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Here’s our top ten Colorado cannabis product picks for Valentine’s Day 2021.

Valentine’s day is just around the corner, and with fancy meals at the local French restaurant off the table for the time being, there’s no better way to celebrate than with some luxurious cannabis-infused pampering. 

We love celebrating the big day with cannabis because it gives your loved one the ultimate gift of a little TLC. Cannabis helps transform an ordinary quarantine Sunday into a space to dream, relax, and create. Whether you’re treating yourself or looking to share a little something special with your favorite person, these gifts are the perfect way to celebrate true love.

01. Made in Xiaolin: Capo with Rose Wraps

These ultra-premium pre-rolled “cannagars” are the ultimate gift for the luxury lover in your life. Wrapped in ornate gold paper, each hand-rolled cannagar is infused with a unique flavor profile, as one of a kind as your one and only. We consider a shared cannagar the perfect ending to Valentine’s dinner for two.

02. Sinsere Caramel Peanut Bites:

You might think there’s no possible way to improve on Valentine’s day candy classics. Still, these deliciously handcrafted salted caramel and peanut bites, encased in a silky Belgian milk chocolate shell, are a serious step up from conversation hearts. Package them in a heart-shaped box to create a classic Valentine’s day atmosphere.

03. Love’s Oven Chocolate Chip Cookies:

There’s no better way to say “I love you” than with homemade chocolate chip cookies–but it’s 2021; who has the time? Let the folks at Love’s Oven do it for you, with their take on everyone’s favorite classic cookie–soft and chewy, cannabis-infused, and as bursting with miniature chocolate chips as your heart is bursting with love.

04. Escape Artists Lavender Relief Cream:

If your beau’s love language is touch, why not indulge them with a Valentine’s day massage? This lavender-infused relief cream combines THC and CBD oils to create a relaxing balm that melts away the deepest muscular aches in no time. Whoever said the way to a lover’s heart was through their stomach obviously didn’t suffer from laptop neck.

05. Wyld Edibles Strawberry 20:1 Gummies

If you’re the kind of person who finds Valentine’s day stressful, our new favorite gummies are here to help. Made from real strawberries infused with cannabis-derived CBD oil, these delicious gummies are perfect for creating a judgment-free V-Day chill zone where you can kick back and relax, solo or with your beau.

06. Wyld Edibles Pomegranate 1:1 Gummies:

A little more low key than their strawberry counterparts (but sharing their same romantic shade), these pomegranate gummies are the perfect accompaniment to an active Valentine’s day celebration. Enhance your romantic hike and picnic combo, or heat up that hot yoga class with the deliciously fruity mind and body balance these gummies provide.

07. Spherex Mango Kush Cartridges (Carts):

The Spherex is a sleek little joy of a vape pen, and of all their cartridges, Mango is the most crowd pleasingly delicious. You and your Valentine will love the happy, creative high with a sweet burst of fruity flavor. Perfect for pairing with a couple’s painting class or an evening of making homemade Valentines.

08. Koala Edibles Strawberry Cheesecake 100 MG Chocolate Bar:

From its Valentine’s day appropriate pink and white geometric packaging to the delicious combination of creamy cheesecake flavored white chocolate and crunchy graham crackers, and freeze-dried strawberries, this bar is the perfect something special for your sweet-toothed sweetheart. A contemporary take on the east coast bakery classic.

09. Dadirri Extracts Bubble and Caviar Joints:

Ok, picking two of our favorite pre-rolled joints might be cheating, but we dare you to choose between Dadirri’s bubble coated flowers and their ultra-potent distillate coated caviar. Each joint comes in a cute little case for the ultimate giftable cannabis luxury, creating a high powerful enough to knock your heart printed boxers off.

10. Airopro Strawberry Cheesecake Pure Distillate Vape Cartridge:

So sweet it might make you think you’re biting into an actual cheesecake, this potent vape blend delivers a smooth-hitting flavor profile and produces a relaxing, euphoric effect that’s perfect for an evening in with your Valentine. Draw a bubble bath, light some candles, and sink into a cloud of strawberry-scented bliss.

