Celebrating LGBTQ+ Cannabis Advocates This Pride Month

Did you know that cannabis and the LGBTQ+ community have had a long, intertwined history?

The truth is the LGBTQ+ community pioneered the path to the legalization of cannabis. It was a movement born out of empathy - the community led an entire revolution for the sake of those suffering as a consequence of discrimination. The legislation for cannabis, however, didn’t happen overnight and without the diligent advocacy of some absolutely phenomenal humans.

Here’s the scoop.

2 Epic Cannabis Advocates

The brave community of ruthless activists who fought for the legalization of medical cannabis during the HIV/AIDS epidemic deserves an epic shoutout. Cannabis helped AIDS patients with their pain and loss of appetite, which were common symptoms. Today, we’ll introduce you to two of the advocates that helped shape the cannabis industry by doing some solid humanitarian work along the way.

Meet Dennis Peron

In the ’80s, Dennis lived with his partner Jonathan West in the Castro of San Francisco, where he learned about the beneficial effects of medical cannabis for people with HIV/AIDS, especially when helping them maintain a healthy weight. Jonathan “was wasting from 142 pounds down to 110,” he later said, but cannabis helped him to have an appetite.