--- title: "Growth In Women-Related Cannabis Groups" id: "29904" type: "post" slug: "growth-in-women-related-cannabis-groups" published_at: "2015-08-24T21:46:26+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T14:33:35+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/08/24/growth-in-women-related-cannabis-groups/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/08/24/growth-in-women-related-cannabis-groups.md" excerpt: "The number of women entrepreneurs in the marijuana industry is on the rise. So too are the number of groups being created to provide these business leaders with resources and networking opportunities." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Advocacy" - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "cannabis" - "women in film" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Growth In Women-Related Cannabis Groups What do burgeoning new industries need? Associations. Such is the case with the growing marijuana industry, which has recently seen the launch of [several](http://associationsnow.com/2015/06/thursday-buzz-cannabis-flavored-bar-association/) [associations](http://associationsnow.com/2015/07/amid-shop-raids-alaska-marijuana-industry-association-forms/) to meet the needs of those in the cannabis trade. There’s also been a boom in women-related groups. With medical marijuana [now legal (opens in a new tab)](http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx) in more than half of the United States, and with recreational use [legal in four states (opens in a new tab)](http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.html) and Washington, DC, the industry is seeing a rise in women business leaders and entrepreneurs, [according to a recent Newsweek article (opens in a new tab)](http://www.newsweek.com/2015/08/28/women-weed-how-legal-marijuana-could-be-first-billion-dollar-industry-not-364249.html) . “As pot legalization spreads, women are taking over more roles in the industry,” Gogo Lidz wrote in the article. “There are female cannabis doctors, nurses, lawyers, chemists, chefs, marketers, investors, accountants and professors. The marijuana trade offers women a shortcut to get ahead in many avenues, and women in turn are helping to organize it as a viable business.” Groups, such as the Seattle-based **Marijuana Business Association**, are feeling the effect. MJBA has seen its Women’s Alliance group that launched last year grow to 500 members. And, the Washington state private social group **Women of Weed** has cultivated 300 members, up from eight two years ago when the group was founded. Meanwhile, the networking group, **Women Grow**, has seen its membership balloon from 70 when it launched in 2014 to more than 1,000 women throughout the country. It hosts professional networking and local social events, regional education symposiums, and national speaking circuits to help aspiring cannabis professionals connect with those already in the industry. “Women Grow is a for-profit entity that serves as a catalyst for women to influence and succeed in the cannabis industry as the end of marijuana prohibition occurs on a national scale,” the group states on its website. A year in, Women Grow has chapters in 33 cities in the United States and Canada, held a Leadership Summit with more than 120 attendees, and hosted a [lobby day in DC in February. (opens in a new tab)](http://womengrow.com/lobby-days-recap/?utm_source=Women+Grow+Newsletter&utm_campaign=3b54c2fadb-Newsletter_07_29_20157_28_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e632ba8fc8-3b54c2fadb-189662425&mc_cid=3b54c2fadb&mc_eid=f5ad5f90c1) It also has plans to launch a membership directory spanning a wide variety of business categories, including accessories, cultivation, and marketing. To help combat what it believes is a stigma against cannabis, and to work for wider legalization of the substance, the **NORML Women’s Alliance**—a nonpartisan coalition—works to create support for marijuana law reform. “We are working to bring a contemporary approach to the public policy debate, while proudly representing the interests of modern, mainstream women who believe that legalizing marijuana will protect our children, keep our neighborhoods safe and put people back to work,” the group [states on its website (opens in a new tab)](http://normlwomensalliance.org/about-us/) . (iStock/Thinkstock) [Katie Bascuas](https://associationsnow.com/author/katie-bascuas/) Katie Bascuas is a former associate editor at Associations Now in Washington, DC. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/katie-bascuas/) Tags: [#Advocacy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/advocacy/) [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#cannabis](https://associationsnow.com/tag/cannabis/) [#women in film](https://associationsnow.com/tag/women-in-film/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Powering Advocacy-Why PACs Matter for AssociationsNovember 20, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/11/20/associations-now-presents-powering-advocacy-why-pacs-matter-for-associations/) - [VideoASAE Legislative 2025 Fly-InApril 4, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/04/asae-legislative-2025-fly-in/) - [VideoThe Career Moves Every Association Leader Needs Right NowSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/the-career-moves-every-association-leader-needs-right-now/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2015%2F08%2F24%2Fgrowth-in-women-related-cannabis-groups%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !