Recently, I was interviewed by a local magazine for an article they are writing about Elevated Gatherings, to be published this fall. Super exciting, right? As much as I might like to brag about getting noticed by a media outlet, that’s not where I’m going with this. I’ll brag when it comes out!

One of the questions the interviewer asked me was if there were any challenges we’ve faced as we got our business up and running. Of course, there have been a bunch of challenges. If this was easy, everyone would be doing it! But one that stood out in my mind was the black cloud that hangs over anyone connected to cannabis. You know what I mean, the assumptions people make about those of us in the industry, those of us with history, or just plain lovers of the plant. We’re lazy, we’re criminals, we’re not serious about things. I mean, you can think that if you want, but let’s be honest, that’s not even close to the truth.

Come on, people. The raised eyebrows, the “jokes” about the seriousness of our business or the safety of our food, it’s all gotten a little old at this point. Have I been dissuaded or discouraged? No, I wouldn’t say that, but do I get irritated? Oh, 100%.

With that, I got thinking, and a little seed started rolling around in my head. That’s how everything I write gets started. A little seed of an idea bounces around and then catches other ideas until suddenly I have a whole sentence, and then a couple sentences, and then I’m off. This seed that started after I did that interview was that maybe someone needs to take a minute to recognize everyone making this cannabis community what it is, the “real ones.”

First, let me define what I mean by the “real ones.” I used to have a coworker who would say to people, write it at the end of an email, or maybe in your birthday card, “you a real one,” and I always liked it and took it to mean that whoever was on the receiving end of that statement was part of the club, one of the cool kids, so to speak. So I’m grabbing that expression and applying it here to the real cannabis people. Anyone who wants to join this community can be a real one. You just have to love cannabis, to really love it. You can go way back or be new to things. There’s no time requirement.

I’m shouting out to all of you.

The ones who planted seeds knowing they could go to jail if they got caught.

The ones who saw the power of the plant and took all kinds of risks getting it to people who needed it.

The ones who did get caught and pressed on anyway.

And, in the more recent legal environment, the people who opened businesses and the ones who went to work for the businesses, knowing that at any moment the feds could pop in and shut the whole thing down and everyone inside could be guilty of drug trafficking. Oh yeah, that isn’t the risk it was before, but it’s still a risk.

And of course, everyone who has patronized a cannabis business in one way or another, or anyone who has stood up for one of us and said those shady comments aren’t cool.

You’re all real ones to me.

No matter what the world tells you…

You’re not “too nice” for cannabis.

You’re not “too smart” for cannabis.

You’re not “too hardworking” for cannabis.

You’re not “too” anything for cannabis. You are who you are, and you’re all welcome, because we’re all here to welcome you. There’s always room for another real one.