Black History Month: Cannabis, Health & Wellness

Photo taken by Charity Grace Photography.

Now that cannabis has been legalized in many US states, lots of people have recognized the plant’s amazing medicinal benefits and thus embraced it as part of their daily self-care ritual. These benefits should not be limited to a person's race, however, the harmful stigma surrounding cannabis consumption has historically affected the black community more than others.

Being a family business of Jamaican descent, we have a long history of using cannabis as an alternative medicine in our culture. The United States’ long lasting stigmatization of cannabis, particularly toward people of color, makes us that much more deserving to use the cannabis plant as a wellness tool in our lives. However, because of the stigma around cannabis criminalization, there are still many Black individuals that approach legal cannabis with the lingering fear of judgement and prosecution from past experiences. The ability to enjoy cannabis without the dark cloud of criminalization hanging overhead is a privilege.

These days, we have all been given the equal opportunity to take back the concept of cannabis as an instrument of wellness. The potential benefits of cannabis should not be limited by a person's age, race, or economic status. We hope that as time passes, all members of our community will feel as deserving of and comfortable with cannabis consumption as any other. We can practice our own form of self-care by finding peace of mind, relieving stress and pains, and promoting good sleep which are universal human needs. 

The Green Lady will be participating in a Nantucket Chamber virtual event for Black History Month February 25th @5PM on “Highlighting Community, Health, Wellness & Success”. To register, click here.