As the state's recreational cannabis industry continues to boom nearly two years after its launch, women are becoming an increasingly large part of its success.
The legal cannabis market has largely been a white, male-dominated field. But New Jersey's legalization law includes a social equity component intended to prioritize applicants who are women, people of color, and those hurt by the War on Drugs, among others.
Women involved in different facets of the state's cannabis industry told the New Jersey Monitor that being a woman in the business is not without its hurdles. They still face blatant sexism. They have trouble securing capital compared to their white, male counterparts. And even with New Jersey's goals to provide social equity when approving cannabis licenses, the industry remains male-dominated.
So, while they agree there are more steps to take toward equity and equality, they attribute their success to a supportive system of women cannabis entrepreneurs who lift each other up. "I've been really lucky to have a lot of female mentorship in the cannabis space, which is how I gained the knowledge and competence to be where I am today. There were women who opened the door for me," said Fran DeRogatis, owner of Bloomfield dispensary Nightjar.
Read more at newjerseymonitor.com