Cannabis has a rich historical connection to indigenous communities worldwide. Archaeological evidence suggests cannabis was used medicinally by Native Americans as far back as 500 BCE, with tribes like the Lakota using it for pain relief and spiritual ceremonies. Hemp cultivation was not only legal, but also encouraged in early America with farmers including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. They grew it as a staple crop for rope, paper, and textiles until the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act effectively criminalized it.
Cannabis wasn’t foreign to these lands, it grew naturally across continents. In India, cannabis use dates back to 2000 BCE, where it was documented in sacred texts like the Atharva Veda for its medicinal properties. Similarly, across Africa in regions like Morocco and South Africa, cannabis cultivation has been practiced for centuries with the plant having cultural significance and medicinal applications predating colonial contact. These historical contexts reveal that this plant has played an integral role in human civilization long before the colonizers implemented prohibition.
The Criminalization Campaign
The War on Drugs, initiated under President Nixon in 1971, disproportionately targeted minority communities despite similar usage rates across racial demographics. According to the ACLU, Black Americans are 3.64 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than white Americans, despite similar consumption rates. This disparity wasn’t accidental; Nixon’s domestic policy advisor, John Ehrlichman, later admitted, “We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or Blacks, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities.” These policies resulted in mass incarceration, while economic impacts of these arrests have devastated minority communities for generations by creating cycles of poverty and limited opportunity that persist today.
Organizations Fighting for Justice
The Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) stands at the forefront of addressing these injustices. MCBA’s mission is to create equal access for cannabis businesses and economically empower communities of color through policy, programming and outreach initiatives to achieve equity for the communities most impacted by the War on Drugs. Their priorities center on a grassroots approach designed to uplift local efforts creating equity through advocacy and entrepreneurship. These initiatives include a workshop tour featuring 30+ nationwide events, an equity flagship event, Lobby Days in Washington DC, and ongoing engagement through Town Halls and weekly Power Hours. Learn more at www.minoritycannabis.org.
The JUSTÜS Foundation is an approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring and facilitating the entry of legacy (pre-legalization) cannabis operators to the legal cannabis market. The organization addresses two critical trends: the exclusion of legacy cannabis operators from the legal industry and the persistence of a dual market following legalization. The foundation’s program includes several pillars: outreach to identify and contact legacy operators, needs assessment to identify barriers to entry, policy development to remove regulatory barriers, public education to build awareness, and constituent services. In New York, these services include support for forming UNLOC (a legacy operators association), media training, application assistance, mentoring, networking events, and facilitating relationships between legacy and legal businesses. Learn more at www.https://justus.foundation/.
The Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA) is a dedicated resource for empowerment and growth in the cannabis market for Indigenous groups, particularly through advocacy work in the ever-changing landscape of cannabis legalization across the country. Their work centers around three core pillars. Policy: building an equitable and sustainable Indigenous cannabis industry through sensible policy. Empowerment: providing education, resources, and economic opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs, Tribal Nations, and communities. Connection: offering access to ICIA’s network to connect Tribal Nations, industry partners, advocacy groups, mentors, businesses, and aspiring entrepreneurs. ICIA recognizes the sacred relationship many indigenous communities have with cannabis and works to preserve tribal sovereignty in the emerging cannabis economy while ensuring economic benefits flow back to tribal communities. Learn more at www.indigenouscannabis.org/
Take Action Today
Hemp is now federally legal, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, and over 38 states have legalized cannabis for medical use while 24 states permit adult recreational use, but the fight for justice continues. Visit these organizations’ websites today to learn how you can support their crucial work through donations, volunteering, or simply amplifying their messages within your community. As legalization expands, ensuring equitable participation for those most harmed by prohibition remains essential for true cannabis justice.
