Collaborative Knowledge & Economics

by Michael Brown

The Cannabis industry surpassed twenty billion dollars in gross sales.

Just sit with that - twenty billion dollars - like a year ago AND during a pandemic.

Despite the headwinds, the legal battles and the numerous misunderstandings between law enforcement, the medical community, and advocates for the plant; it has become a significant conversation within the economic framework of local and state governments as well as everyday lifestyle. In less than 25 years (1996), major legislation (Proposition 215) was passed by California making it the first state to legalize medical cannabis and a “short” time after, in 2012, Colorado and Washington went full recreational. A blip in time for those over 40, especially considering that the Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill from Chuck Schumer is being debated in Congress, right now. What a ride.

Black entrepreneurs have a history of overcoming great obstacles and creating something from nothing. All entrepreneurs and innovators share in the legacy of overcoming significant obstacles and overcoming finite resources.

Leading up to this point in time, many influential people have invested and reaped the benefits of this cash crop. Many now know of its health benefits, multiple uses, and general personalized enjoyment. But the reality is that the cash in this cash crop has eluded some groups that initially brought awareness to this through the culture.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey Sr. ONH was a Jamaican political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator. He was the founder and first President-General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, through which he declared himself Provisional President of Africa.

Fun Fact: Marcus Garvey is claimed to have used cannabis to propel African Americans only to be persecuted for the fear of black people uniting.

It is no secret that minorities are more likely to be arrested for cannabis than any other subset of the population. The children’s children of those individuals who placed sanctions on the production and exploration of cannabis are the ones who are now benefiting from this crop.

Is it fair, no. Should there be more equity, yes! But how? It is a daunting task to shift the political and financial market. It is even more daunting with limited resources.

So, what to do - learn from entrepreneurs and thought-leaders of all walks in life and move your dreams forward. Use their footprints and mistakes to propel your dreams forward. Regardless if you are in the group that had it very easy to avoid the barriers placed in front of others, or you were part of the group standing behind the barriers, we all need each other.

Collaborative Knowledge & Shared Economics from people representing all walks of life will right the wrongs and turn twenty-billion into one-hundred billion dollars.

Now that is something to really pay attention to!

Remember the great words of Reginald Lewis.

Kept Going, No Matter What!