This Valentine’s Day, celebrate the spirit of love with a little cannabis-infused self-care. If you’re not able to pick just one of these lovable cannabis treats (and who could?), we suggest putting together a little gift basket of favorites to show your loved one how special they are. Treat yourself–it’s what St. Valentine would have wanted. 

Last year we pulled back the curtain on our state-of-the-art greenhouse cultivation facility!

Our new greenhouse allowed us to double production, but at the same time, reduce our carbon footprint by nearly 50%! The greenhouse features a reclamation system that lets us recycle the water and nutrients not consumed by our plants. The system also filters reaming water and nutrient solution and only uses as much nutrient as is necessary for each cycle. Because of this new system, we’ve been able to reduce our water and nutrient consumption significantly!

As part of our sustainability commitment, we’ve also pledged to use energy-efficient lighting in our greenhouse cultivation facility. Because, at Lightshade, we’re resolute in our commitment to sustainability and the community. 

We hope you enjoy the video!

Your body can benefit significantly from joining cannabis with medicinal herbs. But there are some things you should know before you include therapeutic plant medicine in a daily wellness regimen.

Cannabis, alone, is a powerful medicinal plant. But countless other medicinal plants can enhance cannabis’ effects – if you understand how to use them. 

Because while every medicinal herb has a practical – and beneficial – application, the practice of herbalism is not without its risks. Some medicinal herbs don’t play well together or with prescription medications; it’s that simple. 

We don’t want to discourage you from exploring the world of cannabis and medicinal herbs, but we want to make sure you have a great experience. 

Let’s get something out of the way first – we’re not healthcare experts or doctors. You shouldn’t’ consider the information contained in this blog, medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional to find out if an herbalism practice is safe and effective for you. Or consider reaching out to our friends at Leaf411, a first-of-its-kind cannabis nurse hotline (844-LEAF411). 

Let’s start with some basics.

Here are some common medicinal herbs we think you should know:

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal plant often used in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s a proven adaptogen, which means the root can help your body respond better to stress. Traditional Ayurvedic practitioners use ashwagandha to promote concentration and focus and boost energy naturally. 

Holy Basil

Holy Basil can help you fight stress (it might also be a decent acne-fighter). Like Ashwagandha, Holy Basil is an ancient Ayurvedic medicinal herb. It reduces cortisol, a stress hormone, and is anti-diabetic. Holy Basil is also sometimes called Tulsi. 

Lavender

Lavender is commonly known as an herb that promotes relaxation, and with a pleasant aroma, the herb is also great for massage and aromatherapy. Lavender and cannabis have a terpene in common: linalool. When combined with cannabis, linalool is a potent muscle relaxant. It also reduces pain sensitivity. Adding lavender oil to a cannabis topical amplifies the herb’s pain-fighting and relaxing qualities. 

Echinacea

Echinacea has compounds similar to CBD, which means, in basic terms, Echinacea has a positive effect on our endocannabinoid system. It’s also often used to cure the common cold, reduce inflammation, and is an antioxidant. 

Chamomile

Chamomile is a well-known herb people commonly associate with tea. The herb can help relieve stress, headaches, anxiety, indigestion, depression, and insomnia. Combining cannabis and chamomile ensures a good night’s sleep. 

California Poppy

Native American tribes from across California have used California Poppy for centuries as a calming agent. And while there isn’t an overwhelming amount of research and information surrounding California Poppy, traditional herbalists swear by it for the support it provides to our entire nervous system.

We suggest that you reach out to a licensed herbalist or healthcare professional before exploring the world of plant medicine, but, in general, including more plants in your daily life is a sure-fire way to promote improved health.

Give your daily wellness program a healthy boost with cannabis from a Colorado dispensary.

You’re a wellness fanatic, and you don’t smoke weed (at least not since college). But cannabis keeps coming up in conversations, so you’re intrigued. You ask, “is cannabis right for me?” And you’re not alone; many people have the same question because marijuana doesn’t seem approachable.

And that’s by design.

The War on Drugs made weed scary. And the plant is stigmatized today despite its legalization in Colorado.

But cannabis is only a plant. And it’s a safe alternative to toxic products masquerading as healthful self-care solutions. It’s also ancient.

