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Information, business cards and joints aplenty were passed around Manhattan’s Hazy Haus on Thursday, where several dozen members of New York City’s Asian American cannabis community came together to do their part in helping the state create the most inclusive marijuana market in the US.
America’s Asian and mixed-Asian race populations have been on a steady upward trajectory for decades, according to recent data: In 1980, roughly 3.5 million Asian individuals lived in America; by 2060, that figure is expected to surpass 46 million.
Despite this booming population, Asians have lagged in most cannabis markets outside the West Coast, often representing small portions of ownership and the workforce: Recent data from MJBizDaily found that Asian and Pacific Islanders owned single-digit percentages of the cannabis market in Nevada (6.3%), Colorado (4%) and Michigan (3.8%).
Meanwhile, minority leadership fell, with 13.1% of cannabis businesses having minority executive leadership in 2021, down from 28% in 2019 and 16.8% in 2017.
While smaller than most culturally centered cannabis gatherings in the area, the crowd at Hazy Haus represented an eager, informed group ready to share their cannabis passions and business aspirations.
In doing so, the hope is to see more Asians stepping out of the “cannabis closet” and into the nascent cannabis space. Several attendees told NY Cannabis Insider throughout the free, three-hour gathering that they hoped the evening would lead to more events focusing on their community.
A pan-Asian pot occasion
Assembled by NYC-based cannabis attorney Wei Hu, the event aimed to embrace a co-op spirit and bring together individuals of various cultural and cannabis backgrounds.
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Attendees included job seekers, legacy operators, aspiring licensees, legal experts and others. Many played their part by contributing beverages, snacks, food, and pot for the evening.
Several in attendance said it was their first Asian-centric cannabis event – at least in the New York community. Hu said he was inspired to host the evening after attending similar affairs on the West Coast, where the Asian population and cannabis ownership figures are higher. While there, he said he saw a large number of attendees and allies, and believed New York could replicate the size and energy of the event.
“New York is lagging, but I think we’ll get there,” Hu said about the city and state’s Asian representation in cannabis.
NYS Senator Jessica Ramos served as the night’s unofficial guest of honor.
A representative of New York’s District 13 and chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Ramos interacted with attendees, listened to experiences and opinions, and discussed policy. The State Senator said she feels it’s her responsibility as a lawmaker who lived through New York’s drug war to attend cannabis events.
She added that state legislators need to make sure they are being “as intentional” in launching this industry.
Ramos, who carries an A+ rating from the cannabis advocacy group NORML, was a co-sponsor of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) of 2021.
At one point, a group gathered around Ramos and Hu, as the latter lobbied for an increase in grow light allowances for cultivators. Hu also praised the prowess of New York-grown cannabis, believing it can compete with West Coast quality.
Cannabis community building
Getting the regulations he and his clients desire is ideal, but Hu said the evening was about bringing the Asian cannabis community closer together “to show them there’s an option in the cannabis industry,” he said.
Several attendees preferred to stay off the record but discussed among themselves the ongoing state of the market and, for some, their excitement about soon applying for licenses.
One had recently applied for a CAURD license, noting the difficulty their company had finding an applicable person with a cannabis-based offense on their record and two-plus years of profitable business experience to their name.
In other conversations, chefs discussed their excitement around the emerging infused space and the importance of taking a hospitality service approach. Other attendees networked, hoping to find their breaks in ancillary fields, including news and media.
Josh Tan, a long-time plant enthusiast, hopes to apply his B2B development credentials in various markets to the cannabis space as consultant. He said he was glad he came to the event.
“I’m really happy to see Asian Americans coming out supporting cannabis and the movement,” Tan said, adding that he felt the environment was supportive overall.
Support in the Asian American cannabis community is indicative of how most Asians were raised, he said.
“The Asian culture has been built on community … your tribesmen are the ones that get you through,” said Tan. He hopes to attend more events like this in the future.
More to come?
The status of future events hosted by Hu remains up in the air. Unlike many cannabis events, he doesn’t appear intrigued by creating a branded event series.
Hu noted that while he may put on similar events in the future, he hoped the evening inspired attendees to launch their own gatherings. Rather than create an event series, he hopes attendees come away understanding that the size of the party doesn’t matter.
Instead, it’s about community building, education and accessibility.
“It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to cost anything,” he said.
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September 19, 2022 at 06:40PM
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Asians in cannabis: NYC gathering focuses on community - syracuse.com
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