There’s an old saying that goes, “It takes all kinds.” The phrase is especially relevant in cannabis, with consumers ranging from once-a-year edible eaters to all-day dabbers. However, the latter still tend to see pushback—especially in the workplace.
It’s unfair, given that many people are consuming cannabis as medicine. However, for so many patients, their consumption habits are regularly called into question. The practice perpetuates stigma and forces people back into the shadows.
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One group hopes to change this narrative—and they’re not just talking about weed. From neurodivergence to out-of-the-box ideas, the self-proclaimed Weird Brains are cannabis industry pros taking their message of radical acceptance across the country. Composed of scientists, extractors, and community leaders, the Weird Brains encourage people to embrace the quirks within themselves and their communities.
“We want to create conversations that we felt were deeply personal, meaningful, timely, and impactful,” explained Operator Academy founder Kate Avruch, a founding member of Weird Brains. “Those conversations have unfortunately been heavily disregarded, disrespected, and really cut out of the growth of the cannabis industry. And now we’re at a point in time where there is a bit of breathing room for people to acknowledge that these are real issues that need to be addressed.”
The Weird Brains spark first flickered in late 2023 at the massive cannabis industry trade show MJBizCon. Dustin Powers, the founder of the online forum Future4200, met with Avruch, weed researchers Dr. Riley Kirk and Dr. Miaybe Shields, as well as extraction expert Cat Sidman. Despite their vastly different backgrounds and opinions on various aspects of life, the crew soon realized there was a commonality.
“Pretty quickly on, I said, ‘there’s a group of weird brains,’ which is a kickback to this crazy punk band,” Powers recalled.
One big uniting thread, of course, was cannabis. Kirk explained that the plant is a “gateway drug” to weird brains, turning the prohibitionist mantra on its head. Not only does weed help people heal—it can also open their minds.
Despite medical marijuana being legal in nearly every state, there is still a stigma around consumption—particularly for high-dose patients. This notion led the Weird Brains to take their message on the road.
“It really comes down to de-stigmatization and validating people’s experiences,” Kirk told GreenState. “A lot of people are hesitant to admit that they are daily consumers because our society doesn’t really think of (cannabis) as a medicine. Whereas if you have something like Lexapro, it would be crazy for you not to take that every day and to find a new normal state.”
Championing inclusion and getting weird
If you ask the group what it means to have a “weird brain,” there is no one right answer. But the general idea is a mind that’s non-conforming in some way—or perhaps even neurodivergent. Cannabis consumption may be in the mix but isn’t necessarily required.
Shields and Kirk, who co-founded the non-profit Network of Applied Pharmacognosy, conduct research on all things cannabis, including consumer demographics. An early survey of cannabis users saw 71 percent identify as neurodivergent. A clear need for representation was part of the inspiration behind bringing Weird Brains to cannabis conferences and events across the country.
“The Weird Brains tour is about bringing up positivity,” Shields explained. “And bringing that to other communities and then hearing their feedback and continuing to evolve what we think is helpful for the industry and consumers.”
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The group debuted the conversation at NECANN Boston to a standing-room-only crowd. A small number of people in attendance worked in human resources or talent acquisition, but most were fellow weird brains. The group discussed their personal journeys, the benefits of diverse mindsets, and how folks like them are often forgotten in mainstream society despite their talents and unique perspectives.
“If you want to have a legitimate shot in the cannabis industry, you need to have people on your team and people in positions of influence who really engage with the plant,” Sidman argued. “And the people who really engage with the plant, daily users, are a little bit weird.”
Patients are often still stigmatized for their consumption, even when working in the cannabis space. The Weird Brains call for a deeper understanding within the industry and beyond about the nuances of medical marijuana and what individual dosing schedules can and should look like.
“The workplace accommodation thing is huge. I feel really passionately about that as a high-needs cannabis patient,” Shields said, equating the stigma against plant medicine as a form of ableism.
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By all accounts, the response to the inaugural Weird Brains panel was overwhelmingly positive. Several attendees crowded the stage afterward, hoping to engage more. For Kirk, making so many in the room feel seen was deeply moving and a reminder of the urgent need for their message.
“Even people who clearly had social anxiety (came up); they were shaking when they were trying to talk, but they still felt comfortable telling their story,” Kirk recalled. “I think that was one of the most beautiful things.”
#weirdbrains
With the success of their first talk, the Weird Brains set up several more NECANN appearances throughout the year. They’re also scheduled to appear at MJBizCon in December, bringing things back where they all began. In addition to their rousing panels, the group will collect research data on the expo floor, exploring everything from consumption habits to topics consumers are curious about, such as cannabis and parenting or aging.
But above all else, the Weird Brains seek to raise awareness. There are many types of minds (and cannabis consumers) in the world, and they all deserve a seat at the table. The group is working to promote a campaign dubbed “proud weird brain” through the sale of soft enamel pins in select retailers. The proceeds will support the Weird Brains tour as well as research conducted through NAP.
“In a world where people are praised for inauthenticity and for fitting into a specific, perceived notion of who they should be, to be able to continue to find ways to empower, connect, and educate people who are not weird brains on what the weird brains can bring to the table—that’s really our goal,” Avruch concluded.
