Despite The Odds, These Black Women Are Blazing The Cannabis Business

african american woman opening bottle of legal marijuana from dispensary close up with selective focus on weed.

The United States legal cannabis market is a billion-dollar industry that will grow “year over year through 2028,” The Library of Medicine projected. In 2024, the weed business was worth about $40 billion. Black women have been increasing their ownership stake in the sector that previously faced capital restrictions, licensing difficulties, and policy obstacles. According to industry data, Black entrepreneurs make up a small portion of cannabis business owners, despite Black communities having experienced disproportionate marijuana criminalization during the War on Drugs. Through efforts to create dispensaries and start cannabis brands while pushing for fair industry policies, Black women entrepreneurs are getting a cut of the cannabis wealth.

Pioneering female entrepreneurs in California and Maryland are transforming cannabis into economic value through ownership, development, advocacy, and community investment initiatives.

Hope Wiseman

After completing her studies at Spelman College,

Hope Wiseman entered the cannabis industry, becoming the youngest Black woman dispensary owner in the United States when she opened Mary & Main in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in 2018 at age 25. The medical cannabis dispensary started by Hope and her mother, Dr. Octavia Simkins-Wiseman, serves to increase access to medical marijuana treatment and educate patients about its use. Hope’s entry into the industry marked a broader movement toward Black ownership in the fast-growing sector, where minority business owners remain underrepresented. Through Mary & Main, Wiseman has directed her efforts toward educating the community, providing patient care, and promoting economic involvement in Maryland’s medical cannabis market.

Kika Keith

After years of advocating for cannabis equity policies in Los Angeles, entrepreneur Kika Keith turned activism into ownership by opening Gorilla Rx Wellness, which is recognized as the first Black woman-owned dispensary in the city

. The dispensary started operations in 2021 in the Crenshaw district, with two objectives: to help minority-owned cannabis brands and to support local residents. Keith worked hard to establish business ownership through persistent lobbying of city officials to develop legal market options for residents who experienced unequal cannabis criminalization in their neighborhoods.

Roz McCarthy

After experiencing the healing benefits of cannabis after managing chronic pain after a serious car accident, entrepreneur Roz McCarthy became a leading advocate for minority participation in the cannabis industry. Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) is a national nonprofit organization founded by McCarthy to promote diversity in the cannabis sector through educational programs, policy, advocacy, and professional development initiatives. McCarthy serves as the leader of Black Buddha Cannabis, which produces wellness-focused products while building community connections. Through her dual roles as an advocate and business leader, McCarthy has helped increase discussions about equity and access in the fast-growing legal cannabis market.

Wanda James

Wanda James established herself as a pioneering figure in the cannabis industry before the nationwide expansion of cannabis legalization. In 2010, Wanda James and Scott Durrah established Simply Pure in Denver, which became one of the earliest Black-owned cannabis dispensaries in America. James joined the cannabis industry following her work as a U.S. Navy lieutenant and political strategist who supported marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform. Through vocal leadership, James advocates for cannabis equity policies while educating people about the need for minority ownership in an industry that produced mass incarceration of Black Americans.

Chanda Macias

Dr. Chanda Macias combined her cellular biology expertise with cannabis entrepreneurship to become the CEO of Women Grow, a national

organization that connects and supports women leaders in the cannabis industry. She extended her influence by managing National Holistic Healing Center, a medical cannabis dispensary and cultivation facility based in Washington, D.C. Through her scientific research background and business leadership skills, Macias educates people about therapeutic uses of cannabis and promotes diversity in leadership within the cannabis industry.

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