Isn’t it nice to live in a society where the legalization of cannabis is a sign of social progress, and an opportunity to be a progressive leader in a government forum? Though in its infancy in Canadian culture, there is an opportunity to turn the stigma on its head. Your 1-on-1 meetings over americanos can be more about the benefits of cannabis consumption and how you’re responsibly keeping it out of the hands of your 8 year old vs. pretending like you don’t have a pre-roll waiting for you after a long day of work.

Change the Cannabis Perception

Philip Wilkins, one of KEEP’s co-founders was just like any of you. Hard working, passionate, and the modern-day dad. While travelling on business in 2016 he was involved in a major car accident, hospitalized, and endured back-to-back seizures. Shortly thereafter, doctors diagnosed him with epilepsy, a neurological condition that would have him cycling through prescribed anti-seizure medication to get him through his daily routine. Although a hotly debated topic, Phil switched to cannabis to treat his condition, where consumption of cannabidiol (CBD) can help control his seizures without forcing the body to respond to traditional prescribed therapies. 

Though with the legalization of recreational marijuana and the objective to protect our youth from consumption, the benefits of the plant often get overshadowed. We need to bring this to the surface and shift the mindset. There’s more to the story than what we would have seen on ‘That 70’s Show,’ and I’m sure the man/woman standing next to you in their freshly pressed work attire on the subway could share a story or two of their own.

Cannabis vs. Marijuana

The legalization of cannabis has given us an opportunity to innovate and a forum to educate on the why vs. the why not. There are more conferences, testing, publications, market research, growth of legal firms, prominence in the medical industry, and more and more tech-focused brands like KEEP leaning towards responsible consumption. When you go from a young adult to a parent overnight, the mindset changes. We have to focus on reducing the stigma to make it OK to be that parent who’s not afraid to say they smoke here and there, but also that same person who responsibly keeps it out of reach from their curious kids. The more education and encouragement around addressing the subject gives us(and parents) the confidence to openly share and make it socially acceptable. 

KEEP, along with several other key players in the industry are leading the conversation and its more important now than ever before as our society is altering their social, cultural, and economic footprints.