15 BIPOC Cannabis Businesses To Support On 4/20

Celebrate 4/20 with BIPOC local dispensaries, cannabis education, and products.

In the 1970s, a group of California high schoolers dedicated 4:20 p.m. of every day to puffing on some green.

Olena Ruban / Getty Images

The ritual caught on, and "420" became shorthand for smoking marijuana, changing to 4/20 to fit calendars. Today, 4/20 is the nationally celebrated holiday for Mary Jane lovers everywhere.

While smoking weed for white suburban teenagers hasn't been much of an issue since the government stopped laying it on hippies in the '70s, millions of Black and Brown people have been, and continue to be, persecuted and incarcerated for a substance that is slowly being legalized. Although Black and Brown growers originally brought and popularized weed in America, the legal recreational and medical industry is dominated by white sellers and corporations thanks to historical inequity and access to funding.

Today we're highlighting some BIPOC-owned CBD and marijuana-based businesses for all of your cannabis purchasing, education, and wellness needs.

1. Oracle Wellness Co.

Oracle Wellness Co. / Via oraclewellnessco.com

Before going into the legal cannabis industry, Oracle Wellness Co. CEO and founder Megon Dee used to sell and use marijuana recreationally in her home state of Maryland, where at the time only medical marijuana was legal. She was charged with seven cannabis-related crimes, which she fought to expunge. She moved to Oregon, where recreational use is legal, and founded CannAcademy, as series of free online courses aimed to destigmatize and educate about cannabis. Oracle Wellness Co. offers CBD-based wellness ritual tools like tinctures and ointments to help users feel their best.

2. Radix House Coffee

Kevin Hall / Via radixhouse.com

Austin-based coffeeshop and CBD dispensary Radix House Coffee Shop opened at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to rave reviews during a time local businesses were dropping like flies. Founders Gabriel Medel and Roger Pilney hope to use CBD and plant-based medicines as a gateway to finding community during isolating times and starting a conversation about mental healthcare. They source all of their CBD and coffee products from premium small vendors and collectives. Order products online or in person at any of the Texas locations.

3. The Higher Collection

The Higher Collection / Via highercollection.com

Minority-owned and female-operated cannabis brand and dispensary Higher Collection aims to integrate cannabis delivery, distribution, cultivation, and branding while boosting diversity in the industry by creating new spaces in cannabis for minorities. They just put out the first Overkill Purple Lifestyle by OMG PEEZY strain, "Purplato."

4. Black Rain

Black Rain / Via liveblackrain.com

When his aunt Yvonne was diagnosed with breast cancer, Black Rain founder Claude Allen began researching and experimenting with the healing powers of cannabinoids to help her heal and expedite her recovery. Claude developed a line of CBD-infused alkaline water to rebalance and revitalize the body naturally. Recent research shows that CBD may act as a neuroprotective substance, inhibit cancer cell growth, reduce inflammation, and help the body heal.

5. Western Front

Athel Rogers, Boston Globe / Via bostonglobe.com

Western Front, LLC is a state-certified economic cannabis company based in Chelsea, Massachusetts, dedicated to providing economic opportunity for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Founders Dennis A. Benzan and Marvin E. Gilmore named the business after WWII veteran and civil rights activist Gilmores's former jazz and reggae night club. Around 87% of the store's 36 employees are people of color, including their leadership team. Nearly all of the workers are new to the industry, with wages starting at $18 an hour.

6. Cannabis Tours

Cannabis Tours / Via cannabistours.com

Founded by serial entrepreneur Terence Latimer, Cannabis Tours currently has guided marijuana tours in California, Denver, the DC area, and Las Vegas. Hop onboard with a joint and enjoy a fun, educational tour of dispensaries, historical sites, and other cannabis-friendly destinations. Since its inception in 2017, the company has expanded rapidly to provide a comprehensive cannabis tourism experience, partnering with 4/20-friendly hotels and offering an array of cannabis-based classes and activities.

