Cannabis Retailers Highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month

U.S. cannabis retailers are supporting breast cancer patients and survivors in October with a series of promotions and awareness campaigns. Multistate operators including Curaleaf, Trulieve, and MariMed have announced upcoming retail events planned to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Curaleaf is partnering with the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY, also known as The Baldwin Fund, for this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities. Throughout October, customers at the majority of the company’s retail locations in 13 states will be invited to “Round Up for Research” at purchase, with proceeds supporting lifesaving breast cancer research at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York.

“Facing a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, and no one should have to navigate that journey alone. At Curaleaf, we believe that community support plays a vital role in giving patients and their families strength, hope, and a sense of solidarity,” Curaleaf CEO Boris Jordan writes in a statement to IgniteIt. “That’s why our partnership with The Baldwin Fund is so meaningful; together, we can not only raise funds for life-changing research but also remind those impacted by breast cancer that they are surrounded by a community that cares deeply about their fight.”

Trulieve and MariMed Also Supporting Breast Cancer Patients in October

Trulieve will be marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a special-edition collection of cannabis products and merchandise in select states throughout October. In Florida, a line of “Pretty in Pink” products will be available for purchase in Trulieve dispensaries to raise awareness for Libby’s Legacy Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization that will receive a $25,000 donation from the company. Arizona stores will be carrying a special limited-edition cannabis gummy and donating $1 per unit sale to Check For A Lump and Cancer Support Community Arizona.

Dr. William Troutt, chief medical officer and head of community outreach and education at Trulieve, noted in an interview with IgniteIt that the company’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities will include employee volunteer teams assisting at breast cancer awareness walks. The company will also help coordinate mobile cancer screenings for patients in all of Trulieve’s markets.

“We are honored to work with national groups like the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation as well as local organizations like Check For A Lump to organize mobile mammogram screenings,” Troutt writes.

“Supporting these partners and raising awareness is especially personal to us because we have several breast cancer survivors on our team, and we interact daily with patients who are actively battling the disease,” he added. “Taking part in Breast Cancer Awareness Month and showing our support for those affected by breast cancer is a critical part of our mission, and it helps to inspire our team in compassionately serving patients and helping them find relief all year long.”

Massachusetts-based multistate operator MariMed’s cannabis edibles brand Betty’s Eddies announced its third annual collaboration with the Keep A Breast Foundation. The new campaign features a limited-time pink package for the brand’s Ache Away Eddies fruit chews, available throughout Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois, and Delaware. The packaging promotes the Keep A Breast smartphone app, a free resource available on Apple and Google Play, which educates users on self-checking, offers risk-reduction tips, and connects them directly to medical professionals when needed.

“At Betty’s Eddies, we continue to proudly partner with the Keep A Breast Foundation because we deeply believe in the role cannabis can play in supporting cancer patients and survivors,” Sara Rosenfeld, Betty’s Eddies brand manager writes in a statement to IgniteIt, adding, “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to education, awareness, and providing safe, effective relief for those facing the challenges of cancer.”

Breast Cancer Awareness Month originated in the 1980s as a means to encourage women to obtain mammograms, which can aid in the early detection of the disease. In 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation distributed pink ribbons to participants in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors, solidifying the symbol’s association with raising awareness for the cause.