People have consumed cannabis across cultures for thousands of years to heal their minds and bodies. It’s self-care with roots in antiquity. Cannabis can improve your daily wellness routine, and you don’t have to get high.

From relaxing after a stupidly long workday to workout recovery, here are a few simple ways to incorporate weed into your daily life.

Cannabis is a useful tool for your daily wellness routine.

We’re here to crush stigmas and help you live your best life.

If that sounds lofty, it is – but that’s okay because we see the power of cannabis every day in our Colorado dispensaries. Drop by your favorite Lightshade location and ask our budtender’s for their product recommendations.

Chill out, and put yourself on the path to improved mental health with the ten products in this blog.

2020 is a challenging year (to put it lightly).

Between the global pandemic, social unrest, a divisive political climate, and a significant presidential election, it’s not easy to find peace. And mental health issues among Americans are skyrocketing.

Here are two staggering 2020 mental health statistics:

18.57% of adults are experiencing mental health issues (roughly 45 million Americans).

And 4.38% are experiencing severe mental health illnesses. (Mental Health in America Prevalence Data 2020, Mental Health America)

We’re witnessing spikes in anxiety, depression, and loneliness because humans are social creatures, and social distancing has us feeling down (among other things).

But the ten products from a Colorado dispensary (preferably ours) featured in this blog can help you find peace.

01. Wedding Cake

Wedding Cake doesn’t taste like the creamy, buttery frosting its name implies. It’s an earthy, slightly sour (in the best way) flower strain with a mellow hit of sweetness. What Wedding Cake lacks in cake-like flavor, it makes up for in effects. It’s a potent strain that’ll help you sleep off stress so you can tackle the morning with an athlete’s energy.

02. Crescendo

Crescendo is a powerful and complex indica-dominant cannabis strain. Like Wedding Cake, it’ll put you to sleep so you can approach mornings with renewed vigor. We suggest that new consumers cautiously consume Crescendo – it’s a heavy hitter with THC levels topping out at 30%.

03. Bubba Fett

Bubba Fett is a certified classic (we dedicated an entire blog to the strain). It’s an indica-dominant hybrid known for its relatively high CBD percentage. But, don’t kid yourself, Bubba Fett leans heavily toward its indica profile, giving the strain noticeable sedating effects.

04. Midnight from 1906

There’s a sleep-related theme to our list, and for a good reason. CDC studies show that a third of American adults report getting much less than the recommended amount of sleep each night. And sleep is essential for a healthy body and mind. 1906’s Midnight is an all-natural sleep aid formulated with cannabis and corydalis – an ancient Chinese medicinal herb known for helping people sleep without side effects. Midnight promotes deep and restful sleep – sounds nice, do you agree?

05. Stratos Relax

Stratos Relax tablets are a 50/50 indica/sativa hybrid giving you balanced and relaxing physical and mental relief. Cannabis oil is the only active ingredient, so the relaxing effects are derived from the whole plant and extracted with CO2 oil. The tablets help you find peace within 30-minutes because they maximize the absorption of beneficial cannabinoids. It’s a lot healthier than popping a Xanax when you’re feeling the heaviness of life.

06. Shift Skywalker OG Cartridges

Shift’s Skywalker OG carts provide a mellow and heady high. When we’ve had enough news and social media, we lock our doors and hit the stratosphere with Skywalker OG. Sometimes we also hit the pantry – if you’re munchies prone, beware, Shift’s Skywalker OG cartridges are, in a Proper High’s words, “a decent choice for loading up at the buffet.”

07. Shift Medicine Bow Cartridges

Shift’s Medicine Bow carts are excellent for immediate pain relief. Medicine Bow is also ideal for a quick high. It’s the cure when the stress of life tightens muscles and makes relaxation impossible.

08. Stillwater Ripple Quicksticks

We’ve stocked Stillwater’s Ripple in our Colorado Dispensaries since its introduction. And the newest Ripple family member, Quicksticks, is our current go-to for fast-acting stress relief. Rip into a package and dissolve the cannabis powder on your tongue for immediate relaxation (it’s another helpful sleep aid).

09. Escape Artist Relief Cream

Physical activity is an antidote for anxiety and depression. But workouts (and stress) tighten muscles. Escape Artist’s relief creams are concentrated and highly bioavailable to deliver a blend of pure cannabinoids to sore muscles quickly. Rub the cream all over; we dare you.

