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Parabola Center for Law & Policy

@parabolacenter

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Nonprofit educational+research center. We focus on legalizing cannabis in a way that promotes racial+economic justice and prevents cannabis monopolies

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@parabolacenter by @parabolacenter

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18 days ago

This #GivingTuesday we’re grateful to all of you who have:-Joined the fight for equitable cannabis policy + anti-monopoly protections-Read our work-Offered critiques-❤️'ed/RT'ed-Made a tax-exempt donation at any level: http://parabolacenter.com/donateTHANK YOU from our whole team! by @parabolacenter

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4 years ago

Someone in Oregon told us the best part of legalization is not having to go behind a Taco Bell dumpster to buy weed anymore. That quote ended up on the cover of our new research report, because honestly, nothing sums it up better.We spent this spring interviewing 37 people across nine states where legal sales are at least five years old. We wanted to learn about what living with legal cannabis is actually like, in people’s own words.It’s free for everyone next Saturday, August 1. Paid subscribers on our Substack can read it today, link’s in our bio.#cannabispolicy #cannabislegalization #cannabisresearch #cannabis #peopleoverprofits by @parabolacenter

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They called Illinois the gold standard of cannabis equity...and yet 17 incumbent companies control 20 of the state's 21 large-scale cultivation licenses and captured nearly 79¢ of every dollar spent on cannabis in Q4 2025.That's not competition. That's market concentration.Read The Illusion of Competition from the Parabola Center to learn how Illinois' cannabis market became dominated by a handful of companies, and what can be done about it.Read the report: parabolacenter.com/illinoismarket by @parabolacenter

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8 days ago

5 years of legal herb in NJ and STILL NO home-grow 🪴 In what world does it make sense folks can buy their own herb at a store but can’t plant their own at home?! 🤔 You can brew your own beer at home and you don’t hear Heineken complaining. This is why it’s so important to stay involved so corporations don’t dictate these policy changes over the sake of preserving their bottom line. Thank you to @parabolacenter for inviting me to speak on NJ’s market evolution for consumers & small businesses. If youre near Fort Lauderdale, FL, join us this weekend for People Over Profits — Anti-Monopoly #Cannabis Policy Crash Course and Leadership Training ✊🏾💰💡 Go to @parabolacenter for more ⬅️⬅️⬅️ by @parabolacenter

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9 days ago

See ya tomorrow!! -Parabola Teamparabolacenter.com/crashcourseShanel Lindsay, entrepreneurship director, is an attorney, advocate and serial entrepreneur. In addition to serving as Parabola Center’s Entrepreneur Director, Shanel is Founder and CEO of Ardent Life Inc., a global cannabis hardware and CPG company. Shanel was an author of Question 4, the ballot initiative to legalize adult use cannabis in Massachusetts. Subsequently, she was appointed to the Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board, serving from 2017-2021. Shanel is also co-founder of the grassroots advocacy group Equitable Opportunities Now. Laury Lucien, education director, is an attorney and educator and Parabola Center’s Education Director. She founded Lucien Law, representing clients in immigration, wills and estates, personal injury, and criminal defense across Greater Boston. Born in Boston and raised in Petionville, Haiti, she earned a biology degree from UMass Amherst and her J.D., Magna Cum Laude, from Suffolk University Law School. Laury teaches Cannabis Law and entrepreneurship at Suffolk and Clark University and serves on the Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board.Shaleen Title, co-founder and director, is a lawyer, activist, and adjunct professor focused on regulations for emerging industries. She is a former top cannabis regulator for Massachusetts, where she served as a commissioner of the Cannabis Control Commission. In addition to her role with Parabola Center, she is Of Counsel at Rudick Law Group and teaches classes on AI regulations and marijuana policy at Roger Williams University School of Law. In her free time, she volunteers for Fairplay for Kids and the ACLU of Massachusetts. Damian Fagon, policy director, is a former cannabis regulator for the state of New York, where he served as the inaugural Chief Equity Officer for the Office of Cannabis Management. A third-generation farmer and development economist, Damian blends grassroots agricultural experience with equitable economic policy, advising on cannabis market development and agricultural initiatives internationally. He currently serves as Director of the Bronx Cannabis Hub, building new models and programming by @parabolacenter

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9 days ago

Today we are featuring our wonderful local co-hosts in Florida from @fl_can_official! Swipe through to learn more, and come out this Friday and Saturday to the African-American Research Library in Ft. Lauderdale, more info at parabolacenter.com/crashcourseJodi James @just_jodi_florida is a respected speaker, teacher, debater, strategic planner, thought-leader, and mentor with more than 25 years of experience in cannabis policy. She started as a patient volunteer and soon had a staff position with the Coalition Advocating Medical Marijuana (CAMM) while volunteering for the newly formed Florida Cannabis Action Network (FLCAN). During her tenure, the organization put together the first marijuana bill in Florida since 1978, introduced and eventually passed the legislation removing hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, produced dozens of public education programs annually, helped patients earn medical necessity through the courts, and built a statewide constituency that influences lawmakers to this day. Jodi is the managing partner for McKinney James Works, a private consulting firm. Currently, she is serving as president of the Board of Directors while training a new generation to advocate for access to the Cannabis plant.Carla Ashburn @mmcarefl is a cannabis healthcare advocate, entrepreneur, and patient rights champion with more than 30 years of experience in corporate management, team leadership, and event planning. In 2017, she founded Medical Marijuana Care of Florida, helping physicians enter the cannabis industry and providing patient-centered care through clinics serving rural Florida communities. Passionate about education, patient empowerment, and veterans’ access to cannabis, Carla works to ensure individuals can make informed healthcare decisions and access cannabis without unnecessary barriers. In addition to being business woman and educator, she also a leader with Florida Cannabis Action Network, where she contributes to research, advocacy, and legislative engagement on behalf of patients and consumers statewide. Hector Roos @roosforflorida is a real estate professional and chair of the Libertarian Party of Miami-Dade County. He will joi by @parabolacenter

