Women Are Leading the Marijuana Movement Worldwide

Marijuana policy reforms are happening not only in the United States but around the world – enabling women to enter one of the largest and fastest growing industries. Once secluded to the black market, marijuana is now becoming a legal business.

In fact, women now account for 36% of all executives in the marijuana market according to Marijuana Business Daily. And while this number might seem a tad low, the national average of female executives in the U.S. is around 22%.

For years, marijuana use has been associated with men. But leading women are proving that cannabis isn’t exclusive to males. In fact, it is women that are leading this movement worldwide. From activists to growers, to business owners, women are at the forefront of a new kind of industry.

“The cannabis industry is so new that there are very few barriers to get in, especially for women,” said Giadha DeCarcer, CEO and founder of New Frontier, during an interview with CNN. A company specializing in data analysis for the cannabis industry, Giadha comes from a background in investment banking and technology consulting.

\"Those are all heavily male dominated areas. It was the biggest frustration for me,\" she said. \"It made it harder to rise to the top.\"

However, since entering the cannabis industry, Giadha’s business has doubled in value and size. And truth be told, she is far from the only one. Women at an increasing rate are developing marijuana companies and products. Take Whoopi Goldberg’s new marijuana products aimed at alleviating women’s menstrual cramps for example. Goldberg teamed up with cannabis entrepreneur Maya Elisabeth to release tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), (which doesn’t have a high), infused products for women. These products range from chocolates to salt soaks.

But marijuana policy reforms are not only leading women to rise to the top of an evolving industry, there also changing stereotypes and stigmas.

Take for example the increasing number of women who are growing marijuana. While men have primarily dominated cultivation in the past, women are quickly gaining traction in this terrain. As cannabis cultivator Kiva who runs a grow in Humbolt, California stated in an interview with Refinery29:

“Many women start out trimming. Some move into the garden as caretakers. Quite a few of my male grower friends say the success of their gardens is because of highly skilled and attentive female crews.”

“But, I don't see many women taking the next step: acquiring their own property and building their own gardens,” she adds. “That's not to say these women don't exist...since cannabis is still a gray market in California, part of being successful has been staying under the radar.”

Although women have been gaining traction within the cannabis industry, there are no doubt incredible challenges that must be faced. From discrimination to parental concerns, women working in the cannabis industry face no shortage of obstacles. After all, while marijuana policy reforms are occurring across the globe, in many areas, cannabis is still very much illegal. In fact, despite the growing market in the states, cannabis is still considered a federally illegal substance.

However, the women of cannabis are proving that these challenges will not hold them back. In fact, they are rising above.

One woman, Jane West, aims to connect, educate, and empower individuals in all segments of the cannabis industry through her organization, Women Grow. Dedicated to cultivating cannabis entrepreneurs, Women Grow currently has chapters in over 30+ cities across the United States and Canada. Founded in 2014, Women Grow is now the largest national network of cannabis professionals.

These organizations are only a fraction of the involvement women are having within the cannabis industry. And while the future has yet to unfold, there are no doubt strong, intelligent, and passionate women who are ready to progress this movement forward.

What do you think – do you believe that women will be at the forefront of the marijuana movement? Why or why not?