10. Mary’s Medicinals “The Remedy”

The Remedy is Mary’s best-selling tincture, containing 500mg of CBD, cinnamon oil, myrrh, and sweet almond oil. One bottle packs 250 servings, and one dropper-full beneath the tongue is all you need for relief from pain, anxiety, and inflammation.

Take your mental health seriously.

It’s okay if you’re not okay. Mental health isn’t a taboo topic anymore, and we’re all better off when we don’t hide from our emotions and struggles. If you or anyone you know needs someone to talk to, please contact the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255.

Please note, the information included in this blog is not medical or mental health advice. Contact your healthcare professional with questions related to your physical or mental health. And reach out to our partners at Leaf411 if you’d like to chat with a registered cannabis nurse. 

https://leaf411.org/ 

844-LEAF411

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is one of the secrets to your cannabis experience.

Much of our cannabis knowledge comes from discoveries made in the last forty years – we’ve barely scratched the surface of understanding the ancient plant’s full potential and benefits. Still, there’s enough information out there to help Colorado dispensary shoppers optimize their cannabis experience. 

The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, is tied directly to the effects cannabis can have on your mental and physical state; we’ll get you up to speed on what the ECS does and why you should care. 

First thing’s first – guess what, you have an endocannabinoid system.

Researchers identified the endocannabinoid system after decades of scientific exploration. Their discovery arrived only a few years after scientists found the CB1 and CB2 receptors (the two primary endocannabinoid system receptors). In uncovering the endocannabinoid system, scientists unearthed a network of enzymes, receptors, and biochemical pathways connected to the naturally occurring cannabinoids in our bodies (yes, our bodies produce cannabinoids). 

The CB1 and CB2 receptors allow us to receive the benefits of cannabis when cannabinoids like THC bind to them. Connecting the ECS discovery to its corresponding receptors led to most of what we understand today when it comes to cannabis’ effect on our bodies and minds. 

(The discovery of terpenes also plays into our current understanding, but we’ll leave that topic for another day.)

Let’s talk a little more about the CB1 and CB2 receptors. 

Most of your CB1 receptors are in the central nervous system; however, they exist elsewhere but in lower quantities. Activating the CB1 receptors produces behavioral and cerebral effects, explaining why the receptor plays a direct role in emotion, motor control, appetite stimulation, pain perception, cognition, and memory. 

THC likes to interact with our CB1 receptors – that’s one reason you’ll experience euphoria (among other effects) when consuming high-THC strains. 

CB2 receptors are commonly found in our immune system cells, where they moderate pathogen response and ease inflammation. Stimulating the CB2 receptors won’t produce a heady and euphoric high, but it can help you relax and provides general pain relief without impairing cognition. Strains high in the peppery terpene Beta-caryophyllene easily bind to the CB2 receptors and are thought to have anti-inflammatory benefits (just follow your nose). 

Many cannabinoids (the chemical compounds in cannabis) bind to both receptor types, but CBD has a different relationship with CB1 and CB2. Instead of triggering the receptors, CBD modifies their ability to bind with cannabinoids like THC, which explains why CBD mellows some of THCs psychoactive effects. 

Here’s a pro tip: if you’ve overconsumed, reach for a CBD-heavy product – a tincture, for example – it’ll help you return to earth.

Let’s get back to the ECS.

Your endocannabinoid system is a complex web of receptors, biochemical pathways, and enzymes (we said this above, but it’s worth repeating). 

The ECS is the central regulatory bodily system responsible for maintaining homeostasis (internal balance). It’s your body’s thermostat, so-to-speak, and keeps you comfortable, among other things. Through this complex system, cannabinoids interact with your body, triggering its beneficial effects. Despite the ECS’s vital role in how our bodies function, it was discovered relatively recently, and we’ve only begun to fully understand its significance. 

“The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a vital role in the human body for our survival. This is due to its ability to play a critical part in maintaining the human body’s homeostasis, which encompasses the brain, endocrine, and immune system, to name a few.”—The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator, Chad A. Sallabaryy and Laurie Astern, 2018

You need to take care of your endocannabinoid system.

