Pride Month 2020: Recap
It’s easy to take legal cannabis for granted. For over 2 years now, California “cannaseurs” have been able to pop into their favorite Santa Ana dispensary and pick up anything they’re craving. However, that wasn’t always the case. The activists who fought for the legalization of cannabis came from all different backgrounds, but a large number were part of the LGBTQ+ community. That’s no coincidence.
The legalization of medical marijuana came in 1996 with the passage of Proposition 215. You may have heard the name “Dennis Peron” before. A well-known cannabis legalization activist, he was inspired to coauthor the bill after his partner passed away due to AIDS complications.
Cannabis was—and is—a well-known remedy for the nausea and loss of appetite that HIV/AIDS and its treatments can bring. Peron and business associate Paul Scott decided to go into the business of “just trying to get pot to sick people.” Despite being arrested multiple times and being forced to move their businesses to new locations, they succeeded in winning the fight for cannabis. While it’s not fully over yet, some of their contemporaries (such as Richard Eastman and John Entwhistle) are continuing the fight today.
There’s no way to talk about the history—or present—of cannabis legalization without bringing up the LGBTQ+ heroes who have risked their lives for it. We honor their hard work, and we’re proud to announce our recent partnerships for Gay Pride Month 2020.
Last month, we partnered with Wyld gummies to honor Pride Month together. With your help, we were able to raise $5,000 in total for the LGBTQ+ community in Orange County.
With the help of the People’s community, $3,000 was raised for Radiant Health Centers. They provide compassionate care for all their patients, including free HIV testing, LGBTQ+ health services, and other specialized services such as housing assistance. Their dedication to keeping the queer community healthy and thriving for over 30 years inspires us. We’re proud to support their goal to create a healthy Orange County for all.
We were able to raise an additional $2,000 to the Orange County chapters of PFLAG. A crucial part of patient health is a strong support network, and PFLAG’s advocacy and support for parents, friends, and allies of the LGBTQ+ community is a big part of this. We believe in their passion to help and their mission to love now more than ever.
After all that LGBTQ+ activists have done in the fight for legal cannabis, we believe in giving back. We’re grateful to Wyld and the People’s community for allowing us to donate to these charities, and we look forward to the next stop on our cannabis journey. Thank you for your help with our fundraising efforts. We can’t wait to come together and see you again.
