Jeanine Moss is the Co-Founder of Outfront Solutions, and Founder of AnnaBis Style, odor-proof accessories to carry cannabis in style. Jeanine grew up in Venice, California, so she is no stranger to cannabis. The daughter of an artist and a rocket scientist, she loves doing things that have never been done before and started a marketing firm 18 years ago to help companies capitalize on change. She created the first computerized horse buying and breeding registry, the first newsletter for women business travelers, the first New York City Fun Pass, the first Bring Your Parents to Work Day, the first (and only) luxury accessories for women who enjoy cannabis and is especially proud of her work as communications chief for The September 11th Fund.
Today, she is co-founder of Outfront Solutions, a branding and marketing firm that positions organizations for growth, investment and acquisition with clients in cannabis, technology, and impact. Jeanine has extensive experience in technology, advertising, publishing, content marketing, retail and as a journalist, editor and publisher. After using medical marijuana to reduce her reliance on opiates after hip surgery, Jeanine became a fervent believer in its medicinal powers. Jeanine’s entrepreneurial nature, marketing expertise, curiosity and the support of generous mentors allow her to continuously work on creating the world she wants to live in.
What social justice and/or criminal justice reforms do you want the US to make around its drug policy, particularly around cannabis?
The most important thing for social justice and criminal justice reform in the U.S. is to stop using incarceration as a way to generate revenue. Privatized prisons must go because they create incentives to send people to jail, keep them there, and deprive them of family and culture through prohibitively expensive phone calls and product sales. Sending people to jail for any drug offense that doesn’t include violence (like carrying an ounce of marijuana) means dependents go hungry, children are denied parental care, and a cycle of poverty is propagated or continued. The best way to generate revenue for critical needs such as education and combating drug addiction and deaths is to legalize black market drugs so that the culture can benefit from accountability, measurability and tax revenue.
Why are environmentally sustainable business practices essential to the future of the cannabis industry?
Environmentally sustainable business practices are essential for all businesses, including those in the cannabis industry. We do not live on a planet with unlimited resources, and every person has a responsibility to preserve the environment for future generations. Some cannabis businesses consume energy and natural resources. Since it’s a new industry, we have the ability to build a responsible approach from the ground up.
How do you incorporate gender parity, social justice, and environmental sustainability into your work and the growth of your business/organization?
Gender parity, social justice and environmental sustainability are inextricably linked. For example, people who live in poverty generally live in areas denuded of natural resources and thus experience more health problems, food shortages and poorer shelter, transportation, etc. When women don’t have economic and personal choices, they are more impoverished. Poverty affects environmental health as well as all the other things, and a cycle of social injustice continues.
The cannabis industry has a unique opportunity to make positive change. Look at how many more women are creating opportunities in this area (36% of leaders in cannabis are female, v. 22% in other industries)! AnnaBis helps by supporting women’s success in cannabis, and by making our interests and needs known through publicity, public speaking and mentorship. We also support non-profits who help families get the marijuana medicine they need, and volunteer for Human Impacts Institute, an organization that focuses on creative ways to have personal impact on environmental sustainability.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AnnaBis/629835857121648
Twitter: @annabisstyle
Instagram: @Annabis_Style
