Introducing the Women's Initiative for a Safe and Equitable Florida
  • Mar 25, 2021

Introducing the Women's Initiative for a Safe and Equitable Florida

We are extremely excited to announce the launch of  the Women’s Initiative for a Safe and Equitable Florida (WISE Florida), a new nonprofit cannabis policy reform organization.

Like the women who rallied in support of repealing alcohol prohibition nearly a century ago, we started this initiative out of concern for our families and communities. Our goal is to build a diverse network of supporters across the state and empower them to educate their families, friends, and elected officials about the harm prohibition is causing and the urgency behind reform. Read our About page to learn more about WISE Florida, who we are, and the work we plan to do.

Through education, outreach and advocacy, we plan to raise awareness about the harms of cannabis prohibition and build support for legalizing and regulating cannabis to improve safety, advance justice, and foster opportunity in Florida. Our website already includes some resources about cannabis policy in Florida and the benefits of ending prohibition, and we will continue to add more as we grow.

WISE Florida was founded by four "working moms" from across the state who have been intimately involved in Florida's cannabis community for the past several years, and we are already building a strong list of local and national supporters.

We were proud to be joined by two of those supporters at our launch event, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Director of Cannabis Holly Bell. Commissioner Fried also graciously provided the following statement in the press release announcing our launch:

“As the conversation around the legalization of marijuana for adult use begins in Florida, it’s crucial that the public understands the extent of the damage cannabis prohibition has caused. From widespread and racially disparate arrests to the dangers of the illegal market — prohibition on cannabis has been a costly, damaging policy disaster that cannot continue. I applaud the women of WISE Florida for launching this important public education and advocacy initiative in pursuit of a safer and more equitable approach to future cannabis policy.”

You can watch a full video of the online launch event on our Facebook page, or check out some of the coverage from WFLA NBC 8 and Florida Politics.

WISE Florida was founded by women but welcomes participation from everyone — regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, or religion — who supports sensible cannabis policy reform.  The organization was not formed to lead the charge on any specific bill or initiative, but we will use our collective voice to support policy proposals that advance our core values.

We hope you will take a moment to take a look around our website to learn more about WISE Florida. We also encourage you to join our network so that we can stay in touch and keep you posted on important updates and opportunities to take action. We look forward to working with you to create a safer and more equitable Florida!