Now in Eight States, Expansion of B NOBLE Partnership Demonstrates Shared Commitment to Advance Social Equity in Cannabis and Provides Opportunity to Those Directly Impacted by the War on Drugs
WAKEFIELD, Mass., Oct. 20, 2021 /CNW/ — B NOBLE Inc. and Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) (“Curaleaf” or the “Company”), a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, today announced the continuation of its national roll out of the B NOBLE brand two-pack pre-rolls to dispensaries in Arizona, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, and Oregon. Since rolling out in July 2021 in Massachusetts and Maryland, today B NOBLE is now available in eight states.
B NOBLE was founded in partnership with well-known visual artist, filmmaker and hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy to raise awareness and create funding to defend people from cannabis-related criminalization. The brand is dedicated to telling the story of namesake Bernard Noble, who was arrested in Louisiana and sentenced to 13 years in prison for possessing the equivalent of two joints. In 2017, Bernard’s case began to draw attention across the country, and he quickly became a national symbol for the need to reform the country’s unjust drug laws, sparking advocacy and a movement to free him. As a result, Bernard was released seven years into his sentence.
Each B Noble Pre-Roll pack contains two One Gram pre-rolls for a total of Two Grams of cannabis. This number was deliberately chosen for the brand’s inaugural product as a reminder of the harsh sentence Bernard faced for possessing the equivalent of two joints at the time of his arrest.
“Our partnership with Curaleaf is our deeper dive into dedicated social equity work,” said Fab 5 Freddy. “B NOBLE exists to generate support for the defense of people impacted by the War on Drugs.”
Ten percent of proceeds from the sale of each B NOBLE product will be donated to a local organization dedicated to advancing social equity and providing opportunities to those directly impacted by the War on Drugs. The organizations benefiting from B NOBLE include:
- Maine, Michigan, Nevada: Changing Perceptions, which prepares the reentry community to successfully participate in 21st-century workforce by helping individuals identify, navigate, and solve personal barriers to success, improve self-confidence, and develop meaningful workforce and entrepreneurial skills in a nurturing, family-oriented environment.
- Illinois: The North Lawndale Employment Network, which runs multiple programs for returning citizens to find work. These include U-Turn Permitted, a four-week job readiness training program for individuals with felony background. They also run Self-Employment Pathways for Women, a job readiness program for returning women that teaches the skills needed to run a small business.
- Arizona: The S.T.A.R.T Project, which advocates for changes to harsh sentencing laws, improved prison conditions, and reentry resources for returning citizens. Our goal is to secure a better corrections experience for incarcerated people and their families through charitable outreach and community involvement.
- Oregon: The Oregon Justice Resource Center was founded in 2011 by Bobbin Singh and Erin McKee with a goal to promote civil rights and improve legal representation for communities that have often been underserved in the past: people living in poverty and people of color among them.
“When you choose B NOBLE, you choose to be a part of the work that rights the wrongs of the past and paves the way for an equitable and inclusive future where non-violent cannabis-related incarceration is erased once and for all,” said Curaleaf Chief Executive Officer Joe Bayern.
This partnership with B NOBLE is Curaleaf’s first large-scale brand venture in alignment with its dedicated social equity work, as a part of its Rooted in Good corporate social responsibility program. Led by Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Khadijah Tribble, Rooted in Good delivers social impact by focusing efforts within three key pillars: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Social Equity; and Sustainability, ultimately achieving key goals through the Company’s strategic social partnerships.
During MJ Biz Con in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 21, Curaleaf will host a private event celebrating B Noble and other key product launches, with a guest appearance from Fab 5 Freddy.
To learn more about B Noble, please visit: www.curaleaf.com/bnoble.
About B NOBLE
B NOBLE is a for-profit, cause based cannabis brand. Founded by Fab 5 Freddy [Yo! MTV Raps, Grass is Greener], B NOBLE aims to help liberate Americans that are and have been incarcerated for non-violent cannabis related charges. Bernard Noble was sentenced to 13 years of hard labor for carrying less than two joints worth of cannabis and was released after spending seven years behind bars. It is a landmark case that demonstrates the impact of severe U.S. laws on cannabis, and Bernard’s story represents one of the 600,000 people each year who are arrested for cannabis possession and suffer collateral consequences as a result of the War on Drugs. For more information, please visit www.B-NOBLE.com.
