Black CannaBusiness’ Tampa Cohort posing for a group.
TAMPA – Florida has one of the largest medical marijuana markets, contributing more than $1 billion to the economy, but Black entrepreneurs and patients are getting left behind. For decades, the cannabis industry has had capable Black entrepreneurs who have operated legacy businesses, but too few Black Florida entrepreneurs have opportunities to break into the legal cannabis market.
That is changing with a series of programs sponsored by Surterra Wellness. Surterra and their parent company, Parallel, partnered with Black CannaBusiness Mastermind to mentor Black entrepreneurs and remove barriers for Black patients.
“The industry needs more entrepreneurs of color in all areas from ancillary to plant-touching, and Floridians deserve some financial relief to access safe and legal plant medicine,” said Lynnette French, Chief Operating Officer of cannabis operator Parallel, the parent company of Florida-based medical marijuana dispensary Surterra Wellness.
Less than two percent of cannabis businesses are Black-owned. Florida lacks social equity programs to support Black entrepreneurs, many of whom have been operating “legacy” cannabis operations for decades.
Black CannaBusiness’ Tampa Cohort participant takes notes during a brainstorming session.
To address this gap, Parallel has partnered with Black CannaBusiness and Minorities for Medical Marijuana to host a national CEO Intensive, a free, six-week program tailored with training, resources and mentorship to empower minority and Black cannabis entrepreneurs.
“Our goal is to increase the number of cannabis business owners of color in Florida and across the country by providing them with resources to thrive,” said program co-founder Todd Hughes.
Hughes developed the program with Brandon L. Wyatt, and in two years of operation, they have trained over 150 minority entrepreneurs across the country with cohorts held in Tampa, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Austin, and Pittsburgh.
Parallel covers the program’s costs so that it can be offered free of charge to participants.
Cherita Johnson, founder of Deschedule Cannabis, participated in last month’s Tampa Cohort of the CEO Intensive.
“I was lacking the structure and the leverage to sustain a business that would allow me to help heal people as well as create opportunities for other minorities in this industry,” said Johnson. “The CEO Intensive gave me the tools that will enable me to help others, thanks to their resources, the network, and the community, and helping me realize that I don’t have to do it by myself.”
In addition to support for entrepreneurs, Surterra recognizes that the cost of accessing medical marijuana licenses in Florida is a barrier. They partnered with Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana (M4MM) to create clinics providing free access to medical cannabis certifications. The clinics, called “Safe Access,” are offered year-round across Florida and give priority to low-income individuals and veterans.
Obtaining a medical marijuana card requires a high cost to see a physician, making legal medical marijuana inaccessible to many. Safe Access clinics provide access to a doctor at no cost to the patients, in addition to education on medical marijuana.
“The cost of certification can approach $300, which is out of reach for many who need access to safe and legal plant-based medicine,” said DJ Howard of M4MM. “It’s been a pleasure to be able to work with a company as committed as Parallel to remove barriers to access and help communities gain safe access.”
For more information on Safe Access Clinics, visit https://safeaccessflorida.org/, and for more information on Black CannaBusiness Mastermind, check out https://www.bcbmastermind.com/
