Introducing Change MakeHERs: A Series About Women in Weed.
Written by: Aly K. Benson
AKB is a biracial indigenous media personality & digital strategy consultant in the Canadian cannabis industry based out of Abbotsford, BC.
Women in cannabis are gaining more traction than ever before, but why now? What elements play into our industry’s climate that is allowing women to take up more space? Our team's conclusion: opportunity. With the increasing progress of regulations, legalization, and continuous growth among cannabis workers, opportunity seems to be knocking - intriguing women to establish themselves as powerhouses in the cannabis industry.
Around every corner, people are noticing the rising talent of women in a wide range of leadership positions. Though with that being said, we still have work to do to increase the recognition of women and make room for them to succeed. In 2020, the Center of Drug Policy Evaluation from the University of Toronto conducted a research project “How Diverse is Canada’s Legal Cannabis Industry? Examining Race and Gender of its Executives and Directors” alongside 222 organizations and 700 executives, directors, and dual leadership role individuals. The 185 licensed producers and 57 parent companies screened for this project concluded that only 14% of the 700 high-ranked positions were women, 2% of which were women who identified as BIPOC.
This report sparked conversations like wildfire in the Canadian Cannabis industry, pushing companies nationwide to reflect their recruitment process and increase opportunities for women. Not even two years later, women in cannabis are trending. What’s even more exciting is women are beginning to receive the recognition in our industry that has been lacking for far too long.
Even the top-ranked media platforms for cannabis and non-cannabis news have increased their interest in the roles women play in cannabis. A handful of the most recent are Rolling Stone’s article “Why 2022 Will Be a Defining Year for Female Leadership in Cannabis,” Forbes’ article “Want To Work In Weed? Here Are The Women In Cannabis Study’s Most Compelling Findings” and MJBizDaily ongoing studies since 2017 on Women & Minorities in the Cannabis Industry (MJBiz statistics only applicable to the USA). Alongside the increase in publications, studies, and media attention, women have begun to amplify their presence as special guest speakers at cannabis conference events as Keynote speakers and many more have followed with receiving prestigious awards for their work.
The WAG team doesn’t shy away from reality, and the reality is that it was created by two men. However, from the beginning, Graydon and Jerome have been dedicated to ensuring an equal representative candidate pool, removing bias where possible to support the equitable hiring of a more diverse workforce.
But empowering women isn’t just about a day or a moment in time. It is about a continuous effort, so starting today we’re kicking off Change makeHERs, a women in weed series. The series will focus on one question every month with a small group of women sharing their perspective. Simple, but effective.
To celebrate Women’s History Month, the WAG team interviewed three incredibly talented and inspiring women Jessica Pearlman from MediPharm Labs, Antuanette Gomez of Pleasure Peaks, and Shauna Levy of Madge and Mercer Modern Apothecary to gain further insight and guidance on how to support women in cannabis.
First-Hand Advice from Successful Women
Jessica Pearlman, Senior Brand Manager
MediPharm Labs
Jessica, you’ve been working in cannabis since 2019, what would you advise our industry to do to attract and retain more women?
“I have met and worked alongside a ton of fantastic women in the cannabis industry and I think often we are a bit “behind the scenes.” Representation matters. If the industry wants to attract and retain more women, they need to actively find ways to promote and give women a voice to share their experiences. Women also need to feel that their voices are being heard and action is being taken – we don’t just want to be a token or checkmark on the list of creating diversity in the industry. We have earned the right and, deserve to be in positions of leadership where we have the opportunity to impact change.”
For the women looking to enter the cannabis space, is there any guidance you can share with them?
“Find your allies and support each other. I have been fortunate enough to find and surround myself with like-minded people who encourage me and have helped to open the doors for opportunities to be elevated and create impact. Having these opportunities has allowed me to create the same space and support for others. The more we encourage other women and provide them the resources and tools to succeed, the more we all grow and succeed together.”
Shauna Levy, Founder, and CEO
Madge and Mercer Modern Apothecary
Shauna, what important information do you want to share with fellow industry workers on how to create a space that sets up careers for women long-term?
“We’re seeing an exciting confluence of factors impacting opportunities for women in the cannabis industry. First, we’re starting to see an increased number of female investors; they are becoming increasingly financially confident; they are leading venture funds; and they are promoting women’s brands resulting in an increased investment in women’s brands; second, we’re witnessing a softening of stigma around cannabis which means that women are more comfortable purchasing cannabis creating a demand for female-focused brands and products; and third similar to the consumer packaged goods industry, we will continue to see product segmentation within the industry reflecting demographics, needs and wants. together, these will result in an increase of opportunity for women within the industry overall.”
For the women looking to enter the cannabis space, is there any guidance you can share with them?
“The 3 P’s - be as prepared as you can be; let your passion soar and always persist.”
Antuanette Gomez Founder, and CEO
Pleasure Peaks
Pleasure Peaks has successfully made a welcoming space for female workers, what can be done to increase support for those looking for a career in cannabis?
“To attract more women into the cannabis workspace, we need to break down the stigma that still surrounds cannabis today. There shouldn't be a veil of shame when wanting to transition careers.”
For the women looking to enter the cannabis space, is there any guidance you can share with them?
“My advice for anyone in the cannabis industry is to be courageous enough to explore different identities of yourself that this industry can show you. This industry is so multifaceted it would be a shame to miss all the magic.”
Continuing the Support
Recognizing where improvements are needed is one of the countless ways you can form opportunities for the cannabis industry to grow. It’s not called a mother plant for no reason, our industry owes a mass amount of gratitude to all the women behind brands, projects, advocacy groups, dispensaries, cannabis businesses, and platforms all across North America.
Now, you may be contemplating the question: what can I, or my workspace do to further support women in cannabis? Which brings us back to the WAG team's favourite word, opportunity. Give women more opportunities, no matter how big or small. Support the strength in their stories, educate yourself through women-backed sources, purchase from women-run businesses and most importantly, never underestimate the importance of creating a diverse environment for all people to flourish in.
White Ash Group is committed to building an inclusive environment for those looking to find a job in cannabis, alongside our increasing focus to support female candidates and collaborate with women-run businesses. We are inspired every day by the strength women in cannabis present, and the accomplishments they’ve made.
From our team to yours, thank you to all the women present in the cannabis space, we admire you infinitely.
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