The cannabis industry is beginning to soar here in the United States. Unsurprisingly, Black folks are being boxed out of participating due to excessive startup fees, limited licensing, and extreme legal action against us for weed possession and use.
Perhaps we'd have better luck elsewhere.
Unlike the U.S., which is slow to embrace recreational cannabis use, South Africa legalized its consumption in 2018. Since then, the country has been struggling to make it a more significant part of its economy. This year, President Cyril Ramaphosa set the tone to industrialize the industry.
Another difference between South Africa's moves and the U.S.'s? South Africa is offering licenses at an affordable amount. It can cost over $25 thousand in legal fees to get a cannabis license in the states. Considering the systemic issues that make it near impossible for us to accumulate wealth, most can't come close to affording that - let alone the whole ass business after getting the license.
With the President's desire to see this industry - and, let's be real, his economy - grow, there's ample opportunity to get in while the getting is good. Uprooting one's life to move to another country isn't easy, but when the benefits outweigh the negatives, is change something that we can afford to ignore when a financial opportunity like this is on the line?