Based on inclusion, HBCUs have established cannabis programs for the Black community.
Many HBCUs have launched programs to fight against the exclusion of Black people in the cannabis industry while preparing their students to be savvy business owners in the new and growing economy of marijuana.
Florida A&M University, Southern University, Clark Atlanta University, Tuskegee University, and North Carolina A&T State University are some of the institutions in recent years that have introduced their students to opportunities in the weed industry.
1. According to Newsone, the historic social stigmas and legal parameters surrounding cannabis and the Black community affect how Black people can establish a hand in the weed industry.
After lengthening its medical marijuana program in 2020, Southern University became the first HBCU to launch its cannabis and hemp medical product called “AYO.”
Southern University now holds the title of one of the most robust medical marijuana programs in the southeast.
Southern University System president and chancellor of Southern University Baton Rouge at the time shared the innovative products will grant healthcare options to Louisiana residents.
“With the launch of both CBD and THC medical marijuana products, Southern continues to set precedents in innovation,” Belton said. “In addition to providing healthcare options for Louisiana residents, our valued partner, Ilera, is able to hire local talent. All of this impacts our state’s economy directly while expanding the Southern University brand,” he added.
2. Clark Atlanta University was the first college to offer a cannabis program in 2019. The program course load focused on the complexity of cannabis and the business.
The online lessons discussed the role of social and economic impacts on cannabis regulation, ways to educate society about cannabis, and the governing control over the cannabis market.
Florida A&M‘s medical marijuana program kickstarted in 2017; still, in 2020, they launched an educative program for underserved communities in Florida to gain knowledge on the benefits of medical marijuana.
The institution also handed out grants to researchers studying Black entrepreneurs in the medical marijuana industry.
Tuskegee, North Carolina A&T, and Delaware State have also launched Hemp research programs that focus on soil quality, growing conditions, and methods needed to grow Hemp plants.