7. Cannabis Cultural Association

Cannabis Cultural Association / Via splimm.com

The Cannabis Cultural Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in New York helping underrepresented and marginalized communities navigate the legal cannabis industry. Founded by Nelson Guerrero and Jake Plowden, CCA emphasizes access to medical cannabis, criminal justice reform, and adult use legalization to combat the destructive impact of the "war on drugs" in POC communities. The CCA is currently suing former attorney general Jeff Sessions and the Drug Enforcement — alongside Alexis Bortell, Marvin Washington, Jose Belen, and Jagger Cote — for the removal of cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act.

8. Terps & Flowers Catering

Sofiaflores107 / Via Facebook: 112226923859161

Established in 2017, Terps & Flowers Catering is a catering service offering world-class vegan and raw vegan cuisine infused with cannabis. Chefs Quon and Sofie are experienced, have trained in Southern California's leading vegan cooking school PlantLab, and are dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint through recyclable, compostable, and reusable packaging. Along with designing custom options for their clients, Terps & Flowers Catering menu items such as their "raw beet ravioli" are all cannabis-infused and made with natural ingredients.

9. EstroHaze

EstroHaze / Via estrohaze.com

Kali Wilder, Safon Floyd, and Sirita Wright cofounded EstroHaze as an educational portal teaching people how to incorporate cannabis into their lives. EstroHaze is a collaborative community aiming to connect users to cannabis in holistic ways that improve their lives and optimize their health. As their website says, "If there isn't a seat at the table you create your own. ... Let's feast!"

10. Pretty Litty

Pretty Litty / Via getprettylitty.com

Pretty Litty founder Lua Naquin designs and handcrafts classic, feminine cannabis accessories right at home in her Southern California studio. Pretty Litty collections are all limited-run, small-batch designs you're guaranteed to not find anywhere else. Popular pieces include leaf-engraved earrings and blinged-out batteries!

11. Asian Americans For Cannabis Education

Linus Shentu / Via asianamericansforcannabis.org

Asian Americans for Cannabis Education began with the question, "Where are the Asian Americans in cannabis?" The group tackles destigmatization and creates representation for Asian Americans in the cannabis industry by acknowledging Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the industry. Founder and community activist Ophelia Chong wanted to empower Asian Americans working to make a positive change in cannabis by connecting members and providing Asian Americans with information to address the unique issues they face with cannabis use due to their culture, history, and social stigmas.

12. Medicated Minds

Medicated Minds / Via medicatedminds420.com

San Diego–based bakery Medicated Minds is a top-shelf, cannabis-infused baked goods company offering heavily medicated edibles that combine potency and taste. They take custom orders and host special events and deliver all over San Diego! Medicated Minds uses premium flowers and concentrates in their coconut oil, s'mores, cookies, teas, and other delicious treats for a "higher" experience!

13. Club Kindness

Club Kindness / Via clubkindness.org

Nonprofit Club Kindness is your one-stop shop for holistic cannabis health education, brand services, wellness products, and unique accessories. Club Kindness offers members access to like-minded individuals striving to optimize their health through cannabis and natural healing. Stay on top of the latest cannabis trends and information while working with healthcare professionals who support you on your cannabis journey!

14. District Growers

Andrew Mangum / Via herb.co

Founder Corey Barnette and his dedicated team have made District Growers one of the most trusted cannabis growers and distributors on the East Coast through their tireless innovation and constant striving for perfection. Their obsession with creating the best cannabis experience possible led to the development of a low-waste, aeroponic cultivation system engineered for smoothness, aroma, effect, and taste. They use only solvent-free extract systems to preserve the entire cannabinoid profile in their infused products.

15. Sundae School

Sundae School / Via cnn.com

Sundae School is an Asian American and Pacific Islander–owned clothing brand celebrating all things 420. Get high in style with their streetwear-inspired collections.

What are your favorite BIPOC cannabis brands? Let us know in the comments.