Behind the Bud: Advocating for Cannabis Workers Rights in a Budding Industry

A budtender story: By Beeta Golshani Secretary of WWO

After nearly 10 years of experience in the political organizing and nonprofit sectors, I never expected to find myself behind the counter at a cannabis dispensary. But when I graduated from college during the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, like so many others, I struggled to find a job in my field. The pandemic upended the job market, leaving graduates and seasoned professionals alike facing a new, uncertain reality.

In search of work that felt both meaningful and aligned with my passions, I landed a position as a budtender at a local dispensary. At first, it seemed like a natural fit—a way to blend my political organizing experience with my interest in cannabis. But what I quickly discovered was far from the progressive, worker-friendly space I had imagined.

California’s cannabis market is the largest in the U.S., generating an estimated $5.6 billion in legal sales annually. The industry is booming, bringing in millions of dollars in tax revenue to the state—about $1 billion annually, which funds essential public services like education, healthcare, and housing. Yet, despite this immense success, workers on the front lines, particularly budtenders, are left behind. The average wage for a budtender in California is only about $15–$18 per hour, depending on location and experience. When compared to the high cost of living in many parts of the state, this wage simply doesn't reflect the level of responsibility and expertise required for these roles. Workers are expected to know cannabis products in-depth, provide top-notch customer service, and manage a sometimes chaotic retail environment, all for a wage that doesn’t align with the industry’s profitability. 

This disconnect became clear to me as I worked at the dispensary. Budtenders, often the face of the dispensary, are expected to perform a wide range of duties and maintain a high level of knowledge and professionalism, yet they are often underpaid, without benefits, and without job security. This problem is not unique to the legal cannabis market—unregulated sectors face similar challenges, with workers struggling for rights, protections, and fair treatment.

This inequity was the turning point for me. I realized that the cannabis industry needed a stronger focus on labor rights and a shift toward treating its workers with the respect they deserve. With my background in political organizing and nonprofit work, I saw an opportunity to combine my passion for cannabis with my professional expertise and work toward real change.

That’s why I’m proud to be part of Project Sister Dope, an organization that is committed to improving the lives of cannabis industry workers. Our mission is to fight for fair wages, better workplace conditions, and the legal protections that cannabis workers—many of whom are undervalued and overlooked—deserve. Through our advocacy, we aim to create a more sustainable and equitable industry, where workers are compensated fairly for their contributions, regardless of how much the industry profits. Through our work, we aim to ensure that as the cannabis industry grows, it doesn’t leave workers behind. We want to shift the conversation from just focusing on profits to ensuring that workers are paid a fair wage, given proper benefits, and provided with safe working environments.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about the cannabis plant—it’s about the people who make the industry what it is. As the cannabis industry continues to thrive, we must ensure that its workers share in that success. They deserve respect, fair compensation, and the rights they’ve long been denied.