When Showtime’s television series “Weeds” premiered in 2005, it was heralded as a bold and witty dark comedy—not an honest portrayal of women taking charge within the cannabis industry.
Well, that seems to be changing.
According to Market Watch, “marijuana moms are shattering the grass ceiling.” The website reported that an estimated 20 percent of marijuana business owners in the U.S. are female. Comparatively, only 30 percent of all U.S. businesses are women-owned, and those account for only four percent of overall business revenue.
The rise of women in weed shouldn’t be surprising. With more and more states legalizing medical and recreational marijuana, the topic has become less taboo and increasingly accepted as a medical norm.
“As knowledge about cannabis has changed, you can get incredibly strong products and incredibly sophisticated products that aren’t as strong,” Cassandra Farrington, the chief executive of Marijuana Business Daily explained. “Much like a woman would walk into a liquor store and buy wine instead of Everclear, that’s what’s going on on the marijuana side.”
Jazmin Hupp—executive director of Women Grow, a Denver-based industry network for women in the cannabis industry—explained to Market Watch how fast female presence has grown in the pot market. She co-founded Women Grow in August 2014 with 13 female-run, Colorado-based businesses. Now, 11 months later, the network has over 30 chapters with hundreds of members across the U.S.
“We are still in the really early days,” Hupp said of the industry. “We have a long way to go on what this industry can deliver once it’s legalized nationwide. Now is the time if you want in…You’re invited to the party, you don’t need anyone’s permission, but now is the time.”