Because you have to care for it, you must understand a few endocannabinoid system basics. 

It’s easy to throw your ECS out of balance. Diet, stress, and exercise (or a lack thereof) influence the endocannabinoid system. Unfortunately, modern life is taking its toll on this influential bodily network (especially this year). 

Fortunately, cannabis purchased from a legal Colorado dispensary can help if you’re trying to counteract an internal imbalance. There are hundreds of cannabis cannabinoids, and each uniquely interacts with your CB receptors in a way that helps to support homeostasis. Cannabis can help ensure that your body is working with enough cannabinoids, and it’ll be your friend as we try to get through the stressors of 2020. 

Cannabis is complicated, but we’ll simplify the plant for you.

It’s been our mission to simplify the cannabis purchasing experience for Denver dispensary customers since our founding. We’re here to help you find the best products for your lifestyle. Drop by your favorite (or nearest) Lightshade Colorado dispensary and let our budtenders be your guide.

Cannabis might be the secret to helping women live healthier and more relaxed lives.

Cannabis is forging a path to the center of Colorado’s growing wellness community. And while this comes as a surprise to new consumers approaching the plant from the lense of past stigmatization to us, it’s no surprise. We’ll explain. 

Most Denver dispensary shoppers are familiar with the basics of what cannabis can do:

• treat general pain and anxiety
• help people get a good night’s sleep
• have fun
• relax after work
• inspire focus and creativity

But many people are still in the dark when it comes to the therapeutic value our favorite plant provides to women. We don’t intend to ruffle men’s feathers, but, like many aspects of society, even though cannabis is an ancient herbal remedy, it tends to be associated with men more than women. 

However, when it comes to enjoying and benefiting from our favorite plant, women might have the upper hand. 

If you don’t believe us, keep reading.

Here are three ways cannabis can help women unwind and lead healthier lives.

Drop into your favorite Lightshade location and ask our female budtenders about their favorite products. And if you want to know more about the impact of cannabis on women, click here to check out our complete cannabis guide for women.

Sarah Woodson and the Color of Cannabis are creating cannabis industry opportunities for People of Color.

Cannabis is medicine. It’s also fun. But the cannabis industry has a long way to go before it’s fair, equitable, and diverse. 

Our nation and the world are experiencing a civil rights awakening, as uncomfortable conversations occur at dinner tables, on the streets, and in (virtual) workplaces globally. 

The cannabis industry is taking center stage as people realize there are more Black men imprisoned today than before the Civil War. And a significant percentage of the Black and Brown men and women serving sentences in America’s prisons are there as the result of the War on Drugs. 

Here is a handful of facts assembled by the Center for American Progress to demonstrate our point:

• Black Americans are four times more likely to face arrest for cannabis charges than their white peers. And Black Americans make up almost 30 percent of all drug-related arrests, despite accounting for only 12.5 percent of all substance users. 
• Black Americans are almost six times more likely to face incarceration for drug-related offenses than their white counterparts, despite equal substance usage rates. Nearly 80 percent of people serving time for a federal drug offense are Black or Latino. And in state prisons, People of Color are 60 percent of those serving time for drug charges. 
• In the federal system, the average Black defendant convicted on a drug charge will serve nearly the same amount of time as a white defendant would for a violent crime. 
• People of Color account for 70 percent of all defendants convicted of charges with a mandatory minimum sentence. Prosecutors are twice as likely to pursue a mandatory minimum sentence for a Black defendant than a white defendant charged with the same offense, and Black defendants are less likely to receive relief from mandatory minimums. Defendants subject to mandatory minimums, on average, spend five times longer in prison than those convicted of other charges.

We’ve talked about the connected history of cannabis and Black and Brown people in America before (here and here). But we haven’t addressed the 400 years of policy-driven oppression that’s taken us to this moment in 2020, a moment in which the global pandemic and public death of a Black man at the hands of police have collided in a perfect storm of social awakening. It’s time for a change, and Sarah Woodson and the Color of Cannabis are leading the way in Colorado.

Sarah Woodson has entrepreneurship ingrained in her.

