What It's Really Like Being a Woman in Cannabis
Being a Fempreneur in a Male-Dominated Industry Does Have Its Pro’s—But Do They Outweigh the Cons?
We're back with the third & final installment in our series with cannabis attorney, Meital, of Manzuri Law.
In today’s interview, we discuss the pro's and con's of being a woman in cannabis, and wrap things up with a fun game of "This or That"!
Tammy: Okay, now we are both women in cannabis and with that comes challenges, just like any other industry.
What are some of the hurdles and some of the good things that you have experienced in this industry?
Meital: I will say to start, the benefit was that at least as a lawyer, I could enter the space relatively young and become an expert pretty quickly.
And as a woman, there's going to be a lot more of a barrier to entry in a lot of cases. But in cannabis, to trailblaze took me a shorter amount of time. So I think that is one of the benefits.
One of the challenges is still that we're dealing with a lot of clients who are male. It's a male-dominated industry. The market is geared towards the stereotypical cannabis consumer.
I built my law firm with women around me so that when I'm sitting in the conference room–and it's myself and 10 men–I can bring another female attorney in and balance that energy out. And I found that to be crucial.
What about you?
Tammy: Some of the benefits have been that I set out to explain the industry and the plant in a way that I wasn't able to find.
And I think me being a woman and delivering this information absolutely helps. I think that I'm less threatening in that way.
But then there's the business side of me. And I think that's where the greatest challenge is. Because as a woman, especially women in male-dominated industries, you also have to be dominant yourself.
Meital: I would agree with that. Because I'm a lawyer, but I'm also a business owner and a businesswoman. And when I get on the phone, I'm ready to control the conversation.
Tammy: But then I also asked myself, was my response offensive, or was it offensive because it came from me as a woman? Because if I was a man, would you be offended or would you be like “yeah, it's just business?”
So I think men take us personally as well.
Meital: Well, yeah, the ego is quite fragile. And so that is something that I have realized in recent years is that the male ego is fragile, especially if it's challenged by a woman.
And I think the most important thing is lifting up other women. This is something that I think women have to do because women do cut each other down.
It's something that makes me emotional because I see it. And when you're talking about women that are successful and the first thing that is done is pointing out a criticism of their physical appearance…
I'm like, if this was a man, what would be my reaction? It would be like this: He's the man! This guy is doing his thing. So, I invite all women and men to check themselves.
Tammy: Oh, yes, get over our envy. You see somebody doing something that you want to do. And instead of being like, “oh, my gosh, I love that for her!” You do things, whether intentional or not, to undercut them.
Meital: And I think it's important to just recognize: “Tammy, you are amazing in your space and in what you're doing.” And to give the women around you that praise. That is one of the things that I feel most passionate about because I don't think that men are going to do that for us.
Tammy: Yes, exactly. And Meital, you created a female cannabis firm! What goals! That is amazing. We have to be the ones to cheer each other on. Like you said, to your point, men are not thinking about that. It's on us.
Meital: And I always tell myself, when I'm seeing a woman doing something that I admire, I think it is great. I praise them. I say it out loud.
That's how we have to raise the collective consciousness. And it's not going to be done by one person or two people. It's got to be done by 50% of the population–women.
Tammy: Yes, I agree. I think that's something I struggled with in this industry, and women I worked with, because I’m getting opportunities that I know that they wanted.
So I empathize with their pain but not so much with the actions they took after they had their pain.
Ok, now we are going to play a fun game of this or that.
Tammy: Flower or vaporizers?
Meital: Flower.
Tammy: Edibles or smoking?
Meital: Oh. Edibles.
Tammy: Wake and bake or evening toker?
Meital: Wake and bake.
Tammy: Sativa or Indica?
Meital: Sativa.
Tammy: Oh!!!
Meital: Are you an Indica?
Tammy: I mostly do OGs, which are classified as indica. Sativa is usually more citrusy and citrus-like foods and face washes and weed–I just don't react well.
Meital: I find that's generally true in most people.I do like a good hybrid, but I feel very down sometimes with the OG. I can just be couch locked. For me the sativa or the hybrid just kind of ‘inspires that up.’ But if it's too citrusy, though. I don't like it.
Tammy: Yeah, it's got to be balanced if there is lemon for me. But sativa is a bedtime story. If it's sweet, I am not going to be productive at all. Do not give me anything fruity or I will be no good.
Meital: Should I rapid fire you?
Tammy: Yes.
Meital: Okay, bud or vape?
Tammy: I'm going with bud all day.
Meital: Edible or smoke?
Tammy: Smoke.
Meital: Wake and bake or evening?
Tammy: Ooh, evening.
Meital: Sativa or Indica?
Tammy: Indica.
Meital: So we're opposites!
Tammy: Yeah, opposites. I mean, indica, sativa. That binary doesn't exist, and I harp on it all the time.
But yeah, mostly indica because OGs. But yeah, I love flower. I love smoking. And if I could only smoke one time per day, it would be at the end of the day, where I'm relaxing. And it's my glass of wine. If I had just one time.
Meital: I do like to say I've always preferred to smoke. I just recently got more into edibles. And I think it's also because of the kids. It’s way easier. And since I've done that, now when I smoke, I feel a little bit tight in the throat.
And I used to be a cigarette smoker, so I love smoking. And I even do the spliff a lot, so I kinda had to take myself off.
Tammy: I do herbal spliffs.
Meital: So what do you mix in there?
Tammy: I like a good one with lavender, mullein, spearmint, raspberry leaf–I'll do anything! Mugwort, blue lotus, just whatever mood that I'm in or whatever therapeutic benefit I'm seeking.
But I would say my most go to would be lavender.
Meital: Do you mix it yourself?
Tammy: Yeah.
Meital: Where do you get the lavender?
Tammy: So I’ll source it from the farmer’s market. Or there's actually brands out there that you can find on Etsy or on Instagram that have smokable herbs that are meant with the intention of mixing with your cannabis.
Meital: There's a couple of brands that do it.
Tammy: One of my favorites is Barbary. And they have a trio that you can buy. I used one strain of cannabis and all three herbs, and I had three different reactions to each mix with the same strain!
Meital: I have to try it. You know, if I smoke at night, I will not sleep. It’s a stimulant. It takes away my appetite.
I’m up, I'm thinking about everything I want to be doing, a little manic. Maybe a little edible at night might work for me, but…
Tammy: Interesting. See, cannabis companies: please stop telling me what your cannabis is going to make me feel. It's not true.
If you're saying this one's for “cruise control” and this one's for “getting a workout in”–no, it’s not. Tell me the terpenes and let me figure it out for myself.
We are in 2022 now. We're not using ‘end result classifiers’ anymore. That's so 2018.
Meital: Right. But can you smoke and workout?
Tammy: Yes, absolutely. The only thing that sucks is if I go into the steam room after my workout and I'm super high, then that doesn't really work out well. I'm just like: “Oh, I'm exhausted now but not working out.”
Having a pre-smoke before my workout lets me relax my body a little bit more and allows me to get into the moment. Especially before a tennis match or before I play squash because I am an overthinker.
And if I have too much time to set up for a play, I'm gonna botch it. I don't know why. But if I am going into automatic mode, it flows. My muscle memory can come in and it knows what to do in a situation.
Meital: What about a gym workout?
Tammy: Oh, yeah. Before I lift, for sure. And I lift a couple times a week.
Meital: Really? I’ll just be spacing. The intensity is gone.
Tammy: Well, for me, the anger is gone. Because it's painful, right, lifting heavy weights. And sometimes you don't want to be there. And it's the fact that I'm here and I've calmed myself with my medicine before I've come in here.
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