, and collaboration.
Tsion Sunshine Lencho: Co-founder of Supernova Women, a networking organization for women of color working in the cannabis industry.
If you’re white, recognize your privilege
The term “white privilege” makes white people uncomfortable for two main reasons. 1. This group is unaccustomed to being described by their race, and 2. Some interpret “privilege” as meaning no major struggle. As for the latter, that’s an utter misconception. Yes, plenty of white people face financial, mental, familial, and a wide range of other difficulties. That’s not what this is about. White privilege refers to specific, intrinsic benefits that inevitably come with being white.
It looks like:
Feeling comfortable in the presence of police
Easily finding representatives of your own race in any field or industry
Encountering media content clearly biased towards your race
Unquestioning credit for your accomplishments, such as admission to a good school or a promotion at work
Never having to speak on behalf of your entire race
Walking through a store without suspicion of shoplifting or posing a threat
The list could go on for pages. And there’s no excuse for allowing denial to persist. Overall, racism takes numerous insidious forms. Fighting to end systemic racism demands a collective understanding of current societal structures -- both subtle and overt. Read here to learn more about different forms of racism.
When it comes to white privilege, the cannabis industry is far from the exception. The history is sickeningly racist and this inequality still runs rampant today. The term “gateway drug” for marijuana is only useful in describing the harassment, mass incarceration, and police brutality, including murder, that perists through weaponizing cannabis policies and spreading fear-mongering.
The numbers are as clear as day. Nearly 70,000 arrests for cannabis possession were made in 2018. The vast majority was brown and black people. Decriminalization hasn’t made a significant impact as arrests continue being vastly disproportionate. In places like New York City, more than 90% of cannabis encounters involve black or brown residents even though white residents are twice as likely to consume. And the city has decriminalized cannabis on 3 separate occasions.
A terrific post from The Highly Educated, details steps you can take to help transform the cannabis industry and hold its players accountable. Here are some of the big ones.
Research who owns the dispensary you shop at (or the vendor you buy from) and assess their values
If they’re not an active ally or supporter of the black community, boycott the brand
In legal states, demand that local officials, government, governors, and senators to make social equity programs
Follow black canna activists on social media and lift up their voices
Ask vendors how they’re spending the extra money earned through COVID sales spikes -- are they putting any towards progress?
Call out racist cannabis businesses on your platforms or even theirs through comments and messages
Urge cannabis businesses that haven’t taken a stand to get more active, education needs to spread
Listen and learn
Educating yourself before speaking out will ensure the greatest impact. Even the brightest, most socially-aware of us still need to practice on-going learning. Many are finding their footing on proper actions to take and ways to speak out. That’s 100% fine. What matters is being receptive to and positioned towards growth.
You can find materials from Zoella to get started.
Speak up
Your voice matters, a lot. Declaring your allegiance, supporting efforts, and educating your followers is an easy but strong message. Beyond social media or blogging, it’s essential to sign as many petitions as humanly possible.
Here’s where you can find many.
If U.S. history makes you sick, break the repetitive cycle! Register to vote here.
Declaring Our Dedication
We promise to use Holistic Chef’s platform and privilege to be an ally and impassioned supporter of the Black Lives Movement. We dedicated 20% of all sales from June 1st to June 9th to The Loveland Foundation, The Equal Justice Initiative and Black Lives Matter. We will buy from and promote melanated businesses. We will continue seeking out methods for amplifying the voice of the black community. We will build and share monthly plans to help.
While the Black Lives Matter movement has been truly incredible, efforts can’t end here. There’s still a tremendous amount ahead of us which requires a constant push from each of us. As part of our community, we trust that you will relentlessly keep fighting.