Pride Month is an annual celebration held in June to honor and promote the LGBTQ+ community, its history and its achievements. It serves as a time for visibility, acceptance, and advocacy, with various events and activities organized to support rights and equality.
As we start the month-long celebration dedicated to our LGBTQ+ friends and families, it’s important to reflect on the historical overlap and solidarity between the gay rights movement and the cannabis legalization movement.
Dennis Peron at the Proposition 215 HQ in San Francisco, October 11, 1996. PHOTO PeronRobinson / AP
The Intertwined History of the LGBTQ+ and Cannabis Movements
Do you know that the connection between the legalization of cannabis and gay rights has a long history that dates back to the San Francisco AIDS crisis in the 1980s and 1990s? During that time, when AIDS infections were rapidly increasing and progress in treatment research was slow, patients and advocates started advocating for the use of medical marijuana as early as 1976. One of the key figures in this movement was Dennis Peron, a gay hippie who tragically lost his partner Jonathan West to AIDS. Peron became an important advocate for medical cannabis after witnessing the therapeutic benefits it brought to AIDS-related illnesses.
In 1996, Peron co-authored and spearheaded California’s Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate Use Act. This groundbreaking ballot initiative legalized the medical use of cannabis in California. Prop 215 allowed patients with qualifying medical conditions to use cannabis with a doctor’s recommendation, offering legal protections against prosecution for possession and cultivation.
The passage of Prop 215 marked a significant turning point in the medical cannabis movement and paved the way for further cannabis law reforms in California and other states. It provided access to medical cannabis for individuals suffering from conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain and other debilitating illnesses.
Thank you to Dennis Peron, Brownie Mary, Lynette Shaw and the unsung heroes who tirelessly campaigned for access to medical cannabis. We are all indebted to their advocacy.
Celebrate Venice Pride at the Beach
The iconic Venice Pride Block Party is back! The beloved grassroots Pride celebration is free and open to the public. Come along and enjoy sets from DJ Victor Rodriguez, diverse community booths, LGBTQ+ vendors and delicious food trucks.
And we’ll be there, too! Come by our stall, say hi to Jack and our Los Angeles team and pick yourself up some Autumn Brands swag. Plus, you can experience a VR tour of our beautiful Santa Barbara farm.
When: Friday, June 2, 2023, 5 PM – 11 PM
Location: 99 Windward Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90291
Native California Ladybugs naturally eliminate pests in our greenhouses.
Clean, Green Cannabis
If you or someone you know is thinking of using cannabis to help with any medical issues, it’s important to use trustworthy cannabis that’s free from potentially dangerous pesticides or other contaminants. At Autumn Brands, we understand the importance of growing in harmony with nature.
Our CEO Hans sums it up perfectly: “You can wash your lettuce, but you don’t wash your weed.”
To ensure environmental health, we prioritize a pesticide-free approach and strictly adhere to a 100% biocontrol program. Since 2018, we have committed ourselves to be completely spray-free, meaning we do not use any pesticides whatsoever. This includes eliminating all organic pesticides that may pose health risks when inhaled. Our dedication to this practice safeguards our products, our customers and the environment.