New Cannabis Brand AWARE-N-US Launches to Elevate Industry Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—Partners First With the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative

Created to Inspire Social Change, AWARE-N-US Will Release Quarterly Product Drops and Donate $2 From Each Sale to Organizations Working to Elevate Black, Indigenous and Other Underrepresented Communities

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MedPharm, a leading medical cannabis manufacturer, R&D laboratory and compounding facility, today launched AWARE-N-US powered by BATCH (pronounced awareness), a purpose-driven, equity-focused pop-up cannabis brand.

AWARE-N-US is partnering with Colorado’s leading cannabis retailers to raise funds and awareness for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cannabis industry. Each quarter AWARE-N-US’s new product drop will coincide with a strategic charitable partnership, beginning with the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative (BCEI) for this month’s brand launch—to commemorate Black History Month.

“At MedPharm, we feel a particular obligation to do our part to end institutionalized racism,” said Albert Gutierrez, CEO of MedPharm. “BIPOC communities have long been disproportionately affected when it comes to cannabis-related arrests and prosecutions, despite comparable usage rates. AWARE-N-US was created to bridge this remarkable void of cannabis brands amplifying underrepresented voices, and we’re proud to kick this off with the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative during Black History Month.”

AWARE-N-US, powered by MedPharm’s best-selling vape and concentrates brand BATCH, is debuting with a 500mg nug-run distillate banilla vape cartridge. $2 of every unit sold in Q1 will be directly donated to the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative, with the overall goal of raising money for the BCEI social equity program, which was created in 2019 to promote progressive, sustainable dialogue, community engagement and action around fairness and opportunity in Colorado’s cannabis landscape.

“We have been working with MedPharm since 2019 and the team continues to be a strategic partner alongside as we advocate for diversity, inclusion and equity opportunities,” said John Bailey of BCEI. “This is a huge step towards change in the cannabis industry and sends a strong message and call to action for all cannabis companies and other industries, while providing consumers an immediate option to support the Black community. It’s truly a great way to honor and celebrate Black History Month.”

BCEI is a community driven initiative of concerned Black citizens and business leaders advocating for equity, diversity and inclusion opportunities in Colorado's cannabis industry. The organization was formed to promote progressive sustainable dialogue, community engagement and action around fairness and opportunity in the statewide cannabis landscape.

AWARE-N-US’s debut banilla vape cartridges will be available for purchase at leading dispensaries throughout Colorado, including Ajoya, Canna Cabinet, COOKIES, Diego Pellicer, Green Tree Medicinals, Laughing Grass Dispensary, Lightshade, Lit, Mighty Tree, Medicine Man, Prohibition Herb, Rocky Mountain Cannabis, Rocky Road, Sante Wellness, and Urban Dispensary. For a full list of locations, visit awarenus.com.

About AWARE-N-US:

AWARE-N-US Powered by BATCH (pronounced awareness) is a diversity-focused Colorado cannabis brand bringing DEI awareness to cannabis consumers statewide—and financial support to diverse cannabis stakeholders, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and other underrepresented communities. With exclusive quarterly product drops linked to a rotating cast of nonprofit partners, AWARE-N-US celebrates diversity in the cannabis industry and also calls attention to the foundational efforts of communities that have not benefited from cannabis’ explosive financial growth and continue to bear outsized consequences of the failed “war on drugs.” AWARE-N-US is powered by top cannabis concentrates brand BATCH, part of MedPharm’s industry-leading portfolio. AWARE-N-US looks forward to partnerships with like-minded community organizations, including Q1 2021 partner the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative, as cannabis continues to do its part to advance social change. More information can be found about AWARE-N-US at: awarenus.com.

About MedPharm:

MedPharm has a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing, research and development laboratory and cannabis processing facility in Denver, Colorado. Since beginning operations in 2017, MedPharm has grown to a staff of 36 people. The company provides cannabis pharmaceutical-type products in a certified current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) facility that includes cultivation, pre-formulation, formulation development, small scale commercial manufacturing, analytical method development and validation, routine quality control analysis and stability studies. MedPharm creates pharmaceutical-grade dosage forms and produces ingredients utilizing pharmaceutical technology to be used in the delivery of cannabis compounds. More information can be found about MedPharm at: www.medpharmholdings.com.

Media Contact:
Angela Zott
Grasslands: A Journalism-Minded Agency
angela@mygrasslands.com
586-565-1986