Anacostia Organics’ Linda Mercado Greene is creating a new model for cannabis ownership and inspiring others along the way.

If you’re looking for cannabis in Washington D.C., most local residents will tell you to visit Linda Mercado Greene's dispensary called Anacostia Organics. Mercado Greene is a fixture at the medical cannabis dispensary she owns and operates in Washington's Anacostia neighborhood. Along with being one of the first Black women to own a medical cannabis dispensary east of the Anacostia River, Mercado Greene is also a leading voice on the legalization of marijuana in the District of Columbia.

As one of the few Black women in the country with a medical cannabis dispensary license, and one of the first ten Black women to win a license nationwide, Mercado Greene has chosen to dedicate her life to serving her community and diversifying an industry that, even in legalization, has predominantly benefited white men. 

According to 2018 FBI data, drug-related violations were the most frequent reason for arrest in the United States. Marijuana possession alone accounts for nearly 40 percent of those arrests. Black people make up just more than 13 percent of the country, yet they account for 27 percent of the drug arrests.

"The weed industry is still a white men's business. And thanks to organizations like the Minority Cannabis Business Association and because of so many social justice campaigns that are coming to light there are more Black owners and operators entering the cannabis industry" said Mercado Greene. “Yet, there are still very few of us that own 100 percent of our licenses. Equity and diversity in this industry are a real big problem, and that is what we must continue to fight towards." 

In 2010, the District of Columbia became the second state/territory in the United States to legalize medical marijuana, allowing for the operation of just one medical cannabis dispensary in each of the city's eight wards. 

However, this legalization didn't come without some rather extensive strings. Not only were dispensary license holders required to have 100 percent community buy-in along with elaborate security and staffing plans prior to applying for one of the coveted eight city licenses. They were also required to have over $1 million of capital on hand. 

These requirements and more, created because of the U.S. Congress' control of the District of Columbia’s laws due to a lack of statehood, made it extremely difficult for Black entrepreneurs and those who lacked access to capital to enter the legal industry.

“We as a people are behind the eight ball when it comes to finding investors, getting capital, or even finding an adequate space to house your dispensary," said Mercado Greene. "Since I opened Anacostia Organics in 2019, I have been extremely involved locally and nationally in creating a system that is fair and just for Black people that so wrongfully suffered and were unduly incarcerated during America's failed War on Drugs."

She continued, "we are making progress. Our campaign for legalization has the attention of the U.S. Congress, the White House, and we are also making great strides in state capitols throughout the country. But this is still an uphill battle."

Mercado Greene is also committed to making sure that the cannabis industry in D.C. doesn't just cater to the wealthy. Many of Anacostia Organics' patients, including seniors, veterans, and those living with physical disabilities, are from the surrounding community. “My intent has always been for Anacostia Organics to be a model of diversity and inclusion, which would set it apart from other dispensaries,” Mercado Greene said. 

For decades, America's war on drugs has taken money, resources, human beings and opportunity away from Black Americans. Mercado Greene is actively working on challenging this by fighting for laws that will lessen the chances of getting caught in the cycle of poverty by making it easier for Black people with good intentions to legally get into the cannabis industry.

"I'm trying to dispel the myth of marijuana in the Black community. For far too long, we have only seen the flower in the negative because of misguided policy, instead of for its many healing principles," Mercado Green said. "In the Black community, we only knew street drugs...the K2s and PCPs…and seeing people smoke weed in public. I have spent the past six years doing a lot of education through my daily podcast, seminars, forums, conventions and patient education,” she said. 

In addition to running a dispensary and being a national leader in the fight for cannabis legalization, Mercado Greene manages to carve out the time for a daily podcast called Cannabis Conversations,which is heard around the country. The podcast features specialists such as cultivators and policymakers, along with fellow dispensary owners and medical doctors specializing in medical cannabis therapy.

As the medical cannabis industry continues to grow and the push for legalization becomes louder in this global pandemic era, Mercado Greene's influence also continues to grow.

"Linda is an industry leader that continues to propel the entire industry forward. She is an inspiration for the Black community and for Black women trying to get into the legal cannabis industry." said Hope Wiseman, owner and operator of Mary and Main, a cannabis dispensary located in Prince George’s County, Maryland. "It has been amazing to watch Linda make Anacostia Organics a staple in Washington, D.C. And her advocacy work has been instrumental in ensuring that Black women don't get overlooked as cannabis legalization sweeps across the country."

At age 29, Wiseman is the youngest Black woman to own a medical marijuana dispensary in the United States. Her dispensary sells cannabis products for medicinal purposes and serves as a center to educate people about the health benefits of the cannabis plant.

Mercado Greene's impact can be felt across the nation, but it remains rooted in her community, Washington, D.C. Here is how it was described by former local school board member and community activist Markus Batchelor, "Linda has created a blueprint of what is needed all across this city — a business owner and leader willing to invest in the community.”

"Linda has created a model that has found those closest to the pain created by the failed war on drugs and have moved them closer to power and opportunity," Batchelor said. "She has been a consistent and strong voice in the fight for D.C. statehood, cannabis legalization, and expungement record, ushering in the next generation of city leaders."

For Mercerdo Greene, the future has seemed unclear due to the legislative hoops that D.C. residents are currently required to jump through to bring legal cannabis operations into reality, such as statehood and the removal of cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

"It's important for citizens who believe in cannabis legalization to bombard those members of Congress, especially the Republicans members, to change their minds," said Mercado Greene. "By not allowing District citizens to have legal access to cannabis, they're taking away our rights."

Last December, the U.S. House of Representatives took a historic step by passing legislation to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act. Still, the bipartisan effort died in the U.S. Senate.