25 Jan 9th-Jan 15th, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | | CANNABIS | Classing Up Cannabis ‘Meaghie Jane’ lifestyle brand wants to raise weed’s profile. BY TJ L’HEUREUX T hink of the typical tropes and narratives that surround cannabis: Cheech and Chong, Harold and Kumar, college dropouts, lazy hippies, “The Dude” — all stoners detached from reality and higher than the Empire State Building. These stereotypes about marijuana and its aficionados mostly are related to the demonization of pot use that drove smokers underground throughout the 20th century. They’re also a blip on the historical timeline of the plant’s medicinal usage, the earliest record of which comes from China in 2800 B.C. But now that recreational weed is legal in Arizona, 29-year-old Tucson native Meaghan Gould wants to broaden the market for marijuana beyond the arche- typical stoner. Through her self-named lifestyle brand — “Meaghie Jane,” a play on marijuana’s age-old “Mary Jane” nick- name — Gould puts on events to educate buyers and open minds to the benefits of cannabis. “The goal is to appeal to both the canna- connoisseur and the canna-curious. It’s kind of changing that conception of cannabis consumption,” Gould said. “I feel I can kind of connect people who are unfa- miliar, and I can kind of show them that, hey, cannabis is not this demonic lettuce, it’s not gonna make you go crazy. It’s not for lazy people. It can just be a thing people use for wellness or as an anti-inflammatory.” Her current venture is hosting mocktail hours at Dialog, a cafe, market and art gallery on Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street that Phoenix New Times named the best coffeehouse of 2024. The mocktail hours are all about accessibility and inclu- sivity. Gould noted that the marijuana industry can feel very bro-centric and insular, which can come across as inhospi- table or seem confusing to the uninitiated. “The events now are dab bars and joint- rolling contests, which are totally fun,” Gould said. “It’s just not totally welcoming. I’ve talked to people who are like, ‘Yeah, cannabis events are scary.’” Gould’s mocktail hours feature a curated menu of seasonal mocktails and hors d’oeuvres made by chef Teresa Hansen of High Vibe Kitchen Collective. Guests can choose whether they want their drinks and food infused with THC, CBD, both or neither. Thanks to the stylish interior of Dialog and a low-fi DJ setting the mood, the events are on the chill side. So far, Gould has hosted three events. “The most consistent comment I get back from guests is, ‘This was such a vibe,’” she said. “I’m honestly thrilled because that just means there’s that energy in the room.” Gould isn’t only interested in the busi- ness details of the marijuana industry. She’s also involved in advocacy work through Arizona’s chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, also known as NORML. In December, she was elected to the group’s nine-person board as secretary. She’s been involved with NORML since she was a student at the University of Arizona, during which time she volunteered with the organization for street cleanups. Ever since she learned the history of the marijuana plant’s use — how governments criminalized it, disproportionately incar- cerating Black and brown people — Gould knew she wanted to focus on changing stigmas and laws that have unjustly vilified marijuana and those who use it. “That’s my cause,” Gould said she thought at the time. Now, she said, “I just feel like with Meaghie Jane and NORML, I can play a part in that.” The next Meaghie Jane mocktail hour is on Jan. 30 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Dialog. Tickets are available at meaghie- jane.com. Meaghie Jane founder Meaghan Gould wants to broaden the appeal of cannabis products. (Courtesy of Meaghie Gould)