The daughter of entrepreneurs, Sarah, is driven to succeed on her terms. But after earning her Associate’s Degree and two Paralegal certificates, and founding what would become Colorado’s largest Pro-Se Bankruptcy business (including a social equity program for Women of Color), she experienced professional burnout.

Sarah’s husband was interested in cultivation and encouraged her to find a place in Colorado’s then-new cannabis industry with him – as dispensary owners. Unlike her husband, however, Sarah wasn’t a cannabis consumer. In fact, at the time, to Sarah, cannabis didn’t represent positivity and opportunity. When we spoke with her, she said, “My husband was negatively impacted by cannabis despite his interest in cultivation, so initially, it didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth.” 

But by 2015, Colorado’s cannabis industry started to mature, and Sarah’s opinions shifted. Her entrepreneurial DNA had her looking for a way into the burgeoning industry. 

Sarah entered our industry through hospitality, by-way-of her business, Kush and Canvases – an upscale consumption-friendly forum for cannabis-fueled art. She also continued to look for new opportunities. As fate would have it, an encounter at Denver Startup Week with Cannabis Global Initiative founder, Wanda James, who said, “if you’re not in politics, you’re not in cannabis,” changed the direction of her career. 

Realizing thousands of people are still imprisoned for cannabis offenses in a state that ended its prohibition, Sarah looked at ways to give back. She started volunteering with Denver’s Turn Over a New Leaf program to help expunge the records of Coloradoans with low-level cannabis convictions. 

Through her work with Turn Over a New Leaf, Woodson found a mentor in Kristi Kelly of the Marijuana Industry Group; she also found a job with MIG. And with her experiences, education, and cannabis industry connections, the die for the Color of Cannabis was cast.

In Sarah’s words: 

“Through my work at Marijuana Industry Group, I understood what Wanda meant when she said if you’re not in politics, you’re not in cannabis. And once I wrapped my head around my experiences and connections, the call was there. And the call was, you need to make sure you help other Black and Brown people enter the industry because if they don’t have these connections and opportunities, they’re not going to be successful – that’s how the Color of Cannabis started.” 

Sarah answered the call. She and the Color of Cannabis are focused on transforming people’s lives impacted negatively by cannabis prohibition and changing the concept of who social equity candidates are. For her, all roads lead back to entrepreneurship, because social equity specifically, is excellent for the Black and Brown entrepreneur. And becoming successful in America, as a Person of Color, can be an act of civil disobedience. 

Many people speak of what’s wrong with the cannabis industry, but not enough people are looking at how we make it equitable. The Color of Cannabis is a bridge between our industry and the community. They build pathways for People of Color to enter cannabis at every level, through respectful but progressive conversations, advocacy, and free expungement clinics. Because sealing the records of Black and Brown Coloradoans with cannabis convictions is a pathway to opportunity and success and a way to build generational wealth. 

“A social equity candidate is not a person that’s broke, poor, and unintelligent. It’s a person that needs an opportunity and is worthy of that opportunity.” – Sarah Woodson

The Color of Cannabis represents the equitable interests of Black and Brown people who want to participate in the legal cannabis industry. They do this through criminal justice reform, legislation and public policy, and business education and technical assistance. Through their work, CoC can help restore and repair the people and communities negatively impacted by America’s War on Drugs. 

We can pass bills, create policies, have conversations, and advocate, but if we don’t have widespread participation, the hard work will be in vain. If you’re a Person of Color interested in our industry, reach out to the Color of Cannabis – they’ll get you connected and provide information because Sarah and her team are committed to your inclusion in the cannabis industry.

Please join the Color of Cannabis, Lightshade, and others on Saturday, August 22, from 11 AM to 2 PM, for a free cannabis expungement clinic. Click here for more information and to register.

It’s time for our industry to help absolve Black and Brown Americans of their prohibition-era cannabis convictions.

As the COVID-19 pandemic changes our perceptions and priorities, and social uprisings finally address decades of systemic racism, we’re witnessing a global cultural shift.

Cannabis is deemed essential in legal states like Colorado, and we’re grateful that marijuana is rightly viewed as medicine. And recreationally, cannabis is a healthier, more mellow alternative to alcohol. Today, every functioning adult needs stress relief; we’re happy to serve the community with marijuana, an ancient herbal remedy. 

