By Bruce Checefsky
Ally Reaves, founder and president of Midwest CannaWomen, wants people to know that the cannabis industry is thriving in Ohio. She has worked in the industry since 2017, educating and providing community resources to help Ohioans to become legal Medical Marijuana patients, empowering minority communities while advocating for women.
Reaves, born and raised in the Quincy neighborhood of Cleveland, was an intern at the Cleveland School of Cannabis the same year she founded Midwest CannaWomen. The intern experience was so rewarding she started her business which includes outreach programs to educate the public on cannabis use and procurement. Five years later, Midwest CannaWomen will present their fifth annual event on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Rid-All Green Partnership, a Black-owned organization and one of the largest urban farms in Ohio, located at 8129 Otter Ave. in Cleveland.
Ohio Midwest CannaFest Part III has a western-style theme featuring Ohio Licensed Cannabis Operators and Ancillary/Supply Chain businesses that educate and provide resources on the cannabis industry. Spring Mist Farm Mobile Petting Zoo with Uncle David will be there with eighteen farm animals, food vendors, farm animals, farm games, Cowboy Girl/Cowboy Best Outfit Contest with cash prizes, and more. The event is free and open to the public. “I only allow licensed operators and ancillary supply chain companies to sponsor my events,” said Reaves. “No hemp or CBD because the laws are strict.”
CBD is a single compound in the cannabis plant, and marijuana is a type of cannabis plant or plant material that contains many naturally occurring compounds, including CBD and THC. Hemp and CBD products are generally not produced by licensed medical marijuana companies. Ohio Department of Agriculture regulates hemp; the Department of Commerce, the State Medical Board, and the Ohio Board of Pharmacy regulate medical cannabis.
“Hemp and cannabis are two different types of products. The products with flowers and stuff you find in smoke shops are not regulated,” she said. “People think they are buying tested, legal medical cannabis products, and they are not. There are ninety-nine medical dispensaries in Ohio. They do not have leaves of anything like that.”
Cannabis in Ohio is legal for medical use and illegal for recreational use. Possession of less than 100 grams or about 3.5 ounces is considered a minor misdemeanor. Offenders can face a $150 fine. Possession of more than 100 grams but less than 200 grams of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by up to thirty days in jail and a $250 fine.
Reaves also created statewide career fairs and clinics across Ohio in Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati, with her partner Nickole Ross at Noohra Labs. She has been instrumental in helping people with low-level marijuana convictions expunge their records so they can seek opportunities at work or school.
The event will be hosted by Because Cannabis Podcast Host, B.C.Wehman and Dustin Kava, and sponsored by Noohra Labs, Buckeye Relief, Green Thumb Industries, Beneleaves, Appalachian Farms, Standard Farms, Ancient Roots, Lighthouse Scientific, and SV Laboratories.
“I like to call myself an ally between the cannabis industry and community,” she said. “My real name is Alicia, but I nicknamed myself Ally because I am an ally for the people.”
Tickets can be purchased at: midwestcannafest2.eventbrite.com.
For additional information: [email protected].