The Influence of Advocacy and Social Responsibility in the Cannabis Industry

Emerging leaders increasingly embrace social entrepreneurship, blending profit and purpose to drive societal change, unlike traditional profit-focused business models. In the cannabis industry, this approach is particularly relevant as businesses face unique opportunities to address pressing social justice issues, such as racial equity, overturning cannabis convictions, environmental impacts of cultivation, and ending the war on drugs. While launching a cannabis business is costly and risky, nonprofits like SSDP, NORML, and MPP play a vital role by providing resources and advocacy absent from federal support. Companies can enhance their social impact through eco-friendly practices, fostering diversity, supporting newcomers, and collaborating with like-minded businesses to drive innovation and sector-wide improvements. Social responsibility need not require an entirely altruistic business model; small, meaningful actions like sustainable packaging, matching donations, or promoting awareness can exemplify what a socially responsible industry should look like.