With nearly 70% of Americans now favoring legalization of cannabis, it’s no surprise that 2023 is poised to be a landmark year as more states are expected to legalize adult use. This year, 21 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational use for adults 21 years and older, while 37 states have legal medical marijuana programs.
While there’s significant growth opportunity in cannabis, the industry remains homogeneous. Sure, legal sales of marijuana topped $25 billion last year, but only 2% of companies are Black-owned.In 2012, the former NBA star co-founded Viola, a Los Angeles-based cannabis company named after his grandmother. Ten years later, the company is valued at over $100 million and includes NBA guys DeMarcus Cousins, Kenyon Martin, and Ben Gordon as co-investors.
But selling weed is only part of Viola’s mission. It's a grander vision: mint 100 Black cannabis millionaires. Join us on this exclusive live virtual event and hear how the one-man Y Combinator for cannabis is working to help Black and Brown entrepreneurs build equity in one of America’s fastest-growing economies.
WillYakowicz Marihuana should be LEGAL in the whole wide world!