Cannabis is a healer, a medicinal plant in more ways than one. Cannabis is known to be a mind, body, and soul healer and so, naturally, brings people together. Covid may have challenged that a bit but, people were still smoking alone- together. At the heartbeat of cannabis culture is the sesh, and though shifted, it remains.
Cannabis, be it a sesh or a cannabis event, will always bring people together. It’s like Weedmaps said about cannabis sessions: “For many people, sessions are among the most enjoyable aspects of consuming cannabis, since it involves community.” As cannabis/hemp continue to sweep the nation and impact all industries, we will only see more of this.
People and Society
No matter what people like and dislike, their values, their beliefs, their way of being- cannabis/hemp puts a pause on the heat from people, and keeps it in the hemp joint/ cannabis blunt. Many times, no words are spoken over a sesh, the focus is the way cannabis/hemp is making everyone feel.
And usually when conversations arise, they are met with people who are more relaxed, elevated, and more connected to the now. These ingredients are the key to having a powerful discussion, with less ego, and more understanding.
On the topic of cannabis and conversation, Dante says (in his Leafly article): “You’re so judgment-free, man. You can say the dumbest shit, you can do the dumbest shit (safely, please), and your group just rolls with it.”
People and Events
One thing about cannabis/hemp events, there are hundreds of people in the building, and though the stages are still not as diverse as they should be, the views of attendee’s are becoming more and more diverse. People from all over, different backgrounds, and various cultures come for the same purpose- cannabis/hemp.
An event as small as a dinner party which is that much more intimate, can have a powerful impact on conversations and better understanding of people, places, and things.
People, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
We have work to do here; social equity in cannabis has a long way to go. Industry wise, Crowe (a global accounting network) reports the following regarding cannabis diversity and how we can do better:
- Prioritize diversity in hiring practices.
- Include diversity, equity, and inclusion as a company core value or pillar of corporate culture.
- Commit a portion of revenues to not-for-profit organizations and community-based social equity programs.
- Launch programs to mentor minority and women entrepreneurs or to provide scholarships and internships to train entry-level employees.
Final Thoughts
The stigma created is that cannabis makes you a lazy stoner; someone that wants to stay home and alone and smoke their life into sleep. The truth is, cannabis can make someone move away from the crowds, if those crowds aren’t the same as the ones that bring unity and understanding. The reasons the stigmas like Reefer Madness were created, is because cannabis/hemp has a high probability of melting hate.
