Niambe McIntosh, born in Jamaica, grew up with her mother in Boston, Massachusetts. Her father is the legendary reggae artist Peter McIntosh. Because of this she felt that she was already in the cannabis industry before being born, and today, she carries on her father’s legacy.
Niambe’s Thoughts on Cannabis & Reform
Despite Niambe not being able to smoke with her father, she understood the power he had in his community and around the world. His reggae songs empowered many, and he essentially wrote the anthem for the legalization movement stating, “Legalize it, Don’t Advertise it.”
Before extensively growing her dad’s legacy, Niambe used to teach youth in the public school system. But, when she almost lost her brother to police brutality, she left her job after ten years of teaching. Her brother was attacked and jailed simply for having weed on him. Overall, this personal experience made her realize that it was time to carry on her father’s legacy. She knew that sharing her brother’s story could help people understand why cannabis reform is vital.
Image Via Niambe McIntosh FB
What Does Cannabis Reform Look Like?
For Niambe, cannabis reform is much more than just getting rid of licensing fees or decriminalizing marijuana. For example, she believes people of color need capital to grow their businesses because many don’t have enough money to start- off with in life.
She also believes that the number of dispensaries built in an area is unfair to people of color trying to start their dispensary businesses, who end up being left at a disadvantage once our resources are finally together. Her solution would be the government lifting dispensary caps to open up the market to more people of color. Some of the ways progress can be made for people of color are lobbying and attending town hall meetings.
Niambe also mentioned that some areas in Boston make residents ineligible to be social equity applicants. Despite living in an area that included her in the past, she no longer qualifies because she lives elsewhere. She says the social equity application terms need to be more flexible so that more low-income Bostonians can have a chance in the cannabis industry.
How Cannabis Helps Niambe
Whenever Niambe uses cannabis products, she gets taken on a spiritual journey. For her, cannabis acts as a tool for inspiration and creativity, which is especially helpful when running her father’s estate. She also listens to music that allows her to “connect with the divine within.” Additionally, her favorite type of weed would have to be sativa strains. Sativa helps her work out, meditate, and push on throughout the day.
Images via Niambe McIntosh FB
Niambe’s Tips For Cannabis Users and Enthusiasts
For a new or experienced marijuana consumer, Niambe suggests drinking plenty of water before and during weed intake. Certainly, it’s essential to hydrate before medicating to reduce the chances of dehydration. Secondly, she said to start low and slow when trying edibles; if you overeat too fast, it may all hit you at once, making for an unpleasant experience. Niambe recommends taking hits of something, like vaping, to track your consumption better. Not interested in the psychoactive effects of cannabis? She mentioned CBD would be a great alternative to marijuana consumption.
For someone looking to get into the cannabis industry, starting an ancillary business to support other cannabis businesses may be a smart move. Furthermore, Niambe says the need for accountants, PR people, delivery drivers, social media managers, among other jobs, is essential for the growth of any marijuana business; so you don’t need to be a business owner to b
All in all, there are so many ways we can contribute to the cannabis industry. Niambe supports people of color who own cannabis businesses by being a council member of the Social Justice Cannabis Museum at Seed. Now is your time to do the same. Do your part today by purchasing cannabis products at your local black-owned dispensary and supporting the Peter Tosh Foundation!
