Powerful women who love weed and strong strains to smoke in their honor

March’s Strain Along list highlights women who shaped weed history paired with current strains that will shape you.

The following women have changed the world in many ways. But they all have one thing in common: a healthy appreciation for the cannabis plant. From musicians and scientists to the most radical nun of all time, these ladies have defied stigma about the plant that comes from all walks of life.

To celebrate Women’s Month, read on to learn about a handful of trailblazers who also loved flashing. We’ve even paired each lady with a potent strain worthy of her historic stature.

Maya Angelou

Strain Pairing: Whoopi & Maya Cannabis Topicals

(AP)

Maya Angelou’s work as a poet, activist and leader is undisputed. But there are still people around the world who don’t know her moving story, incredible talents and timeless work. Whether you know her work or not, do yourself a favor and grab a classic like Phenomenal Woman or I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings and soak in a medicated bath from women’s brand Whoopi & Maya.

Their bath salts and topical products are packed with beneficial oils that are healthy and soothing. The medicinal cannabis infused in Whoopi & Mayas Medical Cannabis Bath Soak and Rub promotes a state of deep relaxation and relieves the pain and spasms that many experience during their menstrual cycle.

“The food was the best I’ve ever eaten. Every bite was a pleasurable experience. I lost myself in a veil of sensual pleasure, savoring not just the taste but the feel of the food in my mouth, the smells and the sound of my jaws chewing.”

Maya Angelou having her first experience with cannabis at a dinner party

Wanda James

Strain pairing: Wedding Crasher

(Wanda James/Women Gro)

Navy veteran Wanda James is a ceiling breaker who has been breaking boundaries in the cannabis industry for over a decade. She co-founded Simply Pure Dispensary with her husband in 2010. They became America’s first licensed black pharmacy owners.

James continues to lead the industry and champion the plant as CEO of Simply Pure Dispensary and President of the Cannabis Global Initiative. She continues to give back by advising industry stakeholders while advocating patient rights and access for veterans who use cannabis to treat PTSD.

Aim for heaven like Wanda by studying some of her interviews and moves while enjoying a Wedding Crasher joint.

Rita Marley

Strain pairing: Lamb’s Breath/Bread

Singer and activist Rita Marley continues to impact the world with philanthropy and cannabis advocacy. She’s also an industry pioneer, having ventured into legal cannabis with her children, who she had with reggae legend and global weed icon Bob Marley. To honor Rita, her country, and her family’s influence, light up a classic Jamaican strain like Lamb’s Breath (aka Lamb’s Bread). Along the way, explore the rich history of Jamaica, which continues to impact the world at incredible speed given its geographic scope.

Isaac Dinesen

Strain Pairing: Purple Punch

(AP)

The Danish writer specialized in Gothic supernaturalism that explored dreams and the subconscious.

In Out of Africa, Dinesen recalls her time on a coffee farm in Kenya, where she reportedly “liked to experiment with the sensations that hashish, opium or mira could evoke”. Dinesen has probably burned a few joints with creative friends like Marilyn Monroe, Arthur Miller, Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley. Combine her historical effect with a heavyweight like Purple Punch, which routinely produces THC-rich buds.

Billy Holiday

Varietal pairing: Blue Dream

This photo was taken by Billie Holiday in September 1958, less than a year before her death. (AP Photo/File)

Billie loved blue and the world loved her dreamy voice. Play one of her classics “Blue Moon” or “Billie’s Blues (I Love My Man)” and roll up some Blue Dream as you delve into her phenomenal contributions to music and American history as a fearless performer and freedom fighter.

rihanna

Variety Pairing: Lemon Pie

Rihanna takes a smoke break as she prepares for motherhood. So it’s only right that you play “Lemon” at high volume while you light up her and all the homies on a “T-Break.”

As for her historical biography? Her quarter billion records sold worldwide explains why she is comfortable starving us all out with new music for calendars at the same time. In the six years since her last album, Rih has been busy destroying the cosmetics industry.

She officially became a billionaire last year when her Fenty line was valued at $2.8 billion (she owns 50%). She has yet to bring her talents to the cannabis industry, but hopefully it’s only a matter of time.

“Got the window down, up, blow la”

Rihanna & NERD, “Lemon”

Natasha Schmidt

Combine with: Slurface by Alberta Bud

Alberta Bud Master Breeder Natasha Smith is one of a handful of women shaping the future of the cannabis industry from the ground up. Smith is one of Canada’s most respected growers, having grown up around the plant thanks to her mother. She started taking it in her twenties to help manage anxiety, then got her grow license and ran a local grow shop before joining Alberta Bud, a micro-cultivator popular for its unique genetics.

Find out more about Natasha here and more about Canada’s hottest breeders.

Related

These women grow some of the finest cannabis in Canada

Little Kim

Combine with: Aphrodisiac (coming this spring)

Kim has personally tested the products from her new line to make sure they get the job done (courtesy superbad inc.)

Lil’ Kim’s impact on pop culture is undeniable, but her status as a pot influencer is overlooked. Kim frequently referenced the plant in her multi-platinum rhymes, adding zest and luxury to the public profile of a plant more commonly associated with funky basements.

Today, Kim leads the charge of the black women who pioneered the plant that comes for its flowers. The Brooklyn native told Leafly that she will be demoing her signature aphrodisiac cannabis product line at LA dispensary Pineapple Express this spring.

Brownie Mary

Brownies by Martha Stewart

(Maureen Hurley)

Long before cannabis was legal, brave women like Mary Jane Rathbun, aka Brownie Mary, risked their necks to gain access to the plant.

Mary was a snotty wildcard on the 1970s San Francisco scene, making pot brownies that she touted as “magically delicious.” She was arrested in 1981 and later became a leader in the fight for legalization in California.

In her honor, try your best to bake some homemade brownies of your own. And don’t be ashamed to borrow a recipe from Leafly and Martha Stewart if you need help.

Hildregard von Bingen

Zkittlez

(public domain)

You will wish you knew about Hildegard von Bingen in Sunday School. Arguably the coolest nun until Sister Act, she sought religious enlightenment after experiencing visions as a child.

The German visionary also wrote about the medical benefits of cannabis, highlighting pain relief. She was not fully appreciated in her day, but she was officially declared a saint in 2012. To do justice to her exquisite taste and psychoactive powers, try a high-THC strain like Zkittlez and you might get high enough to check out Hildegard herself.

Mega Smith

Meg Schmidt is a photographer and multidisciplinary artist based out of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn who is currently studying studio art in NYC.

Check out Meg Schmidt’s articles

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