Get Invovled

1. Eliminate stigma - Tackling each type of stigma head-on requires a nuanced approach. But when it comes to helping others recognize the fact that these stigmas even exist, simple conversation starters like shirts and blogs are powerful tools for initiating change. 
2.  Educate yourself (and your children) - Conscious advocacy rejects this type of “all or nothing” thinking. Instead, it embraces the idea that understanding the negative consequences of cannabis consumption will make the industry safer and more successful as a whole. 
3.  Spend wisely - There’s tremendous power in taking the time to seek out and support social equity owned businesses within the cannabis industry, as well as to support legislation that empowers social equity cannabis farmers to own and cultivate land. 
4.  Use your political power - Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level.  When each act that represents a major step forward in federal cannabis reform, and individual U.S. citizens can encourage the passage of these acts by calling their senators, signing petitions, and electing officials who support these new measures.   At the state level, advocates have the opportunity to sign online petitions and to call their legislatures. Lobbying in person at the state capital can also be a rewarding experience, but timing is limited to dates when voting is in session, and health restrictions due to COVID-19 may apply. Engaging with local city and county governments is sometimes the most powerful way to bring about change.  Additionally, local governments often facilitate civic engagement, and running for office is easier than many people expect. 
5.  Join organizations - A plethora of organizations exist to promote all aspects of cannabis education and advocacy. These also offer connections and a sense of community. While many organizations do excellent work, an important measure of their impact is the degree to which they acknowledge cannabis reform as a social equity issue.

                  Below are some organizations to explore, connect, join, donate and volunteer. 

https://www.safeaccessnow.org/advocacy

The mission of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis (marijuana) for therapeutic use and research.

ASA was founded in 2002, by medical cannabis patient Steph Sherer, as a vehicle for patients to advocate for the acceptance of cannabis as medicine. With over 150,000 active supporters in all 50 states, ASA is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA works to overcome political, social and legal barriers by creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, research, grassroots empowerment, advocacy and services for patients, governments, medical professionals, and medical cannabis providers.

Ensuring safe and legal access to cannabis means: 

• International, federal and state laws and regulations recognized cannabis as a legal medicine.
• Medical professionals recommend medical cannabis options as a frontline treatment option or an adjunct therapy.
• Patients and their caregivers have the information they need to make educated choices about medical cannabis therapies.
• Patients and medical professionals can incorporate a diverse group of products and delivery methods to create required personalized treatment regimen.
• Patients can trust labels on products and that medicines are free of pesticides and contaminants.
• Medical cannabis treatments are covered by insurance.

https://norml.org/

Responsible Adult Use

NORML supports the adoption of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers can buy marijuana for personal use from a safe legal source. This policy, generally known as legalization has been adopted (either in part or in full) in a number of US jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. At present, Washington state does not permit personal home cultivation, and Vermont and the District of Columbia do not permit retail sales.

In jurisdictions where legalization is not yet achievable, NORML also supports the immediate removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession and responsible use of marijuana by adults, including cultivation for personal use, and casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This policy, known as decriminalization, removes the consumer — the marijuana smoker — from the criminal justice system, but still maintains civil penalties/fines.

Enforcing marijuana prohibition results in the arrest of more than 600,000 individuals per year, predominantly people of color and young people. This annual total is far more than the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined, including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

https://www.mpp.org/

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is the number one organization in the U.S. legalizing cannabis. We passed 13 medical cannabis laws in the past 15 years, and we ran winning campaigns in eight of the 11 legalization states. No organization in the movement has changed as many cannabis laws, impacted as many patients and consumers, created as many new markets, or done more to end cannabis prohibition in the U.S. than MPP.

It's time for a new approach, and MPP is leading the way. MPP — including its staff, strategic partners, and supporters — is working toward the day when cannabis is legalized for adults and patients across the U.S. While there are many organizations that agree with that ultimate goal, what sets MPP apart is our approach and our track record. Since our founding in 1995, we've been making real progress in reforming U.S. marijuana laws by:

https://thecannabisindustry.org/advocacy/

 The National Cannabis Industry Association was founded in 2010 since our inception, NCIA has dedicated itself to promote the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry and work for a favorable social, economic, and legal environment for that industry in the United States. Our founders established NCIA based on the principle of power in numbers. The thousands of American businesses involved in the state-legal cannabis industries represent a tremendous economic force in this country. As the industry’s national trade association, NCIA works every day to ensure our growing business sector is represented in a professional and coordinated way on the national stage.

https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/

The Last Prisoner Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform. LPP was founded in 2019 out of the belief that if anyone is able to profit and build wealth in the legal cannabis industry, those individuals must also work to release and rebuild the lives of those who have suffered from cannabis criminalization. As the United States moves away from the criminalization of cannabis, giving rise to a major new industry, there remains the fundamental injustice inflicted upon those who have suffered criminal convictions and the consequences of those convictions.

At the Last Prisoner Project we utilize a three-pronged approach to securing FULL freedom for the communities we serve. Through intervention, advocacy, and awareness campaigns the Last Prisoner Project works to redress the past and continuing harms of these unjust laws and policies.  

https://www.detroitcannabisproject.com/

 The Detroit Cannabis Project is run by folks associated with Calyxeum and Lantern, and facilitated by some of the cannabis industry’s finest.  Collectively, we have over 100 years experience in regulated product sales across Michigan and beyond.  We’re excited to help you start your business.