Contributor: KC Scannell
It’s no secret: the marijuana industry is booming!
The trend for this burgeoning realm of business has continued its upward climb towards historic levels of monetary success, with absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Which is probably why every eager cannabis entrepreneur is champing at the bit to get a slice of the proverbial pie. They see the mountains of cash that are routinely growing, and they know the sooner they get in the industry, the better off they’ll be, as dispensary licenses and whatnot are becoming increasingly more difficult to attain.
Needless to say, there’s a lot of money to be made in this section of the economy, and people are becoming more and more aware of that fact. Which is probably why you’ve seen hoards of celebrities offer up their likeness and partner with various cannabis companies, in hopes of procuring some of this marijuana-enriched wealth.
Award-Winning Actor & Comedian, Whoopi Goldberg Is Latest Celeb To Enter Cannabis Industry
Which is understandable, but it’s truly nothing more than a cash grab. For the most part, these high profile celebs are only agreeing to these contracts because they know how profitable they can be. Very few of these household names really care about cannabis.
Ex-athletes, however, are endorsing various products because they have personal experience with THC and its healing properties, and their campaigns seem legit. They know how beneficial cannabis can be, from a personal standpoint, and they want to work on creating a product that enhances those already beloved aspects.
Athletes like Mike Tyson and Rob Gronkowski are amongst the biggest former athletes to step foot into the cannabis industry. These two, arguably, have put their bodies through decades worth of pain and punishment, and they know exactly how comforting and therapeutic cannabis can be. But, when you start to look at the more “celebrity” names out there in the industry, you stumble across money-hungry folks like Gene Simmons.
The KISS frontman has recently partnered with a cannabis company, but this business deal reeks of greed. Simmons, admittedly, has never (nor does he want to) try cannabis. He’s never taken a single puff, not a bite of a single edible, and he wants us, the cannabis consumer, to trust what he says about marijuana?!
What the hell does he know about cannabis? Nothing, that’s what. That’s why his company is destined to fail, while those products being pushed by former athletes stand to succeed a great deal, mainly because they know what they’re talking about.
It all comes down to passion for the plant.
If the spokesperson can speak with honest conviction about how marijuana has changed their lives for the better, the more believable a pitch, ergo the more people will want to buy said product. It really is that simple.
But, for the most part, it feels as though the only famous people who are able to achieve that goal have a background in sports. While celebrities, who probably smoke a little from time to time (Gene Simmons excluded), hardly have any real passion for their THC-related products.
That’s where world-famous comedian, actor, and talk show host, Whoopi Goldberg comes in.
This multifaceted talent has been a mainstay in Hollywood for 30+ years now, and everything she does is usually conducted with a high level of integrity and honesty. Her recent cannabis-infused endeavor in the industry is a marijuana company called Whoopi & Maya.
The “Maya” in Whoopi & Maya is a reference to Whoopi’s main “in” to the industry, expert cannabis cultivator, and grower, Maya Elizabeth. Together, these two plan to take on the entire marijuana marketplace with a series of products, but these aren’t just your typical dispensary items. These products have been specially designed with the female cannabis enthusiast in mind.
Obviously, any gender can partake in their goods, but the strains and items that they are making available are genetically created to help women.
When asked to speak on this specific direction for her marijuana company, Whoopi was more than happy to elaborate. The legendary actor and comedian said, “I’ve spent the better part of my life standing up for issues that were important to me.”
Adding, “I asked a friend in the cannabis industry if anyone was doing marijuana for menstrual cramps; and when he said no, I knew someone had to – and that it may as well be us. We started working on a business plan and looking for product developers, which led us to Maya.”
The two have come out with a litany of different products, most of which focus on how to cope with pain and aches brought on by menstrual cycles. Specifically, about the products, Whoopi said they make a, “…line of cannabis derived epsom salts and menstrual relief rubs.”
Whoopi was eager to elaborate on her relationship with cannabis in greater detail, as well. Of which, she said, “When I was younger, I realized it helped my cramps, and I’ve had a good relationship with it since. It continues to help me feel better as I get older. I’m a big fan of our products and my vape pen…they provide me relief as I get older.”
The E.G.O.T. winner didn’t just pick Maya Elizabeth to be her growing partner on happenstance. Quite the opposite, actually. When she was asked to extrapolate on her and Maya’s working relationship, Whoopi commented, “When we started looking for someone to help us make products, we saw that Maya won the most Cannabis Cups and was involved in a women run collective. We met and we hit it off immediately.”
Goldberg continued on with her statement, saying, “I thought her [Maya’s] product was great, and I asked her if she’d be willing to do this with us. Luckily, she said yes, and we launched Whoopi & Maya.” Which is a nice touch that most ego-centric celebrities would never do. For those delusional stars, it’s all about them. So, for Whoopi to consciously share the cannabis spotlight with the grow pro she teamed up with seems equal parts appropriate and admirable.
You can tell just through her intimate relationship with cannabis and how it has helped her deal with pain brought on by menstrual cramps, that Whoopi isn’t in this for the money. She’s in it to help other women find some much-needed relief every month.
During a recent interview with Forbes, she echoed that statement by saying, “Our goal is to make you feel better, not get you high. There are plenty of products out there that will get you high, but we want to make sure you are feeling okay. We want to help women who have bad cramps be able to work a full day without excruciating pain.”
Whoopi is no stranger to high-profile projects. She’s familiar with how fickle some of them can be. But, when broached with questions about the company’s potential longevity in the cannabis industry, the ever-confident Goldberg was quick to say, “This is a long term plan and we’re still a relatively small company. Entertainment projects come and go and there are so many things outside your control. I like that we can own this and have control over the direction of our business. Quality and working with the right people is important no matter what you do in life.”
Armed with that passion, and an award-winning grower, the chances of Whoopi & Maya becoming a staple at every dispensary from coast-to-coast is extremely high. And the rewards the duo stand to gain from this passion project are seemingly endless.