But our industry needs to have hard conversations like every person needs to right now. Because how we react today reveals much about the spirit and soul of our community.

The war on drugs helped to bring us to this point.

Cannabis businesses (like Lightshade) are in a unique position today because America’s War on Drugs included cannabis prohibition, and its continued prohibition plays into the oppression faced by Black Americans. 

The cannabis industry needs to make racial justice a priority.

We’re obliged to honor and pay our debt to history. The cannabis industry wouldn’t exist without generations of Black Americans – the first people to bring our favorite plant to North America.

Black musicians introduced cannabis to white audiences through Jazz, including venerated Beat generation authors Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. The Beats brought weed (or tea, as they called it) to a generation of white hippies and birthed the countercultural movements of the 1960s and 70s.

Cannabis helped the Jazz Agee flourish, serving as a conduit for creativity, music production and performance. The 1920-30s saw the beginnings of cannabis slang and cultural development, specifically in Black communities. Joints were sold outside tea pads or cannabis bars. Musicians would light up on tea, reefer, grass – codes for cannabis since the drug was vilified nationally and on the cusp of criminalization – singing tributes to the substance.” – Daily Trojan

But countless Black Americans have paid the price for giving us the gift of cannabis. Michael Thompson, now 69, was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison after selling a few pounds of marijuana in 1994. He’s imprisoned in Michigan – a state with legal cannabis today. Thompson isn’t up for parole until he’s in his 80s. 

There are more than 40,000 Black and Brown American cannabis prisoners with stories similar to Michael’s. Prisoners are watching from behind bars as more states legalize cannabis, and business owners and municipalities profit off a plant and industry without their participation.

This amid the backdrop of a pandemic that’s put prisoners at risk.

“People serving prison time for cannabis offenses will be at increased risk of dying from the virus, as prisons are the perfect confluence of conditions to spread infectious disease, and typically have substandard health care. Whether someone agrees with legalization or not, nearly all of us would agree that a cannabis offense should never be a death sentence.” -Kris Krane, Forbes

Fortunately, individuals and organizations have stepped up to advocate for Black cannabis prisoners and Black participation in the cannabis industry.

Colorado’s Black Cannabis Equity Initiative is focused on building opportunity, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our cannabis industry (we recently sat down with the founder and CEO, John Bailey – check it out here). And organizations and individuals are working toward the expungement of low-level cannabis convictions in Colorado. 

Black and Brown Colorado citizens shouldn’t carry the stigmatization and burden for the past conviction of an “offense” that’s no longer considered a crime. Our industry has a responsibility to work toward racial justice, and it’s never been more urgent to release cannabis prisoners from their cells.

Here’s what Lightshade is doing to help.

Even in Colorado, Black and Brown Americans are unjustly sitting in prison cells for minor cannabis-related offenses. We’re doing our part to help expunge their low-level offenses and find gainful employment. Here’s how:

• Our government affairs team contributed to the amendment pardoning cannabis prisoners in Colorado post-legalization.
• We’re continually working to remove low-level cannabis convictions from impacted community member’s records.
• We’ve partnered with the Color of Cannabis to host free expungement clinics for Colorado cannabis convictions. The clinics help attendees through the application process and include application preparation and review and notary services and legal consultations.

Lightshade Partner Highlight: The Color of Cannabis

The Color of Cannabis provides a pathway to restorative economic and criminal justice for communities negatively impacted by America’s War on Drugs. The organization represents the equitable interests of People of Color who want to participate in the regulated cannabis industry. They advocate for legislation, public safety, business education, and technical assistance to provide sustainable opportunities for People of Color in the cannabis industry. 

The Color of Cannabis is responsible for spearheading Colorado’s first and only Social Equity Cannabis legislation. Click here to learn more.

The Color of Cannabis also offers a ten-week social equity cannabis training program and an ancillary cannabis coworking space. 

There is power in legislation and policy, because, outside of capital (wealth), legislation is the cornerstone of our industry’s racial makeup. Lightshade is proud to partner with the Color of Cannabis and similar organizations committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry.

Visit the Color of Cannabis to learn more: https://www.thecolorofcannabisco.org/.