As we kick off Black History Month, MedicateOH is honored to profile Black Buddha founder Roz McCarthy. Roz’s journey as an advocate for minorities took a turn in 2021 when her recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) sparked a new vision for a unique wellness brand. Learn more about Roz and where you can find Black Buddha products in Ohio:
From Cannabis Advocate to Black Buddha Founder
McCarthy made an unlikely transition from her role as a cannabis advocate, specifically in the realm of equity and social justice. In 2016, Roz founded Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), a non-profit committed to cultivating a culturally inclusive environment in the cannabis industry.
The need arose because larger cannabis companies possess the resources but often lack the local-level trust and connections needed to cultivate a culturally inclusive industry. M4MM offers nine national programs including Cannabis Business Licensing Bootcamp, which offers education for minority, women, veteran and small business owners and Project Clean Slate (PCS), an expungement program. M4MM equips its clients with information, referrals, mentors and other resources needed to navigate the cannabis industry.
“I felt like there needed to be a bridge,” says Roz, “That could basically be a trusted source for those communities that say, ‘I got questions and I’m not quite sure where to go.’ My son has sickle cell anemia. My mom passed away from breast cancer. My dad was diagnosed with glaucoma and lost his eyesight when I was in high school. All these people in my life could have been positively impacted by the use of cannabis.”
Since 2016, McCarthy and M4MM have built 27 state chapters throughout the U.S. as well as international chapters in Toronto, the U.K. and Jamaica; and two chapters at historically Black colleges and universities.
Roz recollects thousands of hours of programming, outreach, and education. “We’re a leading voice in the industry. M4MM is such a great organization that really is striving to make an impact and make sure that we normalize cannabis and the use of cannabis in the black and brown communities.”
The Journey from Cannabis Advocate to Wellness
Roz’s path as a cannabis advocate took a turn in 2021 when a traumatic brain injury led her to explore the healing properties of cannabis for her personal recovery. Her accident occurred as she was driving to her office and about to turn and park in the driveway. “As I’m waiting–boom!–somebody knocks me from behind. I thought it was just a little minor accident. Come to find out it wasn’t.”
After passing out in her office, a call to 911, and a trip to the doctor, McCarthy learned she had suffered a concussion and TBI from her accident. “I was having moments of syncope where I kept passing out. I was light-sensitive. I was disoriented. I was sound sensitive. It took me about maybe 10 weeks before I got on a path of healing where I started feeling better.”
McCarthy had to have a caregiver come live with her for about four weeks. “She cleared out my pantry of all processed food and all sugar. She put me on a CBD regimen. She introduced cannabis flower to me and she also introduced meditation and the ability to talk my healing back into my brain. And honestly, this is how Black Buddha was born.”
Read more about cannabis for TBIs.
Founding Black Buddha Cannabis
The goal for Roz in founding Black Buddha was to normalize the conversation around cannabis through addressing some of the negative connotations and labels associated with cannabis use.
After her car accident, cannabis saved her life. “When I started M4MM [before the accident] I was someone who had just been advocating for folks who want to have access to this plant to have access. But after my accident, I was basically to a point where, if it were not for this plant, literally I couldn’t hold a conversation. I was disoriented. I was dizzy. I was nauseated.”
Buddha means enlightenment, and that’s where Roz found her inspiration. “What I want to do with Black Buddha Cannabis is create products that are about enlightenment, about feeling better through a wellness lifestyle that also happens to be environmentally conscious—all while being social equity-driven.”
Relating Her Wellness Journey to Her Brand
Roz explains, “Everything that you see from Black Buddha in regards to the name of our products, to the way that we have it designed, to the way that we have it organized, to the product description, to the ingredients of the product–they’re all related to my experience.”
When she was recovering, her caregiver suggested she use the mantra: I’m strong. I’m healthy. I’m healed. “And I fought her. I was like, I’m not saying that,” Roz admitted. “Finally I started seeing it. And it was just like, I had to get out of my own way.” Roz incorporates a mantra on Black Buddha’s packaging as a reminder to herself and others on their natural healing journey.
McCarthy emphasized her commitment to bridging the gap between medicinal and wellness-focused cannabis use. She chose specific vitamins, functional mushrooms, and botanicals that she learned through her own journey could enhance the power of healing of the cannabinoids. Black Buddha Cannabis aims to provide products that contribute to overall well-being, making cannabis an integral part of patients’ daily lives.
Crafting Unique and Purposeful Products
Though she hails from Florida, McCarthy first debuted her products in northern markets. In addition to Ohio, Black Buddha products hit shelves in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Black Buddha Cannabis products include gummies, vape pens, and flower. The Massachusetts and Pennsylvania markets started with flower and vape pens.
Columbus-based white label partner BeneLeaves helped Roz and Black Buddha get off the ground in the Buckeye state. BeneLeaves worked with Roz to introduce three varieties of gummies along with the vape pens to the Ohio market. “Ohio gave me the experience of working with a producer partner that really cared about me and about my brand,“ she said.
Black Buddha Gummies come in three categories/experiences:
- Energy, with THC and THCv, plus Vitamin B12, Lions Mane Mushrooms, and Turmeric Extract.
- Rest/Dream, with THC and CBN, plus Melatonin, Chamomile Extract, Lemon Balm Extract, and L-Theanine.
- Balance/Blyss, with THC and CBG, plus L-Theanine, 5-HTP, and Ashwagandha Root
McCarthy highlighted the intentional inclusion of functional mushrooms in the gummies, inspired by her personal experience treating her TBI. Each product in the Black Buddha line caters to specific needs, such as anxiety relief, better sleep, and enhanced energy.
Expansion Plans and Future Focus
With a successful entry into Ohio, the brand is poised to enhance formulations, introduce new edible products, and eventually launch flower offerings. McCarthy expressed her belief in women becoming key decision-makers in the cannabis industry and emphasized the importance of catering to their specific needs and preferences.
Women are going to be the new conscious consumer in my opinion in the cannabis industry, says Roz. “We are the breadwinners. We’re the caretaker, we’re the caregiver, we’re the mom, we’re the wife, we’re the partner. We hold the purse strings; we have a $7 trillion buying power.”
Where to Buy
As Black Buddha Cannabis continues to grow, its commitment to education, empowerment, and creating purposeful cannabis experiences remains at the forefront of its mission.
Ohioans who have their medical marijuana cards can buy Black Buddha products in their dispensaries right now. (Adult-use consumers will be able to access dispensaries in approximately 9 months.)
Learn more about Black Buddha’s products and where to buy them in Ohio at https://blackbuddhacannabis.co/ and scroll to “Find Black Buddha”.
###
