The marijuana market was supposed to be the first billion-dollar industry led by women. In 2015, roughly 36% of all executive positions in the cannabis industry were occupied by women (that’s well above the global average of less than 25%). Media hailed the burgeoning industry as “far more inclusive” than tech, with women “molding corporate culture to be female-friendly from the ground up.” Exclaimed Newsweek in its “Women in Weed” issue: “It seems fitting that a plant called Mary Jane could smash the patriarchy.”
By 2017, it was apparent the “Grass Ceiling” was still intact. The percentage of female executives in C-suite positions had fallen to 27%, a drop Dope Magazine attributed to the influx of male executives migrating from other industries, as well as a lack of funding for female-led companies. And that number doesn’t even account for women of color, who are still largely affected by cannabis prohibition.
But the green landscape has changed in the past two years. With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill and the removal of hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, hemp has become a viable agricultural commodity. Recreational sales launched in California, Massachusetts and Nevada, while medical markets in Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania are now up and running. The World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from its list of banned substances.
Despite vacillating and hard-to-define numbers, the most recent survey by Marijuana Business Daily suggests women in 2019 command 37% of senior-level jobs at cannabis companies — back to outpacing the traditional economy. And with the CBD market alone estimated to reach $20 billion in the next five years, there’s plenty more opportunity where that came from.
Here’s the issue with all that explosive growth: there’s a serious lack of reliable information out there on THC and CBD products. Clinical trials (with published results) take years to conduct, and the FDA is lagging behind on their promised timeline for regulatory action concerning products’ efficacy, production, and dosing, as well as state-run testing infrastructure. (Yesterday, the FDA did send warning letters to 15 companies that were making illegal disease claims about CBD products, but simultaneously released new public guidelines undermining its status as a food ingredient). For now, customers are left to fend for themselves.
“Buying your CBD products from a reputable retailer or brand is of utmost importance, primarily due to the lack of FDA regulation,” explains Megan Villa, the creative director of Svn Space, the first all-female online media platform and marketplace for hemp and CBD products. “Hemp is a bio accumulator, which means that it absorbs toxins and heavy metals from the soil. This is why how the hemp is grown is so important. If it’s doused in pesticides, the hemp will absorb them, thereby passing chemicals along in your CBD products.”
Brands and retailers are struggling to find footing in this Wild West industry, too. While Facebook’s advertising policies make no mention of CBD, paying to promote social media posts that mention CDB or ingestible hemp is prohibited. For small and independent brands, those restrictions make it next to impossible to reach their customers.
“[There’s an] inability to establish marketing and advertising opportunities,” says Svn Space co-founder Monica Campana. “Social media is still a struggle which often leads to a brand’s social account being terminated. Social platforms are not up to speed with hemp and federal regulations.”
Villa, Campana, and their co-founder Grace Saari saw a need for a platform that could provide education, smash stereotypes, debunk myths and help assess the efficacy and quality of CBD and hemp products, “modernizing the perception of the plant.” Svn Space uses seven main checkpoints to evaluate the products and brands they include on their e-commerce marketplace. Want to sell on Svn Space? You better have sustainable and responsible sourcing methods, a certificate of analysis from a third-party verifier, and of course, beautiful packaging.
Svn Space also wants to create a more equitable hemp economy. Currently, 85% of employees at Svn Space are female, and 70% of the brands stocked are female-owned. They also created Hemp is Femme on October 10 — a calendar event like 4/20 or National CBD Day — as an annual recognition of women in the emerging hemp industry.
This week marks another annual movement to drive consumers to “shop women.” November 27 marks Women-Led Wednesday, a shopping holiday that shines the spotlight on women-founded and women-led brands, retailers and service providers. It’s similar to Cyber Monday or Giving Tuesday, but dedicated specifically to empowering women through our collective purchasing power.
“By buying from female-led businesses, you are shifting the pendulum to an equal playing field,” says Saari, who explains that investment is even more crucial in a new industry like hemp. “It’s all cyclical when you support female-led businesses where money is going back to women who have significant influence and purchase power with their spouses, partners, parents, children, peers, friends and even pets. Ultimately, this money cycles through to other decisions in regard to community and society.”
Here, we asked the founders of Svn Space to curate their favorite CBD and hemp gifts from female-led brands to celebrate Women-Led Wednesday — and help us foster a more equitable green economy this holiday season.
Luna Volta Nova Hemp CBD Oil ($92)
Megan: “I love the slow take on this product. The founder, Kayla Clements, took nearly a year to develop this one tincture because she had very high standards: organic MCT oil, sustainable packaging and quality CBD oil. It’s an amazing product and I love supporting brands that put a lot of thought and effort behind their products rather than ‘speed to market.’”
Yuyo Botanics Turmeric Salve ($30)
Grace: “I love the combination of turmeric and CBD after a workout (cue flexing my large biceps). A helpful tip is to apply this cream prior to a workout as both work together to reduce inflammation.”
Gara Travel Set ($50)
Megan: “This is a great little set if you want to test out several different CBD topicals. I’m obsessed with their hemp butter — it’s a super creamy and moisturizing butter that smells amazing.”
Vertly Lip Butter ($22)
Grace: “Much more moisturizing than a lip balm and it gives a subtle tinge of color and shine to my lips.”
CBD + Nature Relief Cream ($35)
Monica: “I love the scent, it’s just beautiful. I always feel the immediate effect on my sore body parts. The relief is real for me.”
Sunshine Series Produce Bag Set ($24)
Megan: “These hemp/organic cotton bags are the perfect replacement for plastic produce bags. There are several different sizes of bag to fit all different kinds of fruits and veggies from your local farmer’s market.”
Winged Relaxation Gummies ($35)
Monica: “These gummies taste great and help me relax after a long day on the go. I also love Winged CBD’s thoughtful focus on female needs.”
XX Johnie Gall. Images courtesy of Svn Space.