Reflecting on Black History Month and the Cannabis Industry

Reflecting on Black History Month and the cannabis industry was the topic addressed by Dr. Kirsten Shepard Ahmed, CEO & founder of Texas-based CBD company, Pain Stoppers, who pointed out that only 4% of cannabis businesses are owned by African Americans, of whom she is one. As the legal cannabis industry continues to grow, the reality is that white business people are almost exclusively profiting from it at the moment, said Dr. Shepard Ahmed, known as Dr. K, who is a member of the Minority Cannabis Association, Texas NORML, and the Drug Policy Alliance. Although Black and Latina female entrepreneurs are the fastest-growing category of business owners, they receive only a fraction of available funding and have very little access to resources that can help them grow their businesses...and yet they persist! Dr. K is not only persistent…but she’s optimistic. “As with any new business venture, the biggest challenge is having the capital to get up and running. We had our share of those problems in the beginning,” said Dr. K whose Pain Stopper brand includes a variety of products made with full and broad spectrum hemp. Pain Stopper, Inc., said Dr. K, not only seeks to transform healthcare on a global level, their goal is also to help solve the country’s worsening opioid epidemic by getting people off addictive pharmaceutical pain meds and onto safe hemp-sourced CBD options. Recent studies have concluded that indeed cannabis may have the potential to not only reduce the harms associated with opioid use but also improve the quality of life of those who use opioids. To learn more about Dr. K’s Pain Stopper products or speak with a professional about which of the many medical protocols would best serve your needs, contact the Austin-based company.