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10 days ago

If you enjoy @couchlocknews stories and reporting, come learn about the approach he takes to communicating by video.Aaron Carll is the co-founder and host of Couch Lock News, an independent cannabis media platform covering the industry through investigative reporting, policy analysis, and consumer education. Based in Tampa, Aaron focuses on Florida’s medical marijuana program, dispensary accountability, patient access, and the policy fights shaping who actually benefits from legalization. Outside of media, he works in chemical and botanical supply through Ceres 14, a Tampa-based company handling bulk chemical distribution, botanical sourcing and imports, and ingredient warehousing, giving him a firsthand view of the business side of the plant economy he reports on. Aaron will be joining us as a speaker this Friday in Ft. Lauderdale at our Leadership Training. More info: parabolacenter.com/crashcourse by @parabolacenter

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11 days ago

Florida’s cannabis market has been dominated by a handful of vertically integrated companies from the start. As Florida moves closer to adult use, the question is whether we’ll build a fair market or simply expand the same monopoly.That’s why we’re bringing People Over Profits: Anti Monopoly Cannabis Policy Crash Course and Leadership Training to Fort Lauderdale this Friday and Saturday July 17 and 18.If you’re a small business owner, legacy operator, patient advocate, or simply believe Florida needs a cannabis market with room for everyone, not just the biggest players, this is where you need to be.📍 July 18: Crash Course, open to everyone📍 July 17: Leadership Training, free with applicationLearn from policy experts, advocates, and organizers who have fought for fair cannabis markets across the country.🎟️ Register at:parabolacenter.com/peopleoverprofitsparabolacenter.com/leadership2026📍 African American Research Library and Cultural Center, Fort LauderdaleAfterparty to follow Saturday, because building a movement should still be fun! 🎉 by @parabolacenter

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12 days ago

Today’s SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT features Steph Sherer of Americans for Safe Access (ASA), an organization she founded 24 years ago! She has seen it all.Steph is a pioneering international leader and expert in medical cannabis patient advocacy. Her personal experience with the therapeutic benefits of cannabis, combined with her background in political organizing, led her to establish Americans for Safe Access in 2002. Under her guidance, ASA has grown into the nation’s largest patient-centered organization dedicated to ensuring access to medical cannabis, bridging gaps in knowledge, policy, and regulation, and promoting its recognition as a legitimate medical therapy.After several years spent advancing national medical cannabis frameworks abroad, guiding cutting-edge research initiatives, and reforming international drug policies, Steph returned to her role as Executive Director of ASA in 2024. She now leads a nationwide initiative — ASA’s “second act” — to fully integrate cannabis-based medicines into the U.S. healthcare system, ensuring that patient needs, rights, and outcomes remain central to this transformative era in medicine.Join us this Friday and Saturday for People Over Profits in Ft. Lauderdale. More information: parabolacenter.com/crashcourse by @parabolacenter

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12 days ago

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: We are honored to be joined by Attorney Scheril Murray Powell @scherilmurraypowell as a leadership trainer. Scheril Murray Powell, Esq., is a multifaceted legal professional renowned for her expertise in agricultural, cannabis, dietary supplement, regulatory, immigration, and trade law. Currently practicing at Doumar, Allsworth, Laystrom, Voigt, Adair, and Dishowitz LLP, Scheril was elected as the International President and Local 12 President of The Ethiopian World Federation, Inc. and is the Founder of the Cannabis HR Council. Scheril wrote the first Cannabis Social Equity Bill in the State of Florida which was introduced in 2020 by Senator Randolph Bracey and Representative Anika Omphroy. She is one of the first University of Florida hemp farmers in the State and has had hemp licenses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, and Florida. She sits on the ASTM International D37 Committee on Cannnabis Executive Committee as the Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee. She is also the Executive Director of one of the longest serving Cannabis Advocacy Organizations, Patients Out of Time. She is regarded internationally for her work on policy related to Global Tribal Community Rights and the Sacramental Use of Cannabis. In February 2025, she was appointed to The Global Cannabis and Psychedelic Research Collaboratory and the Intersectional Research in Stigmatized Communities (iRISE) Laboratory at the University of Miami Cannabis Nurse Task Force as an Advisory Board Member and is now serving on the Board of the Georgia Cannabusiness Chamber of Commerce. She is on the Board of Black Gotham in New York City. Scheril was recently nominated in the “Reformer of the Year” category of the Cannademix Community Impact Awards and also nominated by Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana in the “Diversity Champions Award: Individual Trailblazer Category”.Join Scheril and our other excellent leadership trainers this Friday, in advance of our crash course Saturday. Both events will be held at the African-American Research Library in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Apply here: parabolacenter.com/crashcourse by @parabolacenter

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13 days ago